Texas and High School Football.....

I have been a fan of high school football for most of my life. I loved it growing up as a young child, then in high school its what we did for a social event. When my children were in school, (we lived in Westlake (Austin)) their school won the State Championship with Drew Brees (plays in the pros now) and were a powerhouse for many years and now finally cheering for the Lindale Eagles (my brother is the head coach and Athletic Director). There is something about the sounds…drum line and jumping jack grunting….the smells….hot dogs and nachos….that just gets everyone excited.

This past Friday was the first football game of the season and we won….big 50-21. The booster club in Lindale tries very hard to get the community excited about the season….we have BLUE OUT shirts (everyone wears blue…its pretty cool to see from the other side)…and a community tailgater with hamburgers, hotdogs, sausage and sodas. People all come together even if their business is direct competition with one another….all in support of the biggest thing happening in Lindale. If you go into just about any business on a Friday during football season including Walmart….they are wearing a BLUE OUT shirt. Lindale is a ghost town during the game and on away games is pretty sad, but traffic free!

It’s a shame in life we forget that we are all on the same team….and we can’t come together as a community of people and believers. If we can put away our differences for one night or even every Friday night….why can’t we do it for the other 6 during the week. God has been showing me the places where I have hardened my heart to others as just a matter of pride…..He asks me to play the game of life fairly and to always be aware of the others on my team…I am learning how to be a better player….and hopefully a better Mauri.

Here are pictures from the game Friday…..I hope that you each find a passion just like the state of Texas has high school football.