for all of you have been sitting on the edge of your seat dying to know how the talk of puberty went with my 10 year old daughter, your wait is no more. i spoke with her yesterday. sadly, she knew most of what i told her either because we had indeed discussed it before, or because she has seen/heard things from her older step sister while spending her summers in florida with her father. *sigh* thankfully though, there was no traumatic, fearful looks coming from her end....only mine as she told me what she already knew. i was able to grab her attention when i started talking about how she may become moody and emotional as her hormones try to balance themselves out, to which i finished that conversation with, "no worries though, it's nothing i can't knock out of you."
last night 10 year old had her basketball banquet. while all the other kids received their trophy, her aunt and i were standing expectantly ready to video and snap the *moment* when she accepted her award for a season well done. trophy after trophy was given out until we heard "okay, did everyone get a trophy?" her hand shot up, i sat down immediatley because i felt my face getting hot...someone was going to be in trouble. from day one this season i have had isolated incidences with their coach, his "better than everyone else" wife, and the lack of communication with me, and lack of care for my daughter. this was NOT the trophy that someone should've "forgotten." she was told not to worry about it and maybe they'd find hers in another box as they passed out the other teams' trophies. it wasn't in there. i looked at my husband and said through clenched teeth some words that don't normally come out of my mouth. 10 year old didn't seem to care though..in fact later she told me she didn't really want to go up there anyway and accept it because it would've been embarassing. there goes the coach, by himself, out the side door. i'm not letting him get very far....my purse that was on my lap was slammed down in fury on a nearby chair, and as i pushed past small children and standing adults, all i could see was red. after all the frustrations i've had, after wanting to pull her out of basketball so many times because of crap like this, after all of that and more, now she doesn't get a trophy???!!!! i didn't know where he went, but i stood and waited outside of a bathroom door. he came out seconds later and was greeted by my face of anger and hurt for my daughter. OR, was it anger and hurt for me because i felt i had personally been wronged by what had taken place? after all, my daughter had the most amazing attitude about it and she didn't care much. she just wanted to eat the pizza and go swimming with her friends.
"what happened?!" arms up in the air questioning this man that looked so oblivious to what the problem was. wife enters the situation, she must have seen me go after him, oddly enough during this entire exchange, she doesn't say a word, nor look at me or acknowledge i'm inches away from her husband's face.
"i don't know, but i'm sorry."
"i don't want an apology, i want an explanation."
"i don't know what happened, they had the list of the players' names on it."
"WAS HER NAME ON IT?"
"yeah."
"so, that's it????" i was shocked the man had nothing else to say and was standing there acting as if i was crazy for even asking.
"no, she'll get one. i promise."
"she better because it's important to her." emphasis on her. i could care less at this point, other than using her basketball trophy for batting practice.
even later as i walked past the coach, he reassured me "don't worry, she's going to get a trophy." a short "okay" was my only response. her poor aunt was crying, david and i were fuming, and my daughter...well...she went swimming for almost 2 hours with her baby sister and friends and all was well. i am grateful david let me handle this situation, as he later told me while we were by the indoor pool that he wanted to walk over to that coach and blow up. he has seen 10 year old and myself being frustrated all season long by this man and his equally frustrating wife, and he was ready to blow a fuse. thankfully he holds his tongue much better than i.
while we sat and talked, i kept telling david i didn't understand why i was so angry. i didn't think it was a purposeful thing, i just think someone made a huge mistake. then my mind started racing and i thought that yes, the coach's wife who was in charge of it all could very well have done this on purpose as i have called her husband and pitched a fit over his lack of communication with the players. my anger buildt and buildt until this morning, still angry and fuming, i finally said, "no more. God, take my anger, i forgive them. the coach and his wife. i pray they have a blessed day with their family. vengeance is Yours if You choose to use it. i forgive them. i forgive them. i forgive them. oh Father bless them today." i have felt great and at peace ever since.
i have used situations like this before in previous blogs to make the point i'm about to make. but the point is so good, and our hearts are so in need of being reminded of this, that i couldn't let this opportunity slip by. if i had gotten that angry about an injustice with my child, how much more does our Heavenly Father get angry and hurt and defensive over His children? my love for 10 year old is small, God's love is so big. we are told to pray for our enemies and to bless those who curse us...because if we don't pray this prayer..God may very well pour out His wrath. there's no telling how far our Daddy will go to protect and defend His kids when we are hurting and mistreated and abused. if your heart, if your life has been laid down and exhanged for our Savior's grace and mercy, then YOU are a child of the King. YOU are a prince, a princess. YOU are mightily loved, and wonderfully shielded and protected. so when we hurt, we really should pray for those hurting us, for His mercy to fall on whomever or whatever it is. and all the while, having a wonderful attitude like my daughter; smiling, saying "it's okay. it's okay."
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