Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, Ephesians 3:20
Since Christmas is only a week away, I agreed to go shopping with my wife and daughter. I am always amazed at what I will agree to do just to spend time with my daughter. We slowly drove through all the traffic to the stores we would visit. You all know the stores I am talking about. The ones where they sell a $10 dress for $300 but try to get you excited about a 20% off sale! We walked through several stores and eventually found one with the exact items we were hoping to find. I spent my time in the stores wandering around and making sarcastic comments about the prices. One particular store had several motivational signs on the wall. I walked around reading the signs and found one that said, “Live the life you’ve imagined”. I stood there for a minute thinking about the life I am blessed to live with a wife I love and two children I am very proud to call my own. I am blessed to go to a job each day that I enjoy and I wake up each morning looking forward to my day as a teacher and coach. Certainly a job I never imagined as a young person and my wife and children are much better than I could have ever imagined. I also began thinking about what my life would be like if I was living the life I imagined as a young person. As a young boy there were several lives I imagined I would live. I remembered being fascinated with the men who road on the back of the garbage truck and thought, what an awesome way to spend the day. At one time I hoped I would be a fireman so I could drive the fire truck and save people from fires. As I got older I imagined I would be a park ranger and live in the woods with the bears and wolves. There were other lives I imagined as a little boy and most were influenced by my latest favorite television show. I certainly never imagined the life I now live every day.
I am thankful God never allowed me to simply follow my imagination because He had a much different plan for my life. In Ephesians 3, He reminds us that He is able to do more in our lives than we can imagine. What if you or I were living the life we imagined? I would have missed all the exciting moments of my life. I would have missed the relationships that He arranged that will last a lifetime. I would have missed meeting my wife and having two amazing children. I also would have missed the trials and heartache He has lead me through. I am thankful for a future of many blessings that are greater than anything I could imagine.
Chad
Tuesday, December 18, 2018
Thursday, November 8, 2018
Willing to sacrifice for an unknown?
Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.
Hebrews 11:1
Our football team is planning to have pizza and a movie together later this week. The parents will provide the food and drinks and my job for the evening is to choose the movie. Watching a movie together as a team is a very simple event but is an invaluable moment for young men to spend together as a team, away from football. It also gives them an opportunity to be with their coach and his family in a setting much less intense than the practice field. I have spent the last few days deciding between a few movies but finally settled on my all-time favorite sports movie, Miracle. This is the story of the 1980 Olympic Hockey Team who beat the Soviet Union for the first time in over twenty years on their way to winning the gold medal. At the time of the 1980 Olympics, I was twelve years old and my brothers and I were hockey fans. Our hometown had a hockey team and we had quickly grown to love the sport and our team. We were all excited to see the U.S. Hockey Team in the Olympics but few people expected what would eventually happen. The U.S. Team consisted of college players, or recent graduates, and the Soviet Union was the most feared hockey team in the world. Their players were much older, much more experienced, and had played together for over ten years. This was before the United States began using, “Dream Teams” in the Olympics but, as Herb Brooks, the coach of the 1980 Team said, “We began using dream teams, but we seldom get the dream”. I hope I am not spoiling the movie for anyone but, the U.S. went on to defeat the Soviet Union in the semifinals and defeated Finland in the finals to win the gold medal. The whole country, or at least the boys in my house, went crazy with excitement. I have probably watched the movie a dozen times but still get nervous in the final minutes of the game as the U.S. is fighting to hold onto a one point lead. Not until Mr. Al Michaels, the announcer for the game, says, “Do you believe in Miracles” does my heart rate go back to normal.
My favorite moment in the movie is at the end when all the players are celebrating at the gold medal ceremony. Coach Brooks is talking over the scene and says the best part of the Olympics was watching the young players celebrate. He says it was a group of young men, from different backgrounds, who were willing to sacrifice for an unknown. This week, as I have talked with my team each day before practice, I have asked them, “Are you willing to sacrifice for an unknown?” Are they willing to work hard at the day’s practice with the knowledge that the game’s outcome may not be what they had hoped? Are they willing to work hard through the long days of the upcoming off-season without the promise of a starting position? Are they willing to sacrifice for an unknown? I hope they are because I believe that, even if the end result is not what they had dreamed about, they will discover something valuable about themselves that will last a lifetime.
