Alphabetical
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January 07, 2010
Set:
Big Red was a hot head. He was a part of the team, but wanted nothing to do with team activities. He was selfish and arrogant, and he made life miserable for his coach. All in all, he was the most difficult player on the team to work with. And his twin brother Jake? He was as deceptive as his brother was angry. The combination of the two boys wore their coach out.
Sound familiar? Isaac’s sons Esau and Jacob were definitely unique. Esau was the hunter and outdoorsman who wanted nothing to do with his father’s God. Jacob was the mama’s boy who would do anything to gain his father’s love. Here is their distinguished list of “dis”:
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November 14, 2013
Set:
As a young coach I had a short fuse, especially when it came to dealing with men in stripes. It was hard keeping my mouth shut, and I often said things that got me in trouble. One game in particular, I thought my team was being treated unfairly, and I was quick to point it out. Late in the game, I stood up and yelled, “What?!” It was only one word, but the officials had heard enough. I got a technical foul that cost my team the game.
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September 19, 2011
Set:
Coach Buckley’s football practices were brutal. I was only 11, but I still remember them to be grueling, agonizing and dreadful. The trademarked practices had tons of running and repetitive drills, all without scrimmaging! Many players wouldn’t make it through the practices without losing their lunch, and many of them quit. Even my best friend had his parents pull him from the team. But, even though the sacrifice was great, the return that season was sweet. We earned a perfect record and no team even scored on us! Our team, the Braddock Road Sharks, brought fear to all 11-year-olds who dared to play football.
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March 01, 2014
Set:
In sports we put our bodies through the wringer. We study game film, review game plans, and tax ourselves mentally. All of it is done so that on game day, we are prepared to win. To achieve victory, we battle our way over virtual mountains, following our dreams—to get to the pot of gold.
Do we follow the same routine in our faith? We rigidly “train” by reading our Bibles, praying, witnessing, and attending church. We compete in “games” when we face setbacks, difficulties, and temptations. And we often do it with a militant attitude of struggling to get to the final pot of gold—heaven.
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September 13, 2012
Set:
Something I recently learned has come from watching cross country. My daughter started competing in the sport for the first time, and it’s been amazing to see the gifts God has given some of these teens to be able to run with such speed and just awesome talent.
The thing I have really come to love is watching the runners at the back of the pack—the ones who have to struggle and fight and overcome so many obstacles just to be out there to run. They fight just to finish as their teammates cheer them on. They are the ones who put me in awe and make my heart burst with pride.
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August 06, 2012
Set:
While on a recent backpacking trip with my daughter, I found myself crying out to God in prayer before even breaking out in a sweat.
First, my GPS was having issues and couldn't locate the trail head. So, what should have been a 1.5-hour drive, turned into almost 3 hours. While it had only been sprinkling all morning, as soon as we started hiking the rain came pouring down. Then, not even a half mile into the trip, my waist belt broke, which meant my pack would have to rest on my shoulders and back, not my hips. And, finally, at the foot of our first incline, my trekking pole broke, and with my bad knees, this was a vital piece of equipment.
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March 04, 2014
Set:
I don’t usually listen to the radio in the car while I’m driving through the suburbs of Chicago. Typically I try to spend my time praying for FCA needs, Huddle Coaches, student-athletes and other family concerns. But one day, I decided to tune in for some music, and I was so glad I did. I heard a song that pierced my heart in a powerful way. If you listen to Christian radio, you’ve probably heard it. It’s the song by Matthew West called “The Motions.” The chorus goes like this:
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September 16, 2008
Set:
During this past off season NFL quarterback Brett Favre found himself in the middle of a sports controversy. As the events played out regarding Farve and the personnel of the Green Bay Packers, it became apparent that Favre harbored some hurt feelings and resentment toward his former team.
Sometimes we can be offended by what someone asks us to do or by what they say to us. How are we to respond in times like these? Well, as I watched Brett Favre hurl a bomb downfield to a speeding receiver this weekend, I gained a little more understanding of what God wants us to do in these situations.
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July 29, 2010
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July 29, 2010
