I’m writing as I am just back in from the Sam Houston High School football game at Westlake.  I have been sick all week, and did not feel much like going tonight.  I really only did so for one reason: I get to pray with the team after they finish the pre-game warm-up, and I do not like to miss that opportunity.  I’m glad I didn’t tonight! 

For the sake of those readers who are not familiar with our area, Sam Houston High School is in Moss Bluff, Louisiana, which is just across the river from Westlake, so this is kind of a “rivalry” game; big brother vs. little brother (Sam Houston is a little larger school) and it is always a hard-fought contest.  Tonight was no exception.

Sam Houston won a very tough first-half, leading Westlake19-0.  I had told Cheryl as we were on the way to the game tonight that if we got up 21-0 I might want to leave, depending on how I felt, but with a whole half to go, there was no way I was going to do that.  (We also got to enjoy the SHHS halftime show by staying!  They did a marvelous job!)  The second half would be worth watching!

Westlake came roaring back to open the 3rd quarter.  They scored three touchdowns in a row, and halfway through the 4^th quarter, were now leading SHHS 20-19!  There was still plenty of time left, but what haunted one’s thoughts was that this was beginning to look just like Sam Houston’s very first game of the year, vs. St. Louis.  In that game, Sam Houston was leading by a similar score at half, and ended up losing the second half, and the game, to the Saints.  It would have been easy for the team to cave in to the “inevitable” and let the same thing happen again.

Now, I will admit, I do not often pray for “wins” on games.  I figure there may be as many of God’s people on the other side of the ball as there are on ours, so praying for a win is something I am not comfortable with.  But there are other things one can pray for: perseverance, fortitude, making a stand in difficult times, and building character.  I will own up to praying for these for our boys in the 4^th quarter.  And for Coach Eggleston. 

Vaughn Eggleston is the first-year head coach at SHHS, and a member of our church.  I know that a lot of football coaches are probably “members” of churches – in name only — but not Vaughn.  Vaughn is truly an active, faithful member of our church.  As I left church Wednesday evening, I saw him out with our youth.  He leads the Fellowship of Christian Athletes at Sam Houston, and is a genuine Christian man.  So I was praying for Vaughn, too.  This is his first year, and there are many obstacles – including the move up for our school from 4-A to 5-A, a formidable hurdle.  Wins are going to be much more difficult to come by in 2011.  I knew there was a big difference in starting the year 2-1, and 1-2, which is what was on the line tonight.  Vaughn has already spoken of the Lord, and prayer, in his newspaper interviews, and has been a good witness for the Lord in our community.  I was praying for him, and for our team, that the Lord would help them to make wise decisions, and that they would show resiliency and good character in what unfolded at the end of the game tonight.   

Down by a point in that 4^th quarter, Sam Houston did exactly that.  They drove the length of the field for a go-ahead touchdown – propelled by a gutsy 4^th-down pass play.  Then, with just a couple of minutes left, they scored another touchdown to give the Broncos a comfortable winning cushion.  Second half collapse?  Not this time!  Sam Houston won, 34-20!

Now, lest anyone suspect that I harbor any idea that I “prayed us a win” tonight; far from it.  I have already shared my beliefs about that.  But I was grateful that God smiled upon our guys tonight.  Not just in giving them a win, but in building their character, and in helping them overcome what seemed to be “the inevitable.”  That kind of lesson is one which will serve those kids well in the future — indeed, it can serve us all well.  Just because something bad has happened previously – even repeatedly — does not mean that it is inevitable that it will happen again.  With God’s grace and help, and a never-say-die spirit, things can be different.  It was for Sam Houston tonight.  Second half collapse?  Not this time!  Go Coach Egg!  Keep building character in those young men!  Go Broncos!