Some random thoughts

I just had that conversation with my son this morning before he left for school. His team had 2 pretty bad games yesterday and he was really bummed about it. Told him in the big scheme of things, it really is just a game-enjoy it and be thankful that the worst thing happening right now is that your team isn't performing well...I know I am.

I know exactly how you feel TPM.
No complaint's here.
May God Bless the truely unfortunate at this time.

Oh my gosh TPM... this is the first I've heard about this accident.

Our prayers certainly go out to the entire Bluffton University community.

You are certainly correct with your random thoughts.

Thanks for adding something that helps us all keep things in perspective.

Im feeling really bad right now. The player from Texas I can not get out of mind. The tornados at the school. Now this. Last night my son hit an opposite field 2run Hr in the first inning in a 3-0 win. I ripped him in the 6th when he chased a cb in the dirt. When I see him this afternoon Im going to hug him and tell him I love him. You are dead on TPM. You are so right. In fact Im going to hug all my players and tell them I love them.

My thoughts exactly TPM… just want to hug my kids after reading all these current tragedies.

Does anybody get the feeling that the "BIG GUY IN THE SKY" is ticked off about something ?---between the severe weather problems and the weird deaths of the youth one has to wonder--- and another Columbine scare yesterday as well

we really forget what we have until times like these. no matter how little money we have or how much adversity we face, there is a shining star involved somewhere. shouldn't take much looking after today.

Amen TPM, can’t wait to see my two boys this afternoon.

May God watch over our children and keep them safe.

TRhit,

If the "Big Guy" is trying to tell us something, maybe it is that ALL of these kids are OUR kids.

A friend's son is playing baseball for a college in Ohio. First reports did not name this team's college. I immediately feared for the safety of the life of a child I know. When I heard that it was not from the school I thought, there was some personal relief for my friend, but I realized that the deep sadness that I felt hadn't been relieved. From Texas, to Ohio, to Darfur (yes, I know, not baseball related, sorry) they are OUR children. We need to cherish them, protect them when we can, grieve for them when we lose them, and hug them while we can.

I can't even begin to imagine the loss of those parents, the team, the school, the community. We will be keeping them in out thoughts and prayers and will suggest to our coach that our team find some way to help. While doing something positive can never undue the loss, it may help build a support system for those who are suffering and help the rest of us to feel a little less powerless

Love and comfort to all.

p&cMOM

I spoke to my son about the player in Texas but not how I should have. Now, with this tragic bus crash I will let him know what is important. Yesterday, there was a bomb scare at Columbine HS and that reminded me that I worry about his safety everytime he leaves the house but I never express it. Tonight we will sit down and have a nice talk. Nothing else matters. All our prayers are with the families at this time of grieving.

By TR:

quote:

Does anybody get the feeling that the "BIG GUY IN THE SKY" is ticked off about something ?---between the severe weather problems and the weird deaths of the youth one has to wonder--- and another Columbine scare yesterday as well

Our ways are not His ways. I'm glad I'm not in control.

A quote in the article about the TX player who was killed:

"The miracle we prayed for didn't come true," Scott Slusher told his mom, "but the miracle did come true for that little girl."

It took one life to save another. Don't ask me why, but I firmly believe things happen for a reason.

Another thing I'll never forget is when Dan Quisenberry was asked if he ever asked God "Why me?" about his cancer was quoted, "No, why NOT me?"

Just my thoughts. Sorry if it comes off as preaching.

CoachMay; I commend you for your honesty!! There are probably times when we all get caught up in a game and say something that we sort of regret later on after thinking about it a bit. Especially after seeing how short life can be sometimes, it helps us all put things into perspective.

I know I've done the same thing during a game when my son has a bad plate appearance, even though he went 2 for 2 earlier in the game. It just happens.

Hug them while you can folks!!

Thanks for those random thoughts which really aren't so random. They are upper most in my mind. Not only do I not want to remember and pray for them right now, I NEVER want them to forget them, for I NEVER EVER want to take anyone or anything for granted, ever.

I've been throwing myself a "pity party" for the things that my family has been faced with lately. Nope, not any more. My "pity party" has suddenly turned into a "grateful gathering" for all of my blessings.

And I count you all in those blessings, for you have all changed my life--and for that I am very grateful.

Annette

,
Thanks TPM...

Bears well to remember to Cherish EVERY minute, the good, the bad, the ugly...

Every breath.

NOTHING is guararnteed.

