Friday Night Lights

One of my favorite TV shows is Friday Night Lights.  I love american football and the show is just too good not to love.  The high school coach on the show has a saying with his football team and they say it over and over again...

"clear eyes, full hearts, can't lose."

Lately, I've attended a lot of friday night soccer games here in Monterrey.  I've sat on the sidelines in thunderstorms and made my rain jacket work really hard, been eaten alive by mosquitos, one night some red ants attacked me and I've seen my boys lose about 10 games this year.  Truth be told, they have improved SO MUCH in the past 3 years and I attribute it all to their soccer coach Checko who trains them each week.  They have developed pretty decent ball movement, teamwork, solid defensive skills, heart, guts, and no fear. But even so, they don't always come away with a W at the end of the night.

But for me, watching them play soccer is sometimes a rather holy moment... a thin place... where the space between heaven and earth just seems so paper thin.  My soul is full when I watch them laugh and smile, dance like Ronaldo after someone scores a goal, when they play a pick up game like the Bad News Bears on a side field wearing converse and jeans.  They light up with joy, laughter, life and so do I.  In their messed up situation - there is beauty - there is joy.

Also, some of these boys are SO TALENTED at soccer.  They dance on the field.  They play against grown adult men and school them.

Join me in praying for the Douglas boys to have:
clear eyes - Godly vision
full hearts - full of joy and passion
success in the things that matter

1 Corinthians 10:31