Mistake

So I thought I posted this like 2 months ago but i guess it never quite made it.  So here it is.  A bit later but better late than never.  I'll update again soon.

It's been quite awhile since my last post and so much as happened, there is no way to catch up so as I usually do when this happens I just write about what is going on now.  This school year I have been coaching Junior High.  This is much different than the High School I am use to but, I know God put me here for a reason and I AM HAVING A BLAST.  I coached volleyball in the fall which isn't my favorite sport but it went well.  I learned a lot about myself during those 2 months.  But NOW we are in the midst of basketball season.  I love the sound of bouncing balls on the hardwood and the squeak of shoes, so I have been in my element.  My team is AWESOME!!!  For just being 7th graders they really know their stuff and are actually better then some teams 2-3 years older than them.  Their talent AMAZES me.  At this point our season is about half over and we had our toughest game just last night.  Going in both teams were undefeated, the top two teams in the district.  My girls had really been in a slump going into this game but luckily had played weaker competition, so we were able to eke by.  One of our starters and team captains moved and was no longer a part of the team.  This would be their first game without her.  I think this effected them and the way they paled the previous games knowing she was leaving.  I was apprehensive as to how not having her there at all would be.

The girls came out a bit sluggish but then again that is usually normal.  We soon picked it up and played maybe our best game of the season.  It was a back and forth battle all game.  No team ever getting up by more than 5 or 6 points.  I think one time it my have been a bit more but it didn't stay there long.  The girls were getting frustrated at times when things didn't go their way but continued to fight hard.  We were doing great, our confidence was growing and our teamwork was picking up.  We had the momentum.  Then it happened.  It wasn't the first time, and probably not the last.  It wasn't the first this season, but it was the WRONG time in this game.

I MADE A BAD COACHING DECISION.  Yes, I admit it!  I take all the blame.  About halfway through the 3rd quarter, I had a thought about something I SHOULD do, but DIDN'T do.  I waited...BIG MISTAKE.  I looked at the score and the clock and talked myself out of it.  It wasn't until the beginning of the fourth quarter that I finally decided to do it.  BIG MISTAKE.  We came out flat and lost our momentum and really never got it back.  The girls tried so hard to fight through it but just couldn't get it back.  We ended up losing my 3 Points.  The girls were bummed but they also knew they played hard and fought hard.  I told them to use the lose as a building block to get better and to come out stronger on the other side.  They are a resilient group so I have every confidence they will.  Time will tell.  I know I for sure have learned my lesson and WILL NOT make that mistake again.

ROFL!

Sometimes I just have to laugh at my life.  I mean really rolling on the floor laughing (ROFL), or at least that's what it feels like.  That's the way I feel these past few weeks.  I had this grand plan all summer about what I wanted to do this up coming year and when I wanted to be (coaching wise).  Apparently God had other plans.  He was probably sitting up there ROFL, not necessarily at me but just at the situation and the thought that my plans would actually be better.  I hate that feeling but at the same time I love it.  I hate it because I hate being wrong, but I love it because it reminds me yet again that He knows better than I and I am glad He does.  Let me fill you in.

I went into this summer trying to find a new position for the up coming school year.  I went into it with the mind set of I want to coach at the varsity level and wouldn't compromise on it.  Funny how we think we know best.  I found, applied and interviewed for several "perfect" positions.  I thought all interviews went great and saw myself being offered several of those positions.  God had other plans.  One by one each "perfect" job fell by the wayside. As summer was getting close to the end I realized I was in an almost desperate situation to find a job, any job.  So I began to apply for the dreaded junior high jobs.  

Low and behold a few days later I got a call and went in for an interview.  I was impressed with the school as it was much different than the other schools.  Their mission and character emphasis stood out. The joy and the passion  I saw from the employees and all involved was contagious the moment I walked in.  The interview went well.  It seemed for like a chat over coffee than and interview which was strange to me but I came away feeling good about things.  Six hours later I was offered the job.  Yes six hours.  I had searched for months and nothing but now within six hours time everything feel into place.  Honestly, I still wasn't thrilled about junior high but I sucked it up and plodded on.  I still looked for other opportunities but nothing really came about.  Then the time came to really get into the meat of my new school.

