"Success always come when preparation meets opportunity" - Henry Hartman
Even though I'm not and I say again I am not an Alabama fan, I was proud last night for Heisman trophy winner Mark Ingram. He is to be commended not only for being a great running back, and Alabama's first Heisman trophy winner, but also for being a quality person. I have been impressed by the way he has handled all the pressure he has faced all year. I was equally impressed at the way he handled himself last night as a representative of not only his team, university, and hometown, but also of many others who apire to climb higher and reach their dreams. It's amazing to think that at the beginnng of this year, no one, not even Mark Ingram himself expected him to be hoisting the Heisman trophy in New York. At the beginning of the season all of the Heisman hype belonged to the two previous winners and last year's runner-up which were all returning for this season. The odds were that a QB would win the award again this year. However, a little known running back from Flint, Michigan showed us last night that despite the odds you can make your mark on this world!
In order to make your mark you first need Discipline. Last year Mark Ingram was a freshman backup running back. He had a good initial year but coming into this season he knew more would be expected of him. I can imagine that during the offseason Mark worked extra hard in the weight room and on the track to become the best running he could become. I also imagine he spent extra time with the coaches and worked on things such as blocking schemes and pass routes while other players were relaxing. In other words he had the discipline prior to the season to do the things he needed to do in order to be successful. In this life always remember that success comes before work only in the dictionary and that nobody has ever accomplished anything great without paying a price.
Secondly, in order to make your mark you also need Determination. On the football field Mark Ingram is one of the most determined players in college football. Very rarely is one person able to bring him down. Week after week he racks up what is known in football terminology as YAC yards (Yards after Contact). He is able to take a hit and keep going. What a mentality to have when it comes to the game of life! In a real sense, we all absorb hits in our lives on a consistent basis. If we are to make our mark however, we must have the determination to take a hit and keep moving toward our goal.
Lastly in order to reach our goal you need Direction. Mark Ingram is very fortunate to have one of the best, if not the best, college football coaches in Coach Nick Saban. Coach Saban is not only a visionary leader that is meticulous about every detail of the game, he is also a fiery motivator that gets the most out of all individuals including players and coaches. Mark Ingram would not even be at the University of Alabama if it were not for the fact that Coach Saban coached his father. Also, this season the coaching staff has provided direction by putting Mark in position to make plays and use his awesome athletic ability to score touchdowns for the team. If you are to make your mark you need the same kind of direction. We all need individuals in our lives who inspire us to reach higher heights. We also need people that push us to maximize our potential. In other words we need mentors that not only know the way but also show the way!
I congratulate Mark Ingram for making his mark on college football and winning the Heisman trophy. He provides a positive example as well as the encouragement for all of us to make our own mark on this world!
Sunday, December 13, 2009
Wednesday, December 9, 2009
Rebound!
For the last couple of months I have been privileged to help coach my daughter's Middle School Basketball team. Of course, stepping back on the floor has brought back many memories for me. I must admit the older I get, the better I was! If you have been around this age range you understand that these players are at the skill level where they miss a lot of shots. However as coaches we emphasize in order for our team to be successful, despite missed shots, we have to be relentless rebounders. In the game, the team that is able to rebound the best is most likely to win.
That's true not only in basketball but also in the game of life. Have you ever missed a shot? If we are honest, we must admit that often our shots do not connect with the goal that we have in mind. Yes we do throw up bricks and sometimes we even shoot airballs in our personal lives. However instead of hanging our heads over a missed shot, we must have the courage and confidence to rebound! This is the lesson the apostle Peter had to learn in John 21:14-17. Just days before Peter had vehemently denied that he knew the Lord. The Bible says that after doing so, Peter went out and wept bitterly. Knowing that Peter was reeling from the mistake that he had just made, Jesus our Lord, shows up after His ressurection to help Peter rebound. In this delightful dialogue we all find helpful hints in how we can also rebound from our missed shots.
