I was an Army brat and didn't grow up around my grandparents and other family.When I was 12 we moved back to my parent's hometown. When I was 16, after I learned to drive - I would sneak to my grandmother's home and watch baseball with her. I don't think anyone knows that fact about me. We would drink hot tea and watch the Braves. My grandmother loved the Atlanta Braves. She lived to be 93 years old and I think she watched them every season until she couldn't. I've never really been a sports fan and I never really got what she loved about them so much, but it is the only sport I have ever watched and understood (for the most part) and time with her was precious - so I went and watched. (She also introduced me to soap operas -- that's a different post!)
When I got married, there were many nights that I sat and watched as my husband cheered for the Braves in the World Series. If it was October - the tv would find itself watching the Braves.
But this year - I found a new admiration for the game. I didn't see this one coming.
Not gonna lie... this year has been a rough one.
And I'm certainly not going to be a hypocrite and tell y'all that all I've said about Texas I take back.
But I do look at it a little differently now....
Prepare yourself emotionally...
I've become a Houston Astros fan.
I know - it's TEXAS! WHAT the WHAT? Have you gone mad, woman?
I ,quite frankly, ran from the whole crazy idea. But then... well, you know what's coming...
BUT GOD...
HE introduced me to someone who loves the Astros, in a big time way. A real fan. Almost from birth. I mean... A FAN! So the Astros came into my world in a mighty way in September and because someone I cared about loved the Astros, I started paying attention. Of course I was just being supportive, finding a shared interest...but I started watching and then something amazing happened. I started to like them. The smell of victory was in the air and I started getting really interested in the Texas team that was headed to glory.
And then it was October.
And guess what -- October stopped being so scary. October wasn't boring or lonely or sad. I had the Astros in my evenings. I learned the players, their faces, their names, their numbers... I sat and watched them win and lose and then I watched as Altuve sent them to the World Series... I screamed out loud! My child thought I had lost my mind.
I've watched all the games of the World Series. Alone, on my couch -- cheering and googling things I might not understand...but I was there. Pulling for this team that bears the name of the city that I've associated with so much of my pain. Y'all - I even got a shirt -- and earrings! I was hooked! I am hooked.
Friends have made fun of my new found love of the Astros. I'm okay with that... I understand it. Two months ago, I would have told you that I would NEVER cheer for anything having to do with the Lone Star state. Yesterday if you had given me a ticket I would have hopped a plane. And today, on the last day of October, I have been awake all night writing after watching that Texas team lose the World Series championship. I'm sad this morning... nothing at all to compare with the sadness and disappointment of my lifelong, die hard Astros person, but still... a little sad.
I've fallen a little in love with Justin and Gerrit ,Jose, Alex and George over the past few weeks. I'm certain I'm gonna miss them on my tv every night.
I wanted them to win because the Astros gave me something special this October. They helped me through this month. They gave me something to look forward to each day, something different to cry about when they lost. It was fun! It's always fun to see people achieve and accomplish and live the dream. The Astros got me outside of myself, which is really the best place to be when you are hurting.
So, the Astros, MY team, lost last night and I cried. I'll never forget it and I'll never stop being grateful.
Thank you Astros for a great month. Thank you Mark for bringing them into my atmosphere. Thank you, God, for the lessons I've learned. Can't wait to cheer again next year!
Signed,
A New Fan
Oh -- and I'm not gonna miss this opportunity to show how God redeems. I started last October with a purchase of a baseball bat. I used it to bang and destroy a lot of things over this past year. I banged on coolers, walls, boxes, cemetery dirt -- every time anger and frustration arose within me - I went to swingin!
But this October, a full year later, so much has been healed in my soul. And this October - I didn't need to swing a baseball bat to feel better ...it was enough to watch and enjoy all the good that can come from a bat used right!
Redemption. Beauty from ashes, purpose in pain...BUT GOD! He makes no mistakes, He misses NO opportunity to show what He can do. And ONLY GOD could redeem all the bad stuff with all the good stuff in such a fun and fascinating way. I'm hanging on for the rest of this ride... it's gonna be a good one!
Marked happy in this moment!
Beverly
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