Humble Pie Anyone?

So tonight Colby coached in a playoff game.  A very intense, well-fought, and fiercely played playoff game.  As the boys played their little hearts out, the refs...in my humble opinion...could not have been worse.  It was just one of those games that I thought, "My husband works HOURS everyday to be successful, and you come in  and make GAME changing calls that throw everything they have done out the window and this is just a part time job for you.  You didn't even have to go to college for this."  Now...can refs make a team lose...no...however, they can make winning much more difficult when they take goals away from you and count goals that never actually cross the goal line.  Needless to say, I was a little bitter with the ref and the other team in general.  After overtime and a shootout, the Pirates did not come out on the winning side of the game.  It was even more heart breaking for the Seniors for whom this was the last game of high school soccer they will every play.  As my husband was consoling his kids, I became even more bitter than I already was on behalf of all involved on the Pirate team.  I looked at the other team and I thought, "You want to win cheating, go for it." I rolled my eyes, thought very rude thoughts about them,  and made my way out to the parking lot. Here I saw one of our players go up to the opposing team's coach, tell him congratulations, and even shake his hand without a remnant of bitterness, malice, or hate in his voice.  And I thought, "Wow.  A teenager is acting like more of an adult than I am, and he has far more reason to be upset than I do.  If he can get over it, I can too."

Life lessons.  They are about as fun as getting a splinter and taste about as good as humble pie. The teenager, he gets it.  Love God. Love People.  Easily said, not always as easily done. I hope one day, I can be as mature as that teenager.  Until then, I will thank God for the grace he gives me daily and stay far away from anything wooden. ;)