Everything I needed to know I learned in Mrs. Layton's class!

May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you the same attitude of mind toward each other that Christ Jesus had. Romans 15:5

I was in my garage a few nights ago and I saw the brick that came from my old school, Curry Elementary, when it was torn down a few years ago. Curry Elementary sat on a hill overlooking the Birmingham Airport and I was there from kindergarten through the eighth grade. We did not have air conditioning in the school until I was in the seventh grade, so the windows were always open and the planes were very loud. I developed my love for school from Curry Elementary because I had great teachers and I always enjoyed being there. I can still remember all of my teachers from elementary school. They went in this order: Glover, Gilbert, Gibson, Layton, Menefee, Pillard, Byrum, Norton, and Thoroughgood. I can remember certain things about each one. One of the days I will never forget was in Mrs. Layton’s third grade class. Her room was at the end of the building and although she is my all-time favorite teacher, she was also very strict. She especially did not like for the boys to lean backwards on the back two legs of their chairs. My friend, George was always breaking the rule. One day, after Mrs. Layton had told George several times to put his chair down, he was leaning back again. Mrs. Layton walked behind George, pushed his chair backwards, stood over him, and said, “I told you to stop leaning back in your chair”. I bet, to this day, George does not lean back in chairs. If he does, I bet he is looking over his shoulder for Mrs. Layton.

I learned a lot that year but the most important thing I learned did not come from a textbook. Mrs. Layton was always aware of each student’s individual needs. I was always a bashful kid and also had a little bit of a speech problem. Mrs. Layton would not let me be bashful in her class and she never seemed to notice the speech problem or let me use it as an excuse. I remember that she expected a lot from each of her students but I enjoyed each day that I was in her class. Not only did she expect great things from her students, but she also made you feel like you had really accomplished something when you did well. She taught me to expect a lot from people, to expect a lot from myself, and to give my best effort.

I think our Heavenly Father expects the same qualities from us. He wants us to expect great things from ourselves, but to glorify His Son with our accomplishments. He wants us to expect great things from the people in our lives, but to help them know His Son through our love for them. And He expects nothing but our best efforts and promises to reward us.

I prayed today that you will remember someone who made you feel the same way about yourself, and also that there is someone who feels this way about you. Expect people to do great things and flip them backwards when they don’t!

Chad

Facade

And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.  2nd Corinthians 3:18

I have been thinking about the word facade a bit lately. It is not a bad word but it simply means the outward appearance or what we want others to see. It can mean the outward face of a building but it can also mean the appearance or illusion of something real or fake. I often think of the image we present to others that may or may not truly represent what is inside. A home can have a beautiful facade but it may hide the inside that is filled with mistrust, anger, and dysfunction. The family behind the facade may appear to the neighbors to be a loving family, but if the facade is peeled away the reality is totally different.  I have to constantly be on guard against building a false facade around my life. Does the image my players see on the outside represent what is actually in my heart? And most important, does the facade my family sees match what is in my heart? I don’t admit to much but the facade is probably better than the inside sometimes. We can probably all admit to the same, if we really think about it.

Sometimes our facade can be to protect a loved one who is having a difficult time. We can show a great amount of strength to a family member who is struggling with illness or worry although we may have the same fears. Our facade will give them the strength they need for a moment in time but after a while they have to see behind the walls. Husbands and dads are probably the most guilty of building an elaborate facade for their wives and children to see. We want our children to believe we can conquer any challenge and our wives to believe they can always depend on us. There is nothing wrong with that but we also have to let them see us when we are afraid, worried, angry, and maybe a little vulnerable. I guess my point is that we have to always make sure the inside matches the facade. Our outward appearance, attitude, and words will draw people to us but they have to see Jesus when they look beneath the facade. I prayed today and asked Him to fill me so deeply with His Son that even my elaborate facade cannot hide Him from the people I will see today.

