I have been loving watching the Olympics for the past week! The other night I watched Gabby Douglas win the gold, and Michael Phelps break the world record and become the most dressed Olympian of all time. And it just made me SO happy.
I just think it's so neat to see these people who have put so much time and effort into something they love to do, and then those dreams actually become a reality.
And although it's so cool to see Michael Phelps win the most Olympic medals ever....
...and witness Gabby Douglas win the gold in the all-around, which is something only 3 Americans have done before her...
...and watch Missy Franklin (who's my age!) win her first gold medals, I've learned from watching these Olympics that it's so much more than that.
Of course these athletes will always be remembered for the amazing accomplishments they earned at the 2012 London Olympics, but in another 20 years, someone may beat Michael Phelps's 22 medal record. And another young American gymnast may win the all-around. Some one else may even beat Missy Franklin's world record.
So although all of those gold medals and world records are something to be extremely proud of, life isn't about the number of Olympic medals you have, how well you can do on the uneven bars, or how quickly you can swim a 200-meter backstroke.
And the thing that makes me the proudest about these three athletes is that they realize this too. And that makes incredibly happy and proud to be an American and to be able to cheer on these athletes.
Because Michael Phelps said in an interview that although he has the most Olympic medals ever, he's still just the same guy he was before he boarded that plane to London, and that he swims simply because he loves it.
I love how when Gabby Douglas received her gold medal on the podium, afterwards she said that all the glory and praise goes to God since He blessed her with her gymnast abilities.
And I think it's so cool that Missy Franklin stayed and trained for the Olympics in her hometown in Colorado so that she could be with her friends and live a normal teenage life. I also think it's so neat that she swam for her high school team because that's what she loves to do.
I think it's so funny that going into the Olympics, I was cheering for these athletes to win the gold, and now that they've done that, I'm praying that they are able to reach so many other Americans besides just me to show them that the gold medals don't mean a thing if you don't love what you do and can be thankful for all the hardships it took you to get there.
Sometimes it's just the simplest things, like the Olympic games, that can teach you a life lesson. And from now on, I'm going to try my best to always follow my heart and do what I love to do, while also accepting the disappointing times, and remembering how blessed I am if my dreams come true.
Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men. ~ Colossians 3:23
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