Sunday, May 10, 2015

There's no crying in baseball.....

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Today was Mother's Day.  I am sure many of you are being celebrated and celebrating this very special day.  I started the day off by going to church with my husband and a very sweet friend.  Then I slid into home base for a uniform change. I headed to Willow Grove and pick up the beautiful woman who gave birth to me. She raised me to be the coach I am today.  We headed to the Phillie's baseball game and celebrate being mom's together.

As I sat there, next to my mom, I thought about how being a mom is much like being a baseball coach.  You train each child and eventually release them to play the game of life.  But, as the coach you are still there to guide them and instruct them.  Some of your players seem to be naturals and things just always fall into place.  While others need a little extra T.L.C.

I didn't get to select my team players.  God, the owner, did the selection process.  He then presented me, the coach a.k.a. Mom, with my line-up.  Each child has there position, or role, to play.  Both offensively and defensively.  And there moments when my team looks like a world series bound team.  And there have also been moments I am coaching the bad news bears.  Regardless how the team is doing I am still so proud to be the coach.

My team consists of four girls, one boy, a dog and a cat.  And there is another coach.  I call him husband.  He really is my right hand man.  Most of the time I review the daily game plan with him.  Sometimes, things change and I have to make a game day decision.  If he isn't around I know that he trusts my decision and vice-versa.

Having four girls on the team, and being a woman myself, there tends to be a lot of emotions. We can be sitting in the dugout and doing a round of high five's one minute.  And then the next minute someone is running off to the locker room slamming locker doors or crying in the shower.  Have you ever seen movie, "A League of Their Own", with Tom Hanks? There is a scene where one of the players starts to cry.  And a very non sympathetic coach blurts out, "There's no crying in baseball!".  We are women and we leak. We cry tears of hurt, sadness, confusion, concern, joy and sometimes we have no clue why we are crying. We just cry. And to be honest I often hear myself saying,  "this is not the time nor the place...." It stinks when you slide into third base only to be called out.  Or when you get pulled from the game and get a time out because you aren't performing the way you've been trained to play.  As a coach I just want my team to be at their very best.  Often, I know that my girls just need me to wipe their tears and hug them. No game plan.  No coaching.  Just some sweet embrace and quite prayer.  One day, God willing, each of my daughters will have a team of their own.  As their mom (biological or inherited) I need to prepare them for playoff's.  I pray that they each know that I am their number one fan.   I truly want to see them be world champs.


The boy and the other coach (husband) both play a huge part on the team as well  They don't have the same roller coaster of emotions.  Many times they are pretty level headed and keep their focus.  However, when they lose they really don't like that.  They may not leak like the women on the team.  But they do show emotion.  And, as the coach (mom) I need to get to the heart of their frustrations.  They are both so patient and loving.  The boy waits for the signals.  He is usually pretty good at reading them.  But sometimes his pitches can be a little wild, sluggish or just plain out of the box.  And when he loses focus he occasionally hits another player with the pitch.  That's when the husband steps in.  You see, he has a way of redirecting the boys focus.  He understands the boy in a way I couldn't possible understand him.

I have seen God's faithfulness at work in each of my players.  And I am blessed.  I have the best team in all the land.  My children know my heart for them.  And every morning and evening I lift each one of them in prayer.  God has a plan for each of their lives.  I am thankful that He selected me to "coach", guide, nurture and love each one of them.

Today and every day is a wonderful and very happy Mother's day!!!



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