Teams
It was hard to sleep that night. We were going to play the Northside Bombers tomorrow and coach said I would start as forward. I was so excited; I had not started a game this year.
I tossed, I turned. I sat up, I finally prayed, “Dear Jesus let me score the winning goal.” I closed my eyes and dreamed.
In my dream the sun shone brightly, reflecting off the bright red shirts of the Bombers. I glimpsed the white of the ball headed to me. I jumped up, my head hitting the ball down to my feet. I let the ball bounce once on the green grass, pulled my foot back, and struck it. Everyone stopped as they watched the ball arch up, fading to the right. The goalkeeper jumped and lunged. The ball sailed over the outstretched fingers and ripped into the top corner of the goal. We won!
Time dragged in school the next day. All I could think about is how I would be the hero and score the winning goal. Finally, the school day ended and I ran to the locker room to get ready for the Northside Bombers. We took the field and lined up for the start of the game. The whistle blew, the ball sailed towards me. I jumped up, hitting the ball down to my feet. I let the ball bounce once on the green grass, pulled my foot back, and struck it. Everyone stopped as they watched the ball arch up, fading to the right. The goalkeeper jumped and lunged. The ball hit his outstretched fingers and fell to the ground. We finally lost the game, 6-0.
The preceding story is fiction. However, it is a compilation of my entire grade school sports career. I was on more loosing teams than winning ones. No matter what the sport, we never won a championship or even made it to the playoffs. We lost more games than we won, but it wasn’t for lack of trying, lack of practice, lack of praying – it was lack of scores, points or goals.
Some might think that my child sports career was a failure. I disagree. I learned many life lessons that I still use.
I learned that I could feel good about myself if I won or if I lost. The world looks at the winners and celebrates, looks at the losers and walks away. Losers are made to feel bad, looked down upon and judged as not worthy.
A long time ago the disciples wanted to know who was the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. Even in the time of Jesus, the world celebrated the strong, the powerful, the winners.
Jesus “called a little child and had him stand among them. And he said: ‘I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore, whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.’” - Matthew 18:2-4.
The world looks at the outside, Jesus doesn’t judge as the world does, Jesus looks at the trust of the child and declares, “this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.”
The Holy Spirit gives us this child-like faith and Jesus pronounces us, “greatest.” His pronouncement is better than any awards, ribbons or trophies we can win.
I learned that it is more fun to play than to watch. No matter what the final score would be, the joy of being on the team made all the practice worthwhile. I was part of a team, I played an important part and I contributed to the team.
I learned that I was just as tired if I won or lost. If we won, I was tired. If we lost I was tired. I became taller and stronger by playing, not winning. Sometimes I found out that I worked harder when we lost.
I learned that I just needed to be ready and encourage others. Sometimes I played the entire game, sometimes I sat the bench. Sitting on the bench was just as important as playing. I was still on the team, ready to take my position if needed. I was the back-up that could go in at any moment. I was the encourager – urging my teammates to do their best.
In today’s world we place much emphasis on the final score. We celebrate the winners and tolerate the losers. Today’s world revolves around champions. I would encourage children to remember the lessons I learned and enjoy games for the game’s sake, not the final score.
I came home from the Bombers game and Mom had a snack ready for me. She always had a snack for me – win or loose. But on that day my snack was special, for we lost. Our team may have lost the game, but I won with a great snack and a joy filled smile from God – He declared me the “greatest.”
Teams
It was hard to sleep that night. We were going to play the Northside Bombers tomorrow and coach said I would start as forward. I was so excited; I had not started a game this year.
I tossed, I turned. I sat up, I finally prayed, “Dear Jesus let me score the winning goal.” I closed my eyes and dreamed.
In my dream the sun shone brightly, reflecting off the bright red shirts of the Bombers. I glimpsed the white of the ball headed to me. I jumped up, my head hitting the ball down to my feet. I let the ball bounce once on the green grass, pulled my foot back, and struck it. Everyone stopped as they watched the ball arch up, fading to the right. The goalkeeper jumped and lunged. The ball sailed over the outstretched fingers and ripped into the top corner of the goal. We won!
Time dragged in school the next day. All I could think about is how I would be the hero and score the winning goal. Finally, the school day ended and I ran to the locker room to get ready for the Northside Bombers. We took the field and lined up for the start of the game. The whistle blew, the ball sailed towards me. I jumped up, hitting the ball down to my feet. I let the ball bounce once on the green grass, pulled my foot back, and struck it. Everyone stopped as they watched the ball arch up, fading to the right. The goalkeeper jumped and lunged. The ball hit his outstretched fingers and fell to the ground. We finally lost the game, 6-0.
