R & R

05 Sunday Feb 2012

Posted by Seeking Peace in Josh Hamilton, peace, reconciliation, restoration

Peacemaking includes many facets. A couple of those are restoration and reconciliation (R&R) and it’s something that, without God’s grace, most of us would not know. Without R&R, there’s no peace. var gaJsHost = ((“https:” == document.location.protocol) ? “https://ssl.” : “http://www.”); document.write(unescape(“%3Cscript src='” + gaJsHost + “google-analytics.com/ga.js’ type=’text/javascript’%3E%3C/script%3E”)); try { var pageTracker = _gat._getTracker(“UA-12356560-1”); pageTracker._trackPageview(); } catch(err) {}

I have only found peace learning to live in contentment with whatever my situation is but without restoration and reconciliation, peace is only partial at best. I have lived for years without peace in my life because of conflict with God, conflict with people I have loved and conflict within me. I trust that God has forgiven me and I am finally learning to live at peace with him. I’m not there yet and that’s because I still have trouble forgiving myself and without being able to fully reach reconciliation with myself, it’s still difficult to have full peace with God when I’m not at complete peace with myself. Finally, there are people close to me that I have been restored and reconciled to and live at total peace with them and others that it is still in process and there is no peace yet.

This is something that Josh Hamilton is dealing with right now. He’s a public example of what I often deal with – battling demons that call me to do things I shouldn’t do. I’m guessing Hamilton’s failing jeopardizes his family relationship and certainly jeopardizes his work relationship (very secondary in this situation but more public). His openness and honest way of addressing the problem has certainly made R&R appear more realistic in all his relationships and I hope it works out that he will be able to again know peace because of the grace of those around him.

I want to know peace. I want to help others find peace. It can happen but there has to be restoration and reconciliation to make it so. That takes admitting fault and seeking forgiveness. It also requires forgiveness and grace by others with God as the model for what true forgiveness looks like. I hope I will be forgiven and I hope I will forgive liberally as God has forgiven me. It doesn’t mean there will never be consequences to actions, it doesn’t mean that my way (or another person’s way) is always the right answer but peace can be found in all situations with people who put R&R above themselves.

Grace and peace to you.

The Pain of Yesterday

11 Thursday Aug 2011

Posted by Seeking Peace in Josh Hamilton, pain, Rangers

≈ Leave a comment

I was watching the Rangers game the other night and saw a foul ball hit to left field. Josh Hamilton goes to pick it up and tosses it to the ballgirl instead of turning to throw it over the back fence. I can’t help but wonder if he doesn’t feel some pain every time that happens. If you don’t know the story, Hamilton picked up a foul ball a few weeks ago and tossed it to a fan in the stands behind the left field wall. The fan reached out to catch it, lost his balance, fell over the fence 20 feet below hitting his head and died soon after. His young son (6 years old I believe) was sitting next to his dad when it happened. Now, Hamilton did what we hope every pro player will do – toss us something we can hang onto. I don’t know Josh Hamilton but believe him to be a compassionate man and I can’t help but think he wishes he would have held onto the ball that Shannon Stone missed that fateful night. When I saw him toss a ball to the ballgirl the other night, I couldn’t help but think he still feels the pain of that one toss. And I wondered about that little boy and his family and whether they would attend more baseball games in the future. A father and son, a baseball game, hot dogs and Josh Hamilton standing in front of you. What’s better than that kind of night? Then it turns to pain.

Avar gaJsHost = ((“https:” == document.location.protocol) ? “https://ssl.” : “http://www.”);
document.write(unescape(“%3Cscript src='” + gaJsHost + “google-analytics.com/ga.js’ type=’text/javascript’%3E%3C/script%3E”));

try {
var pageTracker = _gat._getTracker(“UA-12356560-1”);
pageTracker._trackPageview();
} catch(err) {}

I assume that to be true because I’ve tossed a lot of balls in my past I wish I would have held onto. Not real balls, but something that I did that turned out bad, that turned out to bring pain in my life I didn’t expect, didn’t think about, certainly didn’t want. Then, each time a similar situation comes up or some trigger reminds me about that toss I made, I am revisited by the pain. There are times where I deserved the pain and there are times where the pain comes from something that was supposed to be good. Either way, I wish I could have held onto that ball.

try {
var pageTracker = _gat._getTracker(“UA-12356560-1”);
pageTracker._trackPageview();
} catch(err) {}

