Got to watch Korrie play a great game of basketball today! She had some sweet shots, amazing passes, a trained eye for the court, and phenomenal team work. So very proud to call her my daughter! What parent wouldn’t be? They won the game 32-18, but not without shedding a few tears. On the way home we talked about her obvious disappointment. Isn’t it amazing that she walked away feeling like she let herself, her coach, and her team down! My heart broke as she talked about her frustration of passing the ball to the other team and knowing she could have done better. Even now, just an hour after the game, I sense the heaviness she is carrying as she relaxes at home on the couch. I long to say the things that would make her believe what an amazing job she did. I yearn to bear that heaviness for her so she could bask in the excitement of the win! I want her to comprehend just how proud I am of her, how far she’s come, what a remarkable young lady she is growing up to be, what a gifted basketball player she is. However, I am learning as a mom that even though I tell her these things over and over again, it’s going to take time for her to accept and understand them as truth. It’s going to take time for her to let go of her mistakes enough to believe the love and words of her mother. And I will give her that time.
Being a parent is tough! Being a parent requires responsibilities I am often unable to fulfill. Being a parent is also the greatest gift God has bestowed upon me. I cannot begin to express how unworthy and incapable I am for such a high calling! I also cannot tell Him enough how thankful I am. One thing parenting is teaching me: my Heavenly Father loves me more than I ever dreamed! The love and pride I have for my children doesn’t even compare to His love for me; His pride for this apple of His eye (Psalm 17:8). Just as I long for my daughter to let go of her own disappointments and receive the love I have for her, My Father longs for me to walk in His love; to be confident that He is a proud Papa!
One night years ago, as I watched my girl sleep, overwhelmed with love for her, a sense came over me that my Father was doing the same- toward me. And I was stunned! Thank you, Father for Your unchanging, unconditional, perfect love toward me. I do not grasp or understand it completely, but I know You ALWAYS love me. Please help me to show my children the love of God.
So true.... I can't believe how He loves me! Me? And yet I forget about this love all too easily, I'm afraid.
ReplyDeleteAnd I can sympathize a bit with your daughter. I played basketball (still would if circumstances would allow) and it's definitely easy to beat yourself up after a game - win or lose. It's good to realize your mistakes so that you can work on correcting them, but we can't let those mistakes discourage us - rather, we can look forward to the opportunity to better our skills. :) It kinda works the same way in life(:
Absolutely RachelAllison. Every road in life offers opportunity to learn and grow. However, we must choose it. My husband and I have struggled in the past regarding sports and how "useful" and "necessary" they really are. Both my children are very passionate about their sport and at this point we want to encourage them in the gifts God has given them (in this case soccer and basketball). I only pray that they will allow God to use even this to teach and train them. I also pray they will eventually be able to see His love for them, as well as my own.
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