An Experience They Will Remember

All of us that work with children long for those memorable moments. We plan a big trip and we want them to remember it. Yesterday was a pretty cool day for us. To help out with the summer heat, we've created "Thumpin' Thursdays" for our elementary kids. One Thursday per month, we will provide our kids with a Thumpin' Good Time. Yesterday was our first one. We took the kids out to Bayou Wildlife Park - 86 acres of exotic animals. We took a tram ride and fed the animals, took pony rides and had a great lunch. After lunch, our plan was to go to the "petting zoo" and then start packing up to go home. We had a little over an hour to kill at the zoo.

Well, the "petting zoo" consisted of about 20 goats and 1 big fat pig asleep in the corner. The kids were having a fine time, but there was no way we were going to make this stretch to an hour. As the kids played with the goats, some workers came in to check on the pregnant goat. Honestly several of them looked like they could be about to give birth (one in particular looked like it was about to pop, then we found out she was a "he"!). They located the suspicious goat and said it could be about an hour. We were told we could stay in the pen if we just gave her space and if she had the baby, not to touch it. God was providing us an hour of anticipation!

Well, it didn't take an hour and our kids got a front row seat for the birth of baby "Springs," as they called the new goat. Had God really provided us with this incredible experience? I'm not sure all of the parents thought so last night as their kids asked questions like "How did that baby goat come out of the momma's bottom?" It's no surprise that the experience was the highlight of the day for all the kids...and us too. I'm not sure how we are going to top this first Thumpin' Thursday, but I have already vetoed a trip to the hospital.

"It's a beautiful day for a ballgame...let's play two!"

This might just be my favorite quote of all time. I know, being a pastor, I'm supposed to have a particular verse of Scripture that I claim to be my favorite, but I think this may have been as inspired as anything in the Bible. I think it's what God said right after he said everything was good, but since baseball hadn't been invented yet, Moses didn't know how to translate it. Is there a better phrase to relay the pleasures of a perfectly warm and sunny spring day? I can't think of one ("Tee it up boys!" might be a really close second). Thank you Ernie Banks.

I love this time of the year. Today, Rhonda and I took Graysen to his first baseball game. We went to see a Freshman/Sophomore game at the high school. Our friend Jacob was playing so I hoped Graysen would be able to connect a little bit...not so much. He loved running around and seeing the balls fly and the crack of the aluminum bats...for about 5 minutes. Good thing Jacob's little brother, Ben, was there to take him around and show him the ropes when it comes to running around during a baseball game.

A few weeks ago, I took Garin to Minute Maid Park in Houston to watch Baylor play Rice, and it was one of my favorite dates to date with my daughter. I think she really enjoyed it also. I discovered that playing "I Spy" during a baseball game at a big league park can be quite a time consumer...and I didn't miss any of the game. For the first time, I understood the joy that fathers have had for years taking their kids to ball games.

GRAND SLAM!!!!! I'm watching Baylor v. tamu online as I type this and the Bears were down 3-1 in the bottom of the 6th when my team hit a grand salami...that's right...5-3 Baylor now. I love this game...have I let you in on that little secret?

I follow the Rangers religiously. I got to listen to my first game of spring training this weekend and last weekend I got my opening day tickets to go to Arlington and see them beat the Indians. I love it all...I want to see Saltalamacchia catching, Davis at first, Kinsler at second, Andrus at short and Young at his new home on the corner. I want to see Cruz in right, the inspirational Hamilton in center and fellow Baylor alum, Murphy in left. Oh what a day of rejoicing that will be. We will make our way up to Section 327 and enjoy the game with some peanuts and maybe a beer. Our conversation will be rich and our optimism will be high. I can't wait for August 6th!

I believe very much that God is involved in and cares about my daily life. One day, I watched my son play with something so insignificant that I can't even remember what it was. He was so caught up in that little something that he carried with him for the day and he looked at it and laughed. I had silly joy. As his dad, that silly joy was passed upward to me and my heart smiled when I watched him. I know that my love for baseball is silly joy, but my hope is that when I walk up to the Rangers Ballpark in Arlington on April 6th, with a giggle in my throught, my silly joy is passed upward and His heart smiles with me.

p.s. - we just scored again - Baylor up 7-3 now...