All 7 of my frequent readers have probably noticed that I have dropped the blogging ball as of late.  It has been about 3 weeks since I’ve written anything of substance for Ream of Paper.  The reasons are many, though some of them are a lot more like excuses than reasons.

I am dreaming up some pretty significant changes to RoP.  Please be patient, as I will be posting less frequently while I prepare for the switch.

To follow up on last week’s post, Kendra, my friend’s 4 year-old granddaughter is doing well after receiving her new heart on Saturday night.  Thanks for your continued thoughts and prayers.

Ryan

On Thursday, Kendra was placed on a heart transplant list.  Last night at approximately 9 PM, her transplant surgery began!  It is a bitter-sweet answer to prayer when life is passed on to one family from another.  I am rejoicing for Kendra and her family, while I am gripped by a certain heaviness for the family that gave a hallowed gift.

Please continue to pray for her body to adjust and heal.

You know, I’ve been thinking a lot about prayer.  Specifically how, being raised Pentecostal, I’ve been taught to believe in miracles and in things like healing.  What is it that makes a person continue to pray? 

My apologies to my faithful readers.  I am not making excuses, I’ve simply run out of time to post a Friday blog this week.  The wife started a new job, our primary vehicle is acting funny, I’ve had a much heavier workload… it all adds up.

If you are the praying sort, please pray for my friend’s granddaughter, Kendra.  Kendra is a four year old little girl who was rushed to the hospital with some irregular heart activity.  She is currently awaiting a transplant.

Take nothing for granted.

Don’t get so excited.  Don’t get so intense.  That’s what I try to tell myself three nights a week around 5 p.m.  My wife reminds me after every game night, “It’s just ten-year-old baseball.”  The problem might be me.  I have a hard time thinking of any opportunity to play baseball with the word “just” describing the game.  Maybe t-ball, but probably not.  Technically speaking, I might be the teeniest bit too high-strung when it comes to baseball.

Little League Baseball is not as important as things like birth, marriage or a fulfilling career.  But then again, maybe Little League Baseball is a sort of happy preparation for the really important things in life.

crestwood thunder baseball

Last night our regular season came to an end with a victory against a great team.  Tournaments begin this weekend.  The ten-year-old team I’ve had the privilege to coach went 13-4.  Pretty good for a team that was thrown together on draft day

I watched a biography on Johnny Cash last night.  A series of frames showed Cash before a large outdoor crowd with his guitar crammed up into his right armpit.  He played with the crowd.

“I thank GOD for all the freedoms we’ve got in this country.  I cherish them.  Even the rights to burn the flag…”

At this point the crowd grows nervous.  There are some loud boo’s, but mostly silence…