Finish your time here, long or short knowing that you cherished every minute, that you provided unconditional care, and support for everyone you have come into contact with. In the end those chains of love and compassion that you start are all that you truly leave.

44.
.

quote:

Originally posted by TRhit:
Does anybody get the feeling that the "BIG GUY IN THE SKY" is ticked off about something ?

And what exactly you are implying?

quote:

Originally posted by FrankF:
By TR:

[QUOTE]

A quote in the article about the TX player who was killed:

"The miracle we prayed for didn't come true," Scott Slusher told his mom, "but the miracle did come true for that little girl."

44,

Another fabulous post.

Thank you.

I honestly believe that God is in controll. Who are we to question him? Human. Thats what we are. Fragile little creatures that believe we are going to live forever and it always happens to someone else. Maybe this is Gods way of telling us that it can happen to us and we are indeed fragile. And we need to appreciate life and all its blessings. And we need to cherish what he has loaned us. The most important things in our lives. Our children our family and our friends. Baseball is not life. Baseball is a game. Times like this teach us important lessons. Ones that I need to learn to remember and not forget six months down the road like I always do.

quote:

If the "Big Guy" is trying to tell us something, maybe it is that ALL of these kids are OUR kids.

A little piece of me was taken today. I truly am affected when any tragedy happens in HS or a college, but for some reason when this baseball team was dealt this blow I got a sick feeling in my stomach that I hadn't felt before. There are obviously immediate families involved, but since my son has been in college I have seen a different "family bond" that develops within a team. This is a tragedy that will be felt throughout the college baseball community.

As parents I think it is important to address this somehow with all our kids that life is short and to enjoy every opportunity given to you. As a parent of a college player I'm going to let it go until Monday when my sons team gets done with their travel and get back home, safe. I thought 6 straight weeks of travel was a lot of excess pressure on and off the field to begin with, but now I don't know what to say. And we worry about metal bats........... I know this is a "knee-jerk" reaction, but it is something where we should count our blessings

I do know what teams ball cap I'm buying and wearing for the summer. GO Bluffton U

quote:

Originally posted by Coach May:
I honestly believe that God is in controll. Who are we to question him? Human. Thats what we are. Fragile little creatures that believe we are going to live forever and it always happens to someone else. Maybe this is Gods way of telling us that it can happen to us and we are indeed fragile. And we need to appreciate life and all its blessings. And we need to cherish what he has loaned us. The most important things in our lives. Our children our family and our friends. Baseball is not life. Baseball is a game. Times like this teach us important lessons. Ones that I need to learn to remember and not forget six months down the road like I always do.

Texan

All too many weird things going on---something has ticked off the BIG GUY and we are being sent a message---and this come from my thoughts and I am not a very religious person

If anyone thinks God killed these young persons, they are sadly mistaken.

Following is something I sent to a friend on this board, after one of her son's good friends died.

>>>>
It is difficult to answer the "why"? And certainly that is a struggle depicted in the book of Job.

I have lost loved ones & friends to cancer. Have seen someone struggle with the loss of a child. I don't know how those without God in their lives survive.
...
This world was thrown out of kilter, out of God's plan, back with Adam & Eve. And since then, bad things happen. And sometimes they happen to good people.

Something bad happening surely does not mean that someone did something to bring that bad upon themselves.

Since the Good Lord gave us free will, he will not keep every bad thing from happening. Otherwise we would be robots not humans.

So bad things do occur. That doesn't mean that it was God's plan or that He caused it. It is never God's plan for bad things to happen. Yet God can make something good come from any situation if we let Him.

We may or may not personally see that good. It is comforting when we do see it. But sometimes the good is beyond our sight, or beyond our time. We just have to remember that the fact that we don't see the good does not mean good did not occur.

And for those who are believers, leaving this earthly existence is not a bad thing. Rather, going to God's presence is the best thing that can happen. It is those of us left behind who have the pain of parting and the sense of loss. Yet if we also are believers, we can be comforted by the fact that soon we will see our loved ones again.
<<<<<<<<

God may well work some good through these various tragedies. Perhaps some of that good may be waking some of us up. But He did not intentionally submit young people to a violent frightening death in a tornado, nor to being crushed by a bus, nor to a freak accident, just to "send a message."

TEXAN

That is not what I said---learn how to read and not be blinded by your thoughts---what I said is that something has HIM ticked off to allow these things to happen--look at the past 18 months or so--natural disasters---storms---needless deaths--


I leave it at that---you can think as you wish as you usually do---not for nothing but I have been counted out 8 times in my life---given up for dead and I am still here---there is a reason why things happen--yes good may come from the events but there is a reason why HE does what he does


AMEN and I am gone

Texan - this is not the time or the place to call someone out imho. Everyone deals with tragedies in a different way and express ideas in different ways. I ask in the name of decency to let this one go.

