Today is Monday, July 8th, 2013; Karen's Korner #2606

I just finished reading the book "The Sacred Acre", a biography about the Aplington-Parkersburg high school coach Ed Thomas who was shot and killed by one of his former football players several years ago. The 'sacred acre' referred to his care of his/their high school football field.
 
Quite a man; quite a story. While his win-loss record of more than thirty years as head football coach at the same school is legendary, his goal was 'building men', not necessarily winning football games. Not only is his story about building his team members, a large portion was devoted to the Parkersburg tornado which destroyed a good part of his 'hometown' a short time before his death. His Christian faith was threaded through his life story.
 
Each chapter of the book began with what I call "Ed-isms":
 
"Adversity is the test of character."
*
"The only way we win is to look out for one another."
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""Good things happen to good people."
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"You either get better or worse.
You never stay the same."
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"If we do what's right, get better every day,
winning will take care of itself."
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"I once had a person tell me,
'Thomas, you are the luckiest man I know.'
I just smiled and inside said, 'Thank you, God.'"
*
"Success in life is a peace within,
knowing you are working to be the man or woman that God has called you to be."
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"I want to finish the race with God working through me.
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"Being a Christian does not mean we will
always win and be exempt from adversity,
disappointments in life, and problems.
Being a Christian is hard."
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"Whatever you do in life,
echoes thru eternity."
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"As a father, there is nothing more important
than to see your family walking with God."
*
"There are three things necessary to be successful in life:
faith and a relationship with God,
using our power to choose to do what is right,
and hard work."
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