We started some training sessions the last week of July.  With each passing hour the passion for my job, the joy in my heart and the excitement for the up coming year grew.  I slowly began to realize, God had put me right where He wants me to be.  I may not know exactly why that is for sometime but I do know that it is He who put me there and that's all that matters. I have come the this realization in the last 48 hours: I am where He wants me to be for this moment and as long as I continue to follow Him and do what he wants me to do, it doesn't matter if that is in junior high, high school, college, or even the NBA (announced today the hiring of a female assistant NBA coach).  You see its' not the where that matters its the what or more specifically the who.  Its not where we do what we are suppose to do but its who we do it for.  My level of coaching doesn't matter as long and I am doing it for Him!

Waiting Room

 

We all know the feeling.  Sitting in the waiting room, watching the time slowly tick by.  Can't do anything to speed the process along and just have to sit and WAIT! And we all HATE it!! 

I feel like I am in the waiting room of life.  sitting here waiting for things to happen.  Wishing they would hurry along and the harder I wish the slower things go.  Which makes me wonder why on earth I am making this statement:

"WAITING IS A GOOD THING"

There I said it.  I don't know why but I did.  Truth is, deep down I really believe it.  Do I like it?  Do I enjoy it?  ABSOLUTELY NOT!  BUT that doesn't make it any less good.  I know it seems strange.  How could something that we all see as bad and all hate be good?  Easy: GOD.

God makes waiting good.  He uses it to teach use things that we otherwise are too stubborn or to busy to see and learn otherwise.  He uses it to make us stronger.  Take Psalm 27:14, "Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord." (NIV).  

Think of it like a farmer.  He spends hours and days planting the crops.  Then He waits.  He waits for them to cultivate and grow.  It doesn't happen over night.  It takes time.  He must wait the the right time to harvest.  To early and the crops aren't good.  To late and the crops wither away.  So it is with our life.  

"Be patient, then, brothers and sisters, until the Lord’s coming. See how the farmer waits for the land to yield its valuable crop, patiently waiting for the autumn and spring rains." James 5:7.

But eventually the time comes and the things we wish would happen do.  And we realize that God was in control the whole time and that the wait was worth it just as God promised. 

"And so after waiting patiently, Abraham received what was promised." Hebrews 6:15

This is where I am.  Sitting on the back porch, sipping sweet tea, watching and waiting.  Watching the crops grow, waiting for the harvest!

No Regrets

As I look back over this past season and especially what has transpired in the last 2 months I am reminded once again that God has a plan and He alone is in control.  I will spare you the details of the past 2 months but things were very similar to the Roller Coaster post from last May.  As a side note, I really hope that this is NOT and every year thing... not sure I could take that.

Anyway, in spite of all that has happened there is one thing I can say with unwavering confidence: I have no regrets! 

The point about having no regrets is for several reasons.  First and foremost, its about my approach for the season.  I went into this season with a very different way of coaching, God's Way.  I wanted to show that it could be done and that it could be successful.  I prayed earnestly both before and during about how I was to do this.  I know without a shadow of a doubt that everything I did pleased God and that was what I set out to do.  I was speaking to someone just after things happened and without even thinking about the following  words came out of my mouth, "I know I did things how God wanted me to.  I know I brought glory to Him." To which the person replied, "That's all you can do."  For this very reason, I have no regrets and nothing anyone says or does can make me think otherwise.  Some people may say I did things wrong or things were not good enough, but it wasn't for people I was doing it.  I know this is a strange concept in coaching and it might not go over too well with a lot of people but again it is NOT for people I do it.  If it were, I could not be sitting here talking about no regrets.  I'd be sitting here writing about second guessing myself and wondering what if, but the truth is I am not, and that is because of who I coach for and why I coach.  I coach for God.  I don't coach for myself, my players, their parents of anyone or anything else.  I coach because God has laid a specific call on my life to do so.  He has called me to do this and I do it for no other reason but to bring glory to Him and please Him. Ecclesiastes 2:26a says, "To the person who pleases him, God gives wisdom, knowledge and happiness."  So why wouldn't we want to please Him?

Another reason I have no regrets is the relationship I built with 18 wonderful young ladies and many of the parents.  I know many of these will be friendships that last a lifetime.  I know God brought each one of these people into my life for a reason.  Many of them still stand behind me and support me through this time.  That has made things a little easier to swallow.  If it were not for their love and support during the season and during this difficult time, things would have been much worse.  

