A Place at the Table, day 4

I have found that when I have been fasting for a couple of days, my body gets settled and I become almost impervious to the fact that I am doing something different with my diet.  That settling happened on day 4.  It was Saturday, so I had an easy morning and then had responsibilities refereeing a basketball game and then coaching Faith's basketball team (we won, but more on that in a moment).  The afternoon was naps and TV, dinner and baths for my girls.  A relatively serene day on the Lent front.

So I want to just take a moment to write about my experience coaching Faith's Upward basketball team.  This was my first experience as a head coach, so I was very nervous going in.  Despite the fact that I played competitive basketball through college, I had never coached before.  And in case you didn't know it, girls basketball is a little bit different from boys basketball.  But Faith & I had an agreement, so we went with it.

My goal in coaching these eight girls was that they would develop a love for the game and that they would continue playing basketball well beyond this year.  And I wanted basketball to be fun.  About halfway through our 8-game season, I looked up and we were undefeated (with a tie).  That became a bit of our guiding principle from then on.  But I still tried to keep them focused on skill development and a love for basketball.

Our last game was yesterday.  Faith had yet to score this season, and while I was excited about our team's success, I SOOOOOO wanted Faith to score.  At least once.  She came out in the game yesterday very aggressive, getting several steals, a few rebounds, and even a jump ball.  She got off a couple of shots, but nothing fell.  Until.  She got a rebound and arched a shot really high, and it came down right where it needed to -- nothing but net!  I am by nature an "energetic coach" (shocking, I know), but I about jumped out of the gym.  I was so happy for her!  She had worked so hard and kept going despite her inability to score points, and it was rewarded in that last game.  And because I was the coach, I was guaranteed the opportunity to see it.  We did end up undefeated, but that paled in comparison to the joy I saw on Faith's face!

I hate that I'm beginning to sound like somewhat of a broken record in these posts -- I guess that's what happens when your diet looks the same every day -- but it really is the simpler things in life that grant us the greatest joy.  I've had success in life and school and ministry.  But my girls don't care about any of that.  I decided long ago that whatever opportunities I have to be in my daughters' lives, I'm going to embrace them.  That's why, when I get to take Grace & Faith to school in the morning, I park my car and I walk them into their classrooms.  When I take Tinsley to school, I chat with her teachers and give her a kiss before I go.  Especially with my oldest, I'm not sure how many more days it will be before walking down the school hallway holding daddy's hand will be socially unacceptable.  But I'm gonna get the most out of it while I still can.

So, if you're a parent, enjoy every moment with your kids.  Hug them tight.  Kiss them goodnight.  Walk them to class.  Carry them when they ask.  Volunteer at their schools.  Coach their sports teams.  And if you're a grandparent, be in your kids and grandkids lives.  Go to their softball games as often as you can.  Give your kids a break by taking your grandkids for a day.  Bosses will fire you.  Jobs will change.  Stock markets will take your money.  But you'll always have your kids.  And you'll never forget days like yesterday, when the shot hit nothing but net.