Sunday, December 20, 2015

God and Girl's Basketball

I’ve never really been a “sports mom”.  My kids played some sports in their early high school years, but found that focusing their attention on other things better suited them.  Then I married a family of competitors.  Whether it’s on the wrestling mat, the baseball/softball field, basketball court, or out in the woods, sports play a prominent role in their lives and subsequently mine.  I suddenly find myself spending many hours watching games, participating in pasta feeds with the other moms, traveling to games, scrounging up cash as Gracei gets on the bus, and holding my breath when the game is close.  I got to watch Dakota wrestle, Hunter play baseball and Gracei play softball.  Now I am enjoying the world of Coyote Girls Basketball.  But, as much as I enjoy watching Gracei play, I find myself making other observations and as is usually the case, God speaks to me in some unusual ways. 
Let me start with the pasta feed.  When the girls have games on the weekend, some of the moms (and dads) provide a carbohydrate rich meal to fuel them up for the task before them.  The girls are provided with a variety of pastas, salads, desserts and beverages.  Having never been to one of these events before, I wasn’t quite sure what to expect.  The girls started arriving and filling their plates.  They brought tables together so they could eat as a family.  Then it happened.  One of the girls suggested that they pray.  My heart soared.  This wasn’t a canned prayer, but a heartfelt request for safety on the court and thankfulness for the meal.  There was no asking God for a win or success in any way….just His protection, both for our team and the competition. 
I see the pasta feed as our Christian community, whatever that may look like.  It might be the church that you attend, a Bible study that you belong to, or even a friend that you get together with and have Jesus in common.  It is in those environments that we get fueled for the task ahead of us.  It is there that we pray for God’s grace.  It is there that we are part of something bigger than ourselves.  It is there that we can approach the cross as a team and worship Him.
Before the game, the girls have established a tradition.  Before they come onto the court, they huddle together and pray, pointing to God as a reminder of who receives the praise.  I won’t lie. When I first saw this, I teared up.  What an amazing habit to establish!!  Friday night’s game didn’t end with the Coyotes winning.  In fact, they lost by several points.  When they came on to the court on Saturday, every player was still there, ready to try again.  God doesn’t promise us a success only journey.  In those times when success is out of reach, He wants us to stay in the game, learn from our mistakes and keep trying.
I think the biggest observation that I made during the games was what the girls did every time there was a break in the action or even at times during the action.  They looked at the coach.  Sometimes he made comments to give them direction.  Sometimes, he just gave them “the look”. They seemed to be so tuned into him that he didn’t have to say much during those times, but it refocused them and gave them confidence and direction.
We need to have the same coachability when it comes to the things of God.  We should be spending so much energy and focus during “practice” getting to know Him and what He expects from us, that when we are trying to figure out our next “play” in the game, it only takes a glance in His direction to know what to do.   This isn’t a one-time occurrence.  We should be constantly looking to Him and listening for His voice.

There are more games to be played, more relationships to establish, and more skills to develop.  Through pasta feeds, prayer and playing the game, God will continue to work in and through this team and when I am able, I’ll be there holding my breath and cheering them on….because that’s my role in the game.  

Saturday, April 25, 2015

25 Years of Wondering

In about a month, I will be finishing up my 25th year of teaching.  My husband talks about retirement, but I honestly can't envision that.  I love what I do. It hasn't always been a joy, but I am so glad that I persevered when met with obstacles that tried to derail me.  I will be the first to admit that I wasn't always the best teacher and mistakes that I made along the way sometimes pop into my head. I sometimes wish that the teacher I am now could go back and help the teacher that I was 25 years ago.  
I wish I had kept track of the number of students that I have seen come and go from my classroom over the years.  I would guess that there have been about 2500 of them.  The problem with being a teacher is that more often than not, at the end of the year, when seniors graduate, students move, or if you're in a large school, it's difficult to keep contact with students that were in your class, you are left wondering what happened to them.  I am wondering today.  
I wonder what happened to Jennifer.  In a school of over 1,800 students, she ended up in 3 of my classes one semester.  We got to know each other pretty well that year.  I remember her telling me that she had broken up with her boyfriend.  He was abusive to her, but they had a child together so cutting the ties was very difficult.  He had threatened to have her killed.  I also remember the days when she would come in to class and not make eye contact with me.  I knew that she had gone back to him and didn't want to tell me.  I think about the students that went home every day to situations that were horrific. I remember wishing that I could scoop them up and take them home so I could protect them.  Were they able to rise above?  I wonder about the student who aspired to be a fashion designer and kept me on my toes in sewing class with her ideas.  I wonder about the students who struggled with addictions. I wonder about the students who became parents.  Did I equip them to be successful?  I wonder about the students who fought me.  Do they look back now and understand that I was doing my best to help them find success in life?  I wonder about the students who seemed to find school easy for them.  Did they challenge themselves?  I wonder about the students who often blended in and sometimes fell through the cracks because they were seen as average.  Did they find a place in the world where they were valued for who they were and the uniqueness that unfortunately went unrecognized by many?
I have been blessed with phenomenal students this year, especially my seniors.  They may not all excel with their grades or always get their work turned in, but overall they have been wonderful to work with in the classroom and FCCLA.  I will miss them.  I thought of them this morning and my heart broke a little.  I know that they will graduate soon and venture into the world that is waiting for them.  Over the last few years, I have traveled with some of them and heard their hopes and dreams on those long trips and layovers in the airport.  The young man who wants to use his story to touch others through ministry and motivational speaking.  The young lady who is excited about attending a culinary arts academy to become a chef.  The FCCLA members who I have seen grow in their confidence and leadership. The list could on and on.  
Every once in awhile, I am fortunate and a student from days gone by will pop back into my life. A student that I shared a classroom with 25 years ago and 500 miles away will recognize me in a parking lot and we will be able to reconnect.  A student will find me on Facebook and I will get the joy of seeing that they not only survived, but are thriving.  A student may come to school and drop by my classroom when they are back in town, just to say "hi".  If I'm honest, I may not always remember the name, but each one of them is in my heart.
Today I am wondering.  I am wondering what happened to all those kids that wandered through my doors, never by chance or random scheduling, but because one or both of us had something to learn and offer each other.  I am wondering what the future holds for the ones that wander through my doors for just a few more weeks, whether it's to be in class or to choose from the basket of lotions that I keep on my desk just for them, knowing that sometimes it's not about the lotion, but about touching base with someone they know truly cares about them.  I wonder who God will put in my classroom next year and I am excited!!!  Whether you were one of the thousands that were already there or the many that I hope are to come, know that I love you, I care about you, I pray for you.