Blog Archives

A SOFT PILLOW

10/29/2013

Well-known in the world of teen over-nights is the pillow fight. Flinging down-filled pillows at one another brings squeals of delight and very little physical damage to those involved. It’s sometimes hard to tell if the goal is to knock the other person over or to see how many feathers can fly.

An innocent pillow fight can bring sport teams together off the courts and fields. Whether in their homes or on tournament road trips, these interactions can be fun and binding as long as a person or object is not harmed or damaged.

Speaking of pillows… someone once said, “There is no pillow so soft as a clear conscience.” Dealing fairly with people, doing what is right and speaking what is true makes the pillows we sleep on seem softer and, in turn, our rest more easily revives us.

God’s Word speaks about how to experience a soft pillow ...

“Keep a clear conscience before God so that when people throw mud at you, none of it will stick.”   I Peter 3:16 The Message

Can we say that it is with “a clear conscience that we have lived with a God-given holiness and sincerity in all our dealings. We have depended on God’s grace, not on our own human wisdom" 2 Corinthians 1:12 NLT?

                              MAY YOUR TODAY BRING A SOFT PILLOW TONIGHT!

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©2013 SPORTMOMS & MORE | 11964 Elemar - Portland, OR 97224

OLDER BROTHER?

10/25/2013

As the oldest of 5 children seeing my younger siblings seemingly get away with more than I did was a challenge. I wished for the same leniency they were given as well as due credit for actually not doing the things they got away with. Coming to terms with this lesson in forgiveness and acceptance was tough but has certainly served me well since.

There are sport team situations that cause this kind of response also. It is a difficult call by the coach when a skilled player transfers into an established team. Because the player comes with excellent skills and ability, he or she can earn a starting position over a team member that has been in the program from the beginning and has worked hard to improve. This can be an extremely sensitive situation - one that calls for loving care.

A story in the Bible references this issue. It is found in Luke 15 and is known as the story of the prodigal son. After squandering his inheritance on wild living and upon realizing his demise, he comes back home with the thought in mind of being a servant in his father's house. However, to his surprise, he is welcomed by his father with love, acceptance, affection and much celebration. Here is what happened next…

“The older brother stalked off in an angry sulk and refused to join in. His father came out and tried to talk to him, but he wouldn’t listen. The son said, ‘Look how many years I’ve stayed here serving you, never giving you one moment of grief, but have you ever thrown a party for me and my friends? Then this son of yours who has thrown away your money on whores shows up and you go all out with a feast!’ vs. 28-30 The Message

The caring father gently took the OLDER BROTHER aside saying…“Son, you are always with me and all that I have is yours. We had to celebrate and be happy because your brother was dead, but now he is alive. He was lost, but now he is found.” vs. 31-32

LESSON FOR TODAY: Don’t be the older brother! In-the-moment facts aren’t enough to conquer what seems to be unfair…rather, we are wise to consider the bigger picture and respond with love and care in light of it.

“People don’t care what you know until they know that you care.” Pastor Stan Russell

PRAYER: Lord, I want to live like that. And give it all I have…so that everything I say and do points to you. If love is who I am then this is where I’ll stand…recklessly abandoned - never holding back. I want to live like that. In Jesus Name, Amen. (lyrics of a song by Sidewalk Prophets)


                            THE RIGHT WAY TO LIVE TRUMPS HOW WE MAY FEEL!

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©2013 SPORTMOMS & MORE | 11964 Elemar - Portland, OR 97224

LINGERING FRIENDSHIP - PART 2

10/22/2013

Being a friend is easier when it has been modeled for us…experience is always a great teacher. A special couple came into our lives many years ago bringing with them an aspect of friendship that was both refreshing and exemplary…it was the art of celebration! Everything they planned was done with exuberance and joy. Although we now live thousands of miles apart, their legacy lingers in our hearts, in our memories, and in our ever-after lives.

As a coach my husband interacts with his players year in and year out it. But it is the lingering legacy of being a friend that means the most to him. Soon we will have a visit from a now successful coach who played on his team nearly 40 years ago. It will be a precious time of sharing memories and life experiences as it has been with other players through the years.

