I played quarterback on the 6th grade football team at Bullock Elementary School. Mr. Shearer was our coach, I have not forgotten his wisdom and leadership. I am amazed how the today me is often built on the lessons learned by the past me. Something I have learned to remind myself of often.
There were 2 teams in my 6th grade class, the A team and the B team. There were so many of us that wanted to play, and apparently that was the case at other elementary schools as well, we even had our own league. The A team had the bigger faster 6th graders. My B team buddies and I were the ones who were not as fast or as big or supposedly as tuff. I my self however was fast and tuff “thank you very much” just not as big and tall as my best friend Mark Mayfield who quarterbacked on the A team.
We practiced on the same field as the A team and sometimes scrimmaged against them. On occasion one of us would be out matched and over powered by one of the A team guys and some level of pain or humiliation would have to be endured. Coach Shearer would always somehow end up at your side or looking over you as you lay on the ground from such an event and would loudly and vigorously say “tuff-it-out, tuff-it-out you’re ok, catch your breath, get back in the game”. Toughing it out or toughing up were the ways Coach Shearer recommended to overcome and endure challenges and pain on the playing field. I haven’t thought about that for a long time.
I have found over the years “since the days at Bullock Elementary” that occasionally I have been run over, knocked down, humiliated, and sometimes just plain stepped on in my adult life. The playing field is a lot larger now; the competition sometimes faster, the pain more intense and not winning can have far reaching consequences. Yet like Coach Shearer there has been someone at my side to encourage me, pick me up, dust me off, and say “tuff-it-out, tuff-it-out, your ok, catch your breath, get back in the game”.
Having the right tough is important in life. Those challenges and unexpected bumps and bruises are oftentimes Gods way of bringing us closer or refocusing our priorities on Him. A greater understanding of life and our purpose can be found through a personal relationship with God. Out of that flows everything else, family, friends, and your life’s work.
The next time your find yourself being knocked to the ground and its third and long, and you just don’t know how to you will reach the goal line, ask your heavenly coach to give you the right tough.” tuff-it-out, tuff-it-out, you’re ok, catch your breath, get back in the game”! Good advice from the past for today, wouldn’t you agree.
Psalms 28:12 Who is the man who reverently fears and worships the Lord? Him shall He teach in the way that he should choose.
Pslams27:1 The Lord is my light and my salvation: whom shall I fear or dread? The Lord is the refuge and stronghold of my life of whom shall I be afraid.
Psalms 91:2 I will say of the Lord He is my refuge and my fortress. My God on Him I lean and rely and in Him I confidently trust.
May God bless your life as you pursue him! May Gods love and kindness direct you as we are renewed and strengthened as he does a new thing in our lives, the journey to our new life is on foot, led by the Spirit and Gods Word, to serve Him, and others.
Dwight
