The ‘BIG’ Game
It’s Saturday morning on the west coast… I LOVE lying on the couch with a cup of coffee at 9 AM watching Penn State and other football games! That truly is one of the best things about the west coast – sports start earlier and finish earlier. No more staying up until 12:30 – 1 AM watching your favorite team play late. Football all day!
Last week Penn State played number 1 Alabama and lost terribly. This week, Coach Lou from ESPN has picked Penn State to be upset by Kent State (very small school). His reason? Penn State poured their heart and soul into playing Alabama and came up short. 
They are tired, beat up and facing a team that most would call a lower opponent this week. They probably didn’t put quite as much effort into practicing for Kent State and that may show today. I have 1 name for you Coach Lou – Joe Pa. He’ll whip Penn State into shape! I want a victory!
I wonder if that is a life lesson though. Take a son or daughter’s little league game. They may pour everything into a certain game… what happens if they come up short? Take a promotion at work. What happens if you sacrifice everything for that promotion and don’t get it? Take cancer (remember October is breast cancer awareness month). What happens if your focus every ounce of prayer and positive thinking to chemo working… and then it doesn’t?
Of course life is easier if everything works the first time! If the game is won, the promotion achieved and cancer is destroyed, success is quick and seems easier. We like it that way. Perhaps the true definition of success is not reaching our goal at first but taking those feelings and channeling them into an overall positive experience. Such as – using that lost game to teach your son and daughter to lose graciously, focus their attention on next week’s game and kick butt the rest of the season! Such as continuing the extra work you put into trying for the promotion and having your boss notice you for the next (and probably better) promotion. Such as leaning on your family and their support, developing your faith and trusting that God is in control not only of your cancer but of life overall.
The ‘BIG’ game… the ‘BIG’ promotion… the ‘BIG’ life obstacle… do your best to achieve victory the first time. If it doesn’t work, do what I was taught as a kid – ‘try, try and try again’. Keep the faith and continue to put in the effort.
While Stork Deliveries by April is waiting on our shipment of collegiate football baby products to arrive, we want to focus on the week after the ‘BIG’ game. Collect yourself from the loss, grieve as needed, put in that continued hard work and keep trying. Let last week’s loss be the only that sets you back.
While I’m watching Penn State this morning, remember to take pictures of your newborn – 18 month old in any collegiate attire! Post those pictures to the Stork Deliveries by April Facebook Fan Page between Sept 24 – Oct 1 and be entered into our FREE Bib Giveaway!
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