Opportunity or Indulgence?

Our youngest son Brian loves baseball.  And, for a 9 year old, he's a pretty good little player.  Good enough that he was invited to be a part of a "Starz" team this year in addition to his regular Aurora Boys' Baseball team.  This Starz team has been practicing all winter and we are heading into the season of traveling tournaments--6 weekends when we will pretty much do nothing but baseball.  Scott and I have always said we would never have our kids so involved with extracurricular activities that our lives would have to revolve around those activities.  So, when Brian was invited to be a part of this team, we really struggled with whether or not he should do it.  In the end, we decided to try it for this one season.  But now that we are looking at the schedule for the next 2 months, and I am realizing all of the neighborhood and community things we are going to have to give up---like driving our two carloads of kids to church every Saturday night--I am really struggling with that decision.  The practice season has confirmed that Brian has some talent.  So, is it right to give him this and possibly future opportunities to develop that talent, or is that over-indulgent parenting that will keep us too focused on our own family and not enough on the community we moved to so we could fully invest in relationships and opportunities here?  Either way, I feel a sense of guilt----Mother Guilt if I lean towards one answer and Selfish Guilt if I lean towards the other.  I am really looking forward to our annual Family Summit in June, because that is the place and time when we can sit and pray about and grapple through these tough family decisions.  If anyone has any thoughts or insight, please share!

Comments

[julie]

Kirsten, as someone in the ministry that has been through this very situation, I understand your struggle. This season in your life with young children God has given you really does fly by. Giving them some extra time right now is the right thing and they will remember it. Sometimes the overwhelming responsibility of ministry took me away from my family time too much. Those little boys of yours are going to be going to college in the blink of an eye and you'll wish you could watch one more game. You'll have other seasons where you can do it all. It's ok. (Trust me, now my nest is empty and I am busy with the community constantly!)The boys are lucky, they've seen you model true love for the community. They've seen you model your relationship with the Lord. You're replicating leadership in your own home!

[JacqueO]

pray, pray, pray! I know you already are. :) Two thoughts come to mind: First, there may a relationship that you are supposed to develop through this baseball team. Second, maybe someone else is supposed to step up and drive the kids to church in your abscense and if you are there to do it, then they can't. Im praying for you!

[Melissa Sogavo]

Kirsten! I love your heart and your struggle to honor your family and honor the call to your community all at once. I don't have wisdom for you- you are far ahead of me in this arena...but I really appreciate journeying w someone who's real about grappling w this stuff!! My best thought is that it might be different if you had signed Brian up for something long term...but this is only 2 months...and 2months that might be crucial to his own development and destiny... Maybe God has some cool things he wants to do through this experience....I'm praying for you!