Last week we attempted to go to Magic Mountain. (I use the word attempted because it was a valiant effort, only to be thwarted by uncontrollable forces of nature). However, this last Saturday we were successful in reaching our goal, which was Magic Mountain. It turned out to be quite a day after all. Nice weather, some fun memories…all in all, a great day.
Every year our jr high group does an event called Tournament Series, which is a chaotic month-long event where kids divided into 4 teams, each trying to compete for a free trip to Magic Mountain. This year the Knight’s, led by Rob and Niki, took it all in week 4. The plan was to go to Magic Mountain on November 15th. Everything seemed to be going as planned until everything that could go wrong decided to. Let me start at the beginning…
We met at the church around 7am and everyone was super excited to be going to MM. I was helping check kids in when I got a call from my mom saying that a huge fire had just started in Sylmar (right near MM) and it closed all the freeways around it. This meant that we would not be able to take the freeway we wanted to get up there. We still left around 8am and little did we know what the next 12 hrs would hold in store for us.
Rather than taking the 5 freeway all the way up, we had to take the 5 to the 405 to the 101 to the 23, then the 126 would take us to MM. This shouldn’t have been a problem, however the 101, 23, 126 freeways were the only way in and out of the MM area, which was now being evacuated. We hit traffic near L.A. which is understandable, but the fun didn’t start till we turned onto the 23 freeway.
The 23 has got to be one of the sketchiest places ever! It is basically a canyon that you wind around until you reach the city of Fillmore. Since this was the route everyone (and I mean EVERYONE) was taking we ended up taking close to 2 hrs to get through it. By this time, we were still planning on going to MM. We weren’t sure how long we would have once we got there, but we continued on our way down the 23. We arrived about 12:15pm (remember, we left at 8am) in the city of Fillmore. Everyone was starving at this point so we decided to take a quick lunch break and then continue the next 20min or so to MM. When we got there we all divided up to find lunch. A few of the kids went to the market and met a guy who said he worked at MM and that they had just closed due to wind and fire conditions! This of course was not enough evidence so we tried calling. Last we had heard they were open (this was around 12ish) Sadly we received word that yes indeed MM was closed at 12:45ish.
Now let me pause to say that kids and leaders weren’t as bummed as we could’ve been. I mean, we had just travelled 5 hours for lunch in Fillmore, so what could possibly be wrong? I think we all inwardly knew that MM wasn’t going to work out on this particular Saturday, but we all clung to that internal hope that just won’t let up. I will say though that lunch was creative and fun if nothing else. Me and some of the leaders decided to buy lunch meats, bread, and snacks to have a picnic. It would have been perfect had our lunch not just about taken flight due to strong winds, but we managed to eat and have fun. Now back to the story…
Upon hearing the news that MM was officially closed, Travis had to make plans as to what we would do with the rest of the day. We knew we had to get home by 8pm but that was about it. Travis announced that he had found the quickest way home. Can you guess what route that was? You guessed it…the 23 freeway!!! This brought the most grumbles from kids (and leaders) for the day. But we knew that if we took the 126 we would be delayed another 45 min and nobody wanted that so we began our retreat home.
Fortunately, the drive up the 23 was quicker (thank goodness) and we soon found ourselves on the 101 again. We hit traffic of course in L.A. but Travis had decided to stop in Irvine to catch a movie in order to give the kids some fun for the day. We arrived around 5ish and watched a movie til about 7pm. We began the final leg of the trip home, each of us silently cheering to get off the bus.
Time out again–I should mention that during our trip on the 101 a few of the kids needed to use the restroom. We got off in downtown LA and the only bathroom we found was inside a 7-11, where I enjoyed a slurpie from a friend. That was probably the highlight of my trip. Continuing…
With a little more traffic to drive through, we finally arrived home close to 8-8:30ish. Let’s just say everyone was thankful to get off the bus and go the bathroom and get some food. Plus, Travis said that we would still get to go to MM next Saturday, so all in all the day turned out okay.
Word of advice to my readers…
-don’t take the 23 unless you are completely crazy or just want to waste your entire day
-if you ignore the above advice, pack a picnic blanket for lunch in Fillmore
-take water and snacks in case you are stuck on a bus for nearly 10 hours
-SMILE!!! Make the most of every minute and don’t let it get you down
THE END
Loving Father, thank You that You forgive me for the times that I forget You. Thank You for making a way, through Your Son, for me to come to You each day. Help me protect my time with You, Lord. Amen.
The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. ‘The Lord is my portion,’ says my soul, ‘therefore I will hope in him.’”
So for those of you who know me well (or even if you have only known me for 4.9 seconds) you understand my passion for baseball and softball. (The only difference between the two is the size of the ball, the gender of human that play, and a few other minor details not important enough to talk about right now).
