For those who know me, they know that there are few things that scare me. Bridges scare me! Speaking in public scares me! But generally, I will try anything, with an open mind. This weekend I was called to attend a weekend of spiritual renewal at a camp with about 35 other women. On Thursday evening, I arrived and was the most frightened I have ever been. I was sobbing and shaking, similar to what happens to me when I cross the Bay Bridge and if it hadn't been so dark on that mountain, I probably would have grabbed my suitcase and hiked on out of there! I wasn't sure where that fear was coming from; perhaps it was the unknown; perhaps it was because I was with "strangers" or perhaps it was the fear of what I would learn this weekend, about myself and what God's plans for me are.
At this crossroad in my life, where I am transitioning from being a full time babysitter for grandkids, which I have done for the past eight years, to trying to figure out what is next for me, I pray often for God to direct me, to show me what I am to do next. The problem isn't that God hasn't been answering my prayers, the problem is that I have not been listening. He has been telling me all along, but in fear, I have chosen to answer Him with, "Really God? Do you know who you are talking to?" and I'd continue to pray, hoping to get a different answer. But God is persistant and unwavering. His plans for me have long been mapped out.
Jeremiah 29:11 "For I know the plans I have for you," says the Lord. "They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope." (NLT) I know I reference that scripture often in my blogs, but I am more and more learning to trust in those words as I see God's plans unfold.
Fear is a destructive and unproductive emotion. Fear will rob you of joy; it will keep you from receiving the blessings God has for you; and it will leave paralyzed. In the Gospel of Matthew chapter 14, Jesus was praying alone while the disciples waited on the boat. Winds had caused the boat to drift a considerable distance from the shore and Jesus went to them walking on the lake. The disciples where scared to death, thinking He was a ghost and they cried out in fear. Jesus told them, "Take courage! It is I. Don't be afraid." Peter, still unsure, questioned Jesus. "Lord, if this is you, tell me to come to you on the water." "Come," Jesus said and Peter stepped out of the boat, walked on the water and towards Jesus, but fear took over and he took his eyes off Jesus and began to sink. He cried out, "Lord save me!" Jesus took his hand and caught him saying, "You of little faith, why do you doubt?"
Fear, keeps us in the boat! Very often, God calls us to do things that we are afraid to do. But if we fix our eyes on Him and step out onto the water in faith, we will not sink. His mighty hand is there ready to catch us. I can't avoid bridges; they are everywhere. For now, I can safely hide behind the words of my blog, but if God calls me to speak, I will have to trust in Him to not let me sink. Jeremiah 17:7 "Blessed are those who trust in the Lord, whose trust IS the Lord."
Over and over again this past weekend, God gently (and sometimes not so gently) revealed to me what He wants me to do next and I am scared! But, I will cast my anxiety on Him, 1 Peter 5:7, "Cast all your anxiety on Jesus because He cares for you." I've decided, I'm getting out of the boat, how about you?
Until next time, I got one leg over the side!
God Bless,
Cat
Thursday, October 13, 2011
Tuesday, October 4, 2011
What's in Your Playbook?
I have fretted over this blog for the past couple of days. I knew I needed to write it but I had to be sure that my words would be edifying instead of accusatory. This is a bit different from my typical blogs but felt it was important just the same.
I attended my grandson's football game on Friday evening. I am not talking about college or high school football, no I am talking about 5 and 6 year old football. I don't even know what they call it; pee-wee league maybe? What I do know is that I am very impressed with how far those little guys have come since the first days of practice when they were more concerned with picking dandelions and being able to hold their heads up under the weight of the helmets then who had the ball and making a tackle. The little men on the field Friday night were focused and having fun; taking direction from their coaches and showing great examples of good sportsmanship.
This leads me to the point of this blog. I am all about cheering on your favorite team and especially encouraging your son, daughter, grandson or granddaughter in whatever sport they choose to participate in. I was quite the "football Mom" myself when my son's played ball. However, what I experienced at this game on Friday night, I found appalling. While these 5 and 6 year olds were reaching out a hand to help up a player from the other team the spectators on the sideline were exhibiting anything but good sportsmanship.
