We are in Charleston, SC! YAY! We are living in the cutest little
neighborhood. One where all of the old, brick houses are identical. One where your
neighbors sit on their front porch and wave to you as you walk by… every single
time. It is a place where you meet someone one time, and they remember your
name and everything about you when you see them at a game three days later… and
where literally all you ever do is sweat.
It has been fun to see so much of this side of the country
in just one short year since Jeffrey was drafted by the Yankees. What a blessed journey it has
been thus far!
Jeffrey has been playing for the Charleston RiverDogs since April,
while I have been in Corvallis finishing up school. We are so happy to be together
again, and to be saying goodbye to long-distance… at least for now.
The RiverDogs have had a successful season so far. Jeffrey
has been starting in centerfield as leadoff batter, although that has been put
on hold lately due to a couple of minor injuries. Over all, he has enjoyed the
season so far and the relationships he has developed with his teammates and
coaches.
Minor league baseball can be quite the grind… spending ten
hours/day at the field (EVERY SINGLE DAY), bus rides lasting up to 16 hours,
and eating basically the exact same thing over and over and over again.
You have to take everything one day at a time and learn that
planning is the most unrealistic thing you could ever do! Whether it’s an injury
placing you on the disabled list, getting the call up (or down), or being traded
to a completely different organization… everything is one day at a time. You can
really only focus on today, become the best you can be today, give 100% today,
and see what the next “today” is going to throw at you.
Thankfully Jeffrey is embracing the grind, and taking full
advantage of this opportunity… to play a game he loves so much for a living! We
are so thankful!
It is so easy to get caught up in the fast-paced fight to
the top of the totem pole (especially when your own teammates are your biggest
competition), but Jeffrey has managed to keep his head in the right place.
While talking with a friend that is struggling in his faith,
I listened to my precious husband speak straight fire into his life. He is such a great example to me that there is
so much more to the picture and in life than just baseball. As he would put it:
Get your priorities straight. You go out there, you love God, you love your teammates, you love the game, and
you grind. 100%. Every single day. You become the best servant, leader, and
friend that you can be, while working to become the best player you can be. You
give your best effort, and you wait to see where it’s going to take you.
Baseball is not just a sport anymore. It is a passion, a
career, and a mission field… and you’ve got to embrace the grind. So we will do just that, and we will wait and
see where it is going to take us.
