March 28 – “Two favorite pastimes”

 

 

I have two favorite pastimes.  It's not often they coincide, but yesterday they did.  I actually had a chance to go fishing yesterday.  First time this year.  First time in about as long as I can remember.  Chris reminded me that I went last summer.  Too long ago.  It was a pretty good trip, actually.  I caught seven or eight whiting and a pretty good black drum.  The equals at least two meals around here.  My personal goal each year is to go wade fishing at least once before the annual Easter Sunrise Service on the beach out by Seaside.  Most years we have a baptism that day, and I hate to ask anyone to do something I haven't already done myself.  That includes wading out into the Gulf when the water is still on the chilly side.  Speaking of chilly, I got chilled out there yesterday and didn't think I would every get warm again.  Didn't stop fishing, though.  In fact I would have stayed to the bitter end (That would be when the bait ran out), but the fish just stopped biting.  Guess they got cold, too. 

 

Last night I went over to the airport to watch the O'Connell girls' softball team play against Hitchcock.  The game started at four, so I figured they would be done by six at the latest.  That left plenty of time to get home and fry up some of those fresh whiting filets.  The plan looked like a good one.  O'Connell was losing when I got there, and the score got even worse after a few innings.  But … this is baseball.  You never know what can happen from one inning to the next.  O'Connell slowly began chopping away at the lead until in the bottom of the sixth they tied the score at six to six.  The seventh went by with no score.  And the eighth.  What a nail biter.  I'm glad we have unlimited texting on our phone plan.  Those last three innings I was texting a play by play to Chris.  And she was texting back cheers and encouragement.  Finally, in the top of the ninth, the pitcher for Hitchcock came to bat.  She already had a double and a triple, even though she was but a wisp of a thing.  She cracked one that hugged the third base line and went all the way to the wall.  By the time the left fielder tracked it down and the ball made its way back to the infield, the batter was crossing home plate with an inside the park home run.  O'Connell couldn't muster a run in the bottom of the inning, so that's how it ended, 7-6.  Our two Seaside girls did great.  Jen got on several times, and after catching a fly ball out in center, Sydney almost completed a double play by throwing behind the runner.  Great game, girls.

 

1 Peter 1:8-9 says, "Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, for you are receiving the goal of your faith, the salvation of your souls."

 

Father, thank you for fishing and baseball, truly two of the joys in my life.  Amen.