No "i" in team

Hey friends,
Well...I have just spent the last week being a part of something very very cool and exciting.
My son, Tyler, plays on a travel baseball team. They played over 60 games this Spring and Summer and earned a chance to play in the 9 yr old World Series in Kansas City MO. There were 37 teams from across the country that were invited to play in this tourney. We were so excited about going but also realized that we may be good in West Tennessee but maybe not so good compared to others across the nation.....you just never know. Anyway, we got ourselves ready to hit the road and just knew that we would have fun regardless and hope to walk away with an experience that they would remember forever!!

We got to Kansas City and participated in opening ceremonies last Sunday night......OH MY GOSH!! This was a sight to be seen. We felt like we were straight out of Major League Baseball. Not because we were so good, but because it was just so cool and they made the kids seem so important. They had skills competitions and home run derby and all sorts of neat stuff going on that night too.....i must say that Tyler did win one of the competitions and we were ever so proud. But.....at that point, i begin to think about the importance of needing everyone on a team....no matter your skill or your award. I began to think about how different these 12 kids are on his team. And as time went by, I began to think about how different all of us parents and families are. And as more time went by, I began to see just how different our big team was....kids, siblings, families, coaches, players, etc. You put us all together in a hotel for 7 nights and you really learn a lot about all these people. We laughed, cheered, ate, swam, played, traveled, and cried together. We are all so very different, but also very much the same.

I could see that our team played well because every single kid was needed.....one persons weakness was another ones strength. The kids stayed focused and listened to their coaches. And when anyone was down in the dugout.....another child or two would pick that other kid up and encourage them. We as parents did the same thing.....when we could see another parent down, we would encourage and pick them up. Not everyone can make the perfect play or the perfect "at bat." We are not perfect people. Instead of looking at another person and criticizing them or getting frustrated if they aren't "performing" the way we think they should or can.....we need to encourage them and pick them up. A team does just that.....no team can function well when we don't appreciate and recognize strengths and weaknesses. We need to embrace our gifts, but also encourage one another when we feel tired, worn out, or defeated. We cheered so hard and so loud for our kids this past week. Even though we are so different in so many ways....there was one thing in common.....our kids and our love for them.

Even in church, we are all so different and gifted in many different ways. We all have the common thread of Jesus in our hearts. He will keep us connected, on the same team, and encouraging us as we travel down the road of life.

We cannot function only thinking of ourselves.....we have to keep focused on the team we are on and who we play for. We must realize that noone is perfect and when someone falls, we should pick them up in love. We should cheer each other on keep focused on our Coach at all times.

I'm glad to be on your team, His team, our team!! There is no "i" on this team.
We are in it together!!!