Parent Corner #9 – A Thanksgiving Reminder

There are no games this week, giving us a chance to pause, catch our breath, rest, and reflect. As we head into Thanksgiving, I want to simply say thank you. Thank you for showing up. Thank you for encouraging your kids. Thank you for helping us build a community that is about more than sports.

Our theme this season has been learning to be the best teammate we can be — on the court, at home, in the classroom, and in our communities. Gratitude is a big part of that. A grateful person becomes a better teammate in every area of life.

Shauna Niequist puts it perfectly: “When life is sweet, say thank you and celebrate. And when life is bitter, say thank you and grow.”

Those words make sense for Thanksgiving, but they also connect to Week 2 of The Circle Maker by Mark Batterson.

Week 2 – Pray Hard (From The Circle Maker)

Last week we talked about dreaming big. This week’s focus is simple: dreamers who circle big prayers must also learn to pray hard.

Praying hard is not about perfection. It is about consistency. It is showing up on the days when life is sweet and showing up on the days when life is bitter. It is trusting that God hears, God sees, and God moves — even when we cannot see the answer yet.

Praying hard is choosing gratitude in every season, not because everything is easy, but because everything is shaping us.

The best teammates — in sports and in life — are the ones who stay steady, show up consistently, and find reasons to be thankful no matter what the scoreboard says.

Meet Ray

Ray woke up the Monday before break in a bad mood. His basketball team had lost two tough games, and he felt like nothing was going his way. At breakfast, his dad asked him to share one thing he was thankful for, but Ray just shrugged.

Later that day at school, Ray’s teacher handed out a quote for Thanksgiving week: “When life is sweet, say thank you and celebrate. And when life is bitter, say thank you and grow.”

Ray read it twice. He thought about the missed shots, the tough losses, and how frustrated he had been. Then he remembered something from last week’s practice when Coach said, “Hard days are where you grow the most.”

That night, Ray sat at the table and circled one simple line in his notebook: “Thank you for helping me grow.” It wasn’t much, but it was honest. It was his way of praying hard. His way of showing up. His way of choosing gratitude even when the week had been bitter.

Takeaway: Gratitude is not just a feeling; it is a discipline. This Thanksgiving, may we celebrate the sweet moments and grow from the bitter ones, trusting that God is shaping our families in every season.

Win The Day,

Troy Farley

FCA Sports Leagues Director