Jesus modeled courageous friendship by willingly interacting with both his followers and with those who rejected him as He walked this earth. The story of Jesus’ conversation with the woman at the well underlines his friendship with those considered sinners. First, she was not was not a Jew and Jesus was – a major no-no. Second, she had been the wife of 5 husbands – frowned upon. Third, she was living with a man who was not her husband – definitely a woman of questionable character. Nevertheless, He courageously approached her offering eternal friendship with these words…

“… but whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst.” John 4:14

In preparation for his departure from this earth, Jesus promises LINGERING FRIENDSHIP with His followers …

“The Friend, the Holy Spirit whom the Father will send at my request, will make everything plain to you.”
John 14:26 The Message

Friendship with Jesus – fellowship divine! Oh, what blessed sweet communion – Jesus is a friend of mine.
                       THERE IS NOTHING SWEETER THAN THE LINGERING FRIENDSHIP OF JESUS!

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©2013 SPORTMOMS & MORE | 11964 Elemar - Portland, OR 97224

LINGERING FRIENDSHIP

10/18/2013

This past summer I visited with grade-school friends at a 50-year high school reunion. It was amazing to experience the connection between us as we laughed, recalled, and updated. The hopes we all carried for our lives took a back seat that day to the hope that these lingering friendships brought.

                                                Hope is the blessed gift of a lingering friendship.

Friendship between team members both on and off the courts and fields of sport activities is the immeasurable ingredient to a strong and effective season. No amount of practice or training can make lingering friendships – it requires a decision.

Our hearts yearn for faithful, forgiving friends…BFF’s that bring hope and help into our lives. God’s Word reminds us that in order to have one we must be one!

“A man who has friends must show himself friendly.” Proverbs 18:24

For LINGERING FRIENDSHIPS check out these words of wisdom from the book of Proverbs…

OVERLOOK “Overlook an offense and bond a friendship; fasten on to a slight and good-bye, friend!"                     Proverbs 17:9 The Message

ALWAYS LOVE “A friend loves you all the time, and a brother helps in time of trouble.”                                                Proverbs 17:17 NCV

QUICKLY LIFT “Like a cool drink of water when you’re worn out and weary is a letter from a long-lost                        friend.” Proverbs 25:25 The Message

PRAYER: Lord, thank you for the friends you have brought into my life. Please teach me to be a lingering friend…one that brings blessed hope, abiding love, certain forgiveness, restoring help, and faithful encouragement into the lives of those I call friends. In Jesus Name, Amen.

                Friendship isn't a big thing - it's a million little things. Unknown

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©2013 SPORTMOMS & MORE | 11964 Elemar - Portland, OR 97224

ON FEELING INADEQUATE

10/15/2013

Sportmoms often fall into the “I’m-not-doing-enough” way of thinking. Our natural response to this dilemma is to do more. The more we do, the less adequate we feel because the more tasks we take on results in less time for each task. Less time for each task causes “sort-of-complete” tasks. Result? We are left FEELING INADEQUATE.

                             DOING MORE POORLY CAN CAUSE A DEAFENING “WHAT FOR?”

Athletes who fall into the “I’m inadequate” thought pattern find it to be a spiraling circle downward. Coaches often counteract this “slump” by going back to the basics, eliminating the excess moves, etc. and bringing the player to a place of simplified action.

“Eliminate and concentrate” is the overarching theme of a book written by Anne Ortlund titled Disciplines of the Beautiful Woman. I recommend it to all Sportmoms, particularly those who find themselves feeling inadequate.

When the “what for” feelings of inadequacy overwhelm our souls, we must remember it is not in “doing more” that brings about a sense of worth and adequacy. Rather, it is in leaning on the sufficiency of God for completion of the basic tasks before us.

It is comforting to know that even the greatest leaders share that bench. When God told Moses to go to Pharaoh and tell him to let His people go, Moses felt very inadequate. Here are few of his responses to the task set before him:

He questioned: “Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh?” Exodus 3:11 NIV

He objected: “Master, please, I don’t talk well. I’ve never been good with words, neither before nor after you spoke to me. I stutter and stammer.” Exodus 4:10 The Message

He projected:   “(if I did do it) What shall I say to them?” God replied, “I AM has sent me to you.” Exodus 4:13-14

In the end, it was God’s name that shattered Moses’ feelings of inadequacy It was the eternal, self-existent and all-sufficient character of the great “I AM” that conquered Moses’ feelings of inadequacy. And it will do the same for us today.

God’s answer to inadequacy: The Spirit of the Lord spoke to the people of Judah saying, “The battle is not yours, but God’s.” 2 Chronicles 20:15

“Our shortcomings are less important than God’s sufficiency.”   Jennifer Benson Schuldt

                                          FEELING INADEQUATE IS NOT PART OF GOD’S PLAN…                                                                          RATHER A RESULT OF SATAN’S PLOY!

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©2013 SPORTMOMS & MORE | 11964 Elemar - Portland, OR 97224

SURPRISE AND SHINE!

