I am sure most of us remember our childhood.
We have wonderful memories and then the not so wonderful.
R8 felt discouraged last night. And it hurt to see him like that.
We had our end of the basketball season tournament last night.
During half time R8 came up into the stands and told me he wanted to go home. He was tired of being put in the game and two players never passing the ball to him when is was consistently open.
I had been watching the game extra close since I didn't have R4 to look after.
R8's coach kept telling the other players to pass the ball to him. He was open and to look up and see their team mates.
But they never did. I know at 8 and 9 years old you want to be the one to make the shot, hear the crowd clap for you.
And as persistent as R8 and his coach were the two players never did pass the ball. Not only did they not pass the ball to R8 but they didn't pass it to anyone else either.
While I wanted to run on to the court and smack both of them, I redirected my energy and focused on R8 and keeping his spirits up. Keeping him focused on the bigger picture.
I told R8 he was doing a great job. He was playing aggressive and jumping for the rebounds.
But I still felt as if I was failing him. I was struggling to find the right words to tell him.
We have a standing rule in our house, if you sign up for something we don't quit in the middle. We give 100% all the time until the end.
It was hard to tell him not to quit on his team mates when he felt as if they had quit on him.
But then I thought of this.
Be of good courage, and he shall strengthen your heart, all ye that hope in the Lord. Psalm 31:24
I then told R8 to have the courage to finish what he started. That God hasn't quit the work he started in him.
To finish the game. Play the best he could with what he had and then when it was over to walk away.
God does the same thing with us. He gives us the very best of what he has. We just have to ask for it. To open our hearts to accept it. The great thing is He doesn't quit on us. He sees us through right to the end.
He gives us the courage to finish the game. To have the strength to walk away when it's over and move forward.
Now if I could just convince myself that I didn't fail my 8 year old son when he needed me.
Tuesday, January 27, 2009
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4 comments:
okay so i'm an emotional nut job - but i almost cried reading this.
i remember when i was in 7th grade i was a bench warmer for the basketball team.
we won the regional championships and were later recognized for it - i sat on the bench as they called the starting line up.
then the 2nd string players.
then the bench warmers.
then the person that ran the clock and kept stats.
and still there i sat. they never called my name.
the coach did, however, get quite a large piece of my mother's mind that day.
You did not fail your son! You did something wonderful! You gave him a verse and lesson about finishing strong. He will look back on this lesson you have taught him over and over thruout his life.
Kaish had the hardest time in basketball last year too. I will pray for him today.
You are a great Mom for sure!
You know who fails our kids... COACHES... It is so important for them to play the game, that they forget about the kids. The simple solution would have been for the Coach to have benched one of the two kids if not both of the kids for "ball hogging". I get so mad at COACHES for not making the right decisions for the kids!!!! They may be volunteering their time, but why are they volunteering their time... JUST TO WIN!!! Oh, I am upset, I am going to have to come to Texas for R8!! Nobody, and I mean Nobody messes with my R8!!! Is this Coach big??
unfortunately that is a lesson we have to learn--that people will let us down but God will not! You were great to see a teachable moment in this.
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