Proud of this Guy . . .

Luke just finished his Freshman HS baseball season last night and got to play with the varsity the last month of the season.

I'm proud of how he is growing into a young man and the decisions he is making. What a blessing to have an awesome son!

"The father of a righteous man has great joy; he who has a wise son delights in him." Prov 23:24

Full Weekend!

- Hosted the King girls soccer pre-game dinner on Friday night

- HS baseball season started on Friday and Luke was one of a handful of Freshman who were asked to work out with the Varsity that first night . . . Really proud of him

- Burn was awesome on Saturday morning

- Matt Beveridge Field Dedication on Saturday was really cool - Great to see how God brought it all together to bring Him glory through Matt's life!

- San Antoino Saturday night for KHS girls game against Highlands - Won 3-1 - Great job girls!

- Thanks for leading awesome Prelude on Sun morning Rachel Miller!

- Celebration was really awesome this morning! Thanks Mike I. for filling in for Steveo.

'Jesus is Lord!' God, help us to keep Jesus, and Jesus alone, on the throne of our life!

In the Zone

If you're a baseball fan you may have heard about what University of Texas pitcher Austin Wood did in the NCAA baseball tournament this past weekend.

If you're not a baseball fan you probably wouldn't even of cared if you did hear.

What he did was nothing short of incredible. In relief he pitched 13 innings of a 25-inning game against Boston College (the longest NCAA game ever!).

13 stinkin' INNINGS! 169 pitches! The first 12 1/3 innings he pitched without giving up a hit! 12 1/3 innings!

Let me give you a little perspective . . . An entire game is normally 9-innings, and for a guy to throw a 'no-hitter' (give up no hits) for an entire game at this highest level of college baseball in the NCAA tournament, is probably a once in a decade thing. And he did that -- and then 4 more innings without anybody getting a hit!
And I can tell you from experience - I pitched against Texas in college at Disch Falk several times - and never went more than about 12 PITCHES (much less innings) without someone crushing a ball and nearly decapitating one of our fielders :)

Incredible! He was as we say in athletics . . . In the Zone.

Eric Liddell in Chariots of Fire talked about being In the Zone when he said: "I believe God made me for a purpose, but He also made me fast. And when I run I feel His pleasure."

Now . . . here's my point. I think it's great that Austin Wood pitched 13 shutout innings (Not that I really care that UT won :) --- But I believe that God has made us ALL to live In the Zone!

I believe that He has called YOU to do something great AND eternal! But we don't just accidentally wander into the greatness zone.

We find it as we seek to know God more through His Word . . .
As we are still enough to hear His voice . . .
And as we are open to God possibilities and willing to take great risks to get there . . .

Baseball is awesome, but few folks have been built for baseball greatness. All of us who live with 'Christ in us' have been built for eternal greatness!

Baseball, Steroids and Truth

"The shadow of your sin will overtake you; you'll find yourself stumbling all over yourself in the dark." (Proverbs 5:22)

Barry Bonds . . . Roger Clemens . . . now, Alex Rodriguez . . . they've all proven this proverb in recent time. You can run, but you can't hide. (These are 3 of the greatest ever Major League baseball players who have either confessed to - or the evidence points against them - taking steroids to enhance their careers.)

And before I (or we) start sounding smug, we all know it as well. We've tried to hide. And when we try to live in darkness it's oppressive and miserable.

But I've also seen the truth of this proverb revealed loudly through baseball and steroids:
"He who conceals his sins does not prosper, but whoever confesses and renounces them finds mercy." Proverbs 28:13

Jason Giambi, Andy Petite (two other players who confessed and didn't try to hide using steroids) and now Rodriguez have come clean . . . and in Rodriguez own words: "When you take this gorilla . . . off your back, you realize that honesty is the only way."

There is life and forgiveness in confession, but in prideful hiding there is death. A great picture from this for all of us.


And yes, I will end by answering the question on all of your minds.
Unequivocally, NO.
I have never taken steroids to help enhance my sermon preparation. Although I have drank a whole lot of coffee :)

Let's Play 4!

The twins have the CCISD soccer tournament going on today and Luke has a baseball tournament at TM - in all 4 games today!

My normal day off is Thursday, but I spent the day working on my sermon so that I can spend most of today freezing my tail off watching (soccer) and coaching (baseball) games!!

But I wouldn't want to be anywhere else!

SURGE!

This is the logo of our new select baseball team . . .
We're hoping to SURGE through a tourney that we're playing in this weekend!

Major Contribution

Here's a baseball story that all of you should like!

