The most wonderful time of the year.

I am not a crier.  I just cried.  Twice. 

First, I watched a video on the Facebook about a man with Alzheimers who was bound and determined to go get his wife a memento of love.  

Second, I watched the just released 2015 LSU Football hype video. 

My pump was probably already primed when I watched the latter.  However, it is none the less moving.  Stirring.  Compelling.  Rousing.  Poignant.  I was so moved as to offer an invocation of thanksgiving for the imminent beginning of this sacred season.  

Dear Lord, there are many things I'm thankful for and we are so near the season of thanks.  So with all my heart I thank you for seeing fit to gift us on earth with recreation and athletic pursuits.  Thank you for seeing fit to inspire men to compete in battle on the gridiron.  

Thank you for gifting us with talents to perform musical productions whilst marching in precision.  

Thank you for instruments whose blasts are a fierce call to the charge!  

Thank you for flags and for young women who can throw them high into the air, catch them, and whip them about with conviction.  Thank you for the ones who dance with skill and grace, for the ones who high step in tall white square heeled boots slinging batons like sabers into the deep purple night sky. And for the ones who boldly call out to thousands, urging us to cheer on our warriors, we thank you.
 

Thank you for creative giants who produce sagas of hype that goose pimple our skin and make the hairs on our necks stand at attention with such determination that we would answer the call to battle if it comes without so much as a blink. 

Thank you for the men who would eat grass, daring a foe to come against them on the battlefield; for the men who strategically construct battle plans and direct teams of brave youths to execute them; for the men who are the voices carrying the epic battle across lines and waves to droves of the devoted across this great land.  For the young warriors with predator hearts that defend and strike their targets with earth shaking forces; for the young warriors that wound the hearts of untold thousands by their swift arrows of offensive strikes! 
For these I give thanks.  

Thank you for the colors that ignite passion in our soul!  For the mascots that embody our fierce competitive spirit!  For the songs we cry out in unison!   Thank you for the feasts and fellowship.  
Thank you Lord, for this earthly gift, for this season that is college football!  
Amen.

I'm going to now show you my beloved LSU Tiger's 2015 hype video.  Watch or don't, whatever.  Can we just all enjoy these last days of getting along and acknowledge the AV wonder that is a good hype video?  All the AV team moms said, "YES WE CAN! GO AV!"





I just don't care who you are, you gotta love the BAND!  Here's The Golden Band from Tigerland coming into the stadium, at 1:35 the spine-tingling battle call starts! 


Ok college football fans...I showed you mine, now you show me your favorite team's hype video or band video! 

{Photo credit to @viewlsu on the Instagram.}