How Did You Measure Your Year?

In the Broadway musical RENT the cast introspectively opens the 2nd act pondering what a year in someones life really means it the grand scheme of life. Played on the backdrop of the of New York’s Lower East Side, the reveals to the audience that when you break it down, actually consists of 525,600 minutes. In order to simplify the vast number of minutes that make up the year, they offer several options to make the year more understanding. But when suggestions such as daylights/sunsets, inches/miles, or laughter/strife fail to adequately provide the answer the question, they turn to the audience and ask the audience, “How do you measure a year in the life?”

The importance of time in our lives is something of which all human beings are greatly aware. We all know we have a limited amount of time on this planet. An old beer commercial was advocated grabbing all the gusto a person could get because you only go around once. Even the Psalmist tells us (90:9-10), “All our days pass away under your wrath; we finish our years with a moan. The length of our days is seventy years– or eighty, if we have the strength; yet their span is but trouble and sorrow, for they quickly pass, and we fly away.” Many struggle with the concept their life is going to be a constant struggle. Millions do whatever they can to make a life of ease for themselves; from playing the lottery to giving everything to people who promise them prosperity if they will give over all their worldly possessions.

These philosophies of prosperity drag down so many people each year. And year nowhere in life or the Bible are we promised ease and comfort in this life. Even Jesus, when talking about the future told his disciples in John 16:33, “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” In fact, our response to life should be similar to that of Paul in Philippians 4:11-13, “I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do everything through Him who gives me strength.” The Psalmist continues chapter 90:12&14 to say, “Teach us to number our days aright, that we may gain a heart of wisdom. Satisfy us in the morning with Your unfailing love, that we may sing for joy and be glad all our days.”

As I look at the clock I see the year 2010 is quickly winding down. In looking back, what should stand out to us as the defining moments in our lives? Did your sports team win the big game? Did your children get good grades in school? Did you get the promotion with the corner office or did you lose your job? Was there a child born or did you say goodbye to a loved one? What do you use to stack things up in your life? The cast of RENT answers their own question by revealing the only way to true measure a year is Love.

Love has often been thought of as the highest ideal in one’s life. In our modern world, Love has come to be virtually meaningless. We throw the word around with no thought to what we are really trying to say. We love our families. We love our favorite sports team. We love our country. We love God. We love chicken-fried steak. And yet we get offended when they really question where our passions lie.

In Greek, the ideas of love and passion are so strong that they actually have 4 words to more accurately describe their meaning; agápe (brotherly love), éros (sensual desire or longing), philía (Love for family or friends), and storgē (affection). The concept of Love was so serious to the Greeks they wanted to make sure there was no way someone would get confused. The Bible also talks about the importance of Love in our lives. In 1 Corinthians 13 (the Love chapter), Paul shows how even it we had abilities to great and mysterious things and still did not have Love in our life it would mean nothing. When given the choice between Faith, Hope, and Love he says, “The greatest of these is Love.” Even Jesus told His followers in John 13:35 Love should be the defining characteristic of their lives.

As we look behind at 2010 and look forward to 2011, let us pause a moment to ask ourselves, “How can I measure the past year in my life?” We have all had our up and down moments. For myself I would say I have managed to get through the year with more good than bad. I know however not everyone out there has been as lucky. Many of you have faced harder times this year than last year. Some have seen new life and others have had to say goodbye to a friend, parent, or a spouse. Others have had a combination of these. Jobs have been lost and gained. And no matter what, the wheel of time keeps spinning.

For me, 2010 rang in a new normal in my life and in my families life. The year was vastly improved over the previous years (even thought we didn’t make contact with an alien race). Despite, all the hardship in our lives, we stuck closer together and weren’t torn apart by the stress. We were even able to make the circle of our family bigger by being able to include long lost members. This year I was able to find a happiness I hadn’t had in a long time. It’s all due to God’s unfailing, you guessed it, Love.

