I am still the luckiest man in the world
I have always felt lucky. don’t know why, and to be truthful, I am. most every night, I am blessed to be in a ballpark somewhere in the southeast. every night I get to hear the “star spangled banner”. I, like most others, place my hand over my heart and stand there.
tonight, I was talking to one of the security people and come to find out, he goes to church with my cousin and knew most of my family. this was the same cousin who called me about a month ago to tell me my mother had been involved in a car accident.
as we were talking, a military color guard came on the field to present the colors. in other words, they marched on the field carrying a flag and our national anthem was played and sung.
tonight is kinda breezy so the flag was blowing quite a bit. the top right side of the field flag is torn and starting to fray. as I stood there, I thought about francis scott key as he wrote the star spangled banner and what an incredible sight it must have been as the smoke from battle cleared and the flag could not only be seen, it was still standing which meant not only was there victory, but that we would be free of the chains of tyranny.
I listened to the words and thought of that scene and had to give thanks to be a part of something much, much bigger than me. this country is very blessed and always has been since we became a nation and yes, I do believe God led the hearts and minds of several men to be our founding fathers. as I look at all of the challenges that face us from wall street to main street to your street and mine, we are still free and I prayerfully hope we always be. we will never be perfect and I hope we never are because then we strive for more. but at least we have the freedom to exercise our liberties. countless men and women have given their lives and their time to protect us and to them I am grateful. as I stood there, it almost became overwhelming to think of a much bigger picture.
I am, without any doubt, the luckiest man alive.
until next time…
Monday, April 27, 2009
west tenn
i am back west tennessee for a five game road trip. this is my hometown and it is always kinda weird for me to come back here. my mom is still here and living in the same house we all grew up in. about a month ago, she had a serious car wreck and totaled her car. she is 84 and it scares me she still drives. her dr. tried to get her off the road by sending her to a re-hab place that assesses seniors to see if they still have the skills necessary to safely drive. she can barely walk across the room. so she goes to this place, takes 3 hours of testing, and passes!!! I can’t believe it. tomorrow, we are going car shopping.
last night was a slow night. the home team scored first and it was 1-0. top of the 5th with one on, one of our guys jacks a monster over the left field wall. later, we scored 2 more then they scored 2 more. final, 4-3 us. it has been fun watching these guys come together and play as a team. i really think they are going to the playoffs. all of the management has major league experience and our manager is a hall of famer. kinda cool to be driving around a hall of famer, a world series winner and others with considerable majors time.
tonight is a little on the cool side. lows are supposed to be in the 40’s but tomorrow it will be close to 80. any weather is baseball weather!!
until next time…
last night was a slow night. the home team scored first and it was 1-0. top of the 5th with one on, one of our guys jacks a monster over the left field wall. later, we scored 2 more then they scored 2 more. final, 4-3 us. it has been fun watching these guys come together and play as a team. i really think they are going to the playoffs. all of the management has major league experience and our manager is a hall of famer. kinda cool to be driving around a hall of famer, a world series winner and others with considerable majors time.
tonight is a little on the cool side. lows are supposed to be in the 40’s but tomorrow it will be close to 80. any weather is baseball weather!!
until next time…
Wednesday, April 15, 2009
road trip/catch up
i always enjoy going to jacksonville. it is always a trip where you have to find some humor or go insane.
the hotel we stay at is the hyatt on the st. johns river. beside the hotel, they have designated "bus parking only". never had a problem except for the margarita lime i found on the side of my bus last year, but, that is another story i believe i posted about.
anyway, we arrived in jacksonville wednesday night and i park in my usual parking spot. no problem, until saturday night.
after the game, i pulled up to the hotel, dropped off the players, and then went around the block to park. as i pull up, hotel security comes running up. she tells me i can't park here. here is the cliff's notes version of our conversation:
guard: sir, you can't park here.
me: why not?
guard: guests can't cross the road to get to the parking garage.
me: but that sign says "bus parking only".
guard: yes, i know. but you can't park here.
me: but the sign says "bus parking only".
guard: yes, i know. but you have to move or we will have your bus towed.
me: why do i have to move?
guard: because the guests can't get across the road to the parking garage.
me: okay, who came up with this?
guard: the hotel management.
