Prayer Flag Project: Day 18 Cooperation

Today's prayer is for universal cooperation and working together for common goals.  Where better do we learn about teamwork than as children playing sports?

I was searching for the words to use on the tag (in my handy 1948 Girl Scout Handbook that has given me so much inspiration for this project) when I came across this description of sportsmanship... "...it means putting the good of your team ahead of yourself.  There is no place for a girl who must be the "whole show" on any team or in any sport".  In other words, sacrifice for the good of the team, making the group's goals more important than your own, and using self control and good communication skills at all times.  Those qualities, by the way, lead to winning not only in sports but in life.  Wouldn't our government benefit from earning the Girl Scout Sportsmanship badge?

I pray that our leaders work together, and that they take a suggestion or two from the children they see every day... raise your hand, don't interrupt, listen to suggestions, follow the rules, and play like a team.

Today's flag was made in a hurry to make the day's deadline (it is almost midnight!), after a very long day at my daughter's softball tournament.  The nine positions on her softball team are represented by rectangles of fabric which are stitched to a field of linen.  The tag reads, "you have learned team play".