Who's On First?

   As I was sitting under  "A Friendly Shade" I thought  back to my basketball days and how competitive I was and, must admit, still am in certain areas of my life.  Most people will agree   that sports is highly competitive.  In fact, many extremely talented players find, at some point in their lives, they dream of making it to the "big league." 

     As I thought about sports, I remembered how faithful my dad was in supporting and following my team to every game.  However, his favorite sports was baseball.  Not only did he watch baseball, but one of his favorite comedy shows was Abbot and Costello.  I remember, so well, one of their most popular episodes which started out with "Who's on first?"  and how the dialogue went full circle with Costello never understanding the names of the players.   Turns out Who was on first base, What was on second, and I Don't Know was on third.  They finally wrap it up with, "Same as You!  I throw the ball to Who. Whoever it is drops the ball and the guy runs to second. Who picks up the ball and throws it to What. What throws it to I Don't Know. I Don't Know throws it back to Tomorrow, Triple play. Another guy gets up and hits a long fly ball to Because. Why? I don't know! He's on third...!"!
     Thinking about all this I suddenly realized that baseball is kind of like life.  We step up to the batter's plate in hopes of feeling that cracking sound as the bat connects with the ball, sending it outside the playing field to score a home run.  Often it turns out that we can only bunt to get to first base, then become fortunate enough to steal second base, running with all our might to third base, and finally skid into home plate.  The problem is that we often take our attitudes, hard feelings, and 'feel sorry for me' traits along with us.  However, there is always another chance at the batter's plate.  We  may never quite hit the home run that we dream about.  We may strike out, we may hit a foul ball, we may fall and get tagged out, but with God in our life, pitching for us, we can skid into home base and hear the crowd as it goes wild.    
     I can picture my career now!  I am standing on home plate.  I am about to hear, "Strike three, you're out!" so I bunt and run with mustard seed faith hoping, all the while, to hear the booming sound of the umpire as he calls out, "Safe."  Then I wait.  I slip away from first, but I see the error I am about to make and quickly return before the pitcher attempts to throw the ball, and Who, which is on first, tags me out.  This time I wait until  another team mate helps me out by solidity swinging the bat sending the ball far into left field. With faith I run, not stopping at second but on around to third and skid into home plate creating a cloud of dust that turns into a miraculous home run.  Out of the dust, I feel a presence.  Someone is lifting me up!  The crowd cheers! Nothing can silent the hoorays and applause.  There is pandemonium in the stands!

    

Father's Day

     Today is Father’s Day!   Social media is filled with “Happy Father’s Day” greetings.  Sadly, for me, my dad has already passed away, but I have the profound knowledge and comfort of knowing that he has been given a beautiful, permanent home with God, and I have been greatly blessed with special, precious memories.  I am so grateful for my Christian dad.  He taught me so much.  He taught me obedience, respect, and courage.  He gave me love, protection, support, and forgiveness.  How did he do so much?  I believe it was because he was a Christian man who listened and learned from his earthly father and was guided by His Heavenly Father.  

     So just how do I spell F-a-t-h-e-r?    

F - a father is faithful and loves his children enough to discipline them when it is needed.       

    “Whoever spares the rod hates their children, but the one who loves their children is careful to discipline them.  Proverbs 13:24
     “Moreover, we have all had human fathers who disciplined us and we respected them for it…” Hebrews 12:9

A – a father is a good assistant; he guides and leads; he should be the head of the family but not a controller.    
     “Fathers, do not embitter your children, or they will become discouraged.” Colossians 3:21
    “Let not mercy and truth forsake thee: bind them about thy neck; write them upon the table of thine heart.”  Proverbs 3:3

T - a father is a teacher; he teaches by instruction and example.  He also teaches about God and His love.  

     "He taught me also, and said unto me, Let thine heart retain my words: keep my commandments, and live.” Proverbs 4:4
    “Whoever fears the Lord has a secure fortress, and for their children it will be a refuge.” Proverbs 14: 26

H – a father is a helper; he helps his children learn and sets the child on the path he should travel.  When the child makes mistakes, he forgives and helps them start all over again. 

