Reasons I Enjoy the Summer

Here are three reasons I enjoy the triple digit heat this summer:

The Hits

The Runs & Steals

The Catches

Engrafted by His Grace--

Be Alert

Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. ~~ 1 Peter 5:8 NIV

Chase loves to play baseball. In baseball runners are allowed to steal bases to advance. In order to steal, the runner has to watch his opponent waiting for the right time to take advantage of his opportunity. Different leagues have different rules about leading off (stepping off the base to get a head start). In Little League, there are no lead offs. The runner must not leave the base until the pitch has been thrown and the ball crosses the home plate. Also, the runner may not run if the pitcher is on the mound with the ball.

While observing this sport this season, I’ve noticed that a runner on third will watch the pitch, wait for it to cross the plate and he’ll step off a few steps hoping the catcher will miss and the pitcher won’t run up to cover. This runner is just looking for an opportunity to put a run on the board. This is where it is important for the catcher and pitcher to be alert—keeping their eye on the runner. In one game, I saw the catcher return the ball to the pitcher. As the pitcher turned around (not watching the runner on third) and moped back to the mound, disgruntled about his last pitch, the runner took off and stole home.

The Scriptures warns us to be alert as we have an enemy who waits for an opportunity to advance his way into our homes. If we turn our backs on him because we’re frustrated with the way we’re living our life, the devil will pounce on us like a lion. We must be self-controlled and alert.

To be self-controlled we must live a life of obedience and repentance. Yes, the pitcher threw a bad pitch. And yes, we make bad decisions. But if we mope around in those bad choices, the enemy will steal home on us. We must repent and get on with the game. To be alert, we cannot allow a bad pitch cause us to let our guard down. There have been times in my life that I got so caught up in one particular situation; I let other areas in my life slide. The enemy takes advantage of those times.

Let’s live a controlled and alert life keeping the evil one from taking advantage of us today.

Engrafted by His Grace--

Stand Alone

Although baseball is a team sport, there comes a time during the game the player must stand alone. In the batter box, the player is alone. No one else can make decisions for him. He can look at the coach for guidance, but when the pitch is thrown the batter has to make his own choice—to swing or not to swing. He is standing alone.

Coast to Coast Athletics taught four fundamental truths that apply to playing baseball. The second of the truths presented was stand alone. When it comes to maintaining integrity, often it requires standing alone, not following the crowd.

In Judges 6, Gideon faced that choice. When the angel of the Lord met with Gideon, Gideon wanted to offer sacrifices to the Lord. He did and when it was received Gideon knew he was in the presence of the Lord. Then Gideon received his instructions.

That night the Lord said to Gideon, “Take the second bull from your father’s herd, the one that is seven years old. Pull down your father’s altar to Baal, and cut down the Asherah pole standing beside it. Then build an altar to the Lord your God here on this hilltop sanctuary, laying the stones carefully. Sacrifice the bull as a burnt offering on the altar, using as fuel the wood of the Asherah pole you cut down.” ~~Judges 6:25-26 NLT

Gideon received his guidance from the Lord just as a batter receives instruction from the coach. Now like a batter alone in the batter’s box, Gideon had to make a choice. Either follow the instruction or allow the fear what his father and the people would say or do to him stop him.

So Gideon took ten of his servants and did as the Lord had commanded. But he did it at night because he was afraid of the other members of his father’s household and the people of the town. ~~Judges 6:27 NLT

So Gideon followed the instruction received. He alone made the choice, and then enlisted the help of his servants. Some choices are not easy to follow. Sometimes the batter has to make a choice to swing the bat as instructed. Sometimes the coach will ask the player to make a choice he doesn’t want to follow. Either way, he must stand alone.

As believers in Christ we are part of a team, yet we face times when we must make a decision alone. Rest assured—we have our guidance from the Lord. But as we stand alone we must make the choice to follow our Lord. Our family and friends may not make the same choice. But do we follow them or Christ? Do we eat that cookie or not? When we feel the nudge to call someone, do we make the call or not? When prompted to give to a particular ministry, do we give or rationalize how we can better use our money?

If we follow the directions of the Lord, He will never fail us. Stand alone and follow Christ!

Engrafted by His Grace--

Positive Proclamation

A little boy was overheard talking to himself as he strutted through the backyard, wearing his baseball cap and toting a ball and bat, "I'm the greatest hitter in the world," he announced.

Then, he tossed the ball into the air, swung at it, and missed.

"Strike One!" he yelled. Undaunted, he picked up the ball and said again,

"I'm the greatest hitter in the world!"

He tossed the ball into the air. When it came down he swung again and missed.

"Strike Two!" he cried.

The boy then paused a moment to examine his bat and ball carefully.

He spit on his hands and rubbed them together. He straightened his cap and said once more,

"I'm the greatest hitter in the world!"

Again he tossed the ball up in the air and swung at it. He missed.

"Strike Three!"

"Wow!" he exclaimed. "I'm the greatest pitcher in the world.