In this time of year where we all naturally try to resolve to lose weight, quit a bad habit, and/or develop a good habit, resolve to demonstrate more of God’s Love through your life. You will still have the hard times and maybe even loss, but you will be surprised at how much loving others can and will sustain you during those hard times. Also, when good times come, and they will, you joy will be greater than you’ve known. You will be filled to the brim and have no choice but to burst forth in overflowing joy. May the words of the Psalmist be our prayer for the new year, “Satisfy us in the morning with Your unfailing love, that we may sing for joy and be glad all our days.”

Peace and Love.
Jeff

The Company Christmas Party

As many of the people in my life will attest too, I LOVE to laugh. I firmly believe that laughter is not only the best medicine but it also a way to stay joyful and thankful to God for all He has done. And with the stress of Christmas weighing down on us all, its important to take time to laugh.

I first receive the following as an email mail a number of years ago. I’ve tried hard to make sure and pass it on every year at Christmas because not only is it seasonal and funny; but I’m sure in our modern world we have all thought at one time that things are too flippin’ crazy. You can’t please all the people all the time. And this joke certainly demonstrates it. I hope you all enjoy.

Peace and Love.
Jeff

 

FROM: Pat Lewis, Human Resource Director
RE: Christmas Party
DATE: December 1

I’m happy to inform you that the company Christmas Party will take place on December 23, starting at noon in the banquet room at Luigi’s Open Pit Barbecue. No-host bar, but plenty of eggnog! We’ll have a small band playing traditional carols…feel free to sing along. And don’t be surprised if our CEO shows up dressed as Santa Claus!

 

FROM: Pat Lewis, Human Resources Director
DATE: December 2
RE: Christmas Party

In no way was yesterday’s memo intended to exclude our Jewish employees. We recognize that Chanukah is an important holiday which often coincides with Christmas, though unfortunately not this year. However, from now on we’re calling it our “Holiday Party.” The same policy applies to employees who are celebrating Kwanzaa at this time. Happy now?

 

FROM: Pat Lewis, Human Resources Director
DATE: December 3
RE: Holiday Party

Regarding the note I received from a member of Alcoholics Anonymous requesting a non-drinking table…you didn’t sign your name. I’m happy to accommodate this request, but if I put a sign on a table that reads, “AA Only”; you wouldn’t be anonymous anymore. How am I supposed to handle this? Somebody?

 

FROM: Pat Lewis, Human Resources Director
DATE: December 7
RE: Holiday Party

What a diverse company we are! I had no idea that December 20 begins the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, which forbids eating, drinking and sex during daylight hours. There goes the party! Seriously, we can appreciate how a luncheon this time of year does not accommodate our Muslim employees’ beliefs. Perhaps Luigi’s can hold off on serving your meal until the end of the party – the days are so short this time of year – or else package everything for take-home in little foil swans. Will that work? Meanwhile, I’ve arranged for members of Overeaters Anonymous to sit farthest from the dessert buffet and pregnant women will get the table closest to the restrooms. Did I miss anything?

 

FROM: Pat Lewis, Human Resources Director
DATE: December 8
RE: Holiday Party

So December 22 marks the Winter Solstice…what do you expect me to do, a tap dance on your heads? Fire regulations at Luigi’s prohibit the burning of sage by our “earth-based Goddess-worshipping” employees, but we’ll try to accommodate your shamanic drumming circle during the band’s breaks. Okay???

 

FROM: Pat Lewis, Human Resources Director
Date: December 9
RE: Holiday Party

People, people, nothing sinister was intended by having our CEO dress up like Santa Claus! Even if the anagram of “Santa” does happen to be “Satan,” there is no evil connotation to our own “little man in a red suit.” It’s a tradition, folks, like sugar shock at Halloween or family feuds over the Thanksgiving turkey or broken hearts on Valentine’s Day. Could we lighten up?

