Not at this time

Part of my morning time with the Lord I read the Our Daily Bread for the day.  This is the one for today:

Wednesday, September 28

NOT AT THIS TIME

It can be quite discouraging for wanna-be writers to get their work rejected time after time.  When they send in a manuscript to a publisher, they'll often hear back in a letter with these words:  "Thank you.  But your submission does not meet our needs at this time."  Sometimes this really means "not at this time - or ever."  So they try the next publisher and the next.

I've found that the phrase This does not meet our needs at this time - or ever can be a helpful saying in my Christian walk to renew my mind and refocus my thoughts on the Lord.

Here's what I mean.  When starting to worry, we can remind ourselves; "Worry does not meet my needs at this time - or ever.  My heart's need is to trust God.  I will 'be anxious for nothing' " (Phil. 4:6)

When we envy what another person has or does, we can reinforce the truth: "Envy does not meet my needs right now - or ever.  My need is to give thanks to God.  His Word says, 'Envy is rottenness to the bones' (Prov. 14:30), and 'In everything give thanks'  "(1Thess. 5:18).

We can't renew our minds by ourselves (Rom. 12:2); it's the transforming work of the Holy Spirit who lives in us.  Yet speaking the truth in our thoughts can help us to submit to the Spirit's work within. -Anne Cetas


Romans 11:33-36
 ³³Oh, the depth of the riches and  wisdom and knowledge of God!  How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways!
 ³⁴"For who has known the mind of the Lord,
   or who has been his counselor?"
³⁵"Or who has given a gift to him
   that he might be repaid?"
 ³⁶For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen.

Romans 12

A Living Sacrifice

 ¹ I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. ² Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.


So, how does this apply to football?  Well, it actually applies to everything and this is how.

Let's just be real.  Football coaches and teachers are not in their profession because it is easy - or to get summers off (that's another topic for another day!).  I know for me, when the season it tough - and this one is - I get anxious and I worry.  Mainly for the kids and the fans.  You don't want them to give up or lose heart.  I pray for my husband to not grow weary.  He is such a good coach and an amazing man and really keeps it together when it's tough.  BUT he is a man! He is competitive.  He, like every coach, wants to win.    

There are soooo many things we allow our minds to run with when the Prince of Peace says keep your mind on me, give your burdens to me, cast all your cares, I will give you rest. 

Let me add that this should not be so only in the times of despair.  We are called to love and honor Him ALWAYS!   He is worthy to receive all honor and glory all the time!  And we are called to love our husbands (in sickness and health, for better or worse - sound familiar) in times of victory and in times of defeat.  We are called to love our neighbors, enemies, and so on - no matter what.

My declaration for the day:  In EVERYTHING give THANKS for He is WORTHY! 

Joy in the Journey, part 3

I met Jason in 2002 at Jackson Prep.  He was a football/baseball coach and teacher, I was the intramural director and cross country coach.  We met each other in the fall and began dating at the end of the school year in 2003.  Almost a year and a half later, on December 18, 2004 we were married (which is an ideal time for a football and baseball coach to get married).   Sports is all we knew together so his schedule did not come as a shock to me.  My dad is an official (ref) so I spent a lot of time as a kid at ballgames watching in the stands.  Looking back, I think the Lord was preparing me for this season of life.  I actually love football and baseball - I understand that is not always the case.  But when Solomon asked the Lord for wisdom (1 Kings 3), He gave it to him.   If you sincerely ask the Lord to give you a love for something that will advance the Kingdom and strengthen your marriage, I am sure He will!!

