Well our Fall 2013 Sandlot season is in full SWING and again it is awesome. We are blessed with 84 athletes and their families and are finally working in Kid pitching and catching. This season like the five before it continue to amaze me with the mature and incredible sportsmanship of all of our kids. The support of each one of them to their fellow teammates is such a privilege to be a part off.

Along with the on field stories the " off the field " stories are incredible. Last Tuesday I took my dad to have his 7th hearth procedure and all of the facebook comments and emails with prayers and concerns were very special. Right after I got Dad home it was time for me to take my mother to her eye dr and in between stations my mother and I were sitting in a waiting area and I plopped down in between two elderly ladies and the conversations started flowing. The lady to my right was a 63 year old spunky woman who said she hailed from Alabama and right from the start you knew her position as a strong Christian woman. She mentioned that she came to NC with her husband to see her in laws and then she lent her car to her brother in law who brought only half of it back. Yep, he got in an accident. There stay was lengthened and once they returned to Alabama they discovered that their house had burned to the ground so they opted to move to Greensboro NC. After asking her if she had kids she mentione she had three and then pulled out two pictures that had been laminated and showed of aging in her purse for  two years. On these pictures were born dates and dates of passing. I immediately saw this and asked her   about the passing dates. She told me it was a picture of her daughter and granddaughter  and that the granddaughter had died two weeks before her daughter and both of medical issues.

This lady I had just met had showed me two pictures of such a heart felt moment, tragic yet heartfelt. She mentioned that she sat at her daughters bedside and told her she knew that her daughter wanted to go and be with her granddaughter but her daughter didnt want to leave her mother here on earth. She told her daughter that she would be ok and God would , as always be with her until she joined her in heaven. I have met people before with a strong faith but the glow around this woman was so bright and her heart to full of love for our Lord that it was noticed by everyone listening in the room.

She then told me about a story of her daughter a week before in the hospital with her machines going hay wire and she prayed to God that HE work his love on her daughter and once she said Amen the machines and her daughters vitals came back to normal. This lady was so happy that she danced around and thanked God for his power and love, she got into her car and drive down Wendover still rejoicing to the Lord. She said she had one hand on the stearing wheel and one out of the car window in praise and then she would switch hands. She looked in her rear view window and noticed the blue lights of a police officer who saw her antics ( to him ) praise to us. She promptly told him she didnt drink or do drugs and that she was praising the Lord for hearing her prayers. The officer still gave her a ticket and while telling the story said ' I got a ticket for being happy " . I asked her if God took care of it in court and she said it was dismissed.

There in a waiting room of a drs office I was blessed to meet such a wonderful woman who had the total love of Christ in her heart and it was a pleasure to myself , my mother and all who heard her story that afternoon.

God places people in our lives to remind us that He is always there when we seek him or not, through happiness and tragedy that if we stay true in our beliefs he will get us through it.

Sandlot has been that reminder for me every season through our families and all of their stories and support. It has strengthened my beliefs and my families and I invite all who read this to be a part of his awesome guidance. Our journey has been the hardest of my life to this point but also the most wonderful. Since I have meet this wonderful woman it is ANOTHER story to remind me that no matter what happens or does not happen with our journey that there is always someone else who has it worse or has had it worse and that person still praises Gods love in all situations. Something I can absolutely work on. I hope it assists anyone reading this.

Please keep all of our families in your prayers that they may find God gifts in them and to use them whenever they can . The One Project - Using at least one of Gods Gifts to help your community.

Much Love to you all,

Coach Mike