Patience, Commitment and Baseball

Have you ever waited seemingly FOREVER for something?  I have.  Something like the Cincinnati Reds gettin’ back in the play-offs!!   In 1970 I moved from NE Ohio where I’d been a faithful Cleveland Indians fan through the late 60’s, to SW Ohio (Cincinnati) where I instantly became a Cincinnati Reds fan.  I’ve been a devoted Reds’ fan ever since.

Man, what a year to switch baseball allegiances from the NE to the SW in the ole Buckeye State!  After several years of cheering if the Indians could simply keep from ending another season in LAST place, I suddenly found myself rooting for my team in the middle of a World Series in 1970!  Alas, those pesky Orioles from Baltimore ended my fun in that World Series, but it sure was thrilling gettin’ there!   And as for much of the rest of the 70’s decade …. Well, can you say “BIG-RED-MACHINE!!” 

Now it’s 2010, and after 15 long years of play-off drought, my beloved Reds are back in the post-season!  I don’t know how it’s all gonna turn out, but I absolutely CAN’T WAIT for Game 1 of the division series competition!

But what about the last 15 years?  It’s called “Patience” & “Commitment!”  Never ONCE have I wavered from believing that my Reds could DO IT AGAIN — and now they HAVE!

Let’s get serious.  Though lots of fun — major-league baseball doesn’t really matter.  However, there are lots of things in life that really DO!   ( e.g. – God, Family, Church, Eternity …)  Can we be counted on?  Do we stick by the stuff?  Are we PATIENT?   Are we COMMITTED?   Or .. do we give up, bail, & quit when some team that buys their World-Series flashes their fancy pin-stripes in front of us and beckons?  🙂

God will help us with our patience and our commitment, however He also expects us to do OUR part with regards to both, when it comes to the things in life that really matter.