 

FROM: Pat Lewis, Human Resources Director
DATE: December 10
RE: Holiday Party

Vegetarians!?!?!? I’ve had it with you people!!! We’re going to keep this party at Luigi’s Open Pit Barbecue whether you like it or not, so you can sit quietly at the table furthest from the “grill of death,” as you so quaintly put it, and you’ll get your damn salad bar, including hydroponic tomatoes. But you know, they have feelings, too. Tomatoes scream when you slice them. I’ve heard them scream. I’m hearing them scream right now!

 

FROM: Terri Bishops, Acting Human Resources Dir.
DATE: December 14
RE: Pat Lewis and Holiday Party

I’m sure I speak for all of us in wishing Pat Lewis a speedy recovery from her stress-related illness and I’ll continue to forward your cards to her at the sanitarium. In the meantime, management has decided to cancel our Holiday Party and give everyone the afternoon of the 23rd off with full pay.

A Lesson Learned from Five Kernels of Corn

In 1863, President Abraham Lincoln declared that November 26th was to be a national day of Thanksgiving for all the blessings God has provided the troubled nation during the last 3 years of civil war. After the war, Presidents proclaimed the last Thursday in November to be a day of Thanksgiving. In 1941, the US Congress made it an official holiday by declaring the 4th Thursday in November as the national day of Thanksgiving to begin in 1942. Shortly thereafter, the National Turkey Federation began the tradition of presenting the President with a turkey. It was also around this time the President began the tradition of pardoning the turkey.

We have many traditions in our country surrounding Thanksgiving. For many it involves turkey and lots of it. Others gather together with family and friends to share a meal and then to the living room to watch football where the Detroit Lions have hosted a game every Thanksgiving starting in 1934. In New York city, Macy’s has hosted the annual Thanksgiving Day Parade which heralds the arrival of Santa Claus and the unofficial beginning of the Christmas shopping season. Other broadcasting traditions involve the classic 1947 version of Miracle on 34th Street which spans the time from Thanksgiving Day to Christmas. Another classic is the Charlie Brown Thanksgiving brought to us in 1973 by Charles Schultz and the be-loved Peanuts Gang.

As Christians we are supposed to have a much widen Thanksgiving tradition. We are instructed by God that we are to live lives that are overflowing in thankfulness (Colossians 2:6&7). In Leviticus, God instructed the Children of Israel to offer fellowship offerings of thanksgiving. Throughout the Torah we are told how the Israelites sang songs of praise and thanksgiving. Even David says in Psalms 69:30, “I will praise God’s name in song and glorify Him with thanksgiving.” So essentially, God wants us to live our lives that are thankful every day. Its not supposed to be a one day thing.

One way the Bible says to live a life of thankfulness is to constant remember the things God has done in your life. Many people keep a journal so they write down the prayer request but also they can mark done when their prayer was answered. Jeremiah talks about how part of God’s anger with Israel is that they forgot who He was in their lives. God reminds Israel He is the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. The God of their fathers that brought them out of Egypt. The One who rescued them time and time again from their enemies.

The Pilgrims that started the US Thanksgiving tradition demonstrated what it meant to live a life of thankfulness. In 1620, a group of 110 people boarded a ship called the Mayflower and set up for the new world. They arrived in November and after writing the Mayflower Compact they set in for a long winter. When spring finally came around, only 50 of the original group was left. Now they had to set about getting system in place to have food for the next year. But the Lord provided help. The area where they landed was inhabited by the Patuxets tribe. They were a peaceful people and became the means by which the Lord helped the Pilgrims to survive in the wilderness. With the help if tribe members like Squanto, who was educated in English, the Pilgrims where shown the best way to prepare their crops. By October, the harvest was successful and they had enough food to put away for winter. They were so grateful they celebrated a 3-day festival with the local tribe as their guests.

However, circumstances would eventually turn on the community that winter as the population increased with new arrivals and the food supply dwindled. At one point the the daily food allotment was down to 5 kernels of corn. The hardy members of the colony managed to survive, but it would be a long time before the harvest. At the next thanksgiving, the first course of the meal was 5 kernels of corn. The purpose of the course was to remind the Pilgrims of how God saw them through the lean times.

