Reflections from the Home Team, Sunday, April 17, 2011
“We knew he played when he was hurt, and we admired him for not 'taking the easy way out' and asking for days off, the way players would today.”
Greetings,
There is something about the crisp crack of baseball bats scattering line drives and the smell of fresh, green grass in the spring that just makes me smile… I wanted to share a “smile” with each of you as well as I have had some more recent testing in Iowa City and still remain cancer free as I move toward celebrating my second Easter season since being diagnosed. My recent tests centered on the hearing loss I have sustained following treatments, and it appears that I will be able to get some hearing assistance to restore some of the loss. I’m working on that now with my “team” of doctors in Iowa City. That is great news, except I won’t be able to use the standard line of “I didn’t hear that” with Tricia any longer when it comes to completing the “To Do List”… I’m also fighting that pesky infection without the use of antibiotics, and my white cell count continues to be on the rise which is also good news.
I also wanted to share with you that I have been reading and reflecting on some of the support and messages I have been receiving from some of you over the past few weeks. It all “came together” for me this morning as I reflected on a message I heard from Pastor Dennis at services today. His focus was “not taking the easy way out”. Ironically, I received an email from a good friend about a week ago sharing the eulogy of Mickey Mantle, one of my childhood heroes. As Pastor Dennis shared his message this morning, some things stuck with me about it as I reflected on Mickey’s eulogy which was delivered by Bob Costas.
“In the last year, Mickey Mantle, always so hard on himself, finally came to accept and appreciate that distinction between a role model and a hero. The first he often was not, the second he always will be. In the end, people got it. And Mickey Mantle got from America something other than misplaced and mindless celebrity worship. He got something far more meaningful. He got love -- love for what he had been; love for what he made us feel; love for the humanity and sweetness that was always there mixed in with the flaws and all the pain that wracked his body and his soul.”
"We knew he played when he was hurt, and we admired him for not ‘taking the easy way out’ and asking for days off, the way players would today.”
You see, the “Mick” played through many of the physical ailments that racked his body while he continued to play, winning the hearts and souls of baseball fans everywhere. He didn’t take the “easy way out”, and always seemed to stay in control and be upbeat, despite the suffering he was going through. That was one of the reasons I admired him so much. There seem to me to be a lot of parallels there for those who face the challenges of a cancer diagnosis and subsequent treatment and recovery as we do our best to continue a life of service to others. Life often sends us many challenges that we have to “play through”. Just as Mickey made organ donation his ninth inning rally cry, we each need to find a way to serve others in a meaningful way in our lives, and “not take the easy way out”. I’ve listed a link to Mickey Mantle’s eulogy below if you are interested in reading it.
Eulogy of Mickey Mantle: http://jerry.praxisiimath.com/the_mick.html
What a wonderful message as we go through Holy Week in anticipation of Easter. Jesus didn’t take the “easy way out” either when faced with fulfilling His Father’s promise to us as He stayed in control, using courage and conviction to face the suffering he endured for each of us knowing a “new life” would emerge through his Resurrection.
I also wanted to share a quote by Jackie Robinson, yet another of my heroes, as well as a clip sent by another friend which has really struck “home” with me this week. It reads:
“A life is not important except in the impact it has on other lives.” …Jackie Robinson
How true that is, and amazingly how well it ties into Pastor Dennis' message this morning. Despite the physical and emotional struggles we all face on a regular basis, we can choose "not to take the easy way out" by unselfishly serving others using the "gifts" we have each been given. A wondeful example of that can be found in the clip below titled "Gesto de amor".
“Gesto de amor”: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YtuIMGJzQ0c
Wishing you all a Blessed Easter!
Dave
Link to: Reflections from the Home Team BLOG:
http://relectionsfromthehometeam.blogspot.com/
Link to Youtube: Reflections from the "Home Team"... Go the Distance
Part 1: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T48dqzhPah4
Part 2: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fP2ZapPoWtY
Part 3: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0eaJ71v_lQ8
Link to Tommy Emmanuel and "Angelina":
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AhR04kmcSXU 
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