Boom goes the dynamite!

I was watching the baseball playoffs last night something pretty cool happened.  In the bottom of the 8th inning the Boston Red Sox came back to tie the game and then eventually won the game in the bottom of the 9th.  Tracy could barely contain her excitement because she lives for playoff baseball!  Now I know what you're thinking...that doesn't sound very cool or exciting.  Well, if you had been watching the game you would have thought there was no chance the Red Sox would be able to win.  In fact ESPN said their chances of winning were less then 4%.  For 7 innings the Detroit Tigers had dominated the Red Sox to the point the hitters looked dumbfounded at the plate.  To top it off the Red Sox were down 4 runs in the bottom of the 8th and facing a Detroit bullpen that had been lights out.  I promise there's a point to all of this!  It would have been easy for the Red Sox to just pack it in.  They could have felt it wasn't their night, everything was going against them, and they should just wait for the next game and hope things were better.  Instead, David Ortiz hits a game tying home run and changes the whole complexion of the game and series.  A great lesson in not giving up hope...ever.
Not giving up in sports, and of course life, is something I've been trying to instill in my boys.  I understand they are still very young in their sport's careers, but I really want them to understand that no matter how tough the circumstances you don't give up.  Sports gives us a great opportunity to teach that lesson over and over again.  In my limited experience coaching the boys I see how easily they get down, blame each other, and generally pout when things don't go their way.  The idea of building each other up and working as a team isn't something they have completely grasped yet.  As I see them play more and more I hope they grow into this, but I wonder if we ever grow into that mindset completely.  Ha, I think teamwork is a foreign concept in Washington, but I digress.
As adults I think we too can be quick to get down, blame others, and generally pout when things go badly.  I know it's easier for me to scapegoat somebody or something instead of looking in the mirror.  I also know it is sometimes easier to tear down instead of work together and build up...especially if you may or may not particularly like who you are working with.  Maybe my second grade football team is simply a reflection of what we are like as adults.  I'd like to think we've grown but have we?  What is our reaction when the sledding gets tough?  Do we pull our boots on a little tighter and work harder or do we complain and blame the world?  What happens to our spiritual life when we hit one of life's valleys?  Do we blame God and turn away from God because we think it's obvious God doesn't care about us any more?  Or do we continue to pray and have faith that there will be light at the end of the tunnel knowing we may not understand our circumstances now but trusting in God to walk with us?  I know I find complaining pretty easy.  I also know and have seen the rewards of working hard through obstacles and tough times only to see faith rewarded and lessons learned.  So, take it from a second grade flag football coach...you got to be willing to work together as a team, you can't give up, and you have to have faith that the Spirit will guide you through.