Anna 8 years old waiting to bat watching her softball game
My daughter is 8 years old and she absolutely, positively loves sports. She has played volleyball, basketball, soccer, softball, golf, tennis and cross country running. She loves being on a team with her friends and learning how to play the game and listening to her coaches so she can become better. She is the girl not sitting on the bench drinking her drink and talking to the other girls, she is the one like in this picture standing at the gate watching even from the sidelines as a part of the team. She is waiting in this picture to be able to bat. This was the last game of the season. I told her when you get up to bat you point that bat at me and say this ones for you mom. Well as confident as my daughter is about sports she is also very shy. So before she went up to bat she ran over to me and whispered “This is one is going to be for you mom.” When she got up to bat she cracked a line drive down towards 2nd base into the outfield and got a double.
So if sports is like life how do you play it personally? Are you that cocky little kid who feels you have to show off for everyone to know you are good enough, even though deep down you have doubts? Are you the clumsy kid who can’t seem to get your hand eye coordination together and you just dread the day of the game all together? Are you the confident but shy kid that just goes out and does the best you can and tries to learn from the coach but still has fun with your friends? Do you stand on the sidelines and ignore that the game is being played at all? Or do you root for the people on your team and encourage them daily with a good job or just a “Hey how are you doing today” each morning? Do you want to learn more about the game and become better? Or are you satisfied with where you are and you don’t have a desire to better yourself? Tough questions if you decide to answer each one honestly. So where are you today? The better question is where do you want to be tomorrow. Because you can change it all anytime you want to, it is up to you.
If you are ready to get in the game even if you are clumsy and don’t have much confidence, God will still let you play! He is calling each of you by name to be a part of this life He created you to live in. If you are ready to mature in your faith and as a person He will lead you to it. Just look all around you there are so many resources available to seek out His love for you and ways to deepen your relationship with Him as well as those you love. Do you want to play to your full ability? I truly believe that is the purpose of our life to find what God has called us to do and to become the creation He created us to be fully in Him and in this life. This is like a little pep talk but believe me I’m soo not the coach, God is! I am just a team mate no better and hopefully no worse off than you. I am just trying to guide people back to God in the way I feel He is calling me to do it today. Tomorrow He may teach me a totally different sport all together, I just pray that I will be listening to his instructions to become better and I still am able to enjoy the game with my friends, all of you.
So today for a little bit really think about the game and where you are and where you want to be. If you have not done it in awhile or ever, pick up that bat point at God and whisper to Him this ones for you God and give back to Him what He has given to you the best you have to offer this life, YOU!
