God's Coaching #105

God's Coaching #105

Have you ever had a major brain freeze? Maybe you’ve eaten ice cream too quickly or slurped a Slurpee really fast. But you know the feeling. The massive pain behind the eye. The throbbing brain. The only good part is knowing that the headache will last only about 30 seconds. Brain freeze is caused when something cold comes into contact with the roof of your mouth and triggers nerves connected to your brain. As bad a brain freeze as you’ve had, you’ve probably never experienced a brain freeze like Pat Bertoletti’s.

In 2009, Sports Slurping became an official, recognized sport by Major League Eating and the International Federation of Competitive Eating. On this day in 2010, Pat traveled to Australia to take part in the world’s first Sports Slurping Championships. Pat won the competition and set a world record by drinking a 22-ounce Slurpee in just nine seconds. According to the rules, the first half of the Slurpee must be consumed through a standard straw. Then the final half can be drunk straight from the cup. Pat downed his sports-flavored Slurpee in record time and then had to deal with the brain freeze.

What’s the Score?

Eating doesn’t seem like much of a sport. After all, people do it every day, and it doesn’t take any particular skill. But recently, competitive eating has grown in popularity around the world. Pat is one of the rising stars. He’s been known to eat 47 glazed, cream-filled doughnuts in five minutes or nine pounds of blueberry pie in eight minutes without using his hands. That’s some impressive eating, but definitely not as painful as guzzling a Slurpee.

Brain freeze hurts, but it doesn’t cause any permanent damage or hurt you in the future. It’s a good idea to protect your brain. That includes what you feed your brain by watching TV or movies. In Jeremiah 17:10, God says that he examines your mind and rewards you according to your actions. When you guard your mind and fill it with good things, those good choices will be reflected in your actions. Allowing inappropriate images or dangerous ideas into your brain can negatively affect your future.

On the Ball

Don’t freeze bad images or thoughts in your brain. Fill your mind with good things. Then when God searches your heart and examines your mind, he’ll be pleased with what he finds.

Coach’s Comment

I the LORD search the heart and examine the mind, to reward each person according to their conduct, according to what their deeds deserve. Jeremiah 17:10 (NIV)