On more than one occasion, I witnessed an adult from the other team come to the sideline of the opposing team to "taunt" the spectators and parents of that team. I heard as adults encouraged these children to fight another child; to take their legs out and to hurt them. Not that it is right to encourage this kind of behavior at any point but these are 5 year olds people! The adults in these children's lives are charged with the awesome responsibility to raise them up to be kind and respectful young men and yes that includes good sportsmanship. Encouraging your "child" to be the best that they can be at whatever they do, is vitally important but it is equally important for them to realize that how they conduct themselves in obtaining a goal is a stamp on their character. I had to wonder what kind of example these adults were exhibiting for these young kids.
I, in no way, am a perfect parent and have made my share of child rearing mistakes, but I can say that there is a fine line between cheering on a child and encouraging them to inflict harm, either by words or actions. As I continued to watch these enthusiastic little guys play the game the best they could, I was totally impressed with the way that they handled themselves. They encouraged each other (even the opposing players); they helped each other up and cheered for both sides of the ball. That's good sportsmanship and I could only hope that the adults on the sideline took a page from their playbook and learned a valuable lesson. I certainly did!
We teach our children to walk, to talk, to ride a bike, and to play football, but character is learned by the examples they have to follow. If you want a child to have a vulgar mouth, use vulgar language around them; if you want a child to be aggressive and mean, then be mean and aggressive around them. However, if you want a child to be respectful, show respect; if you want a child to be humble, show humility and if you want a child to be of good character, exhibit good character. We are writing on the playbook of their lives everyday! What is in your Playbook?
I would like to take one more moment to thank all of the coaches who work so hard with these little men. The patience and encouragement that they show toward these kids is truly inspirational and I, for one, appreciate it.
Until next time...Go Team!
God bless,
Cat
I attended my grandson's football game on Friday evening. I am not talking about college or high school football, no I am talking about 5 and 6 year old football. I don't even know what they call it; pee-wee league maybe? What I do know is that I am very impressed with how far those little guys have come since the first days of practice when they were more concerned with picking dandelions and being able to hold their heads up under the weight of the helmets then who had the ball and making a tackle. The little men on the field Friday night were focused and having fun; taking direction from their coaches and showing great examples of good sportsmanship.
This leads me to the point of this blog. I am all about cheering on your favorite team and especially encouraging your son, daughter, grandson or granddaughter in whatever sport they choose to participate in. I was quite the "football Mom" myself when my son's played ball. However, what I experienced at this game on Friday night, I found appalling. While these 5 and 6 year olds were reaching out a hand to help up a player from the other team the spectators on the sideline were exhibiting anything but good sportsmanship.
On more than one occasion, I witnessed an adult from the other team come to the sideline of the opposing team to "taunt" the spectators and parents of that team. I heard as adults encouraged these children to fight another child; to take their legs out and to hurt them. Not that it is right to encourage this kind of behavior at any point but these are 5 year olds people! The adults in these children's lives are charged with the awesome responsibility to raise them up to be kind and respectful young men and yes that includes good sportsmanship. Encouraging your "child" to be the best that they can be at whatever they do, is vitally important but it is equally important for them to realize that how they conduct themselves in obtaining a goal is a stamp on their character. I had to wonder what kind of example these adults were exhibiting for these young kids.
I, in no way, am a perfect parent and have made my share of child rearing mistakes, but I can say that there is a fine line between cheering on a child and encouraging them to inflict harm, either by words or actions. As I continued to watch these enthusiastic little guys play the game the best they could, I was totally impressed with the way that they handled themselves. They encouraged each other (even the opposing players); they helped each other up and cheered for both sides of the ball. That's good sportsmanship and I could only hope that the adults on the sideline took a page from their playbook and learned a valuable lesson. I certainly did!
We teach our children to walk, to talk, to ride a bike, and to play football, but character is learned by the examples they have to follow. If you want a child to have a vulgar mouth, use vulgar language around them; if you want a child to be aggressive and mean, then be mean and aggressive around them. However, if you want a child to be respectful, show respect; if you want a child to be humble, show humility and if you want a child to be of good character, exhibit good character. We are writing on the playbook of their lives everyday! What is in your Playbook?
I would like to take one more moment to thank all of the coaches who work so hard with these little men. The patience and encouragement that they show toward these kids is truly inspirational and I, for one, appreciate it.
Until next time...Go Team!
God bless,
Cat
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