The Champ

I have a friend who just scored the winning basket in overtime for her basketball team. I'm sorry I missed the game particularly since I hear it was quite exciting with the overtime win and included two parents being kicked out of the game for "unsportsmanlike" conduct.

I'm proud of my friend for making the points that decided the game. That's a great achievement and a wonderful memory! Her parents are particularly proud of her, but I have a pretty clear idea that they would be equally proud had she missed her shot. They just love and applaud her. That's a great legacy to give a kid!

Wonder how the two kids whose parents were kicked out of the game feel. That's a bummer - tho' not something that is rare - for parents to be so involved in their kid's sport that the parent is almost playing the game more than the kid. It gets all wrapped up in ego and a lot of other stuff. It's sad.

It also sends a pretty clear message to the kid: if you do well, if you win, I'll be proud of you BUT you better be sure you win.

We live in a very broken world. Parents are broken and still trying to be parents. Kids are broken and trying to grow up.

The only answer for brokenness is restoration! What does restoration look like?

Another friend showed me a beautiful but broken stained glass window in her home yesterday. We had already spent some time reflecting on brokenness and restoration as we shared our hearts with each other. Then as we looked at her window and talked about what needed to be done, the process of restoration seemed pretty clear. She had already talked with a master craftsman who she plans to hire to do the work. The process will involve more brokenness before restoration occurs. The window will have to come down and the broken panels be removed and new glass put in their place. New leading will follow. Then the window will be rehung. But the window is quite old so there's a very good (almost certain) chance that it is not possible to match the broken panels exactly. The glass is a rare color and pattern. So the window restored will take a slightly different look but it will be strong and straight. It won't be in danger of crashing or even bowing in on itself and ruining the entire window any longer once it's restored.

Wow! So restoration must be a process that involves pain but also the promise of getting back to before the brokenness with greater beauty and strength just because of the restoration process. There is a lot that needs restoration in my heart, in people I meet - just about everywhere. And if you happen upon a person or place where the need for restoration is denied, then be clear that it's probably needed there more than anywhere else. So, let the process of restoration begin!