I trust Josh Hamilton’s faith will help him keep moving forward but my guess is he will never thrown another ball over that back fence because it’s pain he doesn’t want to revisit. I trust my faith will get me through the times I feel the pain and I trust that God will be at work to mend the wounds and help me know that the pain is nothing compared to the goodness and a life without pain that is waiting for me.

try {
var pageTracker = _gat._getTracker(“UA-12356560-1”);
pageTracker._trackPageview();
} catch(err) {}

Grace and peace to you.
Avar gaJsHost = ((“https:” == document.location.protocol) ? “https://ssl.” : “http://www.”);
document.write(unescape(“%3Cscript src='” + gaJsHost + “google-analytics.com/ga.js’ type=’text/javascript’%3E%3C/script%3E”));

try {
var pageTracker = _gat._getTracker(“UA-12356560-1”);
pageTracker._trackPageview();
} catch(err) {}

Brought To Tears

14 Thursday Apr 2011

Posted by Seeking Peace in Jacob, Josh Hamilton, Rangers, youth group

≈ 2 Comments

First, I’ve gone too long without a post about the Rangers. 8-3 (EDIT: A reader pointed out the Rangers are 9-3. That’s the danger in writing a post in advance and then coming back to edit it later. And the mad cow disease.) now and not in World Series form the past 2 games. Still, I remember a start just 3 years ago that was more like 3-8.

Fvar gaJsHost = ((“https:” == document.location.protocol) ? “https://ssl.” : “http://www.”); document.write(unescape(“%3Cscript src='” + gaJsHost + “google-analytics.com/ga.js’ type=’text/javascript’%3E%3C/script%3E”)); try { var pageTracker = _gat._getTracker(“UA-12356560-1”); pageTracker._trackPageview(); } catch(err) {}
Josh Hamilton went down yesterday with a broken something in his shoulder and is out 4-6 weeks. That’s a tough break for the Rangers but something I think they will come to expect with Hamilton and something that will be a big factor in his contract talks. I usually get frustrated with players who are hurt often but I feel differently about Hamilton. Yes, I’m a fan and probably jaded but having read his book and knowing what he battles, I cheer for him to keep coming back, to keep overcoming obstacles, to stick to the straight path when the pain of hurting and not playing is what led him down a crooked road before. I want him to succeed simply because I see some of my life wrapped up in his ups-and-downs and realize life is about more than baseball, more than a stint on the DL and more than homeruns. It’s about getting back up when you’ve been knocked down, even when you’ve brought so much pain on yourself, and moving forward in a positive direction. Yep, I’m an unabashed Hamilton fan to the end.

_________________________________________

OFvar gaJsHost = ((“https:” == document.location.protocol) ? “https://ssl.” : “http://www.”); document.write(unescape(“%3Cscript src='” + gaJsHost + “google-analytics.com/ga.js’ type=’text/javascript’%3E%3C/script%3E”)); try { var pageTracker = _gat._getTracker(“UA-12356560-1”); pageTracker._trackPageview(); } catch(err) {}
OK, the brought to tears part. I’m a fairly emotional guy and the kids in our youth group got to me last night. Jacob brought a lesson about making war against our sins and at the end of class offered them the opportunity to write their sins on the board to share with their friends and the people they want praying for them. Yes, you read that correctly. Our teenagers were openly writing their sins on the board and it brought me to tears. Their honesty, their openness, their hearts desiring to be closer to God, their trust. It was moving to me, someone who tried for years to hide my faults and failings.

OFvar gaJsHost = ((“https:” == document.location.protocol) ? “https://ssl.” : “http://www.”); document.write(unescape(“%3Cscript src='” + gaJsHost + “google-analytics.com/ga.js’ type=’text/javascript’%3E%3C/script%3E”)); try { var pageTracker = _gat._getTracker(“UA-12356560-1”); pageTracker._trackPageview(); } catch(err) {}
Grace and peace to you.
OFvar gaJsHost = ((“https:” == document.location.protocol) ? “https://ssl.” : “http://www.”); document.write(unescape(“%3Cscript src='” + gaJsHost + “google-analytics.com/ga.js’ type=’text/javascript’%3E%3C/script%3E”)); try { var pageTracker = _gat._getTracker(“UA-12356560-1”); pageTracker._trackPageview(); } catch(err) {}