The Shattered Pool Liner – A Story of Forgiveness and Grace
What started out as a boy's reckless defiance became a lesson in the power of forgiveness and grace. Like many young boys, I dreamed of being a professional athlete. I thought my best chance was Major League Baseball, so day after day I would take my wiffle ball and bat to the backyard, throw the ball in the air, and swing with all my might. If baseball didn't work out, the National Football League was my backup plan. The biggest obstacle to the NFL was that I was not that big, so I set my sights on being a kicker. On many a cold New England winter day I would tee up the football, perfecting my field goal technique. I had a natural set of field goal posts in my yard – the deck of our above-ground pool served as the perfect target with an opening where the ladder led up to the deck's surface. I can't count the number of times I won the Super Bowl with a perfectly placed kick. I recall bragging to my father one day when he came home from work, and although he encouraged m...