Petr has really picked up his game in the last few weeks.  I think he is learning he can actually do it.  This means more things for me to learn as a parent. He has become a bit more aggressive and seems to have an interest in making things happen.

Petr played in the regional AYSO playoffs this weekend.  His team played against Alpine.  The run of play was mostly one way for Petr’s team with close to 70% of the possession.  The other team had one player who was a constant threat to counter attack, but they did not produce any real scoring chances in the first half.

The first half also had Petr’s great shot, probably his best of the season.  It came at the end of a great play, which at this level is quite rare.  Most goals come from the outstanding play of a single player.  One of his teammates gathered the ball around midfield and moved down the field, eventually laying it off to his right, where Petr, in his regular form, was excellently positioned.  He tapped it forward and finished with a strong strike. Unfortunately it was straight at the keeper who made the save.

The second half saw more of the same, Petr’s team enjoying the majority of the possession, but no goals were coming.  Off of a goal kick, the ball bounced to Petr.  He was near the right sideline about even with the center circle, just inside the offensive half.  He wound up his leg and struck the ball on a half volley.  It soared over everyone, including the keeper, finding  the upper left corner of the net, 1-0.

He was really excited.  He continued to play with a renewed sense of passion. They went on to win 2-1.  They got another good goal from their best player and gave one up on a counter by the other teams best player.

After the game he said to me, “I thought that kind of goal could only be scored by someone on Real Madrid or something!”  Sometimes it just takes a taste of success for us to grasp God’s design in our lives.  The hard work never seems like it is going to pay off, so graciously He lets us score from time to time.  Sometimes He also rewards us when we do well.  Petr will be getting slurpees every day this week.

We had a wonderful time for Thanksgiving with my family yesterday.  It was the first time we had Thanksgiving with them since 2007.  I am very thankful for the way that God has provided for our family over those last four years.

The basis for most of the world’s economy is that workers create wealth, either for themselves or for someone else and are compensated for that creation of wealth. The last three years God supported us with all we needed all while I was not creating wealth in an economic sense.

We returned to the USA during the worst economic conditions in my lifetime.  In spite of that, God provided a very great job for me to do.  I enjoy the work, I enjoy my coworkers and I am compensated enough to provide for all our family’s needs, even a few of our wants.

I am even thankful for tender meat, even if it is a bird.

As I have posted about the boys soccer you may get the idea that I am more than a little frustrated with their drive to accomplish something.  So I wanted to give them an incentive to play harder, a carrot to give them a taste for winning.  I said that if they won their game, I would buy them a Slurpee.  I wanted to be careful to make sure they were learning the game, so I did not want to incentivize any particular stat or action, just win.

Cammy, in the heat of the moment, said, “If you score a goal I will buy you a Slurpee every day of the week!”  I mumbled, “What if they are playing keeper?”

Andrej played keeper on Saturday, but only for the final quarter.  He never touched the ball.  In the first half though, he played midfield.  He had his most aggressive match yet, and guess what.  Cammy is buying him a Slurpee today, and tomorrow, and… well you can figure it out.

This is a great encouragement for me, in my life, as it should be for you.  We can change the way we live life, we can become proactive where we have been reactive.  It should also encourage Petr. He will have to ride home Slurpee-less every day this week.