A Truly Great Football Moment

I am a huge football fan. I also love good stories. Here is the best of both worlds.

I found this story and thought I'd like to share it with everybody. What a great example of being "Jesus with skin on".

Grapevine Faith vs. Gainesville State School

as told by Rick Reilly at ESPN.com

This all started when Faith's head coach, Kris Hogan, wanted to do something kind for the Gainesville team. Faith had never played Gainesville, but he already knew the score. After all, Faith was 7-2 going into the game, Gainesville 0-8 with 2 TDs all year. Faith has 70 kids, 11 coaches, the latest equipment and involved parents. Gainesville has a lot of kids with convictions for drugs, assault and robbery—many of whose families had disowned them—wearing seven-year-old shoulder pads and ancient helmets. Gainesville State is a maximum-security correctional facility 75 miles north of Dallas. Every game it plays is on the road.

So Hogan had this idea. What if half of our fans—for one night only—cheered for the other team? He sent out an email asking the Faithful to do just that. "Here's the message I want you to send:" Hogan wrote. "You are just as valuable as any other person on planet Earth."

Some people were naturally confused. One Faith player walked into Hogan's office and asked, "Coach, why are we doing this?"

And Hogan said, "Imagine if you didn't have a home life. Imagine if everybody had pretty much given up on you. Now imagine what it would mean for hundreds of people to suddenly believe in you."

Next thing you know, the Gainesville Tornadoes were turning around on their bench to see something they never had before. Hundreds of fans. And actual cheerleaders!

More than 200 Faith fans sat on the Gainesville side and kept cheering the Gainesville players on—by name.

And even though Faith walloped them 33-14, the Gainesville kids were so happy that after the game they gave head coach Mark Williams a sideline squirt-bottle shower like he'd just won state.

It was a strange experience for boys who most people cross the street to avoid. "We can tell people are a little afraid of us when we come to the games," says Gerald, a lineman who will wind up doing more than three years. "You can see it in their eyes. They're lookin' at us like we're criminals. But these people, they were yellin' for us! By our names!"

After the game, both teams gathered in the middle of the field to pray and that's when a kid named Isaiah surprised everybody by asking to lead. "We had no idea what the kid was going to say," remembers Coach Hogan. But Isaiah said this: "Lord, I don't know how this happened, so I don't know how to say thank You, but I never would've known there was so many people in the world that cared about us."

As the Tornadoes walked back to their bus under guard, they each were handed a bag for the ride home—a burger, some fries, a soda, some candy, a Bible and an encouraging letter from a Faith player.

The Gainesville coach saw Hogan, grabbed him hard by the shoulders and said, "You'll never know what your people did for these kids tonight. You'll never, ever know."

And as the bus pulled away, all the Gainesville players crammed to one side and pressed their hands to the window, staring at these people they'd never met before, watching their waves and smiles disappearing into the night.

Rick Reilly, “Life of Reilly” Espn.com

http://sports.espn.go.com/espnmag/story?section=magazine&id=3789373

Untitled from Bobby McCally on Vimeo.

Pot Holes, Hand Signals, and Christian Bikers

I sold my motorcycle a couple of years ago and have somewhat regretted that decision ever since. There is nothing quite like the thrill of the road on two wheels, twisting the throttle, leaning in the curves, and feeling the rush of horsepower.

Several days ago, my sister Candy invited me to take her place in a Bible Run. She had unfortunately broken her foot recently and would be unable to ride her motorcycle for awhile. So, she asked if I would like to ride in the event. I jumped at the opportunity to ride again.

The Bible Run was a group ride, organized by a local church. There were a number of riders representing several Christian biker groups. Candy and her husband Danny lead the Driven By Grace Biker Ministry and I was excited for the chance to ride with them.

We met early Saturday morning. We prayed together, then I had an adrenaline rush as the roar of motorcycle engines filled the air. I was back in my element and I was loving it.

I had never ridden with a group this large. So, I had to learn the ropes as we went along.

One thing I quickly noticed was that, every so often, a rider in front of the pack would give a hand gesture or stick out his foot or both feet. The rider behind him would then copy the signal to the person next in line and so forth, until everybody in the line saw the hand or foot motion.

I was somewhat confused at first, wondering if this was some secret ritual of Christian biker gangs. What were they conveying to one another that they didn’t want outsiders to know? Were they making fun at the newbie or mocking a passing moped rider?

