Fireworks

Yesterday was a great day with having free tickets to a ‘Lope’s’ game at GCU Arena. It has been such an incredible blessing or gift to have interns helping from Grand Canyon University and ASU. One of the bennies of being part of the GCU Campus is that they are becoming more and more driven to be involved with the community in a hands on fashion. So after a semester we are starting to see an impact on our group and the partnership aspect is helping with planning and doing the typical routine better.

As we drive onto the campus it is obvious that the crowd has descended and that the parking lots are almost full. The game is sold out primarily because it is free for students and also the various partners that GCU is helping through their Servant Scholar Program. As I am driving the van around the normal area and hoping that I don’t have to drive to the distant backside of campus there is one spot and wow the van even fits into this cramped spot.

As we walk to the arena the crowds we pass are all dressed in purple. There is an excitement in the air. As I call Jenessa to find out exactly where we should meet the teens are excited and caught up in the fireworks of the night. It has been a long time since I have been to anything college driven that had this much excitement. I was able to see an ASU football game as they closed out the season but the Sun Devils lost.

We find the rest of our group and I take a few pictures outside. It was unfortunate that I couldn’t attend the earlier reception for the ministry partners like New City. The inside looks incredible and everything is brand new and the big screens help everyone see both the game and have a sense of what the DNA of the campus is like. The game starts off slow for the ‘Lope’ who fall behind. We have had two of the basketball players come and help with tutoring. After we fight over some of our seats for the first 30 minutes or so we all settle down to actually watching the game.

I was amazed that my group of 25 or so was able to sit through the whole game and not wonder around most of the time. The tide of the game after half time turned to the ‘Lope’s’ favor. All of a sudden a string of three pointers meant that the ‘Lopes’ were ahead. It was a game changing setting where the defense started to step up and the lead went from just a few points to over 10 then to 12.

It was fun watching the hoopla of the beginning, halftime and end of the game attics. I think my group was taken back when there was a little fireworks display before the game started and then at halftime and at the finish as the Lopes actually pulled off a win. Unfortunately our basketball star friend, Blake, had sprained his ankle and was limping off the court with crutches.

As we made our way through the crowd outside on our way home there were real fireworks outside the arena. It was actually a great display that forced us to stop and watch until it finished. I was even able to get a couple of great pics that showed the backdrop of the night sky next to the buildings on campus. As I shared the fact that we would go to McDonalds on the way home everyone went from snail mode to hyper-speed pace. I don’t think the express McD’s was ready for an order that had over 40 items but they rocked and got it to us in about 10 minutes. So we ate our hot and spicy’s and mcdoubles as we drove home in about 15 minutes.

My hope, which I think is happening, is to show that life can have its moments of fireworks that are actually good instead of life for most where typically it is the siren or lights of the police or ambulance that is heard far too often. I know that college for most of these teens is still really a dream or non-existent. My prayer is that they are exposed more and more to different life experiences that their eyes will open to see that God is more than able to make what seems impossible possible!