Happy Mother's Day! (Now Leave Me Alone)

Dear Children (and their father),

I know you all love me, as you frequently tell me and write so sweetly in the handmade mother’s day cards that I receive each year.  It’s not that I don’t appreciate your efforts…I really do!  It’s just that I have a new idea for our celebration this year and I thought I’d throw it past you to see what you all think.

You know how every Mother’s Day before church, you each tell me “Happy Mother’s Day!” somewhere in-between my badgering one of you to PLEASE go find some clean socks and put them on and I ask the other to stop shoveling handfuls of Apple Jacks into your mouth while standing in front of the cabinet (would it kill ya to use a bowl?), while I continually nag the third slowpoke to brush your hair so no one mistakes you for someone in need of a homeless shelter?  Yeah, THAT Mother’s Day morning.  Not that any of us can differentiate the Mother’s Days in my life.  Well, except that many years ago, my mornings revolved around changing diapers and giving bottles and sippie cups and getting you all dressed in some semi-respectable form and hoping we could be out the door for church before someone needed another round of diapers/bottles/sippie cups/clothes.  I guess somewhere in there, I was supposed to be getting dressed and eating breakfast and putting on make up.  But, I eventually got used to eating a cheese stick en route to church and having my “morning coffee” sometime after I fed everyone lunch and got the youngest down for naptime.

Where was I??  Oh yes!  My new idea!

Now perhaps it’s just that I’m feeling worn down like old carpeting that spurred me on to my brilliant plan.  Or it’s that I finally realized that with the exception of being handed your beautiful cards and sometimes going out to lunch, Mother’s Day was kinda feeling like most any other day.  Although, when you were all younger, I think it was MORE work for me (and you too, dear) to take the three of you out to eat.  You were always wonderful little eater-outers, but I still schlepped the loaded-diaper kiddo to the grimy, tray-in-the-wall changing station thingie, helped everyone pick out the perfect menu item that I knew you’d each love AND eat, cut everyone’s food, listened to the same knock-knock joke at least three times (since you each needed to give it a shot) and eventually ate a few bites of my (then cold) lunch, washed down with my luke-warm coffee.  Now that you’re all growing up so fast and have far more interesting/wonderful/funny friends than I can ever hope to be, it’s become a juggling act of schedules (and I play master-juggler) to make sure I see each of you on Mother’s Day.  Although I DO see you quite well from the metal bleachers as both of you boys usually have baseball tournaments on Mother’s Day weekend.  So, as I’m working fast and furiously on my farmer’s tan and numb butt, you’re right; I DO see you.  At the plate.  On the pitcher’s mound.  At first base.  At short stop.  That is, I see you boys when I’m not off looking to keep an eye on you, the baseball bored sister.  Or, accompanying you to the pervert-attracting bathrooms at the baseball field.  (At least I’m sure they are, based on a NightLine episode I saw once.)

Remember that Mother’s Day a few years ago when the weather was gross and I didn’t feel all that great?  And, I stayed in bed ALL DAY and watched TV and ate all my meals in bed and in front of the TV?  And, I shut the door so you all thought I was deathly ill, but remained conscience enough to watch really old movies (like“Sixteen Candles” and “The Breakfast Club”) on TV?  And it was WONDERFUL?!?!  Remember that?  It gave birth to my ingenious idea!

My amazing idea:

Could you all please leave me alone on Mother’s Day?

Like, after church, you guys all go do whatever you want to….but don’t include me.  Really, truly, honestly, I am NOT offended.  Maybe Dad can take you to a new movie, or on a really LONG walk, or out to lunch and dinner….or do all these ideas!  I wish you all could fully understand the sheer joy I would have by being given a few solid hours ALONE.  IN.  MY.  OWN.  HOME.  It’s better than a day at the spa!!!  I would crank my music (which, yes, you've all assured me is horrible, talentless noise compared to the gems of songs you guys love), sing as loud as I wanted to, eat popcorn for lunch, sit and stare at a wall for a bit (because I CAN) and even curl up with a good book.  And, you wouldn't KNOW I was sitting down with a good book, so none of you would HAVE to need me at that exact moment with some variety of a crisis.  Brilliant, huh?  I might even take myself to a coffee shop and instead of grabbing my coffee and leaving, I may become a sit-there-with-a-book woman.  AND, I may get a refill on my coffee if the book is especially captivating.  It’s almost downright deliciously scandalous.

Kids, I KNOW you’ll have fun with Dad.  And Sweetie, the kids really do crave more quality time with you considering all the long hours you put in.  Truly, we’re all getting the best of both worlds.  See!  I’m a great mom….still thinking of what’s best for all of you, even on Mother’s Day! :)  So, whaddya think?  Genius, huh?

Love you all a bunch and I hope you have an amazing time on your special day out together.

Love,
Mama

P.S.  And to anyone else who may find this letter and think, “This awful mother needs to appreciate what Mother’s Day means and be with her family all day!  Family is precious and this mother won’t know what she’s missing until one day it’s gone!”  Yes, I agree.  My family is amazingly precious and I love them dearly.  And, I’ve got 364 other days of the year to marinate in the constant preciousness of the job called “motherhood.”

