According to the ‘stat books’ and Bob Carlson, ’the radio sport’s guy who broadcast our games’ I was an above 300 avg. slugger and had a rocket arm to second base. Baseball was good for me; it instilled confidence and success in my life in a time frame filled with teenage insecurity. Even though I thought the game revolved around me… baseball can be credited with helping me become the man I am today.

Thirty years later and now as a coach, I see the game and it’s players in a whole different way. As a coach I was there for the kids and their futures, not just for a (W) in the won/lost column. The green field, the bright lights, the umpires in blue, the rowdy spectators, clean sharp uniforms, white bases, the dirt base paths, foul lines, batters boxes, snack bar, and PA announcers were all in place for different reasons now.

Today it’s about helping a group of terrific young men navigate their path into adulthood. I see in their lives, future’s full of hope and promise, If only they can learn the lessons of the game; they can succeed in life. They must learn that practice makes perfect and that perfect practice makes you practically perfect. It takes diligence, endurance, and hard work, and I hope they learn that hard work is rewarded.

It is important to me for them to learn to be humble in victory and graceful in defeat. They need to learn to respect the umpires, and to take responsibility for their own mistakes, rather than making excuses and passing the buck to someone else. They must never throw their helmets in disgust, or slide into base with their spikes high. I want them to tip their hat to a good play made by an opponent, and congratulate a teammate for good performance.

I want them to learn how to handle success, failure adversity, and superiority. I want them to be honest hardworking young men, who become friends for life. I hope they continue to improve as athletes and people and I hope they learn to most important lesson of all which is … to never ever give up!

Upon reflection I have learned that I have changed. I know that baseball has been good to me; in fact baseball has done fore for me now than I have ever done for baseball. I trust that this will be the case for 18 young men who spent the summer of 2007 playing ball on dusty fields around the Midwest. Maybe on day when they are old like me, they will call me ‘coach’ and I can go watch them as the trick another generation into growing up by teaching them to play a game.

Life truly is a river not a lake, and constant change is surely here to stay. Amazingly I can see that I have change a lot, and I hope that I always will. Play Ball!

That is how I already know I love you. God made us especially for each other. He made your personality fit mine, and made mine a match for yours. He has planned out how we will meet, and knows we are right for each other. He has a plan for both of our lives, and I can’t wait for it to shine out.

I already think about your smile, and wonder what you are like. I wonder if you are following His plan, and I pray daily that you are. I pray that you stay pure in heart, and that you will find joy in knowing God is your savior. I love the way you make me think of Him. Even before I know who you are. I hope and I pray that you are already in my life just waiting for God to show you who I am. Just like I am waiting.

I try to keep every relationship pure for you. Just in case I’m not with who God has planned for me. I don’t run into relationships until I am sure it is what God wants me to do. So who is to say I am not already with you, but then again who is to say God isn’t just trying to teach me something through the relationship I am in. I am not sure what God is doing right now, but I do know I am dong what he wants me to.

I have prayed long and hard, and end up with no real answer; all I can truthfully say is that I do love you. And I love that you are out there somewhere loving me. And maybe God has already put you in my life. Who am I to second-guess His plan, but maybe not?

I really get tired of wondering.

This reminds me of the difference between commitment and surrender. I have heard many Christians talk about making a commitment to Christ, and living a committed Christian life. In fact these are terms that I have used myself. I don’t think that these words are wrong… but I do feel that they fall short of describing what He is really looking for. In fact if we live only in an "I’m Committed Zone…" we are in danger in living in legalism rather than grace.

When we make commitments… we do so by the power that we possess. Our decision or will is the basis of the commitment that we make. If we make the commitment, then we are in a sense still in charge, and therefore able to withdraw our commitment.

Jesus is looking more for surrender than commitment. When Japan surrendered after WWII they came aboard the USS Missouri and essentially signed a blank page… this was an unconditional surrender… there was no negotiations of terms.  Japan as a nation, would never again be the same.

Total surrender to God involves allowing Him the same kind of absolute control… Jesus demonstrated this kind of surrender when He cried out from the cross… "Into your hands I commit (surrender) my spirit…" this was a complete loss of personal control… He simply leaned back into the faithful arms of the Father. It is interesting to note that He did this even after crying out in those same moments…"My God, My God, why has thou forsaken me?"  His trust of the Father was enough.

I have been in places personally where all that I could do… was to surrender to Him. I literally had done everything that I could do… and there was no way out. I learned that my greatest peace with God… came not out of my commitment to Him… but rather out of a total surrender to His will in my life… Even when He chose that I go through some immensely painful and lonely times. I am often reminded of these lessons learned when life does not go just as I had planned…. I am no longer in control…. HE IS!