The preceding story is fiction. However, it is a compilation of my entire grade school sports career. I was on more loosing teams than winning ones. No matter what the sport, we never won a championship or even made it to the playoffs. We lost more games than we won, but it wasn’t for lack of trying, lack of practice, lack of praying – it was lack of scores, points or goals.
Some might think that my child sports career was a failure. I disagree. I learned many life lessons that I still use.
I learned that I could feel good about myself if I won or if I lost. The world looks at the winners and celebrates, looks at the losers and walks away. Losers are made to feel bad, looked down upon and judged as not worthy.
A long time ago the disciples wanted to know who was the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. Even in the time of Jesus, the world celebrated the strong, the powerful, the winners.
Jesus “called a little child and had him stand among them. And he said: ‘I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore, whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.’” - Matthew 18:2-4.
The world looks at the outside, Jesus doesn’t judge as the world does, Jesus looks at the trust of the child and declares, “this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.”
The Holy Spirit gives us this child-like faith and Jesus pronounces us, “greatest.” His pronouncement is better than any awards, ribbons or trophies we can win.
I learned that it is more fun to play than to watch. No matter what the final score would be, the joy of being on the team made all the practice worthwhile. I was part of a team, I played an important part and I contributed to the team.
I learned that I was just as tired if I won or lost. If we won, I was tired. If we lost I was tired. I became taller and stronger by playing, not winning. Sometimes I found out that I worked harder when we lost.
I learned that I just needed to be ready and encourage others. Sometimes I played the entire game, sometimes I sat the bench. Sitting on the bench was just as important as playing. I was still on the team, ready to take my position if needed. I was the back-up that could go in at any moment. I was the encourager – urging my teammates to do their best.
In today’s world we place much emphasis on the final score. We celebrate the winners and tolerate the losers. Today’s world revolves around champions. I would encourage children to remember the lessons I learned and enjoy games for the game’s sake, not the final score.
I came home from the Bombers game and Mom had a snack ready for me. She always had a snack for me – win or loose. But on that day my snack was special, for we lost. Our team may have lost the game, but I won with a great snack and a joy filled smile from God – He declared me the “greatest.”
It was hard to sleep that night. We were going to play the Northside Bombers tomorrow and coach said I would start as forward. I was so excited; I had not started a game this year.
I tossed, I turned. I sat up, I finally prayed, “Dear Jesus let me score the winning goal.” I closed my eyes and dreamed.
In my dream the sun shone brightly, reflecting off the bright red shirts of the Bombers. I glimpsed the white of the ball headed to me. I jumped up, my head hitting the ball down to my feet. I let the ball bounce once on the green grass, pulled my foot back, and struck it. Everyone stopped as they watched the ball arch up, fading to the right. The goalkeeper jumped and lunged. The ball sailed over the outstretched fingers and ripped into the top corner of the goal. We won!
Time dragged in school the next day. All I could think about is how I would be the hero and score the winning goal. Finally, the school day ended and I ran to the locker room to get ready for the Northside Bombers. We took the field and lined up for the start of the game. The whistle blew, the ball sailed towards me. I jumped up, hitting the ball down to my feet. I let the ball bounce once on the green grass, pulled my foot back, and struck it. Everyone stopped as they watched the ball arch up, fading to the right. The goalkeeper jumped and lunged. The ball hit his outstretched fingers and fell to the ground. We finally lost the game, 6-0.
The preceding story is fiction. However, it is a compilation of my entire grade school sports career. I was on more loosing teams than winning ones. No matter what the sport, we never won a championship or even made it to the playoffs. We lost more games than we won, but it wasn’t for lack of trying, lack of practice, lack of praying – it was lack of scores, points or goals.
Some might think that my child sports career was a failure. I disagree. I learned many life lessons that I still use.
I learned that I could feel good about myself if I won or if I lost. The world looks at the winners and celebrates, looks at the losers and walks away. Losers are made to feel bad, looked down upon and judged as not worthy.
A long time ago the disciples wanted to know who was the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. Even in the time of Jesus, the world celebrated the strong, the powerful, the winners.
Jesus “called a little child and had him stand among them. And he said: ‘I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore, whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.’” - Matthew 18:2-4.
The world looks at the outside, Jesus doesn’t judge as the world does, Jesus looks at the trust of the child and declares, “this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.”
The Holy Spirit gives us this child-like faith and Jesus pronounces us, “greatest.” His pronouncement is better than any awards, ribbons or trophies we can win.
