When we returned to the States from Mozambique, we landed in Knoxville, Tennessee because that is where we had some things we needed, that is where the ‘family minivan’ was, and it gave us wonderful access to three of our four daughters. It was our safe place as we processed and prayed through this unexpected life change. Knoxville was also where we met and started our lives together some 38 years ago, where we both attended college, and where we became Christians, providing a familiar place and truthfully, a place we could just “be” for a while.
One day on a lark, we were driving by the University of Tennessee (UT) and saw a sign that said “Lady Vols Softball game TODAY.” (Women’s sports at UT are known as “Lady Volunteers [Vols] with the men’s sports being known as “Volunteers.”) We looked at each other and said ‘why not?’. This was completely out-of-character for me (not so much for Ann who loves sports!) as I have never been much of a sports fan and my experience in ‘team sports’ is limited to a couple of years of ice hockey in middle-school.
We entered the softball stadium and sat down. The team came out laughing and smiling, appearing relaxed and confident as the game started. The pitcher’s smile of pulled me in and then everything seemed move in a slow motion I can’t explain. She walked to the outside edge of the pitching circle as her team tensed. Placing her left foot on the circle, I could sense her entering ‘her groove’. The intensity of her concentration only increased my own. She stepped up to the white line; turning her head sideways as she rotated the ball in her hand; lining up as she would everytime in a disciplined process that blocks out all distractions as she made her final mental preparation to pitch. (To quote the movie “Utopia” - See it, Feel it, Trust it (SVT)). When the moment was right, she fired that ball with a speed I didn’t think was possible with a softball. STRIKE - with the batter looking around as if she had no idea what had just happened. Wow, I was hooked.
The entire team responded to each pitch as if it were a choreographed ballet. It was beautiful to watch as in unison they would all step forward with the pitcher as she threw the ball. With each pitch, with each play, the team encouraged one another. The catcher looked to the coach, who provided direction. It was clear that the coach was ‘in charge’ yet the team was functioning as ‘one’ in an orchestration that had clearly been drilled and planned out before the first pitch.
But, then I moved my focus to each player and saw the excellence and unique gifts brought by each of these talented ladies. With each player I saw the same intensity of focus and yet, relaxed in who they were on the team, knowning their role, not trying to ‘one-up’ their team mates. The unity of purpose was inspiring.
The training and work happened before the game, but with the game in play, the coaches were there to affirm, to correct, and to make small changes, but the outcome was clearly in the hands of the team. When a player made a mistake or perhaps dropped a ball, the coach would pull them aside and there would be an intense time of instruction while at the same time, you would see the coach gently patting the arm of the player. You could see the great affection the coach had for each player, whether batting, striking out, dropping balls, or catching seemingly impossible balls. It didn’t matter, they were the coach’s girls and although excellence was expected, there was no question that each girl was important as a person. Many say this was the reason for Pat Summit’s incredible success in UT basketball, because even in her incredible intensity, each player knew in their hearts that Pat loved them in an unconditional way as she drove them to excellence….because she did. You cannot fake that kind of love and there is tremendous power in sincere love, not for the purpose of receiving something back, but because you truly love. (1 Corinthians 13)
One day on a lark, we were driving by the University of Tennessee (UT) and saw a sign that said “Lady Vols Softball game TODAY.” (Women’s sports at UT are known as “Lady Volunteers [Vols] with the men’s sports being known as “Volunteers.”) We looked at each other and said ‘why not?’. This was completely out-of-character for me (not so much for Ann who loves sports!) as I have never been much of a sports fan and my experience in ‘team sports’ is limited to a couple of years of ice hockey in middle-school. We entered the softball stadium and sat down. The team came out laughing and smiling, appearing relaxed and confident as the game started. The pitcher’s smile of pulled me in and then everything seemed move in a slow motion I can’t explain. She walked to the outside edge of the pitching circle as her team tensed. Placing her left foot on the circle, I could sense her entering ‘her groove’. The intensity of her concentration only increased my own. She stepped up to the white line; turning her head sideways as she rotated the ball in her hand; lining up as she would everytime in a disciplined process that blocks out all distractions as she made her final mental preparation to pitch. (To quote the movie “Utopia” - See it, Feel it, Trust it (SVT)). When the moment was right, she fired that ball with a speed I didn’t think was possible with a softball. STRIKE - with the batter looking around as if she had no idea what had just happened. Wow, I was hooked.
The entire team responded to each pitch as if it were a choreographed ballet. It was beautiful to watch as in unison they would all step forward with the pitcher as she threw the ball. With each pitch, with each play, the team encouraged one another. The catcher looked to the coach, who provided direction. It was clear that the coach was ‘in charge’ yet the team was functioning as ‘one’ in an orchestration that had clearly been drilled and planned out before the first pitch.
But, then I moved my focus to each player and saw the excellence and unique gifts brought by each of these talented ladies. With each player I saw the same intensity of focus and yet, relaxed in who they were on the team, knowning their role, not trying to ‘one-up’ their team mates. The unity of purpose was inspiring.
When errors happened (not often!), the team didn’t blame but came together and would encourage the errant player, affirming their importance to the team, building them up. When good plays happened they would draw together as a team and celebrate the success. Fun in excellence. When players became tired and were replaced, the team affirmed the leaving player as well as the new player and the focus on the task at hand would continue.
