My son John's first hit in a baseball game was a long time coming. But, late in the night of May 12, 2010, the wait was worth it. John Thomas was in his first season of baseball that year. We had been appointed to St. Paul United Methodist Church in Bridge City, Texas. Bridge City is a community in which children are born with a glove in their hand. And, baseball and softball are sacredly passed from generation to generation. So, it was a bit challenging for John to catch up because his first season was in kid pitch baseball. He had never been in a game before. The first couple of games he looked like he was totally lost. The coaches even discussed having him play down at coach pitch and learn for a season because they were worried he might get hurt in the box. A stubborn father, I refused and explained that he would learn. But, when he got in the box for his at bats under the lights, he seemed to freeze. He was not sure what to do.
In light of the challenge, we set about practicing almost daily. We were in the backyard working on batting with just a few baseballs and I was getting frustrated that John Thomas could not even hold the bat right. Not only did John not know what he was doing, I must confess that I did not know what I was doing. But Archie, our across the street neighbor, overheard our training session of frustration and came over calmly with some white whiffle balls and took some time to coach us in the fundamentals. Use your left hand to guide the bat and your right hand for power. Generate speed from the toque of your body. Swivel your hips through the ball to generate bat speed and power. Archie introduced us to a world that we were not familiar with. That season, my arm almost fell off. We tossed literally thousands of those little white whiffle balls from every possible angle to help John learn how to hit a baseball. For months, every day that it did not rain, we were batting and fielding. We were persistent in what seemed like a hopeless task.
There was progress, eventually, back in early April John Thomas made contact but was thrown out. As the games progressed, he got more confident in the box. He was hit by two pitches, but he did not complain. With tears in his eyes he was tough and got on base. His coaches were great. They kept him engaged and kept helping him develop understanding for the game. He developed a good eye for the ball and walked several times. But, he had not gotten a hit!
What my wife Laura and I did not appreciate during this odyssey was the level at which the parents, coaches, and team mates were encouraging him. As each game without a hit passed, the parents and teammates support and encouragement grew. "You can do it John." "Hit it like you do in practice." They were incredibly supportive of him. They did not put him down or make fun of him, they simply expected him to hit. Their encouragement made a profound difference!
Waiting, hoping, an expecting with every at bat. The season was passing by. Night after night we encouraged and coached, but nothing happened. Then suddenly on Wednesday, May 12, all of that changed. It was a close game. In his first at bat, John had gotten on base on a hit by ball during the second inning. He was able to get in and score. He was fast and ran the bases well. When John Thomas came up to bat in the bottom of the fourth, his team had just pulled ahead 9-7. A teammate was on second, but the game was still up for grabs. We would need as many runs as possible because the other team got one more at bat.
We were anxious because he was up to bat with a playoff spot on the line in what might be the last inning. John Thomas took the first pitch, a ball. I commented to Laura, look at his feet and torque, he's going to hit something. We were ever hopeful. John Thomas sat on the second pitch, a beautiful strike and then slapped his head for passing on such a good ball. He was frustrated. He just needed to relax. I told him, "Let it go, it's okay. Focus on the next pitch." Even another mom hollered, "It's okay John Thomas, you can do it." So many people were pulling for him. The next pitch was in the same place, high and outside but close to the strike zone. I’ll never forget that sound! John Thomas got all of it. He sent a screamer down the right field line.
As it passed over first base, it went over the bag. The umpire and first base coaches exchanged glances. What was the call? I've never been so happy to hear an ump call "fair ball." John Thomas got a hit! Then the unthinkable happened, the ball carried all of the way down the line passed the right fielder and carried all of the way to the fence. John Thomas did what he had been trained to do. He rounded first, passed first, and headed to second. He was fast. As he came to second base the right fielder was scooping up the ball and making the throw to the cut off man. John got the sign to go to third. The teammate had scored. We would win the game. But, coach Darrin knew this might be John’s only chance. It would be close, but as John rounded second he sent him home! Laura and I and the other parents were standing now. John slid in just under the throw. He was safe!
