Easter Sunday and T-Ball

My neighbor Laurie and her husband Dan have always been examples to me and really spiritual idols of mine. Yes, I know that we probably shouldn't have IDOLS in our life ... but there are so many I look up to and learn from. Laurie spoke in church today... Easter Sunday. It is a beautiful day for so many reasons, including the weather, but more beautiful because I was in church; Stephanie, my daughter, was in church with me, the music, "Consider the Lilies of the Fields," and Laurie and Rick's talks. Laurie's parable of the lost baseball mitt was so beautiful and so inspiring and so appropriate for Easter Sunday, but Laurie is all of those all the time, and I so appreciate her sense of what is good and appropriate. So, here, as close as I can remember, is her parable, the "Parable of the Lost Mitt."

James, their son, was five years old and so ready for T-Ball
season to begin. He had never played before and he and his neighbor Greg were so excited, but James, was more excited than Laurie and Dan had ever remembered any of their family being for anything else. The T-ball was set up in the front yard and there James would practice day after day. The only problem was that James was left-handed and everyone else in the family was right-handed. So, in order to practice James would squeeze his hand into the right-handed mitt. It certainly didn't make practicing perfect, but James probably didn't mind. One day James' aunt came by and offered to lend James their mitt, which was left-handed. So with the proper mitt James continued to prepare for that first game of the season. When the big day came Laurie had to take a couple of calls and was a little late getting going and when they started to get things together the mitt was no where to be found. James was sure he knew where it was, but it wasn't there. They looked everywhere, even in the Watcher, the neighbor's dog's, run. No mitt. And as the search intensified so did Laurie's temper. Why were so many things out of place. She didn't need a bike helmet in the car. Why were so many things on the floor of the garage. And on and on and on. And her proclamations was quick and harsh." There would be no t-ball this season." James didn't yell or beg or create a scene, he just sat on the lawn and sobbed.

To make things a little worse, Greg showed up with the after-game-treat, wanting to know where James had been.

Not long after, 11 year-old Stephen came out to talk to his mother. Stephen had been on the computer doing some research and had come out to say that he had just enough money saved to buy a mitt for James. Could he please buy this mitt for James. After some deliberation, Laurie and Dan agreed. Yes, Stephen could buy a replacement mitt for the mitt that James had lost and certainly couldn't afford to buy, but James would have to work to pay Stephen back.

Well, that is sort of how is works, Jesus has paid the price because we couldn't. Without the mitt we couldn't play the game, but he expects us to work.

This is Easter. I believe Jesus Christ, my Savior, suffered for me and you, died for us on the cross, and was resurrected so that we too could one day be resurrected and return to live with our Heavenly Father again. This is what we call the Plan of Salvation. But, we must work and work through everything that comes our way.

The work will probably be difficult for most. It may be constant and exhausting and painful for some, but always remember he bought the mitt. We don't need to be perfect. We will make mistakes, but if we press forward with faith and continue to work we will one day have a glorious reunion with our Elder Brother, the Lord Jesus Christ, all because and especially because he bought the mitt.

This picture hangs in our family room. It is actually Ashlyn's picture that we purchased at the beautiful Carl Bloch exhibit that she and I went to at BYU. It is the mitt picture. THIS I BELIEVE!