Bottom of the Ninth #17 - A Message from Mom

by Kay Walters (Levi Walters' Grandmother)

In the Spring of 1974, I had four sons ages 8-11, each on different baseball teams.  I was a full time teacher and doing my best to be super mom.

Microwave ovens were not standard equipment in most kitchens at that time, but, I splurged thinking it was a necessity in ours. Meal planning, shopping, cooking and washing pots and pans for every meal was certainly enough work even with everyone pitching in to help; but reheating meals for 3 or 4 who had practice, games or other activities added even more work to a limited number of evening hours already full of homework (theirs and mine) and other commitments.

Our crock pot also got a good workout, when it wasn't cooking for us, it was making sloppy joe mix for one or other concession stand; of course the boys weren't all playing at the same complex. This necessitated my husband and I going from field to field often missing some or all of many games.

We had not been in this community very long, but had made friends with some neighbors, school families and others with children in sports or other shared activities.  One afternoon I met a neighbor in the grocery store, she was our children's piano teacher and we had talked on the phone several times and her son had been in our home with whichever of our children was the same age.  She commented that she had wondered how tall I was because she only saw me from the shoulders up as I passed by their home chauffeuring children.

With illnesses, injuries and other challenges that we faced, my husband and I often were praying, begging and remembering Christ's promise to be with us always.  We half jokingly used to say "give your worries to God, he'll be up all night anyway." 

"Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God...cast all of your anxiety on Him, for he cares for you." Peter 5:7

Like most parents, I learned parenting from my parents, outside of the bible, there's sure no owner's manual or instruction book for raising kids!  My mother was what was then called a house wife, now the politically correct term is "stay at home mom."  Dad worked 6 or 7 day weeks and was on call 24/7.  He had a 2 week vacation during the summer when we would drive to California in our non-air conditioned car to visit family or they would come to visit us.

Mom lived the epitome of a Christ centered life. Everything she did was an unselfish act for God and His people.  She started her day by unlocking our church every morning for early Mass.  Along with taking care of us, she helped her widowed father and disabled brother in addition to making cookies and planning monthly parties for the mentally ill patients in a hospital close to our home.  There were many other examples of her accomplishments done in her quiet way. 

"Become from the heart a pattern to the flock."  Peter 5:3

Baseball and the challenges of sport and the schedules we keep as players, super moms and super dads, even super grandparents prepares us and gives us opportunity to become better players better parents and better stewards of Jesus' great commission.

"Go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and of the Holy Spirit and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you." - Matthew 28:19-20

We all learn best from example, the example of parents, teachers, coaches and peers, but most especially from Jesus.  Christ showed His love for us by dying on the cross for our sins, He asks us to live in His word and take Him to the world.  Sometimes this requires words, but often the most successful preaching is the example we set for the world to follow.  Play hard, glorify Him in all that you do and play humbly.