Confidence

I am thankful for growth.

I want to share a story about Sawyer’s 3rd grade American History Hall of Fame presentation this week. Each student had the task of reading several biographies of American heroes and choosing one to “be.” Sawyer portrayed Knute Rockne, baseball/track/football star that went on to be a record-breaking Norte Dame coach.

This was a pretty big milestone for our boy. Sawyer has been known to be quite nervous on a stage. He is a performance perfectionist, and has always looked very uncomfortable during plays, performances, and concerts. Sometimes he struggles to get his words out. He also is Captain Detail – he wants ALLLL the details, no surprises, and heaven help us all if there’s a last minute glitch of any kind!

So anyway, Sawyer was well prepared for his character. He read the biography, did his research, created his Google slide, and planned his costume. That morning, he began to get ready in his costume. He decided he needed an undershirt to go beneath the Notre Dame jersey someone was bringing him to wear. Of course his regular white undershirt was nowhere to be found. He tried a few options, and we finally settled on another tshirt turned inside out to hide the logo. I was impressed that he took that in stride.

We headed off to school at our regular time. “I need to be at school by 7:40,” he informed me. Not a problem, that’s about what time we always get there.

Not so on this day of course!

Traffic was IN. SANE. Sawyer watched the car clock intently. 7:40. 7:42. 7:46. “We line up at 7:50. As long as I’m there before that, I’m sure it’ll be okay.”

I drove in a manner I am not proud of, trying to beat the clock.

We pulled in at 7:53, and he bolted from the car.

My heart was pounding for him, hoping he was not melting down, hoping he had time to get the jersey on that was being brought to complete his costume, HATING feeling like I had contributed to his stress by getting him there late. I prayed for his nerves and for his part to go well.

In a few short minutes, the 3rd graders began to file in from the back or the auditorium to the stage, and I quickly found my boy. In his inside out tshirt and NO JERSEY! My heart sank. How was he going to handle another unexpected last minute bump in the plan?

Sawyer smiled at us from the stage. When it was his turn, Knute Rockne spoke clearly and confidently into the microphone, never missing a beat.

My heart exploded.

This may sound like a small victory, barely worth a mention, let along a whole blog post. But if cancer taught us anything, it’s that THERE ARE NO SMALL VICTORIES. We can’t take anything for granted. We celebrate the wins. And we rejoice that big or small…nothing, NOTHING is too hard for YOU, God!

God, thank You for this miracle boy, and for all You have done in him. May he always love and follow and serve You boldly and with confidence, no matter what comes. Thank You for all You have taught us, and continue to teach us through him. May we also rise with confidence above the unexpected, the disappointments, the bumps in life we encounter. And may we recognize and celebrate victories, big and small.

Thanks for giving thanks with me.

““I am the Lord, the God of all mankind. Is anything too hard for me?” (Jeremiah 32:27)

“For you have been my hope, Sovereign Lord, my confidence since my youth. From birth I have relied on you; you brought me forth from my mother’s womb. I will ever praise you. I have become a sign to many; you are my strong refuge. My mouth is filled with your praise, declaring your splendor all day long.”(Psalms 71:5-8)