Early Football and Future Example

A lot of things are happening earlier these days.  Last week I attended my great-grandson’s football game.  He is in the first grade and its flag football, but they have cheerleaders, so it’s almost real.  My first year to play football was in the fifth grade.  We wore uniforms with shoulder pads and helmets, and we tackled.  Other than family, I don’t remember any cheerleaders.  We ran a single wing offense, and I was the wing-back.  The tailback was a kid named Curtis.  He was our only chance of winning, so he ran with the ball on nearly every play.  On one play however, he lateraled the ball to me and the other team was so shocked no one tackled me.  I made a touchdown.  Well, almost.  A kid named Gene was offsides, so the play was called back. A few years later I broke the second vertebrae of my neck, and my football career was over.  Hopefully my great-grandson will have a longer career – if he wants it.  Last year, when he graduated from kindergarten into first grade, his principal read his bio and told the audience that when Crawford Graham Kennedy grows up he wants to be a monster truck driver.  So much for football. Back to my original point – a lot of things are happening earlier these days.  Even as we remember the way it used to be, let’s celebrate the way it is.  I’m glad Crawford is playing football in first grade, as well as attending monster truck rallies.  The only thing I really wish for his future is that he becomes all God wants him to be.  Then and only then will he be truly happy and fulfilled.  He hasn’t asked me for a life-verse, but if he does, I’ve got one for him – “Let no one despise your youth, but be an example to the believers in word, in conduct, in love, in spirit, in faith, in purity” (1 Timothy 4:12).  Let all the cheerleaders, “stand up and holler.”