Clap-Clap

Matt's Greenville College Soccer Team has a tradition...whenever they're being introduced before a game, they do a simple clap-clap after each name is read.  "Forward #10, Cobi Allen" (clap-clap) "Forward #11 David Dunlop" (clap-clap) "Defensive Mid-field #18, Matt Cowman" (clap-clap).

The other day as we were working on our family Christmas puzzle - Wait a minute!  Let me clarify who the 'we' was - Madison, Bobby and I. When Matt's home and we have his company, our numbers go up...whether it's Grace or Sally (from China) or Keagan (when he's home from the air force.)  Notice I did not say Matt.  Notice I did not say Michaela and Meredith.  (They only like to work on the puzzle when there are 15 or 20 pieces left.) 

Anyhow, as 'we' were working at the beginning of the daunting 1000 piece puzzle, Bobby thought to add in, "Hey, when we find a piece, let's clap-clap.  We need all the encouragement we can get on this tough puzzle.

That night we clap-clapped as we labored to get 11 reindeer pieces put into the lower left side of the puzzle. 

The next morning, Michaela had a soccer game.  As the girls were warming up, Meredith and I heard it.  Clap-clap.  We quickly picked our spot on the bleachers and glanced up, eager to see what had precipitated the clap-clap.  "Two claps for Keagan's headband" Coach Bob called out.  The 12-year-old girls giggled as they in unity clap-clapped.

I smiled.

Clap-Clap.  I kinda liked it.  No!  I really liked it.

"Two claps for Schay's hair," Coach called.

Clap-Clap.

The girls were all smilin' as they began warming up.

Two claps.  I want God's two claps!  What do I do that would make God say, "Two claps for Lisa?"

Hm....

I immediately began racking my brain for something big...What big thing do I do?  Shoot.  Not gettin' much in that department.  I started slinkin' into discouragement.

Then I heard it. 

A whisper...think small. 

Small? 

I looked at Meredith sitting beside me.  The night before I had taken her laundry out and folded it for her, because she had already gone to bed.  Clap-clap.

I looked out at the girls warming up.  Michaela, my goalie.  Lately, we'd been challenging each other to ping pong, because we're pretty evenly matched and we both like to end on top.  I smiled.  Clap-clap.

I looked at Michaela's handsome coach, my man.  I smiled.  He's so cute.  He's an amazing coach.  What a special blessing for her to have her dad as her soccer coach all these years.  So what had I done for him?  Think, think...Ooh, I had hurried to get the coffee going so it'd be ready for him to grab to take to the game. Clap-clap.

I did get some clap-claps!  The best part was they came from the ultimate hands.

And wonder of wonders...He clap-claps the little things.