Friday, May 23
{click on image above to see original article and
daily devotions from Heartlight.org}
More than One Way to Hit a Homerun,
by Steve Higginbotham
You've probably already heard what happened recently when Central Washington and Western Oregon faced off against each other in a softball game --
At stake was a bid to the NCAA's Division II playoffs.
Western Oregon's, Sara Tucholsky came to the plate with two runners on base.
Tucholsky was a lifetime .153 hitter and had never hit a homerun.
However, things were about to change.
She connected on a pitch and hit a three run homer!
Due to her excitement, she missed first base.
So she stopped and turned to go back to the base.
But when she made the sudden stop and turn, she collapsed to the ground, having torn her ACL.
The people in the stands were shedding tears.
That's when things got interesting.
Mallory Holtman and Liz Wallace, two players on the opposing team offered to carry her around
the bases so that her homerun would not be counted as a single.
So these two players gently picked up Tucholsky, and carried her around the bases,
allowing her to tap each base along the way.
After reaching home plate,these two girls handed Tucholsky off to her own teammates.
The players, the coaches, and the people in the stands were applauding and shedding tears
because of this act of compassion.
When asked later why she did it, Mallory Holtman said that it was senior day and that if it
had happened to her, she would have wanted someone to come to her aid.
In other words, she was practicing the "Golden Rule" --
More than One Way to Hit a Homerun,
by Steve Higginbotham
You've probably already heard what happened recently when Central Washington and Western Oregon faced off against each other in a softball game --
At stake was a bid to the NCAA's Division II playoffs.
Western Oregon's, Sara Tucholsky came to the plate with two runners on base.
Tucholsky was a lifetime .153 hitter and had never hit a homerun.
However, things were about to change.
She connected on a pitch and hit a three run homer!
Due to her excitement, she missed first base.
So she stopped and turned to go back to the base.
But when she made the sudden stop and turn, she collapsed to the ground, having torn her ACL.
The people in the stands were shedding tears.
That's when things got interesting.
Mallory Holtman and Liz Wallace, two players on the opposing team offered to carry her around
the bases so that her homerun would not be counted as a single.
So these two players gently picked up Tucholsky, and carried her around the bases,
allowing her to tap each base along the way.
After reaching home plate,these two girls handed Tucholsky off to her own teammates.
The players, the coaches, and the people in the stands were applauding and shedding tears
because of this act of compassion.
When asked later why she did it, Mallory Holtman said that it was senior day and that if it
had happened to her, she would have wanted someone to come to her aid.
In other words, she was practicing the "Golden Rule" --
"Do unto others as you would have them do unto you"
(Matthew 7:12 paraphrased).
Isn't it amazing how following the common principles of Jesus makes such an impact for good in our world?
Open your eyes to the possibilities before you.
You may not have the opportunity to carry someone around the bases;
but if you look around at school, your job or your neighborhood, you will find things you can do that can have just as much impact on the lives of others.
---------
(c) 2008 Steve Higginbotham
Isn't it amazing how following the common principles of Jesus makes such an impact for good in our world?
Open your eyes to the possibilities before you.
You may not have the opportunity to carry someone around the bases;
but if you look around at school, your job or your neighborhood, you will find things you can do that can have just as much impact on the lives of others.
---------
(c) 2008 Steve Higginbotham
Thursday, May 22
along with millions of people, me and my lil family tuned in to watch the finale of american idol...
the final contestants, two wonderful people with sincere hearts and amazing talent...
we had watched the night before, as they each sang 3 songs and gave everything they had in the moment.
my heart broke when simon went too far in several of his comments and i watched the spirit of david cook fall to the proverbial floor.
there was real discouragement there and i grew angry with simon's unfeeling assessment of his 3 performances while he actively rallied for david archuleta.
as i watched last night, i remembered with great feeling all simon had said the night before...i was so disappointed in the man who i've grown to admire.
then the unthinkable happened...
simon 'ate and owned' his behavior and words of the night before!
in front of literally millions of people, he unabashedly apologized in detail and my heart soared towards the judge who people have loved to hate.
and though i am so grateful to Abba that 'cookie' won, i am most grateful and thrilled that a seemingly harsh and indifferent man, chose to 'eat and own' his damaging behavior.
what courage that takes!
what beauty is seen in the utter vulnerability of that moment!
what grace that God bestows upon us when we are humble and contrite!
to me, there is nothing as lovely and precious as the moment we 'eat and own' what we have done...
