(Every time Jesse had to take a lap, Preslie followed behind him...so cute!)
Jesse is playing basketball for the first time. He and Shelby are playing on the same team through Upward Basketball at our church. More about that later.
So, Daddy is the coach in the family. He knows all there is to know about sports...all sports except for golf, probably. He has played almost every sport and coached for years. Mom, on the other hand, knows very very little about sports. I quit every sport I ever tried when it got to be a little hard, and did not have a competitive spirit when I was younger. I have some regrets in that department. Because of that, one part of the Lichtenberger creed is "Lichtenbergers never give up and always finish a season."
Right now, James work schedule is a real drag. He works from 9-6:30 MTW & F and Saturdays from 9:30-1:30. That means he misses the kids games on Saturdays and has very little time to practice with them during the week. That leaves little old me to help them train during the week. Scary! Although, I did play basketball for 1/2 of a season in the 8th grade, so I can at least play on a 1st grade level. I can shoot, pass, dribble a little...And I am really good at getting kids in line.
Jesse is an amazing little guy. He is sweet and compassionate, creative and talented. He is a strong boy with a sensitive side...a sensitive heart that can be worn on his sleeve sometimes. It is going to be important for his Daddy and I to help him control his emotions in an age appropriate way without breaking his spirit. In an attempt to train him how to control his emotions in sports, I had him take a lap every time he whined or complained during our basketball practice the other day at the park. He could walk or run, but he had to make it all the way around the court. Then, I passed the ball to him over and over until he could catch it without stepping back or flinching. I was pretty dang proud of him by the end of practice, and patting myself on the back for my ingenuity as a coach...something I have never been. I could have coddled him when he whined about it being hard or cried that he was tired, but he is going to be a MAN someday, and he needs to learn to act like one. We are old school when it comes to this. He already has a sensitive side and can tend to lean to it without us encouraging him to explore it. The confidence in his eyes at the end of that practice was worth the hard work. It blew me away what a difference my approach made in his behavior.
Today was their first game and it was a riot. There are cheerleaders cheering for them and they have real jerseys. At the beginning of the game, the cheerleaders make a tunnel for each player to run through as they are announced individually over the loud speaker. Pretty exciting stuff! The coaches pray with the kiddos and do a little devo each practice. During half-time of the game, someone gave a testimony and invited everyone to church on Sunday or to simply speak with someone if they are interested in finding out more about Jesus. It is a really cool ministry.
(If your church has the facility to do something like this, you should totally suggest it to your Children's minister, and be sure to volunteer to head it up as well. Or, find a church league near you. click Upward to visit their site.)
(sidenote: Lucy wasn't in the mood to model, obviously. But, she did use the potty all day today!)
(If your church has the facility to do something like this, you should totally suggest it to your Children's minister, and be sure to volunteer to head it up as well. Or, find a church league near you. click Upward to visit their site.)
(sidenote: Lucy wasn't in the mood to model, obviously. But, she did use the potty all day today!)
