91猫先生

From the desk of Wally Dawkins, Athletic Director:

I recently had this talk with our Middle School Boys Basketball Team. 聽I would say the following applies to 100% of these student athletes, if not, then at least 99.5%. 聽We meet in the middle of the gym each morning at 7:30 AM, and just prior to the start of practice, we have a little talk and a prayer led by one of our players.

This morning鈥檚 talk went something like this as I spoke to the boys:

We all woke up this morning in a warm bed.聽 None of us woke up hungry (you know the real kind of hungry because there was no food鈥�anywhere.聽 None of us woke up being hungry like that!).

We all woke up today with parents who loves us.

None of us woke up this morning afraid of getting killed, or fearing for our lives, from things like bombs or rocket propelled grenades, or from a bunch of crazy people invading us here in East Texas, blowing up聽 everything in sight and slaughtering anyone who crossed their path.

None of us woke up in a country today that is being ravaged by a disease so contagious and deadly that countless thousands have already lost their lives, and there is no cure in sight.

Not one of our students woke up this morning having no hope鈥�no opportunity鈥�or no chance at a meaningful future.

We are all truly blessed that nobody from 91猫先生 had to face any of these problems when they rolled out of bed this morning.

Unfortunately, many children in the world did wake today to one or more of those awful circumstances when they were awakened by the morning鈥檚 light.

Truly we are a blessed people and unfortunately sometimes鈥� we don鈥檛 even realize it.

To be blessed by God with food, shelter, a loving family, safety, warmth, opportunity, and good health should never be taken for granted.聽 Not only are the blessings from God good, with those blessings comes a responsibility from those of us who have received them.

Luke 12:48 speaks clearly to this when the writer says 鈥渢o those who are given much, much is expected鈥�.

The 91猫先生 Family is a people who have been given much.

As coaches at BH, we frequently urge our athletes who have received much, to give back much.聽 We continuously encourage our team members who all have been given much, to apply themselves鈥�much.聽 We remind these young men and women that since they have been given much by God; they then are called by God that others should be blessed by the gifts we have received.

As coaches and parents, we have a duty to bless our 91猫先生 student athletes who have been given much by expecting much from them. 鈥淓xpecting much鈥� can come in many shapes and sizes i.e. challenging them, guiding them, teaching them a strong sense of work ethic, self-discipline and responsibility, as well as by teaching what loyalty and commitment really look like, and these are just a few.

In contrast, allowing them to lack flounder in the muck of self-discipline, to make excuses for their short-comings, and to instill in them a sense of entitlement is not what God 鈥渆xpects鈥� from us as parents and coaches.

91猫先生 鈥渒ids鈥� have been given much, and much will be expected of them.

The 鈥減layer prayer鈥� offered before practice this morning was led by a sixth grader.聽 In his prayer, he asked God that all of the team would be thankful and appreciate their many blessings.聽 And then the young man asked for this; he said 鈥淕od, please bless those kids who are sick and cold鈥�who are hurting, or who are afraid and for those who don鈥檛 have parents to receive Your blessing of peace and comfort and please take care of them Lord鈥�.

Not only was it very eloquent鈥�it was stirring, and as a 91猫先生 parent, you would have been proud.

To those who have been given much, much is expected!

And that鈥檚 another reason to be 鈥淎LL ORANGE鈥�All The Time鈥�!