For the Love of the Game

Sitting in a quite house while Lindsay Jane naps and the boys bond with their dad.  I am thinking about this picture and this little boy.

You can see the red cheeks.  This was taken after his last game of the season this year with the SDLL. He was on the "Braves" with Coach Ryan.

He was not crying because they lost, he was crying because baseball was over.  It broke my heart in some ways, but it also has come back to my mind so many times since then.

This little boy loves baseball.  He is very talented at it, a natural.  But, it is his love of the game, that stands out to me.  It also makes me pause as I reflect on this gift that God has given Landon.

It almost sounds weird to say that, but this game is what has helped Landon to believe in himself and to recognize the person God made in him.  I have mentioned previously what a hard year Landon (and I) had in 2nd grade.  This season came along at the perfect time.  The time when Landon needed a boost more than ever.

Thinking about baseball and how it has helped Landon also makes me think about a conversation Stan and I had with dear friends recently.  We were talking about some of the challenges of raising children and about our own challenge, as high achieving parents, to let go of the idea that our children's performance in school academically or socially is what defines them and the success they can achieve.

We talked about the bigger picture, the bigger gifts, the Lord's perspective versus the perspective of our culture.

If none of my children ever make the honor roll, it doesn't matter.  If none of my children play any sport in school, it doesn't matter.  If none of my kids get a scholarship to college, it doesn't matter.  If none of my kids go to college, it doesn't matter.  What really matters, is that they follow God and they know they are loved for who he created them to be.  Success is not measured according to letters behind ones name, rather, the use of special gifts and talents given to us and to our children for God's good work on this earth and ultimately in heaven.

Seeing Landon love baseball has truly been a gift.  It was a gift to him, to me, to our family, to his grandparents and extended family and to his teammates.  He was a team player, he was a good sport, he worked hard, he gave it his all.

In the end, baseball made Landon's year.  But, it wasn't just baseball, itself, it was what being on that team and using his gifts taught us all. It shifted our perspective.  It helped us to really live into the truth that success in the world's eyes is different than "success" in God's eyes.  God created us each differently and those differences are what make His kingdom greater.

In this instance, I think that His kingdom is becoming greater because of what Landon and his parents are learning about each person's unique gifts and how those gifts are used in surprising ways.

More important than Landon being a talented baseball player, he loves God and is really able to articulate his special relationship with Christ.  He is learning humility, kindness, forgiveness and the importance of honesty.  Baseball has built his confidence in a way that has enabled him to recognize that God made him special and he has been able to build on his faith from there.

You just never know what you are going to learn from having kids. Or from baseball.  :)

He learned to hit.  He learned patience.  He learned eye-hand coordination.

He learned to take his turn.

He learned concentration and focus and how both of these take effort and self control.

He learned to be ready, be alert, think quickly.  He learned to pay attention.

He learned rules.

He learned flexibility, each member of the team having to play each position.

He learned to take direction and learn from another adult (who by the way, will always have a special place in my heart).  Coach Ryan really took Landon under his wing and really helped him to grow this year.  It was so timely, it was amazing.  It was not a coincidence.

He learned the joy of being a true team member.

He learned that his family loves him enough to get up early, spend Saturdays and weekday nights supporting him.

He learned the joy of victory!  He had just hit a home run in this picture!

He learned how much his little brother looks up to him.  Here, Connor was congratulating him for hitting his first home run.

He learned that his mama was also number 18...

He learned that hard work is rewarded even if your team comes in last place.

He learned that hard work is rewarded if you get the most hits in a Slugfest!!!!  This trophy has his name on it!

He learned how much the love of the game spans time and generation...

He learned many different mascots!

He learned the many different leagues involved with baseball...seeing his very favorite team, The Washington Nationals.  He learned to love the game with his Pop, who loved it first.

He learned to bond with his Pop over the love of the game in a sports bar!

He learned that baseball has been going on for a long time.  Here he was pitching to my dad on the very field my dad used to play on as a kid.  This was "John Frey Ball Field", named from my grandfather.  He learned that my uncle coached my dad and his brother to a championship on this field...

He learned that dear old mama knows a lot about baseball herself.

This game.  We love.  We signed up for fall ball as soon as registration opened.  :)

Hope you enjoyed!