More Than a Game

One of the things from a long list of worries when you move is teams. 

What kind of coaches will my kid have?

What kind of teammates will my kid be stuck with?

How good is this program and what are it's real goals, not just the "written goals". 

Ultimately, will my child and I be able to enjoy the new sports season in this new town?

#53 would be mine :)

The nerves I experienced as he started were unnecessary.

His teammates were stellar. Coming together as a team. No room for a one man show here.

Encouraging each other. 

Defending each other. 

The coaches... well we couldn't have asked for better men to lead our boys. They were firm in practice. Keeping them in line. Making them be as good as they could be. 

Yet when it was the Championship game and we fell...

they didn't yell. They didn't scream or throw their hats.

They said good game. Great season. Be proud. You. Are. Champions. 

Final huddle of the season- great work TEAM! 

I can throw in one of my boy right?! :) 

 To this team I say thank you. Thank you for being a great example. Thank you for playing clean. Thank you for playing strong. Thank you for being shining examples of what sporstmanship looks like. Thank you for being a team to be proud of. One that gets noticed. Not for it's wins, but for playing fair. Thank you to the parents for teaching your boys what it means to be a part of a team. And thank you coaches. For being great examples. For being what these young men needed. For teaching them to what happens on the field, stays on the field. For teaching them that integrity is more than the win. We will always hold you in our hearts.

DAY BY DAY!!... GET BETTER AND BETTER!!...WORK HARD TO WIN!!...WORK HARD TOGETHER!!!

I am sad to see this season end as it was such a great way for us to make new friends in this new place. But I know that we will always have a strong tie, because of this team.

(please ignore the first part of the video, if I knew how to edit that, I would, but seriously, I finally learned how to get the video to my computer- let's not get too picky!) 

I Surrender All

I realize I have taken a longer than planned hiatus from this space. I would gladly say that I am returning for good, but that's hard to do when I don't even know why I've left in the first place. So, I am here now. For now I have words churning inside me trying to find their escape. It is a frightening thing to ask the Holy Spirit in, because He really does get in there.

We stood singing in our new church home Sunday morning. Kids in Sunday School, lights dimmed as usual, graphics all around us. There was no band this morning. Only one man with a piano and one simple drum. Still we sang the songs associated with our Sunday morning worship time- contempory praise- 10,000 Reasons by Matt Redman and others. And then. Then he threw an old hymn in there. The meat and potatoes of worship he called it. I surrender all.

All to Jesus I surrender;
All to Him I freely give;
I will ever love and trust Him,
In His presence daily live. 

I love this song I thought... I miss it. I surrender it all to you, Lord.

1. • I surrender all,
     I surrender all;
     All to Thee, my blessed Savior,
     I surrender all.
   • All? Do you surrender all? He asks.
2. All to Jesus I surrender;
   Humbly at His feet I bow,
   Worldly pleasures all forsaken;
   Take me, Jesus, take me now.
3. Well yeah. All. Sure. I think... 
4. All to Jesus I surrender;
   Make me, Savior, wholly Thine;
   Let me feel the Holy Spirit,
   Truly know that Thou art mine.
5. Wait... I'm waiting for test results on my daughter. All? Even that? 
6. You said "all"
7. All to Jesus I surrender;
   Lord, I give myself to Thee;
   Fill me with Thy love and power;
   Let Thy blessing fall on me.
8. Yes, Lord. ALL.
9. All to Jesus I surrender;
   Now I feel the sacred flame.
   Oh, the joy of full salvation!
   Glory, glory, to His Name!
10. It hurts and it's scary. But yes, ALL.
11. Sometimes I sing the words, I say the words and I think I've done enough. I don't expect to be called on it. Lord, I love you, I will take up my mat and follow you....just don't test me on that, m'kay?
12. I gave it all and the peace came. I no longer fretted. The tests came back fine. But I know that even if it hadn't, His peace would have surrounded me. All I need to do is surrender. Sounds so simple. Yet I know I will struggle with it again and again. I need to give it up each and every day. 
13. Where are you on this? Do you cling on to control and worry? Are you able to surrender all, even when it terrifies you? 
14.