Embrace the Game with Tish

What Jesus Says about Penn State

2011-11-15T11:52:00.000-08:00

Well, of course I would never speak for Jesus, but I have a few views about this Penn State scandal in the light of Jesus' words. A few weeks back I had the absolute pleasure to speak to the parents from Bishop Gorman High School about a message I have titled Embrace Parenting. The point of the class is to rise up as parents and embrace a higher level of morality. Children in our culture are lacking role models, especially at home. After speaking about many things, I asked the parents what kind of foundation their house was built on.
I then reminded them about the scriptures in Matthew 5-7 in which Jesus taught scores of people, referred to as the Sermon on the Mount. These three chapters are packed with instructions on how to live. For example, Jesus talked about giving to others. He didn't just say to give, but to not make a big deal about it. He said when you pray, don't shout it from the rooftops but get in a quiet place alone.He talked about turning the other cheek, to not lust after women, love your enemies and the list goes on and on. Do you see a pattern here? Jesus is calling his followers to a higher standard, a point of absolute integrity. He makes clear that the world may have a certain standard but we are to raise the bar. Jesus is calling all of us in the year 2011 into action, not just pious faith. This action would manifest itself into not just letting authorities know about abuse, but if you see abuse going on to stop it and beat the crap out of the offender. It means firing the guy and making sure charges were filed. It means feeling so much disgust for an individual that you would make darn sure he wouldn't step foot on your campus again.

An interesting thing happens after Jesus instructs the people over and over and over again about rising up and taking action. After he lets them know his standard and how they should live their lives, he said this: “Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock." First he said to listen and put his words into practice and if you do you will be wise. You see, the rains will come, the winds will blow, but if our standards are Jesus' standards then our homes, our foundations, our sports teams will not fall because the foundation is strong. Our life is built on the rock. The rock of Jesus's instructions. The rock of our faith. The rock of integrity.

But what happens so often is that sport is tainted. Most of the time sport is only about winning at all costs and covering up immorality. Sport is a reflection of the morality of our world. Most feel a low standard should be tolerated as long as the offender and team aren't caught. That kind of thinking is building your team, home or business on sinking sand. Oh, look here Jesus even talks about that..."But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.”
This last week Penn State and all of the players found that their foundation was not based on the standards of integrity that Jesus taught about on the Sermon on the Mount. The storms came years ago and beat against the Penn State house. Their foundation was on sinking sand. Their leaders did not have the backbone to confront evil when they saw it. Their house came down with a great crash. Maybe the passers by who see that house all crumpled up with lives shattered will quit being so scared of "religion". Just maybe they will take a second look at what Jesus actually taught and try to live up to those standards. Maybe they will look at their own lives, their own homes, their own businesses and remember that integrity starts there with every one of us. Little eyes are watching our every move...let's build our house on the rock.

Drop Out Rate on the Rise...Character out the Door...

2011-11-02T13:47:00.000-07:00

I was recently at a meeting with a high school principal and community leaders here in Las Vegas. I could feel for this principal who is dealing with his school being way below the 48% graduation rate in Las Vegas. What does one do with a population of youth whose role models are struggling just to get by in this economy? Hearing his frustration led me to think about the Embrace the Game Character Program. We have youth motivational speakers who adore kids of all ages, especially teenagers. During our sessions I am reminded that kids need to know that they have the power for their success in life. Just because they go to a high school that is hovering on one of the lowest graduation rates in our city, they have the ability to rise above their circumstances.
A while back I was at Mojave High School speaking to a great group of high school seniors. A high school student from another high school in Las Vegas recently committed suicide. The kids asked me if I heard about the suicide and I asked them why they thought young people kill themselves. One girl said because they have no hope. I then asked one of the most together senior girls in the class; the one in AP Calculus, in school leadership, etc., how she stays hopeful. She said that every day she rushes home from school to take care of her three brothers and one sister. Her mom comes home from work and continually complains about how horrible her life is and how they will probably be kicked out of their apartment. She says that how she keeps hope alive is that she makes a choice to not take ownership of her mom's life. She focuses on her life, her grades, her scholarships she is earning for college. She said she chooses to not play the blame game and persevere in all of her areas of life. She said that once she leaves home and gets her degree she will try to help her mom as best as she can, but she realizes that her mom needs to have responsibility for her success just as she does. Funny thing is, her mom will probably never learn to take responsibility for her own success, but I put my money on that wonderful student.

You see, until we teach our kids the tools for success, they will believe that they will be entitled to degrees, jobs and money. We need to take as much time teaching the traits of character so that they believe that their parents lives don't have to be their lives. We need to teach endurance, patience, perseverance and not playing the blame game. Right now our school district is running scared. They believe that more tests will produce more proficiency. Then when the students aren't proficient they have extra classes to teach the test. The kids look bewildered and just hope that the information will sink in. I wonder if these remedial teachers ever tell these kids to do the S word...that's right, actually go home, to the library or to Starbucks and actually STUDY. Oh but wait, that would be teaching endurance, patience, and perseverance. That would be teaching the C word. Character.

