My daughter is making improvements and getting a bit braver at playing basketball.
At practice last night, she got to throw the ball in once. That helped increase her excitement.
At bedtime last night, she told me she’s scared of the ball hitting her in the face when it comes down, and she’s afraid of having the ball 🏀 because she might lose it and it could hit a baby in the audience.
We talked a little about how being afraid caused her to turn her head and cover her face putting her in more danger, instead of using her skills to actually protect herself and catch the ball and have fun in the game.
We talked about how there was only one baby in the entire practice, and that baby wasn’t even near where she was practicing. We talked about how on game day it was the job of any baby’s parent to protect the baby, not Emily’s job. Her purpose during practice and games is to protect the ball.
During practice last night, she had one solid opportunity to actually rebound the ball. The other forward, who is a much stronger player right now, came to her side of the goal and took it before she could get it. The coach looked at him and said, “Good rebound, but if she has her hands up and is ready to catch the ball, you stay on your side and let her do her side.”
There are so many valuable life lessons for all of us in those moments.
- Don’t turn away in fear from the path God has put you on and equipped you with the skills you need to walk that path.
- Don’t spend your time focused on someone else’s purpose instead of focusing on your own.
- Don’t spend your life worrying about the hundreds of things that may never happen and miss the excitement of playing the actual game.
- Stay in your circle and mind your own business, and trust that your neighbor can do the same.
- Sometimes the reason we cannot achieve success is less about our skills and more about the roots hidden in our hearts and minds that we are allowing to hold us back.
- When someone on your team isn’t grasping a concept, no amount of repeating it over and over is going to fix it if you don’t realize #5 is the problem.
Who knew you could learn so much from a seven year old just talking about basketball 🏀?
I’ve realized over her life, Emily has learned from me to worry about the things that will never happen. She has picked up my fear of failure and created a negative focus in her heart. It’s holding her back the same way I’ve allowed it to constrain my purpose so many times in life.
She is my mini-me. She looks at me to shape her view of the world. I’ve failed her there for years, but I’m working on becoming a better mirror. She deserves that (…and so do I).
As I’m working on remodeling my life, my heart, and my focus, I often repeat this verse:
**** Philippians 4:8 ****
Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.
****