Keeping your eyes on the prize.

There are so many ways to look at the world; it all comes down to “keeping your eye on the prize”.  6 can recall a story about a famous baseball player who was chasing a record and only needed 78 hits.  As he was being interviewed by a reporter he was asked “How many times at bat do you need to break the record” his response was simple. I just need 78 at bats if I “keep my eye on the prize”.  Don’t we all need that much self confidence! How about our favorite person, Mr. Clark W. Griswold. Did you ever notice that he never does anything for his own gain? The pool, it is all about the family, Sled riding “Don't go puttin' none of that stuff on my sled, Clark. You know that metal plate in my head? I had to have it replaced, cause every time Catherine revved up the microwave I'd piss my pants and forget who I was for a half hour or so. So over at the VA they had to replace it with plastic. It ain't as strong so I don't know if I should go sailin down no hill with nothing between the ground and my brains but a piece of government plastic.” the turkey “Catherine, if this turkey tastes half as good as it looks, we're all in for a real treat!” the tree “The most enjoying traditions of the season are best enjoyed in the warm embrace of kith and kin. Thith tree is a thymbol of the thpirit of the Griswold family Chrithmath.” the trip to wall- mart If only I had that money Catherine and I gave to that TV preacher who was screwin' that hockey player. What about the kids? His kids can fend for themselves.” He just wanted to bring a little Christmas joy to the family… need I go on? He is a good man. Now here is a test for you all, let’s see if you can guess which person has their eye on the prize. Picture this, a typical Wednesday after noon on the Kiawah beach, you see a man approaching the beach with his kids as they crest the top of the walkway the kids take off running while the father is on his cell phone. He doesn’t notice that they have run away. The kids run right thru our private beach domain kicking up sand and covering our towels which have been strategically place to ward off intruders. The man is still standing on the walk way on his cell phone. When all of sudden what should appear the mother towing a wagon full of chairs towels coolers tents and toys, as she crests the top of the walkway a sudden gust of wind blows her beach hat into the dunes. She reaches into the wagon and pulls out a tent pole to retrieve her hat while the man on the cell phone just laughs at her. As she extends herself with the tent pole to try and retrieve her hat the wagon breaks free and rolls down the walkway and empties itself on the beach. By now the kids are long gone out in the ocean having a blast. The poor mom gathers her composure and casually picks up all the crap from her overturned wagon and proceeds to find a suitable site on the beach. It was about this time that she realized that her kids where no longer with their dad. In a panic she starts running all over the beach in a frantic search for the kids, mean while the dad is still on his cell phone. Relief at last she spots the kids in the surf, and begins the long task of setting camp on the beach, the tent goes up, the chairs come out, the towels go down, and the coolers are placed carefully under the tent. She sits down for a breather, and the kids come back looking for a drink, the dad comes back and sits in the char she was sitting in while she begins putting sun block on the kids. Now tell me who has their eye on the prize. That one was easy, now for a little more difficult one. When we go to mass, what is the priest talking about when he says.. Keep your eyes on the prize? Each year he talks about it, is he asking for money? Is he asking you to strive for goals that will improve your standing, or what?  The whole idea of keeping your eye on the prize is over 2000 years old. It simply means, forget what you did yesterday, and strive for the everlasting prize.