me: let me get this right, "bus parking only" does not really mean bus parking?
guard: that's right.
me: ok, where do i park?
guard: up there in front of that police car.
me: you mean the one that has been parked in the no parking zone since we got here?
guard: yes, that is what i am saying.
me: so i am supposed to park in the "no parking zone-violators will be towed at owners expense", not where it says, legally, "bus parking only"?
guard: that's right.
me: last year, you told me i could not park there because i had designated parking that says "bus parking only" and that is the only spot i have to park.
at this point, she walked off. i parked (no parking spot) and went in to see the front desk manager. he and i have had known each other for 3 years and Michael is a very nice guy. i told him what happened. he laughed and told me if i did get ticketed, bring him the ticket and the hotel would take care of it. i had no problems from then on.
i got home about 0330, and i was tired. i unpacked, took a shower and had a quick snack. got to sleep about 0415. i set my alarm to get me up at 0630 so i could see my daughter and then take my son to school. i was planning on coming back home and sleeping until i went back to school to pick them up.
i got back home about 0845 and set my alarm for 1345. i put a note on my front door that read "do not disturb-i am sleeping" in case someone decided to come visit. my property is posted so unless i know you, yes, i can shoot your @ss and if i am tired enough, i might just do it. survivors will be shot again.
turkey season is open. about 1030, someone hunting in the field next to me must have seen a trophy. i woke up to a shotgun blast. i looked outside and he was about 100' from my bedroom window and was on his property. waking up to a shotgun blast will keep you up. i tried to lay down but my heart would not stop racing.
i decided to get up and finish my paperwork and i could not help but think about the trip and how good it was. we went 2-3 and for a road trip, that is not too bad. the players this year are hungry and they are playing well. i can't wait to see how they develop over this season. future posts will tell how it goes.
until next time...
the hotel we stay at is the hyatt on the st. johns river. beside the hotel, they have designated "bus parking only". never had a problem except for the margarita lime i found on the side of my bus last year, but, that is another story i believe i posted about.
anyway, we arrived in jacksonville wednesday night and i park in my usual parking spot. no problem, until saturday night.
after the game, i pulled up to the hotel, dropped off the players, and then went around the block to park. as i pull up, hotel security comes running up. she tells me i can't park here. here is the cliff's notes version of our conversation:
guard: sir, you can't park here.
me: why not?
guard: guests can't cross the road to get to the parking garage.
me: but that sign says "bus parking only".
guard: yes, i know. but you can't park here.
me: but the sign says "bus parking only".
guard: yes, i know. but you have to move or we will have your bus towed.
me: why do i have to move?
guard: because the guests can't get across the road to the parking garage.
me: okay, who came up with this?
guard: the hotel management.
me: let me get this right, "bus parking only" does not really mean bus parking?
guard: that's right.
me: ok, where do i park?
guard: up there in front of that police car.
me: you mean the one that has been parked in the no parking zone since we got here?
guard: yes, that is what i am saying.
me: so i am supposed to park in the "no parking zone-violators will be towed at owners expense", not where it says, legally, "bus parking only"?
guard: that's right.
me: last year, you told me i could not park there because i had designated parking that says "bus parking only" and that is the only spot i have to park.
at this point, she walked off. i parked (no parking spot) and went in to see the front desk manager. he and i have had known each other for 3 years and Michael is a very nice guy. i told him what happened. he laughed and told me if i did get ticketed, bring him the ticket and the hotel would take care of it. i had no problems from then on.
i got home about 0330, and i was tired. i unpacked, took a shower and had a quick snack. got to sleep about 0415. i set my alarm to get me up at 0630 so i could see my daughter and then take my son to school. i was planning on coming back home and sleeping until i went back to school to pick them up.
i got back home about 0845 and set my alarm for 1345. i put a note on my front door that read "do not disturb-i am sleeping" in case someone decided to come visit. my property is posted so unless i know you, yes, i can shoot your @ss and if i am tired enough, i might just do it. survivors will be shot again.
turkey season is open. about 1030, someone hunting in the field next to me must have seen a trophy. i woke up to a shotgun blast. i looked outside and he was about 100' from my bedroom window and was on his property. waking up to a shotgun blast will keep you up. i tried to lay down but my heart would not stop racing.
i decided to get up and finish my paperwork and i could not help but think about the trip and how good it was. we went 2-3 and for a road trip, that is not too bad. the players this year are hungry and they are playing well. i can't wait to see how they develop over this season. future posts will tell how it goes.
until next time...
