Oldest Sport Meets the Oldest Rules
Bob didn’t believe that Fred’s dog could talk. So Fred asked his dog, “What’s on top of a house?” “Roof,” the dog barked.
Bob wasn’t convinced. So Fred asked the dog how sandpaper feels. “Rough.”
He still wasn’t convinced. “O.K., who was the greatest baseball player of all time?” Fred asked the dog. “Ruth.”
With that, Bob walked away, shaking his head in disbelief. The dog turned to Fred and asked: Was it Hank Aaron?”
With spring training just around the corner – pitchers and catchers report February 9th – spring is coming with baseball for the 150th time.
Major League Baseball is the oldest of the major professional sports played in America and Canada with its genesis (pun intended) in 1876. Predating America’s pastime is something that was given to Moses at Mt. Sinai some 3500 years ago – The decalogue, better known as the Ten Commandments, including “Thou shall not steal” (Exodus 20:15) – We’re not talking about swiping bases. It’s amazing how God gave us life instructions to build and keep community, so long ago that are so vital to live our best lives in harmony with others. These commandments and their consequences are woven into every aspect of life and relationships including the morality and fairness of baseball. This reminds us that loving God and loving others (Ten Commandments distilled) will keep us in the game of life…
Challenge: Can you recite all 10?
Here’s to your best self…
Pastor Michael
- Groundhog Day, February 2, 2026
- Valentine’s Day, February 14, 2026
- Presidents Day, February 16, 2026
- Ash Wednesday, February 18, 2026
Spring Cleaning for the Soul
Ash Wednesday is February 18, 2026, and it marks the beginning of the 40 days of Lent. Lent hints of spring, a time when the earth begins to awaken from a winter’s nap, and new growth bursts forth all about us.
More personally, it is an opportunity to enter into a springtime for our spirit. For centuries Christians have used the 40 days of Lent to seek spiritual growth. Sincere repentance, a changing of heart, casting off old sinful practices and seeking to commune with our creator help us go in the right direction. Spending serious time in silence and prayer focuses our attention. Reading spiritual literature, becoming more knowledgeable about the New Testament, meeting in small groups with other Christians to share personal stories of faith can all be immensely stimulating. Joining with others to serve the helpless and hopeless can strengthen our spiritual life.
Lent is a time to let God do “spring cleaning” within us. It’s our opportunity to allow God to help us toss out the “stuff” that hinders us and then freshen up the “new creature” we are meant to be as followers of Christ.
Stop, Look and Listen
Why should we observe Lent?
We observe Lent because it causes us to STOP. Lent says, “Stop and rest awhile.” Lent says, “Stop doing wrong.”
We observe Lent because it tells us to LOOK. Look inward for an honest self-examination. Look upward to see the cross of Christ with healing and love. Look forward to the hope of the Resurrection.
We observe Lent because it tells us to LISTEN. Listen to the words of Christ. Listen to the voice of God. Listen to the winds of the Spirit of God.
Stop, look and listen. These three words are important for our safety in travel, but they may also be helpful for our journey through the days of Lent.
Shine without Wax
How sincere are you, really? How honest, dependable, and genuine? These are traits that shape our character and help others see Christ in us.
The word sincere comes from an old Latin phrase meaning “without wax.” In ancient Rome, potters sometimes used wax to hide cracks in flawed pottery. Buyers would hold each piece up to the sunlight to see if it was truly solid and not hiding any imperfections.
When we allow the light of Christ to shine through our lives, it reveals both our rough spots and our strengths. The good news is that Jesus never shames us for the cracks; he restores us. As his light works within us, we grow into people of integrity who are whole, authentic, and sincerely his.
The Love God Desires
God’s love is never meant to stop with us; it’s meant to flow through us. When we love others, we reflect his very heart. As 1 John 4:12 (NIV) reminds us, “If we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us.”
This is the true mark of a Christian — love that reaches beyond comfort zones, opinions and differences. Jesus said in John 13:35 (NIV), “By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”
The world is watching, not to see how loudly we profess our faith but how deeply we practice it. Every act of compassion, every gentle word and every moment of grace reveals something divine — God’s love at work in us. The more we give that love away, the more it grows within us, mirroring the heart of Christ, who gave Himself for all.
So ask yourself: Does the world recognize you as his disciple by the way you love?
A Taste of Loving-Kindness
A Sunday school teacher once asked her class, “What do you think the Bible means when it speaks of loving-kindness?” A young boy thought for a moment and replied, “Well, if I were hungry and someone gave me a piece of bread with butter on it, that would be kindness. But if they added a spoonful of jam, that would be loving-kindness.”
