Playing ball and being a light

I headed out of town a few days ago packed for baseball in Paris and loaded down to send my oldest to Georgia to play softball. I cooked in Dallas at my in-laws to get everyone’s bellies full before hit the road. I accidentally burnt the cinnamon rolls because I was on the phone with my husband. I had the following thoughts about playing ball right about the time I performed cosmetic surgery on the cinnamon rolls to remove their dark brown bottoms. Go get the state title, the college look, the ring, the medal, the home run or strike out applause, but do not just get “it” and come home. Give and be a blessing in the place you are in, on your team, in your vehicle. Pray for someone, share a water, be an encourager, smile, and give your coaches and family a thank you for going with you and supporting you wherever you are. This applies to everything in life. Get the grade, but give a kind word in class. Get the job, but bet ready to be a blessing and work hard. Get the title or promotion, but be ready to encourage someone. Get the ring, the trophy, or the scholarship, but be ready to find a younger kid to mentor. Get the girl or the guy to marry you, but be ready to put them first and love unconditionally. I saw this idea in motion when we checked into the Comfort Inn in Paris. There was man working who greeted us, and went to work. I mean…he went to work! Trinity checked us in and mopped up a continuous puddle of water that kids made when they ran from the pool to the lobby. He delivered blankets. He made reservations. He cut up fresh watermelon, put out trays of cookies, and sent someone to get extra drinks that could be iced down in the lobby. He visited with kids playing video games and elderly women there for a family reunion. He circled through the dining area to make sure our crew was okay on his way to carry more towels to the pool. We were all in awe of his hospitality. Did he own this hotel? Was he the manager? No, he was just an employee on a mission to do his best and give back. I asked Blaise, my youngest, what she thought about Trinity. She said right off the bat, “Mom, He IS a Christian.” She could tell he was a Believer and not just a believer in anything or anyone, but a Believer in Jesus Christ. He told her that he loved Romans 10:17. It says “Faith comes from hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ.” In a little sermon in the lobby on his way to help some kids track down something they had lost, he told her to get as much of the Word of God as she could every day. I was reminded several times this weekend to give life my best shot and to be a light. I love the saying “Bloom where you are planted.” It often slaps me in the face! I threw a few fits when we were packing up the car. (yes, a few) I sometimes momentarily forget to bloom where I am planted and to be a LIGHT in every situation that the Lord puts me in. It is not possible because of who I am, but who He is. Jesus said in Matthew 5:16 “Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.” That, my friends, is a thought for the week.