Early Impressions

When I was a kid my Dad and some friends from church put up a basketball goal in our driveway. This might have been the single best moment of my childhood...the ability to play basketball 24 hours a day. I've always loved basketball. Even in the years before we had our own goal my brother and I would play Nerf basketball in the house and pretend to be our favorite players. We spent our hard earned chore money investing in basketball cards, posters,  Beckett magazines...there was no such thing as too much basketball. 

On a trip to San Antonio my Grandparents found themselves eating at the same restaurant as David Robinson, The Admiral himself. I'm not sure if they knew exactly who he was but they asked for two autographs for their basketball obsessed grandsons. I couldn't believe they had actually met one of the best players of his era while he was in his prime. I cherished that napkin...I kept it in my tiny cash box along with my favorite cards and took it out most days just to stare at its glory. But the most important thing is HOW David Robinson signed that paper napkin - with a bible verse under his name.  Hebrews 13:5-6

"Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.” So we say with confidence, “The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can mere mortals do to me?” (NIV)

This was the first bible verse I took the time to memorize...it's amazing how much impact you can have on someone without ever meeting them. What an amazing person...to have so much fame and wealth but he still takes the time to sign an autograph and remind his fans that money is not the focus of life.  God is life and should be the focus. 

Aubree and I have been overwhelmed by the generous spirit of the people in our lives in the first 11 days of Hazel's life. All of the meals, e-mails, cards, flowers, Facebook messages, visits, phone calls, prayers and donations to Hazel's surgery are incredible. It doesn't matter to me if someone sends a two word text or a long-form message...everything helps us feel the love from the body of Christ.

Sometimes it just helps to stop and say thank you to everyone.  To stop and praise God for the people who we see on a regular basis and for the old friends who have reached out to give us support. You don't know how much you mean to us but you do.

Surgery is a week from Friday and we are continuing to pray for a successful procedure and a smooth recovery for Hazel.