 My eight year old son, Tanner, just began his first season of basketball with a program called Upward. On its website you quickly notice the program’s mission: “Introducing children to Jesus Christ by creating opportunities to serve through sports.” What an exciting program! Each week they have memory verses and do devotionals. Additionally, they get to play one of the greatest sports ever created: basketball.
Tanner has only gotten to go to three practices and play two games. He has never played at all before. Partly I blame myself for being “too busy” with work in the past, but Tanner also has been much less interested in sports (he hated playing soccer), we had only had access to 10′ goals, and Tanner enjoys reading and art the most. So, we have been really amazed at how he has taken to this.
This past game Tanner scored his first goal.  He went down low near the basket, on the wing about 8 feet out. His man wasn’t on him. The best player on his team dished him the ball. He looked like he wasn’t sure what he wanted to do with the ball even though he caught it neatly. Tanner is extremely descriptive and extroverted; he has an amazing way at expressing his feelings. He told me later that in his mind he thought “I’ve got the ball… oh my … there’s no one to pass it to… i guess i’d better shoot…” 
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He looked around, looked up at the basket, tossed it up in the air above the rim, and it caught the edge of the rim on the way down and went straight through!!! He jumped straight in the air with one fist thrown high and had the hugest grin on his face. It really is the first time I’ve felt like I’ve seen him truly have fun playing any sport. In fact, If you saw Steven Hill, the Arkansas Razorbacks’ 7′0″ center, during the Arkansas game this past week as he went out after his great success, the smile on his face and his hair blowing back… well, that’s what Tanner looked like running down the court after that successful shot.Â
On top of all that, this week at practice he just looked different, more confident and definitely having fun. I beamed as I watched him play keep away, passing and catching the ball deftly. I think I must have still been beaming as we walked away from the gym, and he looked up at me and said, “Dad, I’m not having fun; I don’t want you to think I am having fun.” LOL. I didn’t look at him, but I am sure if I did he would have had a sly grin on his face, because I could sure hear it in his voice. Our new lives as missionaries, living in our calling and doing it as a family has made a difference in so many ways. Praise God.Â
I couldn’t find a picture of Hill’s smiles, but this one sure shows passion!
