Reflections upon my Thanksgiving

When I think back upon all of the Thanksgivings in my life, none of them stand out as memorable as this year. Please don't get me wrong, I have cherished every other Thanksgiving that I have shared with my family and friends. Those have been some wonderful memories of laughter, games, movies, football, and of course, all of the food...the pumpkin pies (notice how I started with the dessert), turkey, honey-baked ham, cheesy potatoes, stuffing, and Nana's pea salad. If the pilgrims had Nana's pea salad, this country would have gotten off to a much better start.
But what makes this year's Thanksgiving so much more special, is that Jessica and I were surprised to find out that we are having another baby!! Thursday morning, as I was getting ready to take a shower, I noticed something on the sink, something that typically does not adorn our bathroom sink. I looked again, and then again, and then for a third time (I'm not wearing my glasses at this point), I finally realized what it was...a positive pregnancy test! I don't quite remember the exact words I spoke at that moment, but I think it went something like this, "Wha...huh...ummm...are you...huh??!!" Romantic wouldn't you say? Needless to say, Jess and I were not expecting this, nor were we trying to get pregnant. But the Lord has a plan. His plan is perfect in every way. I immediately think of Jeremiah 29:11, "For I know the plans that I have for you declares the Lord..." And in this case, Psalm 30:5 rings true, "...But joy comes in the morning." Jess and I are very, very excited! But the question remains, "Is it a boy or a girl?" What are your thoughts? Let us know what you think. My thought is, if it is another girl, I will be taking monetary donations to go towards wedding funds and for the purchase of a shotgun to keep the boys away!! Just so you know, we are thinking blue for this one...and you thought this was going to be about the history of Thanksgiving.

"Enter into His gates with thanksgiving,
And into His courts with praise.
Be thankful to Him, and bless His name.
For the Lord is good;
His mercy is everlasting,
And His truth endures to all generations."
~Psalm 100:4,5

Coaching in his footsteps

The year is 1994. The Ontario Christian Knights along with #77 are in the second round of the CIF playoffs. Although, #77 is not in the game, but rather on the sidelines nursing a season-ending knee injury suffered earlier in the year. One thought that ran through his head was, "Will I ever be able to participate in this game again?" Little did he know that 8 years later, that thought would come to fruition.

Instead of participating in the game as a player, I was on the sidelines as an offensive line coach. But there is more to this story. Not only was I given the opportunity to coach the game of football, I was right along side of my father, coaching in his footsteps. Little did I know that the following season, my older brother would join up and coach along side of me. What a dream come true...Father and sons all coaching together on the same field under the Friday night lights! Following 3 league championships, 3 trips to the playoffs (including the semi-finals and 2 trips to the finals), and a CIF Championship, Coach Cam and his family, under the Lord's direction, moved out of the state. However, the desire to coach was not gone.

After spending a year in Oregon, the Lord brought me and my family back to California. In God's humor, He brought me right back to the place where my coaching career first began, Calvary Murrieta. After a year's hiatus, I got right back into the swing of things as the new offensive line coach for the Warriors. As it turned out, the Warriors would meet the Ontario Christian Knights in a league match-up, pitting myself against my father and brother...and what an amazing game it was (you'll have to borrow the dvd if you want to see the game). After finishing the 2006 season 5-5, with no playoff birth, Coach Cam and the Warriors looked to the following year with high hopes and aspirations. Now, this is where is gets good...

The Lord decides to direct the Head Coach of all Head Coaches down to Murrieta and, once again, coach with his son. My dad decides to direct the Calvary Murrieta Warriors in the 2007 season with his son right by his side as co-head coach and offensive line coach. What an absolutely tremendous ride this year has been! In game 6 of this season, the Warriors met up with the Knights for a rematch. This time, it would be Coach Laing and Coach Cam versus Coach Chris. In the bitter-sweet rematch that it was , the Calvary Warriors once again found defeat in the last seconds of the contest, losing 10-7. The newly dubbed, "Full Armor Game" between the Ontario Christian Knights and the Calvary Murrieta Warriors, Stevens versus Stevens, will continue to be fought year after year on the gridiron battlefield.

You're probably asking yourself, "WHAT are you getting at?!" Well, here is my answer...I can not explain in words how grateful I am for what the Lord has done for me in my life. In this aspect of my journey, he has allowed me to follow in my father's footsteps in learning the game of football. He has given to me a brother who loves the game and is an amazing coach and role model. I can only hope that I turn out to be as good of a coach as my father and my brother are. They are truly inspirational to me. If I can grab on to "one yard" of the passion they have for the game, then I will be blessed in my career as a football coach.

Thanks for reading and remember football fans, in the game of life, you're the football. You're gonna get kicked, dropped, fumbled, and passed around, but trust in the Lord with all your heart and He will carry you to the endzone!

To those who have served, Thank You!

July 4th is a day all Americans celebrate. But what about November 11? It may be just another day to most people. Another day to spend time with friends, go to the movies, watch television, relax on the couch with a good book, or even a day off of work without understanding why they have the day off. But allow me to tell you what this day means to me. Since the Lord placed on my heart the desire to study American History, November 11 took on a whole new meaning.
At the conclusion of World War I, an armistice (cease fire) was signed at 11:00 AM on the eleventh day of the eleventh month in the year 1918. President Woodrow Wilson proclaimed, "To us in America, the reflections of Armistice Day will be filled with solemn pride in the heroism of those who died in the country's service..." In 1938, Congress made "Armistice Day" an official holiday to celebrate and remember those that fought and died in World War I. But after World War II ended just eight years later, Congress decided to amend the Act and exchanged the word Armistice for the word Veterans. Officially signed into law on June 1, 1954 by President Dwight D. Eisenhower, November 11 became known and celebrated every year as "Veterans Day". President Eisenhower stated, "On that day let us solemnly remember the sacrifices of all those who fought so valiantly, on the seas, in the air, and on foreign shores to preserve our heritage of freedom..." And so, for the last 10 years, as a student and teacher of American History, I have come to respect and celebrate November 11 just as much as any other American holiday. May we all on this day remember those who have fought and died to preserve our freedom and protect the liberties that we all-to-often take for granted. May we never, ever forget the men and women who, from the Revolutionary War to the current War on Terror, have and are placing their lives on the line for our great nation. Finally, for me, as the son of a man who faithfully served our country during the Vietnam War, I am forever thankful. Thank you dad! You are my hero!

And so it begins...

So where does the inspiration come from to start a blog? I've been inspired by my wife, my sisters, friends, and the motivation to share my life with others. To share what I do in the classroom, on the football field, and in life. My plan is to share with you about my love for Jesus Christ, my family, U.S. History, and Warrior Football. It is my hope and prayer that those who read and view this blog will learn, laugh, enjoy and maybe even be inspired by what God can do for you in life. "Stand fast therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free, and do not be entangled again with a yoke of bondage." - Galatians 5:1