though simon may or may not be a Christian, i truly felt the presence of God when he admitted his previous night's behavior was wrong.
have you ever felt compelled to call or write a loved one when you knew you had to repent of something you've done?
ever felt the fear of rejection and yet moved forward courageously into that moment anyways?
i have.
though my repentance was and always will be genuine, i was rejected nonetheless...
the heartache of not being believed, of not being accepted, of not being forgiven, is too vast for me to describe here, but i am sure i am not alone in this experience and even if i could go back to the moment i confessed and begged for another chance,
i would not change a thing...
true repentance is not contingent upon other's forgiveness...
it is a gift from God and though the 'death to self' is indescribably painful, it is worth every single minute...
when we repent, we become free...
free from inner condemnation,
free from the oppressive guilt.
and free to let Abba work it out in the lives of those around us.
i cannot change a single person i've known and loved...
i can only change me.
and
i can only change me with Abba's help.
we just cannot do it on our own...
if there is anything at all that is 'unfinished business' between you and someone else,
please take the courageous step forward into 'eating and owning' your own behavior.
you can do it...
if i can...you can.
accept the Lord's help in moving forward towards repentance...
and He'll stand beside you until your sorrow turns to joy.
"The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance."
*2 peter 3:9*
the final contestants, two wonderful people with sincere hearts and amazing talent...
we had watched the night before, as they each sang 3 songs and gave everything they had in the moment.
my heart broke when simon went too far in several of his comments and i watched the spirit of david cook fall to the proverbial floor.
there was real discouragement there and i grew angry with simon's unfeeling assessment of his 3 performances while he actively rallied for david archuleta.
as i watched last night, i remembered with great feeling all simon had said the night before...i was so disappointed in the man who i've grown to admire.
then the unthinkable happened...
simon 'ate and owned' his behavior and words of the night before!
in front of literally millions of people, he unabashedly apologized in detail and my heart soared towards the judge who people have loved to hate.
and though i am so grateful to Abba that 'cookie' won, i am most grateful and thrilled that a seemingly harsh and indifferent man, chose to 'eat and own' his damaging behavior.
what courage that takes!
what beauty is seen in the utter vulnerability of that moment!
what grace that God bestows upon us when we are humble and contrite!
to me, there is nothing as lovely and precious as the moment we 'eat and own' what we have done...
though simon may or may not be a Christian, i truly felt the presence of God when he admitted his previous night's behavior was wrong.
have you ever felt compelled to call or write a loved one when you knew you had to repent of something you've done?
ever felt the fear of rejection and yet moved forward courageously into that moment anyways?
i have.
though my repentance was and always will be genuine, i was rejected nonetheless...
the heartache of not being believed, of not being accepted, of not being forgiven, is too vast for me to describe here, but i am sure i am not alone in this experience and even if i could go back to the moment i confessed and begged for another chance,
i would not change a thing...
true repentance is not contingent upon other's forgiveness...
it is a gift from God and though the 'death to self' is indescribably painful, it is worth every single minute...
when we repent, we become free...
free from inner condemnation,
free from the oppressive guilt.
and free to let Abba work it out in the lives of those around us.
i cannot change a single person i've known and loved...
i can only change me.
and
i can only change me with Abba's help.
we just cannot do it on our own...
if there is anything at all that is 'unfinished business' between you and someone else,
please take the courageous step forward into 'eating and owning' your own behavior.
you can do it...
if i can...you can.
accept the Lord's help in moving forward towards repentance...
and He'll stand beside you until your sorrow turns to joy.
"The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance."
*2 peter 3:9*
Saturday, May 10
i'm tired tonight, Abba...
worn down by the Battle
and too weary for even
one
more
word.
Thursday, May 8
this last weekend i made a terrible mistake...
motivated by fear, shock and sorrow, i acted on just 1 piece of information
and hurt you in the process.
i believed my daughter was being tortured.
and though the situation was dire for my daughter, there was no torture involved.
that's why i wrote the things i did...
but my motive doesn't make it any better...
and for causing you such grief, i am sorry.
you all mean the world to me and i should have fought that spirit of fear and turned the whole situation over to Abba who is much more than able to take care of it all then me and my ridiculous lack of information.
though others have turned on me, (with good reason), you didn't, and i will be grateful to you forever...
so, please forgive me and know i will do a much better job of handing things over to Abba, the next time...
though i pray there isn't one!
please know i love you all dearly...
i hurt you and if i could, i'd never say the things i did and i'd never base everything on 1 single piece of information.
if i could...
this old fool,
elaine
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