The Reign Continues

My most recent memories of watching a baseball game include equally cold feet and pilsner, mobs of fans, a promise of future world series tickets for three, the final out in the Tigers only world series win, and a meditative flight home to Los Angeles after a last minute trip to Michigan. And with the first pitch of this season we celebrate not only a new season, filled with high expectations, but we also celebrate the continuing of the movement of life since the last pitch of 2006.

Life has changed since last October.

Things continue to happen. Tears have fallen. Laughs have communicated. Opportunities over the past months have arisen for all. Some have been realized and some have not. Wine has been swallowed. As has water. Love has become more tangible, more real. Love has never felt so far away. The Kingdom has continued to extend through a complex network of communities that vigorously represent the transcendent desire to engage the "priestly" calling of election. Some have been hurt. Some have been healed. Leaders have risen. Leaders have fallen. Relationships have grown deeper and relationships have grown shallow. Friends are coming, friends are going, friends are staying, and friends are leaving. Life has birthed not only out of the womb, but also out of death and death has come only in leading to a deeper sense of the finest realities of life. Decisions have been made. Prayers have risen. Conversations have happened. Words have been read. Words have been heard. Words have been spoken. The process of redemption has moved forward with an ever growing potential and momentum. And finally, "the reign" continues.

The first pitch came today, and I am thankful for the paradigm that baseball gives us to express the beauty of the connection through the past, the present and the future.