I am a Real American

“When it comes crashing down, and it hurts inside,

ya' gotta take a stand, it don't help to hide,
Well, you hurt my friends, and you hurt my pride,
I gotta be a man; I can't let it slide,
I am a real American, Fight for the rights of every man,
I am a real American, fight for what's right, fight for your life!” – Rick Derringer

So, those of you that know me (as I doubt to many strangers stumble upon this blog) know of my inherent geekiness. I have enjoyed comic books and video games going back as far as I can remember. However, growing up one of my favorite televisions shows was always professional wrestling. The reason you've won't hear me mention it much is that I stopped watching it a good 10+ years ago for reason I will save for another post.

Now this was in the 80’s before there was a WCW or WWE. I would watch NWA & GCW that would eventually combine and become the WCW. Ric Flair, Sting, The Great Muta, The Four Horsemen, Dusty Rhodes, the Rock n Roll express. It was good times. This was back when wrestling was small enough to be hosted at the Dorton Arena. 

However, if you were to jump into your Tardis and ask elementary age Glen who his favorite wrestler was well that was easy. The one, the only, the immortal, Hulk Hogan.  Every Saturday, Sunday & Monday I would tune in to see if I could catch a glimpse of the Hulkster. I would jump up in excitement at the start of his theme music. 

The music would hit, the crowd would go crazy, and then Hogan would march down the aisle waving an American flag. Soon he would enter the ring, strike epic poses, and then rip his shirt off in a slow intimidating fashion. Hogan would be easily winning the manage then the heel’s manager would distract the referee allowing the heel to cheap shot the hulkster. Then he would start to lose and Gorilla Monsoon would say something along the lines of “Oh No! Could this be the end of Hulkamania?” Terror would grip my heart! 

Could this be end of Hulkamania?

NEVER!

The heel would then put Hogan in a sleep hold. Hogan would appear to pass out and the referee would go to check him and then right as he was about to be counted out he would slowly raise his arm and then break out of the hold and get that crazy look in his eye. That look that meant that Hulkamania was about to run wild! Then Hogan would defeat the bad guy. Win the match and save the day. All was right with the world. 

In some off chance Hulk reads this. Thanks for the memories!

   
Every couple of months the announcers would start talking about the upcoming pay-per view. This was back when they were only 4 times a year. Royal Rumble, Wrestle Mania, Summer Slam, and Survivor Series.  I can still here Mean Gene Okerlund saying “Kids, tell your parents that you don’t want to miss Wrestle Mania!” Of course during my childhood the number of pay per views my parents ordered after my begging amounted to 0. Wrestling was fake and I could rent it once it comes out on video they would tell me. So I stopped asking for them sometime around 5^{th -} 6^th grade. 

As soon as they were available to rent and I had earned $2 (for good behavior/chores/etc.) I would rent them and spend my Saturday watching them on this tiny TV/VCR combo that my dad had. Yet, it was still not the same thing as being the cool kid who spent all Monday talking about how awesome the Sunday night pay per view was. 

Sometime in high school I stopped watching wrestling consistently, but I can’t remember why I did for any particular reason. Just got out of the habit I believe. Then in 96-97 I started watching off and on again hearing guys talk about the NWO. Soon I was hooked again but this time almost exclusively with the WCW since they were now in direct competition with the WWF. Yet, still no access to pay per view since they cost $60 and I worked most Sunday evenings they were still not in the cards. 

Then came the glorious day October 26^th 1997. My friend Nick was over at my house hanging out. Nick has become a Christian in the last year or so and had been repeatedly inviting me to church which I for the most party casually ignored but I did like hanging out with him. So we were hanging out and I asked if he wanted to stay for dinner and he couldn’t because he was going somewhere with his friend Jared and we had the following conversation. 

Me: You wanna stay for dinner?
Nick: Can’t I’m going somewhere in a bit with Jared.
Me: Where to?
Nick: Some wrestling thing? I don’t know Jared keeps trying to talk me into watching wrestling with him.
Me: HALLOWEEN HAVOC?!?!?!?!?
Nick: I think so…..
Me: Can I go? Pretty pretty pretty please? I’ll even pitch in towards the cost!
Nick: Let me check. It’s not at Jared’s house but this guy named Robert whom we go to church with.
*At this point Nick had to appreciate the irony of me begging him to attend an evening with friends of his from church.*

So, Robert allowed Nick to bring a random guy into his house to watch a wrestling PPV. Seemingly, not that big a deal. It was my first real interaction with anyone from Antioch other than Nick. I met several people that night and they all were pretty cool. Very warm, welcoming and inviting and I had a good time. This was not a big deal to Robert. This was a huge deal to me. Shortly after that I was invited to watch wrestling at the home of another Antioch member. A guy named David and his wife Missy whom had recently celebrated their 1 year anniversary. I went excited to have people to watch wrestling with for a change. 

Meeting people from Antioch that were cool I finally attended a youth event since those other people had been so nice. A youth event lead to a Wednesday night and then in Feb of 1998 I finally attended a Sunday Service. The rest as they say, is subject for another post.

1 Cor 1:27-29 “But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty; and the base things of the world and the things which are despised God has chosen, and the things which are not, to bring to nothing the things that are, that no flesh should glory in His presence.”
 
Of course now at Antioch Robert is the chairman of deacons, David is the senior pastor and I am their forever grateful Associate Pastor. Bet you didn’t think that’s where this story was heading did you? I didn’t either at the time. :-)

Maybe we can’t or aren’t all called to do some huge thing for the Lord like the great work my friends Dean & Melissa are doing with RadicalLife Outreach Ministries. Perhaps though we’ve lost focus and gotten so caught up in the spectacle of others lives and ministries that we forget how powerful a small act of kindness can be. 

Glen

 P.S. Be sure to train, say your prayers and take your vitamins!