March 20 – “Life Game”

We got back into the swing of things with the kids’ baseball and softball season resuming last night.  They were all off for a week for Spring Break.  You know, I sure don’t remember being off for Spring Break back when I was playing as a kid.  That would have been a serious, nay horrible, occurrence for those of us who were in love with the game.  I don’t know.  Maybe we did have a week off from games, but with the coaches we had, that would just mean two extra practices to fill in usual game days.  But then, we also used wooden bats back then.  And our “baserunning helmets” were basically two strips of thin plastic that only covered the sides of our heads. 

So Cailyn’s team resumed play with a big game against their rival team.  The good guys won the last one by one point.  This time the game went into two extra innings before Cailyn’s team lost by one point this time.  We weren’t at the game, but from her Daddy’s description it sure sounded like a nail biter. 

Where were we?  We drove up into Texas to watch Jachin play against the team that is considered to be League City’s Pony League all star team.  Apparently they have been playing together for a while.  It really showed, too.  One of their players crushed a home run early on, and that set the tone.  Their pitcher was a fireballer who had the good guys swinging and missing a lot.  We did get some hits, though, and even scored against him.  A double and a scratch single, in fact put us ahead in the bottom of the first, but that was the last lead the good guys saw.  It was the last threat, too, until the all stars changed pitchers in the last inning.  Then one of our kids smashed a homer, and we batted around.  Made the score at least a little more respectable.  The final was 18-7.  Jachin did a pretty good job playing first and then doing some relief pitching.  He is just learning the nuances of fielding the position on the mound, and he has really come a long way since he first started.  After the game the coach was talking to him about how to more effectively use his lanky stature to create more of a whip effect on his pitches.  Hope he listens. 

Psalms 39:7 says, “But now, Lord, what do I look for? My hope is in you.”

Father, help me to listen when you have suggestions that will make the best use of who you have made me and make my “life game” more effective.  Amen.