eye of the tiger

i'm not quite sure what to write today.. there are so many things going through my head at any given time - it's hard to focus in on one thing and get my thoughts across on it.

okay, i just thought of today's topic: the eye of the tiger.
i'm going to try not to be cheesy, but considering the subject matter, it may prove difficult. you'll understand what i mean when i start my next sentence...
starting a couple weeks ago, i've been watching the Rocky movies with Matt. he's wanted me to see them for SO long.. i thought it was time. the surprise? i'm loving them! we started Rocky IV last night, which reminded me of something i learned from watching Rocky III (i told you, it's going to be hard not to be cheesy).

as those of you who have seen it know, Rocky III starts off with the song "Eye of the Tiger" playing, and showing Rocky fighting all these guys to retain his title as world champion. but then comes Mr. T......

you remember, the A Team, mohawk, crazy earrings. gotta love the guy. except in this movie, he's impossible to like!

anyway, along comes Mr. T, challenging the world champ to a match. Rocky excepts, but only after a hard insult given in the direction of his wife.
he starts to train... well, sort of. but not really. he doesn't think the guy has a chance. he's proven painfully wrong in the ring, where Mr. T pummels him worse than he's ever been pummeled. he's down in the third round, where he usually lasts all 15 without a problem.

okay, here comes the point to the story.
Rocky can't figure out what happened. his previous competitor, Apollo Creed, offers to train him for a re-match against Mr. T. when questioning his ability, and wondering what happened, Apollo says this to Rocky: that in order to win, you have to be hungry. that's he'd lost his hunger a long time ago. that he wouldn't be able to win against Mr. T unless he was hungry again. in Apollo's words: "you haven't been hungry since you won that belt!!"

and he was right. he regained his hunger, and he won in the second round, no questions asked.

how does this apply to me, you may ask?

hunger. life lately has seemed a little dull, a little routine. not life in general.. being married is still new and exciting.. just everything else. my job. my social life. even church.
i wasn't hungry.
one thursday night at church, about three weeks ago, the hunger returned. and ever since, things have been anything but dull. as Rocky won his match once his hunger returned, i feel i'm winning in the battle of life for the first time in a long time.

what am i hungry for?
change. the kind that can only come from God. He's doing it, and it's exciting. more exciting than anything the world has to offer me.

better is one day in Your courts.... than thousands elsewhere.
or in my version, better is one hour with You... than getting enough sleep every night! :)