Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

Thousands of Louisiana high school football players are beginning a season with high expectations and hoping, in at least one game, they can be the difference between victory and defeat. However, many of the players who practiced all year and made every game will never see any action. People have become so passionate for the game that many players and fans have lost focus of the game of life.

I hope the following will put this season in the proper prospective:

THE GAME OF FOOTBALL

Dear God: Help me to be a good sport in this little game of football. I don’t ask for any special place in the lineup. Give the coach wisdom to play me where needed. I only ask that I can give You 100 percent of everything I have, and in doing so, the coach will be satisfied. If all the hard drives come my way, I thank you for the compliment. Help me to remember that You never send a player any more than he can handle.

And help me, Lord, to accept the bad breaks as part of the game. May I always play on the square, no matter what the others do. Help make me thankful for me.

Finally God, if fate seems to be unfair to me during the season and I’m benched for any reason, help me not to whimper, or squeal, that the game was a frame-up, or that I got a raw deal. But when the season is over, and the banquet is held, I don’t need any special recognition. I just want to feel that I’ve been a team player, not only on the football team, but also in the most important game, the game of life. My only desire is to please You, and in doing so, I’ll please my coaches and will be an influence to my teammates.

And when the final game is played, I ask for no personal recognition. All I want to hear is, “Well done, good and faithful servant.”

If you have any questions, or comments, please write to Harold Keller at Get High on Life, P.O. Drawer U, Reserve, LA 70084, or call (985) 652-8477.