Through it all I have been constantly reminding myself, 'ALL FOR HIS GLORY'!!  If I didn't believe that life would be much worse. 

86,400 -- How will you use it?

Wow almost a month....I've been busy.  The following post was suppose to be the devotional that I was gonna share at Family Time with the basketball team this week for that didn't happen (I'll explain later, maybe :-)).  So I thought I'd share it on here because I know God lead me to this specific devotion for a reason.

 

The follow comes from a devotional book by legendary coach John Wooden and former coach and player Jay Carthy. 

Ephesians 5:15-16 -- So be careful how you live. Don’t live like fools, but like those who are wise.  Make the most of every opportunity in these evil days. (NLT)

If every morning your bank credited your account with $86,400 but every evening canceled whatever part of the amount you failed to use, what would you do?  Spend every cent -- of course!

Well we have such a bank account -- it is called time.  Every day it credits you with 86,400 seconds.  At midnight, whatever you failed to use is lost.  A balance is not carried over to the next day and you're not allowed overdrafts.  Each day the bank named Time opens a new account with you.  Each night it burns the records for the day.  If you fail to use the day's deposits, the loss is yours.  This thought from Christian comedian Robert G Lee, helps put value into each day.  The apostle Paul also had a take on time.  He wrote to the Christians in Ephesus and suggested that they make each day a masterpiece.  As wise person, he pointed out, will make the most of his or her time.  Paul also urges us to be filled with the Spirit.  Having God's power helps us say no to the bad stuff and yes to God's will.  How will you spend your 84,600 seconds today?  How can you make today a masterpiece?  

I love this devotional.  It is a great reminder that each day we have is a gift.  It reminds me of one of my favorite poems.  One I ALWAYS carry with me in my wallet.  

This Is The Beginning of a New Day

This is the beginning of a new day.
God has given me this day to use as I will.
I can waste it or use it for good,
but what I do today is important
because I am exchanging a day of my life for it.
When tomorrow comes, this day will be gone forever,
leaving in its place something that I have traded for it.
I want it to be gain and not loss; good and not evil;
success and not failure; in order that I shall not
regret the price I have paid for it.

'Unknown'


I LOVE that poem...  Again it reminds us that each day is a gift from God and how we use that day is our gift to God.  As each of the 86,400 seconds are gone we will NEVER get them back and that makes each one important and valuable.  God gives me free will to decide how to use it.  My hope is that no matter what I will use it for Him and make it count in the lives of those around.  That is what I try to do in not only my coaching but in my life in general.  I may never know how much impact I have until I stand before Him but as long as I stay true to what I believe and what He has called me to do I know He will smile and say "well done good and faithful servant."  In the long run that's ALL that matters.

One last thing this reminded me of is a song I hear so often on the radio.  I posted the link below.  I hope you will listen to it and really take in the words because I think it sums up this entire post.
 Live like We're Dying by Kris Allen

One Mind

Weird thing happened at the game today.  I was walking down the hallway on the way to the restroom and I heard a fan from the opposing team say"what does that mean on the back of tier jersey, 'one mind'.  That's not their name is it."  I smiled and stopped momentarily to answer her but before the words came out a thought came to my mind.  Do I really know what it means?  I continued down the hallway with that thought in my mind and it lingered there the rest of the day.  Along with that was the thought, 'do my players really know what that means?  They wear it on their jersey every game.  Some even tweet about it before or after games, but my guess is they really don't have a grasp of what it really means.  They all know that it comes from the verse that out teams were build on.  1 Corinthians 1:10, "I appeal to you, brothers, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be united in the same mind and the same judgment."  Now those of you familiar with Scripture will know that Paul wrote this to a church that was struggling because they all wanted to do their own things and follow a way.  What they didn't realize is when it came right down to it, they were all still following God they just didn't see it because they were too busy arguing about how to follow God correctly.  What Paul wanted them to understand was that the important part was that they JUST followed God NOT how they did it.  So how does that fit our basketball team.

One Mind -- That is what we were built on.  That means that we as a team and as an organization  agree to the purpose of why we are there and why we do what we do, that is to bring honor and glory to God win or loose.  That is the surface matter.  However its the underlying matter that I am afraid that so many of our players have missed.   This takes me back to the last post about commitment.  I'd like to repost a part of that here as it fits perfectly.

