I am so proud of my boys! (And then a few soccer photos from yesterday!)

Today is just one of those days when I just want to shout, "Yea God!" One of those moments when God allows us a glimpse into the work that He is doing in the hearts of our children...

I'll start with Nick... For some reason our neighbor has had a really hard time with Zack and Nick... Maybe she just doesn't like teens, I don't know, but she has been unfairly hard on them. After I got over my mother bear instincts, we decided that we would just keep being nice to her, no matter how she treated us...

Things have been better lately and on Friday, she asked if Nick would finish cutting her backyard for her since she had to go out of town. He agreed but wasn't able to do it until late yesterday because of rain and soccer games...

He got the job done, but then it looked really funny because the part she had cut had already grown a good bit, so today I suggested that Nick take a few minutes and go ahead and cut the part she had already done.

Well, I didn't know it until much later, but not only did he finish the back, he went and cut her front yard too (without being asked!!)!! When she called to find out how much she owed him (she had offered to pay him)... He told her that he would only charge her for the part she had asked him to do, he just wanted to do the rest!

When I told him how proud I was of him, he smiled and said, "Well you said to be kind to her!" Guess what...they really do listen!!

But then I took the kids to dinner and Zack said, "You know how you always tell me that if I just won't participate when the other kids curse or talk about inappropriate things, they'll eventually notice that something is different? Well, they're starting to notice."

Turns out a small group he's in, in one of his classes, finished their assignment and they just started talking... Zack stayed in the group, but he didn't participate in the conversation and at one point one of the seniors said, out of the blue, "You're a big Christian aren't you?" Not big, like big and holier than thou...but big...like it's important to you. Zack just said, "Yeah...I am."

I was so proud of him that the young man noticed... I always love the question, "If you were on trial for being a Christian, would there be enough evidence to convict you?" I guess Zack got his answer... but I also love that he didn't shy away from answering either!

I also learned tonight that Zack took a bunch of business cards that we have at church for inviting people to church and handed them out at school (about a month ago)...I love that he's not afraid to be identified with his faith!

In Colossians 4:5-6, Paul writes, "⁵Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity. ⁶Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone."

I think both of the boys did a great job modeling exactly what Paul is teaching...I have so much to learn from them!

Now...a quick update from yesterday's soccer game...game 2 of State Cup...they won again!! It was so exciting...now they have to win next weekend to go to the next round...it will be a really tough game but it can be done...here are some of my favorite shots from yesterday...the last two are the best of the day!

Way to go guys!! Win again!!

State Cup...Game 1...Zack is Back!!!

State Cup for soccer began today and finally Zack is back! 8 weeks out with a high ankle sprain... it's so much fun watching him play again! The team looked so much better today...we won!! 1-0 and even though it got really nasty on the field, it was so much better on the side lines... of course, I had a hard time keeping my mouth closed...it was some of the WORST refereeing I've seen in a long time!

So here are some of my favorite shots of the day... In this first one, you can see how Zack really got his hair cut...he thinks it's too short, but I really like it!

In the second 2 shots, this play made me really mad, especially after I saw the photos...look at what the other player is doing, how he wrapped his legs around Zack's leg...he could have broken Zack's leg...torn his ACL...it could have been really bad...even THEIR parents were amazed at how quickly Zack got up... And to think that their coach was whining about our players... I think he needs to focus on how nasty his own team is...

The next two are R... he had an AMAZING game...if they gave MVP's for each game, it would go to him and our goalie who was incredible!!

This last one is a beautiful save by our goalie...we actually have two goalies...they have been incredible this season...

Way to go guys...great game!! Game 2 tomorrow afternoon!

Today Should Have Been A Fun Day, But...

The weather was beautiful, Zack was finally able to play soccer for the first, real time in 2 months because of an ankle injury. The icing on the cake was that we didn't have any other conflicting commitments, so the whole family was able to go and our best friend's daughter, K., had agreed to join us to keep Abby and Mackenzie company. We took two cars because in between his two games, the girls had plans to go see the Hannah Montana movie (which by the way is GREAT!)...

I was so looking forward to today... I LOVE soccer and it is so much fun to watch at this level of competition...and I have really missed watching Zack play.

So it really should have been a fun day, but... there were parents there today. You know, I'll be the first to admit that I have said things before that I shouldn't have. I'm still ashamed of how I behaved at a game a couple of years ago...

The refereeing gave new meaning to pathetic, every body was up in arms. I didn't say anything horribly ugly, but my voice was among the many picking on one of the referees. At one point, when things got really bad, this other mom that I loved being around, got up and walked away. That stopped me in my tracks...

The next day I went to her and apologized for my behavior and acknowledged her wisdom in moving away from the crowd... she very wisely looked at me and said, "I was angry too, and I just know in those situations how easy it is to get caught up in the mob mentality." Ouch...'mob mentality...' that's EXACTLY like we had behaved. And how would I have felt if that had been Zack refereeing that game? I would have been a mama bear! Regardless of how that kid was calling the game, he didn't deserve what he got that day...no one does.

So back today... my intent in writing this post is not to judge or even maliciously criticize... my heart is finally in the right place after a nice long walk with Chris Tomlin blaring on my IPOD...

But, my intent is hopefully to challenge anyone who is reading this post to think... It's a game... Nothing of any value is at stake... It won't affect their future in any way... Their college or professional careers (even if they're that talented) are not on the line... It's JUST a game...

