Being Held PRISONER at a BASEBALL Field CANTEEN

I will start this out by saying that I love baseball. I love to watch it, I love to see my little boy and all his teammates in their uniforms out there playing, and the men that I love love baseball too. One is in his fifties, the other in his nothings or rather age 9.

My saga begins with explaining that my son plays little league ball, and that means that the moms of the boys usually have to undergo torture for about two times a season , we are forced to do canteen duty.
By torture I mean we are contained, held hostage on some stools, forced to wait on anyone who comes to our little windows, forced to be far from the ones we want to be close to.

Not the men typically, just us moms.

Whenever I know I have my turn coming up, I dread it, mainly because I adore watching my little boy play ball. Love it. When I work the canteen, I cannot see him . All I can see, is him in the distance...and usually I am not even positive it is him as he is so far away. Last week , I had a nice mom of another player call me and ask if I could switch places with her that week ( for canteen duty ).

I said, " Sure. "

Then I began considering my captivity that would begin in another 6 hours or so.

Started to dread it. Everyone is nice when we are back there , held captive, prisoners in the canteen...
But..

But I do not like not being close enough to see my son.

But I knew that is where I needed to be, they needed me.
Then my time came.

I got to the field, watching everyone pass by me to go to the playing fields, and then glanced up at my prison that was waiting for me..

The CANTEEN.
I made my feet walk in that direction instead of the fields, went through the back door...

I  said hello to everyone, perched myself up on my stool, leaned out towards my little window...

and started pouting..only INSIDE...no one could see it from the outside.

I was doing my DUTY.

My obligation for the team, for my son.
But I was most definitely a pout-puss inside .

I would get up every now and again to get some little cutie-pie that came to my window some fries, candy or a drink. Then longingly look out to the far field, as I my son always plays on the far field whenever I have this prison sentence...every time.

So I cannot see him.

I lean forward, strain to see him..get annoyed...but still only inside as I have a happy face for my little customers and their dads.

Now I know I am not alone, I would say about 60-70 % of the moms do not like canteen duty , there are a few that enjoy sitting back there chatting...but the majority are simply putting in their time, doing their duty , their obligation.
My husband came up there to get some popcorn 3/4 into the game, talked with me a bit , discussed baseball plays with a woman on the stool adjoining mine ...I can't understand most of what goes on out in the field when I am directly in front of it anyway, but I like to be close to the ones I love,
and I can't be when I am BEING HELD PRISONER in this darned canteen !!

Finally the game is over, and the cutie-pies come running up to our windows with all their complicated orders, dads trying to give me correct change, dirt all over these kids , and then I see the most handsome face in the world pop up in my window..

Here it is

It is the face of my little boy, big eyes looking at me, smiling, ordering his french fires, red Gatorade, and fun-dips. I smile back at him, he asks if I saw all the different plays he made, I tell him I can't see anything from here, just glimpses...but I did see him one time on third base before he scored.
That seemed to satisfy him , and he walked off to eat his food.
I was watching the clock, waited on some more last stragglers coming to the stand, and it was getting late as we were the last game. So by 8:45 I was released from bondage by the short -order cook, walked out in the dark to my husband and son. 
I asked my little boy if he wanted to ride home with me or his dad ? He choose me, and we hopped in and drove out of the park.
While I was driving, I asked him about the game, told him again that I was sorry I could not see it or him.
He was quiet.
Then I asked him if he liked me working in the canteen, he responded back as if I was a complete idiot,
" YES. ", with the definite infliction on the word as if how on earth would I not know he liked me working back there ? 
It was cool.
To him.
I smiled driving home, thought of all the things, obligations, duties, we humans do , out of care and love for others,
and not out of any desire on our parts.
I am striving to do those things with a better INWARD attitude and not just an outward ' happy face '. 
Because when you really love someone, Really love them, it needs to be an inward action as well.

I hope that God shows you how important you are today, how you are needed in the very small insignificant actions in your life, times you overlook, times you may not appreciate.
Times no one tells you that you are appreciated. 
Pray to God for encouragement and strength. 
I hope you know who you are important to.
Remember you are needed, remember you are important to those that love you , remember to do whatever you do as to the LORD and not to man.
Remember you are loved.
Many blessings to you , I hope your day is overflowing,
Gina

" But when you do a charitable deed, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing., that your charitable deed may be in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly . " Matthew 6:3-4