When He is in control… Hope is never lost… No mater how bad things might look… there is hope… because there is God!  In fact I am convinced that He uses those tough times to help me grow. He never leaves or forsakes me… He is with me on the mountaintop, and in the valley of the shadow of death…. Hope in God…. Surrender to Him… He never ever fails!

Much has been said about the failures of the church being as a result of failure of leadership. I wonder if the failure in the church might be a result of over emphasizing the importance of leadership. I think we have come to the point that we are worshipping leaders and leadership in general. This would be akin to idolatry and God does not tolerate idolatry well at all.

The Heart - Motives and Attitudes

I have noticed that sometimes the people, who want to lead the most, do so out of wrong motives and attitudes. I am more concerned about the heart of a leader than I am about their giftedness or skill. Authority is a very bad thing to give a person who has not crucified the flesh with all of its passions. The attitudes and motives of the heart are the very most important attributes of leaders… and it is up to each leader to tend his or her heart.

When Jesus trained the twelve, He did not emphasize their gift or call, or even the future roles they would have in the earth. As I read His words, I don’t see Him exalting or lifting them up, or reminding them of the great importance that they would have to the church. It seems to me that He simply wanted them to know His Father. If they could meet the Father, then they would have the opportunity to have the Fathers heart.

On the Trail and in the Home

His training was not done in a seminar or classroom. He taught them by example as he lived among them. He was challenging, patient, wise, and very discerning when He taught them. His example was as powerful as His words… there was no difference between what He said and what He did. I am sure He was careful about who He chose… and He prayed for them, reminding the Father that He had kept those that He had given Him.  He knew the choosing of the father.

He prepared them for hardship, conflict, suffering, and even death. They led out of a love for Him rather then from a love for the position. Their leadership positions did not profit them, by giving them entitlements and perks that our positions often offer. These were true shepherds who fed, led, protected, and laid down their lives for the flock. Servant hood was more than a seminar concept… it was a way of life.

I believe that truer leaders would emerge if we talked less about leadership, and more about Jesus. Leaders just have a way of leading, and they are easy to recognize when they do. I am talking a lot more about serving, sacrificing, and suffering than I am about leading now days. Some of the best leaders I know are not given to constant chatter… but rather consistent and faithful service. They are more interested in solving problems, teaching, loving, imparting vision and taking care of others  (LEADING) then they are in having preeminence, prominence or platforms.

Becoming Child Like

I can teach leadership principles all day long… but only the individual can deal with the most important issues of the heart. Jesus said that in order to enter the Kingdom we would have to become like little children. Becoming a child means that we are as dependent on God as an infant is on its parents. With this kind of weakness, innocence, humility, and dependence we can really make a difference in the lives of those that we lead… Perhaps leading is not about being strong, smart, powerful and confident, but rather about becoming weak so that His strength can be revealed through us….

When we make Jesus our total focus, the leadership stuff inside of us will come out… it leadership becomes our focus, we will not be able to truly reflect His heart in our leading. Perhaps we need to stop talking about leading and just talk about Jesus… I think its time to let the church enjoy a break from the whole ‘worship the leader’ kick, and refocus on worshiping Christ…. Think about it!

 I have spent a couple of days with a group of guys in Quincy. These men are  followers of Jesus who are eager to grow. It is so refreshing to talk with guys who are sincere and hungry. Several of them have backgrounds that are not so pretty, and they don’t fit into typical church settings at this time. That makes me wonder about the "Typical Church" in America… I love teaching them the bible… and watching them as they discover and experience Jesus in there lives.

 It was also a joy to spend several hours with a woman who grew up in the Kirksville church. I remember her as a little girl, and watched her grow up through our High School and then the Bible College. She enlightened me about her life, and the changes she has experienced in the past five years. 

 Her telling of the trauma that she experienced as a result of the church split in Kirksville was heart rending. It has left her confused about how to relate with people that she loves. It has put her in a situation where she feels she must choose sides. Yet she refuses to do so… which means she feels judged by everyone. She remains steadfast in her love for Jesus… and is a faithful member of another local congregation now.

 After leading this group for 20 years I too am saddened by these developments. I could understand completely where she was at… and I totally relate to her sentiments. I also have chosen to not choose between the various groups… but rather to choose all. As a result there is an uneasy loneliness.

(When asked by former member about who’s right or wrong… all I can come too… is that everyone is wrong… including me. However being wrong or right is never the basis of our freindships… Christ and the cross is our common bond.)