First we must understand that rebounding is first about Positioning. If you watch film of some of the great rebounders in the history of basketball such as Bill Russell, Wilt Chamberlein, and even Dwight Howard of today, they all have something in common besides being very tall! All of these players understand that what happens before and during the shot is just as important as what happens after the shot. They all knew that those who are in position have a better chance of gaining the rebound. The same is true for us in our lives. In order to rebound we must first seek to position ourselves properly in relation to Christ. In Luke 22:54, the Bible says that Peter was following Jesus at a distance. We like Peter sometimes find ourselves not enjoying that up close and personal relationship with Jesus Christ. It's in these times that many of our shots do no hit their target. However this text demonstrates that Jesus is always desiring for us to get back connected with Him.
Next we must understand that rebounding requires Passion. If you were to ask most players or coaches they would all agree that jumping ability, strength, and quickness play a part in rebounding. However the one who often gets the ball is the one who wants it the most. This is what caused even undersized players such as Charles Barkley, Ben Wallace, and Dennis Rodman to be such efective rebounders. They all had the passion to go after the ball with all their might. The same must be true for us as well. This is why Jesus asked Peter , "Do you love me more than these?" He went on to ask Peter about his love two other times. I believe this is critical because often what causes us to have missed shots in our lives is the fact that our love for the Lord gets misplaced. Among the many things we have on our daily schedules, somewhere our relationship seems to slip. Notice Jesus asks Peter about his passion and not his performance. See we often get it twisted. We would rather do things for God rather than having intimacy with God. But in the text Jesus lets us know that our devotion precedes our duty. Everyday we are consistently challenged to make sure that we love the Lord with all our being.
No matter how many shots you've missed, today remember you can rebound with right Positioning and Passion. Now go pull in that ball!
Peace!!!
That's true not only in basketball but also in the game of life. Have you ever missed a shot? If we are honest, we must admit that often our shots do not connect with the goal that we have in mind. Yes we do throw up bricks and sometimes we even shoot airballs in our personal lives. However instead of hanging our heads over a missed shot, we must have the courage and confidence to rebound! This is the lesson the apostle Peter had to learn in John 21:14-17. Just days before Peter had vehemently denied that he knew the Lord. The Bible says that after doing so, Peter went out and wept bitterly. Knowing that Peter was reeling from the mistake that he had just made, Jesus our Lord, shows up after His ressurection to help Peter rebound. In this delightful dialogue we all find helpful hints in how we can also rebound from our missed shots.
First we must understand that rebounding is first about Positioning. If you watch film of some of the great rebounders in the history of basketball such as Bill Russell, Wilt Chamberlein, and even Dwight Howard of today, they all have something in common besides being very tall! All of these players understand that what happens before and during the shot is just as important as what happens after the shot. They all knew that those who are in position have a better chance of gaining the rebound. The same is true for us in our lives. In order to rebound we must first seek to position ourselves properly in relation to Christ. In Luke 22:54, the Bible says that Peter was following Jesus at a distance. We like Peter sometimes find ourselves not enjoying that up close and personal relationship with Jesus Christ. It's in these times that many of our shots do no hit their target. However this text demonstrates that Jesus is always desiring for us to get back connected with Him.
Next we must understand that rebounding requires Passion. If you were to ask most players or coaches they would all agree that jumping ability, strength, and quickness play a part in rebounding. However the one who often gets the ball is the one who wants it the most. This is what caused even undersized players such as Charles Barkley, Ben Wallace, and Dennis Rodman to be such efective rebounders. They all had the passion to go after the ball with all their might. The same must be true for us as well. This is why Jesus asked Peter , "Do you love me more than these?" He went on to ask Peter about his love two other times. I believe this is critical because often what causes us to have missed shots in our lives is the fact that our love for the Lord gets misplaced. Among the many things we have on our daily schedules, somewhere our relationship seems to slip. Notice Jesus asks Peter about his passion and not his performance. See we often get it twisted. We would rather do things for God rather than having intimacy with God. But in the text Jesus lets us know that our devotion precedes our duty. Everyday we are consistently challenged to make sure that we love the Lord with all our being.
No matter how many shots you've missed, today remember you can rebound with right Positioning and Passion. Now go pull in that ball!
Peace!!!
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