“Live your truth. Express your love. Share your enthusiasm. Take action towards your dreams. Walk your talk. Dance and sing to your music. Embrace your blessings. Make today worth remembering...” ― Steve Maraboli

Haloes! :)

“Live your truth. Express your love. Share your enthusiasm. Take action towards your dreams. Walk your talk. Dance and sing to your music. Embrace your blessings. Make today worth remembering...” ― Steve Maraboli

James 1:12

“Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him…”

Psalm 24:5

“He shall receive a blessing from the LORD And righteousness from the God of his salvation…”

Hierdie volgende epos wat ek ontvang het, het my in trane gehad en het my hart diep aangeraak (Maak regtig tyd om hierdie te lees - dit gaan verseker vir jou iets beteken)...  

At a fundraising dinner for a school that serves children with learning disabilities, the father of one of the students delivered a speech that would never be forgotten by all who attended. After extolling the school and its dedicated staff, he offered a question:

'When not interfered with by outside influences, everything nature does, is done with perfection.  Yet my son, Shay, cannot learn things as other children do. He cannot understand things as other children do.  Where is the natural order of things in my son?'

The audience was stilled by the query.   The father continued. 'I believe that when a child like Shay, who was mentally and physically disabled comes into the world, an opportunity to realize true human nature presents itself, and it comes in the way other people treat that child.'

Then he told the following story: Shay and I had walked past a park where some boys Shay knew were playing baseball. Shay asked, 'Do you think they'll let me play?' I knew that most of the boys would not want someone like Shay on their team, but as a fatherIalso understood that if my son were allowed to play, it would give him a much-needed sense of belonging and some confidence to be accepted by others in spite of his handicaps. I approached one of the boys on the field and asked (not expecting much) if Shay could play. The boy looked around for guidance and said, 'We're losing by six runs and the game is in the eighth inning. I guess he can be on our team and we'll try to put him in to bat in the ninth inning.'  Shay struggled over to the team's bench and, with a broad smile, put on a team shirt. I watched with a small tear in my eye and warmth in my heart. The boys saw my joy at my son being accepted.

In the bottom of the eighth inning, Shay's team scored a few runs but was still behind by three. In the top of the ninth inning, Shay put on a glove and played in the right field. Even though no hits came his way, he was obviously ecstatic just to be in the game and on the field, grinning from ear to ear as I waved to him from the stands.  In the bottom of the ninth inning, Shay's team scored again. Now, with two outs and the bases loaded, the potential winning run was on base and Shay was scheduled to be next at bat.

At this juncture, do the others let Shay bat and give away their chance to win the game?  Surprisingly, Shay was given the bat. Everyone knew that a hit was all but impossible because Shay didn't even know how to hold the bat properly, much less connect with the ball.  However, as Shay stepped up to the plate, the pitcher, recognizing that the other team was putting winning aside for this moment in Shay's life, moved in a few steps to lob the ball in softly so Shay could at least make contact.  The first pitch came and Shay swung clumsily and missed.  The pitcher again took a few steps forward to toss the ball softly towards Shay.  As the pitch came in, Shay swung at the ball and hit a slow ground ball right back to the pitcher.  The game would now be over.  The pitcher picked up the soft grounder and could have easily thrown the ball to the first baseman.  Shay would have been out and that would have been the end of the game.  Instead, the pitcher threw the ball right over the first baseman's head, out of reach of all team mates. Everyone from the stands and both teams started yelling, 'Shay, run to first!  Run to first!' Never in his life had Shay ever run that far, but he made it to first base.  He scampered down the baseline, wide-eyed and startled.  Everyone yelled, 'Run to second, run to second!'

Catching his breath, Shay awkwardly ran towards second, gleaming and struggling to make it to the base.  By the time Shay rounded towards second base, the right fielder had the ball. The smallest guy on their team who now had his first chance to be the hero for his team.  He could have thrown the ball to the second-baseman for the tag, but he understood the pitcher's intentions so he, too, intentionally threw the ball high and far over the third-baseman's head.

Shay ran toward third base deliriously as the runners ahead of him circled the bases toward home.  All were screaming, 'Shay, Shay, Shay, all the Way Shay'  Shay reached third base because the opposing shortstop ran to help him by turning him in the direction of third base, and shouted, 'Run to third!  Shay, run to third!'  As Shay rounded third, the boys from both teams, and the spectators, were on their feet screaming, 'Shay, run home! Run home!' Shay ran to home, stepped on the plate, and was cheered as the hero who hit the grand slam and won the game for his team 'That day', said the father softly with tears now rolling down his face, 'the boys from both teams helped bring a piece of true love and humanity into this world'.  Shay didn't make it to another summer. He died that winter, having never forgotten being the hero and making me so happy, and coming home and seeing his Mother tearfully embrace her little hero of the day !

Ek weet nie of jy ook toe jy jonk was speletjies gespeel het waar die groep in spanne moes verdeel nie?  Ek onthou dat daar dan gewoonlik 2 leiers aangewys word, wat dan beurtelings hul spanne moet kies…  Meeste van die tyd, sal die leier sy beste maat eerste kies, of die persoon wat die grootste voordeel vir die span sal kan inhou (atleties; goeie "ball sense" ens)…  Daar is dan ook altyd iemand wat laaste oorgebly het en dan moet die leier wat tweede gekies het, die oorblywende persoon aanvaar in sy/haar span…  Watse groot voorreg is dit dan nou nie om vandag vir jou te kan sê, dat TEN SPYTE van ons swakhede – vorm ons steeds deel uit van Christus se span…  HY kies vir jou en my, NES ons is,om Sy span te verteenwoordig… God sorg ook altyd dat ons die "balle kan face" wat ons kant toe kom,  Hy sorg dat dit onderarm gegooi word, of dat sekere van die "veldwerkers" miss-field wanneer ons slaan - vir ons om seen uit die situasie te ontvang...   God seën ons met sekere dinge en mense, op sekere tye (of gedurende sekere seisoene in ons lewens)... Al wat Hy van ons vra, is om geduldig te wag – vir die regte tyd…  Miskien is jy al OP gewag, omdat die regte deure net nie wil oop nie…  God, as Bewaarder en Beskermer van jou lewe – sal defnitief nie LAAT wees om Sy beloftes vir jou lewe na te kom nie…  Soos Hy vir Shay ‘n dag gegee het om te SHINE, om as't ware die HERO van die dag te wees, sal Hy sorg dat jy sal SHINE op die REGTE tyd…  God sorg dat elkeen kry wat hom toekom...  Miskien nie wanneer jy dit wil hê nie, maar God sorg dat jy dit sal ontvang WANNEER jy dit nodig het...  Mag Jesus jou waarlik seën vandag…  Mag jou probleme verander in geleenthede, jou hartseer in blydskap en mag jy God loof vir ALLES wat jy dalk as vanselfsprekend aanvaar…

Blessings!

Anelli**