Sun rising gently over the horizon

            Slowly drying dew on the morning grass

                        Where lines are drawn and goals are set.

Players move through their pre-game dance steps

                                    Rhythmically, gracefully, at just the proper pace

                                                To produce focus, increased breath, and sweat.

Parents gather quietly with coffee in hand.

            Chatter begins:

                        How’s your mom? Has the cancer diminished? 

                                    What’s happening at work? Are you traveling much? 

                                                How’s your family? How’s your heart?

Players stand opposite one another,

            The whistle blows and the ball rolls

                        As kids who have worked tirelessly during the week

                                    Come to play the game they 

                                                And millions of others love. 

It’s an ecumenical sanctuary,

            A multi-generational menagerie gathered 

                        In this holy place of grass and ground,

                                    Air and sky.

It’s a place where hope is realized,

            Giants are felled,

                        Grit is developed,

And where the sounds of creation weave together

            To form a resounding song of praise through

                        The buzz of bees and whispers of breeze,

                                    Grandma giggles and little brother wiggles,

                                                And quiet momma sighs 

                                                      As they watch their offspring do the holy hard

                                                                        In this thing called soccer.

Prayers are spoken,

            Gratitude given,

                        Faithfulness remembered,

                                    And Praise pronounced

As worship spontaneously erupts 

            For the One who reveals 

                        Divine goodness

                                    And crafts spiritual transformation 

                                                Through ground and game,  

                                                            For Glory. 

As for me,

Seeing the holy and sacred in the secular

And realizing rest comes when I rest in Grace 

Through community and creation…This is Sabbath.