To Video or Not to Video

It’s a dilemma. Tonite is the first high school football game and my stepdaughter’s first cheerleading experience in the real sports world. We’ve been blessed by having her presence in our house this week for the first time in 3 months ‘cept for 2 days 2 weeks ago. So we get to take her and experience a little reminiscing ourselves of sitting on hard bleachers, hearing the whistle, the cheers and, last but not least, the marching band. I’ll tell ya right off the bat, I don’t cheer. I don’t do the 2-4-6-8 Appreciate thing. You might, might, catch me on a good day at the baseball game raising my arms in a faint attempt to do the wave. I don’t have a secret desire to be a tv star or do motivational speeches for lots of money either. If you know anything about me, Limelight does not come to mind. Oops, I started to ramble-rant.

So here we are, the neglected stepfamily suddenly reinstated after a summer hiatus. The family cheerleader is very excited about this whole deal, especially since she is a freshman and she made the varsity squad (do they still use that word?).

She asks me last night: "Do you know how to videotape?" "Uh, not sure." was my most articulate response. She says, "Can you videotape me cheering since mom can’t see me and she wants to be able to see me cheer?"

Now wait just a minute, I didn’t envision going to my first high school football game in 20…25…um, ok, nearly 30 years to sit behind a digital camcorder recording cheerleaders so that The Mother, who is not present for some important work related unavailability, can see her daughter cheer for the first time in high school. We’re leaving work early to get her there early, why can’t The Mother take time off 10 minutes away to make a showing? Why can’t the stepdad camcord for his wife?

I suppose the Christ-like thing to do is to lovingly smile, pick up the camcorder and happily fulfill the request for this youngster who probably needs to see more Christ-like examples in her life, and who probably has no other concern on the planet than whether her makeup will be right, hair in place and if she has the right set of cheer clothes on per her coach’s request. I am, however, not feeling very Christ-like. My selfish, beat-up feeling, taken-advantage-of, and gossiped-about self wants to give a big giant NO and explain all the reasons why, point out every negligent aspect of her mother and throw in the stepdad too while I’m at it, maybe toss in a few other people and leave the camcorder on The Mother’s front doorstep and ring the doorbell 92 times while she’s sleeping.

Thanks for letting me get that out of my system.

Self Note: Read Eph 5:1 from The Message for an attitude adjustment.

Comments

[Donna]

Author's Post-Note: We don't actually own a digital camcorder. This would be the one she received for Christmas last year from The Mother.

[Joel Frederick]

Thanks for sharing that with us. I really appreciated the verse!

[Traci]

I am not sure I understand why a teenager received a digital camcorder for Christmas. Seems like an off gift, but I am sure there was a very good reason. Anyway, I know you will do the right thing!
BTW I needed that verse, it hit me between the eyes.

[Traci]

So did you?

[Stephanie]

I am personally really hip on the leaving the camcorder on the doorstep and ringing the doorbell 92 times while she's sleeping thing. I know, I'm evil. But it makes me laugh to think of her dragging her half-sleeping self to the door to find the camcorder there... tee hee.