Take me out the game, Coach!

This is the first of hopefully many blogs!  Some of you have followed my previous, more personal blog, which I will continue to keep.  This one, however, is a chance for me to write a little more, explore new ideas, and share my life with many others.  For every friend, follower, or stranger, I thank you for taking a moment to sit back, and indulge life with me.

One the most memorable moments for me was when I was 10.  It was the last basketball game of my church-league basketball season, and all of our "star" players were gone because they each played on a year-long team, and had to go to that game.  It was my chance to shine.  Our team was tied with our opponents, and I was having a blast.  It was me that had brought the team to a tie by sinking in 2 foul shouts.  Boy, was my mom proud!  I remember vividly the look on my coaches' faces.  This was our last game, and if we won that would declare us undefeated for the season.  Now, I know church-league basketball is not the NBA, but we can still get pumped about the games and have bragging rights when we win!   I remember huffing and puffing up and down the court, thinking, "Take me out of the game, Coach!"  I was tired.  I was ready to get to the end; ready to find out the results.  But I didn't do that, of course.  It wasn't an option.  So the game continued, and both teams stayed at a tie.  There were 10 seconds left in the game and our team had the ball when the coaches called time out and came up with our final play.  Guess who they decided would shoot the ball?  Me!  Talk about pressure.

Now, let's switch stories for a second.  Here I am, 22 years old, freshly graduated, and looking for a job.  I just moved to Nashville, TN, Music City, or what I like to call the "Home of All Dreams."  Everyday I wake up, and the day is wide open for me to do whatever I want.  Most days, I search for jobs online, call people, fill out applications, etc.  But I'm tired.  I don't want to be rejected anymore, and I don't want to fill out anymore applications.  I just want to fast-forward to a year from now and see what God has in store.  I know it's big.  I know it's fulfilling.  I want to yell, "Just take me out the game, Coach!"  But once, again, I can't do that.  I know what the biggest problem is, however.  I don't know the plan and it bothers me.  I need God to call a time-out, bring me aside and show me the game plan.  And maybe He will; but I have to trust that even if He doesn't the game will continue and the goal remains the same.  

When our team finished our huddle and the clock began again, the guard dribbled my direction and threw the ball to me.  Perfect catch.  The rest plays back in slow motion in my head.  I turn my body towards the goal,  stretch my arms up, push the ball away with my hands.  The buzzer sounds, and the ball sails right into the goal without a care of the net or rim around it.  The crowd roared, the coaches came running on the court, and the team celebrated...

And that was the last time I played basketball.  I decided to stop while I was ahead!