Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep.
Romans 12:15 NRSV
Last week, Rod and I had the opportunity to watch our oldest granddaughter Lily, a high school junior, take the field for district field hockey semifinals. It was a close game against a more mature team. They’d split their two league meetings with one win each.
The opponents went ahead with a great shot in the third quarter, and although our team had a few opportunities to score, including one shot by Lily that hit the post and went out-of-bounds in the last minutes of play, they lost 0:1, and missed their chance to go to states.
Her dad, our son texted, “I’ve been there/done that with a shut-out loss Junior year and OT loss senior year. Harder as a parent. You just want joy for your kid and their friends. Especially if they’re the better team.”
He’s right! It’s harder as a parent, and I’d add “as a grandparent.” I wonder if that is how God views our lives, not as some far removed and disinterested spectator but like a parent. God cheers us on, witnesses our wins and our losses, our successes, and failures, and like all good parents, rejoices when we rejoice, and weeps when we weep.
Lily texted the next day to thank us for coming to her game. Her simple “thanks” was enough.
Thanks, God, for being present today. ~ Anne
Wayfinding 