May 22 – “The Chant”

We arrived at the baseball fields last night in the throes of a dilemma.  Josiah’s team was playing in the World Series of League City Little League, seven and eight year old division.  His team, the Hooks, named after the Astros farm team in Corpus Christi, won the American League championship.  They were playing the National League champs for the World championship.  Exciting stuff.  Jachin’s Pony League team, the Braves, on the other hand, was embroiled in a tough, single elimination, end of the season tournament at the same time.  His team was in a semi-final match-up to determine who would play in the tournament championship.  Equally as exciting.

The dilemma?  Well, the games were both scheduled to start at 6:00.  Both fields are in the same complex, but on opposite ends, as far apart as they could get.  Kel was helping with Josiah’s game, feeding the pitching machine.  Christina was torn between the two.  She really wanted to see the championship game, but was worried that Jachin’s might be his last game of the year.  Chris and I hesitated just a moment or two.  Finally I volunteered to hold down the cheering section over at Jachin’s game while Chris rooted for Josiah.  We would give each other text alerts on game progress.

Jachin was happy to see a familiar face.  Even happier when his youth pastor showed up to watch.  Before long the game ground into a pitching duel with the score 3-2 in favor of the good guys.  Meanwhile, over at the World Series, things were not looking so good for the Hooks.  Apparently they were the victims of big game pressure.  They couldn’t score in their first few at bats, while the other team was piling up the numbers.  Before they knew it the score was 10-0.  But that’s when the change came.  They started battling back.  The texts came more often.  Finally an especially happy one.  “Josiah hits!  Ends up on 3^rd with all the overthrows.  2 runs score on his hit!!” (She was excited).  I replied with an “Attaboy.”  To which she replied, “And he scores!”  Shortly after this last one, I received a text from Christina.  She was feeling really torn between the two games.  So I asked if she wanted to switch bleacher seats.  Didn’t take long for that affirmative reply to come through.  So I trekked back over to Josiah’s game. 

Josiah’s little guys did really well.  They did have a rain delay, but the team all gathered around Kel’s phone and kept up with the progress of Jachin’s game.  They chanted encouragement to the “big guys” on the other side of the complex.  “The count’s 3 and 2, whatcha gonna do?  Walk, baby, walk.”  I think someone had an older sister who played Lassie League and taught him some of those classic softball chants.  After the rain delay, they ultimately lost the game 16-10, so they did mount quite a comeback.  The Braves played right through the rain.  And right during the worst of it, the opposing pitcher completely lost command of his pitches.  He walked five or six batters in a row.  The final score there was 8-2.  The Braves are now in the championship game on Wednesday evening.  And it looks like Jachin may be the starting pitcher.  Uh-oh.  A little parental pressure there, Kel and Christina.

My favorite part of the evening, however came when the championship trophies were presented.  The Hooks received their individual trophies as American League champs.  Once everyone had one, they started cheering and horsing around.  Finally they broke into the chant, “We’re number one.”  That went on for several seconds, and apparently someone reminded them that they had just lost the championship game.  Not to be deterred they hesitated for but a brief moment, then continued, “We’re number two!  We’re number two!”  Just as happy.  Just as much fun.  I love this game.

Psalms 64:10 says – “Let the righteous rejoice in the Lord and take refuge in him; let all the upright in heart praise him!”

Father help us adults learn a lesson from our “We’re number two” kids.  Help us to find joy and even exuberance in the living of life, whatever it looks like.  Amen.