Sunday, September 7, 2014

I am a football mom...

*The following is a re-post from this time last year. In case you wonder, I'm still a "clueless" football mom...but I yell just the same. When I watch my son play, I feel JOY because I know he loves this game!

It is my favorite time of the year because, simply put, I am a football mom. 

Maybe a more accurate description would be that I am a CLUELESS football mom. Try as I will, I cannot seem to understand the game. The other day my son was chattering away after practice trying to tell me that Willie wasn't working or something and they'd had to redo some plays. After about 5 minutes he looked at me and said, "You haven't got a clue what I'm talking about, do you?"

"Well, once I figured out that Willie wasn't some new kid on the team, I started to sift through the information a bit." Yeah, I'm clueless. (I now know that is the weak-side linebacker...I'm learning.)

Being clueless doesn't keep me from enjoying the game, however. In fact, my son told me he met a friend's mom and she said she knew me. I said, "She does?" 

"Yeah, she asked weren't you that mom that yells at the games. I told her, yeah...that was you." 
I guess I stand out.

I do love watching my son and his friends play. In fact, we went to see my son's team versus one of his best friends' this past Friday night. Later on they were spending time together. During the evening, his buddy asked if I'd enjoyed the game. I paused and answered truthfully, "I'd have enjoyed it more if you two had gotten to play more."

You see, we had won 38-0, but since both boys are only sophomores, they didn't play all that much this weekend. It was fun to jump up and yell, but not nearly as much fun as it would have been if I had been yelling for them. It occurred to me at that moment that I don't love winning nearly as much as I enjoy watching them play the game they love.

That's when it hit me. I wonder if that's not a little how God feels when He watches us doing what we love....what He created us to do. It doesn't matter if we're the best there ever was, or even if we make mistakes. He doesn't really care who wins or loses the game, He simply loves watching the joy on our faces when we are doing what He created us to do. God delights in us.

Zephaniah 3:17 (NIV)

The Lord your God is with you,
    the Mighty Warrior who saves.
He will take great delight in you;
    in his love he will no longer rebuke you,
    but will rejoice over you with singing.”
It says that God delights over us and sings....or maybe, just maybe, He yells like this mom shouting "GO! GO! GO! That's MY tiny baby boy out there!" It doesn't matter if we "win" or "lose", He just loves watching us doing what He created us to do. God delights in YOU. 

If that doesn't make you want to go out there and "play" your best, I don't know what else will. 

Have a blessed week, my friends....and occasionally take a moment to stop and realize, you are loved by God. He's cheering for you!
 
*Note: While I do not believe we should take our relationship with God too casually, I do think He delights in seeing His children operating in the gifts He gives them. We are created for a purpose, God's purpose, and in that we will find true joy!

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