Good morning…
Walk. Bunt. Balk. These words fill my phone this morning. Bases load. Strike out. Home run. All of my years (from ages fourteen to twenty-two) of scoring little league, softball, and baseball for our hometown recreation department came in quite handy last night. Full count. Pop fly. Wild pitch. An avid baseball fan, my friend with cancer could not be at the final game of the high school state tournament last night, so I texted her a play by play account of all the action. Runners on 1st and 2nd. Double play to end the game. We win! We are the 2016 state champions!!!
Just like any other passion or past time, the sport of baseball has its own terminology. I am grateful my friend and I are both well versed in this All-American language. Texting with her throughout the two hard fought battles (one the game, the other her cancer) was the next best thing to sitting with her in the bleachers.
Her text responses were the best. Bummer. Holy cow, wow! Got airplanes in my stomach. She soaked in the intensity of the moment through her phone. Yikes. Dang!!! Oh my goodness. From the comfort of her own bed, she was hanging with me on each pitch. WHOO-HOO! Ugh! Ugh! Ugh! Sigh of relief. The hilarious phone record on my cell captures the whole awesome story.
At the end of the exciting night, she texted, “Your updates were the best. Thank you. I felt like I was sitting right beside you.”
There are many ways to “sit right beside” our loved ones. Speaking the same language, face to face or from afar, we remind one another, “You are not alone.”
I will come down and talk to you… I will take some of the Spirit that is upon you, and I will put the Spirit upon them also. They will bear the burden of the people along with you, so you will not have to carry it alone (Numbers 11:17, NLT).
…Sue…
