Giants

Yesterday was the Super Bowl, at our house, as well as Home Bible Study. We usually meet at 5:30 for singing, prayer, and a short lesson and dismiss around 7:00, but last night we met at 4:30, and had an abbreviated session, so we could eat appetizers ( you know, like little smokies, meatballs, and touchdown taco dip) and desserts (like buckeyes, oreo cookie balls and cupcakes and then more cupcakes) and gather in the den to watch the New England Patriots and the New York Giants battle it out. AND IT WAS A GREAT GAME!!! PROBABLY ONE OF THE BEST GAMES IN THE HISTORY OF FOOTBALL!!! We watched and yelled and then we really yelled when Eli threw the, now infamous, pass that ultimately won the game and made the Giants victors over the Patriots. Oh what a memory that game will be!

However, even in watching a game that made history and will be remembered for decades to come, these are not the Giants I will remember. The giants I will always remember were the ones sitting on my couch, in my husband's recliner, cuddled up on the floor, sitting on barstools behind the couch, peering from the kitchen table and listening from the kitchen sink. These are their names and why they are giants to me:
Phil has defined unconditional love and shown it to me over and over again.
David has proven that Dad and son can be best friends.
Kelly has shown me that the best job on Earth is to excel at being a mom.
Laura has proven that God can give us more than we could possibly ask or imagine.
Clinton has shown me that contentment is not having what you want but wanting what you have.
Scott has proven the lesson that when life hands you lemons, you can make lemonade.
Stephanie has shown how it's possible to raise three children, all of them being very different, but each feeling very special.
Adam lives the song, "Who I am Hates Who I've Been."
Carolyn shows me what it means to lead, silently.
Christina has taught me that single moms take care of their children, even when it means working at night.
Kevin reminds me that we are one in Christ and opinions don't matter.
Ben has taught me that stature is not measured in feet and inches.
Valorie has shown me that distance does not separate friends.
Travis has proven that GIANTS' hearts can be melted by little girls.
Tiffany has shown that some friends ARE forever.
Larson has shown that it's better to give than to receive.
Ruth is living proof that "there is a friend that sticks closer than a brother."
Tim knows the value of life.
Sandra knows the value of love.

Upon his win following the teams SBXLII win, this was Eli Manning's quote:

"I think we just had a great will on this team--just a great group of guys. There was something special about this group. We were determined and we had great faith in ourselves. We had leaders across the board in every aspect. Everybody knew their role and their responsibility. No matter what we've been through, I think it's helped that a lot of the players have been together for the last three or four years. We've just learned to deal with adversity and learned how to overcome mistakes, a bad play or a disappointment, and put it behind us and forget it. We just had total faith and confidence that no matter what is thrown at us, we can handle it and we can overcome it."

Even though this is Eli Manning's quote about the New York Giants, I could not have said it any better, about MY GIANTS.

"I think we have a great will on our team--we're just a great group of Christian friends. There's something special about this group. We are very determined and we have great faith in ourselves and God. We have leaders across the board in every aspect. We all know our role and our responsibility. No matter what we've been through, I think it's helped that a lot of us have been together for the last two to twenty years. We've just learned to deal with adversity and learned how to overcome mistakes, a bad decision or a disappointment and we've put it behind us and forgotten it. We just have total faith and confidence that no matter what is thrown at us, we can handle it and we can overcome it."

I may not remember that Bill Belichick was the coach and Tom Brady was the quarterback for the New England Patriots or that Tom Coughlin was the coach and Eli Manning was the quarterback for the New York Giants or that Plaxico Burress caught the winning pass, but I will always remember my GIANTS: Phil and David, Kelly and Laura, Clinton.....and Scott..........and..........