Mommy Fail

I had a Mommy fail yesterday. Have you ever had one of those? Certainly I am not alone in this!

I took Michael to Soccer Camp for day 4, told him he had one more day and that Jonathan and I would come watch him for his last day. Off Jonathan and I went. We arrived back at Soccer Camp to pick Michael up early enough that we should have been able to see the end of a scrimmage, but arrived to find all the kids sitting on the bleachers and the Coaches handing out "best effort" awards. I was thoroughly confused, but had a very bad feeling about this. I had just checked the brochure two nights before to make sure he had it on Friday and, yes, the flier said it ended on July 30.

Once the kids were dismissed, I approached his coach. "Is this the last day?!" To which he replied yes it was as he shook my hand. I told him Michael was going to be very disappointed because I had told him he had one more day. The Coach graciously went over to Michael to tell him it was over and say good-bye. Michael left in tears. He sobbed all the way home. I shed a few of my own tears. The reason Michael said he was so sad is a little comical, though. He had picked out his clothes for each day and was saving his Soccer Camp t-shirt to wear the next day. Of course, I knew this was not the real reason for the tears, but it was so sweet and innocent.

When we got home, I checked and, sure enough, all their communications said July 27-30, but they had started on Monday, the 26th, so the Camp was actually only 4 days long and I had just looked at the ending date instead of taking in the whole picture. Imagine trying to explain that mistake to a disappointed 6-year-old. I told Michael I was very sorry and he promptly forgave me.

At breakfast this morning, he said something about it being a Camp day and I looked at him in horror, thinking I was going to have to remind him it wasn't, when he broke into a smile and assured me he was just kidding.

I was struck, however, by how quickly he moved on. He forgave my mistake and didn't hold it against me. Do I forgive that easily? Do I move on to the point that I can even joke about it? God does. (Well, I don't know that He jokes about our sin!) He promises that when we come to Him for forgiveness, He removes our sin as far as the East is from the West. Thankfully, He isn't holding my past sins against me. I get a fresh start. And THAT is something to be thankful for!

Lord, make me more like a child--ready to forgive and move on. Make me more like You!