The quote from this movie reminds me of our faith as a follower of Christ. As we learn of His promises we must have faith in what we cannot see and an assurance of a future planned by Him. While the world is searching for evidence of His existence we, as believers, must be willing to trust in the unseen. Are we willing to sacrifice for an unknown? As Christians we must wake up every day, asked for His guidance in our words and actions, and strive to live a life that reflects Christ within our heart. Like Him, being a servant to others, and working toward and trusting in, the unknown. Are you, and am I, willing to sacrifice for an unknown?
Chad
Hebrews 11:1
Our football team is planning to have pizza and a movie together later this week. The parents will provide the food and drinks and my job for the evening is to choose the movie. Watching a movie together as a team is a very simple event but is an invaluable moment for young men to spend together as a team, away from football. It also gives them an opportunity to be with their coach and his family in a setting much less intense than the practice field. I have spent the last few days deciding between a few movies but finally settled on my all-time favorite sports movie, Miracle. This is the story of the 1980 Olympic Hockey Team who beat the Soviet Union for the first time in over twenty years on their way to winning the gold medal. At the time of the 1980 Olympics, I was twelve years old and my brothers and I were hockey fans. Our hometown had a hockey team and we had quickly grown to love the sport and our team. We were all excited to see the U.S. Hockey Team in the Olympics but few people expected what would eventually happen. The U.S. Team consisted of college players, or recent graduates, and the Soviet Union was the most feared hockey team in the world. Their players were much older, much more experienced, and had played together for over ten years. This was before the United States began using, “Dream Teams” in the Olympics but, as Herb Brooks, the coach of the 1980 Team said, “We began using dream teams, but we seldom get the dream”. I hope I am not spoiling the movie for anyone but, the U.S. went on to defeat the Soviet Union in the semifinals and defeated Finland in the finals to win the gold medal. The whole country, or at least the boys in my house, went crazy with excitement. I have probably watched the movie a dozen times but still get nervous in the final minutes of the game as the U.S. is fighting to hold onto a one point lead. Not until Mr. Al Michaels, the announcer for the game, says, “Do you believe in Miracles” does my heart rate go back to normal.
My favorite moment in the movie is at the end when all the players are celebrating at the gold medal ceremony. Coach Brooks is talking over the scene and says the best part of the Olympics was watching the young players celebrate. He says it was a group of young men, from different backgrounds, who were willing to sacrifice for an unknown. This week, as I have talked with my team each day before practice, I have asked them, “Are you willing to sacrifice for an unknown?” Are they willing to work hard at the day’s practice with the knowledge that the game’s outcome may not be what they had hoped? Are they willing to work hard through the long days of the upcoming off-season without the promise of a starting position? Are they willing to sacrifice for an unknown? I hope they are because I believe that, even if the end result is not what they had dreamed about, they will discover something valuable about themselves that will last a lifetime.
The quote from this movie reminds me of our faith as a follower of Christ. As we learn of His promises we must have faith in what we cannot see and an assurance of a future planned by Him. While the world is searching for evidence of His existence we, as believers, must be willing to trust in the unseen. Are we willing to sacrifice for an unknown? As Christians we must wake up every day, asked for His guidance in our words and actions, and strive to live a life that reflects Christ within our heart. Like Him, being a servant to others, and working toward and trusting in, the unknown. Are you, and am I, willing to sacrifice for an unknown?
Chad
Friday, October 19, 2018
“Being too funny to ever experience the fun”
Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him. James 1:12
There are a lot of fun moments in my job as a football coach but, there is nothing funny about my job. That sounds like an odd statement to make but I honestly believe it with all my heart. I also honestly believe I have one of the most fun jobs on the earth. Does that even make sense? Hopefully I can explain. It is always fun to have a former player come back to visit and hear how his life is going for him and it is fun to have little kids get excited about meeting the head coach. Nothing is more fun than being with a group of young men after a win and celebrating with them in the locker room. It is fun to walk onto a field on Friday nights with a group of young men for competition but it is the farthest thing from funny. There should be laughter in the game of football and the young men who play should look back on their career and remember it as a fun time of their life. If they were to describe their career to me as fun, I would know exactly what they meant. Fun would mean that they totally immersed themselves into the game. They did not take a day of playing for granted and they were committed to being successful, whatever it took. For the players who are totally committed, the game is fun because their commitment always leads to winning. And winning on Friday nights is the ultimate fun. For a player who thinks it was all funny, I would probably also be able to describe his career exactly. He was the player who never totally committed himself to his teammates and never worked hard enough to make losing matter. He was so busy being funny that he never had any fun moments. His Friday nights ended with losses, but he really barely noticed because he was too busy being funny. As coaches, we often joke about the amount of difficulty we go through during a normal week, just to get to the game on Friday night with a hope of a chance to win and have some fun.
