Son-In-Law Day

 

Earlier this spring, I had decided to invest in a playset for when our granddaughters visit or are here during the school year. I did my due diligence on researching safety, value, and durability, and when I finally settled on one it was on back order due to conditions in the world that we are all too familiar with at this point. Nevertheless, I marked the box on the website to alert me when the set would be available, and a couple of weeks ago the message appeared in my inbox. I made my way to Academy Sports in Knoxville, made the purchase, and loaded the set in my son-in-law JD Newsom's truck, and made my way home with the wooden gold mine in tow. That was the easy part of this venture. Yes, the box was heavy and it took JD and I a little struggle to unload, load, and unload again, but the real task was yet to come. Those that know me, will likely attest to the fact that I am not the most mechanically inclined individual, so procuring the aid of my ever so capable son-in-law, was a no brainer for sure. Without his assistance, actually him doing it and me being a good go-pher, the swing set would probably still be in the box.

The site for the jungle gym was prepped by our neighbor/friend, the purchase had been made, and all that was left was the ensuing assembly of what lie inside this hulking box sitting outside our home. The manufacturer's instruction booklet, all fifty-six pages, assured us that this was a two man, four hour, job, and by assuring we had the correct tools and following the instructions step-by-step, we would soon have our playset ready for swinging, climbing, and sliding! That was at 9:30AM. At 5:00PM, some seven and a half hours later, JD tightened up the last bolt and the set sat pristine and proud, ready for the girls to play away on the bright blue and green accessories of the cedar red playset. To say I was proud would be an understatement. 

What was I proud of? Proud that we now have an area available for our girls to play and have friends over to play with them on an outdoor play set that encourages and provides a healthy outside activity with good shade and plenty of areas to climb and conquer. But, I think what I was most proud of was my son-in-law JD. Always willing to lend a hand when needed, a never say never mentality, and a heart that is surely made of pure 110% gold. Not to mention, he is just about as handy and crafty with a hammer, saw, and drill as anybody I know. What was supposed to be a four-hour project, turned into a full day odyssey for sure, but JD never faltered or wavered, with a yeoman's approach he, along with some pretty good "I'll hold that in place while you attach it" support from his father-in-law battled the "instruction" manual until the project was complete. 

Later that evening after two of the three granddaughters had a chance to swing and slide, I asked the elder three-year-old, Ella, if she liked the playset to which she replied, "I could stand and look at it all day!" That touched my heart like nothing else could have at that moment. I'm a realist and I am pretty certain if JD had not been involved in this project, number one it would probably still be in the box, and number two it most certainly would not have been safe enough to put our prized possessions on it if I had tried to do the project by myself. That led me to a thought about how much I appreciate JD and how he loves our daughter Rae & granddaughter Charley-Kate. So much appreciation that I started thinking there needs to be a "Son-in-Law Day" and guess what? There is, April 10th has been designated as national son-in-Law Day by congress. I didn't delve deeper, but I'm guessing there is pretty much a national day of recognition for most everybody in some form or fashion. Boss's Day, Father's Day, Mother's Day, Best Friend Day, the list goes on and on. I guess my question and the point to make today is do we need a national day to show our appreciation for those that we appreciate? Shouldn't we be showing our appreciation all along the way each and every day? Maybe we do in our minds, but I think from a standpoint of placing others before self, we should ever be eager to say "Thank You" to those that selflessly do what they do each day to make the lives of others a little easier and a whole bunch better along the way. 

The apostle Paul, was the resolute man of gratitude, which is on full display in the books of the Bible attributed to God's humble servant. In Romans 1:8 he thanks God for the church in Rome and their faith and the impact it was making. He thanked God for the gift of grace given to the church in Corinth in I Corinthians 1:4, and to the church in Ephesus, Paul stated that he never stops giving thanks for them in his daily prayers, (Ephesians 1:16). Paul's thankfulness is limitless as he shares his gratefulness with the Philippians (1:3), the Colossians’ faith (1:3), the Thessalonians (I Thess. 1:2) always letting them know that he is praying for them and that he is grateful for all they have done for him and for God. Above and beyond all of the recognition of what others had done to support Paul, Paul always placed what Jesus did for all of us in the highest level of significance and praise. II Corinthians 9:15 sums it up nicely where Paul proclaims, "Now thanks be to God for His indescribable gift". That is the heart I desire to have, I want to always be cognate of the gift God gave me and offers to us all. I want to see others with a more grateful heart and then tell them how much I appreciate them. I don't want to wait until Sunday each week to tell God how much I appreciate Him, that recognition needs to happen every day!

National days of recognition are great, they give us a reminder that we do need to be thankful and that we need to express that appreciation. Whether we buy a card and a gift or if we just share a word of kind appreciation, share your heart and share a kind word of appreciation today! We all have so much to be thankful for, and for me I am thankful for JD!

