Soccer and the World Cup isn't one of my preoccupations, but I love Major League Baseball (MLB); I've been known to get excited and despondent during the post-season. My first ever MLB game was at the old Tiger Stadium after I'd taken my first solo flight as a passenger. I was in grade 7 or 8. I've noticed parents and kids often make things complicated when a kid or a teen flies unaccompanied, but I went to Boston-Logan, got on the plane, flew to Detroit-Metro, got off the plane. No big deal, but that may have been because I'd been riding city buses and subways alone forever.
Although back then I had next to zero knowledge of the game, in retrospect the Tigers game with an opponent I don't remember was a watershed. A couple years later during high school the Boston Red Sox and Fenway Park started to become part of the narrative of my life. Later on when I served an inner city Boston church, senior pastor was able to get Red Sox tickets almost on a whim, and I went to many games that way. A few times I drove youth group kids to Fenway in the church van; other times we traveled there on the subway. For sure I considered myself On The Clock whenever I took on that responsibility.
Today's word is outcome. "I often remind myself" the best way to predict the future is to create it; that's what I knew I was doing with a series of schools, skills, and experiences. As of now, the outcome is far from the minimum I'd anticipated. But God's promises and God's faithfulness are outside of time as we humans measure time. Can I trust God for the outcome of all those years of preparation and expectation?
There's spring training and there's the fall post-season, but I love that baseball is mostly an icon of summer. Although baseball is country, suburban, and everywhere, there's something particularly urban about it, and cities are my jam. Did I already mention Detroit and Boston?
I love baseball's leisurely pace as if clocks and watches don't exist. I love that baseball is an American invention. I love those memories of Fenway Park. I love watching stellar defense and crazy offense. Baseball majorly qualifies as one of my major Life Stuff topics. As I wonder about hopes, dreams, and disappointments, "I often remind myself" baseball is a perfect model for life.
The outcome? You win some; you lose some. Tomorrow is another day, another game, another outcome.
I think baseball (or any sport) is a good metaphor for life here. We can do our part to plan and prepare but the outcome doesn't always go our way regardless. I like your point that we can trust God to use our years of planning and preparation even if the outcome isn't always what we expected. Visiting from FMF.
ReplyDeleteGood point. We prepare and leave the outcome in God's capable hands. Have a blessed weekend!
ReplyDeleteGood words ... preparation is KEY. Big football fan here ... just kind of fell into it. My friends in Phoenix were either Broncos or Cowboys (70s) and when I taught school in Wisconsin, of course, The Capital of Wisconsin is Green Bay! Go Pack! ... I find learning about the preparation of a team is fascinating and also humbling. How have I prepared for this day? (FMF#6)
ReplyDeleteI think kids miss something today by being constantly electronically tethered to others. I remember all the times my mom would hand me some change and send me to the store to get a can of corn or the latest issue of TV Guide. I crossed a busy street, barefoot, and nobody batted an eye when I made the purchase. Now we have our groceries delivered and are a dot on the map when we walk out the front door. Only time will tell the OUTCOME of this latest trend.
ReplyDeleteFMF#2
I like you final take (last sentence) on the word outcome.
ReplyDeletetake your lessons from baseball eh? :) FMF12 visitor
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