 It was good to have the opportunity to visit with her… to assure her of our love, and to help her process these developments by repenting for areas that I have recognized were wrong in me, and by helping her to see how love covers a multitude of sins. One lesson I take away from these experiences is about the importance and power of forgiveness… Maybe later I will write some of my thoughts on this topic… For now all I will mention is that forgiveness is hard work… and no relationship will endure with out it.

It was so comforting to know that you were there. Some people may think that time passed you by a long while ago… but I think you had a hold on something beyond time. The truths that you passed on to us were eternal.

How many times did I sit down in your front room after throwing a couple logs in your wood burning stove, only to listen to you talk about your latest musings? It was uncanny how right on your words were. It seemed like you were a prophetess or something. No matter what troubles I had on my mind, you always seemed to know right were I was. Your stories from the past, or the special Ozark retellings of familier bible themes, or words of advice, were always right on the money.

I remember bringing many preachers and young disciples to your house to sit at your feet and just listen. You lived through times that we only hear or read about. It was great to hear from someone who actually knew the people on those pages. I watched grown men and women reduced to tears as they heard your heart. In the end you lifted our spirits and increased our faith. We were so blessed…

I struggled with letting you go..  even while sitting in your funeral service I was argueing with God through my tears. I reverently told Him that I did not like this arrangement anymore… it seems so unfair to love someone so much, only to have to let them go.

I heard His voice Grandma… Somehow it comforted me… He did not even answer my complaint, or show compassion on my whineing… He just reminded me of the words of Job…:The Lord giveth and the Lord taketh away… Blessed be the name of the Lord"  Well he gave you to us for 92 years… I guess I thought that would last forever… but after all that time, He took you away to himself.

I am reminded of your words …. "Kids… Have faith in God!… you’ll never go wrong trusting Jesus"   That is what I will do… Your  legacy of faith will never end… At least not on my watch…

Your loving Grandson

Steve

Rita is a third grade learning disabilities student who displays several areas of weakness. She displays strengths in vocabulary and phonics, yet struggles with reading comprehension. Her organizational and perception skills are weak and still she excels as an auditory learner and listener. Most concerning is the fact that Rita is struggling relationally. She has distanced herself from peer level relationships and appears to have low self-expectations. She has met new challenges with failure one too many times and as a result she no longer looks to learning as a joyful experience, but she meets it with a sobering resignation that knows failure all too well. She and her teacher stand here gazing upon the new year realizing that a huge gulf lies between them and educational success. By employing a specifically individualized program designed to build on Rita’s strengths while under girding her weaknesses, a teacher can provide scaffolding that will bridge the gulf of confusion and fear and carrying the student on to educational success.

 It is important that careful consideration is given to Rita’s strengths as well as carefully identifying her struggles. Perceptual weaknesses, lack of organizational skills, and poor motor skills are three to be addressed. It is important that no one teaching approach be seen as the sole solution. For Rita to become successful as a learner her evaluation and teaching strategies must cover several areas that can then lead her to develop new and strengthen existing learning skills.

Perceptual difficulties plague Rita. She struggles with small tasks like lining up numbers in addition problems and her lack of fine muscle skills only adds to her troubles. Rita’s assignments must be designed to aid her success in these situations. Curriculum analysis should be addressed. The teacher must analyze the skills to be developed and adjust the curriculum accordingly. Worksheets could be designed with a limited number of problems written in larger than normal size with specific boxes for the answers. Direct instruction by the teacher with designed progression from simple to more complicated problems would press this student towards success. Instruction and practice could use tools like a magnet board and numerical magnets to practice individual problems. This would help the student perceive each problem independently from the previous. As success at this level is mastered the student could move toward paper pencil tasks.  Each success would strengthen the scaffolding structure and by eliminating the possibility of organizational failure and messiness the student can become more confident and possibly move on to a designed peer-tutoring experience where a classmate could serve as Rita’s scribe. This could strengthen both students’ abilities and possibly aid Rita in strengthening her interpersonal relationships. In the end, a careful evaluation of curriculum and direct instruction by the teacher could be embellished with peer tutoring so that the process of addition is mastered. As Rita displays mastery of the concept she can be moved on to higher-level problems or multi-step problems.

Reading comprehension has also challenged Rita. She tested two years below her grade level even though her word recognition and phonics skills were on grade level. Reading comprehension is especially important for students as their success in the upcoming years depends so heavily on understanding the messages of written text. Rita needs a chance to succeed at reading. After carefully evaluating the designed curriculum, a teacher might opt to have Rita read some high interest grade level material. If she showed more interest in this area her reading instruction could be tailored from that material. She needs practice locating basic components of a story as mastery of these basic skills added together make up the building blocks of comprehension.