The training and work happened before the game, but with the game in play, the coaches were there to affirm, to correct, and to make small changes, but the outcome was clearly in the hands of the team. When a player made a mistake or perhaps dropped a ball, the coach would pull them aside and there would be an intense time of instruction while at the same time, you would see the coach gently patting the arm of the player. You could see the great affection the coach had for each player, whether batting, striking out, dropping balls, or catching seemingly impossible balls. It didn’t matter, they were the coach’s girls and although excellence was expected, there was no question that each girl was important as a person. Many say this was the reason for Pat Summit’s incredible success in UT basketball, because even in her incredible intensity, each player knew in their hearts that Pat loved them in an unconditional way as she drove them to excellence….because she did. You cannot fake that kind of love and there is tremendous power in sincere love, not for the purpose of receiving something back, but because you truly love. (1 Corinthians 13)
From that first game, we have made it a point to attend as many home games as we can and we listen to many of the away games via the Internet. The team has become ‘our lady vols’ and we feel like we know each one of them, even though they have no idea we are even there. I envy that they have experienced such a positive team experience and pray that they will take much from this experience as they enter into life after college. I celebrate their ability to have fun in the intensity of what they do week after week. I find joy in each player’s uniqueness and how together, they have built a team personality that is one of the best in the nation. I admire the skill of the coaches to work with this team of young ladies with full hearts and how they allow each to express their individuality within the context of a larger group with a common goal. It is magic to watch.
The team has a habit that I think probably drives the coaching staff and the fans crazy. Although the team is amazing, sometimes they seem to play to the level of the opposing team. In one case, we watched them play a non-rated team from a small college in Ann’s hometown. Our girls had just come off a difficult weekend against a SEC team and now were playing what should have been an easy game. The other team came focused as they knew they were playing against one of the best teams. That team played well and were ahead of our ladies, two - nothing. I wonder how often we do that in our own lives - play to the level of our opponents?...
But here is where leadership comes in. Before the fifth inning, the coaches did some serious motivating in the dugout. I don’t know what was said, but I imagine it was along the lines of ‘enough already, where is my team? Go out there and do what I and your fans expect you to do…’ I have no idea but everything changed. The intensity changed, the pitching changed, the hitting changed, and before we knew it, the game was over 8-2.
I have seen team and how it can work. It is based in love, working towards a common goal, with each sacrificially giving his or her all for the team, and in that, encouraging each of the team members as they reach for individual excellence, but in concert with the others to reach a commone goal. But crucial to lasting success is leadership that exercises genuine caring (love), where direction, discipline, and doting are part of encouraging individuals to be the best they can be but not at the expense of the team not being the best it can be. There are great spiritual lessons in all of this.
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| Book I refer to is on the right in this photo. |
I just finished an interesting book on leadership called ‘Leadership and Self-Deception’ by the Arbinger Institute. It’s an easy read and talks about being ‘in the box’ and ‘out of the box’ and it rings so true of my life before missions as well as my experiences in mission. The bottom line of the book is that we need to see people as people, with families, spouses, dreams, interests; that we need to respond to those times when we know we should be doing something to help others instead of deceiving ourselves with why we shouldn’t (or rationalizing why we don’t have to) and then ascribing blame to justify why we are not doing what we know ‘darn-well’ we should be. If we are blaming or self-justifying, we need to consider that perhaps we are the problem and we are in the midst of self-deception, where we lose all perspective. I have been on both sides of this fence and cringe as we cry out in song, ‘change my heart oh God….’
The secret may be to see people as people of value, not units, resources, departments, men, women, black, white, yellow, republican, democrat, churched, un-churched - but rather, people of value. We are each wonderfully and gloriously made in His image. Being on team should not mean sacrificing your identity or uniqueness. We need to value diversity and the richness it brings, just like we see in our Lady Vols, who we see as Ivy, Ellen, Melissa, Raven, Lauren, Ashley, Tori, Madison, Hannah, Kat - precious young ladies at the beginning of a new phase of life where we pray God will lead and direct. Wouldn’t it be something if we could all get on God’s team and together submit to His coaching? In this case the song is “wouldn’t it be loverly…”
We have so far to go in this game we call life as we continually fight the battle to lose ourselves and gain the whole world. As we all try to work on the various teams in our places of employment, our schools, our churches, and our families, may we regard others as better than ourselves, as people of value made in the image of Christ, as people better than ourselves.
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| Ann at prayer walk station |
This day, our Sabbath, we were privileged to spend four hours together on a prayer walk where we were able to walk in isolated woods to specific locations to consider Grace, Adoration, Stillness, Surrender and Rest. We poured out our hearts, knowing that we are His children, and we simply need to ‘Be’ as he heals our wounded Spirits and accepts our worship, our surrender, our praise and repentence. It was truly a time of renewal where we stopped to ‘be’.
Be still and know that I am GOD
Be still and know that I AM
Be still and KNOW
Be STILL
BE
It is a state of ‘being’.
With love,
Dave and Ann
When I doubt His love, I hold to His wisdom.
When I can’t understand His justice, I cling to His mercies.
When I wonder about His faithfulness, I cherish His grace.
When I fear His sovereignty, I bow to His holiness.
In that, my heart can rest.
Verdell Davis
[Note - this blog was actually written some weeks ago; just never got around to posting it...]
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