Memorial Day is a day to remember those men and women who served their country, and who gave their lives so that we might experience freedom. I am thankful for their sacrifice. I am reminded of another important sacrifice - Jesus' death on a cross - so that we might experience freedom with God. I am especially thankful for this greatest sacrifice of all.
"They found the stone rolled away from the tomb, but when they entered, they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. While they were wondering about this, suddenly two men in clothes that gleamed like lightning stood beside them, 'Why do you look for the living among the dead? He is not here; he has risen! Remember how he told you, while he was still with you in Galilee: 'The Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, be crucified and on the third day be raised again.' Then they remembered his words."
Luke 24:2-8
I am also reminded of my Mom. She gave of her life to others and sacrificed her goals and desires, always putting other people ahead of herself. I was recently reminded of my Mom's last words to my Dad - "God wants me." As difficult as it was to lose her at such a young age (52), I have taken great comfort in knowing that her Father wanted her to be with Him in heaven, and for that I am truly thankful.
"The man who loves his life will lose it, while the man who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. Whoever serves me must follow me; and where I am, my servant will also be. My Father will honor the one who serves me."
John 12:25-26
Sunday, May 27, 2007
Buck O'Neil
I just finished reading an amazing book entitled, "The Soul of Baseball: A Road Trip Through Buck O'Neil's America." Buck was a man who played in the old Negro League, finishing his playing days just before Jackie Robinson helped to break the color barrier in professional baseball. He was a man who had every right to feel bitter, betrayed, and angry over the simple fact that his skin was the "wrong" color, but he refused to feel that way.
"Hatred will steal your heart.
Don't have any fight left.
Accept what's around you.
That's what this country was like.
Thought it would change someday.
Waited for it to change."
Instead, he made it his life-long mission to spread the word about the great Negro League, and to tell the story of the amazing players of his generation, and to trumpet their cause to be inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame. Buck was truly an ambassador for the game of baseball. He was always a positive person, full of life and love for others, whose very presence in a room would make grown men and women cry while he asked them to remember the good times they had in their youths, spent with their fathers at baseball games. He not only wanted us to remember the great players of the past, but to see that baseball is indeed a great game, and one that deserves to be loved by many.
"Funny.
That's what I remember most,
Stories.
Don't remember the games much.
Don't remember names much.
Don't remember the bad times.
I forgot who won and lost most of the time.
Stories.
Silly stories.
I remember those."
Buck lived to be 94 years old, and was present at Cooperstown when 16 men and 1 woman from the Negro League were finally inducted into the Hall. Many felt that Buck also should have been one of those inducted on that day (myself included). Many were outraged at his exclusion, and people were dumbstruck and rightfully upset. But, Buck kept his positive attitude. He was even asked to speak at the induction ceremony.
"Would you really speak? I asked Buck. Of course, he said happily. If they asked me...It would give me a chance to talk about these great players. It would give me a chance to tell the story again. Buck, I said slowly, I don't see how you...He put his arm on my shoulder and said: Think about this, son. What is my life about?"
Buck died before he got inducted into the Hall, but hopefully one day soon his plaque will adorn the walls of the Hall alongside the many other men who meant a great deal to the sport of baseball, and whose lives impacted countless people.
"Hatred will steal your heart.
Don't have any fight left.
Accept what's around you.
That's what this country was like.
Thought it would change someday.
Waited for it to change."
Instead, he made it his life-long mission to spread the word about the great Negro League, and to tell the story of the amazing players of his generation, and to trumpet their cause to be inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame. Buck was truly an ambassador for the game of baseball. He was always a positive person, full of life and love for others, whose very presence in a room would make grown men and women cry while he asked them to remember the good times they had in their youths, spent with their fathers at baseball games. He not only wanted us to remember the great players of the past, but to see that baseball is indeed a great game, and one that deserves to be loved by many.
"Funny.
That's what I remember most,
Stories.
Don't remember the games much.
Don't remember names much.
Don't remember the bad times.
I forgot who won and lost most of the time.
Stories.
Silly stories.
I remember those."
Buck lived to be 94 years old, and was present at Cooperstown when 16 men and 1 woman from the Negro League were finally inducted into the Hall. Many felt that Buck also should have been one of those inducted on that day (myself included). Many were outraged at his exclusion, and people were dumbstruck and rightfully upset. But, Buck kept his positive attitude. He was even asked to speak at the induction ceremony.
"Would you really speak? I asked Buck. Of course, he said happily. If they asked me...It would give me a chance to talk about these great players. It would give me a chance to tell the story again. Buck, I said slowly, I don't see how you...He put his arm on my shoulder and said: Think about this, son. What is my life about?"
Buck died before he got inducted into the Hall, but hopefully one day soon his plaque will adorn the walls of the Hall alongside the many other men who meant a great deal to the sport of baseball, and whose lives impacted countless people.
Monday, May 14, 2007
God is Faithful
Well, I'm happy to say that after three months of being out of work, I am starting a new job tomorrow morning! I will be working on a contract-to-hire basis at Target Corporation in downtown Minneapolis for the next eight months, on their target.com website. If all goes well, they might offer me a full-time position at the end of the eight months. I will be done with my graduate degree program in about two years, so it would be a perfect opportunity for me to be offered a permanent job at Target, thereby taking the burden off of me to look for another job while finishing up school.
It has been a difficult time for me being out of work, and I had even begun to question God's faithfulness, but He reminded me yet again that He will always provide for me. He showed me once again that when I place my trust in Him, He will never fail or let me down.
"Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?"
Matthew 6:25-27
It has been a difficult time for me being out of work, and I had even begun to question God's faithfulness, but He reminded me yet again that He will always provide for me. He showed me once again that when I place my trust in Him, He will never fail or let me down.
"Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?"
Matthew 6:25-27
Saturday, May 5, 2007
Stupid Woodpecker!
I have a really large tree in my backyard with quite a few dead branches, and a woodpecker can often be heard in it, making quite the racket early Saturday morning for those of us who are trying to sleep! I may have actually been outside in my PJs at 6:30 this morning, air gun in hand, stalking my prey. Let's just say that he managed to fly away without suffering from having a plastic BB implanted in his backside, but I will get him if it's the last thing that I do!
Even though I loved the cartoon character Woody Woodpecker as a child, when one wakes me up at the crack of dawn, all my feelings turn towards anger and revenge. Beware of flying BBs my fine-feathered friend!
Even though I loved the cartoon character Woody Woodpecker as a child, when one wakes me up at the crack of dawn, all my feelings turn towards anger and revenge. Beware of flying BBs my fine-feathered friend!
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