     “Enter not into the path of the wicked, and go not in the way of evil men.” Proverbs 4:14

E – a father is an example in the way he lives, in his conduct toward others, in his attitude, and in his speech.   

      “Fathers, do not exasperate your children; instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord.  Ephesians 6:4

R- a father is a receiver as well as a giver.  A Father knows he may only receive back just a portion of the love he bestows, but he is willing to give it with his whole heart, anyway. 

    “... and parents are the pride of their children.” Proverbs 17:6
     …A wise son maketh a glad father…”  Proverbs 10:1

The Green Lawn

     Overlooking my “Friendly Shade” is a massive, fresh mowed green lawn.  How did it get so beautiful?  To answer my own question, I had to go back in time and remember the field of rugged stumps and underbrush.  The mounds of limbs and tree tops we had to drag and burn, at one time, seemed overwhelming.  It took a lot of determination and work to make this yard what we hoped and dreamed for it to be.    

     The first thing we had to do was figure out how we wanted the landscape to look.  Next we begin to burn and get rid of all the rubbish before we could even level, add topsoil, and prepare the ground for a new harvest of grass.  But, then just what kind of grass did we want?  How much water would it take for it to survive?  The planning was just baby-steps to getting to where we really wanted to be.  After all the planning, planting, watering, we had to nurture it.  No matter how beautiful it is today, we must continually water, clip, trim, and fertilize it. 

     Where, you might ask, am I going with all this?  It is a good comparison of   similar steps we must take on the highway to becoming good Christian servants of God, the One who “nailed our sins to the cross” to provide His people with a beautiful, well-disciplined life and to prepare for our lavish highway to heaven.  Of course, God already has our lives planned out for us, but we must take some necessary steps to get ourselves where He wants to take us. 

     To do this we first must decide to accept God as our One and only Savior.  Then we must decide what seeds we want to plant.  Do we want love, peace, good-will, wisdom, and a righteous life?  If so, those seeds have to be planted;  they need to be nurtured, and they need to be watered daily for them to grasp and take hold and form a deep root system. The only way to plant good seed is by reading God’s word and living by His word.  As with any yard, a pretty lawn is subject to drought, pestilence, and weeds.  Our Christian walk is the same way.   The more we delve into His word, the more we attend His church, and the more we associate with His people, the deeper our root system will grow and the less drought, pestilence, and weeds we will grow. 

     My lawn is, truly, a continuing work in progress.  Pestilence weakens me and my root system often tries to die, but when I begin to nurture and water it in prayer time and thanksgiving my roots once again spread out and grow.  My joy returns and my faith grows stronger.  I pray that God is looking down on my Christian lawn and will one day say, “Well done!” 

Creation

     As I was completing a sewing project for a Christmas gift, I thought, with pride, “This is great; it came out better than expected.”  I started the project with no pattern and only a visual aid which I enhanced and added to as the ideas came.  This was to be a work of love and one of artistic ability.  As the project came together, I had to rip out a few seams and start again because I was figuring out the pattern as I went.  All the time I realized that the bear rag quilt would, in time, get dirty and probably have a button or two pulled off which would need to be replaced.  However, I knew the Mom would gladly wash the quilt, as needed, and repair any damage that might occur before, lovingly, returning it to the child.  After finishing the project, I was also ready to take a long-needed rest. 

     As I contemplated all this I thought of how God created the heavens and the earth and then, with great pride and love, created man in His own image.  God, in His perfection, did not have to rip out mistakes and start again.  Man came out, visually, just as He had planned. As He looked at His creation, He said, "It was very good."  Then God took a day of rest.   But the story doesn’t stop there.  Just like my quilt, in time, man would become dirty, full of sin.  It is then that God will lovingly pick man up and wash away the dirt.  There may have to be a few seams ripped away in order for man to be cleansed and started on a new pathway of life.  Man may be left with a few tattered edges from the abuse of self, but with God healing can began anew. 

     As with any project we continue to take pride in and love what we create, and God, for whatever reason, still continues to love His creation too.   We are so blessed that God “loves even us.”