On this day that our nation set aside for being thankful, what do you need to be reminded of from your past? What demonstrations of God’s power in your life do you need to remember? For me it would be, “I am the God that saw you through the years after your parent’s divorce. I’m the One who gave you a wife and children. I’m the One who saw you through the lonely times. I’m the One that directed your path.”

What are the 5 kernels of corn in your life? Do you have a home? Many have had their home foreclosed on. Do you have a job (not necessarily one you like)? How many millions have lost their job to outsourcing and corporate down-sizing? Are you in good health? Many have illness not yo mention the ability to pay medical bills. Has your whole family gotten together for the holiday? Yet there are many families that separated by miles or have had their loved one pass away.

Today, I am thankful for my wife and children. I’m thankful for my church family. I’m also thankful for family that has re-entered my life after many years. I’m thankful for a job that has not just given me money for bills but has allowed me to thrive. God has been faithful to me. All I can do is say, “Thank you, Lord.”

Peace and Love.
Jeff

Up on the Roof…Again

In 1959 Dinah Washington won a Grammy for her song “What a Difference a Day Makes.” Her song chronicled how 24 hours made the difference in the singers life. Yesterday her day was sad and lonely. Then her gloom was lifted a day later as she was reunited with the man of her dreams. Now she was able to smile again. If 24 hours made a difference in the life of the person in the song by Dinah Washington, imagine how much 8760 hours can make in someone else’s life.

Despite the rain today I managed to get on the roof to clean out the gutters. As I was getting ready to come down, I happened to think about how I was on the roof last year around this time. Last year I was on the roof and happened to think about how the Drifters sang about how the world looked different from on the roof. But this time seemed even a little more different than before. Even though on the outside things have not changed much; Amy and I are still hopelessly poor, Amy is still susceptible to migraines. Inside, we are more in love than we have been in years.

In the span of a year life has changed. I love my wife and my job. Abby and Corey are happy and doing well in school. The addition of Annie to our pets has brought a lot of joy and laughter. God’s grace has even provided blossoms on the family tree where before there was nothing. So I am thankful for God’s provision.

Now for those of you who had to take a moment to do the math, 8760 hours works out to 365 days. That may seem like a long time, but when you’re on the roof, it can be an eternity.

Peace and Love.
Jeff

A Lesson Learned from Me

There was a commercial on the radio that talked about the consequences of the choices we make that has been running through my mind lately. It went like this:

Announcer: Decisions. Some decisions last 5 minutes.
Larry: [city sounds] Yeah, I’ll have a scoop of the vanilla. No, no, wait, chocolate. No, no, vanilla.
Announcer: Some decisions last all night.
Larry: [restaurant] Yeah, I’ll have the all-you-can-eat tamale platter, with lot’s of hot sauce.
Announcer: Some decisions last longer than we like.
Larry: [beach sounds] Suntan lotion?! What for? That’s for wimps!
Announcer: Some decisions last a lifetime.
Larry: [baby crying] Honey, honey, it’s your turn. Honey. Mommy be there in a second. Honey!
Announcer: Some decisions are eternal.
Larry: [car interior] Oh sure, I’ve thought a lot about Jesus, but, frankly, I’m not ready to give my life
to God. [screech, crash]
Announcer: And some decisions… [beep, beep, beeeeep] can’t be made tomorrow. Jesus
said if you’re not for me, you’re against me. Where do you stand with him?

I know this commercial is talking about man’s need for salvation. But I believe can also show the importance of the good and bad decisions we make in life. We all make decisions we regret. Whether momentary or not we choose things that will stay with us the rest of our lives.