Coach Carter

Looking Straight Ahead

 

"Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus." Philippians 3:13-14

Often times we allow our past to hang around our necks like an anchor that keeps a ship stuck in one spot. We look at the things we have done and the associated shame or guilt constricts our minds, which in turn torments our thoughts of being worthy of being used for good. It is way too easy to allow our thoughts to be the water that douses our opportunities to serve if we allow our minds to weigh down our potential. When the negativity of this world wants to drag you down, look straight ahead to what is possible with God on your side. 

Setting goals in life is critically important to making progress. A runner looks toward the next mile marker, but ultimately has her sights set on the finish line. When a batter swings at a pitch, the goal is to make contact with the ball in such a way as to get a base hit, but when he swings, he is setting his sight on the centerfield fence that signifies a homerun. If we are to follow the advice of the Apostle Paul then we can't allow the strikeouts of life to keep us from getting back up to bat again and again. Legendary home run king Hank Aaron hit a record setting 755 home runs during his career. That record stood as a milestone for aspiring major leaguers for decades. But, do you ever hear mention of the fact that Hammering Hank had a whooping 1,383 strikeouts during that same career? What if old number 44 had spent his time worrying about those strikeouts? The sum total of all of his strikeouts almost doubles his homerun total. What would that ratio do to us if we experienced two failures for every one potential success in our daily lives? You can't look sideways, you can't back up, you can't look down, and you most definitely can't turn around and walk back to where you were yesterday. The goals we set are to move us forward and to reach new heights, distances, or markers in life. 

Have you ever heard someone say, I have set a goal for next year to make the same mistakes I made this year and if possible I'm gonna try to make a few more than I did this year? Sounds ludicrous, but if we are guilty of sitting around concentrating on the mistakes we made in the past, then doesn't it sound reasonable to believe we are putting our focus on what is behind us instead of what is lying in wait on us in our future? Press on is the directive that Paul conveys to each of us. Forget what is behind you that was yesterday, we are living today and setting our sights on how we can improve today to make tomorrow a better place to live for our family, friends, and posterity. Looking ahead not behind, I set my sights on what is my pathway as I move forward.

We started today's FTM with a statement that everyone needs to be setting goals. Goals are for our good and for the good of others. There is a goal that is worth setting and worth striving towards that is greater than any other goal we could ever set. Turn your attention to what lies in front of you and leave what is behind you right there, behind you! May you spend your time focusing on how you are going to hit the next ball over the fence, and relegating to allow the past be exactly that past tense. 

Coach Carter

 

 

Taste and See

 

I fondly remember "plugging" a watermelon as a child. That terminology may warrant a little background information before we go any further, as I'm not 100% sure it is even performed in today's world. Plugging a melon is the practice of allowing the merchant to cut a small triangular shape into the heart of the melon and then pulling it out so the potential purchaser can get a taste of the melon before purchasing. Just looking at the melon alone gives you some insight to whether it is ripe or not, but nothing about the quality of the delicious fruit inside can be ascertained through that visual inspection alone. When it comes to a fruit like strawberries or bananas it is pretty easy to look at the fruit and know if it is ripe or even overripe, but with a watermelon you can look at it all day long, and still not be able to determine the quality of the fruit inside. By allowing the watermelon to be plugged, the buyer can taste the fruit and make sure it is what he or she wants to take home to share with family or friends. 

Our walk of faith begins with a taste much like the sweet sample of fruit that is obtained when the melon is plugged. We hear about having faith, we talk with people who say that they "walk" by faith, and we may even know someone that shares that their faith is what allows them to make it through each day. For those that do not know God or those that have not developed their faith in God, faith in God can be a real challenge. Faith increases as we trust more in God's plan for our lives and place less emphasis on what we believe is our course in life. Trusting that God is in control and that His ways and His plans are so much more important than anything we could ever imagine is critical to fortifying our faith walk with our Lord and Savior.  

 In Genesis 34:8 we are encouraged to "Taste and see that the Lord is good, ...". Just as we take a bite of melon from the heart of the fruit, God wants us to take a bite of the love that He has for us, and see how good it really is. Once we take that bite, we are transformed, we grow through the trust we build and as that trust grows so does our faith in God and His plan for our lives. Most definitely this is a process that happens over time as does any relationship, but it starts with a taste. 

When I eat at a buffet, I sample some of the items that look interesting, to make sure I like it before I waste food on my plate. Once I've taken a sample I determine whether I want more or not and then I go back and fill my plate with the items that will eventually fill my stomach and provide me with nutrients to keep me healthy. If you have a relationship with God already, then I encourage to fill your plate with trust and faith and place yourself closer to God who will walk with you through any and all challenges this life may throw your way. If you haven't started your walk of faith with God then I encourage you to "taste and see" and give God the opportunity to guide you through the choices and complexities of this life we have been given to live! 

