Church or Hockey?

So a few weeks ago we signed Hockey Boy up for spring hockey. It is low key, one hour a week and basically pick up games. Hockey Boy had been asking when hockey was going to start again and was really looking forward to playing spring hockey. I was not thrilled with the time, 8:30 am on a Sunday morning, but was just glad that it would not conflict with church. Then I got the revised schedule and realized it was church or hockey. We have missed a Sunday or two, well probably more than that, for hockey during the regular season, but we really try to make sure that Hockey Boy and myself are at church as much as possible, even if that involves pulling him off the ice early or going separately from the rest of the family to a later service. I could spend a whole blog page writing my frustrations about sports scheduling on Sunday mornings and explain how we started hockey in a program that did not play on Sundays but then moved home where they do but that is not really the point right now. The point was church or hockey?

I talked with Hockey Boy about the time change and explained that we would have to choose between church and hockey. I was delightfully surprised that his immediate reaction was to choose church. He was disappointed to not be able to play with his friends but he said he would get to next season. So glad he made that choice because I would have made it for him if he had chosen hockey. And it would have involved a much longer discussion about how God is our family's first priority. Turns out I didn't have to give that lecture because he had already figured that out for himself. He really does enjoy going to church. I don't take any of the credit for that, okay maybe a little because I am the one that drives him there all the time. But the real kudos go to all those who spent their time sharing the love of Jesus with him, who held him in the nursery, taught him his Bible stories at preschool, greeted him with enthusiasm when he walked up to the building, nurtured him while I was at Bible Study or the moms group, made church fun with cookies after service and games at midweek and vacation Bible school. I know I don't say thank you enough but I am profoundly grateful for the church families that have invested in my boys! Their time, energy and love have already reaped huge rewards - Hockey Boy chose church!

I contacted the hockey league to let them know that Hockey Boy would not be playing because the schedule was during church. I expected that to be the end of spring hockey. But guess where I was this morning. Yep, sitting in a cold rink, watching Hockey Boy skating and loving it. The coach let Jonah skate up an age group so he could still play this spring. Turns out it was not a choice of church or hockey.

At least not this time.