Softball
I played softball about a month ago with a team from my church. I kept meaning to blog about it before the fact, then after the fact, but time got away from me! Without further ado, my first "sports" post ever!
I have this to say up front: there is a reason I was in band all through high-school and majored in music in college. I'm not athletic. My body is alright, but I'm just not skilled at such things. I would point my glove, extend my throwing arm back, look towards where I want to throw, let it lose - and the ball would go... in a completely different direction. I couldn't bat to save my life - and this is softball. I actually struck out. Believe it.
I was nervous before game time, but I went out there and tried hard. I had a lot of fun with it. I played catcher. I was almost cut from the team when there was a discussion about how many players each team had. The guys on my team explained that I had never played before and that seemed to make everyone happy.
I have to say, this is a church league, but the guys on the other teams were all total ringers. Some of them definitely made it seem like "winning was everything". I had to wonder if that didn't miss the point a little. It was a little difficult to have fun when someone on their team would fuss about a relatively small technicality when they were ahead by some outrageous number of points. Sour grapes? Maybe... I tried to keep my attitude up. This was actually aided by the fact that I suck - I couldn't do anything *but* have fun with it.
Quick note about doing what you love doing for God: The fact that we have this small inter-church league is a direct result of a man offering to do what he loves for God. It was started by a guy who loves baseball and loves it when men get together and hang out. This kind of "side by side" activity gives men a chance to have fun, compete, and get to know each other - maybe make some friends for the journey - who knows? He decided to organize an inter-church league. Something that didn't exist before this guy came along. A great example of doing what you love for God.
I hear you say, "But I love to kick dogs and leave flaming bags of poo on people's doors! Are you saying I can do that for God and it's a good thing?! Rock on!" (No, not you, the other guy reading this website, he's the one saying that; you're cool). No, that's not what I'm saying.
Part of doing what we love doing for God is finding the things God made us to love. These will sometimes be things we have a natural talent for (this is reason I drum in church, and don't start Softball teams). These will never be things that contradict what God wants for us in the grand scheme, morally, or for each of us individually.
Moral questions are easy. "I love to steal things. Should I do that for God?" Uh, no. Read the commandments and think about aligning your wants with things that God wants (and aligning them away from the things God doesn't want).
Figuring out what God wants for you personally is a little trickier, but can be done if you start with the premise that God loves you, likes you even, and is interested in the details of your life. After all, the God who has your ultimate answer - salvation through Christ - should, if He's all that, have the answer to the little things too - I'm kind of on a tangent here so I'll wrap it up...
Wrap it up, B!
The entire week following the game, I was sore. By Wednesday I could barely sit down or stand up once I was sitting. It was awful, but I would do it again. All in all, despite the pain and some attitudes, it was a great experience.
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