The Bible talks plainly about the reality that we all have choices to make. In Joshua 24:15, Joshua gives his farewell speech to the Israelites. He exhorts them to choose between the gods of the Amorites and the Lord God that brought them out of Egypt. Even throughout the book of Proverbs, Solomon encourages his son to consider carefully the choices he makes. Solomon explains what happens if the youth should abandon the straight and honest path. He says in Proverbs 5: 1-11

“My son, pay attention to my wisdom, listen well to my words of insight, that you may maintain discretion and your lips may preserve knowledge. For the lips of an adulteress drip honey, and her speech is smoother than oil; but in the end she is bitter as gall, sharp as a double-edged sword. Her feet go down to death; her steps lead straight to the grave. She gives no thought to the way of life; her paths are crooked, but she knows it not. Now then, my sons, listen to me; do not turn aside from what I say. Keep to a path far from her, do not go near the door of her house, lest you give your best strength to others and your years to one who is cruel, lest strangers feast on your wealth and your toil enrich another man’s house. At the end of your life you will groan, when your flesh and body are spent.”

Even Paul tells us in Romans that God chose to extend grace to the Gentiles.

This ability we have to make choices for ourselves, our free will, can be considered one of the greatest gifts God ever gave mankind. God gave us the ability to love Him or reject Him. And through the years many have chosen not to listen to what God what’s for their lives. Many in our society choose to do whatever they want in the name of their own self pleasure. How many divorces happen each year because one person in the marriage is only interested in their own happiness? How many children have to suffer from a divorce where one person is forced to take on both the father and mother role? While the other one becomes the “Disney Parent”; interested only in a good time. Primarily, in their own good time and not really concerned about consequences their decision will have on their children and their future relationships.

Eight years ago I made a decision, not for my own happiness, but for the safety and welfare of two people I love very much. The results of that decision brought life, as I knew it, to a screeching halt a year ago. It has been a year of tough times, brutal honesty, and overwhelming shame. There has been a lot of deep self-examination and learning who are the people in my life I can rely on to tell me the truth no matter how ugly and not twist circumstances to meet their person agenda. A year later, things are beginning to get back to a point where one could say normal is an achievable goal.

In May of 2002 things in the world were very different. Amy was trying very hard to get Nursing school off the ground and Abby was approaching her 4th birthday and the end of her first year in pre-school. I on the other hand was in a job that I barely liked and working for a manager who I liked a WHOLE lot less. Into all of this Amy and I wanted to have one more child but it seemed like biology was going to fail us as Amy had miscarried 3 times after having Abby. So as was said in the Problem Child movie, we figured, “nature screwed us over. Lets give commerce a try.” Thus, we had begun the steps for adopting. However, it turned out that all our planning had was going to be for nothing, as the Lord did have one more miracle for us. But given the track record in this situation we were naturally cautious of the potential problems. In order to maximize the chances of Amy carrying to term, I resolved we were not going to have sexual relations until after Corey was born. I didn’t realize this one decision would come close to costing me my family.

Of course looking back it wasn’t a matter of what I had resolved to do or not do, Amy’s pregnancy was poster child for women who vow to never get pregnant. In October of 2002, she dislocated 2 vertebrae in her back. She later lost kidney output as Corey was cutting off her ureters. This brought about operations to put in stints to restore urine flow. By December and January she was bed ridden and forced to use a cane to make it to the bathroom. In the final weeks leading up to Corey’s birth she was in the hospital on a morphine drip. As a result of this, Corey was born a month pre-mature because of both the danger to Amy and because of the build up of morphine in the womb.

I virtually lost my faith during this time. I tried hard to hold on to what I had but found it harder and harder to cope with the world. It felt like God was abandoning me and my family. Life felt like the old diest theory that God was nothing more than a cosmic clockmaker who crafted His creation and left it to run by itself on a shelf. I even found it hard to sit in the sanctuary on Sunday and listen to other talk about the greatness of God.

In an effort to make sense of the things in my world, I turned to my friends. During this period, most of my friends were the people with whom I worked. Given my comfort level around people, most of my friends were women. They, themselves, were going through their own problems at the time and I started out as the listening hear. I was the safe, non-gay male friend who was willing to share with them the mysteries of the male mind; or at least my version of the male mind. In turn, I would live vicariously through their lives and their stories. But just as burning a candle leaves a puddle of melted wax, so I managed to burn many of the relationships I had because I ceased to be the safe person anymore. Later, I would find out one of them had emailed Amy about events during this time.

