#415 Ask And You Will Receive

Jesus said, “Ask and you will receive, and your joy will be complete” in John 16:24

Last week I went to lunch with some co-workers at Siam Square.  (Check it out if you like Thai food.)  We sat upstairs and chatted after placing our orders.  Nancy, one of the ladies at our table, said, “I thought I saw our waitress come in with our drinks.”  Seeing as we had no drinks, the waitress had not.  After a minute, the waitress did indeed walk through the door with our drinks.  I told Nancy, “You can see the future!” and we all laughed.  I then told her to imagine a tall and handsome man walking through the door. 

Midway through our meal I looked up to see a tall man walk through the doorway (6’3”), followed by a taller man (6’5”)!  I looked at Nancy and said, “Nancy!  You did it!”  Of course, both men were married.  Even if they weren’t, I don’t know that I would have walked over there and told them my friend had predicted they would walk in the room.  We did get another big laugh out of it though. 

This story reminds me that I need to be more specific when I ask for things.  A tall man did walk through the door, but I didn’t actually say he needed to be single.  It also reminds me of a similar situation that happened to me in 1997.  I was playing in the American Basketball League in Seattle and was going into my second season.  My dad and I drove to Seattle so I would have my car, and he flew back home.  I had a lot of time to think on the three-day drive.  I was 28 and still single.  I thought about how I had usually prayed to meet the right guy.  I would ask that he be at least 6’4” (my minimum) and he didn’t have to be really attractive, just attractive to me, and so on.  It dawned on me that I wasn’t putting my full trust in God.  I wasn’t asking him for His best for me.  I needed to start asking for the best because I deserved His best.  Right then I prayed to meet a guy who was 6’10” and really attractive and nice.  And a Christian of course.  Then I forgot about my prayer. 

Pre-season began and we were working hard at Sound Mind And Body (now closed) in Fremont.  Our trainer, Peter Shmock, told me he wanted me to meet someone.  He was working with a men’s basketball player from the University of Puget Sound who was recovering from planter fasciitis surgery.  Peter wanted me to work on post moves anyway, and thought it would be a good idea to have Bryan Vukelich, who was 6’10”, and me work out together.  I agreed to meet him, but to myself thought, “He’s going to be a big nerd.”  (Which is a terrible thing to think, but that’s what popped into my head.  And these days, I like nerds.) 

I learned Bryan was working out in the gym the day Peter mentioned him and I was upstairs near the window that looked down on the basketball court.  I snuck a peek at him and was pleasantly surprised that he was really cute.  After we were both finished working out Peter introduced us.  Oh.  My.  And not only was he really cute and tall, he was one of the nicest guys I’d ever met.  After our initial meeting it hit me – I had prayed for him!  I asked specifically for 6’10”, really cute, really nice, Christian (Puget Sound was founded as a Methodist University but I didn’t know his religious beliefs).  And there he was! 

Bryan and I met up a few times to work on post moves – for him to help ease him back into playing with his sore foot.  For me, to help me play against someone taller and stronger (he took it easy on me – there is no way I could push a 200 lb + guy around).  He was a redshirt senior and Peter told me he was 22.  Hmmm…still in college and living in Tacoma.  I still had a huge crush on him. 

Peter came up with a contest for Bryan and me to see who could gain the highest percent body weight by November.  We started in late August.  I weighed in at 165 and Bryan at 235 ½.  I started taking creatine and drinking protein shakes twice a day.  I have never felt so bloated in my life.  Creatine is supposed to help you make more muscle and also to recover faster after competition.  I didn’t feel a big difference in my recovery but it did help me gain weight.  I was also lifting heavily during the preseason, so I may have added extra muscle, but I think most of the extra weight was water, as creatine also makes you retain water.  Regardless, I proceeded to top out at 174 lbs and win the contest. 

My college playing weight was 165 lbs and I would always lose 5 lbs in the offseason.  For me to go over 170 lbs was a big deal.  I was used to people telling me how skinny I was and now people were telling me I looked lean and strong. 

The contest terms were that the loser had to treat the winner to drinks and appetizers.  Peter went too and we all had a good time.  There were times when I wondered if Bryan was interested, but nothing ever came of it and that was it. 

When I prayed, I prayed to meet a tall, handsome guy.  I didn’t specify that I wanted to date him.  Picky, picky.  So, the next time you ask for something, be very specific.  I should have learned my lesson the first time!