We Heart the Coach

There is a band I like to listen to on Youtube [Yes, I am pretty cool and use Youtube] named 7Eventh Time Down.  They sing one über cool song titled Rusty Nails. Tonight I found this one...this is just the beginning of the song:

Just Say Jesus

Life gets tough and times get hard

And it's hard to fine the truth in all the lies

If you're tired of wondering why you're heart isn't healing

And nothing feels like home cause you're lost and alone

Just screaming at the sky 

When you don't know what to say

Just say Jesus
There is power in the name
The name of Jesus
If the words won't come cause you're too afraid to pray
Just say Jesus

Its no secret [least it ain't anymore] that if you want to see 7 different kinds of crazy then mess with my family. I do not hide anything [maybe I should...] about how fierce I am over them and with good reasons: God blessed me and has gave me the responsibility of doing this mommy and wife thing and I do not want to disappoint Him.  I will not, EVER, apologize for watching over them. And with that responsibility given to me, I am supposed to guide them spiritually, through the good times and the not so good times.  

I failed at that tonight.  

I was not a good role model.

I am angry. [HULK get angry!!] My anger was apparent tonight.

More than anything, and I mean ANYTHING, right now, my heart is broken for my sweet husband.  

It's not anything tragic.  

Tragedy is the devastation in tornado ravaged areas.

Tragedy is a ferry full of innocent people, plummeting to the deep ocean.

Tragedy is a student, so full of rage and discouragement at a rejection to the prom, that he kills an innocent girl.

Softball drama isn't tragic.  It's really pathetic actually.  Downright useless. [As Short would say, about as useless as rooster crap on a pump handle. #word]

So why am I mad?  Why does my heart hurt so bad for that favorite coach of mine?   

Let me tell you a few things that not a lot of people know about the man...

He cries at stories on E60, 30 for 30, sometimes commercials, and EVERY TIME he talks about his daddy. 

He reads his Bible every morning.

He is not ticklish. [And that drives my kids crazy. And me too.]

He grew up in a house full of women [the only boy..the baby boy....a momma's boy] so he can wash, clean, make gravy, and iron better than me.

His heart breaks for players that don't use their potential and God-given talents. My oldest two NEVER get to make excuses when it comes to sports because he has taught them, Luke 12:28 "From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked." 

He has a buddy from SC and he will tell you, without a shadow of a doubt, that was given to him by divine intervention.  [And trust me, the bromance is evident.]  They are the best of friends.

He loves to dance. [And he's actually pretty good at it.]

He hung the moon. [Well, not really, but my mom told me one time I act like he did.]

He kisses his 6 foot 15 year old son and let's his 7 year old fall asleep on him on a nightly basis.

He makes "Dad's Lasagna" when I am out of town.

He loves cookies, chocolate, Wild Cherry Diet Pepsi, and sitting in his recliner. [Sometimes at the expense of others.]

He never, ever leaves me behind. My first try at the Cooper River Bridge he stayed right there, encouraging me to keep on going [and trust me, I did NOT want to keep on going] even though he could have probably finished 30 minutes better.

He wants his softball team to have nice uniforms and the best equipment but more than that, he wants to push them to be successful young women of character.

He hates moral victories, tomatoes, and the Buffalo Bills.

He loves Jesus.

He grew up without a father and after his grandfather died, he had to learn to be the man of the house.  God is good...all the time...and sent some amazing male role models to help guide him.  He came out, on the other side, better for what happened in his life.  Which makes him more determined to be a Godly, loving, father and husband.

These are the things that break my heart for him.  There are some people that are on a witch hunt because he refuses to cower down to petty demands and accusations yet they have NO clue who he is as man.  He doesn't deserve this at all.

I've watched him wring his hands and lose sleep over disparaging comments because he coaches with passion and he doesn't like losing. [I mean, who does really?]  I've watched, in complete disgust, as parents [and one very crotchety and mean old grandfather] yell hateful remarks at him in front of our children, opposing teams, and in front of the entire stands.  I've read the text messages from the parents that were angry because their daughter was left behind because she was late for the bus on game day. [Does anyone else out there see how her being late because she was hanging out with her boyfriend the fault of a coach? Me neither.]  

He is a grown man.  He can take up for himself. He certainly does not need my sentiments, flowery words, or defense of his actions.  He isn't a coward but he is gracious and will give someone the benefit of the doubt...sometimes at his own expense.

But I need to know that this is all going to be OK.

I need to not feel so angry in the pit of my stomach over these people that, quite frankly, are part of that "entitlement" crowd I speak of so much.

More than all of that, I am desperately trying to understand why parents cannot simply allow the coach to coach without turning constructive criticism into an all out war against a person's character.

When did high school sports become the breeding ground for the "Imma Get Mine" parents? [Which, by the way, suck the life out of everyone they come in contact with and really, honestly, just suck in general.]

So, in my quest, tonight [today] to get rid of all of this anger I simply say...

Just Jesus.  Help me find the truth in all the lies and keep on plugging.  Help me be the mom and the wife you would have me to be.  Take away this anger that I have for these people that just want to tear down my husband.  Allow my daughter to continue to be a strong leader on and off the field. Help those players and parents that have the team interest at heart to continue to be bold in strength.  Most of all, mend his heart that is losing faith in coaching altogether.