It was then that I began to notice a pattern and put two and two together. I recognized that each time they stuck out a right leg, I would very soon after approach a pot hole to my right. A left leg extended meant a similar hazard was just ahead on the left. Both feet held out together meant the road was covered with dirt, gravel, or some other substance that could make the road less hospitable. A pointing gesture forward signaled a stopped vehicle in the road, such as a newspaper or mail carrier. Of course, there were also the universal hand signals for upcoming left and right hand turns.

This plethora of signals was simply a way of warning fellow bikers of the dangers ahead. When the person ahead of the next rider encountered a situation that might cause harm or trouble for someone else, he quickly warned his compadres.

This was such a wonderful picture of how the body of Christ should function. We, as followers of Christ, have a tremendous responsibility to do all that we can to assist our fellow laborers in their journey home. When we see trouble spots in the road of life, we ought to love one another enough to lovingly help our brother or sister maneuver through the pot holes, the rough patches, and the obstacles that could hinder them.

There was even one point during the ride that I encountered a problem with the motorcycle and had to stop for a moment. I was amazed at how quickly the other bikers in the group came alongside me to make sure everything was all right. Even the riders who were in front of me turned around to come back.

We are admonished in Galatians 6:2 to bear one another’s burdens. We are all in this together.

I once heard an explanation of why geese fly in a V-formation. Scientists did a study and found that this unique flight pattern is for a few very pragmatic reasons. A flock of geese flying in formation can move faster and maintain flight longer than any one goose flying alone. We have a lot to learn from these geese.

By flying in "V " formation, the whole flock adds at least 71% greater flying range than if each bird flew on its own. People who share a common direction and sense of community can get where they are going quicker and easier because they are traveling on the thrust of one another. Whenever a goose falls out of formation, it suddenly feels the drag and resistance of trying to go it alone and quickly gets back into formation to take advantage of the lifting power of the bird immediately in front. If we have as much sense as a goose, we will stay in formation with those who are heading in the same direction as we are.

When the lead goose gets tired, he rotates back in the wing and another goose flies point. There are times when our faith is soaring, and we feel like everybody else should run to keep up with us. Then, there are those times when we need to drop back and allow the current of others to help carry us for a while.

I have heard geese in this “flying V” honk almost incessantly. Often, I’ve wondered what all the noise was about. Researchers have found that these geese honk from behind to encourage those up front to keep up their speed. We need to be careful what we say when we honk from behind.

Finally, when a goose gets sick, or is wounded by gunshot, and falls out, two other geese fall out of formation and follow him down to help and protect him. They stay with him until he is either able to fly or until he is dead, and then they launch out on their own or with another formation until they catch up with their group.

If we are to survive in these treacherous times, we must learn to stand by each other, protect one another and sometimes even warn one another of pitfalls and potholes. Rest assured, it makes the journey so much safer and enjoyable.

God's Protection in Strange Ways

WARNING: This article is not FOR MEN ONLY, though women might find it of little interest, unless they can endure the manly stuff to find the spiritual stuff.

I am somewhat of a shade tree mechanic, primarily for two reasons. First, I enjoy figuring out how things work. Second, I hate paying someone to do what I could do myself. Have you been to a mechanic lately? This ability to do some of my own auto repairs comes in quite handily considering the vehicles I drive. As in most families, my wife drives the good car. I drive the one with gas coming out of the radio.

Actually, I am the proud owner of two rather aged vehicles. I drive older cars primarily for two reasons. First, I like the character of the not so new rides. A lot of the newer cars all look alike, no matter the manufacturer. Besides, the older cars were just built better, ran better, and are easier to work on when the need arises. Second, I hate car payments. So, I drive a 1986 Ford F-150 and a 1988 Jeep Wrangler (not at the same time, of course).

A few months ago, I noticed that my truck was leaking power steering fluid. A few days later,  the power steering went out. Over the next few weeks, I replaced every component of the steering system that I had the ability to replace, but I could not get the leak to stop. Finally, I gave up and took my old rust bucket to a mechanic, who quickly informed me that the fluid leak was the least of my problems. The frame of the truck had developed a huge crack and was barely holding together. Had it broken while I was driving, I would have lost the ability to steer and the results could have been bad, even deadly. I would have never known about the frame, had the leak stopped. Thank God for a power steering leak!

Recently, I was driving my Jeep when the oil pressure disappeared. I feared the worst, because that could have meant a new motor. Turns out the oil pump went out. This past Saturday, my friend Dwayne and I dropped the oil pan and changed the oil pump. My old faithful purred like a kitten and I was so happy that we would have more days of four wheeling bliss on Brown Mountain in our future.

