Yesterday was the first day of spring training for my middle son, Scout. He was totally exhausted when he came home. Kind of quiet.....got right to his home work. While making dinner, I asked how it went and he very quietly, with no eye contact told me that it just did not go that well. I tried to ask a few more questions and he seemed to be annoyed. So...taking the hint, I let it go.
About 10 minutes later, I heard him faintly say..."I don't think I can do this". He was very teary. Seeing that he was fighting back the tears, I asked him if he was ok...when he said no - I asked if he wanted to talk now or did he need a minute. Shaking his head yes, I said, "why don't you go get a shower, take a moment and then we'll talk. Let's put the homework aside for a bit ok?" He agreed.
After his shower, I went to talk with him and he showed me his new bruises. One place on his arm literally had the imprints of the football seam as clear as ever. He told me he 'got trucked' and just had a really crappy day. I could go on and tell you the entire conversation, but it's really summed up with his statement of "it's hard to be small" when you play football. He sees a spring training camp and another summer of practices ahead of him...with no guarantee of first string status or tons of playing time ahead. A little disheartening to a 13 year old boy who is sometimes a legend in his own mind.
Scout has been the same height and weight for a while now. Most of his friends have at least 15 to 20 pounds of muscle on him. No kidding. He loves the game so much and wants to play first string receiver so bad it's all he thinks about. But, maybe (as we are finding) that is not what he is going to be used for. After letting him talk and just get some tears out, I knew his heart was pretty defeated. The scenario playing out in real life just didn't quite match what he sees daily in his head, and that is a hard pill to swallow. I know what that is like myself. You know, when our real life is varied from what our ideal has always been.
School is hard and our kids are under tremendous pressure to perform and live up to what they think the goal is or what they have always thought 'winning' really is. I want Scout to learn that yeah....this kind of stinks - but let's learn the importance of teamwork and the important parts that are always at work behind the scenes. Attitude and Character count too!!! I didn't give him a whole speech about that, I knew that was not what his heart needed from me. He needed me to hear his frustration and I did. He wanted me to pray with him too, that God would move him from Corner Back to Wide Receiver. :) Ah...name it and claim it. That is when I did share my thoughts with him. That what if...God's plan is for him to be Corner - not receiver. What if?? I told him that if he is in that position and the coach is set on that, then he has to work as hard as he can to be the best Corner he can be. (am I supposed to call that a cornerback or corner back??) Anyway, the point is that sometimes we may not like the current assignment we have. But, if we have been placed there, we must find JOY in the circumstance. That part..the finding joy part, is all up to us! God hasn't moved....he's there and he says, "Count it all joy...".
I'm nervous for him today. I just want it to go well...with no 'trucking' or as I see it...hard hittin' on my boy. :) I know, it comes with the territory. And as he grows up, he'll have many life lessons on getting hit, being the smallest,whatever. It's part of growing up. Look at David from the Bible. A Shepperd boy that became King. He was the smallest boy in his family - and he became not only the boy who killed the giant, but also the man that God called 'a man after his own heart'. Size doesn't matter...but heart does! And Scout has a whole lot of heart.
As Scout went to school this morning, the verse that came to mind was Philippians 4:13. I told him if he gets hit at practice, and feels like giving up, just get up and say "I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength...I can do all things through Christ....I can do all things through Christ".
He can and he will succeed with Christ leading him. This week - I am somewhere I just don't want to be. So, I will take that advice myself....and say to myself, I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength! What can HE give you strength to do today? Remember...HE can do ALL things, not a few things, ALL things! Just ask Him.
1 comment:
2 words for Scout: Darell Green
Cornerback for Washington Redskins. 5'9". 20-year veteran. (smaller than Scout's dad)
Quote from internet source:
"The Washington Redskins recognized Green's unique ability despite the fact that at five feet, nine inches and 184 pounds he was considered almost too small by NFL standards. The team drafted him in the first round, twenty-eighth overall, in the 1983 draft. The Redskins were certain that he would be effective as a punt returner and thought he could help in certain coverage schemes, but the team found out that they had drafted a special athlete the first time Green touched the ball. In his debut preseason game against the Atlanta Falcons, Green returned a punt 61 yards for a touchdown. Green became a regular season starter when starting cornerback Jeris White could not come to terms on a new contract with the Redskins in time for the regular season opener."
ok. I need Scout's email address. Does he email? If so will you send me an email with it?
Bring on some "Scoutie" this weekend!
Aunt Kelly
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