LOUD and PROUD continued . . .

I've always been a chic-flic girl. Never really liked suspense movies, over-time games, clutch situations. These things cause me to be nauseous, get a headache, chew my nails, and cover my eyes. Yes . . . I'm a wienie when it comes to pressure!

Game two was against the Shockers at 4:00pm. The wind was blowing like nobodies business and it was a touch on the COLD side!

Fortunately, Bo had already put the night before behind him and was focused on this game. It seemed, though, that Bo was the only one who had put it behind him. There were coaches in the stands from the other teams, people all along the outside walls just watching to see if this game was going to be another blow out from the team that won their world series last year.

Sometimes, the pressure to meet others expectations is overwhelming and a little frightening.

Our pitching was off until we got our leftie in, John Short. He could not allow any runs if we wanted to win the game. He held off the batters until our Coaches called for an off-speed pitch, which means it is considerably slower then the pitches he had been throwing. And sure enough . . . the batter knocked the tar out of that ball and over the right field fence it went! We were now down six runs.

We were up to bat - scored three runs, putting us down three. The bases were loaded. Bo is up to bat. Now in this tournament there is a 4 run rule per inning. We've already scored three. The only way you can get more runs in an inning is off a home run. The ONLY way the Storm can win this game is if Bo hits a home run.

I paced at the fence, then I sat in the stands. I covered my eyes, took a peak, covered my ears, covered my eyes again and then got up and paced some more. I just keep thinking that if my son hit a home run . . . he'd be a hero. If he didn't . . . what would people think?

It is so hard to live up to other peoples expectations!

One of Bo's friends from his first baseball team was pitching. The coach came out to talk to Jeriah and basically told him to throw balls. His first pitch was a little high but not bad, Bo should have taken it but didn't. I don't honestly think he thought they would throw bad pitches.

Have you ever thought of how hard it would be to do something that completely goes against everything you've been trained? Bo's coaches told him to swing at the bad pitches to keep the count alive in hopes that one of those pitches might actually be something Bo could hit over the wall. Jeriah's coaches told him to throw balls way high or outside. What is it these boys are told at a very early age? Don't swing at those pitches! Those are way too high or way too low or way too outside. Or throw strikes, those who throw strikes pitch. Jeriah was having a hard time throwing trash and Bo was having a real hard time swinging at it.

Dad asked him what he was thinking when ball four came across the plate . . . Bo said he just froze. It was a real bad pitch and he just froze. Couldn't bring himself to swing at such a bad pitch.

Bo learned that earthly glory only lasts for a moment and then it's pretty much back to business. Was Bo big-headed about his home run? No. So why didn't God allow him this opportunity to be a winner?

He wanted our praise.

Remember . . . We praise Him when we win, we praise Him when we lose.

All Glory and Honor to the King!

Blessings~

P.