Baseball and Tears....

Nothing like a great day at the ballpark.  I walked away as proud as a father could be.  I walked away with my chest out because my son came through when he was needed.  Today wasn't the best day at the ballpark for our team.  We won both games, but you could tell we were a little rusty.  There were a few routine plays that went terribly wrong and there were several times the boys were just not on their game.  I had decided that today I would make sure and not be negative to my son or the other boys.  I had made up my mind, no matter what, I would be positive to the kids and encourage them as best I could.

As I walked to first base every inning, I tried to leave the dugout after saying some encouraging words to our team.  I even would pick up the ball for the opposing pitcher if the opportunity presented itself.

On first base, as a coach, there are several conversations that go on between the opposing coaches, the umpires, and the players as they reach first base.  The conversations range from the Thunder pulling through, the weather, where all our kids go to school, and any other topic outside of baseball you can think of.  I sat back in more of a quiet mindset today and listened to the coaches from the other teams.  I was unbelievably amazed at what I heard as they talked to their players and to each other.

I started thinking about how much pressure we put on our kids to be perfect at every bat, every pitch, every play, and every moment they are on the field.  I starting thinking about how much expectation we put on them every time they step on the field.  Don't get me wrong, I think you should be prepared, but if you aren't, how can we hold them accountable.

Then it happened.  The learning moment for a coach, father, and christian.

Parker was at the plate during a really tense and stressful situation.  We had runners on 2nd and 3rd with 2 outs in the last inning.  It was our last at bat and we were down by 1 run.  I walked down closer to home plate than usual and hollered to my son.  I yelled to him, "I want to to dig down deep and see exactly what you are made of son."  He responded with his usual nod and went back to his practice swing.  Here comes the pitch.  He swings and fouls it off.  As the battle at the plate went back and forth for another 4 or 5 foul balls, I started hearing a conversation in the dugout next to me from the opposing coaches.  They were talking about how all they needed was one more out and the kid at the plate hadn't been on base all game.  I heard them saying how all they needed was one more strike.  They knew all they needed was one out to end the game and win.

In the middle of their conversation, I hollered to my son and told him again, "you got this, dig down deep and give it all you have, son...."

As I walked back to the dugout, I looked over at the coaches and told them, "I love players being in theses type situations....I love them being put to the test..."

The replied with saying how the felt the exact opposite.  I looked at them and said, "HE is going to do this....we got faith in him..."

As I turned around, the pitcher goes through his stretch and throws the ball..Parker hits the ball harder than he had all day...he hits the ball between the 1st baseman and 2nd baseman and it gets through....

Both runs score and we win the game...

As he stood on the bag with the winning run crossing the plate, I grabbed him and held him up as he pumped his hands in the air and I told him how proud I was of him and I knew he was going to do it...I knew he was going to come through for his team...

Then it happened...The lesson was presenting itself to be learned...

I looked over at Parker with tears of joy running down his face at what he had done and I smiled because I was already teared up.  His teammates were hugging him and chest bumping with him as they celebrated their victory.  We were both so happy we couldn't do anything but cry.  As his team mates asked him if he was okay, he just smiled and cried some more at the accomplishment he just had...

You know they say, "there's no crying in baseball."  Today on the Blake Auld Memorial Fields in Seminole, OK. there was crying in baseball.  And if you have a problem with it, my son and I don't care...

I am going to cry when I want too.  I am going to encourage our team as much as I can. I am going to keep trying to inspire our kids to know they can come through when they are in a tough situation.  I am going to keep trying to help these young boys become Godly young men.  I'm going to let them know I believe in them.

If they strike out, it can all go away with one hit.
If they overthrow a base, it can all go away with one gunned down baserunner.
If they get thrown out, it can all go away with another stole base.
If they get a bad hop, it can all go away with another caught ground ball.
If they have a bad inning, it can go away with a good inning.

If they cry over a victory and personal accomplishment, I hope that heart never changes....Ever....

War Zone Everyday......

This morning as I drove to work, I happened to receive an update on a post from last night on Facebook.  As I glanced at it, something caught my eye.  Something that has hit me at the core of who I am.  The post simply read, "Pray for Byng Schools..."  When I got to the office, I sat in my car and cried as I read about my children's school being the topic of a possible attack.  I immediately called my home to see if anyone was able to talk.  As my son answered, I told him I loved him.  I told him to be aware of anything out of the ordinary.  I told him to pray for protection today and I was praying for him too.  I told him to pay attention and if there were people at the school who weren't normally there to make sure and tell someone....

I asked to talk to his sister and she had already headed out the door and I didn't get to talk to her.  Then, in the stillness of the parking lot with my car running, I prayed.  I prayed for my children.  I prayed for all the students.  I prayed for my children's teachers.  I prayed for the kids who wrote such horrific posts on social media pages.