It was pure pandaemonium on our sideline. Sure, we may have just won the game. But, it sounded like we had won the World Series. A boy who had worked so hard all season and had kept a positive disposition had gotten a hit. And, not just a hit but a home-run! John ran around past the dugout and gave Laura and I a hug. All of us parents were cheering him, and his teammates all gave him high fives and patted his back. When they did the team cheer, they cheered one, two, three, John Thomas Morgan! All of the work. All of the effort counted when it mattered. All of the striving for a seemingly unachievable goal became realized in that one moment. The realization of potential produced joy.
As we settled down and got into the car, we were filled with joy. John said sheepishly, “You know what Dad? My run did not even count.” “What?” I replied. “My run was the sixth of the inning. Only five count.” He was right, but I said, “It would always count in my book! It was the most important home run that didn't count.” And, we all laughed. I think that John smiled for a week.
Our journey toward God often leaves us feeling like a baseball player who is striking out at the plate every time we are at bat. Maybe we get walked occasionally and can see the base path. But, we are far from living as God would have us live. Words like faith, hope, and love are admirable virtues but not actually ways that we live our daily lives. By God’s grace each one of us has the ability to be made whole by God’s love. But what does that love look like? I think it looks and feels a lot like unexpectedly hitting a home run.
Firstly, persistence matters. If you pray for God to come into your life and situation, but do not continue daily to read scriptures, surround yourself with others who know about God and accept their encouragement and coaching, how do you expect to be made whole? We live in a time where the expectation of instant gratification is assumed. But, God’s grace becoming real in our lives is often experienced over the long run. In the Confessions of Saint Augustine, Augustine attributes the prayers of his mother for helping him convert to the Christian faith. She prayed for over a decade before he converted. Persistence matters.
Secondly, look for those God sends to help. There are others who will encourage and help you as you pursue living out your faith. There are members of your local church, counselors, pastors, and people who have known you along the way who are like loving parents, good coaches, and helpful neighbors. They are pulling for you! They will be excited for you and encourage you in your journey. And yes, in those moments when you live into the wholeness God has for you, they will celebrate with the angels in heaven that you have been found.
Finally, the lesson for my son John was not that he was going to become a great Major League Baseball player if he just worked hard enough. No, the lesson was that when you give your effort and heart to something the journey toward that goal is a reward. And, occasionally along the way it can all come together in a wholeness that blesses not only you, but those who journey with you and encourage you.
Unlike John's home-run, God has already given us union with himself through the divine action of Jesus Christ. We simply have to join our human action to God’s divine action in the world. It takes persistence, but there are others on the journey who will encourage us. When we let God into our whole lives their will be pandaemonium on the sidelines and great celebrations in heaven.
In light of the challenge, we set about practicing almost daily. We were in the backyard working on batting with just a few baseballs and I was getting frustrated that John Thomas could not even hold the bat right. Not only did John not know what he was doing, I must confess that I did not know what I was doing. But Archie, our across the street neighbor, overheard our training session of frustration and came over calmly with some white whiffle balls and took some time to coach us in the fundamentals. Use your left hand to guide the bat and your right hand for power. Generate speed from the toque of your body. Swivel your hips through the ball to generate bat speed and power. Archie introduced us to a world that we were not familiar with. That season, my arm almost fell off. We tossed literally thousands of those little white whiffle balls from every possible angle to help John learn how to hit a baseball. For months, every day that it did not rain, we were batting and fielding. We were persistent in what seemed like a hopeless task.
There was progress, eventually, back in early April John Thomas made contact but was thrown out. As the games progressed, he got more confident in the box. He was hit by two pitches, but he did not complain. With tears in his eyes he was tough and got on base. His coaches were great. They kept him engaged and kept helping him develop understanding for the game. He developed a good eye for the ball and walked several times. But, he had not gotten a hit!
What my wife Laura and I did not appreciate during this odyssey was the level at which the parents, coaches, and team mates were encouraging him. As each game without a hit passed, the parents and teammates support and encouragement grew. "You can do it John." "Hit it like you do in practice." They were incredibly supportive of him. They did not put him down or make fun of him, they simply expected him to hit. Their encouragement made a profound difference!
Waiting, hoping, an expecting with every at bat. The season was passing by. Night after night we encouraged and coached, but nothing happened. Then suddenly on Wednesday, May 12, all of that changed. It was a close game. In his first at bat, John had gotten on base on a hit by ball during the second inning. He was able to get in and score. He was fast and ran the bases well. When John Thomas came up to bat in the bottom of the fourth, his team had just pulled ahead 9-7. A teammate was on second, but the game was still up for grabs. We would need as many runs as possible because the other team got one more at bat.
