Basketball in a Barn

One thing I will often say to others and even amongst ourselves here at home is that I like not having tons of extra money.  That may sound a little odd to say, because there are other times I'll say the exact opposite like, "A little money would sure help about now!" 

What I love about the lack of "extra" is how it drives us, all of us, to be creative, to think outside the box, to be more grateful for what we do have, to pursue all sorts of different activities that require no money.

This weekend was another great example.  Our children have been wanting to play basketball on our property for ages.  We had a hoop at one point, but it got damaged and thrown out.  We were offered another one, but couldn't take it at the time.  The kids were content to go to playgrounds last summer whenever we could to throw a ball or at other people's houses, but as the warmer weather started to come around, they were really itching.

I noticed my 8 year old's creativity last week.  He got a pail and put it on our small cement pad out front and was throwing it in the pail as if it were a basket.  Cute idea except that it took all the things off the side of the house I had nailed up.

Then he brought the pail inside and was bouncing a ball all over the house, slam-dunking it in this pail all day!  Do you know how loud that can get?  Not to mention the things it was going to potentially break.  That's when I got this great idea....

We had an old wooden fruit press with the bottom broken out.  I'm not joking, this wooden barrel looked like the original basket the inventor of basketball must have used.  I suggested they nail it something in the barn and then they would not only have a basket but a gym!  They liked it but waited for Dad to set it up.

Yesterday he nailed it to a high spot on the wall on the inside of the barn and everyone is thrilled.  They have an indoor basketball court now!   They were out there so many hours it was amazing and the best part is I didn't hear a single bounce!  It is protected from snow, wind, rain.....it's perfect. 

It looks as primitive as it would have when the game was just invented, but I love it.  The basketball we had was left at my sister's last summer, so we don't even have a real ball!  They are using a soccer ball, but hey, it bounces and goes through hoops!  They don't care!  I marveled at their contentment.  I had heard of a family that lives near us who was able to afford to transform their whole barn into a full-on legitimate basketball gymnasium.  Our's does not quite have that same feel!  There is hay everywhere, picnic tables to bounce around, old equipment, but for now, it works!  Another great lesson for me that you don't have to have a lot to make kids happy.  And for me, another great answer to prayer as I long to buy all these things that they ask for and sometimes I do feel sorry for myself because I can't, but then God gives us these lightbulb moments of sheer genius and creativity with just the resources we need and suddenly I feel His love for me again in such a unique and custom-fitted way.  I write these stories down for the kids and for myself, so we'll never forget how He shows His love for us.