Thursday, April 9, 2009
back in the saddle again
last thursday was my first day back to work after being off for almost 10 months. my knee still looks like a water balloon if i use it a lot but it still feels great to be back to work.
my first trip was to take a local college track and field team to gainesville, fl. it was a heck of a way to start back. 9 1/2 hours driving. i am really not complaining.
my second trip was to nashville to pick up the smokies, our "AA" affiliate of the chicago cubs. 2 days later, the 9th, we are in jacksonville, fl. it is so good to not only be back, but also that my boss has given me back my assignment to drive these guys for another season.
baseball is without a doubt, my favorite sport. sometimes, it creates conflict in my family. one daughter is aspiring to sing professionally and doing very well, my youngest daughter found her niche' in softball and her season is going well. her 2nd game, she hits her first homerun of the season. my son loves basketball and if it were a drink, he would drink it deep. my drink of choice is baseball.
the down side to this newly found euphoria, i miss my kids. i have 4 incredible children and i have been blessed greatly to have them.
recently, i decided to grow my hair long. in period of my past, i have had hair down my back and it seemed "cool". now, i have a different mission.
recently i was watching something from st. jude research hospital about kids and cancer and i was touched. my heart aches as i see these kids and hear their stories. i cry with the parents but i don't know (thankfully) their pain and i hope i never do. i can pray for these kids and trust God to heal them and i know in that i have some power. still, i am helpless. i found out that one of the most depressing things for girls is when they lose their hair. it is not the surgery or the chemo that hurts the most. it is losing all of their hair.
there is an organization called "locks of love" and they take hair, minimum 10" long, and make wigs for these kids. i know i can pray and it is effective for their healing, but what else can i do?
i decided that i can't give much money even though every little bit helps. but, i can grow my hair, have it cut off, and have a wig made for them and help them to feel better about themselves. it is a small thing, perhaps insignificant to most, but to them it is very significant.
this is not about me. this is not a "look at me" kinda thing. i think we have a responsibility as God's children to help others. "when you do it to the least of these..., you know the rest.
until next time...
my first trip was to take a local college track and field team to gainesville, fl. it was a heck of a way to start back. 9 1/2 hours driving. i am really not complaining.
my second trip was to nashville to pick up the smokies, our "AA" affiliate of the chicago cubs. 2 days later, the 9th, we are in jacksonville, fl. it is so good to not only be back, but also that my boss has given me back my assignment to drive these guys for another season.
baseball is without a doubt, my favorite sport. sometimes, it creates conflict in my family. one daughter is aspiring to sing professionally and doing very well, my youngest daughter found her niche' in softball and her season is going well. her 2nd game, she hits her first homerun of the season. my son loves basketball and if it were a drink, he would drink it deep. my drink of choice is baseball.
the down side to this newly found euphoria, i miss my kids. i have 4 incredible children and i have been blessed greatly to have them.
recently, i decided to grow my hair long. in period of my past, i have had hair down my back and it seemed "cool". now, i have a different mission.
recently i was watching something from st. jude research hospital about kids and cancer and i was touched. my heart aches as i see these kids and hear their stories. i cry with the parents but i don't know (thankfully) their pain and i hope i never do. i can pray for these kids and trust God to heal them and i know in that i have some power. still, i am helpless. i found out that one of the most depressing things for girls is when they lose their hair. it is not the surgery or the chemo that hurts the most. it is losing all of their hair.
there is an organization called "locks of love" and they take hair, minimum 10" long, and make wigs for these kids. i know i can pray and it is effective for their healing, but what else can i do?
i decided that i can't give much money even though every little bit helps. but, i can grow my hair, have it cut off, and have a wig made for them and help them to feel better about themselves. it is a small thing, perhaps insignificant to most, but to them it is very significant.
this is not about me. this is not a "look at me" kinda thing. i think we have a responsibility as God's children to help others. "when you do it to the least of these..., you know the rest.
until next time...
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