A Blessing through the Tears

I figured I needed the weekend to cool down before I wrote about this. But boy was I fuming Thursday night. And really, the reason why I am writing this, isn't to just talk about what made me mad, but what the blessing was through the bad situation. That God's blessings are everywhere at all times. Even in bad situations. Even in hard times. And oh yes, He responds to prayer...

We had a soccer game Thursday night. It was at Pinson Valley. We have already played this team once this year and they mercy ruled us but it was in the second half and honestly I must have not dwelled on it too much because my guys really stepped it up and did some great things - despite the loss that time. I truly thought the coach did some things as well to "slow down" the scoring (i.e. put bench players in).  Going into Thursday night's game, I expected a mercy rule game again but not like how it actually happened.

To preface the night, my prayer was for an opportunity to speak more truth/more life lessons to my guys. So the game starts. And Pinson Valley just comes at us, I mean COMES at us. One goal within the first 2 minutes, another shortly following, on and on and on until 11 goals ended the first half, which then ends the game (because we hadn't scored one). We had 11 players - no subs - they were exhausted but they hung in there until the end as best as they could. I was fuming. I was livid. Their coach was doing NOTHING to slow down the scoring. If anything, it felt like he was promoting it. How could he do this to us? Didn't he have any sympathy? We weren't a threat to his team in any way, yet it didn't stop him from pounding us. But I couldn't say anything. Because when I get mad, I get emotional. My heart was hurting for my guys having to endure this. I was so mad at this coach for doing this to us. But like I said, I couldn't say anything to him - I would've broken down in tears most likely and that would've just been a mess :)

So I said nothing to the coach (other than blatently not making eye contact or speaking anything to him during the handshake line at the end of the game). But I did speak to my guys. I brought them all in at the end of the game and gave them this "life lesson": I told them I was proud of them first of all for not quitting. I told them it sucks losing. I told them we are going to go through games like this. But I told them to remember how they feel right now after losing like that. Because one day (whether it's in soccer or not) they are going to be on the other side - on the winning side - and they need to know what that other person or team is feeling. They need to know how it hurts and hopefully they think twice about doing it.

Thank the Lord I had my sunglasses on because my eyes were filled with tears. Somehow though I got through it without breaking down and with only a slight quiver in my voice. I think the guys could see something was different with me but I got through it. And I won't lie, on the way home, I cried and cried and cried. I just had to let it out. And I prayed. And I thanked God for giving me that opportunity (like I had prayed for, remember?) to give them that "life lesson." I am so thankful for my relationship with Jesus. And I am so thankful that I can see the blessings...even through the tears.

"Our greatest fear should not be of failure, but of succeeding at things in life that don't really matter."