4 minutes.
Last night our high school women’s soccer team played its last game of the season losing in the first round of the playoffs. Our daughter is a senior.
With 4 minutes left it hit me. This was it. She had 4 minutes left. All the practices, games, driveway play, flashed through my mind. This was it. I played soccer too. I know what it is to walk off the field for the last time. I left my seat and walked to her end of the field. In the same voice that had been coaching her since she was five I said, “You have 4 minutes left. Play to the end. Finish well. Leave it all out there. No regrets.” And she did. I’m proud of her as a soccer player but more proud of her as a person.
As a parent I’m glad I got to coach her when I did. I’m glad she worked hard, played hard, and had fun. I’m glad she had success.
I’m even more glad that we invested more in her faith development, her gathering with the church, her discipleship, her engagement in the mission, than we did in her soccer career.
Why? Her 4 minutes are up.
Her walk with Jesus is eternal.
Brian Haynes 