Little Boy's Heroes

I realize that the last couple of posts were a little bit of a downer – I think sometimes it’s easier to write when you’re down, so I’m making a point this time to write something good.  And today was very good.

Actually, today kind of restored my faith in my fellow man.  Sound silly or overstated?  Well, perhaps.  But it did at least show me the kindness of men who by the world’s standard have every right to ignore a 6-year-old boy – but didn’t.

One of my favorite teams is the Phoenix Coyotes.  They are part of the NHL (that’s hockey) – which a lot of people find ironic, ice hockey in the desert.  For the record, it’s a great way to beat the heat.  But because of my Maine roots, hockey is part of a lot of good memories from the distant and not-so-distant past.  So imagine my delight when a few of my good friends here enjoy hockey as much as I do.  Imagine my greater delight when my husband and boys have discovered how much they like it too!

In fact, I’ve grown to love hockey enough that I let myself be talked into (okay, fine, it might have been my idea) going to “unofficial” practices.  Mostly because I’m a hockey nut and after a long, hot summer, I want my fix.  But a lot because it’s fun and a cool experience to see these nationally-known guys play – and play around – on a smaller rink at a local place with not too many people there watching.

Today we went to a practice - myself, 2 of my friends and one of my children (the other one opted for dove hunting with daddy).  While we were wandering around waiting for practice to start, the captain (!) came walking through, and stopped to talk to us.  He introduced himself (even though we obviously knew who he was), shook our hands, tried to get my little guy to talk, and was generally as nice as could be to a few rather silly-acting women who were a little star-struck.

That would have been enough – after all, he is one of my favorite players on the team, as well as the captain and known as a great guy.  We were all a little giddy, in spite of my husband’s text that he’s “just a man.”  We spent the next hour and half watching some very talented players work together and practice their skills and footwork.  It was a lot of fun, and while my youngest was a little squirrely, he thought it was terribly cool that he could be right up against the glass right next to where the players were.

When practice was done, the players began to filter out – and my son hung right by the railing where they exited the ice.  Honestly, he was just excited that they were going out right next to him (and I thought it was funny when he spooked the goalie going in – made the poor guy jump when he was exclaiming over them passing him).  Then one of the guys stopped, bumped knuckles with him through the wires, and then passed a puck to him.  You would have thought it was made of gold!  My little man played with it and carried it around for the next little while, totally happy with his souvenir.

Then, when nearly everyone was gone, one of the coaches – who was on the opposite side of the ice – waved us back over to the same exit that they had passed the puck through.  Coach had one of the players bring over a stick, an honest-to-goodness Bauer hockey stick that was taped and still wet and cold from being used in practice, and handed it up over the rail to give to Joe.  We were all in shock, and thanked the players and the coach over and over.  And my guy could barely stop jumping up and down, he was so excited!

It’s funny, he wanted immediately to try to play with it.  I have to add a picture of him, so you can see just how much bigger than him the stick is; impossible to play with, at least right now.  But he is so proud of it, I can’t even describe it properly.

Hard to tell, but the puck is in his right hand, and the stick stands at least foot taller than him in his left.  Future enforcer, that one is!

Sorry, letting my mommy pride get in the way.  Point in all this being, that these men, who by all rights didn’t need to pay special attention to us, went out of their way to be kind to a little boy who loves to watch hockey.  And doesn’t mind being dragged to the other end of the valley to watch them play.  But I am glad to know that there are noble-minded men out there that care about the kids that idolize them, and want to do a little something extra for a little boy who wants to be out there doing what they do.

Many thanks to the Coyotes, their captain Shane Doan, the coach whose name I don’t know, and the other players I did not recognize who helped make a little boy’s day – and his mom's, too.

Clevery Disguised

Most of the time I successfully masquerade as a responsible adult.  I go to work, pay my bills, take care of my family and my house, go to church, and basically do all those things that one would expect a typical married thirty-something to do.  And most of the time, I don’t have a problem with that.  I’ll admit, sometimes I sincerely wonder how I got to this point in my life, but I like my life.  God has been very good to me and mine.

Then are days like today – which is actually the culmination of a whole 2 weeks worth of kinda cruddy days and small disasters that span the full range of lost plugs for water bottles to undone homework and a sink perpetually full of dishes.  Life as normal, right?  But these are the days that I hear songs on the radio that talk about not being grown up, or escaping to the islands (yup, I’ve been listening to Kenney Chesney this morning), and wow, it just sounds so tempting.

I’ll tell you what – singing stars have it made.  Yes, I know that many of them live a totally degenerate lifestyle, and are so whacked out on drugs and booze that they can’t actually enjoy life.  But  there are those that live on a beach perpetually, or on an isolated ranch, or a beautiful home in the mountains.  And they get to go onstage and do what they love best over and over again – and get paid lots and lots of money to do it.  It’s the American dream for so many, to have that kind of fame and fortune.

