Come before Winter, or Never Say Never Again

Monday I finished the last of my moving-in projects. Tuesday I awoke to realize I didn't have a plan. I know I'm here as a "missionary," to plant a church. But as to how to go about doing that, what the first steps should be I didn't know. I paced around for two days. I needed somewhere to go. On Thursday God and I had a bit of a conversation about how to get me around some people.

He asked me the question, "What do you think you're good at?" (Oddly enough my default answer wasn't planting churches.) And it (He) hit me; "See who needs a volunteer track coach!" At ten in the morning I sent an email, and by noon I had a return email and a new gig. I am now the assistant sprints and relay coach for Juneau-Douglas High School. They told me they never turn down volunteers.

JDHS is the "Mariner to the Kamiak," or the "San Dieguito to the Torrey Pines." JDHS is the old school, with lots of history and tradition and an active alumni. The student body is diverse, and the Alaska Native culture is honored throughout the entire building. The school has been an athletic power in Southeast Alaska for years.

The kids and their coaches deal with Alaska-sized challenges for workout space, with each day requiring them to meet up at different venues around town. One away track meet to Ketchikan will require a Friday plane flight down, track meet on Saturday, and an 18 hour ferry ride home, arriving Monday. In Ketchikan the athletes will be housed by host school counterparts. And when we host a track meet our kids return the favor. This is what these kids know, and it's what they do.

The coaches I will be working with are half my age. I'm begrudgingly getting used to this. As always, I intend to play young. I have to remember how to coach. After coaching Lions, Bruins, Mustangs and Knights I thought I was done. But I should have learned never to say never again. I've pulled a Bret Favre; I've unretired.

The Apostle Paul once wrote to Timothy, asking him to come before winter. It was before winter or wait through the long winter to spring and the next window of opportunity. Somehow, towards the end of our own winter, God has given me an opportunity to be salt and light, to get around some people. This latest opportunity comes dressed in crimson and black. It's what the Crimson Bears wear.