Coach Carter

Coach'em Up (Part 5 of 5)

 

Today will wrap up our "Coach'em Up" series, and if nothing else has been accomplished, my hope is that you have realized that we are all "coaches" in this life we are living, and that we will coach our athletes, students, co-workers, and family members up or unfortunately down. We've looked at four of the five C's in my coaching bag of skills ranging from constructing a positive growth mindset, correcting missteps and bad habits, confirming when the practice and effort meet, and celebrating when it all comes together where coach and athlete reap the benefits of the effort put forth. The fifth principle in this equation is the “consequence” of our efforts or lack thereof. 

In our minds, there are only good outcomes or bad outcomes in life. If we work hard then the outcomes will be positive and beneficial. In contrast, if we fail to put forth maximum effort and we offer a lackluster pregame plan then we should expect the outcome to be less than what we would hope to achieve in life's endeavors. The adage, "Failing to plan is planning to fail" holds true in this conversation and you can substitute some other words in this statement that aptly fit today's FTM Thought. "Failing to practice, is practicing to fail", or "Failing to commit is committing to failure" both share some insight into the sessions we have looked at so far and frame up the conversation we are having today around consequences. 

It only stands to reason that if we don't work hard then it is most likely that we will get out worked by our competition.  Basketball superstar Kevin Durant is quoted as saying "Hard work beats talent when talent doesn't work hard. Consequences. If you work hard you should expect to be prepared and being prepared creates an opportunity to be successful. Diligently studying for the test, normally results in a high grade. Running extra and drilling more typically produces confidence and confidence fortifies effort, and effort in most cases equals success. Marriages require constant work and even then, face a plethora of challenges and rocky ledges to navigate, but the reward of the effort provided is sweet and bountiful! 

The Bible speaks to the matter of consequences for our efforts and is pretty clear what the outcomes are when we fail to provide appropriate effort in all our endeavors and roles that we take on as a coach/teacher. "The wages of sin are death..." Romans 6:23, Genesis 3:6-7 details what happened to Adam and Eve as a result of their choices, and once again Paul reminds us that "... God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, this he will also reap. Galatians 6:7. If we fail to sow hard work and preparation, the outcome will be a poor work ethic and poor performance when it comes time to play the game. If we place little importance on family time, then it is safe to assume our family will not place value on family connections. And at work, if we don't give our job our best, can we actually be disappointed when we don't get the promotion? Consequences are in most cases an end product of the effort we sow into our work or play. But, what about when we work relentlessly, we shoot 100 extra foul shots after practice each day, or when we pour ourselves into our family and we still come up short on the scoreboard of life. Well that is exactly where we are going to tie this whole series up with a pretty little bow on top!

Pastor Chip Ingram uses the phrase "suffering well" to explain the ideology of understanding that in our adversities and even in our afflictions there is a purpose for the "season" we are enduring. Of even greater relevance and importance is understanding that what we are enduring isn't about our suffering, but it is all about the impact of our suffering on the lives of those we live with, work with, play with, and share life with each day. Jesus is our prime example of the whole concept of suffering well. As Jesus neared arrest, conviction, torture, and eventual death on the cross, He cried out to His Father to spare Him of the ensuing pain and suffering. His prayer was "Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done." Luke 22:42. Jesus was human and He felt pain just like you and I, but at the end of that short prayer He laid it out nicely, "not what I want, but what will be best for those You want me to impact". We have to realize that when we don't "win" the game, maybe the true purpose for us playing the game was to get better at one aspect of the game so that we can do better at a later date in time. Maybe our loss was so someone on the other team that was dealing with issues around self-worth. The game winning hit by that player might just save them from committing suicide. What if the promotion you didn't get was because God has plans to move you to a whole new career path, and if you had received that promotion you would not even consider changing jobs let alone careers. At the end of the day, if we give our best in practice, the classroom, or any other arena that we live and work and we do not get the results we perceived would come our way, we have to realize that at this particular time in life, it just wasn't meant to be and that the reason for the outcome may or may not ever be known to us, but that we trust God's plan is bigger than us and will be fulfilled through us or without us. That my friend is called faith. 

I just got off the phone with my oldest, nephew/son Bo, and we were talking about faith. Faith is organic, faith should not be the same today as it should be tomorrow or two years from now. Faith has to be fed and in the context of our "Coach'em Up" series a daily dose of constructing, correcting, confirming, celebrating, and persevering consequences should all be a part of a healthy regimen in life. "I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.” John 16:33

Coaches for Christ!

Coach Carter