10/11/2013

This little light of mine - I’m gonna let it shine!...another song from my childhood Sunday School days. Oh how fun it was to point high into the air singing at the top of my lungs. As an adult it certainly carries a much more serious message.

Because we want our athletes to SHINE on the fields and courts of competition, Sportmoms go to extreme lengths in order to provide the appropriate opportunities in hopes that this will happen. Still, the decision to take advantage of it lies with the athlete – he or she must want to light up their world!

To SHINE for Christ means having a glow deep within that radiates out into a darkened world. It all begins with the glory of the Lord within us as we allow the power of His Holy Spirit to permeate our being. This, in turn, is released into our world on the wings of love, care, kindness, gentleness, self-control – the fruit of God’s Spirit shining in and through us.

“Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works and glorify your Father which is in heaven.” Matthew 5:16 KJV

There is something special about the first word of this well-known scripture verse. It begins with the word “let”– not "make”. As we allow the light of Christ within us to brighten the places we go and the lives of people around us, we SHINE declaring…

“…His glory among the nations, His wonders among all peoples.” Psalm 96:3

              Brighten the corner where you are...
                                       Brighten the corner where you are.                                                                                                                        Someone far from harbor you may guide across the bar…                                                                                         Brighten the corner where you are. Hymn words by Ina Duley Ogdon

              "Surprise your world with the wonders of Christ shining through you!" Joe Stowell

©2013 SPORTMOMS & MORE | 11964 Elemar - Portland, OR 97224

TOO LITTLE-TOO MUCH

10/8/2013

“Justice laced with mercy,” we wrote in the statement to the court at the sentencing of the drunk driver whose actions took the life of our second daughter. It was a difficult document to prepare… we so wanted to show both love and fairness. After turning the assignment over to God, Coach sat down at the nook table and began to pen our statement to the judge – the toughest letter we’ve ever prepared. With the assignment complete and filed in the court documents, the day of resolve came. The judge chose to read our statement aloud to the court. He then agreed with it and pronounced a sentence that clearly reflected the spirit in which it was written…not TOO LITTLE - not TOO MUCH. Thankfully, the heart of our Creator came through flawlessly.

We all live with the TOO LITTLE - TOO MUCH tension of things around us that can save us as well as destroy us. With controlled fire we warm our homes but a fire out of control can consume us and in the cold no warmth denies life . With water, we keep our bodies hydrated and our planet cooled, but if we are submerged in it we can drown and if there is none we cannot survive. Too much or too little - either can be life-threatening.

Coaches also are faced with this dilemma. Too little talent can keep a team from winning. By the same token, too much talent can cause strife among players and sleepless nights for those in charge. Putting a team that works together using their God-given strengths is a challenging TOO LITTLE - TOO MUCH assignment…definitely not for the faint of heart.

Our God is in the business of bringing balance to this dilemma. He sent His Son to this earth to bring justice and mercy into perfect balance as foretold by the prophet Isaiah…

He is my chosen one, who pleases me. I have put my Spirit upon him. He will bring justice to the nations. He will not shout or raise his voice in public. He will not crush the weakest reed or put out a flickering candle.
Isaiah 42:1-3

In life Jesus modeled the needed balance of justice and mercy for us. In death, as Julie Ackerman Link writes. “He satisfied God’s need for justice and mankind’s need for mercy.”

PRAYER: Fill my heart, Lord, with the fine balance of justice and mercy that reflect who You are. When I lean toward justice let me have mercy and when I let mercy reign give me righteous clarity. Your balance is what I need. In Jesus Name, Amen.
..
                                                                        SEEK BALANCE -
                                 TOO LITTLE UNDER-PERFORMS...TOO MUCH OVERPOWERS

©2013 SPORTMOMS & MORE | 11964 Elemar - Portland, OR 97224

TOLD YOU!

10/4/2013

We can all relate to this sign! It is from the heart of a mother who cares to the ears of a child who isn’t always listening. Overcoming the almost uncontrollable urge to say ‘TOLD YOU!’ is the final step of effective mothering. As moms, it takes oodles of well-honed humility to refrain from this response. On the other hand, the child who has learned the incredible value of humble surrender follows her guidance.

From the mouth of the coach to the ears of a player can be a long distance. The shorter it is the more effective the outcome. When the final score on the board and whether a win or a loss, it is in the best interest of the players for the coach to refrain from the nearly uncontrollable urge to say ‘TOLD YOU!’. The humble-spirited coach finds restraint and the humble-spirited player follows the coach’s directives.

