Here’s to
the Little League moms, the tireless concession workers, kid haulers, snack
makers, cheerleaders.
They come and stand at the fences every Saturday (and Tuesday and Thursday) with their kind faces and their mom jeans and their wash-and-go haircuts--smiling and clapping for their sons and daughters without a backward glance at the "me-time" they are giving up and the projects they have left undone at home.
Their shoulder bags overflow with granola bars and wet wipes, lawn blankets and water bottles, extra jackets and hats, miscellaneous sports equipment, band-aids, cameras, and sunscreen.
They come and stand at the fences every Saturday (and Tuesday and Thursday) with their kind faces and their mom jeans and their wash-and-go haircuts--smiling and clapping for their sons and daughters without a backward glance at the "me-time" they are giving up and the projects they have left undone at home.
Their shoulder bags overflow with granola bars and wet wipes, lawn blankets and water bottles, extra jackets and hats, miscellaneous sports equipment, band-aids, cameras, and sunscreen.
They glow
over the good plays and call out encouragement after the bad ones, and in
between the *non-stop action* which occurs in the lower levels of Little
League, they converse with one another amongst a good-natured tangle of siblings, strollers, and dogs.
I am
relatively new to this scene, but I have been struck by the way that everyone
is assumed to be a friend at the ball field. My restless
little ones have been offered snacks, toys, places to sit and puppies to snuggle
by families on adjacent blankets.
Parents from opposing teams regularly cheer for exceptional plays, no matter who made them, and there is a relaxed camaraderie which pervades the atmosphere—as if no one is wishing to be anywhere else with anyone else.
Parents from opposing teams regularly cheer for exceptional plays, no matter who made them, and there is a relaxed camaraderie which pervades the atmosphere—as if no one is wishing to be anywhere else with anyone else.
Oh, I’m sure
there are places where cut-throat competition and meanness are the rule rather
than the exception, but here in my little mid-western community, I am touched by the
spirit of "my life for yours" goodness which these moms exemplify.
I guess I just wanted to thank my local Little League Ladies for being a little taste of sweetness and light in this culture of death.
Despite what many in our culture are saying, it is honorable to live above our own selfishness. It is good to be nurturing and tender and loving. It is good not to treat children as disposable . They are not commodities to be ushered on and off the scene at our convenience.
A society which loses its sense of tender mercy toward "the least of these" is at risk of joining arms and falling in with the motley hordes of slavers, pimps and assorted goose-steppers which have haunted history since the beginning of time.
It is easy to go that way.
We are all in danger of succumbing to the siren call of selfishness.
Motherhood is just one of the vehicles of grace which rescues us from our relentless myopia. It is a conduit of that rare and inexplicable beauty that only happens when one life is voluntarily surrendered for the benefit of another--a picture which was painted in its fullness on the cross.
No matter how or when or why it comes, motherhood is a gift from God if we are willing to see it that way
I have been blessed by a mother who has poured herself into her family for 40 years. She amazes me every day.
I am proud to be the daughter-in-law of another such woman.
Today, I just want to take a moment to thank them both and to voice my appreciation to the many fine ladies--friends, relatives, and the friendly, faithful Little League moms in my small town--who have dedicated their lives to the fine art of Mothering.
You are all inspirations!
Happy Mother's Day!
Despite what many in our culture are saying, it is honorable to live above our own selfishness. It is good to be nurturing and tender and loving. It is good not to treat children as disposable . They are not commodities to be ushered on and off the scene at our convenience.
A society which loses its sense of tender mercy toward "the least of these" is at risk of joining arms and falling in with the motley hordes of slavers, pimps and assorted goose-steppers which have haunted history since the beginning of time.
It is easy to go that way.
We are all in danger of succumbing to the siren call of selfishness.
Motherhood is just one of the vehicles of grace which rescues us from our relentless myopia. It is a conduit of that rare and inexplicable beauty that only happens when one life is voluntarily surrendered for the benefit of another--a picture which was painted in its fullness on the cross.
No matter how or when or why it comes, motherhood is a gift from God if we are willing to see it that way
I have been blessed by a mother who has poured herself into her family for 40 years. She amazes me every day.
I am proud to be the daughter-in-law of another such woman.
Today, I just want to take a moment to thank them both and to voice my appreciation to the many fine ladies--friends, relatives, and the friendly, faithful Little League moms in my small town--who have dedicated their lives to the fine art of Mothering.
You are all inspirations!
Happy Mother's Day!
