| I've never really been a basketball fan, but | | | | do with her faith -- her faith in a new |
| since the Dallas Mavericks were in the | | | | concept of God that she was learning. A God |
| championship series, my Texas pride made me | | | | that is good and omnipotent. A loving God who |
| watch. With each agonizing game (specifically | | | | will steer His children safely amid any |
| the last four), I remembered why I'm not a | | | | storm. A God who has given His children the |
| basketball fan -- the game seems filled with | | | | ability to prove evil powerless. A God who |
| unfair foul calls. I know I sound like a sore | | | | sent His son, Christ Jesus, to teach us how. |
| loser -- and I am. My Texas pride may be | | | | |
| acting up again! | | | | Her faith-filled outlook gave us hope. And |
| | | | her faith-filled perspective brought us the |
| Still, even though I screamed out my | | | | vision to see good and to find new |
| frustrations over what I considered unfair | | | | opportunities -- even peace of mind, and yes, |
| calls, I also yelled for the boys to step up | | | | joy. Her faith-inspired point of view led us |
| their game. I encouraged them to do a better | | | | to a new home in a new city, a career for her |
| job at making their shots, rebounding and so | | | | and a new life for both of us. |
| forth. Even if some foul calls were bogus, I | | | | |
| still believed they had the ability to win | | | | My memory of those childhood days is not of |
| the games. | | | | lack, uncertainty or fear. I never even |
| | | | thought of myself as homeless or poor. |
| Now that the series is over, I'm reflecting | | | | |
| on how the game of basketball is sometimes | | | | I suppose I could look at my childhood |
| like our lives. Or at least like my life. | | | | experience with regret. But those days for me |
| | | | were a great gift -- a lesson in how to beat |
| Many times I've felt life was unfair -- like | | | | the odds. How to overcome the insurmountable. |
| nothing was going my way. And in those times | | | | How to begin anew when all is lost. How to |
| anger, disappointment and depression | | | | find something good in every moment. |
| victimized me: Poor me. "It wasn't my fault." | | | | |
| "I didn't have a choice." "There was nothing | | | | I learned that a different outlook can change |
| I could do about the cards I was dealt but to | | | | the course of our lives. We have to take |
| accept them and suffer through it." | | | | responsibility for our thoughts and actions |
| | | | every moment. Mary Baker Eddy wisely advised, |
| Fortunately, my mama taught me a lesson long | | | | "Your decisions will master you, whichever |
| ago that has helped me learn how to pull | | | | direction they take." And she encouraged |
| myself up from what feels like life's unfair | | | | again and again to, "Stand porter at the door |
| dealings. | | | | of thought." |
| | | | |
| The lesson, or storm of events, began one | | | | We can do this because God gives us the |
| September evening when I was ten years old. | | | | ability and the strength to govern our lives |
| It wasn't a hurricane or a tornado. But it | | | | in harmony and peace. |
| was equally devastating and for me, and just | | | | |
| as sudden. | | | | After I married, my greatest battle with what |
| | | | I considered the unfairness of life began |
| I was taking my bath, getting ready for bed, | | | | when our daughter was two years old. We were |
| when my mama unexpectedly came through the | | | | ready to continue growing our family. But |
| door. She promptly whisked me out of the tub | | | | more children didn't arrive. Year after year, |
| to make a quick escape from her bitter and | | | | I struggled with disappointment and |
| angry ex-husband -- my dad. He hadn't been | | | | depression, as well as anger and frustration. |
| able to accept the divorce. My mama had been | | | | My mantra was, "Why me, Lord?" |
| warned by a relative that he was on his way | | | | |
| to our place with violent intentions. | | | | I can't say that I overcame my struggle as |
| | | | quickly as I wish I had. But as I learned in |
| There was no time to pack, so we left with | | | | my childhood, it would require a new outlook |
| what little could be grabbed in a flash. I | | | | to move my life forward. As it turns out, a |
| was never to see my home or my dad again. | | | | grateful heart was imperative. My love and |
| | | | desire for children didn't end. And children |
| For the months that followed, we were | | | | did come into my life -- just in a different |
| homeless with little money. | | | | way than I had expected. I became a |
| | | | kindergarten teacher. And not long after |
| Many have asked my mama what enabled her to | | | | that, my teenage niece came to live with us. |
| survive those times. I suppose some might | | | | |
| call it a "can-do" spirit. Perhaps a positive | | | | I've concluded God does answer our prayers -- |
| attitude. Maybe a cheerful outlook. Or a | | | | just not always in the way we outline. When |
| "never-give-up" perspective. My mama could | | | | I'm certain of God's ever-presence, I'm able |
| never be brought down -- for long, anyway. | | | | to respond to whatever comes my way, calmly |
| | | | and confidently assured of God's directing. |
| I can only explain that it had something to | | | | |