I attempted to correct the situation I was in by changing positions at work to a night shift job that worked a full week in only 3 days. Aside from giving me another 5 years in the company, it also gave me a change to start over. I no longer had the boss I couldn’t stand, I was able take myself away from the people I was relying on for pseudo-fulfillment in my life, and I eventually gained respect from individuals that saw me as a key member of the team. On the downside, with my new schedule came a new sleep schedule and I would spend several hours alone at night. This time gave a chance to dwell on my own situation and to create a delusion for myself that things were alright in my world. My delusion even justified online porn as a means to fulfillment. Although I felt the shame afterward, at that moment I was on top of the world. But on Sunday I begged God to forgive me.

For a while, life did improve somewhat. Things would go along good and then there would be issues. Amy and I would have a fight. The old patterns would come back to lend comfort. Looking back I can see where their false hope only added gasoline to a fire that would rage into an inferno one day. But in January of 2009, the world fell apart again. Amy and I had another blow out fight and I began to shut down inside. Shortly after that the migraine started and the small fire began to consume whatever was left of the relationship Amy and I had. Until she discovered I had been acting inappropriately with one of her friends. Everything fell apart. Amy moved out and took the kids with her. I had lost the world I had where I felt alone and gained a new world where I really was alone.

Its taken a year now to come back from that point. Amy and I have worked out many of our relationship issues. We are realistic enough to know we still have many more on which we need to work. Most notably is communications. We have managed to become friends again. In fact, I can say she is my best friend. With the help of family, a church family, and a job change, things may not always seem sunny in the world, but we know the path is sound.

So to Amy, I want to tell you how sorry I am for putting your through all of this. I was wrong and I pray you can forgive me one day. You are truly better than I deserve and I hope I can live long enough to one day be worthy of you. To my children, I am sorry for the bad example you’ve had of a marriage during these early years of your life. I never intended for things to turn out like they did and I pray that be a better example of a father and husband from this point forward. To my friends, please forgive me for not being the person I should have been. Outside of the wrong I’ve done to my family, this is the regret that will stay with me the longest. I will never forgive myself. And to my God, I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Forgive me, Lord. I can’t apologize enough.

I’ve often joked that the purpose of my life is very similar to the message from the Despair.com Mistakes picture. Somehow it seems like I serve as a warning to other, of what not to do. I know this is not because of anything that someone has done to me. But rather a result of the choices I have made in life. Some choices I do regret. Other, like marrying Amy and having a family, I would willing choose to do all over again. God is definitely a comedian, and I can laugh again.

Peace and Love.
Jeff

And a Good Time was had by All

Tonight was one of the best softball nights of the year. It was the First Annual Abba’s House-Bethel Evangelical Free Church Softball Mixer and it was a huge success. Unlike our regular season games, we ignored team loyalties and just had fun. I have to say coaching has its benefits because I wasn’t chosen last.

Seriously, I have to say there are a LOT of people who made this event happen. Huge thank you’s are due to Jen Roach and Sandy Root. Thanks for coming up with the idea. Thank you to Sue Mead for taking charge at the grill. Thanks to Ron Mead for not only allowing us to use the grill, but also taking a different position behind the plate and umpiring. Thanks to Mandi Wheeler for keeping scorebook for both sides of the game. Thanks to Deb Severance and Laurie Schmidtfranz for helping coordinate and last minute assisting. Thank you to EVERYONE who brought passing dishes. It was all delicious.

And I have to thank my son, Corey, for providing the funniest moment of the night. In the bottom of the 5th, there was a wide throw to first base. As I ran off the field to get the ball, Corey grabbed the ball and started running away with it saying, “No. Its mine.” My mother-in-law, Sue, called it the best laugh she had all night.

So again, thanks to everyone for making the game and cookout a whole lot of fun. I’m looking forward to next year.