I heard once that you are not supposed to make any life changing decisions in your first year of marriage.  Great advice, but so far I have not found many who took it - including us!   We found out we were pregnant the Friday before Hurricane Katrina hit on Monday.  This was also week one of football season as newlyweds :)  I was cheer coaching at Prep and Jason had transferred to Ridgeland High School - which was closer to home.  To throw a curve ball, I am not one of these "feel the best I have ever felt when pregnant" kinda lady.  I get sick, 24 hours a day for close to 5 months (I might add that it has been that way for each one).  So, not only was I miserable (happy to be pregnant not happy to be sick) I was at one school and he was at another every Friday night.  Then we decide to build a house that spring - you go it.  Dirt work began in April, Katie was born in May,  school started back in August and we moved in the week 2 a days began.  To top it off our house was not ready when we closed on the old one, so we had to stay in a hotel for the first few days.  Talk about crazy. 

6 years, 3 kids and a new job later, I still can't believe we survived it.  But you know, I would not change it for anything.  To see our foundation in the Lord remain firm though our world was tossing and turning was amazing.  It strengthened my faith and our marriage.  These kinds of things in our lives do not have to tear us down. In fact in James 1 the Lord says to count it all joy when we face trial of many kinds for we know that the testing of our faith produces steadfastness (or patience, endurance, perseverance).  And let steadfastness have its full effect that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.  

Be encouraged my friend.  There is JOY in the journey.  Jesus is the Prince of Peace.  Thanks for reading, more to come....

***please feel free to contact me!  missiongridiron***   @hotmail.com

You saw a picture of what?!

Revelation 19:7
Let us rejoice and exult and give him the glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and his Bride has made herself ready;

Revelation 21:2
And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.

Revelation 21:9
[ The New Jerusalem ] Then came one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls full of the seven last plagues and spoke to me, saying, "Come, I will show you the Bride, the wife of the Lamb."

Revelation 22:17
The Spirit and the Bride say, "Come." And let the one who hears say, "Come." And let the one who is thirsty come; let the one who desires take the water of life without price.

You got it.  Long before the beginning of time.  Long before the foundations of this earth were laid.  God created marriage between a man and a woman to be a picture of Christ (the Lamb) and the Church (the bride). 
The definition of picture:  n.  a visual representation of a person.....

Think about that for a minute.

The world is supposed to look at us and see grace, mercy, forgiveness, truth, love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.

Now think about that for a minute. 

Oh how I have wrestled with this subject for a while.  Because in writing this, I am so convicted in many many ways.  I know that I can do all things through Christ.  I, we, CANNOT do this apart from Jesus Christ living in us and the Holy Spirit guiding.  You have to know the mind of Christ.  And you know the mind of Christ by spending time with him.  The same way you know your husband - by spending time with him - is the same way you will know and walk in these fruits.  

Think on this today.  Look in God's Word and see what He has to say about marriage and what it is supposed to look like.  I will do the same and add more to this post then.....

To tie this in to the sports realm, there are MANY young people that will go down this path in just a short couple of years.  I can assure you they are watching.  Coaches are one of the most influential and admired people among teens today.  I can't think of a better way to show them the love of Christ than to love my husband as Christ loves the Church..... 

May we not forget

from 2 Samuel 22:
^17(AB) "He sent from on high, he took me;
   he drew me out of many waters.
¹⁸He rescued me from my strong enemy,
   from those who hated me,
   for they were too mighty for me.
¹⁹They confronted me in the day of my calamity,
   but the LORD was my support.
^20(AC) He brought me out into a broad place;
   he rescued me, because^(AD) he delighted in me.
 ²¹"The LORD^(AE) dealt with me according to my righteousness;
   according to the^(AF) cleanness of my hands he rewarded me.
^22(AG) For I have kept the ways of the LORD
   and have not wickedly departed from my God.
^23(AH) For all his rules were before me,
   and from his statutes I did not turn aside.
²⁴I was^(AI) blameless before him,
   and I kept myself from guilt.
^25(AJ) And the LORD has rewarded me according to my righteousness,
   according to my cleanness in his sight.
 ^26(AK) "With the merciful you show yourself merciful;
   with the^(AL) blameless man you show yourself blameless;
²⁷with the purified you deal purely,
   and with the crooked you make yourself seem tortuous.
^28(AM) You save a humble people,
   ^(AN) but your eyes are on the haughty to bring them down.
^29(AO) For you are my lamp, O LORD,
   and my God lightens my darkness.
³⁰For by you I can run against a troop,
   and by my God I can leap over a wall.
³¹This God—^(AP) his way is perfect;
   the^(AQ) word of the LORD proves true;
   he is^(AR) a shield for all those who take refuge in him.

