JARED'S HOME RUN!

JARED IS GOING TO BE 11 YEARS OLD SOON, AND HE JUST HIT HIS FIRST HOME RUN! HE IS THE BEST BASEBALL PLAYER EVER, AND HAS BEEN EVER SINCE HE PLAYED T-BALL WHEN HE WAS 5. FROM THE VERY FIRST DAY, BOBBIE JO WAS THERE WITH HIM, MAKING SURE HE AND ALL THE OTHER TEAM MEMBERS HAD EVERYTHINGTHEY NEEDED. SHE BAKED COOKIES, BROUGHT DRINKS, AND MOST ESPECIALLY, MADE FABULOUS BANNERS FOR EACH TEAM THAT JARED WAS ON. SHE WORKED FOR WEEKS ON THOSE BANNERS, TURNING THE HOUSE UPSIDE DOWN, WITH FABRIC, GLUE, GLITTER,AND FELT EVERYWHERE, ALL OVER THE KITCHEN TABLE, THE COFFEE TABLE AND EVEN THE WHOLE LIVING ROOM FLOOR. I KNEW THAT WHEN A NEW SEASON STARTED, MY HOUSE WOULD BE A BANNER FACTORY. BUT, THE EFFORT WAS WORTH IT, AS THE BANNERS WERE SO BEAUTIFUL. BOBBIE JO ALWAYS WORRIED THAT THE BOYS NEEDED SNACKS AND WATER, BUT MOST OF ALL, SHE BROUGHT ICED TOWELS FOR THEM TO STAY COOL WITH. ON THE HOTTEST DAYS, THE BOYS COULD JUST REACH OVER AND SQUEEZE OUT A TOWEL SOAKED IN ICE WATER AND COOL OFF. I KNOW THAT SOME OF THE OTHER TEAMS WISH THEY HAD THOUGHT OF THAT. ON MORE THAN ONE OCCASION, AN UMPIRE FELT THE BENEFIT OF BOBBIE JO'S THOUGHTFULLNESS. WHEN SHE MADE SNACKS, SHE MADE ENOUGH FOR EVERYONE, ALL OF THE BROTHERS AND SISTERS OF THE TEAM MEMBERS AND ALL OF THE PARENTS AND COACHES. SHE LOVED COOKING FOR THEM, AND SHOWING OFF HER TALENTS. WHEN JARED WAS GETTING OLDER, BOBBIE JO WOULD STAY OUT IN THE BACK YARD FOR HOURS, PRACTICING WITH HIM. HE SHOWED GREAT TALENT FROM EARLY ON, AND SHE WANTED TO HELP HIM DEVELOP IT. I THINK HIS CONFIDENCE COMES FROM ALL THE TIME HIS MAMA STOOD AT THE FENCE AT THE GAMES AND CHEERED HIM ON. JARED'S DAD HAS ALWAYS BEEN A COACH FOR HIM. HE HAD TAKEN GREAT CARE TO MAKE SURE THAT JARED HAS BEEN PROPERLY TRAINED. IN GOOD WEATHER OR RAINEY, HOT OR COLD, DAY OR NIGHT, IF JARED WAS PLAYING, HIS PARENTS WERE THERE TO CHEER HIM ON. IT IS A TRIBUTE TO BOTH OF THEM THAT THEY TOOK THE TIME TO DO THIS OVER EVERYTHING ELSE. HE IS PLAYING SELECT BALL NOW, AND THAT IS VERY DIFFICULT. THE TEAM MEMBERS ARE ALL GOOD, AND IT TAKES A LOT TO MAKE THE GRADE ON THIS PARTICULAR SELECT TEAM. DURING THE SPRING, BOBBIE JO DIED, LEAVING A HUGE HOLE IN THE FABRIC OF THE TEAM FAMILY. HE MAJOR CONCERN WAS THAT SHE COULD NOT GO TO THE GAMES WHILE SHE WAS SICK. SHE ALWAYS ASKED IF JARED UNDERSTOOD WHY SHE COULD NOT BE THERE AND ALWAYS PRAYED THAT HE WOULD DO WELL. THE TEAM LOVES HER SO MUCH AND THEY ALL WEAR LITTLE ANGELS ON THIER HATS TO REMEMBER HER BY. SO YOU CAN IMAGINE THE EXCITEMENT WHEN, TO EVERYONE'S JOY AND EXCITEMENT, JARED SLAMMED A BALL OVER THE FENCE TO HIT HIS FIRST HOME RUN. PEOPLE WERE SCREAMING AND JUMPING UP AND DOWN, AND NOT A FEW HAD TEARS BECAUSE BOBBIE JO WAS NOT IN THE STANDS TO SEE IT. BUT I KNOW DIFFERENTLY- SHE WAS THERE! AS A MATTER OF FACT, I THINK SHE SHOVED THE BALL OVER THE FENCE! SHE IS SO CLOSE TO ME AND TO ALL OF US, AND THE OTHER DAY, SHE APPEARED TO SISSY IN A DREAM. SHE WAS SO HAPPY, AND GLAD TO SEE SISSY, AND TOLD SISSY THAT SHE WAS VERY BUSY AND TEACHING THE GOSPEL. SHE ALSO SAID THAT SHE WAS SO GLAD TO HAVE HER FAMILY, AND THE MOST IMPORTANT THING WAS TO KNOW THAT SHE IS NOT DEAD, SHE DID NOT DIE. IT IS COMFORTING TO KNOW THAT SHE DOES LIVE, BUT WE DO MISS HER HERE. YES, JARED HIT A HOMERUN, AND HIS MOM WAS THERE. SHE IS NOT DEAD. WHEN SHE PASSED AWAY, I WAS SO ANGRY AT MYSELF BECAUSE I SO COCKILY SAID AT THE BEGINNING OF THIS BLOG "SHE WILL NOT DIE!" I THOUGHT THAT FUND RAISERS, RIBBONS AND BRACELETS WOULD HELP ALL OF US BAND TOGETHER WITH FAITH AND PRAYERS TO KEEP HER HERE WITH US. I DID NOT TAKE INTO ACCOUNT THE LORD'S WILL- OR EVEN BOBBIE JO'S. SHE DID NOT WANT TO LEAVE US, BUT I THINK THE TIME CAME WHEN SHE REALIZED THAT SHE HAD MORE TO DO ON THE OTHER SIDE. RIGHT NOW, WHEN I SEE A "SUPPORT RIBBON" I FEEL ANGRY. ANGRY AT MYSELF, AT CANCER AND AT THE CRUELTIES OF LIFE. I HOPE THAT CHANGES. THERE IS NO ROOM IN MY HEART FOR ANGER- IT HAS BEEN THREE MONTHS SINCE SHE LEFT US, AND I THINK IT IS FUNNY THAT THE ANGER IS SETTING IN NOW. I KNOW IT WILL PASS. THE LIGHT OF CHRIST WILL SHINE STRONGER THAN THE ANGER. WE WILL ALL BE BOBBIE JO TO JARED. IT TAKES ALL OF US TO FILL HER SHOES, BUT WE WILL ALWAYS DO OUR BEST. LIFE IS GOOD! LOVE, NANASEE