Basketball is very much a team sport.  Each player, coach, parent, fan, etc.  must all be committed to the game in order for it to work properly.  As a member of the team, each player must also commit to the good of the team rather than self.  Once a player breaks that commitment and turns to self, they have no place on the team and if that player isn't soon dealt with the entire team suffers.  This is a hard job as a coach.  Probably one of the hardest but its something that needs to be done.  I usually try and give people the benefit of the doubt but when it comes to commitment, there is no room for that because with commitment you are either in or out there is NO in between!!!!

So what does that have to do with having one mind?  Well lets say a player stays up into the wee hours of the morning just goofing off and having fun, knowing full well they have an early game the next day.  The next day comes and the rest of the team is dependent on that player to do well but because that player stayed up late they have no energy and play horrible.  Because this player is seen as a leader it brings the rest of the team down.  Now when that player decided to stay up all night were they being of "one mind" with the rest of their team?  NOPE!!!  They only thought of themselves and what they wanted and didn't think about how it would impact the team.  See when we are a team we MUST be committed to the team and we must be of ONE MIND.  That doesn't mean that we just say we are up front and then go about our business, that doens't mean that we only are when our teammates or coaches are watching or around.  It means that EVERYTHING we say and do 24/7 is for the team and that we think about how it will impact them.  You see when you are a part of a team you have others that depend on you even if you don't want them to.  That's what being a part of a team means.  ONE MIND ISN'T JUST ABOUT TALKING THE TALK, IT'S ABOUT WALKING THE WALK!!!  It all effects the team 24/7/365...ONE MIND = NO EXCUSES!!!!

 

Commitment

Been so busy didn't realize its been 2 weeks since last post.  So here you go.

Over the last week or so an issue has come up that just irritates me to no end.  So much so that I can't get past it even days later so for what it is worth here is my rant on that issue... COMMITMENT

To me commitment is HUGE!!!  I am a firm believer that once you make a commitment to someone or something that you should stick to it no matter what.  I know things don't always go how they are promised and yes I have been in situations where I was promised something and then that person did not come through BUT does that mean we are to not follow through on our commitment?  ABSOLUTELY NOT!!

See there is something I believe goes so hand in hand with commitment that the two cannot be separated, integrity.  Now if I think commitment is huge then integrity is not only the foundation of that commitment but also the frame that holds it all together and the roof under which it sits.  To me, my word is just as good as a contract on paper.  If I tell someone I will do something, it is as good as done.  Problem is not everyone is that way but I feel they are.  If my word is gold then I tend to believe everyone else's is as well and tend to get upset when I find out different. It is hard to explain just how important commitment is to me. 

If you look the word commitment up in the dictionary one of the words used to define it is obligation which then is define as the act of binding or obliging oneself by a promise, contract or a sense of duty.  Simply put it is something you MUST do.  So to me if you say you will do something, I take it to mean you WILL do it.  I really don't think that is too much to ask.  

When my husband and I stood at the front of friends and family in a small church in Alabama, we made a commitment to love each other for the rest of our lives.  Now there are times we get mad at each other and may not like each other for one reason or another but NOTHING would keep us from loving each other because that is a commitment we made and we both take not only that but all our commitments seriously.  

Unfortunately too many people today are very flippant in their commitments.  Too many times they say they will do something knowing full well they have no intention of doing it.  I am sorry to say I have no place for these people in my life and to put it more frankly they have no place in team sports either.  I have seen it too many times.  A player says they want to be a part of the team and wants to play but when it comes right down to it all they really care is themselves.  They have no desire to be part of a team but only want the glory and recognition for themselves.  Basketball is very much a team sport.  Each player, coach, parent, fan, etc.  must all be committed to the game in order for it to work properly.  As a member of the team, each player must also commit to the good of the team rather than self.  Once a player breaks that commitment and turns to self, they have no place on the team and if that player isn't soon dealt with the entire team suffers.  This is a hard job as a coach.  Probably one of the hardest but its something that needs to be done.  I usually try and give people the benefit of the doubt but when it comes to commitment, there is no room for that because with commitment you are either in or out there is NO in between!!!!