As a side note, I think you are an intelligent and thoughtful poster who is hard to beat in a debate. Please sometimes consider responding to the topics at hand rather than being the first to criticize someone else's point of view. Thank you.

CD is right. Let's pull together and direct all of our energy in a positive direction to help all of the people who have been lost or harmed recently.

Think about it...TR and Texan, along with the rest of us, obviously want the best outcome possible to occur following these sad and unfortunate events.

That's all that matters now.

Surely no time to argue, but my spiritual beliefs are like Texan's.

I've reminded myself a lot lately that my two sons are healthy, safe, getting their education (ever so slowly in one case), and playing a game they love at the college level. Being hopeful or wishful for absolutely anything beyond that pile of blessings in my book would be greedy on my part, and horrendous tragedies like these only remind us to count our blessings like the song says, one by one.

In Pennsylvania a few years ago, a plane crash on interstate took a life and blocked the road. Because the road was blocked, a small plane encountering severe engine trouble was able to land, saving 4 lives. The headline in the local paper the next day read, "When God Closes A Highway, He Opens a Runway".

I hope and pray there's a runway at the end of these tragedies somehow. Prayers for all in such terrrible terible times.

Well said hokieone. I'm with you.

Many, many here share Texan's beliefs.

And others don't.

It's that simple.

CD, in times like these, as you know people often seek (consciously or subconsciously) to know more about God.

And when they read or hear that God "is ticked off about something" and "something has ticked off the BIG GUY and we are being sent a message", then many people will read these statements to mean that God has caused this to happen. Which is, in fact, what those statements imply - regardless of the writer's intent (and I am not calling into question the writer's intent).

And as people are seeking to know more about God or find comfort from Him, they don't need to be led to believe that God intentionally put young people through horrible deaths. Which again is a logical conclusion if you believe that "something has ticked off the BIG GUY and we are being sent a message".

There are times when silence is assent.

I do appreciate the meaning of this thread.

If some feel that my response is not appropriate to the thread, then I wish that was not the case. But I feel that someone stating "something has ticked off the BIG GUY and we are being sent a message" was far more inappropriate. And I felt it extremely important to provide another perspective as counterbalance. This was the reason I responded. I was not arguing for the sake of an argument. The intent was not to "call out", as evidenced by the fact that I did not address the author nor even include his name in my post.

Enough said.

May the Good Lord's comfort be on those who are affected by this tragedy, and His healing on those who were injured.

That, also, was very well said Texan.

I too lean in the same direction as Texan ... and I honestly believe that God got pretty upset with us a long long time ago when free will was used to defy His instruction. But I believe that He has remedied that through His Son, and for that I am thankful.

The young people that have been injured and killed and threatened the past week makes me get on my knees in thanksgiving that God has spared our son and other loved young ones from such tragedy. At the same time, I pray that God will make known His plan, will, and purpose (in allowing these tragedies) to the families and communities impacted by these events.

My intention for starting this topic was not to talk about our individual religious beliefs.

The purpose was to sit back and think about all the silly things we stress about day to day, there are those in the world today that have REAL problems.

Thanks.

TPM, thanks for posting this. I think what we have here is very decent people who (even not directly connected) are hurting for what has transpired. My answers are to be thankful and look above for guidance....others may need to lay blame...others may just need to vent.

Events like we have seen have never been broadcast coast to coast like they are now. Coping with all this is difficult for all. Remember watching the towers fall LIVE on TV. I will never be the same.

Instant communication with LIVE feeds, etc is not always a good thing....IMHO....but I wouldnt change a thing.

I never considered myself a religious man, at least until a few years ago when a personal crisis caused me to reflect. I looked back on my life and realized I had gone astray, that I had blamed everyone but myself for the sorrow I was enduring. I realized selfishness was causing me to concentrate on my own suffering rather than that of others.

I wrote a poem that sums up my feelings then.

So Sad.
Silent river flowing past it's edge
to the Sea
Carry my dreams away, to be lost in another day
I hurt deep. Deep. So Sad.

Don't blame God for tragedy. There is evil in the world, and it affects us all. Take responsibility and enjoy your family while you can. Mourn for this world. Through suffering comes salvation and grace. We cannot explain why these tragic events occured. All we can do is pray for their souls.