Has the Football Been Forgotten?

Two eager teams prepared themselves 

To face their opposition;

Much practice had been exercised

With hope of great position.

The long awaited day had dawned

For which they had made ready,

The days for timid weakness, past;

Their focus, now, was steady.

Within their lockers they refreshed

Their minds of all the moves,

Recalling every trick and skill--

This was no time to lose.

All along the sidelines gathered

Crowds of anxious men--

Concessions filled with cheer and mirth--

To see which team would win.

So long had been the eager wait,

So great the preparation,

And, now, at last, the time had come

To reward anticipation.

But, just before the whistle blew,

The best turned almost rotten;

Amidst the hustle of preparing,

The football had been forgotten!

What, in itself, seemed just to be

A minor part of play,

Was vital to the very game--

The essence of the day.

So cumbered we may quickly be

Preparing for "someday",

We practice hard and learn the skills

To master every way.

Then when the greatest moment comes--

The object of ambition--

We find that somewhere in the way

We lost the heart of our mission.

Without the preparation

No goal would be achieved,

And without practice in the skills

The trophy's not received.

Yet, important as the goal may be,

And how vital to prepare,

If we neglect the little things,

We'll never conquer there.

"Someday" may come, but until then

We must embrace the present

And live each moment to the hilt,

For here it is we're sent.

Anticipate the future, yet

Take heed to what's today,

Prepare for what may someday be,

Yet don't forget The Way.

All goals may be so great aspired,

But, if His Word is lost,

No matter what may be your skill,

The battle will be lost.

Amidst your earnest preparation,

Do ask yourself quite often,

"Have I embraced the Source of life,

Or has the 'football' been forgotten?"

Copyright © Elisabeth Linzey 2015