Tailgating in the sweet bye and bye

This past Saturday, I got the opportunity to go to my first This past Saturday, I got the opportunity to go to my first college football game. I got to see Notre Dame beat Duke. It was a great time and a great atmosphere to experience. Something struck me hard though before the game. We went early and I experienced another first: tailgating. We spent about an hour and a half just hanging out. What struck me wasn't the amount of people or what they were or weren't drinking etc. It hit me that they have being "together" more than most local churches. They share food, share stories, and share just about anything. They just meet everybody and nobody seems left out. They are laughing and joking and being, without really knowing them, their best selves when these times come. It seems in a tailgating lot, that there are no problems, no worries, nothing that you have to do or don't do to make "tailgating" right. They are just experiencing life together. So often we get caught up in the "how" and forget to be happy in the now. We get so frustrated with everything going on around us and we start to have fewer things to appreciate. You see, when we start complaining and being mean and bitter about things, it trickles into everything we do, everything we say and eventually affects how we live.

The church needs to start living life with each other and stop telling and talking about how others are doing so much wrong and how they need to live. Sure, call sin sin but don't let that be OUR calling card. We aren't called to into all the world and preach the condemning/sad/turn or burn message are we? Is that what Jesus said? No...he said go and tell them the good news...the news that there is a better life. One that if lived with the right priorities can be abundant and joy-filled. We (people who are trying to be more like Christ and less like a "Christian") should start living our lives like a tailgate. Befriending all, criticising few... laughing more, bad mouthing less...giving to others, comparing what we have to those around...

You see...I don't know what Heaven will be like but I'd like to think it will be a little like tailgating. With its good times, everybody is a friend and such an atmosphere of excitement and joy that people would want to be there above anywhere else.

I need to tailgate more in my life. How about you?