Not many things get me excited like spending time with my family. Spending time with my Bride, watching Sammy and Emmilyn play, or just hanging out with my family and/or in-laws. There is one thing that comes close, but even then it doesn't compare. I do have to talk about it since the start of a new season is upon us. What is it about Baseball I like so much? So many people left the game back during the last strike, and they never came back...not me. I will give a list here then explain.
The top 10 things I like about baseball:
1. The aroma of the field.
2. The grass that always seems to be green.
3. The sound of wooden bats hitting the leather ball.
4. The chalk that flies up from the Rosin bag after being tossed to the ground by the pitcher.
5. The Smell of peanuts and beer.
6. The random guy yelling, "Hey ref, you stink."
7. The home team getting that first hit of the game.
8. The 7th inning stretch.
9. The national Anthem
10. The Astros taking the field to open the ball game.

Now let me tell you 5 things that mean most to me about baseball.
1. It is where my father and I forged our relationship growing up, and most of what I learned about life seemed to happen between those white lines.
2. I get to build a relationship and a tradition with my daughter who might not other wise care about baseball unless I took her to the game.
3. It is where I get to take my son and teach him the Great American Pastime, show him the retired numbers 7,5,34,25,42. I get to tell him I got to watch most of those guys in person, and talk about what upstanding men they were on and off the field.
4. It is where I can go with my wife and have a great time, and even though she isn't much of a fan. She likes going because she knows how far gone I am when it comes to baseball.
5. It is where I can bring my glove, attend batting practice, and wait for a BP home run ball. I can wear my rally hat, my jersey, and somehow talk my self into believing that my hat, the way I wear it, or what I do in the stands somehow affects to outcome of the game.

In closing, what I most love about baseball is it reminds me of God. Yes, I said it God. See baseball is just baseball if you choose to only sit and watch. But if you really take baseball for all it's Glory then you see that baseball is bigger than a game. It is more than these things mentioned, and without those there faithfully attending, participating and doing what they do, baseball wouldn't be the game it is. As with God, he doesn't need us, but we need Him. If we just sit in the stands of life and don't take part in all God has to offer then God is just some religious figure head and nothing more. God is bigger than just being God, because when everyone chooses to participate the full scope of who he is can be seen, experienced, and even enjoyed. The truth is God gave us baseball so we could hopefully see the things he wants to grow in us.
So next time you are at the ball park look at it this way. God wants you to see him not just for who he is, but who he can be in his fullness.
When life throws you a curve, knock it out of the Park.