Lessons Learned From Division One Baseball's Opening Weekend

2011-03-09T16:05:00.000-08:00

I have learned, that if one advances confidently in the direction of his dreams, and endeavors to live the life he has imagined, he will meet with a success unexpected in common hours.
Henry David Thoreau

A few weeks ago my husband Paul and I made a trip out to Austin, Texas, with some good friends to watch our son pitch in his first division one baseball game. David went to Western Nevada Junior College and now is pitching for the University of Maryland. I had heard before this weekend what a great team and venue it was in Texas. Truthfully, as I walked in to the gigantic stadium, I was taken aback by the size and the amount of fans in attendance. As I stood gawking at the stadium, a little Texas woman with a bouffant hairdo smiled at me and said, "Well, howdy! Welcome to Texas!"
I am grateful that David wasn't pitching the first day as we were just trying to get acclimated to the environment and such spirited fans. On Saturday we arrived early to watch David warm up. I kept asking myself is that really my David? Is that my son who I couldn't seem to teach organization growing up, wearing a watch so he knows exactly what he should do every minute of his warm up? Tears welled as I watched his pregame routine. I'm not so sure why I was emotional, but I think I felt relief that he has turned out to be such a neat young man following his dreams.
I remember scanning the stands wondering where we should sit. We had tickets in the Maryland section; you know, the sunny side down by left field. The Texans, however, were great and let you sit wherever there was an empty spot. I really wanted to sit on the second tier behind home plate so we could see how the pitches were landing. So, there we sat, standing out in our black and red in the midst of a sea of burnt orange. The Texans around us were incredibly sweet as I asked if it was OK to sit there as my son was pitching. They said of course, but they couldn't guarantee they wouldn't heckle him. I smiled and started to get nervous because I remembered the night before how those fans don't like close games. They had a song to play for every occasion, especially if the opposing pitcher was doing poorly and throwing wild pitches. As David ran onto the field he threw a few warm up pitches, turned toward the outfield and pointed to the Lord in gratefulness. It was wonderful to see my son thank God. Paul and I have raised the children in a Christian home, but we have always stressed that their relationship with God is something they must seek out on their own. It was neat for me to see that in the midst of such a stressful, exciting game, each inning David gave thanks.
While David worked through six innings of a seven inning game, I could only think about the perseverance that boy has shown through the years. Each inning he showed focus, control and determination. He wasn't about to let the venue, the sixth ranked Longhorns or the heckling affect him. I saw clearly every sport and every roadblock David endured through his life. I remembered the countless hours around the dinner table talking about how to handle warming the bench, dealing with an unfair coach, being ready when you get your time. Those roadblocks did give him strength and gave him a resolve and purpose out on the mound.
David ended up winning that day, but my third lesson came later as we were talking with him at the hotel. He was definitely happy and said the whole atmosphere was a lot of fun. He then became quiet and said that some of his pitches weren't falling the way he thought they should and that he has a lot of work to do. Wow, in the midst of success I learned humility from my son. I learned that it is great to have fun, but you need to get back in the saddle and try to improve.
At the airport on the way home I texted one of David's best friend's dad who was pitching for ASU. He told me that in the game Kramer was pitching, one of his teammates slid face down into second base and broke his neck, requiring emergency surgery. Corey Hahn was ASU's top freshman recruit. As I sat in the airport after such a wonderful opening weekend, my fourth lesson was that of having a thankful heart. Any minute could be our last or a freak accident could change everything. I realized that I need to choose each day to be happy, do my best keeping God first in my life through perseverance and humility. Certain moments in life you treasure and take a mental picture of and that was definitely our weekend in Texas. Thank you, boys, for teaching me so much during baseball's opening weekend!

What a Blessing!

2011-02-03T14:21:00.000-08:00

Once you choose hope anything is possible. -Christopher Reeve

As I look toward a new year, I feel hopeful and expectant! Like many of you, 2010 has been a year of challenges, although in the midst of it I have been overwhelmed by God's goodness. I am grateful for the wonderful family I have and the step by step process of discovery I am learning through Embrace the Game.

2011 began with a big blessing...I finished my first pilot program for the six week curriculum I wrote for Embrace the Game. The classes took place in ninth and twelfth grade classes at Mojave High School. The students were amazing and taught me about perseverance and sacrifice. Each week they would share wonderful stories about their dedication to school and their families. Many of these students were solely in charge of caring for their siblings and they embraced that responsibility! One day we were discussing the tough topic of teen suicide and I asked the students, "Why can one teen look at a roadblock or failure in their life as a stepping stone to success and another teen can't go on?" One sweet girl, who normally didn't share much, said that it was because they lost hope. Wow, isn't that the truth? I then asked a girl I knew was in AP Calculus and AP Physics how she stays hopeful. She just looked at me and said, "Well, my mom is a single parent with three kids. She talks every night about losing the house and going into bankruptcy. I deal with it by not worrying about it. How I figure it, it's her problem not mine. I'm doing what I can do to get good grades and get into college. Maybe some day I will have a good job and can help her, but right now I don't help her or myself by worrying about it." Unbelievable maturity in a 17 year old!

Truthfully, for me, that is what my mission is for this year-to bring hope to people. I'm not sure what 2011 will bring, but I believe it is full of hope!