Peace and Love.
Jeff

From Charlie to Casey

Former Major League Baseball President A. Bartlett Giamatti once said of baseball, “It breaks your heart. It is designed to break your heart. The game begins in the spring, when everything else begins again, and it blossoms in the summer, filling the afternoons and evenings, and then as soon as the chill rains come, it stops and leaves you to face the fall alone.” Well as anyone who knows me knows, I LOVE baseball. My dream would have been to play for the Tigers in Tiger Stadium. But when reality sets in and dreams don’t get reached, we look for substitutes to fulfill that need. For I have turned to two things: unwavering devotion to the Detroit Tigers and softball.

This has been a year of changing roles for me on the Bethel Evangelical Free Church softball team. After years of devotion to the team, our long-time coach, Gary, has retired from the position. To fill the void, my father-in-law, Ron, took over the reigns. However, because of stresses in life, Ron has stepped down and I have taken over for him as coach.

I can’t say this is something I didn’t want to do. In fact, I had talked about it but decided that Ron would be a better candidate for the job because of his experience and my work schedule wasn’t conducive to making it to every game. This was fine with me. I knew I would play as often as I could and I would be around to help out with field preparation and assistant coaching.

Now I will say this about our season, we have been a lot like the team in the Peanuts cartoons. In fact there were times I have felt like Charlie Brown managing a rag tag band of motley players. I won’t say our team is terrible. Even though we did win our first game and then went into the a 15 game slide. One player referred to our team as the “Miss Congeniality” of the Owosso church league softball. Even after a hard loss, opposing teams will tell us they enjoy playing us because of our positive attitude and the fun we have despite losing. And is some cases, losing HUGE. This has been a point of pride that has been a part of Bethel softball for many years. And this is one feature I pray will always continue to be a part of our team.

Tonight, though, was a night that makes it worth while as a manager. Tonight, we began our league tournaments. It was a little tough to stay optimistic about our chances. Even though we had beaten our first opponent one time this year, we still lost 3 games to them later. Despite all that, our opponent, Abba’s House, is the one team all of Bethel wishes we could play every time. Their attitude and spirit is very much like ours. And tonight, the made us raise our game to a new level. It took 8 innings (the standard in the league is 7) to decide. In the last bats of the 8th inning we were able to pull everything together and surpass Abba’s House by a score of 10-9. A hard fought battle by both teams.

Because of our victory, we had to play in the second game of the evening against our division leader, Life in Christ church. This is a team that had hit us hard. No matter what we did, they have kept us down all 4 times we faced them this year. At times, the scores from our games have resembled a football score with our team lucky to have a field goal.

But tonight, our team fought with more heart than I have seen all season. From deep within, we came up with amazing catches in the outfield, a heads up double play, a double by a player who has struggled all season to find his place on the team, and outstanding pitching performances by both hurlers. Despite the 1st inning mercy of 7 runs, we fought back and managed our first inning mercy of the year in the 4th inning to take a 5 run lead. This unfortunately would not hold but we didn’t let it go willingly. It took the next couple innings to chip away at our lead. Finally, they would beat us on their last at bat by the score of 13-14.

As I later remarked to the team, it was the best night of softball we played all season. There were plenty of “at-a-boys” and “at-a-girls” to go around. It was as if we had fought that part of ourselves that made us “walk and talk and chatter and play ball with the look of eagles.” Low flying eagles, all be it; but eagles none the less. I have to say I was extremely proud of our team tonight. And as much as it pains me to admit, you were right Roger. Bethel does step up the game at tournament time. No matter how bad a regular season we have had.

This season I started out feeling like Charlie Brown. And no disrespect to Mr. Brown, but he wasn’t that good a player. Yet despite losing our 2nd game, tonight, I have to say I feel like Casey Stengel. Who after his first World Series championship ever managing the New York Yankees in 1949 told a friend, “I won one. I won one.” I hope like Casey and the Yankees, we can win a lot more.

Peace and Love
Jeff

In Flanders Fields

The following poem is by Lieutenant Colonel John McCrae, MD (1872-1918) of the Canadian Army

In Flanders Fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.

We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.

To all those who fought for our freedom… Thank You.