The fun moments in football usually come after many long days of tiring work and stressful moments. The funny moments in football are usually experienced by the members of the team who halfheartedly commit to their team and are too busy being funny to ever experience the fun.
I believe our Heavenly Father wants us to enjoy life and He wants us to have fun. He also tells us that a life, lived to glorify His Son, will be filled with difficult moments, days of wondering which direction He is leading, and a world of evil, constantly tempting us to live for ourselves. He also promises that a life lived for His Son will ultimately lead us to eternal life with Him. Until that day, He needs us to experience the fun of being used by Him to lead another to a relationship with His Son. So many in our world spend their life being funny, but their life is empty and they never experience the fun of seeing God's will fulfilled in their life. They never have the fun of witnessing God's calmness in their life while all around them are struggling through life. While the world is busy being funny and living a life of selfishness, He needs us to continue the daily tough work and wait for the fun days of an eternal life with Him.
Chad
There are a lot of fun moments in my job as a football coach but, there is nothing funny about my job. That sounds like an odd statement to make but I honestly believe it with all my heart. I also honestly believe I have one of the most fun jobs on the earth. Does that even make sense? Hopefully I can explain. It is always fun to have a former player come back to visit and hear how his life is going for him and it is fun to have little kids get excited about meeting the head coach. Nothing is more fun than being with a group of young men after a win and celebrating with them in the locker room. It is fun to walk onto a field on Friday nights with a group of young men for competition but it is the farthest thing from funny. There should be laughter in the game of football and the young men who play should look back on their career and remember it as a fun time of their life. If they were to describe their career to me as fun, I would know exactly what they meant. Fun would mean that they totally immersed themselves into the game. They did not take a day of playing for granted and they were committed to being successful, whatever it took. For the players who are totally committed, the game is fun because their commitment always leads to winning. And winning on Friday nights is the ultimate fun. For a player who thinks it was all funny, I would probably also be able to describe his career exactly. He was the player who never totally committed himself to his teammates and never worked hard enough to make losing matter. He was so busy being funny that he never had any fun moments. His Friday nights ended with losses, but he really barely noticed because he was too busy being funny. As coaches, we often joke about the amount of difficulty we go through during a normal week, just to get to the game on Friday night with a hope of a chance to win and have some fun.
The fun moments in football usually come after many long days of tiring work and stressful moments. The funny moments in football are usually experienced by the members of the team who halfheartedly commit to their team and are too busy being funny to ever experience the fun.
I believe our Heavenly Father wants us to enjoy life and He wants us to have fun. He also tells us that a life, lived to glorify His Son, will be filled with difficult moments, days of wondering which direction He is leading, and a world of evil, constantly tempting us to live for ourselves. He also promises that a life lived for His Son will ultimately lead us to eternal life with Him. Until that day, He needs us to experience the fun of being used by Him to lead another to a relationship with His Son. So many in our world spend their life being funny, but their life is empty and they never experience the fun of seeing God's will fulfilled in their life. They never have the fun of witnessing God's calmness in their life while all around them are struggling through life. While the world is busy being funny and living a life of selfishness, He needs us to continue the daily tough work and wait for the fun days of an eternal life with Him.
Chad
Wednesday, October 10, 2018
"The game always pays you back"
12 Then Jesus said to his host, “When you give a luncheon or dinner, do not invite your friends, your brothers or sisters, your relatives, or your rich neighbors; if you do, they may invite you back and so you will be repaid. 13 But when you give a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, 14 and you will be blessed. Although they cannot repay you, you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous.” Luke 12:12-14
Throughout my coaching career, I have had the blessing of seeing the impact the game of football can have on a young man’s life. Whether it is a boy from a dysfunctional family who finds his, “family”, among his teammates or a young man from a supportive family who learns how to help others who are not as fortunate. I have seen the young man who the game forces to put away his selfish ambitions for the good of his team, when everything about his nature is saying to do otherwise. I have witnessed the young man whose life was headed in a terribly wrong direction but, when he felt accepted by a team, found something that made his life valuable. I have coached the young man who was a daily struggle for me as a coach only to return a few years later to tell me how great his life is and how much he credits the game. I have seen young men who do not have a father figure in their life and do not trust any men, find a coach who pushes them to succeed, holds them accountable for their actions, and counts them as their own son. I have also been blessed to coach the young men who are wise beyond their young age, whose character causes me to evaluate my own life, and who go on to change the world. I have been blessed to see the positive impact the challenges of this game can have on a young man and I have also known the young men who are never willing to commit to their team and continue on with a life of little commitment or devotion. They could never put away their selfish ambitions and accept the benefits the game has to offer those who totally put themselves aside for the good of others.
