More than Sports - Loyalty

To call Linda a sports fan is like saying fish enjoy water. I can't imagine her without a game to watch or a team to cheer. Whereas I enjoy football and will watch whoever is playing on Sunday night, Linda is very particular. It isn't the sport specifically that she watches, it's her team. 

Linda's room - notice the theme?

Linda is a fiercely loyal fan. She won't watch just any football, she watches the Detroit Lions or the Michigan Wolverines. She knows the Tigers' schedule better than anyone I know. If the games weren't on so late, the Red Wings would be a regular fixture in her winter schedule.

One of her many Detroit Tigers shirts (and our little buddy Shep).

When you have Linda's loyalty, you have a lifetime cheerleader. Seriously, I don't think it would be possible to convince her that you make mistakes. Leland has never mismanaged the Tigers - they only lose because of ill-gotten gains by other teams (the term "stupid jerks" is often heard after a loss).

Ready for another game with her best friends.

Her unwavering support often translates into relationships, which can be both good and bad. It certainly is nice to have someone on my side, to know that I can count on her for support and encouragement no matter how stupidly I behave. That is an amazing blessing, but it's also a tremendous responsibility - I can't let it give me a big head.

When you have relative in Vegas, you're an honorary Rebel.

It's tempting to believe that I'm never wrong, but I'm a pretty smart person - no one's always right. Linda's overheard some arguments between Matt and me, she's watched my sisters and I get into some classic disagreements, and she's listened to me on the phone with customer service representatives from Charter. Ask her about any of those situations and she'll tell you: Matt should have done something different, my sisters don't understand, and Charter needs Jesus.

Guess who's excited about the game and who we had to bribe to wear a Red Wings sweater?

I'd love to say that's always true, but I often expect Matt to do 18 hours of work in 12, I'm tired and cranky when dealing with my sisters, and I didn't read the fine print on my cable contract. It would be easy to let Linda convince me that it's not my fault, but it wouldn't be right. I make sure to tell her how hard Matt works and praise him for being good at his job so she and I can stay home together. I apologize for yelling, saying that my tiredness is never an excuse to lose my temper with my sisters. Charter ... well, they are stupid jerks, so we try not to talk much about them.

With her sister-in-law and brother at a Lumen Christi football game - it's tradition!

Linda's loyalty has actually made me more aware of my actions and reactions. I don't ever want to be one of those people who pretends to do everything right. I make mistakes. I want to learn from them. While I'm learning, however, it certainly is nice to have someone around giving me unconditional support. I hope someday to be worthy of it.