I learned that it is more fun to play than to watch. No matter what the final score would be, the joy of being on the team made all the practice worthwhile. I was part of a team, I played an important part and I contributed to the team.
I learned that I was just as tired if I won or lost. If we won, I was tired. If we lost I was tired. I became taller and stronger by playing, not winning. Sometimes I found out that I worked harder when we lost.
I learned that I just needed to be ready and encourage others. Sometimes I played the entire game, sometimes I sat the bench. Sitting on the bench was just as important as playing. I was still on the team, ready to take my position if needed. I was the back-up that could go in at any moment. I was the encourager – urging my teammates to do their best.
In today’s world we place much emphasis on the final score. We celebrate the winners and tolerate the losers. Today’s world revolves around champions. I would encourage children to remember the lessons I learned and enjoy games for the game’s sake, not the final score.
I came home from the Bombers game and Mom had a snack ready for me. She always had a snack for me – win or loose. But on that day my snack was special, for we lost. Our team may have lost the game, but I won with a great snack and a joy filled smile from God – He declared me the “greatest.”
Teams
It was hard to sleep that night. We were going to play the Northside Bombers tomorrow and coach said I would start as forward. I was so excited; I had not started a game this year.
I tossed, I turned. I sat up, I finally prayed, “Dear Jesus let me score the winning goal.” I closed my eyes and dreamed.
In my dream the sun shone brightly, reflecting off the bright red shirts of the Bombers. I glimpsed the white of the ball headed to me. I jumped up, my head hitting the ball down to my feet. I let the ball bounce once on the green grass, pulled my foot back, and struck it. Everyone stopped as they watched the ball arch up, fading to the right. The goalkeeper jumped and lunged. The ball sailed over the outstretched fingers and ripped into the top corner of the goal. We won!
Time dragged in school the next day. All I could think about is how I would be the hero and score the winning goal. Finally, the school day ended and I ran to the locker room to get ready for the Northside Bombers. We took the field and lined up for the start of the game. The whistle blew, the ball sailed towards me. I jumped up, hitting the ball down to my feet. I let the ball bounce once on the green grass, pulled my foot back, and struck it. Everyone stopped as they watched the ball arch up, fading to the right. The goalkeeper jumped and lunged. The ball hit his outstretched fingers and fell to the ground. We finally lost the game, 6-0.
The preceding story is fiction. However, it is a compilation of my entire grade school sports career. I was on more loosing teams than winning ones. No matter what the sport, we never won a championship or even made it to the playoffs. We lost more games than we won, but it wasn’t for lack of trying, lack of practice, lack of praying – it was lack of scores, points or goals.
Some might think that my child sports career was a failure. I disagree. I learned many life lessons that I still use.
I learned that I could feel good about myself if I won or if I lost. The world looks at the winners and celebrates, looks at the losers and walks away. Losers are made to feel bad, looked down upon and judged as not worthy.
A long time ago the disciples wanted to know who was the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. Even in the time of Jesus, the world celebrated the strong, the powerful, the winners.
Jesus “called a little child and had him stand among them. And he said: ‘I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore, whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.’” - Matthew 18:2-4.
The world looks at the outside, Jesus doesn’t judge as the world does, Jesus looks at the trust of the child and declares, “this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.”
The Holy Spirit gives us this child-like faith and Jesus pronounces us, “greatest.” His pronouncement is better than any awards, ribbons or trophies we can win.
I learned that it is more fun to play than to watch. No matter what the final score would be, the joy of being on the team made all the practice worthwhile. I was part of a team, I played an important part and I contributed to the team.
I learned that I was just as tired if I won or lost. If we won, I was tired. If we lost I was tired. I became taller and stronger by playing, not winning. Sometimes I found out that I worked harder when we lost.
I learned that I just needed to be ready and encourage others. Sometimes I played the entire game, sometimes I sat the bench. Sitting on the bench was just as important as playing. I was still on the team, ready to take my position if needed. I was the back-up that could go in at any moment. I was the encourager – urging my teammates to do their best.
In today’s world we place much emphasis on the final score. We celebrate the winners and tolerate the losers. Today’s world revolves around champions. I would encourage children to remember the lessons I learned and enjoy games for the game’s sake, not the final score.
I came home from the Bombers game and Mom had a snack ready for me. She always had a snack for me – win or loose. But on that day my snack was special, for we lost. Our team may have lost the game, but I won with a great snack and a joy filled smile from God – He declared me the “greatest.”
This is how it appeared in print.
