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.
