No One Died, But.....

It was a strange way to begin a sports talk radio show..."Nobody died, but......" The conclusion of the statement was, "can you believe what has happened to Stephen Strasburg?" Of course, what motivated this maudlin opening was the just-broken news that Nationals star pitcher Stephen Strasburg would probably miss at least a year, perhaps more, because of a torn ligament in his elbow that would require surgical repair. Nationals General Manager Mike Rizzo was interviewed later in the show, and with tongue placed firmly in cheek, he said, "We're not quite ready for the funeral yet." No, a life had not been lost, but perhaps what was slowly ebbing away were the dying dreams of Nationals fans, hungry for a winner, whose hopes and dreams had been placed squarely on the shoulders, or should I say, the 102 m.p.h. fastball, of Stephen Strasburg.

I was in Nationals Stadium the night Strasburg debuted, and it was a wondrous occasion. Every pitch was celebrated, every strikeout highlighted on the scoreboard. The delerious fans cheered continuously after he was taken out of the game until he stepped back out of the dugout and waved his cap in recognition that he was the great hope for a baseball team previously consigned to the cellar of the National League East. Ticket stubs were being bought that night as fans left the stadium by speculators who assumed they would one day be worth a goldmine. Now, in the immediate aftermath of an MRI report, it wasn't a great stretch for some to speak of this moment in the same breath while mentioning life's last great enemy, death.

Sports talk hyperbole aside, I got to thinking about the phrase, "No one died, but..." This phrase is not unfamiliar to me. I have heard it used in a variety of ways over the years. I suppose it is a perspective builder, in a negative sort of way. "The good news is that no one died; the bad news is......" and that sentence could be finished in a number of ways. I suppose the greatest loser in this situation is Stephen Strasburg, whose injury could potentially end or alter his baseball dreams. The team may lose money, some fans may lose interest in the team, and sports talk radio will have to focus its attention somewhere else. No one died, but....

Over the years I have walked with many people through a great many problems. I have on occasion heard one of them say, "Well, as bad as it is, there are others worse off than me." Their attempt to minimize their own pain by focusing attention on others can be admirable, and yet it often sells their own difficult struggles short. For some, this is an attempt to pull themselves out of the mire of self-pity that often accompanies personal struggle, and we tend to admire that. Yet in all the pain and disappointment that accompany life's challenges, many are affected by the outcome, but none more than the one at the heart of that personal struggle. Nats fans are disappointed, but for Stephen Strasburg, the impact is the most significant.

Many folks around us are dealing with challenges that are significant...perhaps life-altering. Sometimes we stand at a distance and watch, wondering how they will handle their situation, perhaps afraid about getting involved. Those moments are not as much about how we feel, though there may be disappointment or hurt, but rather, they are about that hurting person and what can be done to help him or her, particularly from the perspective of faith, in the name of Christ. Jesus said that when we are reaching out in love to help others, we are reaching out to Him.

I believe it was near the end of the great musical, Les Miserables, that Jean Valjean sings, "...to love another person is to touch the face of God." In the world around us there are many hurts, many struggles. Some are proclaimed in media blasts, some often go little noticed. You and I have an opportunity to be the hands and feet of Christ, reaching out, loving, encouraging, healing, for as we do this for others, we are truly doing this for Christ.

For Stephen Strasburg's sake, I hope there is complete healing. The rest of us will have to be content, at least for a while, with run of the mill 88, 90, or perhaps even 93 mph fastballs from our hometown pitchers. Maybe there's a lesson of perspective for us all in that.

Jim Abernathy

One More Tomorrow

Cindy, Clayton, and I are traveling north on I-75 through the mountains of Tennessee and Kentucky today. The sun is shining, the sky is blue, and the views are gorgeous. God truly has made a beautiful world! Thus far on this trip, we have visited with two of my three sisters, my mom, and been to six college campuses, with at least one more to go. Our purpose is to let Clayton see some of the schools we have been talking about that he might want to attend in a couple of years. To him college seems far away. For his mother and me it is coming much too fast!Looking to the future is wise if it does not become too much of a distraction for the present.

Sometimes we become consumed by the future or the past, losing sight of the blessings and opportunities of today. Jesus, speaking to his disciples about the provision of God, said, "Don't worry about tomorrow for tomorrow will take care of itself." His words were not a prohibition on planning or forward-thinking, but rather a reminder that all our days, past, present, and future are in God's hands. If, as the writer of Hebrews said, that Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever, then I can trust it all...the known and the unknown, into the hands that have created and redeemed me. So, regardless of where your journey takes you today, next month, or over the next few years...in whatever direction you look, know that God is there to give you strength and wisdom for the journey.

As I have been writing, we have crossed into Kentucky. In a few hours we will be on the campus of The University of Kentucky in Lexington...hallowed ground for Clayton. We keep mentioning the phrase "out of state tuition," but it hasn't seemed to phase him yet. Oh well, I guess that is one more tomorrow we will have to leave in the Lord's hands.

Along the way...

Jim Abernathy

Driving Lessons...Life Lessons

We are adding a new driver in our household. Clayton has had his permit for several months now and is taking the "Behind the Wheel" course at Lake Braddock this week. He appears to have few of his father's bad habits as a driver. The few times I have had to correct him for something, I have found myself later, more aware of my own mistakes. One example: a few weeks ago, Clayton approached a stop sign and prepared to stop, only he didn't come to a full stop before making the turn onto the next street. I reminded him that to fail to come to a complete stop on his driving test, would probably result in failing the test, not to mention the danger that rolling through a stop sign invited under normal driving conditions. He acknowledged the correction and has done a much better job when approaching stop signs as a result. A few days after that experience, he was a passenger as I was driving. We approached a stop sign and as I drove away from the intersection he said, "Dad, you didn't come to a full stop," and he was right. We smiled at each other as I acknowledged my transgression, and his recognition that the flaws of his father had been exposed once again.

As parents, we try to teach our children right and wrong, we encourage them to make good choices, and though our words are important, there is no substitute for a good example. Most of us, as parents, have experienced that uncomfortable moment when forced to address the glaring "gap" between what we have said and what we have done as our children have observed. "Caught," we sometimes make excuses for why those rules don't apply to us, or perhaps how the whole thing was just a big misunderstanding...yet, there are times when parents admit before their children that they were wrong...that they fells short...that they (I) should have come to a complete and total stop instead of rolling through the stop sign.

I can tell you that I have thought more about my own driving habits since Clayton has started driving. My driving faults are numerous and I am working to correct them. Clayton, for his part, is gracious in his recognition of those bad habits...usually acknowledging them with a sly smile, or perhaps a cleared throat as subtle reminders that there is still work to be done. I suppose such experiences serve as a reminder that each of us is a work in progress. Whether driving for 37 years or 37 weeks,
we can still learn and improve, no matter what we do.

Our faith journey reminds us of this truth every day. None of us arrive at a place of conclusion this side of heaven, where we know all there is to know or have mastered the truths of Christ-like living to perfection. There is always more to learn, experience, and share, and oh yes, more correction needed.

In Ephesians 4:13, Paul speaks of maturity as the goal of discipleship..."attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ." Maturity doesn't guarantee perfection, but in matters of faith, it does speak to a growing relationship with Christ that is evident in the things we say and do. Narrowing the gap between word and action is indeed a worthy goal for all of us.

In the meantime, I'll be driving with Clayton...hopefully a learning experience for us both!

Jim Abernathy