Brought To Tears

First, I've gone too long without a post about the Rangers.  8-3  (EDIT: A reader pointed out the Rangers are 9-3.  That's the danger in writing a post in advance and then coming back to edit it later.  And the mad cow disease.) now and not in World Series form the past 2 games.  Still, I remember a start just 3 years ago that was more like 3-8.


Josh Hamilton went down yesterday with a broken something in his shoulder and is out 4-6 weeks.  That's a tough break for the Rangers but something I think they will come to expect with Hamilton and something that will be a big factor in his contract talks.  I usually get frustrated with players who are hurt often but I feel differently about Hamilton.  Yes, I'm a fan and probably jaded but having read his book and knowing what he battles, I cheer for him to keep coming back, to keep overcoming obstacles, to stick to the straight path when the pain of hurting and not playing is what led him down a crooked road before.  I want him to succeed simply because I see some of my life wrapped up in his ups-and-downs and realize life is about more than baseball, more than a stint on the DL and more than homeruns.  It's about getting back up when you've been knocked down, even when you've brought so much pain on yourself, and moving forward in a positive direction.  Yep, I'm an unabashed Hamilton fan to the end.

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OK, the brought to tears part.  I'm a fairly emotional guy and the kids in our youth group got to me last night.  Jacob brought a lesson about making war against our sins and at the end of class offered them the opportunity to write their sins on the board to share with their friends and the people they want praying for them.  Yes, you read that correctly.  Our teenagers were openly writing their sins on the board and it brought me to tears.  Their honesty, their openness, their hearts desiring to be closer to God, their trust.  It was moving to me, someone who tried for years to hide my faults and failings.


I'm so thankful for a leader like Jacob who has a such a great big heart for God and for our youth and I'm thankful for a group of young people who want to live authentically and grow in their relationship with God.  It was a powerful thing for an old guy to experience.


Grace and peace to you.