There is an old saying about the game that has always meant a lot to me because it is very true in my life. The saying is, “The game always pays you back”. There are some who the game repays them with stardom, popularity, or even a huge pro contract. Others are paid back through lifelong friends they would have only made by being a member of a team. Some are paid back on the day they walk into a job interview and meet the person making the decision, who was also a football player. Many others received the same payment from football that I received as a young man. The game gave me an opportunity to find out if I was mentally tough enough to handle the challenges of life. Through the game I learned that I could handle waking up and doing my job regardless of how I felt because I had proven to myself that I could on the many long days in a football players life. Whether the game pays a player back early in his life or years after the playing days are over, it always pays you back. The game also continues to pay back until the end of each players life.
Our Heavenly Father also repays our good deeds that are selflessly done for one of His children. In the verses from Luke 14, we are told about a banquet. At first glance the story does not appear to have anything to do with humbly serving others without expectation of being repaid. The verses tell us, when inviting guests to a banquet, to not invite our family, loved ones, or neighbors because they can repay you with an invitation to their banquet. You will receive your reward on earth instead of in heaven. Instead we should invite those who cannot repay us and make them our honored guests knowing that we will one day receive a reward in heaven that is much greater than a banquet invitation. The game of football always repays those who honor the game by giving our best efforts and seek to make their teammates better players and people. Our Heavenly Father also promises to reward us for living our life in a way to make others better without anyone ever knowing. And His rewards are much better than recognition and fame on the earth.
Chad
Throughout my coaching career, I have had the blessing of seeing the impact the game of football can have on a young man’s life. Whether it is a boy from a dysfunctional family who finds his, “family”, among his teammates or a young man from a supportive family who learns how to help others who are not as fortunate. I have seen the young man who the game forces to put away his selfish ambitions for the good of his team, when everything about his nature is saying to do otherwise. I have witnessed the young man whose life was headed in a terribly wrong direction but, when he felt accepted by a team, found something that made his life valuable. I have coached the young man who was a daily struggle for me as a coach only to return a few years later to tell me how great his life is and how much he credits the game. I have seen young men who do not have a father figure in their life and do not trust any men, find a coach who pushes them to succeed, holds them accountable for their actions, and counts them as their own son. I have also been blessed to coach the young men who are wise beyond their young age, whose character causes me to evaluate my own life, and who go on to change the world. I have been blessed to see the positive impact the challenges of this game can have on a young man and I have also known the young men who are never willing to commit to their team and continue on with a life of little commitment or devotion. They could never put away their selfish ambitions and accept the benefits the game has to offer those who totally put themselves aside for the good of others.
There is an old saying about the game that has always meant a lot to me because it is very true in my life. The saying is, “The game always pays you back”. There are some who the game repays them with stardom, popularity, or even a huge pro contract. Others are paid back through lifelong friends they would have only made by being a member of a team. Some are paid back on the day they walk into a job interview and meet the person making the decision, who was also a football player. Many others received the same payment from football that I received as a young man. The game gave me an opportunity to find out if I was mentally tough enough to handle the challenges of life. Through the game I learned that I could handle waking up and doing my job regardless of how I felt because I had proven to myself that I could on the many long days in a football players life. Whether the game pays a player back early in his life or years after the playing days are over, it always pays you back. The game also continues to pay back until the end of each players life.
Our Heavenly Father also repays our good deeds that are selflessly done for one of His children. In the verses from Luke 14, we are told about a banquet. At first glance the story does not appear to have anything to do with humbly serving others without expectation of being repaid. The verses tell us, when inviting guests to a banquet, to not invite our family, loved ones, or neighbors because they can repay you with an invitation to their banquet. You will receive your reward on earth instead of in heaven. Instead we should invite those who cannot repay us and make them our honored guests knowing that we will one day receive a reward in heaven that is much greater than a banquet invitation. The game of football always repays those who honor the game by giving our best efforts and seek to make their teammates better players and people. Our Heavenly Father also promises to reward us for living our life in a way to make others better without anyone ever knowing. And His rewards are much better than recognition and fame on the earth.
