Last year’s schoolwork is sitting on the chest of drawers in our bedroom – purgatory before storage.
Last night Becky pulled a notebook of writing assignments from the stack. Gresham’s name is written across the front – every page scrawled by a seven year-old boy with a one track heart.
Fall (October 22)
When i think of Fall I think of leaves falling off of trees and puncins and halloween and football and school and leaves changing colors. And warm clothes and apples and corn and orange and yellow. I love fall.
The Best Gift Ever (December 10)
All i want for Christmas is a Steelers football and Steelers shoes ands Steelers hat and a field goal and a drum set…
My Favorit Books (February 11)
I have a lot of favorit books like Steelers history book. I like it because it tells me more about the Steelers and it shows realy cool pictures.
Things That Could Be Better In My Neighborhood (February 18)
Things could be better in my neighborhood if we had a football field and if the Steelers team could live with me and have all my friends in my neighborhood.
Letter To George Washington (March 11)
Dear George Washington,
My name is Gresham Groves. I think it is realy cool how you encouraged soldiers. My grandfather was also in the war to. Did you now that there is this sport calld football?
What’s in the heart overflows through the mouth…and the fingers.
That’s great! Always fun to look back at your kids lives (and our own) to see the faithfulness of our Lord. He wants us to remember where we’ve been so we can see that He was with us and is giving us a future and a hope.
Gresham’s dedication and loyalty to the Steelers makes me feel guilty. I am a native Pittsburgher who has loved the Steelers all my life…but not nearly to the degree that he does!
Have you ever taken him to see a game at Heinz Field in downtown Pittsburgh? It is a fantastic stadium and he will feel right at home in the sea of black and gold.
Very sweet post.
First of all Gresham is booing you. You have been booed by an eight year-old TRUE Steelers fan. Shame. On. You.
Secondly, no. No, I have not taken him to his Mecca yet. It’s a little pricey. And I’m not sure his heart would hold together when hit with such a large dose of happiness all at once like that.
Someday.
I have been duly chastised!
I truly hope that Gresham has the opportunity to see the Steelers in person someday!
Ha! This sure sounds familiar! My youngest son knew all the NFL team helmets before he knew his alphabet. He grasped the concept of multiplication long before it was introduced in school – at least his X7 tables. “Hey Little buddy, how much is two touchdowns?” “14 points!”
More important than all of that though, was his realization that when he and dad concentrated hard enough, we can change the course of a televised football game.
It’s true. I’m sure of it.
Yelling “Come on!” repeatedly while pacing back and forth has been proven to improve Troy Polamalu’s performance.
This post could have come right out of my house. All of my guys LOVE football and eat, sleep and drink it during the fall/winter.
Btw…a new blog has launched that you might find interesting/entertaining….especially the latest post on ‘passing gas’.
http://raisingmen.net
My seven year old son used to come to me every morning, asking to cuddle. Now that college football has started, he only asks, “Can I check the football scores?” We don’t have cable or a good Internet speed, so he can only check the scores. Poor guy.
We homeschool too and I used to teach public first grade. Your son is a great speller! Loved reading his journal!
I have to admit, I would spend a lot of time worried and concerned if one of my Wild Things was driven so totally by a sport. There, I said it.
I’m NOT saying it’s wrong, I’m saying it’s a gray area that I struggle with in my own heart and don’t pretend to have all the answers about. I kind of have a big chip on my shoulder about sports (because I often times equate it with idol worship,).
Please don’t throw stones. Or footballs.
I feel exactly the same way, JessicaB. My husband didn’t teach the love of football, though he does like college football. We’re so busy with four young children that my husband hasn’t been able to get involved with the sport much over the last several years….either watching it, talking about it, or going to games.
My son was five when we shut off cable, so it’s puzzling why he loves the game so much. He also loves math and spatial relationships and puzzles and other (board) games. Maybe it has something to do with that?
We both have issues with the immorality involved in this sport and others, but there are some nice Christian players and my husband will take care to emphasize that aspect of the sport and caution Timmy about the immorality and idol worship. Tim hasn’t expressed an interest in actually playing it except in the backyard., so we don’t have to worry about that.
