What a dire weekend for sport if you are both a Gillingham and an English rugby fan! Neither team seemed to get started and it amazed me how the emotion of being defeated can affect me, especially when I know ‘my team’ is capable of so much more!

For the last 2 games I have also taken Joe along with Tom and myself. I have at last found a good use for the £10 off vouchers given to season ticket holders that renewed early. In effect I get a free ticket for Joe as it usually only costs £7 to get him in.

Anyway … watching Joe at the match, and chatting on the way home, it is clear that the result is only part of the event for him. Yes, he’s upset that we did not win, but he still has a great time despite the result. The actual event of going to watch ‘his team’ is what brings the enjoyment for him, and not just the end result.

This kind of pulled me up short, particularly as I can remember those days when I loved watching whether we lost or not – it’s the beauty of the game of football! Of course, I want to win – but the game of football itself is a great game.

Joe has shown me, in a real and concrete way, that I have lost my initial enthusisam. It’s become all about winning. It’s become all about the quality of the performance. I have lost my first love.

In a way, that’s not too dis-similar to church.

I remember the days I went to church, just becuase I wanted to meet with God and with other people. I went to present myself and to hear wisdom from the preacher, insights from the Holy Spirit, and to give what I had to God. It did not matter what the service was like, who was preaching, what we were looking at – I was just pleased to be there to be able to thank God for what he had done.

It seems I may have lost my first love here too!
Realising this just before Lent, could be good thing!