Momentum

 On Saturday at Adam's soccer game, the kids started out so strong.  They ran like lightning, their little legs a blur in the morning light against the wet, green grass.  They wove and dodged, they scampered, they dashed and swerved.  It was wild to see energy incarnate in the bodies of two dozen 11 year-olds.

That lasted ten minutes.

Somewhere around minute eleven, it was like someone forgot to wind up the springs in their legs.  Feet began to drag.  The boys would only run if the ball was in play close by, and often they all just walked toward the ball.  It was almost like they were saying, "Please, don't kick that thing over here."  When they did run, the tips of their shoes barely cleared the ground.  It was a good thing that both teams were equally weary, or we would have lost by ten goals instead of just one. 

I recognized the pattern in my own life.  So often I leave the gate at a dead run, only to grind to a dead stop a short time later.  We have an overworked little saying at my church; "Endure to the end."  It's great, we are told, to do the right thing, but the real test is being able to do the right thing and keep doing it.  To the end, whenever that happens to be.  It's so easy to get tired of life, of trials, of being patient, of being. 

In the second half of the game, Adam looked pooped.  They were down by one, and Adam was not going after the ball much.  He looked dejected.  I saw the ball coming toward him, and knowing he was close enough to hear my voice, I called out, "You can do it, Adam!"  He suddenly got a spring in is step.  The charge coursed up his legs and he started bounding.  Each time he was close enough to pick my voice out of the clamour, I called out an encouraging mom-ism.  Each time, I saw a noticeable change in his energy level.  In the last few minutes of the game, he made some great passes, and used his head and chest a few times to send the ball flying.  In the very last two seconds of the game he made a hurried shot at the goal.

It would be a great end to this story if I could say the ball made the goal that tied up the game.  It didn't.  But that's ok.  He felt really good that he tried, and I was so proud of him.

 

I wonder, on days when our feet are dragging, if we listened with our hearts we might hear a heaven sent whisper of encouragement, "You can do it.  I am proud of the person you are trying to be.  Keep it up!".  I wonder if we might not have more spring in our step during long, drawn out trials if we realized we have a loving Heavenly Father who wants us to be happy and successful in our efforts, however small or insignificant they may seem.

So, in case the crowd is noisy, and your feet are dragging, just in case you haven't heard the words lately, I just thought I'd say them for you; "You can do it!"

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Thinking of Ruth today, one month after saying goodbye to her sweet baby Rhys.

Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.  ~Isaiah 41:10