Disappointment, His Appointment

Here is one more baseball story in honor of the ongoing World Series ...

Steve Bartman grew up in Chicago, coached little league and was a lifetime Cubs fan. He was sitting in a front row seat along the left-field line in Wrigley Field watching game six of the 2003 National League playoff. The Cubs were leading the Marlins 3-0 and were ahead in the series three games to two. They were five outs away from reaching the World Series for the first time since 1945, and possibly winning it for the first time since 1908.

The Marlin batter hit a long pop foul ball in Bartman's direction. Cubs left fielder Moises Alou was in position to attempt a catch, but Bartman, who was watching the ball and not the fielder, blocked the ball from Alou's glove. Alou slammed his glove down in frustration, and the Cubs argued for an interference call. The umpire ruled no interference and the game continued.

The Chicago fans watched in horror as the Cubs defense disintegrated. After several Cubs errors, the Marlins ended the inning with eight runs, eventually winning the game and forcing a seventh game in the series. Bartman had to be led away from the park under escort for his own safety. Many other fans attempted to throw garbage at him and Bartman had to shield himself with his jacket. Some Cubs fans blamed Bartman for the Cubs losing this game and, ultimately, their chance at reaching the World Series (which the Marlins went on to win).

For months after the incident, Bartman's name was used as the butt of jokes on late night television and spoofed on multiple sit coms. The name "Bartman" eventually found its way into the baseball lexicon describing any fan that interferes with play during a game.

Disappointment is a powerful and potentially destructive emotion. Unmet goals, unrealized dreams and dashed expectations can take their toll on us, sapping our strength and energy, even leading to despair. Years ago I came across a poem by Edith Young that helped me put my disappointment in the right context. I want to share it with you.

"Disappointment -- His Appointment"
Change one letter, then I see
That the thwarting of my purpose
Is God's better choice for me.
His appointment must be blessing,
Tho' it may come in disguise,
For the end from the beginning
Open to His wisdom lies.

"Disappointment -- His Appointment"
Lord, I take it, then, as such.
Like the clay in hands of potter,
Yielding wholly to Thy touch.
All my life's plan in Thy moulding,
Not one single choice be mine;
Let me answer, no regretting --
"Father, not my will, but Thine."

Shoulder to shoulder,

Gregg

Loyalty, devotion and courage

Flags of Our Fathers, the new movie directed by Clint Eastwood and based on the book by the same title, opens in theaters this weekend. The movie and book tell the story of the Battle of Iwo Jima, one of the most ferocious and costly battles of the Second World War.

On February 19, 1945 70,000 Americans, consisting mainly of the 3rd, 4th and 5th Marine Divisions of the Fifth Marine Amphibious Corps, including supporting sea and air units, attacked the Japanese defenses on Iwo Jima island. The 22,000 Japanese defenders had been preparing for the invasion for two years and had determined to fight to the death since they were defending Japanese soil for the first time.

At the end of the month long battle, the Americans would suffer 26,000 casualties, including more than 6,800 deaths. Almost all of the 22,000 Japanese defenders died due to their fanatical loyalty to the Japanese Emperor. One of the most famous pictures in the history of photography came out of the battle when photographer Joe Rosenthal snapped a shot of six marines raising the American flag on Mt. Suribachi.

For a generation of Americans, the name Iwo Jima became synonymous with heroism and valor. The story of Sgt Charles A Bateman of Cooperstown, NY, became one of hundreds of incredible stories of courage. Bateman was slammed by a 320 mm spigot mortar. He woke up on a hospital ship with a tag on his big toe that said "Concussion." He later wrote, "Didn't look serious to me so I jumped ship, went ashore and rejoined my unit. So, I was missing then, officially MIA. Sorrowfully, a telegram saying that got to my family. You can imagine their relief when they found the message was wrong."

I find incredible inspiration in Sgt. Bateman’s commitment to his fellow Marines and to the cause of victory. Some men would have used this kind of injury as a “million dollar wound,” an opportunity to stay out of harm’s way. Evidently this never occurred to Bateman, who thought only of his duty to his comrades and country.

In 2 Timothy 2:3, the Scripture uses the analogy of military service to illustrate the Christian’s devotion to Christ, “Endure hardship with us like a good soldier of Christ Jesus.” Men, we are at war, a spiritual war. We can expect hardship, attack, perhaps even wounds from time to time. We must deal with difficult emotions of fear, loneliness and frustration. This is what soldiers do. May our commitment to Christ and our band of brothers bear the same marks of loyalty, devotion and courage.

Shoulder to shoulder,

Gregg

The shame heard round the world

When baseball fans talk about the shot heard round the world, they are not referring to the start of the American Revolution, but to the 1951 homerun that won the National League championship. The New York Giants were playing on their home field against their cross town rivals, the Brooklyn Dodgers. They had split the first two games of the three game playoff. In the bottom of the ninth, Brooklyn held a demanding 4-1 lead and seemed to have clinched the pennant.

The Giants scored one run and placed two men on base while only using one out. Then, Bobby Thomson stepped to the plate against Ralph Branca, who had been brought in to replace a tiring Don Newcombe. Thomson hit the 0-1 pitch deep into the left field stands and the crowd erupted. Giants' fans swarmed the field to share in the victory and carried Thomson on their shoulders, while Branca slowly walked off the field in stunned silence.

In his new book, The Echoing Green, Joshua Prager reveals a secret that possibly gave Bobby Thompson an edge. The Giants had been stealing signs. A Giant coach, stationed behind the center field fence, was clandestinely observing the opposing catcher’s signals through a telescope and relaying the signals to the Giant batters. Knowing which pitch was coming obviously gave Thompson an edge. Though Thompson and the Giants won the game, the revelation that they did so by cheating tarnishes the victory.

You and I live in a world where we are constantly tempted to compromise our convictions and standards in order to get an edge on our competitors. The allure of success, whether in business of other arenas, often overpowers the small voice of conscience. In Luke 12:2-3 Christ proclaimed, “There is nothing concealed that will not be disclosed, or hidden that will not be made known. What you have said in the dark will be heard in the daylight, and what you have whispered in the ear in the inner rooms will be proclaimed from the roofs.” I remind you that God sees and hears all we do and say, and will make it public on the day of Christ’s return. We need to live our lives in such a way that we will not be ashamed when we stand before our Lord.

Shoulder to shoulder,

Gregg

A day wasted?

By most measures of success, Charles Francis Adams was one of the most successful men in 19th century America. Born the son of President John Quincy Adams and the grandson of President John Adams, he became an influential lawyer, politician, diplomat and writer. Adams was elected to the Massachusetts legislature, the United States House of Representatives and was appointed by President Abraham Lincoln as the Ambassador to Great Britain. As Ambassador to Great Britain, he played a major role in keeping the English from siding with the South during the Civil War. He returned to America as a hero.

With all of his outward successes, however, Adams appeared to struggle with his priorities. Like many men, he seemed to loose perspective of the importance of spending time with his children. This is evidenced by a rather obscure entry in his daily diary. One day he entered: "Went fishing with my son today--a day wasted." The son he referenced was his oldest child, Brook, who also kept a diary, which is still in existence. On that same day, Brook Adams made this entry: "Went fishing with my father--the most wonderful day of my life!"

What a contrast in how father and son viewed the day they spent together. How ironic that what the father viewed as a waste of time, the son saw as an investment of time. Never underestimate the importance of spending time with your children and grandchildren. Your time is one of the most valuable gifts you can give them. Investing time in people you love will result in lifelong dividends of love and affection. Come join us this Sunday as we learn together how to balance these two worlds of work and home.

Shoulder to shoulder,

Gregg