We must not forget where we came from and why we are where we are.  In victory or defeat.  It is oh so easy to get caught up in the "routine" of football season that we lose sight of why we are really here. 

We are having a rough first year.  There is no pretty way to put it.  We have not won a game and the boys are getting so discouraged.  Some are quitting, some are injured.  Some have to sit out as discipline.  I keep thinking to myself, how in the world do you keep 30 teenage boys motivated to fight - fight hard - every week to just be taken over by defeat?  Then the Lord reminds me in such subtle ways.  A city on a hill cannot be hidden, and that "persevere" has the word "severe" in it.  We are the example.  Those boys look to us.  Whether you like it or not, our coaches are no different that professional athletes in the spotlight. 

The crazy thing is, the school is having the largest gate receipts (amount of money they make at the ticket booth) they have had in years.  More people are coming out in support of what they are doing.  It is amazing.  So, the Lord does reward - He loves His children and desires to work and comfort through tough times!

I would love to hear from you.  Even if you are not a coach's wife, please contact me through my email missiongridiron@hotmail.com .  I think it is important to lift one another up and encourage each other.  I am hearing from people all over the country.  One thing is for sure, there will always a wife around to write too :)

This God - His way is perfect!  Amen!

For the Sports Fan

                                      

                                   
                                    

                                    

This is just a preview of course!  If you live around here please come by and see us!   Saturday, Sept. 24 Our name is Peace, Love & Crafts - Galatians 5:22-23

TALK FOOTBALL

                               http://www.pecanrowpress.com/talkfootball.htm
Alright ladies, be honest, have you ever sat in the stands and thought, what in the world did they do that for?  Or, why is the ref waving his arms like that?  Or, why is everyone clapping, nothing happened?  Or, why is everyone yelling at the ref?  Or, how do they decide what number they wear?  Or, why do they always run in to the big pile and not go around?

Don't lie, even if you are an avid football fan, you still have questions.  And inside you are really wanting to understand and communicate with your husband, father, son, grandfather, etc. during this gridiron battle.  You can't say you don't care, because you would  not be reading this blog if you didn't :)

Then you MUST have this book.  Talk Football, by Alice Nicholas.  This is a mom who has 3 boys - all of which played football.  They went to Jackson Prep and crossed mine and Jason's paths during our time there.  She finally got tired of "not knowing what was going on out there" and did extensive research, spent night upon Friday night at the field watching, learning so she could speak their language. 

I keep mine in my purse.  So when I am at a game and something goes on that I don't quite understand, I pull it out and look it up!  That easy! 

And you know what else it does?  It opens a new level of communication between you and your coach (or son, dad, etc.)  On Saturdays you no longer have to sit in the "other room" or hang out in the kitchen while your hubby and his buds engage in the game.  You CAN know what in the world is going on out there!!  :)

To get a copy of this book, contact me at www.missiongridiron@hotmail.com

Guard and Tackle

Whoever guards his (her) mouth preserves his (her) life; he (she) who opens wide his (her) lips comes to ruin.  Proverbs 13:3

We are 4 weeks into the season.  In some ways it is getting easier, in some ways a little tougher.  If you have children the days seems to creep slowly and by Wednesday at 7:00 you are still at home alone, your mind begins to turn.  It would be so easy at this point to grumble and complain.  You are tired, you miss your coach, the kids are cranky, the laundry piled, the dishes dirty and it is only Wednesday - and we still have 6 or more weeks of this!!  This is when it becomes easy to "leave your assignment, drop your guard and miss the tackle!"

insight 101:  the players assignment is whatever play the coach calls, the guard position protects and blocks the other team, and a tackle is when a defensive player brings down the opposing player to stop them from scoring or gaining more yards.