The Home Run That Wasn't

Today, we have a guest writer!  Over the weekend, there was a "situation" at our eldest son's baseball game. There were many different reactions to the situation, both health and unhealthy.  This situation prompted my husband to write the following post.  (And I just need to say how grateful I am for a good man who sees the "bigger picture" of our boy's involvement in sports!)  Enjoy!

In a recent baseball game, my son hit a ball far over the outfielder’s head.  Because there were no fences, once the ball hit the ground, it rolled for another couple hundred feet.  According to Google Earth, the approximate distance to where the fielder eventually picked up the ball was more than 500 feet!  After Alex and his teammate (who had been on first base) easily circled the bases, the celebration began as the game was now tied at 4.

When the other team threw the ball back in to the infield, the opposing manager instructed his team to appeal at third base, claiming that Alex had missed touching the base.  The sole umpire at the game ruled that Alex had touched the base and gave the safe sign.  “Try second base!” the manager yelled.  The umpire took a moment and then ruled that Alex had missed second base and called him out.

As you can imagine, this was met by a cheer for the other side and much yelling and screaming by coaches and parents on our side.  Despite protests, both civilized and uncivilized, the umpire’s ruling stood.  There was no 2-run homerun; just a single run was counted (for the runner who was on base when Alex was batting) and our team had another out counted against us.  This call took the wind out of the sails of our team and the game was eventually lost by a large margin.

I want my kids to participate in sports for many different reasons.  They learn to play on a team, they get a good amount of exercise and they learn to win and lose as “good sports” (I hope).  They also can learn other valuable life lessons which were played out in this home run situation.

1) Life is not fair.  Your accomplishments will not always be recognized and circumstances can actually change to put you in a bad light.  In Genesis, we see that Joseph made the morally correct choice in resisting the advances of Potiphar’s wife.  Surely, Joseph made the right choice.  But, was he rewarded for this?  No.  Joseph was made to look like the one who had acted unscrupulously and was thrown into prison.  As it turns out, God needed Joseph in prison to serve His purpose.  Not only was Alex not given a home run, it actually counted as an out.  While we may not see it right now, God always has a purpose and a plan.

2) Details matter.  Whether it is touching all the bases or knowing your responsibility as an umpire to watch whether or not all the bases were touched, details matter.  In Numbers 20, when the Israelites were in the desert and desperately needed water, God instructed Moses to speak to the rock and water would come forth.  Instead, Moses struck the rock with his staff as he had done in a previous situation, and water came forth.  However, Moses was punished for not following exactly what God had instructed him to do.  There are times where God needs us to obey Him in a specific way.  “Love one another” is something God asks us to do, but He doesn’t always give us a specific way in which to obey that command.  When He does give us a specific charge, He means it!

3) There is always someone in authority over you.  In baseball, the umpire is in charge and sometimes you may not like what he or she decides, but the game will go on with their decision in place.  In life, we all have someone in authority over us.  Whether it is our boss, our teacher, our parent, our pastor or our government, there is an authority structure over us by which we are forced to live.  The good news is that God is the one Who determines our authority structure.  He accomplishes His purpose through the authority, even when we don’t like what they are deciding.  Except in cases of clear sin, we are to submit to our authority.

4) Complaining doesn’t help – it just makes things worse.  After so vehemently reacting to the umpire, whether it was fans or coaches, one can’t help but think that the benefit of the doubt was going to go to the other team.  The umpire had to warn fans and coaches about not continuing to argue or he would have them removed as he is entitled to do.

Romans 13:1 – 5:

Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God. Consequently, he who rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves. For rulers hold no terror for those who do right, but for those who do wrong. Do you want to be free from fear of the one in authority? Then do what is right and he will commend you. For he is God's servant to do you good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword for nothing. He is God's servant, an agent of wrath to bring punishment on the wrongdoer. Therefore, it is necessary to submit to the authorities, not only because of possible punishment but also because of conscience. (NIV)

5) When we face adversity, we need to rise above it and keep on fighting.  Very often, this is seen in the world of sports.  A bad call.  A bad hop on a groundball.  An easy fly ball dropped because it was lost in the sun.  These are all factors beyond our control that can easily discourage us.  The truly successful teams do not let these things keep them down…they keep fighting.

This is also true in our Christian walk.  Satan will be there at every turn accusing us of wrong doing and driving us to discouragement.  We are to follow the example of the Apostle Paul who faced much adversity (imprisonment, shipwreck, etc.) and who was able to say “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.” (2 Timothy 4:7).

6) God has a purpose and a plan for our lives.  Our job is to do things His way and to let God bring about the consequences and results He desires.  The consequences are intended for our good and to work toward His ends.  Two key verses come to mind on this point for those who are following the Lord.

Jeremiah 29:11 - For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. (NIV)

Romans 8:28 - And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. (NIV)

God is always at work and we need to learn to see the things that happen to us through His eyes.  A long home run is a great memory, but life lessons that can be passed along to others are of even greater value.