Baseball is in the house

We've been watching a lot of baseball lately.

"Why?" you ask?

Well, if you haven't heard, the Texas Rangers are in the World Series, which started last night.

If you're not from around here, that's a pretty big deal. It's their first WS appearance. EVER.

Now, we are not a huge sports family. We like our Aggie football and such, but overall, pro sports have not been a big deal to us. But the Rangers are a little different for me.

This is a team I really did grow up with. Since they were rarely winning, tickets were always cheap and we went to games pretty often. I remember getting Steve Buchele's autograph. My mom has always been a huge Ranger fan and I think she has that baseball card, now.

This is also a team that is really just a lot of fun to watch right now.

And then there is a certain player who is a sold-out Christian and shares his daily battle against addiction with the world. I loved being able to wake up the next morning after they won the American League Championship and Josh Hamilton was awarded the AL MVP and show my kids this video of his acceptance and explain that this was part of why them winning was such a big deal. That a memeber of our community had and, better yet, took the opportunity to give the glory to God and proclaim His name before 50,000 people and millions on television. The amount of press that he has received these last few days has been immense. And just about every time you see him, he is proclaiming God's goodness. Now, that is something I can get with.

And all the baseball we've been watching has renewed an interest in it for my little man. In fact, we took baseball gear with us to his sister's soccer practice last night so he could practice.

It is so... dang... CUTE!!!

Fast forward to Game 1 last night. *sigh*

All I can say is that while I have been super impressed with him as a pitcher, Cliff Lee had better watch out. There might be a 5 year old who wants his job.



We have not given up hope, though. We have faith in you, Texas Rangers! We know you can do it! Because you have already brought baseball back into our house.

Training up my own child

I wanted to share with you our little story from this last weekend. I got an email a few weeks ago about tickets to attend the taping at Life Today with Beth Moore for their Wednesdays with Beth segments for last weekend.  I have been before, but through the series of circumstances that led to me getting the tickets this time, I came to really see the Holy Spirit being in charge and that something great was up. I had no idea, however, what it would be.

I texted a faithful bff and sister in the faith immediately and we were both totally on board to go. I then contacted a couple of other friends in the area. One already had tickets, but the other did not. At this point 3 out of the 4 of my tickets were spoken for.

That last ticket… it was a toughie.  One of my friends had a woman on her heart that has been going through a difficult time and we both tried everything we could think of to convince her to come with us. But it was not to be.

I finally had the idea to invite my 9 year old daughter to come with us for the Friday night session. She was unsure about it, but the clincher was when I told her that dad and brother would just be watching the baseball game (the Rangers) again that night… she was MORE than willing to get out of the house at that news. HA! At the same time I continued to try to get someone to take the ticket for Saturday.

Friday night came and it was just so wonderful. Sarah sat nearly on the edge of her seat the entire time. Bible open, highlighter and pen in hand; taking notes and highlighting important words and phrases in her Bible.

It was the most precious sight for this mother’s eyes to see.

At the end of the evening the Life Today staff began talking about the next day’s schedule. Sarah looked at me and said, “Y’all are doing this tomorrow, too?”

“Yes,” I replied. “I didn’t figure you’d come since you have a soccer game and stuff. Do you want to come back tomorrow?”

“Oh mom, yes! This is SO worth it.”

Well… how can you argue with that, I ask you?

She was up the next morning before I even got the chance to go wake her up. She was ready. Hungry and ready. (I’m about to tear up just writing this.)

It was so clear by mid-way through Saturday’s sessions that the 4^th ticket was intended for her the whole time. God had reserved her a spot and wouldn’t let me give it to anyone else.

You see, the Lord has just been pressing down on me and putting on my heart with such heaviness the urgency concerning the spiritual education of my children. He has just opened my eyes to the need for parents like myself to really model what “Training up [your own] child” looks like for other parents. We can’t put the responsibility on anyone else if we want to take every step possible to turn around the current trend of young adults leaving the church and their faith behind in droves never to return.  We can’t continue to expect that our kids are getting everything they need from a 1 hour Sunday school class once a week.  We can’t continue to  allow someone else to be the model for them.  That is our job as their parents and we need to take it on. 

What an opportunity this was for me to share in some Bible teaching with my daughter and allow her to see the beauty of women gathering together and loving on one another in the name of Christ. It was also an opportunity for obedience and for me to live out what I’ve been saying with my mouth: I will not be held captive by my kids’ sports schedules; it’s not the most important thing. It really felt like this was God saying, “Are you going to walk what you talk?” I think I passed the test.

And the Lord blessed me with being able to see a little of the fruit of our labor over the last 9 years.  It is such an encouragement to me to keep on and even step it up.

What to do when you have a tooth fairy fail

We’ve all been there, right?

Child loses tooth.

Child puts tooth under pillow (or in tooth box).

And somehow amidst dishes, work, laundry, housework and watching the Rangers beat up on the Yankees (well maybe that’s just me), the tooth fairy messes up and the tooth remains and the money is absent.

So, what do you do?

I got some ideas from some friends on Twitter today. So here’s my top 5 things to do when you experience a tooth fairy fail:

1.  The tooth fairy doubles the loot when she is too busy to make it to a home one night. (via @Dinnersforayear)

2.  Sneak the money under pillow now and have the child look again. Maybe she didn't take tooth because she got a phone call in the middle; a tooth emergency called her away. (via @alisonzajac)

3.  Hide the $$ under the bed. Ask if she looked everywhere...when found...all is good. (via @laughingmomma)

4.  If your son or daughter still believes in an actual tooth fairy, it may be time to fess up.

This last one is how it went for us today since I don’t think Sarah has ever believed in an actual tooth fairy, but knows it’s just something fun for parents to do with their kids.  (This was not necessarily by design, but just how it worked out in our family.)

5.  Apologize and, if possible, use it as a spiritual training moment. 

Her dad explained that he has been stressed and worried about some work things and that like Ahaz that we have been studying this last week in our BSF Isaiah Bible study, he hasn’t been trusting God with it.  The consequence of which was him forgetting about her tooth.

Thankfully, we have a daughter who is just so easy going that she took it all in stride.  We’ll make up for it, but I’m also thankful that Mike didn’t miss the opportunity for the spiritual lesson along the way.

So… what funny or serious things do you do when you have a tooth fairy fail moment?  Come one… we’ve ALL had them.  Fess up!

Your dachshund might be spoiled if…

Your dachshund might be spoiled if you take her to soccer practice and let her ride in the front seat with you.

And then while teaching your daughter how to walk her, you say:  “She’s not in charge. Be the person. You be in charge.”

And you realize that doesn’t match up with what’s going through your head:  “Of course she’s in charge.  She knows it and would have it no other way.”