God wants us, even when it is hard, to lift up our husbands.  Honor them and care for them, not tear them down - guard them not tackle them!  When you "tackle" or "stop the play" the relationship stops.  There is a break in it, sometimes someone is injured.  Sometimes you lose yards - going backwards.  Have you ever found yourself talking to your mother or friend or co-worker about your coach?  The Bible tells us that "life and death are in the power of the tongue"  (Prov 18:21). Do you want death or life in your home and marriage?  I have heard women say "well, he this and he that" or "why is my husband always at the field and the other coaches are home?".   Usually my response is, "have you ever asked him?"  But as hard as it is to say it, the real question is, do you make it inviting for him when he is home?  How often do we put our wants and needs aside and put his first?  Ladies, I understand that men handle things differently.  Each coach processes the season and ALL that comes along with it in their own way.  Be careful to not let yourself compare your coach with another.  Galatians 5:22 says the fruit of the spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.  If you stay in the game, there will be another play.  You have another chance to guard your husband and tackle the enemy!

Application 101:  Now that my husband is a head coach, he spends more time at the field.  But that just makes me want to have the home ready for him even that much more.  And I know that he does not spend any more time up there than he has too.  I ask him about his day and how practice went, we go to the school often.  We go to the games.  I am interested in his life, what he does, and he knows it.  I pray, a lot.  And not just for me, but for him.  I know that I can do nothing apart from Christ.  He gives me the strength to be the helper He has created me to be for my husband.

Stay in the game, don't check out.  Surround yourself with people that lift you and your husband up.  Seek wise counsel.  Pray.  Until Christ returns there will always be a season.  You can do anything for a season!

Ranger Fans

                     These cute outfits were made by Betsy Chaisson!

Watch and Color

A little while ago I heard Katie (our oldest) say, "daddy, will you color with me?"  And a few seconds later Jason replies, "yes I will, go get it set up and I will be right there."

5 minutes before, Jason was getting ready to leave to go back to the school and watch film and cut the grass. 

It is now an hour later and Jason is just now leaving.

3 things:

1- Jason has decided to do all film watching and weekend work on Saturdays and not Sundays, if at all possible.  Even though he could probably stay at the field house for week and not get everything done, he says a day of rest to rest and honor the Lord is necessary. 
insight 101 - football coaches spend the whole weekend watching game film, washing uniforms, cleaning the locker room, planning practice for the next week and cutting the fields. They watch the game film from the night before, film from the opposing team they play next week and any film they are privileged to that will help them come up with a scheme to beat the other team.  And this takes hours - literally, hours.

2- He always spends time with the kids.  Even during the week, if the kids are awake when he comes in, he spends time with them.  Playing with them in their world.  I can't tell you the number of times I have walked in their room and see Jason sitting on the floor in front of the doll house with 30 My Little Ponies all around and Katie just going to town telling Jason what to do :)  Even though he is gone from the house a lot during football season, we all know we are number one because of the way he is when he is here.

3- Apart from us, Jason is a great guy.  Just naturally, he is a likable person.  But, I know that a big part of him having the freedom to do what the Lord calls him to is because of my willingness and understanding and support of the long hours.  A great guy can only get by with being just a great guy for so long.  There has to be something else driving him to want to take that extra time with us, when there is no extra time.

Your coach needs to know that no matter what you believe in him.  That you are proud to be his wife - win or lose (that's another topic for another day ).  You can handle the long hours for a season.  He needs to know that he has your support.  He needs your help.  And you can do it!!  Because God made you for it.