Me?  I love to sing – but I don’t think I’d want the fame.  I don’t know, God hasn’t blessed me with that.  And the money would be nice – but I figure sometimes that God doesn’t bless me with riches because I can’t handle it properly yet.  (I’m getting there – the handling part, definitely not the rich part.)  But the part I sometimes envy is the ability and opportunity to disappear into their self-made bubbles and sometimes literal islands of privacy and forget the rest of the world exists.

Of course, I know that celebrities don’t actually have much privacy.  Even those who aren’t really celebrities per se, just folks with lots of money and power, don’t have privacy, or even peace of mind.  How many more worries do they have that I will never have to bother with at all?  I think I’ll take mine.

I’ll admit to entertaining thoughts of running away to the islands somewhere, or figuring out a way to be independently wealthy – with an emphasis on the “independently” part – and not have to deal with real life.  But even as I write this, I know God is nudging at me.  I am where I am for His greater purpose.  Even when I can’t see ‘round the next bend, or even the next step.  Even when I feel like life spins on around me without my say – God has a plan, and it is a good one.  (That’s a Jeremiah 29:11 paraphrase, one of my favorites.)  And because He started this good thing, He will complete it, too.

Even when being a grown-up is just a clever disguise….

Sorry, We're Closed

I’ve been remiss in writing, again.  I’ve been in somewhat of a funk the last few weeks, partly because of sickness, partly because the wacky weather.  Here in the desert we are in the middle of monsoon season.  Usually we look forward to this time of year because it brings much-needed rain – but this year we haven’t seen much of it.  Instead, we’ve been “enjoying” record-breaking high temperatures.  Yuck.

I don’t think it would affect me so badly except for the fact that I’ve become very spoiled for my lovely sunshiny days.  I shudder to think that the places I lived before coming to Arizona could sometimes count the number of sunny days in a month on one hand.  I’ve come to love the rain here (yes, us crazy desert dwellers really do go out and stand in it, my kids think it’s the best thing to play in!), but partly because it’s so rare.  This monsoon season, we’ve had a lot of cloud cover and dust storms, but not much rain to show for it.  That bugs me.  After all, if it’s going to be cloudy, it really ought to do something with it, right?

It kind of feels like the way life is right now.  My kids have started school again, soccer season begins next week, and suddenly my life seems like an unending circle of the mundane.  I know, I signed up for this – but when life gets grinding, it’s hard to see the bigger picture.

The other day on a local business, I saw a large sign: Closed for Summer.  Now, remember that we’ve had almost 30 days over 110 degrees this summer.  People don’t like to stay here when it’s that hot, and all our “tourism” happens in the winter, when it’s beautiful and non-snowy.  So lots of businesses cut down their hours and some, obviously, close altogether.  It’s kept me thinking, though.

There are so many days (weeks, months) when I wish I could hang out a “closed” sign.  Sometimes, I just want it for 5 minutes!  I am the type of person who has spent 20 years learning the hard way how to say no to people, and feeling I have to do more to be able to live up to others’ expectations.  But sometimes I wish it was so easy as to say, nope, sorry, I’m closed today.  To ditch my “responsible reflex” as a friend puts it, and go do what I want instead of what’s on the schedule.

When I am in the midst of these kind of funks like I’ve been experiencing for the last couple of weeks, I have to give myself something to look forward to.  But more importantly, I have to keep my eyes firmly fixed on Someone else besides myself.  I have been given the role I have in my own little world by the Creator Himself – who am I to ask for more, unless it is to glorify Him?  What a great privilege and responsibility to do what He has asked me, even if no one knows it but Him!

I’ll admit, sometimes I have to just keep repeating that to myself – it’s not an easy concept!  But knowing my family and responsibilities are given by Him helps me put my life in a better life, even when it’s a little rough.  And knowing He sees and knows – and more importantly, cares – gets me through a whole lot along the way.  

Everything Changes

I got to talk on the phone yesterday to a dear friend.  She left our town over a year ago, and though I’ve been able to see her a couple of times in the last year, soon she will be leaving for another country.  I’m so proud of her and her family, taking a major step in their lives and following God’s leading to be missionaries in Africa.  But I am selfishly wishing that they weren’t going.  Of course, I also selfishly wish that none of our kids (and I mean my other good friends and I as well) would get any older, because it causes change and separation.  And that we wouldn’t grow any older either (I mean, hey, while I’m dreaming of impossible things…).

               

 I’m afraid more than anything else I guess.  I don’t like change much – I like my lists and schedules and plans.  Even if I know God must snicker at them sometimes.  I don’t like that my kids may not remember their friends when they come back in 4 years.  And the phone call yesterday reminded me that phone calls won’t be easy or often from another country.  (makes me glad for internet – at least I can keep up with a blog and FB!)  So that call yesterday was more than just a conversation – it was a wonderful surprise and a treasured time. 

 Thankfully, it also reminded me that the relationships we have here may change, but our Father does not!  Praise God!  His love and care for us does not change, no matter how old we or our kids are or where we move to  - even when we don’t reciprocate!  He remains the same, yesterday, today, tomorrow.  And he wants us to have that relationship with Him, even – and maybe especially – when our lives change constantly around us.   I’m glad that something in my life remains constant.  In a world filled with change, it’s good to know He doesn’t.