He talks (and writes, apparently) about football every day. You read and comment on my blog every day. Idolatry takes many forms ; )
Really? So we’re going to compare words (that take minutes to read) about (mostly) Jesus to most likely hours of sports, now?
Comparisons are rarely a fair game.
Ha! I’m just messing with you, Jessica. You’re right. Loving the internet is nothing at all like loving football. ; )
Love it! And if you put “baseball” in place of “football” and “Rangers” in place of “Steelers”, you’d be reading my son’s school journals. =) Seriously. I have one from second grade, I think, that has a whole section of game summaries from the previous night’s baseball games.
While I’m not often one to note the admirable traits of those south of the Red River, this is a sure sign that Texas blood runs through your son’s veins. It’s always nice to see confirmation of heritage!
Love it. I actually find little boys with extreme love in their hearts for athletics to be terribly adorable and irresistable. When I walk out and catch my son watching ESPN I can’t help but grin. And good writers always write about what they know, right? Looks like Gresham has got that rule of writing down pat!
My first jersey was a Lynn Swann #88 Steelers jersey. If I still had it, I would send it to you.
Diehard Eagles fan now, but my first “team” was the steelers.
Great memories of watching the Steelers in the SuperBowl with my grandma.
My youngest daughter has the same passion about hockey. As she’s about to enter her 5th year of playing competitive hockey, her room resembles the Fighting Sioux shop at UND and so does much of her wardrobe. I tried to buy her a Redwings jersey once (her dad is a MI native) and she flatly refused. “I’m not disrespecting my Sioux” was the reply. No matter that one team is NCAA and one is the NHL. She’s pure Sioux all the way; unless you’re talking Jonathan Toews; then she’s all about the Blackhawks. Of course, he is a former Sioux player so I guess that counts.
As for the passion/obsession whatever, all in moderation I say. My daughter has a passion for her sport, but it pales in comparison to her passion for Christ.
Just watched the movie “Soul Surfer” last night and am incredibly inspired by the last lines… about how- paraphrased here- she is a surfer, it’s why she gets up at the crack of dawn and works so hard with muscles so tired. Her determination through being a believer AND an athlete led her to inspire people all around the world with her courage, drive, and heart. I am led to believe that God put that desire there in the first place.
Besides I happened to grow up in a household where I spent many hours rooting on my little brother from the stands, as my Dad started a little league football program in our area that went on to produce state champions. Praying with those young men and others in my living room for FCA meetings, watching my brother take a knee and bow his head after he caught the winning pass in the end zone his senior year for the state championship win… oh, I could go on. It’s amazing what He can use!! I’ll always be pretty proud of my football loving men.
This made me smile BIG. And my husband too. My third little person is a boy, and he is ALL boy. Can’t wait to see what makes HIM smile BIG…
Cute! My little boy, when he was 7, was obsessed with washing machines. And flashing lights. And things that go beep. Fans too. And he was always taking the batteries out of everything.
What is quite striking about your son’s writing is his happiness. How lovely to grow up content with who you are and what you have. God bless to all the Groves family
As a first grade teacher, this post made my heart happy! I loved seeing his words and then seeing the comments! It is so great for us to comment back on their writing- not only with corrections but with positive, encouraging feedback! WONDERFUL!
P.S. I am leaving for Ethiopia in one week and I would like to take my friends your new cd. I would need about 4 copies. Where should I order these from and do you think I can get them by Tuesday? Thanks!
Shaun Groves- I received my c.d. in the mail today
(I was out of town- I’m sure it’s been in my box a while 
I am trying to contain myself and get some work done in the coffee shop, however, I’m having a difficult time not breaking out in dance to “All is Grace.” it’s my favorite. It’s an anthem also right now, as I keep reminding myself of the truth in the midst of everyday life. Thank you for your beautiful music. I will continue to spread the word. It’s beautiful music to my ears 
Oh my goodness..This post is so sweet. I am a native of the Burgh(as we call it) and Love me my Steelers. Yunz (Pittsburghese for Y’all) would truly have an amazing time visiting the city. My personal favorite…A tour of Heinz Field – Steeler locker room, press boxes, walk the field, etc. –
PS. Did Gresham ever get all the Steeler items he wanted?
I saw some Steelers Santa hats at Hobby Lobby last week — thought of your little guy