I, along with so many others in our community, are cheering on the Seattle Mariners, even though they are over 3000 miles away from our mountain home in North Carolina. Why? Because Cal Raleigh is our home town player!

Cal was born in Jackson County, North Carolina. He attended Smoky Mountain High School where I taught, and his mother was my co-worker. His father is the former head baseball coach at Western Carolina University located down the road in Cullowhee. We are all SO proud of Cal!

My husband Phil, a life long baseball fan, has been a bit disconcerted with my avid interest in baseball lately. We have visited 19 of the 30 major league baseball parks over the almost 50 years of our marriage, but my personal interest in baseball has been nominal at best. Then Cal was drafted by the Mariners. That changed everything.

Cal was a part of our Fellowship of Christian Athletes leadership team (along with his sister, Emma) at Smoky Mountain High School of which I was a faculty sponsor. Cal had his senior prom pictures taken in our yard (because of our vintage barn and rock walls). He was, and is, a fine young man and we are proud of his recent accomplishments and are cheering him and the team on in this run to the World Series.

My friends Carol and Alice Marie and I text each other during Mariner games and our college friends on the west coast are cheering for the Mariners as well. We have recruited fans!!! Carol and I attended Seattle Pacific University so we have dear friends in the Seattle area. I have NEVER watched baseball games this closely since our son Benjamin played Little League.

I have been listening to interviews with the players and a reoccurring theme post-season voiced by Cal, a team leader, and other Mariners players is – Stick to the Plan.

The pressure during playoff games is incredible. They face the reality of “win or go home”. There may be two outs, two on base, and a full count … what pressure at that moment!!! and then they say – “stick to the plan.” The ultimate plan is to win the World Series and each player has a role to play to get to that victory.

Stick to the Plan – sounds easy doesn’t it? Yet when the pressure is on, in a game and in life, it is difficult to stick to the plan when you feel like reaching the goal is all up to YOU. The key appears to be understanding your role, doing your very best to fulfill that role, and leaving the rest to the team.

For years Phil has drawn parallels between sports and our spiritual life in his teaching and preaching. So I am following his lead. I see a clear connection between “stick to the plan” and facing pressure spiritually.

• know the plan – Matthew 22: 37-39 “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?” 37 Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ 38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’
• know my part in the plan – I John 4:7-8 ⁷ Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. ⁸ Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.

• stick to the plan – don’t get distracted Hebrews 12:1-3 Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us. ² We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith. Because of the joy awaiting him, he endured the cross, disregarding its shame. Now he is seated in the place of honor beside God’s throne. ³ Think of all the hostility he endured from sinful people; then you won’t become weary and give up.

Love the Lord our God

Love our neighbors

Fix our eyes on Jesus – the One who initiates and perfects our faith.

By God’s grace may we Stick to the Plan