Lessons from the Sidelines

Blog Posts

Post-Season Musings

Posted on January 14, 2020December 29, 2019 by Beth Walker

January post-season here in Central Illinois is fairly routine. The rules allow for lifting but not much else, so there isn’t much to do afterschool or on the weekends other than monitor the weightroom. This provides a lot of routine for our boys which is something they haven’t had for extended periods of time prior to this move.

This still doesn’t mean that he is home as much as many assume. When Ordell coached college football many thought that after the season he hung out at home for a few months until practice started and basically worked four months a year.

Now that he’s teaching and coaching at the high school level the question many start with is “Is he a teacher or a resource person? Or does he do something else?” I’m greatful that at the very least there is an undestanding high school coaches work for pennies so my husband must have an additional career or job of some sort.

However, the conversation that follows is a lengthy one:

He’s a strength coach?
Well, how does he know about that?
Shouldn’t he be at the college level?
Wait he WAS?
Well, doesn’t he want to go back to working less hours?
How are you handling the pay cut?

Besides the fact that some of these are not appropriate questions (Hint, Hint) it’s hard to explain things without giving more information than I’d ever ask in return. Regardless, let’s just say less hours doesn’t always equal less pay.

Fewer hours away from the family, less stress, a better environment for multiple factors, plus the hope of retiring for the first time ever. Life is good and the icing on the cake is that in the most important years of our sons’ lives, when they need their dad around to ask questions of, talk about things with, and go do things with, he is around.

Preparation Never Ends

Just because the team isn’t meeting doesn’t mean coaches stop thinking about next season. There is always film to watch, playbook edits to make, and practice planning to script.

Fundraising is also a year round effort for many programs. This year we have the most amazing team on our booster board and we are so incredibly thankful for all their hardwork. But it takes a lot of time and coordination. Since things aren’t mandatory during the post-season and many players are participating in other sports it’s hard to know who will be around to help with a specific event. Regardless, these times fundraising are important because it means there is less to do during the season.

Intentional Choices

With schedule limitations during the season our dates are fairly route as are our committements. The post-season allows us to expand the things we explore. Whether that is a weekend away or joining a small group at church for a little while it’s nice to have the freedom to flex our schedule.

I know there are many people who find themselves counting down the days until practices start up again. As much as we consider ourselves a football family, we also embrace the post-season. We know practice will start up soon enough. In the meantime we will take each day as it is and enjoy our time together.

Book Review: Try Softer

Posted on January 9, 2020January 9, 2020 by Beth Walker

After months of waiting, Try Softer is finally available to purchase and I cannot wait to tell you about this book. I’ll start with fully disclosing that I’ve known Aundi Kolber for several years through a writing group. However, that only lends to my desire to tell you that this is one of the most authentic books I’ve read in recent years I cannot emphasize enough how important Aundi’s Try Softer presentation is one everyone should consider.

In a time when PTSD is an overused catchphrase that people seem to self-diagnose themselves with, Aundi (a licensed therapist) brings clarity to how our past relationships inform how we learn to engage with people. Her tender reminder that difficult experiences don’t have to become trauma is so simple, and yet seems so opposite of what we hear and allow to occur in most situations.

Throughout Try Softer Aundi uses her personal story as well as those of clients to help the reader identify possible similar experiences. When we understand how our past informs our present we can begin the hard work of moving forward and changing the subconscious habits we’ve unintentionally established.

The best part of this book, in my opinion, is that Aundi incorporates her expertise as a therapist. She takes time to explain possible physical responses to situations we may experience. This is so important because for many of us we’ve learned to deal with conflict by NOT dealing with conflict. That is to say, we compartmentalize our responses in certain situations.

Aundi reminds us that God desires us to engage in relationship with him and others with our whole heart and provides the tools to help us to begin the journey to do so.

So, what exactly does it mean to “try softer”? You can learn more about that directly from Aundi here.

Who should read this book: Everyone who hopes to have healthy relationships.

What age is this appropriate for: The language is a bit complex. While Aundi is nothing but respectful, I think that the concepts may be harder for anyone under 16-18 to process well.

Is It Your Turn?

Posted on January 6, 2020January 6, 2020 by Beth Walker

I’m writing over at The Glorious Table today about Leadership. Here’s a preview:

love January. For me, this is the time when hope bubbles up in every conversation. As the new year begins, we get to not only start a new page in our planners, we get to throw away the battered pages from the past year and open a brand-new calendar. Empty spaces on each day whisper of new opportunities.

Are you training a new business partner? Is it your turn to prepare the next generation for ministry? Is it time to start obeying that nudge and courageously step up and start leading somewhere? What’s holding you back?

There is something about the first page of a new planner that sparks hope for me. I believe strongly in fresh starts and new opportunities. Over the years, I’ve developed a conviction that one of the most generous gifts we can extend to each other is the space to use our spiritual gifts, strengths, talents, and skills in our individual passion areas.

It takes courage to pursue a fresh start with a ministry or step onto a new career path. Having a mentor to look to and learn from is invaluable. A mentor can help build our confidence as well as guide us with years of experience.

As important as it is for the less experienced person to have a mentor, it’s just as valuable for the mentor to invest in someone. Our time on earth will eventually end, but that doesn’t mean our ministry won’t go on. And our ministry will grow when we can train people to work alongside us rather than trying to manage everything ourselves. Read the rest over at The Glorious Table