Tuesday, January 06, 2009

There was a glimmer

Saturday was a grueling practice. One of our squads was needing a little TLC from coaching staff. We started with an hour of extra tumbling practice, followed by a two hour non-stop practice session that involved repeatedly performing the same routine over and over. There were tears and the cheerleaders were getting frustrated too. [ha!]

Then, during the last 30 minutes of practice, I saw it. There was a glimmer of fight that passed over one of the girl's faces. She was angry - I loved it. Am I crazy? No! It was the first piece of passion I have seen from this group of girls. I thought, "come on baby, use that energy." She did, she wiped away tears and fought harder to get it right. Her squad picked up on it - a huge jump in their technique followed.

We praised them, they gave a little more. The couple of parents in the room cheered - they brightened and gave some more. At the end of that practice, they had improved by 80%, at least.

The potential I saw on Saturday energized me to the core. It caused me to prance into the office on Monday with an extra spring in my step.

"Come on my baby girls - I can't wait to see you this Saturday. I can't wait for your parents to see you on the 17th at the competition. Use that frustration (it is just passion bottled up) to make you better. Show me how good you really are. Now is the time to let it out - don't be afraid, I BEE-lieve in you. Don't forget."

When I am old

I have decided that my relationships are too important to allow pride issues to interfere with them. For example, we are blessed people but we live in an average home. It was built in the late eighties and still has its original flooring, kitchen and baths. The original owner didn't opt for quality when selecting the finishes either. We have three boys that live with us - you get the picture, right? It could stand to be updated and in some cases overhauled. This year instead of worrying about our old carpet or plastic-wood trim, I am going to enjoy my friends and serve them as guests in my home. [OK, so if you know me you know that I don't wait on guests, you are only a guest for about 10 minutes and then you should just kick off your shoes and open up the fridge yourself!]

So my friends, I will be sending many dinner party invites this year. Please don't look at the soiled carpets, the smudged walls, the knife marks in the linoleum [yes they are knife marks - don't ask] or ask what the funny smell is in the upstairs bathroom [no amount of bleach or scrubbing will make it go away]. Come in, kick off your shoes, grab a Diet Pepsi from the fridge, eat some of my semi-homemade hoover-doovers, be prepared to compete in a card game or share some funny stories.

Likewise do the same - don't hold back. You aren't too busy. Invite, attend, we all have some wisdom, acceptance, love or humor to share. God didn't place us on this earth to be islands right?

Thursday, January 01, 2009

Persevere in the New Year

I am posting a daily email I receive from Summit Christian Center (Rick Godwin's church). Too great not to share. You can sign up to receive these too by visiting: www.summitsa.com.

“We will reap a harvest if we do not give up.” Galatians 6:9 NIVThis year – persevere (1)Perseverance means: (1) Succeeding because you’re determined to, not because you’re entitled to. Achievers don’t sit back and wait for success because they think the world “owes them.” No, if you’re wise you’ll ask God for direction, stand firm on the Word He has given you, go forward and refuse to quit. You must adopt the attitude of the man who said, “We are determined to win. We’ll fight them until hell freezes over, and if we have to, we’ll fight them on ice.” Recalling the trials he’d faced, Paul said: “I started, and I’m going to finish. I’ve worked much harder, been jailed more often, beaten up more times than I can count, and at death’s door…And that’s not the half of it” (2Co 11:23-28 TM). One word describes Paul – relentless.

(2) Recognizing that life is not one long race, but many short ones in succession. Each task has its own challenges and each day its own events. You have to get out of bed the next morning and run again, but it’s never exactly the same race. To be successful you must keep plugging away. It’s said that Columbus faced incredible difficulties while sailing west in search of a passage to Asia. He encountered storms, experienced hunger, deprivation and extreme discouragement. The crews of his three ships were near mutiny. But his account of the journey says the same thing over and over: “Today, we sailed on.” And his perseverance paid off. He didn’t discover a fast route to the spice-rich Indies; instead he found a new continent. The scriptural key to success is – running the race each day (See Heb 12:1-2).

So, this year – persevere.