is it MY day?

Most individuals who know me well understand my love for sports. At times it is comical. My wife once said, “Larry, it’s just a game.” Those 4 simple words caused an ‘intense moment of fellowship’ between the two of us momentarily. The older I’ve got the more I am beginning to truly understand that it really is just a game. However, there is an area in my world where sports and life have come together and it is NO GAME.

Most remember the former coach of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the Indianapolis Colts, Tony Dungy. As a very quiet, successful coach and leader of men, Tony has inspired countless numbers of people with how he lives each day and reacts to daily issues. I learned something from this man about two years ago that I wish I had known about some eight years earlier. While listening to sports talk radio one day (SHOCKER), I heard as Tony was being interviewed about his relationship with his children. He shared something that changed my life and the lives of my children on that day.

My wife had been telling me for some time that my work, my schedule, and, frankly, my (busy)ness, was causing me to lose out on precious time with our kids. I didn’t see it, but all they wanted was just a few minutes with dad.

Tony shared during his interview how he took the days his children were born on, and every month on that day he would spend some time with them. To make a long story short, if you need me on the 1^st, 20^th, or 22^nd of each month, you might just have to wait in line. I (in a manly way) get very emotional when I hear my kids talk about their ‘day’ with dad.

Today, my baby girl got up for her day and didn’t even want to go to church – she wanted to go ‘worship Jesus’ at the mall! And you guessed it, after church daddy went shopping at Claire’s. They get up early for it…they look forward to it…..and all it ‘costs’ me is 3 days a month. Sure, they get MUCH more of me than that but no matter what is going on and no matter what my schedule is, those days belong to them.

These ‘loans’ that God put into our care – our influence upon them is no game. If you don’t take time with those in your circle of influence, someone or something else will. Who do you want speaking into their lives? Why not take the initiative in some way today to make sure it is yours and HIS voice they hear. You have one shot to give it all you’ve got. Be an agent of change in the generation to come – take time today and let your influence be felt. Seize the opportunity now and you just might change the world later!

Thanks, Tony, for changing ours!

P.S. If those of you who are fathers would like some more information on the Dad ‘stuff’ Tony Dungy is a part of, go to: www.allprodad.com