My Turtle…

My Turtle…11-8-25

Our grandson loves soccer. He has played since he was 4 years old. This is his 6th season. For the first two years they had no goalie because of their age. Then his 3rd and 4th years, he was goalie. This last two years, he has played various positions. He is slower than the others, but his heart is strong in his love for the game. He runs his hardest.

Today was his last soccer game of the 2025 season. His mom and dad are out of town. He asked me last night if I could please come to the game. I explained there was a Women’s conference that I had signed up for with 7 other ladies from church. I told him that Papa would be there. He said, “But if you don’t come, Papa will be the only one there for me.”. Then he spoke the words that I couldn’t forget. “Moppy, can you miss just this one time, please?” I thought about this off and on last night and this morning. I got ready this morning as planned, made him strawberry muffins for breakfast, and left for church. I had already started trying to figure out in my mind how I could make it all work. When I told the ladies that were riding with me what he had said and that I thought about slipping out and surprising him, they said, “You have to go, family is important.” The kind encouragement and understanding are what makes these women special to me. Godly women who are wise and kind.

I arrived as the game had just begun. My grandson didn’t see me for several minutes. He is a sub and doesn’t usually start, but does get to play quite a bit. When he saw me, oh that smile that connects our hearts. He said, “Moppy, I didn’t think you could come.” I just replied, “There is no place I’d rather be.”

The defense was amazing on both sides. They played their hearts out. We were ahead 3-0. My grandson had played a good amount in the first, and with 4 minutes to go in the second half, he was playing striker. He was running hard, but just not quick enough. I call it divine intervention. He ended up with another player in front of the opposing goal. The other player kicked the ball hard, it hit their goalie and bounced into the grass at my grandson’s feet. He immediately kicked and the ball sailed into the goal. His scored a goal. His first goal EVER. He turned with his fists in the air. The bench and sideline were cheering. His teammates cheering. All the parents very aware he had never scored before. Many of these parents’ children have been on the same team with my grandson for the last 4 years.

You see, to many this story and my feeling of God’s hand in the entire situation may seem trivial. After all, isn’t the world enundated with so many more serious matters that my presence at his game and his first goal are inconsequential? Not to God. Our every desire, our every worry, our every concern is of utmost importance to Him. Psalm 37:23 says, “The LORD directs the steps of the godly. He delights in every detail of their lives.” For a God who knows every hair on my head, it is of no surprise to me that he cares about my being at a soccer game for a little boy who needed my presence.

As for my turtle, James Bryant Conant said, "Behold the turtle. He makes progress only when he sticks his neck out.". Many children would not still be playing a sport in which it took 6 years to make their first goal. Many would give up. Not my grandson. He is needed. He is part of the team. God blesses those who persevere.