(Summary of KennyRogers "Baseball Song--The Greatest)

Engrafted by His Grace--

Bear the Pain

In the last inning of the second game of the double-header, we were down by two runs and had one out. There was a runner on first base. Chase came up to the plate to bat. His hit drove the ball on the ground right toward the short-stop who rushed it, tossed it to second and second threw to first for a double play ending the game. Our team lost 10-6. It was the first defeat our team experienced after five wins in a row. Chase felt the pain of defeat on his shoulders.

In Coast to Coast Athletics, they taught four fundamental truths to apply to baseball. The first moral truth is to bear the pain. As players, they must be willing to experience pain—whether emotional or physical. Chase felt emotional pain that night.

Last week Chase experienced physical pain in his opening game of the Little League season. From his position of second base, he caught a fly ball. As the ball entered his glove, he put his right hand in front of the glove and the ball hyper-extended his thumb causing bruising and swelling. This caused him to sit out for a few days.

As Christians, our lives have both physical pain and emotional pain. We can be doing all the right things and still experience pain in our walk as believers. The apostles were no strangers to pain after the Pentecost in Acts.

. . . and when they had called in the apostles, they beat them and charged them not to speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go. Then they left the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer dishonor for the name. Acts 5:40-41 ESV

The apostles experienced physical pain from boldly proclaiming the gospel. And on top of it, they rejoiced for being considered worthy of suffering! How often do we rejoice in our suffering?

While experiencing the pain, the Lord can work on us to improve us if we allow Him. After the final out of the game, Chase has worked more on his batting skills. He is in the learning process. Also after the pain of putting his hand in front of the glove while catching the ball has made him more alert to his positions. We learn from pain as it sears the lesson into our memory.

And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you. ~~1 Peter 5:10 ESV

God promises to “restore, confirm, strengthen and establish” us if will bear the pain. If we quit, then we won’t grow. Chase endured his pain and maintains his passion for the sport of baseball. As believers in Christ, let our passion to serve Him be so great, we willingly bear the pain and rejoice.

Engrafted by His Grace--

Baseball in Puerto Rico

Life is an adventure. I believe the Lord gave me children so I can travel. Chase believes it too as he told me several times, "Mom if it were not for me making the Coast to Coast team, you may never have come to Puerto Rico." What a wise little child.

He tried out last October for the national Coast to Coast 11/12 year old baseball team. He received the invitation and we accepted. Last week was his week to play baseball with an all-American all-star team.

Chase embarked on his first flying experience ever over the Atlantic Ocean to San Juan, Puerto Rico. He met the other 15 team members and coaches. This team came together and played the best baseball this organization has ever seen. Practicing for three hours every morning, then playing double headers every evening for five days, this team bonded on the first day. These boys played at such a high competitive level, they defeated the first five teams they played. Again a first for this organization.

Word moved around on the island about this team, so on Wednesday evening a strong team from a neighboring city arrived to compete with our boys. We had gone out on a shopping tour where we walked around all afternoon. We played the first game. Then on the second game on Wednesday night, this PR all-star team showed up fresh ready for the challenge. It was the first game we lost. But we came back strong on Thursday for two more wins.

Then Thursday, the boys were asked by the coaches if they wanted to play a 13/14 year old team. Of course they all shouted, "Yes!" ready for the challenge. And this meant they had to play by the 13/14 year old rules. Instead of 60 foot bases, the bases were stretched out to 80 feet. The pitchers had to throw a distance of 54 feet instead of 46 feet. The first game was a learning experience and a warm up as our team fell to the loss at 5-2. But the second game the boys figured out how to play the bigger boys and won 6-5 in the last inning. This ended the week long season with 8 wins and 2 losses.

We had a very exciting week and yes I believe that because of my son's talents, I am blessed.

Sons are a heritage from the LORD, children a reward from him. ~~ Psalm 127:3 NIV

Chase with his teammates and coaches. Chase is on the front row, 5th from the left. If you look through the trees, you can see the Atlantic Ocean. (Double click to enlarge the picture.)

Engrafted by His Grace--

P.S. If you're my friend on Facebook, I'll be posting some pics on Facebook later this week (after I figure out how).

Just wanted to mention

And the headline from the local newspaper reads:

Whitworth to play baseball in Puerto Rico

by Brian Argabright
Del Rio News Herald

Del Rio’s Chase Whitworth acts like a typical 11-year-old boy.

Chase, the son of Eldon and Shonda Whitworth, is full of energy, is still shy about answering questions and smiles every time his name gets mentioned.

Like most boys his age he also enjoys sports. He’s wrapping up his first year of youth football, but it’s the sport of baseball that he loves most.

And it’s that love of baseball that has garnered Chase the opportunity to participate in a select tournament with some of the nation’s best young athletes in Puerto Rico in March as part of the Coast to Coast Baseball Program.


Oh yeah, Mom and Dad are excited about our young man. To read the rest of the story, go here.

Engrafted by His Grace--