No Crying in Baseball

Tonight was our son's baseball team's party. We met at a pavilion in a city park. They said the temp was in the 90's, but with a strong breeze & low humidity, it felt just right out there in the shade of the old trees.

Our coach has been great this season. He has a coach's heart. He ceremoniously handed out the boring old medals that the league bought for the boys. (We are very thankful for the medals, but one kid's older brother painted a picture in their minds of 5' trophies and prizes. We had medals and cake.) Standing at the end of a picnic table, he got everyone's attention. With each boy, he handed them their medal, then intricately described their strengths on & off the field, ways they've grown, and gave them a title. He also described their character, and shared scriptures of how God values those characteristics.

Our son's title was Most Coachable/Coach's Favorite. He said our boy always did what he asked him to, played anywhere, and did so with a good attitude. He said that is the kind of player a coach wants to have on his team. Everyone cheered for each other as little sisters chatted and little brothers chased squirrels. I, of course, cried to myself through it all.

There is one boy on our team whose father died unexpectedly early in the season. His mom has faithfully brought him to each game. In the last few weeks, we collected donations on her behalf, created a scrapbook, and some moms made framed art for her & her son. When it was his turn to receive his medal, the coach presented all these things to them, and then prayed for them. I was standing near her and hugged her while we prayed. Her son won the "Tough Guy" award. Despite her pain, she is so easy to talk to, so easy to love on. She looks like the kind of person who would be quiet, closed, awkward, but she's not.

I'm so thankful for this league that allows us to love God and each other, and give him the glory through a simple little thing like baseball.