I will be the first to tell you that it is not easy.  I have 3 little ones and have really long days too.  But I am telling you there is peace in our home during football season.  We both realize that working for the Lord sometimes requires sacrifice and obedience in areas that are tough.  But through Christ, and only through Christ, do I have the strength to love my husband and put him before myself!  Long before I became a coach's wife a special friend told me, "you can do anything for a season."  Little did I know that I would be using this phrase a few years later - literally:)

I am not discouraged, it just hurts

Well, we are not off to a good start.  At least according to the scoreboard.  Though, in just about every other way, Richland football seems to be shaping up.  The boys are responding to the new coaches and plays and workouts and so on.  Really,  on the inside it is so cool seeing something like this come together.  BUT, like I said, not so on the scoreboard - which is what the outside world sees.

This weekend, I was encouraging my coach and said something like, "you know, someday you can write a book about this.  The Lord will use this in many other lives....etc. etc. etc".  My sweet husband just looked at me with a smile and said, "you, know, I am not as discouraged as you think I am, or should be, I am just hurting, this hurts."  Ok ladies, how do you put a "bandaid" on that one???? 

Well, pondering that later, I was reminded of many heroes of the Bible that through the toughest times never seemed discouraged, but you know that they hurt.  If not from physical pain, from the pain of isolation, rejection, persecution, imprisionment, and so on.    For us as wives, seasons are long and sometimes painful.  It "hurts" us to see our husbands in a not so perfect situation. 

Romans 5  (The Message)
      ^1-2By entering through faith into what God has always wanted to do for us—set us right with him, make us fit for him—we have it all together with God because of our Master Jesus. And that's not all: We throw open our doors to God and discover at the same moment that he has already thrown open his door to us. We find ourselves standing where we always hoped we might stand—out in the wide open spaces of God's grace and glory, standing tall and shouting our praise.
 ^3-5There's more to come: We continue to shout our praise even when we're hemmed in with troubles, because we know how troubles can develop passionate patience in us, and how that patience in turn forges the tempered steel of virtue, keeping us alert for whatever God will do next. In alert expectancy such as this, we're never left feeling shortchanged. Quite the contrary—we can't round up enough containers to hold everything God generously pours into our lives through the Holy Spirit!

From Our Daily Bread this morning:  Even though life is not fair, God is faithful

Life is tough.  But God is good. NO MATTER what!  Plain and simple.  The refiner's fire( Rev. 3) is HOT.  It has to be to remove the things that get in our way.  And whether we have winning season or not, we choose to praise the One who gives us breath.  Romans 5 in itself ought to bring a smile to your face - just to know that Jesus is Peace and if you know Him, that Peace is yours.

Smells like football

Finally, today when I opened the front door - ahhhhh, football.  Well, what I mean by this is the weather outside is soooo perfect!  Perfect for football.   Once upon a time, school started the week after labor day.  It was cool, there was not any 7:30 start times with water breaks every 6 minutes.  You did not have athletes falling out and receiving IV's on the practice field.  It wasn't necessary because it is, well was, a fall sport.  They are, well, were called the boys of fall.  Fast forward to the 2000's and summer practice starts the week after July 4th, school starts, as well as 2 or 3 a days, the first week of August and the first game is the 2nd or 3rd week of August!  That is not fall!!  At least not here, in the South, it is still SUMMER!!

Anyway, the point to all that is just to say how happy I am that it is cool outside.  Hopefully I will get to take my blanket to the game Friday. The girls can wear their cute football pants and such.  I know there may be another heat wave sweep through the Bible Belt before Christmas, but at least we have a little taste. 