Jesus told us how to do life. Still I find myself challenging and even deviating from the directives that he gave. I try to find other ways to do things that I think may be short-cuts…easier and simpler than following His clearly-outlined ways. Here are just a few examples…

ON FRIENDSHIP …
World’s Way: buy, impress or even force our way into their lives.
God’s Way:   Jesus called out to them, “Come, follow me, and I will show you how to fish for people!”    Mark 1:17 NLT

ON SUFFERING …
World’s Way: first go to therapy, eat, stuff it, blame others for it, believe you deserve to suffer.
God’s Way: “Don’t run from suffering; embrace it. Follow me and I’ll show you how. Self-help is no help    at all.” Matthew 16:24 The Message

ON SUCCEEDING …
World’s Way: Have an 'I can do it, get outa the way here I come, I know what’s best for me’ attitude.
God’s Way" “Anyone who intends to come with me has to let me lead. You’re not in the driver’s seat;                      I am.” Mark 8:34 The Message

PRAYER: Today I humbly accept what you have told me to do. Help me not to short-cut your directives but rather follow your life-giving leadership.

                              HUMILITY OPENS THE DOOR TO GOD’S POWER WITHIN!

©2013 SPORTMOMS & MORE | 11964 Elemar - Portland, OR 97224

REACH FOR JOY!

10/1/2013

NOTE: The first SPORTMOM E-votional of each month is dedicated to our word for this calendar year …REACH. The scripture base is found in Ephesians 3:19. Using The Message version of this verse, today we focus on the phrase “experience the breadth” of God’s love by reaching the lost for Christ.

In the game of T-ball, a baseball is placed on a rubber tee about waist-high to the 5- and 6-year-old batters. Players swing until they hit the ball and then run. Randy Kilgore tells this story: On my first night as a coach, the very first batter hit the ball far into the outfield. Suddenly every player from every position ran to get the ball. No one was where they were supposed to be – they all left their positions to run toward the ball. When it was caught they stood together cheering with unrestrained exuberance!

This same kind of response is reflected in the parable of the lost sheep found in Luke 15:3-7…

“If a man has a hundred sheep and one of them gets lost, what will he do? Won’t he leave the ninety-nine others in the wilderness and go to search for the one that is lost until he finds it? And when he has found it, he will joyfully carry it home on his shoulders. When he arrives, he will call together his friends and neighbors, saying, ‘Rejoice with me because I have found my lost sheep.’ In the same way, there is more joy in heaven over one lost sinner who repents and returns to God than over ninety-nine others who are righteous and haven’t strayed away!"

We REACH unrestrained exuberance when one who has wandered away from the fold of fellow brothers and sisters in Christ is rescued - returned - restored. They may have strayed away as a child never knowing the provision of God’s plan. Perhaps they chose some wrong turns in life which separated them from the safety of God’s people. Whatever the case, they became lost and needed to be found.

Just as the shepherd went after the lost sheep, God calls us to go after those who have lost their way and become entangled in the world’s snares. Reaching those who are hopelessly lost with the open arms of Christ and lovingly bringing them back is cause for JOY - unrestrained exuberance - a fly ball caught - for the Kingdom of God!

PRAYER: Let me be your hands and feet, LORD, rescuing those who are separated from You. And as all of heaven rejoices over one lost soul, I too will cheer them on with unrestrained exuberance.

EXPERIENCE JOY…REACH THE LOST!

©2013 SPORTMOMS & MORE | 11964 Elemar - Portland, OR 97224

About the Author...
JANET BROWN

As a veteran coach's wife, Janet invites you to join her in "Changing the world for Christ...one athlete at a time".Through the language of sports and life experiences, Janet uniquely exposes the character of God and His desire for "sportmoms" to WIN BIG in life. Her behind-the-bench view invites us into a world of triumphant wins and tragic personal loss.

LIFE EXPERIENCE

From being a mother of 2 to a spiritual mom to many, the road of life for Janet includes these hallmarks:

- Gave her "heart to Jesus" at 6 years old
.
- Studied Education/ Psychology at a Christian College

- Enjoyed earning her wings and flying as a Flight Attendant

- Is the wife of Coach Dave Brown since 1967.

- Involved in ministry to women for 30+ years including: Retreat Facilitator and speaker, Bible Study leader, National Women's Ministry Leader

- Held an executive position in the corporate world for 35 years.

- Developed and taught Pre-married and Marriage classes with her husband for 12 years.

Currently is a writer, grandmother to 4 and a coach's wife.

About the Author... JANET BROWN

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About the Author...
JANET BROWN