Watering Your Own Grass
In the spring of 1989, early in my coaching career, I attended a one-day clinic hosted by Northside ISD. The featured speaker was Terry Morris, then the head basketball coach at Marshall High School. He shared a lesson that has stayed with me for over 35 years. Morris spoke of his constant search for the “perfect” job—the right location, the right talent, and the right pay. He moved from one place to another, hoping to find an ideal situation, only to realize that such a place didn’t exist. That’s when he had a revelation: rather than searching for something better, he needed to bloom where he was planted.
That phrase has shaped my perspective in both coaching and life. Many people—coaches, teachers, and athletes alike, believe that fulfillment is always just beyond the next opportunity. If they could just get to the right school, the right situation, or the right break, then they would be content. But the truth is, the grass isn’t always greener on the other side. As the saying goes, “If the grass is greener on the other side, start watering your own grass.”
The Easter Message: Resurrection and Renewal
Easter reminds us that true transformation doesn’t come from external changes—it comes from within. Jesus didn’t need better circumstances to fulfill His purpose. He was born in a humble manger, raised in a small town, and rejected by His own people. When He was crucified, it seemed like defeat. But three days later, He walked out of the tomb, proving that victory comes not from changing locations but from embracing God’s purpose right where we are.
The resurrection is the ultimate proof that life, hope, and renewal can spring forth even from the darkest situations. Just as springtime brings new life after the cold of winter, Easter reminds us that God can bring restoration in our own lives—no matter where we are planted.
Praying for Transformation
C.S. Lewis captured this truth perfectly in Letters to Malcolm: Chiefly on Prayer when he wrote,
I pray because I can’t help myself. I pray because the need flows out of me all the time, waking and sleeping. It doesn’t change God. It changes me.”
Too often, we pray for God to change our circumstances when, in reality, we need Him to change our hearts. Instead of asking for an easier path, a different challenge, or a new opportunity, we should ask God to help us grow where we are.
When Jesus prayed in the Garden of Gethsemane, He didn’t ask for an escape route, He asked for strength to carry out God’s plan. His prayer wasn’t about avoiding suffering but about being faithful in the midst of it. That is a powerful lesson for all of us.
The Beauty of Fertilizer
Of course, blooming where we are planted isn’t always easy. Growth requires struggle, and sometimes, that means dealing with things that aren’t pleasant. I once heard someone say that a beautiful yard doesn’t always need fertilizer-but when it does, we all know what’s in fertilizer!
In other words, sometimes, the hardships we go through—the setbacks, disappointments, and frustrations—are exactly what God uses to help us grow.
I’ve seen this in coaching many times. Athletes who didn’t get the playing time they wanted but refused to quit became some of the hardest-working players. Teams that suffered tough losses often came back stronger the next season. Life works the same way. If we trust God’s process, even the difficulties—the “fertilizer” of life—can produce something beautiful.
Living the Resurrection Life
As we celebrate Easter, let’s remember that Christ’s resurrection isn’t just a historical event—it’s an invitation to live transformed lives. We don’t need perfect circumstances to experience God’s blessings. Right now, in the jobs we have, in the families we are a part of, in the communities where we live, we can flourish.
So instead of searching for something better, let’s start watering our own grass. Let’s trust that God has planted us exactly where we need to be. Because when we embrace His calling, we will find that the resurrection power of Easter is alive in us—not just on one Sunday in April, but every single day of our lives.
“Thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.” 1 Corinthians 15:57