Time outs in life.

When I was coaching, there were times when I sensed that the game was getting out of hand. Times when my players were confused, daunted by the other team, just not getting the job done. It was time for a time out. Time to regroup, to regain our composure. I had five of them at my disposal every game, so I had to be judicious with their use, but other than that, nothing was lost. The clock stopped, so we didn't lose any opportunities. Life's just not that way.

When we feel confused, overwhelmed, daunted by the events and conflicts of our lives, there is no "time out" rule we can employ. The clock continues to tick, no matter how well we're doing. There are "in-game" strategies we can employ, however.

One of the things I learned in coaching was when to deviate from the game plan. That was a key decision. The real decision was whether the plan was faulty, or just our execution of it. That's a decision I often have to make in life, one I'm trying to make right now. Do I stick with the plan, even though it's not working real well right now? Do I make adjustments? Do I scrap it altogether and start anew?

These are the questions I have to ask myself from time to time. This weekend I have the chance to get away. Yeah, the clock will keep ticking, and those troubles and conflicts I'm facing will still be here on Monday, but I have a chance to change my scenery, to be amongst family and friends, and gain a new perspective. That's what the time out actually does any way. It allows the team to refocus, to gain the coach's perspective on what's going on out on the floor.

I'm going to go to the "bench" this weekend and seek out my coach's perspective. He's a great coach, after all. He's already won the game. I should be careful to listen to what He has to say.