Stay in the Pocket


I read a quote recently on someone's Twitter, so I guess it was a "tweet"...it said something about finding the pocket, and when you find it, stay in it...


If you didn't know much about football, the quote would have no meaning to you, but has stuck with me for several days now, and I think there's an important meaning behind the message. In football, the quarterback is protected (hopefully) by the offensive linemen...they block the defensive players in order to create a "pocket" from which the quarterback can throw the ball, or make a hand-off, or whatever the play calls for...


Jittery quarterbacks, or perhaps just quarterbacks who have a poor group of offensive linemen, are often skittish, and leave the pocket too soon...they don't trust the protection of the pocket, and start scrambling sooner than they should...minimizing their team's chances for success on the play.


In life, we are constantly engaged in a process of dealing with incoming players....challenges, hurts, disappointments, even tragedy...who do you trust to create your "pocket of protection"? If you don't have a pocket, you'll always find yourself on the run, scrambling to avoid pain and loss...never gaining ground in your journey towards a fulfilling and meaningful life. I read Proverbs 28 last night, and the first verse of this chapter is one that has stuck with me for years...it says, The righteous are bold as a lion, but the wicked flee when no one is pursuing.


Interesting visual, isn't it? I'm not sure I do very well at this on a day-to-day basis, but these visual aids remind me that I have a God who is capable of protecting me in the pocket, and that when I'm living well, I need not fear what's coming in the future.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Contemplative Politics

Image
I began writing this blog 2 1/2 years ago...what can only be described as several lifetimes ago, from the perspective of the events that have transpired in my life since May of 2010.   I won't take the time to recount those events, but suffice to say, I never imagined that I would use this space to contemplate politics, or the place that our political perspectives may take on the path of our individual spiritual journeys... To rightly share my story, I must go back in time to January of 2008, when I, like many Americans, first heard then-candidate Senator Barack Obama speak after his groundbreaking win in the Iowa caucus.  I remember the experience quite vividly, because I was mesmorized by the ideal he seemed to represent.  As I sat in a theater this afternoon watching the Dinesh D'Souza political documentary "2016", I was struck by the fact that much of our political consciousness is defined by what each of us projects upon the candidate of our choice. You mi
Read more

Strip down, start running...and never quit!

Image
I've made a commitment to participate in a 1/2 marathon on March 27th, 2011. To be precise, the event is the Rock 'n'Roll Dallas 1/2 Marathon, and we are raising money for the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure Foundation. You might have noticed that I've made a commitment to participate , rather than to run , and there is a reason for the distinction. I'm using a training system for first-time 1/2 marathoners, and the process requires that you run 1/2 and walk 1/2 of the race...interestingly, the most challenging part of following this system is that I don't feel like I'm doing enough . Do you ever feel that way? Like you're not doing enough? At work, at home...in school...with your friends, for your family? I think it's a common experience, and it can wear you down, if you let it. As I've mentioned before, running has become an enormously helpful metaphor for how I understand life. I said in another blog this morning that my new life philosophy i
Read more

If it's Saturday, then it's a "TO DO" List...

Image
Last night I sat down for my evening reading and journaling...I had missed Thursday night, and realized how much I missed the rhythm of the daily ritual. It felt good to collect my thoughts, read my daily Proverb(s), and plan my weekend. So when I awoke this morning, I was the proud owner of a 15-item "TO DO" list. A track, if you will, to keep the train of my life on course this weekend. Not just any "TO DO" list, mind you, my list contains exotic items like: do laundry, water the plants, pay the bills, load the dishwasher, take out the trash, and clean the bathrooms. Clearly, I am living the life of the rich and famous! In all seriousness, the presence of a list is both helpful and comforting...helpful because it gives me a tool to know where I need to focus my energy, and comforting because it removes the random nature of what a weekend can sometimes become when we have dozens of things to do, and no plan to do them. I have a direction in my efforts - I am lookin
Read more