Paying attention..... and say what needs to be said, NOW

From Black Shoes & White Shoestrings: Football & Life Lessons from Old Coaches

thank you to Robert Allen Yankey and his family. Robert Allen was a tremendous role model for me.  In a very short time on this earth, he impacted the people around him in a powerful and positive way.   I have tried to be the man that Robert Allen was and would have been. I have also tried to be the man that can live up to being “John’s boy”- John Buchanan’s son.   I have fallen short more times than I can count, but I am thankful that God used them to show me what a man of God looks like.

I never meant to write a book. It all started as writing a column for the Maysville Ledger Independent on old football coaches.  But,  people began to tell me, "add some pictures and make these columns a book."  At some point, the book idea became a sense of urgency to get the book done.  As I experienced this sense of urgency, the other thought going through my head would be, "Why am I writing a book and no one wants to read a book written by me!"  It was insane. I had two very different and conflicting thoughts running through my head.  

The sense of urgency to get the book done would wake me up at night. I had to get the book done. Finally, in November of 2014, the book was printed. Stephanie and I were overwhelmed when they got to the house. We had made a significant financial commitment to see this through as a self-published author.  Everyone knows this already, but I have a wonderful and supportive wife who hangs in there with me when we go through stuff like this.

No one was happier or more pleased with my book than my Dad was when it finally was published. He didn't get excited about much. But, he loved my book. I guess he should have. I tell everyone the stars of the book were my Dad and Jesus.

That winter, one night in Maysville, he and I were sitting next to each other at a family meal. He looks at me and he says,  "No, you haven't."  I say, "What are you talking about?" He says, " You have not 'fallen short' of living up to being his son."  He was referring to the quote at the top of this blog. I knew my Dad loved me and was proud of me. But, I usually got his praise 2nd hand. 20th century Dad's hold back on emotion and public praise. For him to verbalize that was different and it really made an impression on me. 

At the time my Dad made that comment, I had no idea that we had just a few months left together on this earth. My book was published in November of 2014. He died on October 1st, 2015. The sense of urgency, I finally get it.... I HAD to get that book done for my Dad.  I had no idea why it had to get done, but I knew the clock was ticking and it had to happen. 

The last Monday in September of 2015, I went to the house to take my Dad to the doctor. The plan was to stop chemo for a few days so he could bounce back and feel better at least in the short term. By that evening he could no longer speak. We would never have a conversation again. 

If you have a sense of urgency to do something, pay attention. Is it consistent with God's Word and plan for your life?  If you have something to say to someone you love, say it NOW. 

At the time I was prepping that book and in a hurry to complete it, I thought I was nuts. Today, it makes sense. Praise God.