Anyways, you might also know that I am almost 24 and still single, not to say I’m not looking. But I will admit that I have a certain set of standards that I look for in a guy and I’m not satisfied settling for anything less. With this in mind, I wanted to share a revelation that occurred to me last Friday night when I was playing softball.
I play on a coed slowpitch softball team on Friday nights with a team that I have played with for about 3 yrs now. I have always been able to play every position, but over the last couple years my shoulder has been acting up and I now play 2nd base. A fellow teammate (named Matt, in case anybody cares about having all the details) who I have played with for the last couple years also has become our primary shortstop. We are about halfway through our season and on my way to my game on Friday I was thinking how well Matt and I work together at turning doubleplays. I would say on average that we turn at least 3-4 dp’s during each game. So anyways, we start the game at our respected positions and once again get busy turning those double plays like pros. About 3 innings into the game, the first batter hits and gets a single. The next batter comes up and hits the ball on the 1st base side of 2nd base, where I cleanly fielded the ball and tossed it backhand to my fellow comrade Matt who was able to step on 2nd and throw to 1st base to get both outs. I of course congratulated him and was awestruck when he said the exact same words that I had only formulated in my head before the game–”we make a good team!”
This got me to thinking after the game about my single status in life–I love doubleplays!!! Let me be more specific. I was thinking how well you have to be able to get along and work with the shortstop when on the baseball diamond. Matt’s and mine relationship on the field allows us to trust each other and work together to accomplish the goal–which is to get outs and thwart any attempts by runners to advance past 2nd base.
I started thinking how that is the kind of relationship I want to have with a guy. I need to be able to trust that he will be there when I need him to be and that he will be capable of doing what needs to be done. In a nutshell…I need to be with a guy who I would feel 110% comfortable turning a doubleplay with.
So for all you who are reading this, let this be said…I LOVE DOUBLEPLAYS!!!
Everyone longs to give themselves completely to someone-
To have a deep soul relationship with another
To be loved exclusively and thoroughly…
But God, to a Christian says,
No,
Not until you’re satisfied and content
With being loved by me alone.
I love you, my child;
And until you discover that only in
Me is your satisfaction to be found,
You will never be united with another
Until you are united in Me-
Exclusive of any other desires or longings.
I want you to stop planning…
Stop wishing…
Allow me to bring it to you…
Just keep watching Me
Keep experiencing that satisfaction
Knowing that I AM.
Keep learning,
And listening to the things I tell you.
You must wait.
Don’t be anxious.
Don’t look at the things you think you want.
You must keep looking off and away,
Up to Me
Or you’ll miss what I have to show you.
And then, when you are ready
I’ll surprise you with love
Far more wonderful
Than any would ever dream.
You see, until you are ready
And until the one I have for you is ready
I am working even this moment to have you both ready
at the same time.
Until you are satisfied exclusively with
Me and the life I have prepared for you,
You won’t be able to experience the love
That exemplifies
Your relationship with Me…
And this is the perfect love.
I thought this quote by Oswald Chambers was great:
“we are here to be living monuments of God’s grace”
So I thought I would try to do a daily journal on my blog since I am too lazy to actually pick up what past generations call a ‘pencil’ and actually write with it on something called ‘paper’?!? Anyways, I have had a copy of Oswald Chambers My Utmost For His Highest since highschool and have randomly opened it to the day’s date and read the short devotional. However, I realize that my spiritual walk has been kinda stagnant lately. I want to be committed to reading God’s Word and meditating on what He has to say. I also thought it would be helpful to read a devotional and ponder on what the author had to say. Case in point, I thought I would give old Chambers another chance…an honest chance to open my eyes to what God has communicated to us thru Scripture. So here goes…(and if you notice that I am getting lazy and not ‘journaling’, or blogging as we call it nowadays, feel free to get on my case and harass me to get going with it. Without further ado…
Today’s topic was the call of God. Many of us, myself included, often wonder what it is that God wants us to do with our life. I know for me, a recent college graduate, I have been forced to sit down and really think about what it is God is calling me to do. Yet, so often I complain when He actually calls me to do something. I realize now that unless I am open to what His plans are for my life, and willing to let go of my own plans, then I will never be able to answer the ‘call’ of God. As Chambers writes,
If we are in communion with God and recognize that He is taking us into His purposes, we shall no longer try to find out what His purposes are.
I can look back on situations in my own life when I have had to let God take over and let me own ideas and comforts go. And each time I reflect on those moments of trusting God completely…well, everything was so much better! Until I asked God to make me uncomfortable and put me into situations that would be difficult, life was a constant worry about what I would do with my life and if I could handle myself. I thank God everyday for allowing me to go thru many of the growing periods in my life. Without going thru them, I wouldn’t be able to understand what it means to truly be quiet and let God’s calling take full control of my life.
