Form Tackle!

This past football season my family was over at Shane's sister's house for a family birthday party. It just so happened to be the Alabama v. Arkansas game and we were all fired up! Alabama was having an awesome year, we owed the Razorbacks a thing or two and the air outside felt like football weather. You know the air I'm talking about don't you? It is cool but not cold, warm but not hot, the wind is blowing but not enough to make you gasp for breath. It is...football weather! Oh, if I breathe in deep enough right now I can smell it. *Sigh*

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Well, anyway, as the game progressed Shane began critiquing the game. He was yelling at Saban, the players, the refs, the fans, I bet he even yelled at the water boy. Our nephew, Clay, who was in the first grade last year and in his second year of pee-wee football sat intently on the floor watching Shane not the game. Every time Shane yelled, Clay was up on his feet yelling the exact same thing. "Come on guys" or "Can we get a flag?" and my favorite "Form tackle!" With every catch phrase Shane yelled Clay seemed to get more and more excited about the game. Alabama won and all was well in the Goodwin house that night.

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The following Saturday Clay had a big game. He played defense and he was fired up from the minute his little feet hit the floor that morning. Shane's brother-in-law said that as the game progressed the coaches seemed to catch on to Clay's enthusiasm but to no avail. They didn't win their game but, the coach approached Clay's Dad and began to just brag on Clay's leadership during the game. "Clay had those defensive players fired up the entire game. I believe he has finally gotten the jest of his position and the goal of the defense." Mark looked at the coach a little puzzled as the coach continued. "Clay was on the field in his fellow player's faces yelling 'FORM TACKLE GUYS, WE GOTTA FORM TACKLE!'" Mark began to snicker knowing where Clay had gotten that phrase from as Clay walked up. He had his helmet in hand, sweat pouring down his forehead to the tip of his nose as he carried defeat on his shoulders. The coach patted Clay on the shoulder pads saying "Good game Clay. I'm glad you understand form tackling." Clay looked up at him and said "I don't know what form tackling is but my Uncle Shane yells it all the time so we need to do it so we can win!"

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How many times do we go through life wanting to know the whys of everything? Why is it as adults we tend to not believe in something that we can't understand? Oh to have the faith of a child. "I tell you the truth, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it." Mark 10:15 (NIV) Maybe it's about time we adults stop questioning everything the Bible says and just believe it. Maybe it's about time that we adults start yelling 'FORM TACKLE.' Or, better yet, maybe it's time that we just believe. We aren't meant to understand it all, we aren't meant to be able to explain it all. Hey, get over it, it's not our job to explain God...it's his job and when he's ready for everyone to understand...trust me, he'll get his point across loud and clear because he knows what form tackling means! =)