"Gotta Love It"

by Sue Donaldson

It’s Fall and in San Luis Obispo, that means AYSO Soccer season! Mary has enthusiastic coaches, so we started Monday with a pre-season scrimmage (of course, it doesn’t matter in the least. . . but the Purple Poisonous Grapes of Fury won . . .)

Looking across the field, I saw a familiar figure walking towards his son’s game. I called out, “Well, hi there – are you ready for soccer season?”

Randy Newby, with a bounce in his step and a grin on his face, called back, “Gotta love it!”

Then it dawned on me, Randy suffers from cancer. Just last Spring he underwent major surgery where parts of several major organs were removed. He’s not completely out of the woods, and yet here he was, like any other dad, making fast tracks to his son’s first game. What a great scene, what a great blessing. Puts a grin on my face, just remembering it.

God loves blessing His kids. That doesn’t mean we don’t go through seasons of pain and trials and grief. Just ask the Newby’s. Take a minute to thank God that Randy was on the field today and keep praying for the whole family.

James wrote: “Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, Who does not change like shifting shadows. He chose to give us birth through the word of truth. . .” (James 1:17,18)

Maybe James didn’t mean that soccer is a “gift from above” – but seeing Janine and Randy out on the field today turned my mind to God’s great gift of life and love and family. And, if the Apostle James lived in San Luis in 2008, he would probably be a volunteer coach, don’t you think? Gotta love it!

Father God,

Thanks so much for caring for the Newbys. Please continue to strengthen and heal him. Thanks, too, for all your good gifts like soccer and family and life and love. We love you. Let the games begin! Amen.