hollywood ending

This morning was a divide-and-conquer kind of morning.  Kent and Luke were going to their big Destination ImagiNation competition (very exciting, the kids were great!) and Sam, Olivia, & I were going to go to Sam's last basketball game of the season at 11:00.  Sam was so looking forward to his last game- running through the tunnel, hoping for a basket, relishing being part of an amazing team. He was a little sad that the season was ending, and so are we- Coach Todd Vestal is a once-in-a-lifetime kind of coach that cares for more for character than wins, more for relationships than baskets. He coached Sam's first team experience almost 4 years ago with Upward soccer and when Sam expressed wanting to play basketball, we begged for Coach Todd (he was coaching Cade's 2nd grade team but luckily Cottonwood made an exception for us & put us with him on 2nd, thank you Taunya Vestal :) ).  Our assistant coaches Todd (also super nice) and Paul (wonderful man, sweet family friends) were also incredibly positive and patient with Sam all season and helped create such a great experience.
So it's about 10:15, I just took a shower and I notice my phone flash. I check it and there's a text from Natalie- "where r u we miss u at the game".  ???? Panic sets in as I type back "I thought it was at 11?????" and she immediately writes back "No now it's halftime come now" I throw on clothes & wet hair in a pony tail and yelled for Sam to "COME BRUSH YOUR TEETH THE GAME HAS ALREADY STARTED!" He came in and I immediately realized that I needed to calm down and not be stressed- that was only going to stress him out more. "You are making me nervous" Sam told me as he puts toothpaste on his toothbrush. I apologized and told him that we were wrong, the game started at 9:45 and I am so, so sorry, fully expecting a meltdown  and he says "I'm not mad, I'm just disappointed that I missed most of the game.  Since I can't run through the tunnel for my last game, I really hope I can make a basket."  First, wow. I feel guilty and proud at the same time. He is really growing up! He was so flexible, understanding, and positive!  I also started getting nervous thinking "I hope he makes a basket!" but since he's only made 2 baskets the whole season, knew it wasn't likely and reminded him as we loaded the car how we don't always make baskets, we don't always get to shoot the ball or even touch the ball and that's ok, etc and to just enjoy his last game and have fun... not knowing that God obviously had something else in mind. 
We arrived at church in one piece and Sam ran in (I reminded him to walk in quickly but calmly to his team) and when Olivia and I ran in a few minutes after him, my friends and fellow moms on the team cheered for me quite loudly, laughing and lovingly teasing about "Mom of the Year" and how ironic that the mom of the Asperger's boy who needs a schedule is the one who messed up the schedule. I love these women- they are so real and funny and quickly diffused my stress!  I sat and after Taunya grabbed Olivia to hold, I looked out and Sam was playing in the last 6 minutes of the game. 
Now for the Hollywood moment.  The boys, who are all really great players, several exceptionally good, and played together last year, began going out of their way to pass the ball to Sam.... everyone cheered for Sam the second his hands touched the ball, and within a few minutes, Sam made a basket! Our little crowd made a TON of noise and he literally jumped up and down, shaking his hands in the air. Amazing!  Sam was beaming. The boys continued to purposely pass the ball to Sam and didn't even get angry or frustrated when he started dribbling toward the wrong basket or when the other team stole the ball from him. The timer went off, everyone cheered, and we made our way to the devotional room for stars.
Coach Todd talked to the boys about how proud he is of their teamwork and how every boy made a basket today- that was because they really worked as a team and they were unselfish, meaning they made a conscious effort to pass the ball to each other and didn't just keep the ball for themselves. He told the boys how basketball doesn't really matter- PEOPLE matter.  What matters in this room is the people and the relationships that we have and the relationship we have with Jesus.  Todd shared how his best friend had died this past summer and that he met Matt on the basketball court years and years ago, and that he hopes our boys have the opportunity to meet and cultivate a close relationship with a friend, maybe even a friend in this room. This was incredible- he shared with the boys that he started the season ready to teach our boys about basketball, but he, the coach, was the one who really learned from them, the players.  And he talked to each boy individually about what they had taught him- one's perseverance, one's positive attitude, one's selflessness who always puts others before himself, and when he came to Sam, he said "And Sam Potter. You have taught me about being joyful and finding joy in life. Joy is happiness. You bring happiness to our lives and find happiness in every thing." Tears, smiles, and God working through basketball. 
Natalie nailed it when she texted me tonight about how happy they were about "the Sam Lifetime movie that was our last 15 minutes today...talk about Hollywood endings."  I was so happy & full of joy for my Sam who experienced the love of Christ through 2nd grade boys and coaches who truly care and basketball- a Hollywood ending indeed.
My heart is full.