GAME DAY

A couple months ago Henry asked me to play soccer....so I did the next best thing, I signed him up for baseball! Then I did the next best thing after that...I signed Steve up to help coach! Thankfully both my guys were on board....or should I say on "base" (okay so maybe that's not as funny as I want it to be).  I am not a "sports" player, but I AM a fan of watching my little guy play sports...so as they say....Let's play ball!

The other weekend we kicked off opening day, complete with a parade and fun and most important after practicing, that long awaited first game against another actual team!

We had such a good time and I think we may be hooked! Such a great league that we're blessed to be a part of and let's face it....for a homeschooling mama, getting to see your kid interact on a team with his peers is awesome. I'm really proud of him and this little "shy" guy of mine even earned the game ball his first game! 

Okay...small confession...him getting that game ball felt really really good. I'm not sure how to parent a little athlete, I am....a bit of a hippy. I ask that he has fun, that he tries his best, even when he thinks he can't. I could care less if he is fast or slow, has great aim or hits the ball out of the park. I asked that he focuses, that he shows respect to his coaches and is a good teammate. My pep talk before practice and games is "be a blessing to your coach" (seriously) and we pray, we pray for his team and for the games (regardless that there is no score). I know that this isn't every one's approach. I see how this can be looked at as a little weak, and easily passed off as  someone who's not preparing their child to compete, especially with kids who are constantly perfecting their game, some since they could barely walk. It might even look like I don't take it seriously.  

But I do. I take what he does very seriously. We talk about the example we want him to set, the example we try to set, and it's not one that is always well regarded by the world. It is one that follows the example Christ set for us and never the example of a superstar athlete. Gifts and talents, all from God, will come and we will be grateful for them, but they will never be used to boast of our own strength.

Can I tell you, that getting that game ball was like a little wink from God.  He takes care of us, He is glorified, even with a little game ball, for the unexpected quiet kid on the team.

""Brothers and sisters, think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth. But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. God chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things—and the things that are not—to nullify the things that are, so that no one may boast before him. It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God—that is, our righteousness,holiness and redemption. Therefore, as it is written: “Let the one who boasts boast in the Lord.”" 

- 1 Corinthians 1:26-30 (NIV)