HALO TOSSING!
There has been some real excitement here on the island of Oahu since our return. The University of Hawaii Warrior Football Team won its final game and is the only team in the nation with a perfect record, thus earning an invite to the Sugar Bowl.
The stadium was filled to capacity, and afterwards there was a “Hallelujah Windup” in Waikiki, keeping us up half the night. If they win the Sugar Bowl, you can rest assured that their helmets will be replaced with halos.
The Honolulu Marathon took place last weekend with thousands of runners, and even more revelers. Fireworks very early in the morning (to announce the start of the race) startled us out of our blissful reverie. Later on, we ventured over to the finish line for the "Hallelujah Windup" which lasted deep into the night.
Look, who in their right mind would get up at 4:00 a.m. and pay $140 to run 26 miles, only to receive a measly yellow T-shirt with the inscription, “Finisher, Honolulu Marathon”? And to top it off, celebrate that insanity all night long!
Needless to say, I felt very inferior, sticking out like a sore halo in that sea of yellow T-shirts with my old, grubby, faded white shirt bearing the inscription, “Jesus Saves.”
The “Triple Crown of Surfing” is another annual December event out on Oahu’s North Shore, concluding with the Pipeline Masters, with waves sometimes higher than a five-story building.
And the Aussies swept it all this year. The Pipeline break is a wave that literally halos every surfer who passes through and under it. And thousands braved that primitive, two-lane road to watch these haloed rides, yours truly included. The “Hallelujah Windup” was celebrated bumper-to-bumper deep into the night on the long trek home.
Last, but not least, was our four-year old granddaughter’s preschool Christmas pageant the other day. She was (is) an angel and spoke her line confidently and to perfection, making the buttons on her Tutu’s (Grandparent’s) tunics pop with pride.
The climax came during the benedictory prayer when all of the precious little angels started throwing their halos at one another. It’s the quintessential “Hallelujah Windup,” don’t you think? I may be mistaken, but I think my church did it that way once upon a time, celebrating deep into the night while tossing their “hallelujah halos” at one another. DIDN’T THEY? (Note: Photo above taken before the halo tossing).
By the way, her spoken line was, “PEACE ON EARTH!”
At once the angel was joined by a huge angelic choir singing God’s praises: Glory to God in the heavenly heights, Peace to all men and women on earth who please him. (Luke 2:13-14)
I’m leaving you well and whole. That’s my parting gift to you. Peace. I don’t leave you the way you’re used to being left—feeling abandoned, bereft. So don’t be upset. Don’t be distraught. (John 14:27)
God’s saints need to give their halos a hallelujah workout every once in a while, DON’T YOU THINK? Why should the world have all the fun?
Note 1: “Halo Tossing” is an art form perfected by the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit. Admittedly, sometimes the Spirit is not present in the tossing.
Note 2: “Hallelujah Windup” is antiquated Salvation Army-speak for the victory celebration that, once upon a time, occurred after prayer meetings where seeking souls had found “peace of mind and heart!”