Chad

Yoked together

For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them.”  Matthew 18:20

There is a story that gets used by football coaches to explain the importance of working together as a team. I do not know if it is true but it makes a good point. The story is told that there was a contest in a small village in Canada to determine which farmer owned the strongest ox. The winning ox was found to be able to pull 8,000 pounds by itself and the second place finisher pulled just slightly less. The people in attendance were asked to place bets on the amount of weight the two oxen could pull if yoked together. Most of the people who placed bets put their money on 16,000 pounds assuming that each oxen would pull the same 8,000 pounds he was able to pull alone. However, when the oxen were yoked together they easily pulled the 16,000 pounds. As more weight was added the crowd was amazed as they watched the two oxen pull over 26,000 pounds together. Again, I don’t know if the story is true or even partially true but it makes a good point. For a football team we are much better when we are all pulling in the same direction and pulling our share of the heavy load. If a member of the team decides to pull in the opposing direction the team is not as strong. That team member may even begin to convince others to pull with him instead of with the team causing them to be even more weak. A team of people, regardless of their individual talent, can achieve great heights if all are pulling for each other and in the same direction. We are all also much stronger when a family member or friend comes along and pulls with us. What makes this happen? How, when someone helps us with a problem are we each able to perform at a level that is much more than double our level if alone? Also, if we are faced with a tragedy in our life or if dealing with a difficult problem, we are always able to overcome the challenge with a family member or trusted friend by our side.

Our christian walk is much the same. I can study my bible, search for ways to serve, and pray daily but I am not as strong alone as I am with a fellow christian. As a parent I can provide an income, buy the necessities, and care for my children alone but I am doubly good with my wife by my side, pulling in the same direction. Whether we are praying for an opportunity, healing of a friend, safety of a child, or the saving of a lost family member our prayers are much stronger if we gather together and pray. Just like the ox, when yoked together with another, becomes many times more powerful than alone, we will also gain strength from a spouse, parent, child, or friend who joins together with us to pray.

Chad

Joyful

Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.  Romans 12:12

Each day, in everyone’s life, there are issues that cause concern and also reasons for us to be joyful. We will each experience those days when we wake up to a problem and go back to bed at night with the same problem on our mind. However, if we look closely and take our mind away from our problems, we will notice the many joys that are also included in each day. The problem is that we, as humans, lose our focus on the joy because of the nagging pull of concern. The verse from Romans 12 reminds us to be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, and faithful in prayer. In this verse we are not told to be joyful only when life is going our way, to be patient only when waiting for a blessing, or to pray only when faced with a problem. I believe the words joyful, hope, patience, faithful, and prayer are all included in this short verse because God knows we will need each of these to get through a day. We will hope for a particular solution to a problem but should be joyful as we wait. We will face issues that will test our patience with a friend or loved one. And each day requires us to be faithful in prayer. Our days can often be a roller coaster of emotions, drama, problems, and worries but each day also has it’s reason for joy.

I often forget to look or fail to notice the reasons for joy in each of my days. I let frustration with something that is actually very small prevent me from seeing the joy that is all around. God creates the joyous events that happen in our lives to remind us that He is in control regardless of the day’s events or our mood. When we open our eyes and hearts we will see, even on the most frustrating days, the joy that helps us deal with the difficulties in a way that is pleasing to God. After all, He never promises us a life free from hardship and worry. But, He is always faithful to provide the reasons for joy as we deal with all the problems of life in a broken world.

Chad

"Extraordinary things"

And amazement seized them all, and they glorified God and were filled with awe, saying “We have seen extraordinary things today”. Luke 5:26

In the 5th chapter of Luke, Jesus is before a crowd teaching and a group of Pharisees are in attendance. The Pharisees were listening closely to Jesus’ words in order to catch him breaking their laws. Many people gathered and some were there hoping for healing from an illness and others were only there to say they had seen the famous Jesus. They were the autograph seekers of the time. While Jesus was teaching, a group of men carried a man that could not move onto the roof of the house and lowered him in front of Jesus. Because of the faith of the man Jesus says, “Your sins are forgiven”. The Pharisees were outraged when they heard Jesus forgive the man of his sins. Jesus knew the Pharisees were angry and were questioning his authority to heal the man, so He said to the man, “Rise and walk”. The verses do not go on to say that Jesus healed any more people that day. I am sure some of the people had traveled many days to be in His presence, but they did not receive a miracle, or did they?

I imagine the crowd that had gathered around Jesus was much like the crowds we see today. Some were true believers and came that day to be filled even more fully with God’s grace and love. Some were probably there to investigate if Jesus was real. And surely some were there to find a flaw or to hear a word to discredit Jesus. The verses only mention one man being healed but the entire crowd witnessed and received a miracle. For the true believer, witnessing the miracle served to strengthen their faith even more and I am sure they went away even stronger than before. For the people who were there to find out if Jesus was real left with an even stronger desire to fill their hearts and minds with His words and love. And the people who gathered to find a flaw probably left with more questions in their minds. But now, instead of questioning Jesus they questioned their own lack of faith. Every person there witnessed or received the miracle healing.

