Baseball Bliss

My son’s team won their game tonight 10-7 and it was a good game. There are few blessings in life as rich as two teams of young men working together and united excited about playing a good game and winning. These young men do not play for a participation trophy, they usually throw those n out. They play to win. It is the joy of the game, the unity/family of the team, the crack of the bat hitting the ball, thr thrill of the run, but much moreso the win. Winning is so satisfying. Just playing is fun but not the goal.

And as Christians, we are on this journey of life to win, not just to play. We want to win souls for the kingdom of God and not just hide in a corner with our gift of salvation. I want to hear God pleased with me for reaching out to people and obeying Him not just squeeze in by the seat of my pants. God is worthy of our best efforts and not just being a Christian in secret.

Just like in baseball, we have to want to win. And God will always help us and our team. ⚾❤

Sitting There

Never bench yourself.

Get in the game, do not sit on the sidelines.

A game is much more fun played.

Even against a team 32 times your size.

It is still better to play.

Even if your team is horribly messed up or doesn’t show up half the time.

God wants you to trust in Him and do what you can.

Because whether it looks like it or not, the truth is that with God, anything and everything is possible.

❤

Blended Christmas

Today, my family and mom spent a great morning opening presents and eating a great meal. Everyone was doing good and the kids were doing great. We finished our game and chocolate conspicuously at the same time, ahem, and mom went home to nap. The kids and I watched half of a new movie while my husband also napped. All good, all going beautifully.

Enter the blended family drama. We went then after the nap to deliver presents to the grandkids, the ones we rarely ever see. And our grand daughter was acting out of character and I realized how much she has on her shoulders at just 4 years of age. Her mom cheated on her dad and they are divorcing and the new couple are together with a new baby and her dad is now with a new girlfriend and there are 4 languages spoken around her and the mom and grandma have a co-defendant relationship and happen to live right next to each other and whew, I am drained just thinking about all that. And I realized how difficult blended families are and much more acutely, how much sin effects children. They have no choice in the matter. There is no norm because they are trying to learn life but they know it is not right somehow. And nobody calling out bad behavior compounds that, no consistency compounds that, no Godly principles compounds that. So when I was asked to finally be involved and teach her piano, I jumped at it. Hey, I am stable. I am faithful to Godly principles. I can love her and be consistent with rewards and punishments and be a rock in her ever-shifting seas. Blended families are full of challenges but with God, there is hope and help and instruction as to how to navigate life. Hope, a beautiful word.❤

Rainy Game

We had a great game tonight at Tigertown with the little leagues filing in prior to it. And we got through the top of the eighth inning, tied 1-1, and bam. Flash flood. They got the tarp out and covered the bases just before the downpour. And evetyone relocated to the sheltered part of the stands and we all waited. And when it was well understood that it was not going to relent (it is still raining now at 1am- ish), people started soaking over to their vehicles to go home. All the little leaguers got to see most of a good game and it was nice seeing familiar faces we have seen all season four days a week and sometimes more. It is a nice way to close out the season and I loved the rain coming. Everyone squnched in and wrinkled noses and I freed up and stood and danced and sang. It was beautiful! Torrents with thunder and lightening so enthralling to behold, God’s cleansing and power and bath. So good. And just before this, a beautiful sunset! So precious and momentous. Often the little things mean so very much and change perspectives. Praise God! ❤