We all wear different hats. Here are a few of mine ... Wife, mother, daughter,
teacher, VP. Yes, it's true. Writer, wannabe blogger, drama queen, oops ... I mean drama director,
taxi cab driver for my children, cook, etc ... I'm sure you wear just as many. One
of my biggest hats─baseball mom. If you know me at all, you know how much I love baseball.
We've spent many years on the field. Almost 20.
My oldest son, Tyler, started playing ball as soon as
he was old enough. I enjoyed those years of watching him play all the way
through high school. And I thought if my middle baby boy, Zachary, doesn't love
it, I just might get depressed. But he did. And I easily forgot about the
stress of the game. And the ugly torment that sometimes comes anyway. It could
be from one game to the next, or even a whole season.
My husband uses this phrase for baseball,
"you're only as good as the last thing you do" (in other's eyes). Thank
goodness, Jesus doesn't look at us that way. And maybe people don't either.
Maybe it's just something we worry endlessly about for no reason.
But we do.
It sometimes feels like being on a roller coaster with
this thing that takes a huge part of our family's time. Is it worth it? I think
so. Our family has made some wonderful memories through it all.
I don't like to brag.
But I'm going to today.
Because my baby was in the local paper Wednesday
morning.
We've been homeschooling for 7 years and this is
his first year at a public high school.
Am I happy about this?
I'm not sure.
I have to put him in God's hands and trust that he
will allow the Holy Spirit to guide him in ALL the choices he makes.
And there's a lot of praying. And a lot of
worrying. But I keep telling myself fear is not from the Lord.
The butterflies flitting around in my stomach all
day Wednesday were a testament to the nerves that threatened to overtake me
leading up to this game. I found out last week, he would be starting ... "The
First Conference Game".
Do I have faith in his pitching?
Yes.
Has he done this before? Plenty of times
He played in the Varsity Home School World Series
the last two years, and this past year, Zach received All American, for best
games pitched.
Did this help my nerves?
Not really.
Friends, family, kids he's played ball with for
years are at the games now, where before, we were always out of town.
But at the same time, I'm glad to be back with
friends and seeing some of the same faces on the ball field again.
Zach has never liked being in front of people for
school plays, church musicals, and I had a very hard time convincing him to
participate. But when he takes the mound, even from the very beginning, at the
age of 7 or 8, I can't remember exactly, I'm shocked at the confidence shining
through him. And ya'll, I can't help it, it makes me proud, every single time.
That's my baby standing up there.
And he was good at it even from the very beginning.
"His picture in the RM Telegram. This is the face of a boy putting everything he's got into it. And I love it!!"
I have to share this story with you. I'm really
going to try not to be long winded, but this may be my longest post yet.
At a company picnic, 4 years ago, when Zach was 11 ...
There was a dunking booth. It cost 5 dollars for 3 balls and all the money was
put in a pot for a drawing. Your name went into the drawing every time you hit
the bulls eye. The winner would win the money.
Y'all it was not easy.
I tried it. And so did Rocky.
Out of 9 balls, Zach hit the bulls eye 5 times. And
the president of the company was sitting in the booth. :)
At the end of the picnic, they drew the winner.
Zach won.
A total of $500.00, y'all.
He took us to Olive Garden for dinner. :)
I want him to do well. I want him to succeed. But
most of all, I pray that whatever he does, he'll do it as if he's doing it for
Jesus.
I am one proud mama, today. Thank you for letting
me share all of this with you. And don't be surprised if you find a dose of baseball in my fiction.
I'm so happy you joined me today.
I'm so happy you joined me today.
Have a wonderful Friday,
