Remind Me (Day 331)

Tired. That's all I can say. I was terribly tired walking through the doors to the pool today. I didn't know how I was going to treat my kids with love and respect. I needed help from someone above.

I believe I got that help as I was growling under my breathe while they were warming up, doing the same things wrong they do day after day. The same things I've told them hundreds of times not to do. The same things that drive every swim coach crazy. As the blood started to boil, I remembered a verse a friend sent me this morning. I opened up my text messages and found it. I read it a few times, then opened up my Bible app on my phone and read it once again but in a different translation. I pulled one of the girls out of the pool and once again talked to her about her technique. I gave her a speech about how her talent would only get her so far and because I loved her I wanted her to think while she swam. By doing that she would be more efficient in the water and she would continue to get better. I watched her hop back in and almost immediately swim how I asked. And the crazy thing was she kept it up the entire practice. That my friends is abnormal for kids her age.

The difference this time was how I approached her. I sat aside the fact that I was exhausted and poured my love into her. My whole attitude changed. I looked at each and everyone of those kids, literally one by one, and reminded myself of how much I loved them. I would of jumped in that pool right then and there and hugged everyone of them if I knew I was going home right after practice. This strength could not have come from me, it came from above, and being the time of year it is (meet season) I need all the strength I can get because love is what will make these kids better. If they know I love and believe in them, they will do the same for themselves and for their teammates. So my blessing today came in a form of a reminder to love.