Moving Rita to one-on-one reading sessions would be a good alternative here. With reading discrepancies of two years she would easily qualify for special services.  She already feels inadequate and displays signs of low self-expectation. In a special classroom she could practice reading and then listening to stories. This makes use of auditory learning, as this is one of her strengths. She could then be prompted to verbally give the basic components of story comprehension. With success at the auditory level she could be moved to writing the elements of the material and then work at the board with a teacher. This would allow for movement during repetitive activities to help eliminate boredom and keep Rita on task for longer periods of time.     

A teacher would model the process using prompts and then guide Rita through the process. This activity could move from evaluating other material to creating her own. Rita could choose characters and scenarios and then develop her own stories. Students show more attentiveness to self-created material than to evaluating existing material. Teacher adjusted worksheets with specifically designed places for one or two word answers would support Rita in reading skills as used in her mathematics lessons and again reinforce some organizational skills. Worksheets using these same prompts would help Rita create a pattern for evaluating material and hopefully end in internalization of the process creating a cognitive strength.

Parents that model good reading habits raise better readers. It would be essential that Rita find some avenue to read and be read to at home. A careful evaluation of the home environment and the ability level of parents would determine options here. It could be suggested that Rita read to her little sister. The relationship with her little sister is one of Rita’s only successful peer-relationships and therefore a strength that we could build on.

Finding success reading to her sister might then precipitate successful reading to younger schoolmates with the goal being finding success in her own classroom whether that be inclusive or in her LD classroom. Rita could help a lower level student with their sight words as this would build on one of Rita’s strengths and help boost her self-esteem. Strong parental cooperation and interschool cooperation would make this option successful.
 Motor skills are challenging to Rita. She seems to aid in her own failure simply by the lack of neatness she displays in her writing. Several activities can be used to strengthen her motor skills. She can be given activities that require cutting with scissors or coloring with certain criteria. Almost anything where dexterity is practiced, like playing with play-dough, will aid in her continued development. She can gain much help from modified paperwork where her writing is kept to a minimum and she can easily see where specific information goes.

These types of written organizational helps can be paper and pencil or computer related. There are many quality curriculum based computer games that practice concepts with only the use of a mouse. This almost entirely removes the influence of poor motor skills and messy papers from the practice and mastery of a concept.

 It would be remiss to expect Rita to participate in any of these strategies without the influence of a “great” teacher. The rapport that a student and teacher have will make or break the success of any student. Students are quick to sense the insincere and uncaring, but a student will respond almost beyond measure to a teacher who carefully gains their confidence by truly being excited about their ability to be successful. Anne Sullivan, Helen Keller’s teacher, stands as a striking example to all who teach as one who gulfed the abyss of confusion and despair and provided one “special” student with the tools necessary for success.

 Many Ritas exist in our classrooms today and no one philosophy or method will meet their needs. Striving for flexibility that is generated by continual evaluation of daily learning processes will help teachers create lessons that are practical and productive. Keeping our eyes on the cultural changes around us and embracing new ideas will help us, the teachers of today, make a difference for the students of tomorrow. So as fall rolls around each year and we identify those students who need just a little more than the “normal” instruction it would do us well to rest in and remember the words of one great American teacher who for one student successfully bridged that gulf of confusion and fear and one day was able to pen these words;

“My heart is singing for joy this morning! A miracle has happened!  
The light of understanding has shone upon my little pupil’s mind,
and behold, all things are changed!”
     Anne Sullivan

Fellowship goes far beyond casual conversation at the back of the church on Sunday, and it is much more than lazy afternoon chats over tea. Fellowship penetrates to the depths of the soul, causing us to belong to those we are in fellowship with. The light of this kind of fellowship then shines into the community. They can see that we are for real And they were continually devoting themselves to Fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer, Acts 2:4

This scripture in Acts uses the word “devote” to describe the attitude of the first church toward fellowship, teaching, and prayer. To devote oneself indicates the sacrifice of time, energy, money, talents, and abilities for the sake of the cause. In this case, the cause is fellowship with God and the with the brethren. Relationships cost. They are hard work. But no other light will shine brighter in the world of darkness than true fellowship among the saints.

One good way to facilitate this kind of fellowship involves small group meetings. These groups often meet in homes, and they facilitate an atmosphere where we can become acquainted and take an active part in one another’s lives. It is interesting to note that one of the requirments for a biblical elder is that they be…"given to hospitality."

 Perhaps church is not to be resigned only to auditoriums and cathedrals, maybe the Lord intended for us to take it into our homes.