Yesterday, I woke up with excitement. I was finally going to take the Jeep for a drive. I rushed out to greet my steel baby. I patted the dashboard and said, "Let ride, baby doll." The engine started, and we pulled out of the driveway. As I headed down the steep hill to the four lane road we live on, the brake pedal went to the floor, but I was not stopping. The Jeep was rapidly picking up speed and there was nothing I could do to stop. At the stop sign, all I could do was turn sharply into the four lane. Thankfully, there was no traffic, which is rare. I was able to gain my composure and bring the Jeep back to my garage. Brake fluid was everywhere. I had sprung a leak in a brake line.

Had this happened while I was driving down the road it might have been devastating. However, because my oil pump went out, I was close to home and driving during a time of day when traffic was minimal. Thank God for a broken oil pump!

How often have we complained about difficulties, trials, and delays? How often have we despised those things that unexpectedly break our routine? Perhaps we would do well, before complaining, to find out if it is actually part of God's plan for your life. 

Remember, "The steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD, And He delights in his way." - Psalms 37:23

Grandpa Again

He's finally here. Elijah Ransom Ward, weighing in at 8lbs 13oz, arrived Thursday morning. He is absolutely wonderful.
I had the joy of taking his big brother, Dakota, to the room to meet the new arrival. I looked at my firstborn grandson just before entering the room and said, "When you walk through this door, you're life is never going to be the same." The fact is, all of our lives changed yesterday.

This is our second grandson and I have to say that there is just nothing quite like the feeling of peering into the face of a newborn grandchild. It is such a feeling of validation. It is one of God's special ways of letting us know that, despite all of our failings, we perhaps did something right. We got our children through those turbulent times on the road to adulthood and now, they have become responsible adults.
Elijah's middle name is Ransom, after my grandfather, Reverend R.W. Shores. He was the only one of her great-grandfathers that Heather remembers very much. PaPaw Shores was a wonderful man of God. He was known for his prayer life.
I had a special opportunity on Thursday. Elijah had been taken to the hospital's nursery for a check up and a bath. I was anxious and went for a stroll through the hospital hallway, when I happened on the newborn window. There he was, right in front of the window, all alone. He even turned toward the window and seemed to lock eyes with me. As I stood by the window, staring at that new bundle of potential, I began to reflect on the mysteries of life. No one else was around, so I began to speak out loud to my grandson. I asked him, "What will you become? An athlete? A teacher? A president? Or a preacher?"
I then told him, "The sky is the limit. You've been given a tremendous gift of life. Make the most of it, young man."

A Blessed Man

I am anxiously awaiting the birth of my second grandson, which is quite miraculous considering that my oldest daughter was never suppose to be able to bear children. God always has the last word.
In the waiting, I have spent the past few days reflecting on how truly blessed I have been. Knowing myself as I do, I am sure that those blessings are undeserved. Grace is such a wonderful thing.
My wife and I will celebrate 30 years of marriage in just a few months. I am still trying to figure out how that happened. One incident from our wedding day still makes me chuckle a little. One of my aunts had taken her seat in the church, when she overheard a lady in the pew behind her remark about my wife, "she could have done so much better." I totally agree with that lady's assessment. Yet, thirty years later, Regina has kept me around and hopefully I have gained a bit more worthiness.
I have had the blessing of 30 years that have been nothing short of incredible. Together, we have seen the world. We have enjoyed so many adventures. I never like going anywhere or doing anything without her. We are best friends, after all these years. She is my life.
God has blessed us with four beautiful daughters. Each possesses a unique blend of just enough of their father's humor, audacity, and practicality, along with their mother's tenderness, love, and true faith. There are times when the scales are tipped. Heather is often too much like her dad for her own good, but holds the same strong faith her mother exhibits. Lauren and Sara have the tender heart of their mom that causes them to cry much too easily, while they have their daddy's love for laughter. Then, there's Caitlyn, who is the mirror image of her dad's adventurous spontaneity, blended with her mom's lack of attention to details.
The one thing all four of my girls have in common is that they love their daddy. They work hard to spoil me and I will never ask them to stop.
They all follow Christ. I am so impressed how that each one has found their place in the kingdom and is fulfilling their purpose.
They are all strong spirits. I like to think they have taken the best of their mother and me, and that those good parts will prove to be their strengths.
One of the fears of every dad who has daughters is that they will marry well. So far, so good. I am blessed with two wonderful sons in law. Michael and Robbie are both hard workers. They are achievers. I am so proud of them. Most of all, they love their wives.
Then, there is Dakota. He is Pop's pride and joy. He's going to be a great big brother.
Added to all these blessings I can include wonderful parents who I can emulate, a great little sister who I love dearly, tremendous inlaws, an outstanding church family, and a host of terrific friends. Can a man be any richer? I am truly blessed.