I love being a father. The past five days have been amazing. So many moments in Clara’s short life are already permanently etched in my mind.
Hanging out in the nursery as Clara went through all of her initial tests minutes after she was born.
Changing her first diaper and being shocked at how so much grossness could come out of someone so small and adorable.
Listening to “How He Loves” while holding Clara, crying while finding new meaning in the lyrics.
So much has changed since Alycia and I held our little girl for the first time. But, so much has stayed the same.
When Clara was only 11 hours old, I was watching Jake Arietta throw a no-hitter for the Chicago Cubs.
When we were in the hospital, I watched The Force Awakens on my iPad while holding Clara.
When we were home from the hospital on Sunday, I watched the Warriors’ playoff game against the Houston Rockets.
I may have a daughter but I still love the Cubs, Star Wars and Warriors.
My love for the Warriors has been tested this week. On Sunday Stephen Curry, the NBA’s reigning MVP who will likely win the award again, suffered an injury on his right knee. He slipped on the court at the end of the first half and couldn’t return after attempting to warm up before the second half. He was visibly upset on the sidelines, covering his head and hiding his tears.
I don’t know Steph Curry and I don’t know if he’s as a good a man as he’s portrayed to be. From following him on social media and reading so many interviews with him, though, he seems like a genuine person who loves Jesus and loves his family. So when he got injured I started praying for Steph, which was admittedly weird.
I wasn’t praying for him as a Warriors fan, though; I was praying for him as a fellow brother in Christ. Selfishly I wanted his knee to be miraculously healed so that the Warriors could win another championship. Instead of praying for that, though, I prayed that God would use Steph to bring glory to himself, regardless of what happened to Steph’s knee.
The MRI came back negative on Steph’s knee, which means there wasn’t any serious damage. He has a knee strain and will be reevaluated in two weeks. It really is the best news a Warriors fan could get. However, I was most moved to read all the reports of Steph gathering with some of his friends and colleagues before leaving the arena on Sunday. That group circled together and prayed, something so many of us have done when gathering with our friends. That circle was a beautiful testimony that no matter what we face, we should face it with prayer.
Have you ever felt weird praying for someone?
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