Perspective

Sometimes I think it's easy for people to minimize or even criticize the role sports can play in a kid's life. If you're not a sports-oriented family, what I just described in my previous three posts may sound a little dramatic and over the top. If you fall into that category, I ask you this: If your child has not ever had athletics as his/her primary talent, commitment and passion, then what would that be for your child? Academic team, singing, speech and debate, theater, music, art or writing? Then take a moment to imagine if for whatever reason your child was suddenly prohibited from participating in that activity ever again. To take it a step further, imagine that you as a parent will never again get to see your child operating within their gifting and passion. Let's be honest, it's fun as a parent to watch your child succeed and shine with their God-given talents. In that way, this new knee injury was a double-whammy.

I do realize that this can all sound very silly compared to serious issues that some parents are facing with their children. In fact, I knew of a family during this time whose 16-year-old, football-playing son was diagnosed with stage 4 pancreatic cancer. He died within three months. This was a healthy dose of perspective for me. I figured if they could have their son alive and healthy, they wouldn't care one lick if their son ever played sports again. Perspective. But somehow, sometimes, a momma's heart heavy for her hurting son can trump perspective. And, sometimes, perspective still doesn't minimize the difficulty of going through a season where your child is hurting both physically and emotionally....and feels a little lost in life. 

This is about the time I adopted a new life motto: It is what it is. Josh's situation, along with several other things in my life that were completely beyond my control, could only be coped with by embracing this seemingly simple and ambiguous statement. I found myself saying this several times a day. For me, however, it was not a statement of resignation. It had a much deeper and faith-based meaning in the sense that I knew I couldn't control or change the situation, but I could entrust it into God's care, which is obviously a much better place for it to be. Reciting this line in my mind was my figurative way of peeling my fingers off each situation, one by one, in order to release control to God. Regarding Josh's particular circumstances, it was more of a peeling of my fingers back from the fist I was shaking at God and taking a more knees-bent, palms-up posture before Him, ready to receive the blessing that I knew would ultimately come from the trial.

It always comes, you know....the blessing. I'd say 99% of the trials in my life have been followed by the blessing. And if not followed by THE Blessing, they were followed by A blessing that will tide me over until God can show me the big picture one of these days. (On a side note, the blessing is sometimes a thing or event or desire fulfilled, but more often it is a character trait or a fruit of the Spirit: humility, compassion, a greater dose and awareness of LOVE in our lives, both given and received.) Oh by the way, that other 1%... I'm still trusting and waiting for the blessing with eager anticipation. It will surely come. Just as it finally did for Josh.