John Buchanan: FOUR TRUTHS my Dad on Earth Taught me about God, the Father

 

Boyle County Staff, 1973
Ron Spivey, my Dad, Ed Rall, Morris Allen Stewart

He claims me, and I  belong to Him, no matter what.  I was not much of an athlete. I said and did some stupid stuff... not just when I was little but even as an adult. My 15th birthday was spent cleaning up the locker room in the gym because of a poor choice...it was a Saturday. Once in HS, I screwed up so bad, I was grounded, indefinitely. My first varsity basketball game, he sat there and watched as I fouled out in less than a quarter. Took a sack so bad one Friday night, we had "4th & Richmond." Almost an hour before game time on a Saturday at Centre College, my Mom & Dad would be sitting in the bleachers to watch me, the scout team QB, run 2 pass plays and 2 run plays versus the first team defense. My first game at Mercer was the last game he saw me coach. Beyond ugly. So bad, it was tough for him. He just told me, "You'll be fine, but you got your work cut out for you."

But, I never once doubted that my Dad claimed me as HIS.  Nothing could change the fact that I was John Buchanan's son. There was nothing I could do to lose His love for me. When we have a relationship with Jesus Christ, we belong to God for eternity. 

There will still be TOUGH days, but He will walk with me during those times and help me get through them. The most memorable example of this was when my Mom's mental illness was so bad that she went to Our Lady of Peace in Louisville for the entire spring of 1977. I was shook, bad. I was embarrassed. I did not want anyone to know about it. That was a tough secret to keep. Now, I openly share about that time because I want others to understand, mental illness is a real issue and there is nothing to be ashamed of.  I remember walking over to the HS everyday from Mercer Elementary for track practice so I could be with my Dad.  When we would finally get home, the house was quiet and much different. The fear and uncertainty during that time was overwhelming for me, 11 years old. But, my wonderful Dad was with me every step of the way. I did not go through that awful time by myself. And, despite the unknown and the circumstances, I trusted my Dad that he would take care of me. Our Heavenly Father will walk with us through the toughest times. He will not abandon us. 

Whether I understand or not, I am better off to trust what He tells me and do what He says.  Walking to the UK-Tennessee game on a rainy day, November of 1973, I tell my Dad that I am going to pick a job that I can make alot of money. He tells me to pick a job that I love.  Once during a particularly tough stretch, my Dad told me, "David, you need a wife that will help you in life, not make it tougher." Considering my Mom's struggles, that was an intriguing comment. But, a few days later, I saw Stephanie for the first time. The Saturday morning after we beat Lafayette, 2002, he tells me that if I don't get my head out of my "tail", Stephanie is going to be done with me and I will lose everything. Ironically, Trosper was born 9 months after that conversation.   God's Word has more wisdom than John Buchanan. The more we read, listen, and put into practice what He tells us, the better off we will be. 

Remember what HE has done for you.  God repeatedly tells His people to remember what He has done for them, throughout the Old Testament. As I look back on my life, I remember what my earthly Father and my Heavenly Father have done for me. Without question, my Heavenly Father used John Buchanan to protect me, help me, mold me and ultimately draw me closer to Him. Sometimes, it is difficult to figure out / remember ..."Did my Dad do this, or was it my Heavenly Father?"  Often, the answer is "BOTH."

The last week of May, we were blessed to take all of our kids and grandkids to the beach. Trosper built our playlist for the beach. Some of it, was even the old music that I love.  He had one song that is on NONE of my playlists.

For most people, Hotel California - Eagles brings back memories of warm weather, the beach, summer on the horizon, good memories from the past, etc. 

Not for me. I remember that awful spring of 1977. For a long time, when I would hear that song, it felt like a knife in my chest. When I hear that song, now, I immediately thank God for my Dad and how he took care of me through that time. I thank God that I have had a a great life and have been blessed more than I could ever hope or deserve.  I thank God for the eternal life I have because of Jesus Christ and that in a matter of moments, I will see my Dad again. I would like to be a head football coach until I am 80. I am in no hurry to leave this life.  

But, I know without a doubt, THE VICTORY is won.  

John Buchanan's son...scars & all

Jimmy Sharpe: The Wise Old Coach on the Mountain

photo from 1974 Virginia Tech Media Guide

A few years ago I was looking through old UK football programs and found a picture of then-Virginia Tech head coach Jimmy Sharpe.

Coach Sharpe was in Bear Bryant’s first freshman class at Alabama. He later was an assistant for Coach Bryant before becoming the head coach of the Virginia Tech Hokies. I only heard Coach Sharpe speak one time, but it changed by life.

In the summer of 1986 I was a Huddle leader at the Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA) summer camp in Black Mountain, N.C. In the spring of 1986, I had completed an internship in the investment department at First Security in Lexington. As an Economics & Management major, I was looking at graduate school or possibly finding a job in finance or investments after getting my degree in the spring of 1987.

The fall of 1986 was going to be my last fall of football helping Coach French at Mercer County. And, I figured my last chance to go to FCA camp was also that summer, not knowing how things would play out after graduation.

My dad had been very active in FCA since becoming the head coach at Boyle County. Through FCA and our church, Steele Harmon and his family had become very good friends. Steele was the head football coach at Centre when we got to Danville in 1969 and would later be the head football coach at Danville. If you see an old coach walking out to see me before a game on Friday night, that’s Steele!

At FCA Camp, we had "buzz sessions." Those were a series of talks you could choose to go to, sit in and listen. There were a lot of choices. Coach Sharpe’s topic was something along the lines of building a championship team. That sounded like a good topic. I wanted to make the most of my last fall of football.

Coach Sharpe spoke as a man and a coach who had become wise through experience. As he shared with us where he had been and the things he had gone through, he really got my attention because of his sincerity and honesty. And, hearing him talk about Coach Bear Bryant kept all of us tuned in. The room was packed.

And, then, he got to the part of his talk describing the characteristics of a championship team. He told us, this is what all of the championship teams that he had been a part of had in common: the coaches loved the coaches, the coaches loved the players, the players loved the coaches, and the players loved the players.

I had been part of several teams that didn’t love each other. I knew what it was like to be part of a team that didn’t have the chemistry and togetherness that you would want. I raised my hand: "Coach Sharpe, how do you get that to happen on your team?"

His response was, "You love them first!"

I am not sure how to describe it, but at that moment I really felt like God was calling me to teach and coach. The calling was very clear and very intense.

As I look back on it, it seemed like every time I got away from football or tried to, I would get pulled back in. When I got back home, I immediately went to see my dad to tell him what had happened and that now I planned to coach and teach. He was not happy, but I don’t think he was surprised. I understood he wanted me to have a life he thought would be better and/or easier than teaching and coaching.

I was excited about the future and somewhat relieved because I finally felt like I was going in the direction God wanted me. Until I was going that way, I had this sensation that something was not right or was out of place.

Coach Sharpe has no idea how his talk changed my life. I think about that a lot: the words that come out of my mouth, will they be positive or negative in how they impact others?

But, even more than that, Coach Sharpe gave me the most practical guideline for being a football coach and working with people: "You love them first."

Someday it will be time for me to finally walk away from teaching and/or coaching. But I am thankful for Coach Sharpe and I am confident that God has had me where he wanted me since that night on the mountain.