Mark 5:19 New International Version (NIV)
19 Jesus did not let him, but said, “Go home to your own people and tell them how much the Lord has done for you, and how he has had mercy on you.”
There is a little different excitement building around this week’s football game here at Lake Travis High School. It is Homecoming 2014 – Stars, Stripes, and Cavaliers. All week the student body has been participating in different dress up days and posting signs showing their love and support for the football team. This year some student organizations and activities have taken it upon themselves to start a campaign called “Bringing Home the Homeless” and we are working to raise $10,000 to build a tiny house in a new community in East Austin where the homeless families are given a home. This was completely thought up and carried out by the student body here at Lake Travis and we hope to make it a new tradition to our Homecoming festivities.
With Homecoming week you have the normal hype for a game such as this but this week is always special because the alumni tend to make it a point to come back and enjoy the atmosphere which they remember so fondly also. Today is one of the craziest days for the week because in the weeks prior to this week, dates and proposals have all been garnered and prepared with today being the ultimate showing of their devotion to their dates with the presentation of the MUMS! Growing up in the hills of Tennessee, we did not have this tradition of presenting mums and garters to our homecoming dates. I don’t even remember homecoming dates being such a big deal as it is now. Here in TX though, they say everything is BIGGER and this includes the mums! Young ladies will strain their back today while wearing these HUGE contraptions they call mums. They have ribbons, streamers, decorations, bells, lights, stuffed bears, and flowers all over them. If you haven’t seen one then you need to google search “homecoming mums” and see what you come up with. It is definitely a site to see.
While this week is great, the real HOMECOMING will be that day when we are able to go home to our heavenly Father. The verse above reminds me of the importance of what we should do while we are here and when we go home. We need to make it a point to spread the Good Word of the Lord to all those we come in contact with. While football homecomings are fun and festive, imagine the day when we return HOME to our Lord! That will be a day worth a mum!
