Tie the Shoes

 "Discipleship is growing fruit on someone else's tree."

This week we spent a lot of time in our living room puppy training Mo.

We are all dog tired (I now get where that expression comes from). We aren't sleeping much. Our days are spent chasing him saying things like "Drop" or "Out" or "OUCH."

During this, Xman and I have been watching the Little League World Series.

It's one of my favorite of our traditions. When he was younger we structured our back to school schedule around those games.

If you've never watched one, tune in. I love the little tid bits they share about each player - their own favorite baseball heroes, their hidden talents, their favorite food, their favorite movie/song/book. It's always surprising to find the tall pitcher likes Taylor Swift or the stocky catcher loves to bake.

This week we watched a close game. The game is tied. There are two outs. As the newest batter approaches the plate, you see the Coach come running out.

The announcer tells us that the Coach is this batter's father.

He bends down and ties the batter's shoes.

I'll confess. I was ugly crying.

Father first.

Coach second.

Each year as I begin a new school year with my own children, I struggle a little with balancing those roles. Mother first. Teacher second.

We shift from this relaxed summer where I nagged no one about algebra assignments, or how many chapters are left in their novel. Where the relationship was my only mission field.

Into this fall where I must somehow balance that role of mother with that of educator, mentor, disciplor.

I was reminded as I watched the batter enter the batter box, that it would never matter the outcome of this game.

That little boy knows his father puts him as a child before him as a player.

He ties the shoes before he coaches the bat.

Mama Warriors, often our kids have needs that are far more immediate and far deeper than the assignments, the practices, the chores or the extra curriculars.

We must always first tie the shoes.

Sometimes tying the shoes means setting boundaries our kids haven't yet learned to set for themselves.

Late this summer we had to step in with one of ours and say some hard "no's." We had to say "This is too much for you. We love you, and we are saying no more of pushing on like this."

All of the things this child was doing were good things. But it was too many things.

We had to tie the shoes before we coached the bat.

As we continue in the crazy back to school mode, I'd like to gently remind you that we always tie the shoes first.

Sometimes our kids get caught up in all the "good" - the sports, the SAT prep classes, the work studies, the church commitments, friends, extra curriculars, all the classes.

It's our job to help set the boundaries. Winning the game is never the goal.

Tying the shoes is always the most important thing.