Uniforms

I was looking through the moments I captured on camera this past week and realized, we have quite the array of uniforms!! Some are similar in style (soccer practice shirts & game jerseys, AWANA--for Cubbies and Sparkys, etc) and yet each is individual just for that particular boy.

CJ ready for Cubbies!  

 

With the older two boys both playing soccer this year our evenings and Saturdays give us temporary residency at the soccer complex. The innocence at this age is almost too much to handle. Little young men saying "sorry" if they hit the ball just above another opponent's head, high-fiving each other after a goal (even if they are on the opposite team), laughing in the middle of the field for some apparent reason. If only the innocence would last through those high school years when competitiveness seems to get the best of them (&/0r the parents!). 

Carson going for the ball

CJ and cousin Daniel love playing soccer together!

my little soccer boy!

Austin running hard for the ball! (he's on the far right)

go #3!

my oldest soccer boy!

 Austin doesn't necessarily have a "uniform" for school, but it's another title he carries around with him now...first grader. And he loves his desk. And his classroom. And his teachers. And the "farm theme" they have established for the school year. I was finally able to peer inside his little desk at all the goodies he keeps in there at his school's open house last week. I must say it was very neat and organized for a 6 year old! :)

Austin's desk at school

  As I was rummaging through the array of photos, I started to ponder how as a mom, you hear different sayings such as "the many hats mom's wear" in regards to all the variety of titles they bear. I guess the same could be said about how many different uniforms we wear--soccer moms, chauffeurs, referees, chefs, coaches, teachers, nurses/doctors (aka...boo-boo fixers), librarians...need I go on? My train of thought continued as I thought about those who wear uniforms are very distinctive--you know their line of work or duty. You know what rank they belong to. I started to think about how as a daughter of the God Most High, is my uniform distinctive? Do I make that known so people are aware of my "rank", of who I belong to? My "uniform" as a mom is pretty clear--you'll hardly ever find me in a store or some other location without a youngin attached to my hip or hand. And my stylin' mini-van seals the deal. :) My "uniform" as a believer in Jesus is not one that can be taken on or off. It's permanent. But washable. It will get dirty...often. But can be made whiter than snow...just as often. I guess in my own way of thinking about such a simple thing as uniforms, it's a good reminder for me that I want to be known whose team I'm on, who I root for, who my coach is, and what game plan I follow. And I want as many people on His team as possible!!