June 11 - “Part One”

Yesterday was a day of “Part Ones” for us around here.  Started out when we picked up the lawn mower from Nathan and hit the front yard.  Chris volunteered to do the mowing, and suggested that I do some tree and bush trimming.  So our course was set.  I was headed for the back yard to tackle the tree back there, when I was distracted by a single branch that was hanging particularly low from one of our sycamore trees.  I lopped it off, and in the process noticed a few others.  Chris was soon helping me pick up the branches and carry them to the street. She then moved on to mowing and I moved over to clear out the middle of the oleander bush that had begun to obstruct our view of the street when we backed out of the driveway.  Can’t have dangerous vehicular impediments.  My next target was the trumpet vine that now reaches to our roof line.  Our goal for that bush is for it to provide some shade in the evenings for our back door.  It has done so well that I had to get on a ladder to reach some of the place that needed trimming.  We won’t tell Chris about the one foot on the ladder and one on the top of the fence precarious-ness.  By that time the sun was out and the 78% humidity was becoming more and more oppressive, so we decided to quit for the day.  Part Two resumes here shortly.

And there was a second Part One in our lives as well.  After leading a really quick wedding rehearsal (the wedding is tonight), we headed into Texas to watch Jachin’s baseball game.  His team has clawed its way through the loser’s bracket to face the undefeated winner’s bracket team.  A victory would extend the tournament to a final championship game.  Their opponent was cocky, and as the undefeated favorite, well they should be.  Jachin’s team (the Nationals) had nothing to lose as the underdogs, so they decided to come to the game and just have some fun.  By the way, that’s the way every baseball game should be played.  After surprising everyone by racing out to a 7-0 lead, the Nationals then gave up 5 runs in one inning to make the game a tight one again.  But a breakout top of the last inning gave them a 12-7 lead that proved insurmountable.  Jachin had one really strong line drive double to right field in the effort.  So now they move to their Part Two.  We were afraid it would be tonight, right in the middle of the wedding I have to officiate.  But thankfully they scheduled it for Monday evening.  So now it’s on to the true championship game.  I just hope the Nationals can maintain their loose, underdog attitude one more time.  And Jachin … keep on swinging at anything close.

Romans 9:16 says, “It does not, therefore, depend on man's desire or effort, but on God's mercy.”

Father, thank you for the way you grow things.  Grass.  Trees.  Bushes.  Kids.  Just … amazing.  Amen.