The way it should be

On a side street, while First Fridays was in full motion in Goshen with lots of fun activities for our community; a special group of hoopsters from ADEC put on a great hoops display.

 Tina Bowser from ADEC  organized the event which let the team display their talent to a small audience in attendance. Effort and hustle combined with laughter, smiles, and sportsmanship filled the court.

I found myself stripping me from the game and becoming a member of their team; longing to see them score and win the game. 

My kids and Ross Elias formed a team to compete with them. 

We celebrated their win with them and cherished the hugs we received from them afterwards.

The Goshen Cheerleaders came out in full support to cheer on the ADEC Silver Bullets...

 I loved how they cheered for them on each shot ...

 

It was one of those nights with my family that I will never forget...

 We hit a couple of shots to keep it close but honestly it really didn't matter if we made any shots at all...

 Ross had fun too as he set aside his skills for a night and rewarded the ADEC team with a steal or two...

The handshakes afterwards were some of my best ever as an athlete...

 I even loved the Referee :)

I wondered as I pulled away with my wife, Anne who cheered loudly for the ADEC Silver Bullets and snapped off all of these pictures, if we had just experienced a little taste of heaven. I wondered if Jesus was in the crowd away from the hustle and bustle of main street. I wondered if that was why my family had spent 1000's of hours practicing hoops; so that we could show up last night and be the best players for the other team.

I am a better man because of my time on the court last night and  I thank God for my new ADEC friends who truly understand what is most important ! Bless you Silver Bullets!

The way it should be

Yesterday during Isaiah's Golf Tourney I snapped this photo off. As you can see he is waiting for the chance to tee off on the Par 3 hole in front of him. I love this shot because in the midst of competition Isaiah and Wynton are shooting the breeze.

In this game every shot counts and one needs to remain focused on his shot at hand. Yet God calls us to remain in community no matter what we are doing. I often tell my kids that everything they do will be connected to relationships so make the most of that while you are living life.

So in the middle of a golf tournament when one needs to be zeroed in, Isaiah and Wynton understand that this tourney is just a tool to bridge and connect the really important thing, "relationships." I wonder what they are chatting about as they sit on the bench?