May 5 – “Meeting at the ball park”

I spent a lot of time yesterday scanning photos.  I have waded through our life in pictures from the 70’s clear up to the year 2001.  That’s been a fun experience, reliving some of our best family moments.  And the best part of all is that they are now pretty much available at the touch of a computer key.  I’m not done yet, though.  We didn’t get a digital camera until Christmas of 2003 or 2004. 

I did get to go watch Jachin’s baseball game in LaMarque.  They did pretty well and have certainly come a long way from where they began.  Jachin picked up a hit and a walk and scored twice.  He also did some pitching and struck out two guys.  That’s something new.  He is just nine years old and is playing in a machine pitch league, but the last inning or so of every game they let the kids try out hitting against one of the kids on the other team.  Most of the time that results in a lot of walks and hit batsmen.  That’s why I was so impressed with Jachin’s strikeouts.  They meant he was getting the ball over the plate.  No small accomplishment.  Attaboy, Jachin.

At one point Kel indicated to one of the parents that I was there not so much to watch the game but to have some time with the newest grandkid.  Now, she wasn’t there yet, so I was able to assure him that was not necessarily so.  And then when she did arrive I was keeping the scorebook for Kel, so my attention was demanded in other areas.  But after the game, guess where I went?  Right.  Straight to … Micah to give him a hug.  And then to Josiah to tickle him a bit and give him a squeeze.  See, I’m not a one-dimensional grandfather, all enraptured by his newest, gorgeous, tiny little bundle of sweetness to the extent that all else fades into nothingness.  But I did get to hold her.  And we had a bit of a chat.  She told me that she came to the game hoping I would be there.  She really wanted to see her DadDad.  We already had the conversation about saving me a dance at her wedding back when she was in the hospital, so we just reaffirmed that date as well.

Being the gentleman that I am, I helped Christina carry her things to the car.  How did I help?  Well, she couldn’t very well pick up her chair and purse and diaper bag and toy bag if she was holding an infant as well.  So I held the infant.  And I carried her to the car.  Strictly as a service to the struggling Mom, of course. 

Psalms 89:14 says, “Righteousness and justice are the foundation of your throne; love and faithfulness go before you.”

Father, thank you for every opportunity to walk with those grandkids you have blessed me with.  Amen.