I see you

His face is so intent, eyes locked onto the player in front of him, focused. He catches the ball, runs, my heart is beating fast... and when he gets a touchdown I cheer ridiculously loud, I am calling out his name, and I don't care who hears me, who thinks I am over the top- his face is shining at me, pure joy. It is Upward flag football, they don't keep score. But it matters to him. So it matters to me.

He is sweating out there, working the plays, listening to his coach, slipping as he grabs at a flag, missing a pass, then throwing one in a long spiral, like he has been practicing in the front yard with his brother. It's just football, but it matters to him. He is my child. So it matters to me.

I am not an athlete. I don't keep track of teams, or players whose names it seems everyone else knows. I have no idea who was playing this weekend  or who won last weekend on football fields across the country and brought into homes through the TV. But on Saturday morning at 9am, I am there beside a field with spray painted lines, and volunteer coaches, holding my QT coffee, and I know one player for sure, and I am making sure he knows that I am there, and watching what he does. Because he is mine.

And I hear it, as I move down the field, following the game, I hear that Voice that's so quiet, that so simply speaks, it is barely a thought: "You are mine... and I see you, too... I know you are out there, on the field, living, striving, working, loving, learning, passing on the Word, falling, slipping, getting back up and doing again what you know to do. Hear Me, cheering for you, leading you on, proud, wanting everyone to know you are Mine. You matter to me, what you do matters to me, you are My child. And I see you, too..." As always, I realize I did not even recognize that I needed to hear those words, needed to be reminded that I am seen, and loved... He gives before we even know we have the need.

The leaves fall around me, and I feel the warmth of the coffee in my hands, and I see him look to the sidelines, scanning for my face. And I smile and he sees me, and smiles back. Thumbs up, I give him. I see you.