Joy in the Journey, part 2

Ok, so, from Mendenhall High School, we went to Ridgeland High School.  The head coach, Kenny Burton, had coached Jason in the 9th grade :)  so that was kinda cool.  His first 2 years there he was an assistant and the last 4 years he was the offensive coordinator -the guy who calls the offensive plays.  These 6 years were oh so fun!  (not to mention we had all 3 of our children during this time too) I think 4 or 5 out of the 6 they made it to the playoffs.  A couple of those seasons they had 10 wins!  And last year they went 13-0!  They reveived coaching staff of the year awards, best offensive play of the year once, and many other awards throughout the time we were there.  It was really really cool - and real easy to get used to :)  But to be honest, when we left, the hardest part was leaving the people.  In the coaching world, you have understand that moving comes along with it - but it is never easy!  That's another part of this life that most people don't realize.  You make friends and form relationships that are so precious.  You get to know the kids and their families - it's like you become family.  As I write this I have to hold back tears thinking of so many people I miss so much already - and Richland is only 15 minutes from where we live :), not like we moved across the state - which may happen one day.

Well, that leads us to now.  The reason I have started this blog.  Jason took his first head coaching job this year at Richland High School.  Can I tell you everything about this move has been so interesting - and great - but interesting!  First being that I am a Florence girl (Florence and Richland are BIG rivals) I NEVER thought I would be excited about being a Ranger - but I am!!!!!!!  Second we did not have to move - location that is.  We are trying to sell our house, but we could live hear and work there, if we had to.  Third, the school is really trying to build up the football program so Jason had fill a whole new staff, they changed the school colors, built a new concession stand, formed a solid "booster club" (who might I ad have been our biggest advocates!), and several other things that are very good - but have made it all the more challenging for a first time head coach :).  But oh, it has been so cool to see how God has given us so much favor in the changes.  He has been so faithful.  He has gone before and defeated the enemy and been our Defense in so many cases.  Still there have been so many times I needed to hear from someone who has been here.  Someone who knows the struggles and can relate.  Don't get me wrong - our family and friends have been amazing - it is just not the same, you know.  Especially when you are serving the Lord and doing things His way.  There is definitely a difference! 

Joy in the Journey

I think my husband's first season coaching public school football, they went 1-9.  We were not married yet, so this one did not affect me as much as the others.  Over the past 11 years of assistant coaching, he has been a part of state championship teams and teams that almost made it and teams that, well, weren't quite there yet :).  Now that he is a head coach, and at a school that is really wanting to build a football program, which means from "scratch", wins and losses are viewed very differently in the Cook home (we actually have not won yet, but when we do - and we will - it will be different as well).  But I can assure you, whether it's a W or L, there is joy in the journey!  So, in the next few posts, I will be sharing with you "our journey" thus far. 

Jason started his coaching career at Jackson Preparatory School.  He was an assistant football coach under Ricky Black.  I don't think there is a better place for a young aspiring coach to start out - so much of what he learned from Coach Black and his staff he uses today.  And if Coach Black ever reads this :), thank you for  your leadership!  In his 3 years there, they won 2 state championships!  He also was an assistant baseball coach under Trey Bayliss - a Florence native :).  The last year Jason was at Prep, this baseball team was not even supposed to make it to the playoffs.  Can I tell you that team swept the playoffs and beat Hillcrest for the state title!!  It was amazing!!  For those of y'all that don't know us, this is where I met Jason.  We got to know each other through the baseball season being that I was the statistician :), aka - kept the books.  (this is a story for another day)

Anyway, when he left Jackson Prep. he went to Mendenhall High School.  His best friend, Ken Byars, was assistant coaching there and it was time for him to make his public school debut - as an assistant football and head baseball coach.  Let's just say in the two years there, we met some wonderful people and made some lifelong friends.  The head coach, Chris Peterson, was instrumental in Jason getting this new job, highly recommending him and really going to bat for him.  That meant more to us than he (Chris) will ever know!  But, I must humbly say, that was about as exciting as it got :).  Might I add, that now Mendenhall is an awesome football team and has had a lot of success the past several years.  A healthy reminder that these things take time!

This concludes the first 5 years of Jason's career.  I am for certain I have left a TON of details out :)  But rest assured I will get to them in this blog - at some point!! 

To be continued..............

James 1:2-5 (NKJV)
My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials,  knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience.  But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.  If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him.