Chosen

I'm starting with the ending today ~ Erin made the school basketball team yesterday! By itself this is great and exciting news, but when I add the background it becomes sweeter.

Last year ~ Erin discovered she really liked volleyball and wanted to try out for the school team. She practiced in the backyard and got a college player to coach her one on one. She felt confident...but...she didn't make the team. She was devastated, especially because many of her friends had made the team and she could feel the separation coming. I remember when she came home after try-outs; due to her confidence we were excited to hear her news, but when she saw Courtney standing at the door she collapsed into her arms sobbing.

Soon it was basketball season. Erin has been playing basketball since kindergarten. She has gone to summer basketball camp since 3rd grade. It was a no brainer that she would try out for the school team, but...she didn't make it. It was devastating...she cried for days. She talked to God about it for months.

She ran with the cross country runners this past summer. She joined the team when school started and decided that would be her fall sport, she wasn't even going to try out for volleyball this year. I was proud of her decision because she seemed confident and happy in this new sport.

As basketball season loomed on the horizon I asked her thoughts on trying out for the team again. Her response surprised me. On one hand she was nervous to try out again, but she said,
"I really want to wear a team uniform and represent my school."
"But you do wear the team uniform, for cross country, and you do represent your school." I relied.
"Yeah," she said, "but I wasn't chosen for cross country. I want someone to tell me I'm good enough to be on the team."

Ahhhh. Right, chosen.
We want to be chosen, don't we?
Good enough. Right.
We want to be good enough, don't we?

When she came in the door last night her big brother high-fived her and said something about being the "first Carlstrom to make a team!" My husband looked at him and reminded him he is on the football team. He said, yeah, but I didn't make the football team.

Oh. Right. Back to being chosen. Hmmmmm.....
We do want to be chosen don't we?

I will write more about that tomorrow.....