From the Grateful Heart of a High School Football Mom
I clench my hands together and lean forward on the metal stands, my eyes focused on the boy in the black cleats. The ball snaps. He pushes forward. The running back flies through tackles for another gain. In my excitement, I yell and cheer and stomp my feet.
Tonight, the air crackles with excitement. The score is close, the evening weather is cool with the first hints of fall, and our boys are playing hard, scrappy football. We get a win. Hugs, cheers, and the fight song ripple through the stands. My phone buzzes, full of celebratory texts with other mommas anxiously waiting on scores and game updates.
After the victory, in a moment of reflection, my heart fills with gratitude for all we’ve learned—and are continuing to learn—within this game.
Shoes, sprinkles and satchels
I’m thankful for those who walk a yard ahead. When my son began school sports, I let my mind wander to the grossness that lived on the locker room floor, and worried enough about the germs to actually gag. After the weekend the gym bag accidentally went unpacked and the odor began to permeate our home, I unsuccessfully tried all the tricks I knew to quell the stench. I quickly learned to tap into the collective wisdom of moms who have older sons and have tips to share—including those for shower shoes, smell-good laundry sprinkles and charcoal satchels for the athletic bag to keep the stink at bay.
Seasons
I’m grateful to witness the change in seasons from the bleachers. The Texas summer lingers much longer than she should have each year. Game after game we sweat, watching our boys tackle each other. But soon, the sun lights the field but doesn’t melt the crowd. And finally, sunshine pairs with a chill in the air to bring forth the welcome thought of a coat and a steaming cup of hot chocolate during halftime.
Special Relationships
Many mornings we’ve driven to school before the sun comes up. By the time the season ends, we often drive home in the dark, too. These early morning and late afternoon commutes with my son are his chance to play DJ in the car and my opportunity to listen closely to his short answers to my questions. Every now and then, the extra side-by-side time in the front seat pays off, and he offers a tidbit of a glimpse into his heart and mind.
After a recent game, I survey the families with whom I’d spent the last two hours cheering. Many of these football mommas I don’t know well yet, but some are already cherished friends. I wait on the bleacher stairs for two of my closest friends. We link arms as we walk down the sidewalk to wait outside the locker room to meet our boys. As our husbands stand just a few feet away rehashing the game and plays, our phones buzz and ring. Our football mom group chat resounds with celebrations and recognitions of games well played.
“He has the heart of a champion,” my son’s coach tells my husband after an especially tough loss. My heart, first broken with the disappointment I felt for him at the loss, soars. I’m thankful for first downs and catches and scores. But mostly, I’m thankful our coaches open God’s Word with our team each morning. The coaches invest in each boy on the team, walking a fine line of high expectations and pushing the boys to be the best they can be.
Reflections of a football mom
Just over two years ago, the coaches’ voices echoed through our stuffy school gym. I sat, with dozens of other parents, perched uncomfortably on the wooden bleachers through introductions, an explanation of the program, and a promise to push our middle school boys to grow in their strength, their teamwork and their faith. We listened as team moms gave suggestions for uniform accessories and explained the details of off-the-field player and game preparations.
My son tackled learning to play football as I learned to be a football mom. Now, in our third football season, we’ve moved past middle school ball and into junior varsity. With each season, my gratitude grows alongside my son’s football skills and confidence.
Meet Bethany McMillon
Bethany McMillon is a coffee, football, and ice cream lover from Frisco, TX. She adores her number-loving, accountant husband, her growing-too-fast boy, and her full-time work as a school librarian. She daily strives to notice God’s mercy and grace in the small moments of life and is most passionate about building relationships with both Jesus and those who are closest to her. Bethany writes most often on her website, www.bethanymcmillon.com, or on Instagram @BethanyMcMillon.
Where to find her . . .
Begin Within is a series to inspire a year-round lifestyle of gratitude that will impact not only your own life, but the lives of your neighbors as well. Gratitude is a theme we talk about often around here because it ties so closely into other missional living rhythms. Practicing gratitude reminds to keep our hearts soft and expectant and our eyes open. Therefore, the more we embrace gratitude, the easier it becomes to truly see our neighbors and where we can join what God is already doing in our neighborhoods.
If you would like to contribute to Begin Within, you can find the submission guidelines here.
Creating Ripples
If you would like to cultivate rhythms in addition to gratitude that will empower you live on mission in your neighborhood, check out Cultivating a Missional Life: A 30-Day Devotional to Gently Help You Open Your Heart, Home, and Life to Your Neighbors. This small book will help you make a big impact in your neighborhood as you learn to let missional living flow from the inside out. Get the 30-day missional living challenge free when you purchase the book.
