August 11, 2008

• Game On.

  
  
  
  to persevere >Webster’s defines it as this:: to persist in a state, enterprise, or undertaking in spite of counterinfluences, opposition, or discouragement.
  
  
  that’s the word that comes to mind when i think of the past few months of FOOTBALL practice for Ben…
  
  this has been the first time we’ve had him play on a non-christain sports team – - and believe you me, the atmosphere is much different! tempers and sware words get flung easily. competition is intense. parents are downright aggressive. and coaches think they’re working w/ future NFL players!
  
  more than once Ben has had tears brimming in his eyes ready to fall, yet bravely wiped them away and kept going…he’s run penalty drills not knowing what he was being punished for… has come to the sidelines ready to throw up from the heat… done bear crawls the length of the field with a very large coach, with an equally large voice, yelling at him the whole way… has had boys walk away and not show an interest in friendship… and worked harder than he’s probably ever worked in his whole nine years of life!

  
  it’s not been an easy few months. practices 6 days a week. now 3… yet, through it all, never once has Ben even hinted at wanting to give up. QUIT! … if anything with each week he only grew stronger. more determined. more resolved.
  
  once after a particularly hard practice shayne said to me as we went to bed that night, “that is such a good picture of the Christian life – - – so often you feel opposition on every side. even from your OWN team mates! you get weary. tired of trying. tired of trying to figure things out – figure people out. you can grow discouraged easily…. but… (and i remember the smile that came over his face here), if you’ll just hang in there! keep at it. keep doing what the Lord asks – - NOT QUIT – - then you begin to see how all these things are working FOR YOU – to make you a better player…. ”
  
  (i love how excited men get in sharing a spiritual analogy related to sports! )

  
  
  actually,  i think all too often we forget what we’re here for! it’s certainly not a life of ease. to never have to endure physical pain, have a feeling hurt, suffer injustice, or walk through a life-altering trial. WE’RE IN TRAINING TOO… training for something much bigger than winning a football game – - – it’s to be conformed to the image of Jesus Christ. but not just that… for the world to SEE HIM in us!
  
  so – while we say “yes, that’s what i want!” we can’t be bulking.fighting.fussing.complaining over the very things that He is using to bring that to pass in our lives…
  
  we must realize it’s “part of the game.” to know the power of His resurrection, we must also know the fellowship of His suffering. (Phil 3:10)
  
  —————- ~
  
  Saturday was Ben’s first game…

  each year they get to play the first game at Paul Brown Stadium – home of the Bengals.

  
  
  
  

  as Ben walked into the huge arena i think he was glad he had stuck it out and persevered!!

  
  
  
  so FUN to watch him … to see the team working together.. putting into play what they had spent weeks practicing. finally seeing some of the WHY behind it all!

   
  
  
   
  

  

  

  

   

  

  WAY TO GO Benjamin!! even if you never tossed another football in your life – i’m SO PROUD of YOU – the person you are!! love you a million bags of cotton candy~

  

  —————– ~

  daddy decided it was time for this football player to get a haircut – and though he wanted a mohawk like some of the other boys on his team.. i talked him into something a bit more “normal.”

  before:                                                       after:
       

  And the God of all grace, who called you to His eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will Himself restore you and make you strong, firm, and steadfast. (1 Pet. 5:10)

   

  

  —————- ~

  funny things the kids said to me recently::

  while telling a boy on his team about some friends of ours that have 13 kids the boys said, “Whoa! those 2 people must really be in love!” Ben wanted to know what being in love had to do with having kids!!!

  while eating mac n cheese tonight kate told me that was what she was going to serve at her wedding reception. i told her all the kids who came would love her!

  and when climbing up the stairs the other day emma busted out crying. when i asked her what was wrong she pointed to her legs and said, “dey not working!”  

   
   

  Happy New Week to you all~

  amber.

  • 8:22 pm
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