For Whom Do you Play?

Yesterday I stopped by Billy Coffey's place and there I found exactly what I am used to, a big ole heart, a faith-tainted view, and a story that speaks volumes beyond the printed word. This time he wrote about Albert Pujols, a baseball player for the St. Louis Cardinals, who, in Billy's words, is "A good one. So good, in fact, that at the tender age of thirty-one, he's already considered among the best to ever play the game." And as sometimes happens when I read Billy's work, a connection was formed. But this time it was different. This time it was as if I already had met his words in another place. This odd sensation wriggled around and around, until quite frankly, I had to know why.


Finally, after digging through last summer's images, I discovered my reason for the insistent familiarity. Two photographs. 


For me, photography isn't just about seeing what or who I've caught in my camera's crossfire, it's about feeling & smelling & tasting & hearing. And knowing. Knowing that my God, the God of the universe, made not only me, but all of this for His good pleasure.


In response to Billy's story, I knew what to do with the images. 


I had to share... 
the sound of cleats grinding into dirt, 
the smell of buttered popcorn ,
the joy of stolen bases ,
stained t-shirt from dripping hot dogs ,
& bleachers erupting in screams of home-run delight. 


But I also had to ask the obvious question resulting from the merger of Billy's story and my images, "For Whom Do You Play?"

Swing the bat-
crack!


Saddle the horse-
ride!


Launch the kite-
fly!


Run the race-
Run the race-
but why?

Let us run with endurance the race 

that is set before us! 

Looking unto Jesus, 

the author and finisher of our faith!

* the last poem stanza is Hebrews 12:1-2 (NKJV); I added the exclamation punctuation

* both photographs taken by me, A Simple Country Girl; August 2010

* you may click on the images for a better view

Thanks mister Billy, for always inspiring.

Always inspiring.