Baseball Gloves and Dad

Last week I visited my Dad in Wheeling. His girlfriend's son, Max, had a baseball game. Max is the team catcher, and as any kid can be, a little forgetful at times. We got to the game...he climbed out of the car and ran to the dugout. My Dad and I were standing at the fence, catching up and talking about the game...when he looked at me and said, "Why is Max in the outfield with no glove?" So we walked over to the dugout, and proceeded to ask where his glove was. Max had forgot it. He had no clue where it was. It wasn't in his bag or in the car. The other team had heard what was going on, and their coaches came over to try and help...giving Max a glove to try. He had quite a few gloves to pick from...but he didn't want any of them. He wanted his glove. He didn't want to change...and would rather not play, than to accept the new glove. After some good old fashioned coaxing by my Dad, Max picked a glove (that he swore was too big) and a few minutes later, he was on the field. Playing with his new glove. The one that he was certain wouldn't work and was too big. But my Dad was there...nudging him along...trying to show him that there would be something that he would be missing out on if he didn't accept this new glove. This change. And he was right! Max played awesome and had so much fun...but I'd like to think he also learned a lesson. The same lesson that we all need to learn. Change isn't fun. Trying new things can be scary. Leaving jobs and people is most of the time down right sad and frightening. But when we do those things...there are new and exciting experiences to be had. Experiences that we would have otherwise missed out on. Just like my Dad was trying to teach Max this lesson...our Father is also wanting us to learn it. Nudging us along the way...wanting us to see that there is more than we can fathom waiting for us if we'd only take a leap and make a change. I'd like to think that Max learned this lesson. And hopefully the lesson of not forgetting your beloved glove.

There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven: a time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to uproot, a time to kill and a time to heal, a time to tear down and a time to build, a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance, a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them, a time to embrace and a time to refrain, a time to search and a time to give up, a time to keep and a time to throw away, a time to tear and a time to mend, a time to be silent and a time to speak, a time to love and a time to hate, a time for war and a time for peace.

Ecclesiastes 3:1-8

Happy Father's Day to the man that is my hero...