Fernando Tatis was a Major League baseball player (and a Texas Ranger for 2 seasons) until 2004 when he quit.

Then in 2006 his church in a small town in the Dominican Republic needed land and a building. Tatis decided that the only way they could do it is if he went back to baseball.

So last year he signed with the Orioles and played in the minors. This year he's starting in left field for the Mets and having an incredible season . . . and in May his hometown church - in San Pedro de Macoris - was completed!

You can check out the story on the New York Times website here.

It got me thinking . . . What is it that God has chosen you to do? What contribution can only you make to the Kingdom???

Saturday/Baseball Update

We won a game last (Friday) night - played well. And then played in the heat of the afternoon today and lost -- didn't play so well. Hopefully we learned . . . that's the point of playing, to get a little better every game.

Then I did a silly (no, stupid) thing and went running this afternoon at 4 o'clock -- Wow was it hot! Summers are tough running in Corpus . . .

About to go pick up my Mom from the airport . . . She's coming to take the twins on a cruise! She takes all our kids on a trip when they turn 16, pretty cool. But she never took ME on a stinkin' cruise!! :)

Looking forward to Celebration in the morning! James and temptation . . . .

a thumpin'

Our baseball team got thrashed tonight . . . made all the worse by the other team squeezing when they were up by 10 (if you're not sure what I'm talking about ask a baseball fan and if they have any savvy they'll go -- 'Oooooh, that ain't cool!').

You could say that I'm a baseball purist - you don't show up the game, or the other team.
Now I've just got to get my heart back to a pure place and not wanting revenge! Ah, humility is such a painful thing . . .

Baseball, Hot Dogs . . .

This Sunday we're not only continuing our Major League Basics series (this will be a great one!) but some of our men are going for the 'real deal' ball park feel and are going to be tail gating after Celebration!

They're cooking hot dogs and gonna have some drinks. So bring your tail gate if you want, and an appetite. It will also be a chance for you to meet our guest worship artist -- Steve Garcia.





Don't miss the game!

Major League Basics . . . THIS Sunday!

Don't forget Sunday Morning we start . . . Major League Basics!

"It [baseball] breaks your heart. It is designed to break your heart. The game begins in the spring, when everything else begins again, and it blossoms in the summer, filling the afternoons and evenings, and then as soon as the chill rains come, it stops and leaves you to face the fall alone." (Bart Giamatti - former Commissioner of Baseball)

Who needs to come with you and discover that they DON'T have to face life all alone?

Major League Basics

This Sunday we begin a new series called Major League Basics!

Man, it's hard to believe that it's taken me nearly 9 years to do a baseball series!

My heart is to connect through the great American past time and show folks how God desires us all to have a great life! And just like in baseball there are certain fundamental truths that lead to a great life!

Connection cards are at the building - who are you going to invite to be with us on Sunday?

New Season!

Baseball season finally began tonight for the Tigers! That's Luke at shortstop.

We opened with a doubleheader -- lost the first game and won the night cap. Luke had a good night - pitched 2 innings and had 5 strikeouts.

2 more games in the next 2 days . . .

No 'W'

I promised I would report back, and the King Lady Mustangs couldn't pull it out last night, but they did have a great season.
It's a blast being able to watch my kids play - and win or lose nobody can take that away!

Now we're on to Luke's baseball season opening day next week! And then the week after club soccer begins (soccer really never ends :)

Learning . . . Slowly

I've been asking God to help make me more of an encourager, to help me lead from a perspective of serving and building up. I struggle.

And it's always exciting (but not always fun!) to see how God answers us.

Yesterday we had our first baseball practice. Every year for the past 50 years or so I've been the HEAD Coach of Luke's team. Because of circumstances with kids, etc - myself and another coach decided to merge our teams. He had more kids, so in effect we joined his team. He's the head coach.

I've NEVER been an assistant coach in baseball. Did I mention that I've ALWAYS been the HEAD coach.

I'm used to running practice the way I want to. Giving the speeches. Making the decisions. I watched yesterday as he ran practice and I helped.

As we were going to practice I was thinking of the very best assistants I've had. They were servants and encouragers. They did the dirty work and did it with grace and pleasure. That's what I want to be. So . . . God's giving me a chance.

Yesterday I did my best to keep my mouth shut . . . and shag balls and gather equipment . . . and encourage the boys and Shane (he's the head coach and a GREAT guy which makes it so much easier).

Actually, to be honest, I excited! I'm already looking at the whole opportunity differently, and I'm going to learn awesome new things this Spring!

I'm praying that God will make me a servant.