Thanks for Everything Ernie

Today is a sad day for Tiger Baseball. The voice of the Detroit Tigers, Ernie Harwell, has passed away after a year long battle with cancer. He was the Great Voice of the Great Lakes. Your family is in our hearts and prayers. I look forward to the day we can meet in Heaven

January 25, 1918 – May 4, 2010

For, lo, the winter is past,
The rain is over and gone;
The flowers appear on the earth;
The time of the singing of birds is come,
And the voice of the turtle is heard in our land.

(Song of Solomon 2:11-12 as quoted by Ernie Harwell at the beginning of the first Tiger spring training game every year.)

Thank you, Ernie, for being the voice that shaped my childhood baseball memories

Coming of Age

Hollywood loves the story about a group of friends who share one last great moment together in their lives. For example, when I was growing up one popular movie was Stand by Me. In this film, Gordie and his pals Chris, Teddy, and Vern take a journey of self discovery as they trek across the countryside to find a boy who had gone missing. Similarly, The Goonies tells the story of a group of kids who go on the adventure of a lifetime as they manage to stay ahead of a gang of criminals on their way to find a pirate’s lost treasure and save their homes from being demolished. Something about these stories makes us feel good about ourselves. We like it when the little guy realizes he is more than what he or a peer thought they were. When they discover that deep down inside them in the raw material needed to be a hero.

I experienced a little something like that “coming of age” moment this week. As parents, our primary regret is that we never seem to have enough time with our children when they are young. In February, Corey turned 7 and Abby will be 12 at the end of March. The time is slipping away. And much like Marisa Tomei’s biological clock from the movie My Cousin Vinny, the ticking seems to be getting louder on the countdown.

This week was the Awana Grand Prix. After a month of manipulating a piece of wood into the configuration my children wanted, it was time to put gravity to the test. This year was easier than last year as both of them wanted a Mustang. Turns out it wasn’t so hard to do. At least it was easier than the Mach 6 last year. But this year was Abby’s last chance to race in the Grand Prix. So she decided it would be cool to make an extra car to race in the open class race as a sort of “family car”. This turned out to be a gift from God and a blessing to a friend. In the end, Abby and Corey came home with 2nd place trophies, I got the satisfaction of knowing all three cars I built placed in the top three in they race groups, and I became a little more impressed with the spiritual maturity of my daughter.

But its not just the spiritual maturity that I’m seeing. She’s also becoming a young lady. Her interests are changing. But there is still enough of that little girl left inside to laugh at dad’s crazy jokes and still sit for hours with me as together we attempt global domination in Civilization IV. Yet, with the marching of time, she gets involved in other things and her attention changes. Since her birthday is coming up soon Amy decided it was time for her to have one present early. A “rite of passage” if you will. Last Saturday Amy took her to have her ears pierced. She looks very grown up and less like the little girl she was.

That fact became abundantly clear to me tonight, my friends, as together Abby and I went to our first Daddy-Daughter dance. She looked nothing like the girl who just last week was team up with me to take on the French army to prove the dominance of the Egyptian/Byzantine way of life. To be honest, she was adorable. Her hair done up and her new dress purchased specifically for this occasion made it seem like the beginning of a tall hill looking down.

Don’t get me wrong. I would never trade my children’s future for the selfish joy of keeping them children forever. Its more important they learn and grow and go out and bless the world with the talents God has given them. And like every parent, I feel my children have more talent than anyone. Besides, if we as parents, really believe our children are a blissing from God, than its selfish to not want to share that blessing with the world. And along the way you get to have blessing back on you and joy watching them go out and discover the world for themselves. Tonight, not only did I get the joy of watching a gym full of elementary school girls dance around to the Loco-Motion, the Chicken Dance, and the Macarena, I saw the Russell Peters was right about the YMCA, I saw a lot of dad sitting off to the side of the gym while their daughters congregated with their friends, but I also got to share a dance with Abby as my little girl before I get to dance with her on her wedding day.

Peace And Love.
Jeff