March 8 – “Team of Tiny Terrors”

Well, what an exciting softball game last night.  Cailyn’s Team of Tiny Terrors, also known as the Redbirds, had their second game of not just the season … it was the second game of most of their lives.  They have already come a long way from playing in the dirt out around second base or chasing butterflies in the outfield.  Well, most of them have.  They are finally starting to get the hang of actually swinging at the ball instead of just swinging because the coach said to swing.  A select few (Cailyn is among them) have figured out the fielding thing.  Now they are facing a whole new challenge (beyond dealing with the constant barrage of softball moms and dads telling their kids what to do) – where to run after they hit it, and what to do with the ball when they do catch it. 

Cailyn’s prime accomplishment last night was in batting.  She struck out her first game and was pretty sad that she “didn’t get to run.”  Her first time up this time, however was quite a different story (and the fact that she worked on it with DadDad had nothing to do with her success, I’m sure).  She smacked a line drive up the middle and made it easily to first base.  Her second time up there were runners on at first and second.  Cailyn hit a dribbler in front of the plate – a perfectly positioned swinging bunt.  She made it to first easily.  The runner on second came around to score – RBI Cailyn.  The only scary moment came when everyone realized that the little girl who had been on first had stopped halfway to second and was awaiting further instructions.  Fortunately the coach got her attention before the youngster with the ball realized what was happening.  And in the field Cailyn the Shortstop was flawless.  She fielded several grounders hit to her and did exactly what her coach had told her to do.  That resulted in an unassisted putout at home on one of those grounders.  Then the very next batter hit another one right to her.  Again she fielded it perfectly, and again she took off running for home plate, just as the coach had told her.  However, this time there was no runner coming from third.  There was one coming from second to third, though, and she could have gotten the putout there, but to her credit, she was doing what the coach told her.  And by golly, that’s what you want in a young recruit.  I think I see a practice or two in the near future on basic baseball strategy – learning the game.  They did lose.  I think I heard the score was 5-3 (a comeback in the bottom of the last inning fell just short).  But after the game the girls were laughing and hugging and celebrating like it was a World Series victory.  Cailyn said later she thought they did win.  Guess what, Cailyn?  You did win.  In more ways than you know. 

I just read back through this post.  It is chock full of sermon illustrations.  “What to do with the ball when you do catch it.”  Being skillful at what you do in life doesn’t really matter when you don’t know how it applies to the things that really count.  “Doing what the coach told her.”  We have the greatest coach imaginable in Jesus.  At the very least follow his lead, do what he says.  “Learning the game.”  And we have a great playbook called the Bible.  Couldn’t hurt to learn some of the basics of this game we call life.  I’m proud of you, Cailyn.  Learn baseball.  Learn life.

Revelation 3:21 says, “To him who overcomes, I will give the right to sit with me on my throne, just as I overcame and sat down with my Father on his throne.”

Father, thank you for the great lessons to learn from a simple game.  Amen.