Previous Challenge Entry (Level 2 – Intermediate)
Topic: EXPECTATION (01/28/21)
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TITLE: The Basketball Team | Previous Challenge Entry
By Marilyn Meiners
02/02/21 -
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I want to tell you about our middle son, Dennis, who played basketball for his NYC high school team.
Dennis was not what you would call an “outstanding player”. He did have a mean three-point shot but that was about all. He was a tough player a “get out of my way” player. When he was on the floor, you knew he was there. He would be the kid who limped off the floor with a sprained ankle (multiple times) or the time he received a broken nose (he finished the game before we could take him to the ER). He put his entire heart and soul into the game.
Did I mention that Dennis was one of two white players on this team of twelve boys? Yet, color knew no boundaries. He was loved by them all. My husband and I attended every game that Dennis had. We got to know the coach and all the players. They would warmly greet us with “Hi Mr. & Mrs. Meiners”. We felt like we were part of the team.
As the basketball season was coming to a close this mom had a brilliant idea. At least I thought it was brilliant. I said to Dennis, “Hey kiddo, let’s invite the entire team to our home for an end-of-the-season dinner. It would be a great way to show Jesus before them.”
Dennis looked at me like I had seven heads. “Seriously mom? You expect my team to come for dinner. We live in a white neighborhood. The team is black. Do you really think these boys are going to walk through this our neigborhood, to our house, then spend an evening with us?”
“Why not?” I asked. “The worst thing that can happen is they will say no.”
Dennis just rolled his eyes and sighed.
His last game was coming on Friday. I wrote out an invitation addressed to ‘Coach Metcliff and Team’ inviting them to our home for dinner the following Friday night at six o’clock.
I asked Dennis if he wanted to give the invitation to his team, or if I should.
Dennis ignored me.
I took that as a “no”.
After the game, I took the invitation to his coach. I explained what I wanted to do, would he share the invitation with the team.
As the week progressed, I prepared a lasagna dinner for twelve hungry boys plus their coach. Including a huge tossed salad and for dessert I made a yellow sheet cake with buttercream frosting. I decorated the top with the names of all the boys on the team.
I really had no idea if the team would come or not, since I heard nothing from the coach, but I expected God was going to do something great, and I was going to be prepared.
Friday came.
Dinner was ready.
I looked at the time. Five-fifty-five.
“Okay God, we have five minutes for this expected miracle from you.”
An annoyed Dennis looked out the window at just this time and almost stopped breathing.
“Mom, here they come. The entire team must have taken the bus together. They are walking up the street!”
Smiling, I greeted them at the door. We probably had every eye in the neighborhood watching out their window as this crazy group of boys came to our house.
Hours later, which included lots of food and laughter, these boys headed home, each one hugging me, thanking me for the evening.
Indeed, the evening was a success!
Dennis played basketball for two more years. After every closing game, these boys would ask Dennis, “Is your mom going to have us over for dinner again?”
Yes, I would continue to host this group until Dennis graduated High School.
They expected an invitation each season. I gladly gave it. What I didn’t expect is what happened years later. One of the boys, Beaver, wrote me a letter saying he had come to know Jesus as his Savior and it all began as he watched how we lived Jesus before these boys. He wanted to know more, searched, and found what he had been missing.
Jesus.
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