It is very easy to get caught up in the day to day happenings of Illini college football and basketball seasons.   The wins bring us happiness....the losses bring us disappointment.  Web sites and talk shows analyze every coaching decision....every missed or made game winning shot or play.  It goes on day after day after day.

And there is nothing wrong with that.  Sports... and talking about sports ...is part of the fabric of American society.  A lot of people (including me)  have jobs in radio, TV and newspaper because of the interest in sports.

But I also think that sometimes we need to keep things in perspective  If the Illini lose a game...it is sad....but not the end of the world.  Think about it...there are are lot of people around the world that go to bed each night not knowing where their next meal might come from..... or whether they will even survive the next day due to famine, disease or war.   .Now THAT is sad.  

Others are dealing with serious physical or financial emergencies. Losing a football or basketball game is not that big a deal compared to those situations.

So at this Christmas time as we celebrate the birth of Christ.......remember the things in this life that really matter....Faith.... Family..... and caring for those less fortunate than ourselves. 

Football and basketball games....well......they are just games.  They come and go.... and most scores are quickly forgotten. 

But our relationships with God and our families...and how we treat our fellow human beings...those are the things where the final score really does matter.