Choosing Our Team

I began to have these thoughts a week ago concerning my past elementary years of recess time, which were nice, long recesses unlike today in school. Plenty of time for fun, play and getting outside in the fresh air with friends.

I used to love to play hopscotch and jump rope. That was during those first through third grade years. Those would have been my sweetest memories. At that time I was attending Fairview Elementary in Rossville, GA.

My father was a principal at Rossville Elementary School. For some reason, which was never discussed with us children, we transferred to the school my Father was principal of. I remember my self-esteem going down, down, down at that point. I can't really pinpoint why, other than just having my Father there at all times to keep his critical eye on my sister and me, and perhaps come by at any moment to pull my hair or grab the skin on my arm and pinch me....for no reason. I was the "good child" in the family. Perhaps too good in light of becoming invisible. That was a safe place for me, always keeping to myself and not saying anything to ignite my Father's rage. Of course I found out that I didn't have to do anything and his cruelty was shown to me. That's all in the past, and I am now dealing with those memories in a healthy way with God's help in the healing process.

Back to my original thought and memory. My twin sister and I would always gather with our friends on the playground and engage in games of softball or kickball. Of course you had to begin with setting up your teams. My twin sister was either always selected first, seeing that she was the athletic one. She was an asset to the team. I on the other hand would be near the end of the choices being made, unless, my sister was the designated one to do the choosing, and then she would take pity on me and choose me right off the bat! I must admit it felt good to be chosen first, but also I knew she was doing it out of loyalty and perhaps sympathy for her twin sister. Either way, I was picked for the team. Thanks Sister.

This thought led me to other thoughts. I am making the choices now. I choose Janie to be on my team. Not only that, but God chooses Janie to be on His team. And guess what??? There are so many people that choose me to be on their team, to be their friends! I am valued and loved by God and by these loving people he has placed in my life. I love it! There are those that are choosing me and not only that, they are rooting for me! I love the definition of this word: "To noisily applaud or encourage a contestant or team. To wish the success of or lend support to someone or something."

A big thank you to all of those who are rooting me on!