Chad
Friday, September 21, 2018
The Best Days?
For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Jeremiah 29:11
I have had something on my mind for several weeks and have been talking to my team about this topic throughout the week. A few days ago, I asked the team if they have ever heard someone say, “The teenage years are the best years of your life”. Most of the group raised their hand and I replied by saying, “Well they were lying to you”. I went on to tell them their teenage years should be great years and they should be filled with fun and memorable experiences. They are able to experience making friends, going to high school, and playing sports all while having someone else worry about the details. Someone else paying the bills, cooking the meals, and filling up the gas tank is a pretty nice way to live. My point to them was that these should be great times of their lives but the “Best” years are coming. Later in their life when they have a job they enjoy, meet the young lady they will marry and love forever, have their own children, own their own home, and have their own grandchildren. Those are the events that make life worth living and truly are the best days of your life.
Unfortunately, many of today’s teenagers will never experience the best parts of life because of poor decisions and negative influences that creep into their life now. In Jeremiah 29:11, we are told that He knows the plans for us. These are not plans to harm us or to give us a life of misery and loneliness. These are amazing plans of a future filled with prosperity and hope. I don’t want the young men who make up my football team to miss out on a future planned by Our Heavenly Father because of a bad decision during their youth. I pray the great days of their youth will be filled with exciting moments, laughter, lifelong memories, and even a few trials. I also pray He will protect them from the evil of this world that only hopes to rob them of the best days of their lives.
I woke up early this morning, told my wife, “Happy Game Day” and left my home for a long and exciting day. The upcoming game and the events of the day are exciting enough but, the most exciting part for me is my daughter coming home from college for my game. She will arrive just before kick-off and although I may appear to be working during the time before the game, I will really just be watching for her. I will spend the day trying to make everything look nice for the game, not for the large crowd that will come to watch, but for one young lady who I still try to impress. Also, in the next few days, my daughter will turn 20 years old. I am in the final few days as a parent of a teenager. I have been sad about the approaching day but, as I woke up this morning and remembered my conversations with my team, I thanked God for protecting her through the “Great” days of her youth and preparing her for the “Best” days of her future.
Happy almost 20th Birthday to my Sydney Love. Thanks for letting me be a part of the great days of your teenage life. I can’t wait to see the plans He has for your future.
Chad
I have had something on my mind for several weeks and have been talking to my team about this topic throughout the week. A few days ago, I asked the team if they have ever heard someone say, “The teenage years are the best years of your life”. Most of the group raised their hand and I replied by saying, “Well they were lying to you”. I went on to tell them their teenage years should be great years and they should be filled with fun and memorable experiences. They are able to experience making friends, going to high school, and playing sports all while having someone else worry about the details. Someone else paying the bills, cooking the meals, and filling up the gas tank is a pretty nice way to live. My point to them was that these should be great times of their lives but the “Best” years are coming. Later in their life when they have a job they enjoy, meet the young lady they will marry and love forever, have their own children, own their own home, and have their own grandchildren. Those are the events that make life worth living and truly are the best days of your life.
Unfortunately, many of today’s teenagers will never experience the best parts of life because of poor decisions and negative influences that creep into their life now. In Jeremiah 29:11, we are told that He knows the plans for us. These are not plans to harm us or to give us a life of misery and loneliness. These are amazing plans of a future filled with prosperity and hope. I don’t want the young men who make up my football team to miss out on a future planned by Our Heavenly Father because of a bad decision during their youth. I pray the great days of their youth will be filled with exciting moments, laughter, lifelong memories, and even a few trials. I also pray He will protect them from the evil of this world that only hopes to rob them of the best days of their lives.
I woke up early this morning, told my wife, “Happy Game Day” and left my home for a long and exciting day. The upcoming game and the events of the day are exciting enough but, the most exciting part for me is my daughter coming home from college for my game. She will arrive just before kick-off and although I may appear to be working during the time before the game, I will really just be watching for her. I will spend the day trying to make everything look nice for the game, not for the large crowd that will come to watch, but for one young lady who I still try to impress. Also, in the next few days, my daughter will turn 20 years old. I am in the final few days as a parent of a teenager. I have been sad about the approaching day but, as I woke up this morning and remembered my conversations with my team, I thanked God for protecting her through the “Great” days of her youth and preparing her for the “Best” days of her future.
Happy almost 20th Birthday to my Sydney Love. Thanks for letting me be a part of the great days of your teenage life. I can’t wait to see the plans He has for your future.
Chad
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