I have always believed that, if we open our hearts and eyes, we also would see extraordinary things each day. We still hear about people who survive a terrible illness, or miraculously survive a natural disaster and we consider those events to be miracles. What if we saw the everyday events of our lives as miracles from our Heavenly Father? What if we saw waking up each day as a miracle and gift from God and we lived each day as though we were experiencing a miracle by just being alive. What if each minute we had to be with our family was viewed as a miracle and we never took a minute for granted. What if, as the sun rises tomorrow, we do not complain about being tired but thank God for giving us another day?  I often think about keeping a list of the small events, sometimes meaningless to others events, and the big events and trying to find a “miracle” during each day. Some days a miracle may be easy to find but many days I think I would have to look extra hard, but I bet I could do it. I would have to trust God to open my eyes to all that is happening around me.  Maybe it would be something as simple as passing a toddler and making eye contact with them and realizing that they are a special creation by God. I think miracles are everywhere I just wish I would look harder to find them. Maybe we can all ask God to help us see His “extraordinary things” each day.

Chad

Opening Day

I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus. Philippians 3:14

I woke up this morning feeling kind of tired from a long and busy first day of practice. Today is another busy day and I was talking to myself on the way to work about being equally excited about day number two of a long season. It is easy to be excited for opening day. When I am getting ready for the opening day of football practice, I want everything to be perfect and all the other coaches feel the same. We clean our meeting rooms, clean all the white boards, make sure all the equipment is ready, and make sure every line on the field is perfectly painted. After opening day your body is sore and you have to make yourself be excited. The meeting rooms, that were clean for a short time, become dirty and the energy is not there to clean. The white boards in my room, that were color coded on day one, become a smear of colors and hand prints. Equipment, that was organized and clean on day one, becomes scattered and smelly, and everyone hopes to not have to clean it up. And, the once perfectly straight lines on the field, will soon zig-zag across our practice field. The fans are excited for opening day too. On opening day I always know we will have visitors at practice and the media is hanging around taking pictures.

I noticed a few things today as I was getting ready to leave after practice. The chairs in my meeting room were scattered all over the room, my white board is covered in markings, the once newly waxed hallway is now sticky from spills, my previously organized desk is surrounded with random pieces of equipment and boxes, and I did not see a single news camera at practice today. We are all still excited about the season and preparing for our first game, but the excitement for the small things and the energy to keep up with the minor details fades fast.

I think I have this same attitude in my walk with Jesus. The big events, like Sunday morning worship, are easy to be excited about and I always feel renewed after hearing the pastor’s message. But Monday, the day after opening day, rolls around and the excitement has worn off and it is much more difficult to have time and energy for the little things. I hurry through a passage in my bible, I try to pray while my brain is filled with other thoughts, and I allow the world to control my life. I prayed this morning to remain excited about the many days that come after, “Opening day”. It takes prayer and bible study to keep our focus on the ordinary days. Pray and ask God to give you the wisdom to seek Him for guidance and comfort, and also ask Him for the energy it will take for the days that follow opening day.


Chad

To the ends of the earth

And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for God’s people in accordance with the will of God.  Romans 8:27


One of the many reasons I enjoy working at my school is the diverse group of students I interact with each day. As I walk through the halls, meet with my classes, coach my team, or just sit in the lunchroom I see students who represent almost every corner of our planet. Many of these students are from families who sacrificed a great amount to move to the United States and some were born in another country and have come to our school with little knowledge of the English language. There are others who were adopted from far away countries by an American family and each of these has an amazing story. I am always interested in the stories of where they are from and what has lead them to where they now live.

Last semester I had a young Asian girl in one of my classes who has a uniquely American last name. From the first day of the semester I wanted to know her story. This young lady is a very small person who is less than five feet tall and has a very bashful but kind personality. It was evident from the first time I spoke with her that her family, regardless of where they are from, has done an excellent job of raising her to be a confident and kind person. One day, while sitting in church, I noticed this girl sitting with an American family that I see in church each Sunday but had never noticed my student as being part of their family. The father of this family is a very large man who stands well over six feet and four inches tall. When I saw my student with this family I immediately noticed the height difference between her and, who I would soon find out, her dad. After the church service I walked over to the family, introduced myself as their daughter’s teacher, and talked for a few minutes with the dad. A few days later at school I asked my student about her family and she quickly became less shy and told me all about the family that traveled to China when she was only eight weeks old to adopt her. She told me about the pictures she has at home of her enormous dad walking around the streets of Beijing with her in his arms. She told me about the special relationship she has always had with her dad and joked that their size difference had remained about the same since those first few days together in China. I told her that I could tell she has a special relationship with her dad and that her story was amazing. She said to me, “It’s cool to know that someone would come to the other side of the earth to find me”. I have heard families talk about traveling across the world to adopt a child from another country but I had never heard a child be so thankful that a family, especially her dad, would come so far to find her. I realized that she not only sees this large man as her dad but as a hero that traveled across the planet to find her as a baby girl. They obviously have a bond that was formed because of the sacrifice of a man for a little girl.

