What a Way to Start the Season

I say this because last night was the first softball game of the season for #2 and #3 and they happen to play on the same team. When we arrived at the field and were waiting for them to start the game, there was a mom and dad sitting on the other side of the bleachers and the man sounded irritated and was using profane language. Loudly! I turned around to acknowledge I heard them and they quieted down. He had this cold, almost expressionless look on his face. And, right after the 1^st inning this man marched over to one of our coaches yelling and carrying on while his wife tried to hold him back. I couldn’t believe it! These kids are 6-8 years old and we could not figure out what this guy’s problem was! About a half hour later one of the coaches yelled over to my friend sitting next to me to call the police because the man was now physically fighting with the guy that was sitting in front of him (who was that coach's husband!). The wife of this crazed man literally jumped on top of him yelling and cursing for him to knock it off. It took 3 guys and the wife to break up the fight. Meanwhile, here are all these kids at their first softball game with brothers and sisters in the stands. To be honest, I was really mad and completely disgusted. This guy had been banned at basketball games for the same reason and had gone off on a coach at practice because she had taken his daughter home from school, helped her with homework and fed her dinner before practice and they had been a few minutes late. He had stood on the baseball field cussing at her that he would never let his daughter come to her house again. I was trying to figure out why there wasn't some kind of restraining order already in place.

As he talked to the police, his wife came over and stood behind the bleachers talking to their teenage son. She was going on and on about how uncalled for his behavior was, again all the while throwing the “f” word around. I turned around and said to her what was uncalled for was the language they had been using during the entire game and I asked her to please stop. I then told her that I really felt for her in her situation, but please remember there are kids all around. She apologized half heartedly and then started to make small talk with me for the rest of the game. It was during that time that I went from irritated to feeling what it must be like in this woman's shoes. Everyone was worked up and she was trying to act normal, but it was almost ridiculous to be talking about the new Hershey Kisses that are coming out and how the weather was starting to get chilly! I told #1 that I wanted to pray for her and she looked at me like "Huh?". She was really freaked out about the whole thing and I think she was worried the lady would try to beat me up!! She said she didn't think it was a good idea to ask to pray for her. I then mentioned it to The Husband who had the same reaction at first, but then warmed to the idea after I told him no one has probably shown these people anything other than judgment and scorn.

In the meantime, there was a mom there from my Moms In Touch group who expressed her awe at me saying something to the lady about her bad language. I told her it wasn't a big deal and that I really wanted to pray for this lady and she said she'd come with me. It was so good to have someone else care about these people! So, I waited until the game was over. The lady seemed defensive at first, but then as I prayed she seemed to soften. She said she was going to divorce him and I prayed for her to use Godly wisdom and to trust in Jesus with all her heart. I prayed for peace, protection and comfort for the family. As I finished, my MIT friend came over and said she would be praying, too, and that we would pray for her at our mom's group. I really don't know what will happen, but I have tried to not be fearful and worry about what will happen next. And, I'm also praying for a miraculous healing in this family and that they will have an awesome testimony to share about the love of Christ that transformed their lives.

On a positive note, #2 scored the first run of the game and #3, who is the youngest on the team, hung in there. The snack bar was her motivation to last the entire 2 hours of very little action and not knowing exactly what she was doing. The coaches haven't worked much on fundamentals, but I think it will just take some time. The coaches kept yelling at her to "cover 2nd" and she had no idea what that meant! And, one time she tagged a runner, but she didn't have the ball!! That was kind of funny.