When I was talking to my son, I felt as if I was sending him into battle...I thought that today he could be fighting for his life or someone else's.  I had thoughts of total desperation of what may happen based on threats....

Then God said, "Why are you only worried about today? Why are you only worried about the worst case scenario?  "Are they ready?"

Parents,

We are sending our kids into battle each and every day.  We send them into a place of beauty and darkness.  We must be more active in prayer daily for our children.  I don't think we understand our children are learning more about "sex, drugs, and rock and roll" at an earlier age than we ever did.  There are kids all around the state who are experimenting with sex and drugs at earlier and earlier ages.....

We send our kids into a war zone of peer pressure and bullying.  We send our kids into a war zone where their faith may be put to the test.  We send our kids into war every day.....

The questions on my heart are.......

Are my children equipped to handle the war they are in?
Have I done all I could do to make sure when the battle begins they can fight?
Have I made sure they know I love them?
Have I taught them who God is by my actions?
Am I ready for the war they are in?

The fact is, today should be an eye opening experience for all of us.....

What are you going to do now?


Justin Presley

Just the plain simple truth.....

This blog isn't a feel good one, so if you can't handle the truth, stop right now....just a warning...


I am sitting in my living room at 12:02 am in complete darkness listening to the kids tv blaring as they sleep, the wind is whispering outside the windows, a humidifier is buzzing down the hall, and I can't sleep.  My mind is racing in several different directions.  Occasionally the sound of a car races by my house.  I'm wondering why I feel so lost.  I have felt like something in my life isn't as it should be.  I am not doing anything wrong.  I am just so overwhelmed with ideas and strategy I can't move.  It is like I am frozen in time and just getting lost in the shuffle and hustle of baseball tournaments, tball games, end of year programs, field trips, business decisions, ministry decisions, working out, and anything else you throw at us on a daily basis.  I know none of you reading this feel the same way.

I met with a dear friend of mine this week and we discussed all that was going on with our lives.  We talked about all the things interfering with what we should be doing.  I began to feel a strong sense of stress and conviction in my heart.

You see, the reason I am so out of sorts, God isn't where he should be in my life.  I have allowed time, effort, energy, and desire to get in the way of His place in my life.  I haven't been the spiritual leader in my home that I should be.  My quiet time has been taken over by sleep and car rides for work.  My scriptural desire has been replaced with strategic planning sessions and a desire of success.    I have replaced God with DVR recordings and conversations about business decisions.  I haven't done it on purpose, but it has happened.  My wife and I have replaced good conversation about the direction in our marriage with deciding where the kids are going so we can make all the events we have placed at such a huge priority in life.

Where is God in all this?  I think we have just set him on the shelf and forgot Him.  I truly believe we have done this without malice towards our beliefs and love for Him.  We just have gotten too busy.

Tonight I laid in bed and prayed to God to help me. To guide me.  To give me the courage to make the changes necessary in my life to be what I told Him I would be when I answered the call He has on my life.  I begged His forgiveness.  I asked Him to work in Heather's heart and my heart and bring us closer to Him and each other.  I pleaded with Him to help me stand as a man of God in front of my children no matter where we are.  I prayed he would give me the courage to leap and become the leader He needs me to be outside of the home.  I asked Him to guide me in the decisions I need to make.

Maybe you feel the same way I do....But tonight, God has taken over and I am resting in the shadow of the Almighty...

It is time for us to do what God has called us to do...No matter how crazy it may seem....

Psalm 91

1 Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High
    will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.[a]
2 I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress,
    my God, in whom I trust.”

3 Surely he will save you
    from the fowler’s snare
    and from the deadly pestilence.
4 He will cover you with his feathers,
    and under his wings you will find refuge;
    his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart.
5 You will not fear the terror of night,
    nor the arrow that flies by day,
6 nor the pestilence that stalks in the darkness,
    nor the plague that destroys at midday.
7 A thousand may fall at your side,
    ten thousand at your right hand,
    but it will not come near you.
8 You will only observe with your eyes
    and see the punishment of the wicked.

9 If you say, “The Lord is my refuge,”
    and you make the Most High your dwelling,
10 no harm will overtake you,
    no disaster will come near your tent.
11 For he will command his angels concerning you
    to guard you in all your ways;
12 they will lift you up in their hands,
    so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.
13 You will tread on the lion and the cobra;
    you will trample the great lion and the serpent.

14 “Because he[b] loves me,” says the Lord, “I will rescue him;
    I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name.
15 He will call on me, and I will answer him;
    I will be with him in trouble,
    I will deliver him and honor him.
16 With long life I will satisfy him

    and show him my salvation.”