I have thought about her comment since that day and she soon become one of my all-time favorite students. Her comment also made me think about our Heavenly Father who waits patiently for us, gently pulls at our heart to accept Him, and will search for us to the ends of the earth. And just like this young girl’s father, when He makes us one of His own, He will never let us go. 

Chad

Full of Light

“The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyes are healthy, your whole body will be full of light.  Matthew 6:22

I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people,  Ephesians 1:18

One of the great qualities that my children have in common is their eyes. Their eyes are not exactly the same color but they have each been blessed with beautiful eyes. When my son was born the first thing I noticed about him was his blue eyes. It seemed like everywhere we would go people would stop us and comment about his blue eyes. My daughter's eyes are equally beautiful with a little bit different color, but they tell all you need to know about her. Her eyes tell what is in her heart.

Our eyes tell what is inside of us and we are told in Matthew 6:22 that our eyes are the lamp of our body. If our eyes are healthy, our whole body will be full of light. I don’t believe this means our vision is perfect but people can look at our eyes and see the depths of our heart. Our eyes are mentioned over 500 times throughout the bible. We are warned about allowing our eyes to view anything that will harm our heart and soul and we are told to let others see Jesus in our eyes. Our eyes are the most important part of our body. We have to work daily to protect our eyes from the harmful visions that are around us in our world. We also have to work hard sometimes to make our light shine through our eyes regardless of the pressures of life or the trials we may be going through.

I prayed today and asked God to open my eyes to the bad in this world and to give me the strength to stand against it and to protect my family and friends. I also asked Him to always make my eyes shine so others will see the Jesus that lives in my heart. Also, to use my eyes to see what is inside another person’s heart. He will help us look past the outward appearance and see the depth of a person. Ask Him to open your eyes so others will see His Son, but also so you will clearly see the plan He has for you.

Chad

Finish

You foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you? Before your very eyes Jesus Christ was clearly portrayed as crucified. 2 I would like to learn just one thing from you: Did you receive the Spirit by the works of the law, or by believing what you heard? 3 Are you so foolish? After beginning by means of the Spirit, are you now trying to finish by means of the flesh? Galatians 3:1-3

One of the most difficult jobs of an offensive line coach is to train your guys to finish. Being able to finish a workout, a drill, a play, or a game requires being physically conditioned, understanding your job, and having a nasty attitude sometimes. With most guys, I have to constantly do drills and point out when they did not finish a play. Many times, as we are watching film of practice or games, I will see a player start exactly the way I want him to, but something happens during the 3-4 seconds of the play. He loses the technique that made him successful at the start of the play and worst of all he loses the intensity that gave him a good start. The defensive player will get away from his block and make the tackle. If the offensive lineman had only finished the play our team would have been successful. Instead of celebrating a great block and a touchdown, we are listening to the defense celebrate. All he had to do was finish in the same strong way he had started.

In the verses above Paul is writing to the Galatians. They had started out strong in their faith and believed in the saving power of Jesus because of what they had witnessed and heard about. They were spreading God’s word and living lives that were pleasing to Him. As time had passed, and they probably faced many difficulties, they began to become more concerned with following the Jewish laws. They were losing focus on what had saved them and began to think they could do it their own way. They had been saved by the power of Jesus and not because they were following the laws. As Paul says to the Galatians, “After beginning by means of the spirit, are you now trying to finish by means of the flesh”?

As Christians we sometimes have the same attitude. We were saved and we started out strong. We did all the fundamentals correctly. We read our bible, we prayed, and we were excited about what God was doing in our lives. But as time passed and the excitement wore off, we began to forget the fundamentals. As we were faced with difficulties we tried to handle them on our own instead of trusting in the God who had protected us and provided for us for so long.

I prayed today that I would refocus on the fundamentals. I prayed that I would regain the intensity about Christ that will allow Him to make a difference in my life and in the lives of the people I meet.


Chad