We were anxious because he was up to bat with a playoff spot on the line in what might be the last inning. John Thomas took the first pitch, a ball. I commented to Laura, look at his feet and torque, he's going to hit something. We were ever hopeful. John Thomas sat on the second pitch, a beautiful strike and then slapped his head for passing on such a good ball. He was frustrated. He just needed to relax. I told him, "Let it go, it's okay. Focus on the next pitch." Even another mom hollered, "It's okay John Thomas, you can do it." So many people were pulling for him. The next pitch was in the same place, high and outside but close to the strike zone. I’ll never forget that sound! John Thomas got all of it. He sent a screamer down the right field line.
As it passed over first base, it went over the bag. The umpire and first base coaches exchanged glances. What was the call? I've never been so happy to hear an ump call "fair ball." John Thomas got a hit! Then the unthinkable happened, the ball carried all of the way down the line passed the right fielder and carried all of the way to the fence. John Thomas did what he had been trained to do. He rounded first, passed first, and headed to second. He was fast. As he came to second base the right fielder was scooping up the ball and making the throw to the cut off man. John got the sign to go to third. The teammate had scored. We would win the game. But, coach Darrin knew this might be John’s only chance. It would be close, but as John rounded second he sent him home! Laura and I and the other parents were standing now. John slid in just under the throw. He was safe!
It was pure pandaemonium on our sideline. Sure, we may have just won the game. But, it sounded like we had won the World Series. A boy who had worked so hard all season and had kept a positive disposition had gotten a hit. And, not just a hit but a home-run! John ran around past the dugout and gave Laura and I a hug. All of us parents were cheering him, and his teammates all gave him high fives and patted his back. When they did the team cheer, they cheered one, two, three, John Thomas Morgan! All of the work. All of the effort counted when it mattered. All of the striving for a seemingly unachievable goal became realized in that one moment. The realization of potential produced joy.
As we settled down and got into the car, we were filled with joy. John said sheepishly, “You know what Dad? My run did not even count.” “What?” I replied. “My run was the sixth of the inning. Only five count.” He was right, but I said, “It would always count in my book! It was the most important home run that didn't count.” And, we all laughed. I think that John smiled for a week.
Our journey toward God often leaves us feeling like a baseball player who is striking out at the plate every time we are at bat. Maybe we get walked occasionally and can see the base path. But, we are far from living as God would have us live. Words like faith, hope, and love are admirable virtues but not actually ways that we live our daily lives. By God’s grace each one of us has the ability to be made whole by God’s love. But what does that love look like? I think it looks and feels a lot like unexpectedly hitting a home run.
Firstly, persistence matters. If you pray for God to come into your life and situation, but do not continue daily to read scriptures, surround yourself with others who know about God and accept their encouragement and coaching, how do you expect to be made whole? We live in a time where the expectation of instant gratification is assumed. But, God’s grace becoming real in our lives is often experienced over the long run. In the Confessions of Saint Augustine, Augustine attributes the prayers of his mother for helping him convert to the Christian faith. She prayed for over a decade before he converted. Persistence matters.
Secondly, look for those God sends to help. There are others who will encourage and help you as you pursue living out your faith. There are members of your local church, counselors, pastors, and people who have known you along the way who are like loving parents, good coaches, and helpful neighbors. They are pulling for you! They will be excited for you and encourage you in your journey. And yes, in those moments when you live into the wholeness God has for you, they will celebrate with the angels in heaven that you have been found.
Finally, the lesson for my son John was not that he was going to become a great Major League Baseball player if he just worked hard enough. No, the lesson was that when you give your effort and heart to something the journey toward that goal is a reward. And, occasionally along the way it can all come together in a wholeness that blesses not only you, but those who journey with you and encourage you.
Unlike John's home-run, God has already given us union with himself through the divine action of Jesus Christ. We simply have to join our human action to God’s divine action in the world. It takes persistence, but there are others on the journey who will encourage us. When we let God into our whole lives their will be pandaemonium on the sidelines and great celebrations in heaven.
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