Last night we had our first softball practice.I have to say it was so much fun.After I had surgery twice on my wrist from a softball injury,I haven't been able to play for almost three years.I have missed it so very much.Its one of those summer time things you just cannot wait for.So here I am playing catch with one of my friends,and he doesn't give slack just because your a girl,and I love that.Its awesome to play with men,women,and teens.Some churches have so much competion on their brains that they cannot even enjoy themselves,to them its all about winnning.With us at Bethel,winning is great,we even won first place last year,but having fun comes first.We laugh at one another,laugh at ourselves,but we also encourage one another.Softball is just part of you,if like me you have played all your life.I grew up playing,even coached my daughters team when she was young,watched our girls and boys play,and at church the great thing was that we all got to play together and share that moment of fun.Oh,my goodness,was I sore when I came home,walking was not easy.I think I used muscles that I havent used in almost three years,but the pain felt great,kind of like after a workout.It was fun,and you know the exercise is good for you.After I got home I started thinking about how much we put into softball,the practices,and giving the time.How much time do I give the Lord,and am I putting in enough practice?We tend to put in the time for fun things,and for ourselves,and leave the Lord out of the picture until we need Him.Like having different seasons for God also,theres the happy times we rejoice with Him,the sad times we ask for prayer,and the difficult times we ask for strength,but what about having a daily,living relationship with Him first and formost before we do all the stuff we want to do? As much as I have been looking forward for softball,I should be looking forward even more to spending time with my Savior.All the practice days,and hours put in to make sure we are doing great,and have a winning team,I should be spending even more time with Christ practicing my christianity,and growing in Him. Our lives are so full of stuff,but if I learn to put Him first,all the other falls into place,and I do have time for everything once I have given time to Christ first.We try so hard at other things,whether it be sports,writing,crafting,working,and our homelives.If we gave the full time Christ deserves all the other areas in our life wouldn't be falling apart.So as I am starting our softball season,I pray I too can start a new season with Christ,giving Him my all.
