October 2016 – Dayspring Disciples

And I hope you’ll let me tell this one.

You might remember that Marie broke her toe in Oregon last year on June 8th, but that it did not get diagnosed until July 30th, at which point we began treatment. She was frequently reassessed, but Marie ended up missing all but the last two games of her soccer season.

Of particular note was September 18th, 2015. We left the orthopedic office that day with news that Marie needed to continue to sit on the sidelines to allow her foot to heal. It was not the news she’d longed for and the tears (hers and mine) flowed freely with disappointment on the drive home. She didn’t have a case of “poor me” but rather just sheer sadness at a lost opportunity. After a few minutes of crying I gently started bringing her back to the truths we know. God is good, all the time. Nothing of her heartbreak was a surprise to Him, and He would somehow use all things for good according to His purpose. She was keenly responsive to these words of life and added many of her own. She remembered that God knows the plans He has for her, and we just prayed that He would help her through the hardness of it.

When this season came around she embraced it wholeheartedly. She’d been walking on the treadmill for months to build up endurance and was ready to hit the field. She’ll acknowledge alongside me that the first few games she was just a bit hesitant at times. She noticed how small some of the players were the first game and somewhere in her heart she just pulled back a bit at times. I think there was some sense of self-preservations there, too.

Then one game it switched. It was a game where (1) Daddy was able to come watch and (2) she had to play the entire game because there were only two girls there that day and the rules say two needed to be on the field at all times. She was making strong progress and then sprained her ankle at Community Bible Study. It was touch and go there emotionally for a few hours as Satan tried to speak words of doubt to her. With the help of the Holy Spirit her great attitude prevailed and she embraced healing like it was her job. She elevated and iced her leg for three days uninterrupted and was ready for practice 6 days later missing only one game (that we still attended and cheered on together.) Her game improved every single time she was on the field and it was exciting to watch her grow. Her one disappointment (hers, not ours!) was that she had not scored a goal.

SK red (Scarlet Knights red) made it to the play-offs with a record of 7-2. They lost their two games to Rapids Green and Rapids White in games 1 & 3 of the season.
They narrowly won their first play-off game against Scarlet Knights white in overtime with a penalty kick. It was so close.
They went to the next game against Rapids Green. It was freezing. It was an intense game. Our team won 3-2 and it was a nail biter.
The final game was against Rapids White. This team was undefeated in regular and post-season and we were playing on their field.

Because it was modified championship the commissioner was there and prayed for the players. The coaches then introduced the team members individually.

It was cold. And it was intense. The game was scoreless deep into the first half. Our team was racking up the shots-on-goal, but could NOT penetrate the net. Shortly before the end of the first half, Coach Marshall sent Marie out as striker (first row offense). John and I were standing on the sidelines close to her position and I confess wholeheartedly that I was like, “What?? Coach is doing what?” This was THE game they had to win and exactly when you’d expect a coach to only play the top scorers with proven records. But there she was. Right in front of us. And she played like she was a soccer-machine. The ball was hers and pity-the-fool that thought otherwise. She did not make a goal but watching her –right in front of us- was SO very, very awesome. I was thinking just then that at half-time I would tell John that she’d just had her personal best time on the field. I was so happy for her.

I ran to the bathroom and don’t-you-know Rapids White scored twice. Twice in rapid succession. Ugh.

The teams switched ends at half-time, so John, Tabitha, and I went down to the other side. Shortly into the second half, doesn’t coach send her in again in the exact same position! “For real?” Yup. For real. She was on the far side from us, so we had a great line of sight. And this is where it got crazy real.

SK red made a total of 25 shots on goal that day.
A team mate passed the ball toward Marie’s side of the field.
Marie met the ball and gave it a moderate kick. It was NOT a powerhouse drive. It was a perfunctory kick.
The ball rolled past the defender. The ball rolled past the goalie. The ball rolled over the line.
Marie scored a goal.

It was so unbelievable.

I remember my stunned ~~scream~~ cheer. I specifically remember that I was the only one who made any noise. I looked at John. There was this weird noiselessness. I said, “Was it real?”
He responded, “I don’t know. I think so.”

THEN we heard her team mates congratulating her and the crowd cheering and clapping. It was that unusual a goal.

AND IT WAS BEAUTIFUL!!!

And – I have to share this for completeness. I had had a repeating vision in my head for the past few weeks of Marie scoring in the final game of the year. But I kept scolding myself and telling myself I was being prideful. Her goal in this game looked exactly like what I’d been imagining. I can’t make this stuff up.

Her team never made another goal, and they ended the year in second place.

They took their “victory lap.”

And they ended their season on their knees.

As friends said goodbye, and parents cleaned up the field I worked hard to keep calm. I know there were a lot of hearts leaving a little sad that they had not won the championship. But all I was thinking was “YOU GOT A GOAL! YOU GOT YOUR GOAL!!!”

Marie was sad when we left. Not sad they’d lost. Sad that this year’s team was done. Sure, she can play again next year. But the make up will be different and the snapshot of this year is complete. A final page in one of her life chapters.

We did the unusual – John, Tab, Marie and I stopped at Applebees for dinner.

The thing is… This game was remarkable for Marie. It was like a giant hug from God.
Now – I’m not at all convinced that God cares all that much about sports. But for SURE God cares deeply for his children. He ministered to Marie. My mommy-heart is hope-filled that she will long hold on to the joy she felt seeing how God ironed out the details of this life event.

As I was sharing the wonder with one of Marie’s siblings they hesitated in joining me in joyfully exulting what God did for her. “How do you know it was God? Maybe it was just normal soccer.”

Ok. I can entertain that thought for a second. “OK. Let’s do that. Let’s NOT acknowledge the supernatural hand of God in this. YOUR SISTER is all that. Your SISTER is the MAN. She was the ONLY one to penetrate the toughest defense in the league.”

Either way it’s all good.

But really – it was a God-hug. A whisper, “I’ve got you.”

I don’t know how I get talked into these things. Well. Except. Look at those faces.

I will long remember this meal, however, for the conversation.

Somewhere along the line Johanna became fascinated with the origin of her ranch dressing. She asked me where it came from. I explained that the boy at the counter got it for me. She asked again where it came from. I explained it came from a box under the counter. She asked again where it came from. I asked her, “The box?”
“Yes!” she responded.
”From a truck. A truck brought it here.”
”How did they make the dressing?”
”How did they make the dressing?”
”Yes. How did they make it?”
”Um. A company made it and sent it here.”
She persisted, “But how did they MAKE it.”
I burst out laughing.
I went back and started to describe what I imagined the factory looked like. Something about a vat, and big stirrers, and squirting it into small containers and little lids getting sealed on it.
“Can you get the recipe?”
”What? Just eat it.”

As we were preparing to leave the husband and wife who had been sitting in a nearby booth told me how precious she had been and how much they’d enjoyed listening to our conversation.

It was too much.

McDonald’s chicken nugget ranch dip.

Who knew?