Helping Hand

This morning I had the joy of walking with two friends who I used to walk with years ago.  We ran into each other yesterday morning and they told me that they were still walking 5 days a week.  They invited to join them this morning.  We were walking a path that was not familiar to me so a few times they had to tell  me which way to turn. Twice I stumbled on the path and they held out a hand to  make sure I didn't  fall.  Just as we got to an icy patch, my friend, Sandy, warned me and I was able to step over it.

I began thinking about how important it is to connect with others when you are starting down a new path. You may have GPS but it won't be able tell you where the cracks in the path are or which icy patches to avoid.  This is especially critical for sports parents.  There are so many twists and turns along the way and it is important to come alongside people who have walked the path and can tell you have to successfully navigate it.

Sports Parents want their children to have the best chance to participate and excel in the sport that they choose.  If you have a child who is navigating the world of sports, make sure you connect with others who have been down that path and can help you avoid the bumps in the road and those who can tell you the best roads to take.  You will find they have a wealth of information to share.  Don't rely solely on a coach or one person to help you.  The more information you can gather, the better outcomes you will have.

Take time to connect with others and enjoy the journey!

DJ

Let's Talk Sports!

Today begins the roll out of the National Alliance of Youth Sports' Let's Talk Sports video. I had the joy of filming this video last month and hope to see it in every elementary and high school in America before too long.

The goal of Let's Talk Sports is to provide an opportunity for parents and their children to discuss the valuable life lessons that are learned when children participate in sports. At the end of the day, we want parents to not only ask their child "who won?" but "what did you learn today about determination? Or, "How are you demonstrating leadership on the team?"
In a world where we are competing with video games and cell phones when trying to connect with our children, this activity is designed for us to unplug and talk about lessons that will last them a lifetime.

The video is free and can be viewed at letstalksports.nays.org.

Take a  moment and view the video.  It requires that you sign up so that you can stop and start without losing your data. Please share it with every parent, coach, sports volunteer and any one who cares about children and values.  Let me know what you think.

Let's begin the conversation!

DJ

Life Lessons From Mom - Think and Live!

My mother was a nurses' technical assistant at University Hospitals in Cleveland for 37 years.  She successfully reared six children and still found time to take care of people in the community and so many in her extended family.  She took the time to look pretty, smell good and she was an accomplished cook!  She had a signature smile that would light up a room.  From the outside, many people thought she had it "made!"  Very few people knew the challenges she faced with her marriage and so many other day to day obstacles. 

One day, it was all too much.  Too many life events were happening at once and mom could not see the light of day.  She loved the Lord and her children but this particular day, she couldn't get her bearings and she just felt the weight of the world on her shoulders. A thought popped into her head that she could just leave it all behind and just take a long walk into Lake Erie (we lived a stone's throw from the lake) and not look back.  My mother could not swim.  

Mom worked in the emergency room and typically it was teeming with activity.  This was a slow night and at one point there were no patients waiting to be seen.  She was in the linen room folding towels when she heard a voice say "You've  got a lot to live for, if you just think about it!" She quickly looked in the hall and there was no one there.  She realized that she had heard the voice of the Lord. He was letting her know that no matter how hard things might get, that she still had so much more of life to live. 

She told that story to many people to encourage them to hold on even when things looked bleak.  I thought of my mom's saying this weekend as I watched the University of South Carolina's running back, Marcus Lattimore, writhing in pain from a devastating knee injury.  He had just returned to his starting position after an injury to the other knee.  I can only imagine how discouraged he must have felt.  After just finishing the long rehabilitation with one knee he is facing an even longer road with a more serious injury. 

Marcus must have felt encouraged when he saw players from both teams rush to his side and knell in prayer and support.  By Monday, over a 1000 people gathered on campus to wish him happy birthday and to show their support.  He truly has a lot to live for and God spoke to him through the immediate show of support from so many.  

I don't know what you are going through right now but I do know that you have a lot to live for, if you just think about it!  Take Mother Hubbard's words to heart and live life to the fullest!

DJ

Train up a Child

Everywhere I look I hear someone hating on Tim Tebow!  Every week I am reading a commentary or listening to a sports announcer musing about how “over the top” Tebow is with his faith and why he should tone down his message and just play ball.  We live in a world where negativity is always front page news while the special interest story may not even make the news at all.

People who really know me know that I am not a Gator fan (I am mean, SERIOUSLY—They are the team that robbed my Buckeyes and my child of the National Championship Title in 2006) and I am not a Broncos fan (that same child went on to play for the Raiders-Need I say more?).  What I am is a mom and a child of God who is thrilled that there is a player out there whose walk matches his talk.  I am not talking about the player who gets down on one knee after a big play and then is arrested for a DUI after the game. Nor am I talking about the person who thanks God for his victory and then is ranting and cussing on Facebook (sometimes this happens on the same post).

Tim Tebow grew up in a Christian home where it was common to give back to the community, go on mission trips and do the right thing.  I am not saying that Tebow is a saint, but it sure is refreshing to see a child who was trained well and hasn’t forgotten what he has learned.  That is a parent’s dream.  It seems to be paying off in his first season as a Bronco.  Every week someone tells me that Tebow is just not that good and then has to eat their words when the Broncos win again.  I believe that living right has its rewards. 

We are living in an era where it is hard to find role models in high profile places. Thank you Tebow for not being ashamed of who you believe in and for his parents who seemed to have done a great job training up this young man.