Raising Champions

Here is the introduction and chapter three of my forthcoming book: Raising Champions: Helping Your Children Grow Through Sports.

Raising champions excerpt from Nathan Schock

Gardening the Soul: Final Thoughts on Watering

If I don't weed today, I can weed next week. If I don't prune my fruit trees in winter, I can prune them in the spring. If I don't add enough compost to my asparagus roots this year, I can do it next year. But if I don't water today, I may destroy my garden.

Watering is the most time-sensitive task in the garden—and in life. Isaiah warned: Therefore, as tongues of fire lick up straw and as dry grass sinks down in the flames, so their roots will decay, for they have rejected the Law of the Lord Almighty. (5:24). What causes people to torch their lives? When they reject or ignore the Scriptures.

In order to restore the native prairie grasses on our land, we had to burn away the years of an accumulated, eight-inch thatch. This was a dangerous task. I never burned in strong winds. I carefully laid out hoses so that I could control the burn (without melting my hoses!) I began with small burns around the perimeter. I burned against the wind. I maintained constant vigilance. I did all of this because I have witnessed the terrifying dash of fire through dry prairie grass. The grasses look like they have been hit by an incendiary bomb, shooting flames and smoke high into the sky. That's the image God wants me to hang onto—if I don't water my life regularly with the Law of the Lord, the roots of my life will erupt in flames.

David understood his need to drink:

earnestly I seek you;

my soul thirsts for you;
my body longs for you;
in a dry and weary land
where there is no water. (Ps.63)

I find David's intense words disturbing—and challenging. "Lord, remind me that only you can quench the longings in my soul. Don't let me become a regular drinker at any other wells. I want you and your Truth to be the passion of my life."

Gardening the Soul: Drinking and Dispersing

Sara Stein was astounded when she learned how water gets from the roots to the top of a forty-foot tree.

Water rises up a tree because water molecules evaporate at the surface of its leaves. As each molecule exits through a pore, it tugs the one behind, which pulls the next, and so on along a conga line of water molecules clinging to one another in single file from the end of the deepest root to the tip of the topmost leaf.

This life-sustaining process is threatened during a drought. If water becomes scarce, leaves close down their pores to minimize evaporation. If water remains sparse, the leaves curl to protect their surface from the drying winds. And if the drought persists, a plant may drop its leaves to conserve water for its trunk and roots.  

Like the plants, my spiritual life must balance its intake and output of water. I maintain this equilibrium most of the year with my leaf pores fully open. While transmitting water to others, I am refreshed by daily time with God.

But periodically the drought creeps in so I curl my leaves to boost my reserves. I reduce my teaching load. I cut back on meetings and appointments. I schedule  vacations. Our vacations emphasize physical exercise—hiking, swimming, biking; and spiritual exercise—reading, reflecting, worshiping. We want our vacations to replenish, not deplete, our reservoirs.

And finally in this battle against personal drought, I schedule a yearly retreat in which I drop all of my leaves and soak up as much water as I can. I take none of my writing or teaching projects, or my family—I don't want to focus on carrying water to others. I take my Bible, devotional books, and a journal. If I don't regularly water my life, I will become as barren as a desert.

When writer Kathleen Norris moved to the western South Dakota prairie she was surprised by what she discovered: "I've never thought of myself as an ascetic… But in acclimating myself to the bareness of the Plains after the cornucopia of New York City I found to my surprise that not only did I not lament the loss of urban stimulation, but I began to seek out even more deprivation than my isolated prairie town of 1,600 could provide."

As I have entered my seventh decade of life, I also have increased longings for quiet. At times these desires are healthy, finding delight in reading and writing and worshiping. At other times, I feel my age and want to wallow in mindless activities: televised sports, fluffy novels, internet socializing. But too much watering for any reason is dangerous. God designed us to disperse water to others.

During the 1950's our politicians authorized the building of several dams on the Missouri River as it flows through our state. The banks of the "Mighty Mo" were lined with towering, centuries-old cottonwoods that were partially submerged as the dams filled up. It wasn't long before they all died because a million molecules of flooded waters could replace every molecule of evaporated water. Today the erect stumps of those drowned trees bear testimony to the problem of too much water.

Our challenge is to blend drinking and dispersing, service and solitude—too little or too much water will destroy our fruitfulness. This mix will vary according to individual gifting and life's circumstances. (When we had young children in our home, the only dependable solitude took place from 2 A.M. to 3 A.M.!) But it is a balance we must work out with God's direction.

Gardening the Soul: God's Higher Ways

Isaiah has directed the thirsty to "come”, “listen", and now, to "forsake.”

Let the wicked forsake his way
   and the evil man his thoughts. . . .
For my thoughts are not your thoughts,
   neither are your ways my ways," declares the Lord.
As the heavens are higher than the earth,  
   so are my ways higher than your ways
   and my thoughts than your thoughts." Is.55:9,10

Pruning our corrupt thoughts and ways as we embrace God's infinitely higher thoughts and ways is the final step—and the step that shows that we are drinking from God’s word.

There is a close connection between hearing and doing in the Bible—the New Testament word for "hear" is often translated "obey.” But many of us are content to adopt God’s thoughts with incorporating them into our ways. When workers at a U.S. corporation were surveyed, they reported that their lives were "too crowded, their time with their children too limited." Furthermore they wanted "extra time at home."  Attempting to help employees balance work and home, this family-friendly company offered part-time, "flexplace" (allowing workers to work at home), and "flextime" (allowing workers to start their day early or late) work. And new mothers were allowed to work part-time but retain full-time benefits. What was the result? Flextime was the only policy that workers used significantly. It's one thing to say you want more family time; it is quite another to act on that idea.

What thoughts is God asking you to translate into “ways”?

Ø  Has God revealed a selfish attitude toward your leisure? Then begin practicing his higher ways by inviting a lonely neighbor for dinner or by mentoring a fatherless child.

Ø  Has God reminded you that a friend is in pain? Then call her today to offer some comfort.

Ø  Has God reminded you that your ways have not included any regular fellowship with him? Then change the pattern of your days to include him.

Ø  Has God reminded you that you and your wife need regular time without the kids? Then hire a weekly babysitter for you and your wife’s date night.

Your auditory canals are clogged if God’s thoughts are not also transforming your ways.