But today, it was so much more than that...at least from the way the parents behaved... One mom yelled at me for having my chair 3 feet over the midfield line on their side of the field. I heard curse words...BS, the 'F' word and other choice words... a dad, in another game, threw his cup of coffee at the field... and a parent applauded a player for getting a yellow card for going into a tackle with cleats up...an incredibly dangerous and illegal move...and one dad, for the other team, looked at ME and threatened to kick one of our dad's 'a'... I hadn't said a word, I was just standing there taking pictures!

How sad is it that you can't take young children to the soccer field without having to be concerned about the language they will hear?

Funny, my cousin asked me just yesterday if soccer parents were any better than baseball parents... S., if you're reading this... I change what I told you...the answer is a resounding 'NO!"

At first I was really angry about the whole thing... Why can't we all just behave like adults and cheer our children on...win or lose...play well or not? Why do we have to behave like there's something significant at stake? News Flash...there is absolutely NOTHING at stake.

Yes, I love it when they win...it's fun...but when the whistle blows, it doesn't mean a thing about those boys...just that one team lost and one team won. But how they behave on the field, says EVERYTHING about their character...and that does matter in the long run.

Not surprisingly, the kids weren't much better than the parents... Zack complained because it seemed that wherever he was on the field, the ball was played to the other side. The coach put him on the left, and the other team played the ball to the right side...the coach moved him to the right side...and the other team played it to the left. I just smiled and said a little prayer of "thank you." As nasty as it was on the field, maybe God was just looking after him! Clearly though, the kids were just acting out what had been modeled for them... How sad..

So, I'm not really mad any more, just sad... From the overflow of the heart, come the words of the mouth... What today really did was allow me a glimpse into some hearts... What I saw was anger and bitterness... A world that seriously has it's priorities all mixed up.

If you have kids in sports, remember, no matter what level of play it is, it is just a game... No one's life is at stake... But what our children see reflected in OUR character, is what we'll see reflected back in theirs.

Just Bummed...

I am so bummed right now...Zack had a soccer game this afternoon and about 15 minutes into the game, he got hurt. Usually, he jumps right up, no matter how hard the hit and keeps going, but I could tell today was different.

He got up, but with a major limp... He kept playing, but then the coach realized that he was hurt and pulled him out. I watched him head to the sidelines and immediately pull of his sock and shoe and the next thing I knew, his teammate was heading for us...

Right now his ankle is somewhere between the size of a golf ball and a baseball... He heard two pops when it happened, not exactly encouraging. He LOVES to play soccer so much, and I LOVE watching him play. It would break his heart and mine if this turns out to be more than a bad sprain, we'll see tomorrow...we may be headed to the doctor (actually, I'm pretty certain we're headed to the doctor, unless a miracle happens over night.)!

I guess you could be thinking...it's just soccer...and you'd be right, but he's played since he was 4 years old, he's really good and he loves it. It wouldn't be the end of the world, but he has such a GREAT coach right now who is teaching him so much, it would just be a really hard loss for him right now. And, as I'm sure you know, that's hard for a mom to watch.

Well, God's plans are perfect and even if it's more than a sprain, I'll thank Him because He may be protecting Zack from something far worse than just a sprain... The games have been particularly violent lately.

Here's picture from today and one of Zack from last week... I don't have any of Zack today... If you think of it, would you say a little prayer for him? Thanks in advance...

Can this guy fly or what?!

Last week

The Cheering Section!

Zack did the driving portion of Driver's Ed over the last couple of weeks. We found this sign in our yard last weekend!! K., in the picture above with Abby and Mackenzie, put this together with her dad (our neighbors and closest friends.)! It was a hoot to watch people driving by, slow down, read it and just smile!

Have a great week!

A Weekend of Soccer

I love going to Zack's soccer tournaments and Scott is so gracious to give me this pleasure... I admit, I should probably insist that he go, at least once in a while, but I LOVE having the time with Zack, I don't get that very often so my wonderful husband sends me off and stays behind to man the house (literally)!

Just a side note, he even cleans while I'm gone! And I'm not one of you amazing wives who has it all together and leaves the freezer fully stocked with meals, so he has to cook too! AND...drumroll...he painted Abby's fingernails (he might have a word with me for telling you that...LOL, but I thought it was so sweet!)!!

So, this weekend was Zack's first tournament with his new team. Last spring he was invited to play on his club's Premier team and I admit, I was pretty nervous about this first tournament... This is soccer at a whole new level...the kids are way bigger...and they hit HARD!

But I was so proud of Zack and several of the other young men who also moved up...they really rose to the occassion! It was a new challenge for this soccer mom's photography skills too... The action is so much faster...but by the 3rd game, I was starting to get the hang of it... So, tonight I'm just going to post some of my favorite photos from the weekend! I'll start with my favorites of Zack, but I've got to throw in some of his teammates too... They are amazing soccer players! So much fun to watch! Oh, they went 1-1-1 for the tournament, but they played great!

Tomorrow I'll tell you a story that is only possible in God's economy...when 66 really equals 68!

As an added bonus this weekend, one of the other families, who were with us in China, were at the same tournament! Their son's team won their championship! Congratulations Joel-B! Zack and I got to have dinner with them on Saturday night, it was so great to get to see them again!

See you tomorrow...