Official Soccer Mom

“Each of you should look not only to your own interest, but also to the interests of others.”
Philippians 2:4

Well, I’ve done it. I’ve traded pom-poms for the soccer field. Not completely – the girls are still cheering, but wrapping up their competition season. BUT, my little Jamison is hitting the ground running on the soccer field at barely 3 years old. Yes, we are nuts. But hey – he runs around the house and kicks things all day, so why not channel that energy into something more appropriate! And, we live so close to the park we can literally walk to his soccer field if we needed too. All this sports stuff just works for us.

But, today – I’ve got to tell you what God showed me on Monday. Well, Monday’s are always a little stressful around here. It’s the day before my Apples of Gold mentoring thing at my house (I’ve mentioned it in previous blogs – in short: 20 plus ladies come to my house for food and Bible study every Tuesday) so I’m cleaning more than usual. And on Monday’s the girls have cheerleading from 6-7PM. So, guess when Jamison’s soccer practice is!? Yep. Monday’s from 6-7PM. Well, this Monday was his first ever practice and being “good parents” neither my husband or I wanted to miss this!!! Since we are very comfortable with the girls’ gym – we decided to drop them off early, head to the soccer field, watch “little buddy” be cute and run around in circles, leave Jamison’s practice early and then go pick up the girls, go home, eat, take baths, put on P.J’s, and go to bed. Sounds like a good plan, huh?

Well, it’s 6:00 PM and I see LOTS of people at the soccer field, but no one for Jamison’s team. I see LOTS of coaches, but not Jamison’s coach. So, I’m going around asking everyone are you Coach So & So. After asking everyone who looks over the age of 15 if they are Coach So & So, some lady stops me and says – “I heard your coach was running late and practice would not start until 6:30.”

Gang, I was getting angrier by the minute. I thought – do people not know I have two other children to pick up across town by 7PM! Also, while I was making a fool of myself asking everyone if they were Coach So & So --- my mother in law had called my husband. She wanted us to go out to eat after the kids practices (and not somewhere quick, but a NICE sit down place.) I was screaming in my brain IT’S A SCHOOL NIGHT, PEOPLE! But, I was trying to take deep breaths. Now, my mother in law is precious and we just lost my father in law recently so – I was not angry with her at all! Any time we can spend time with her – I want to do that. But, this overall situation was making me most upset. I mean come on – what good coach is 30 minutes late to the first practice (and didn’t even let the parents know!!).

So, I decided that I was going to call Coach So & So and not be rude (of course!), but explain in no uncertain terms that I do have a life and what in the world could be the hold up on the very first night of soccer practice!!! Remember, it’s a school night!!!

When the Assistant Coach (the wife) picks up the phone I hear a baby screaming wildly in the car. That already begins to soften my attitude. I know what it’s like to be running terribly late and have a VERY upset child strapped in the car. So, I immediately change my approach and put the blame on myself by saying …… “I just wanted to make sure I hadn’t made a mistake. I’ve been here since 6:00 and I’ve not found you guys.”

With her screaming child in the background she apologizes 1,000 times for running late, but they had a death in the family. They had been out of town at a funeral all day and were stuck in traffic on the way back home. She wasn’t going to make it, but her husband was nearly to the soccer field. When he arrives – he is in dress slack and shirt the whole nine yards. His little boy in dress pants and a nice sweater --- not at all soccer attire, AND with good reason!

Oh my goodness! What had I doneL I was so wrapped up in my world, my schedule that someone ---- actually several someONES (my mother in law and now this new soccer family) were hurting all around me and I was concerned with my kids getting a good nights rest!

In an instant – God changed my attitude. So much so that on Tuesday I called the Coaches wife back just to ask if they were doing OK or needed anything. I told her how we had lost Russ’ dad recently and we have small kids too, so I understand how hard things can be. That’s not like me. I don’t up and call people I don’t really know. But God was really pushing me to do that. I could sense the thankfulness in her voice that I had called to check on her family. But what’s odd is I don’t know these people! I’ve still not personally met the wife. I don’t know if they are believers. If they are church attendees? They could be atheist !

So the moral of this blog --- don’t take your life so seriously (especially with silly things) that you fail to be used by God to those who are truly hurting all around you. Am I concerned with my own interests, OR the interests of others?