Baseball and the Game of Life

     Many people who know me, know that I love the game of baseball. Most of my growing up life has revolved around baseball; from Little League, to Tournament Teams and on up through High School. I love everything about the game, maybe that's why its one of my favorite sports....

     Baseball is an interesting sport. There isn't a lot of contact and action like there is in football and basketball. People say that baseball is "slow, boring and nothing happens". However, many people don't know how much you actually have to be doing while you are playing. They say baseball is 90% mental and 10 % physical. Hence the reason people think not much goes on. A LOT of mental aspect goes into the game! 

     You must constantly be thinking about what you are going to do when action happens. You never know when something is going to happen so you always need to know ahead of time what you are going to do with the ball! If you are ready and on your toes, when the action does come, you will successfully execute the play! That's the key, being prepared and ready, for you really don't know what's gonna happen on the next pitch. If you aren't ready, then games can be lost. 

     The game of baseball is a lot like the game we are all in, the game of life. I have learned a lot of life lessons from playing sports, which I appreciate all my coaches who helped me see that life isn't just all about sports and you can learn a lot from sports about how to be successful in life.  But what I wanted to focus on for a moment is how if we are prepared, ready, and "on our toes", whatever comes our way can be dealt with successfully. Part of this life is to be tested and we are tested in SO many different ways. If we do what we know to be right and prepare ourselves for life's challenges, we can "execute the play" and find joy in our journey through life!

     We must always be on the look out. It says in the Book of Mormon "if ye do not watch yourselves, and your thoughts, and your words, and your deeds, and observe the commandments of God, and continue in the faith of what ye have heard concerning the coming of our Lord, even unto the end of your lives, ye must perish. And now, O man, remember, and perish not" (Mosiah 4:30). I know that we do our best to follow the example of our Savior Jesus Christ, we will win the game of life and make it back to the presence of God, our ultimate goal!