All-In [49613]
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Sunday sermon: Not this time
Sep 25, 2022, 1:56 PM
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"For a just man falleth seven times, and riseth up again." -- Proverbs 24:16
Nate Wiggins could have quit.
He had been burned like a Labor Day hamburger by the Deacs. When he did his job right, he got a face full of flag from officials who were waving more flags that a Fourth of July parade.
Sam Hartman must have thought Nate ran over his dog and was making it a personal mission to punish. He was getting beat, and he was getting angry -- at himself, at life, at being showed up.
So, with the game on the line, there wasn't much question where Wake was going. And Nate -- and the short-handed, tired, frustrated, flag-bedecked Clemson secondary -- had an answer.
Not this time.
When you get a chance, watch Nate on that final play. I promise he KNEW Hartman was looking at A.T. Perry. Perry, the guy who had embarrassed him on a long TD pass earlier. The throw, as nearly all of Hartman's tosses Saturday, was perfect. It took a perfect response to stop it.
And for that play, Wiggins was just that -- perfection. He sailed across in front of Perry, leaping just enough to swat the ball without drawing yet another flag-happy response. With that, the game was over. Too tired to celebrate, Nate just sprawled in the end zone, soaking in relief and justification.
A 52-46 win is scarcely an outcome to celebrate if you're the defense. Certainly DJ, Ship, the new-found appreciation of our tight ends and the ever-accurate BJ Potter deserve accolades.
But in our lives, I think we find ourselves more like Nate Wiggins. Life likes to pile setbacks on us, throws us into situations just to see what happens. How will we respond? When we falleth that seventh time, will we stop and sulk, rail at the unfairness?
Or do we rise up, once more, and say "Not this time?"
Nate, and the secondary, will get better. Wes Goodwin will too. There are trials ahead, and we -- as a team and a family -- will be tested. But it's nice to know that when it comes down to it, we rise again.
The Tigers face another stiff challenge in the Wuffies this weekend. And we all face our personal challenges. It's not how we were knocked down before. It's how we respond.
We'll respond superbly in the Valley Saturday night. I pray you'll look your challenges in the eye, like Nate did, and say "Not this time."
Have a great week!
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