One Man's Opinion

My kids play sports.  They play football, soccer, baseball, swim and run.  They do some better than others.  They love some more than others.

I grew up showing horses.  I was so blessed to be able to do it.  And it was a sport I shared with my dad.  The time and money my dad spent on our horses is beyond my comprehension.  We did it together.  We showed at one day local shows and we traveled up and down the East Coast showing Arabians.  Even when we had a trainer we still hauled, groomed and cooled out our own horses.  I am trying very hard to give that same time and support back to my own children.

One of the greatest bits of advice my dad gave was after I did not get the ribbon I thought I deserved in a class.  He said, "We are paying for one man's opinion and that is what we got."  Now, you can take that in a lot of ways.  As far as horse shows go, only show where you know the judge will like you and your horse.  But is that a fair assessment of you and your horse?  Maybe, maybe not.  But because of his words (and that fact that my horses did not always behave) I am a pretty good looser.  I never cry over loosing.  To me, second place is pretty darn good!  Especially when you are second out of 12 and the only horse that beat you is professionally trained and you trained yours yourself after work!

In the last year I have had this come to my mind when my kids have played ball.  Once in soccer and once in baseball.  Neither was a call by the umpire but by the coach.  Both were coaches that we requested to coach our children.  So what are we getting?  One man's opinion!  It was their opinion to pull kids out of positions for the sake of winning.

I know, mistakes are made.  Kids have good days and play great.  But they have bad days, long days, school, homework and growing up!  Sports should be fun and they should learn to play that sport and enjoy it.  My kids are 12, 10 and 7.  None of them are going to be drafted by a major school while they are playing for Concord Parks and Rec.  But I hope these coaches give them the love and the basic skills to play these games as long as they are able.

I hope they give those kids they pulled another chance to play that position.  To learn what they could do better.  And I hope those kids (mine and the others pulled from positions) go home and practice. I hope they kick, hit and throw to get out their frustrations with their coaches and themselves.  I hope they are motivated to get better.  I hope they show that one man's opinion might have been right that one game but it won't be that way again.

Lent #beyondnochocolate

It is Friday and I have been sick all week.  I am finally feeling human again.  And I see all the things that have fallen through the cracks while I was in my flu-haze.  My floors are dirty, my desk is cluttered, my boys need hair cuts, my daughter has no clean socks (she hasn't for two days) and the trash is starting to smell.   But I was sick!  I have an excuse, but it is time to begin the act of catching up.

And you know Wednesday is Ash Wednesday?  I haven't thought much about what I should do.  Does it matter?  Sure it does!  It really does matter!  My new years resolution was to be cleaner.  Cleaner house, cleaner food and cleaner relationships.  The food and house part makes sense, I am sure.  By a cleaner relationship I mean to have honest, real relationships.  This is the perfect time to work a little harder on the relationship part.  Because that is what Lent is all about.  If you think it is about cutting out soda or sugar so your pants fit better, you are missing the point.  The point is to take out the distractions that keep us from our conversations with God.  Or add something in that brings your closer to Him.

This weekend I will think more on this as I clean my house and do loads and loads of laundry, after I take my boys for hair cuts!