1,000 Gifts: The Pitcher's Mound

Tonight, I was not in the mood to go to my boys' baseball game. I was dreading the prospect of chasing Colt, my two-year-old, around for nearly three hours, dodging foul balls, and getting my freshly straightened hair rained on. I kept checking the weather channel for thunderstorms, but the most I could get was a 30% chance. In other words, the game isn't going to be cancelled.  I could hear pastor Joyce Meyer in my head saying, "What's the point of dreading something that you know you are going to have to do anyway?" I knew  Joyce was right, but I still couldn't shake the negativity. My "1,000 Gifts" list continued to pop into my mind but I continued to push it aside.

I arrived at the game, still not wanting to be there. As I sat there, drowning in my own little pool of negative thoughts, my own self-created, self-centered, pool of ingratitude, I reluctantly decided to work on my "1,000 Gifts" list again. So, I started looking around for gifts from God. I jotted down a couple:

#23. The breeze feels nice.
#24. I have money in my pocket to spend on junk food at the concessions.

I then notice some single mothers, sitting alone.

#25. I'm not sitting here alone.

I can feel a couple of ingratitude's tentacles release their grip on my heart. I take a deep breathe and exhale three healing, freeing, transforming words, "Thank you, Lord."

A few minutes later I see the coach call my son in from third base. I can't hear what the coach tells him but I see my son nod his head and walk towards to pitcher's mound. My heart leaps. Is he is going to get to pitch, for the first time ever!?

Every bit of remaining "pity-party" has left me...and left me on the edge of my seat. My boy did get to pitch his first game ever tonight -- and not only did he pitch, but he struck out the next 3 of 4 players!!!

Joyfully, I write out my last gift of the night:

#26. My boy pitched one heck of a game!!!