The Red Button

We have a TV but the power button hasn't seen much action this summer. Last week, when I had a rare moment to myself, I wandered over and pressed the red button and proceeded to channel surf. When I saw the word “Baloncesto,” on the guide, I was curious as to what type of basketball it would be and decided to check it out. You can imagine my surprise when I discovered Team Canada playing against Puerto Rico in the 2015 Fiba Amercias! Since then, we have enjoyed following Canada's progress and Mexico's as well. Both teams have been playing exceptionally well and can you guess who's going head to head tomorrow night? That's right, our home and native land goes up against our adopted home. Some would say this is “as fate would have it” but I believe this is the way God would have it, the way He's designed it in order to give us another way to use basketball to share the love of Christ.

Team Canada vs. Team Mexico = the perfect, God-ordained opportunity to use sports and hospitality to impact lives!

Tomorrow night we're expecting our house to be inundated with our basketball youth, the young people we've been working with throughout the summer, building relationships and teaching them the game we love in hopes of developing common ground, a way by which we are able to share about the One we love. The One who loves them with an everlasting love. The One who desires a personal relationship with each and every one of them.

So bring on the coke and pizza. Bring on the laughter and teasing. Bring on the cheering and the excitement! Bring on the crowded couches and the lack of floor space. Bring on the prayers! This is sports ministry in action!

I can't help but smile at the way God works.....an ordained tournament schedule and a little channel surfing.....who knew?

Obviously, He did.

And I'm glad He had me push the red button.

~ Karlene

New Plaid Shorts and Dedication

I was playing soccer with the boys on Monday. I was wearing the snazzy new plaid shorts my dear wife had bought me as I had been saying I needed some more shorts with pockets so that I could keep my phone and wallet with me while coaching. A ball was passing over my head so I tried reaching it with a leg high up in the air when I heard the horrifying tearing sound of, not my thigh muscle, but my brand new shorts. The tear was long, like really long, like Mississippi River long! In fact the one leg of the shorts was just about flapping in the wind from crotch to the bottom of the shorts. Not knowing what else to do, I started to laugh in embarrassment and cover up with my hands. The boys all came running to look as good boys are wont to do. I was thinking I should get on the motorbike and go home, but the other coach laughed and said it wasn't a big deal. I had a t-shirt that was long and almost covered the underwear showing. I was still very uncomfortable and kept one hand holding my t-shirt stretched downward, until I decided to look in the storage under the bleachers for some help. A-ha, I found a sweater that had been left by a player, so I tied that around my waist, reminiscent of the breech-cloths used by certain Native American tribes, and was ready for business once again. I spent the rest of the practice (40 min) with this new fashion statement and listening to a steady stream of snickering from the boys. Surely they will respect their coaches dedication after this!