Thank you to Pleasant View Missionary Church of Darke County for sponsoring a wonderful season of Upwards Basketball.   It was so cleanly managed and organized.  Practice on Tuesday evenings and games on Saturday were the highlight of Ephraim and Zion’s week.  After the Awards Ceremony on Sunday, our boys waved a glum goodbye to their new friends and climbed into our vehicle with long faces.  This has been an interesting study for both Seth and I.  Zion, our shy and introverted seven year old, has made such strides in confidence and building relationships over the last months…pushed out from underneath extroverted Ephraim’s shadow…and forced to learn on his own the needed skills of befriending and gaming.  Ephraim received the much-needed practice of teamwork and heeding authorities other than mom and dad…and benefited from many hours of sheer enjoyment of participating in the sport that he loves.  Though Ephraim gives it his all…schoolwork comes very hard to him.  Yet, put him in a place as big as his stride and watch him run…and it’s like watching water ripple over rocks.  Poetry in motion.  He played his last game with pneumonia.  His fever had broke and he insisted on playing…but I winced when I watched him gasping for air…his normal sparkling white grin replaced with a bit of a grimace.

Pleasant View Missionary Church’s dedication these last few months to all the children that walked through their doors, seemed to exceed everyone’s expectations.  We were blessed to see Ephraim and Zion’s coaches consistently placing Christ and character over the next basket.  An added boost for me, was the mellow nature in which the boys always returned home.  They had been exercised well…their testosterone pounded out on the court…and it gave me a much needed break from the constant need to keep the energy well-channeled and serviceable.  Seth mentioned upon our leaving from the ceremony on Sunday, that you can tell much about the spiritual life of a church by the attitudes and countenances of the help and the volunteers at their events and services.  We were encouraged by the cheerful, loving, and upbeat environment.  Thank you, again PVMC.  Our spirits bore witness with yours.