With a Little Help

 

In 1910, at a county fair in Canada, a farmer won a contest for plowing the straightest row.  His prize was a lifetime supply of seed.  Back in those days, Saskatchewan was offering free land to incoming immigrants.  Each weekend the farmer would take his horse and buggy to town and pick up around 20 bags of seed.  He would then go to the train station and give seed to the new families that were arriving to help them start their farming.

Todd Black recently posted a video of young boys, around 8 and 9 years of age, playing in a kids pitch baseball game.  The batter had two swings for strikes.  Between the second and third pitch, the pitcher threw the ball to second base, in order to keep a runner from stealing base.  While that was happening, the catcher took off his glove and helped the boy at the plate reposition his hands on the bat to get a better grip.  On the next pitch, the batter hit the ball and was safe at first!

 

Grady Ferranti, from La Porte, Texas, is 13 years old and loves to play baseball!  His ball team is scheduled to go to two tournaments this summer in College Station and Dallas.  But Grady had a dilemma.  He reported, “My dad got laid off from his job, so it wasn’t very easy.  We were struggling.  And it was harder for me to stay in sports.  It was a struggle.  It made me feel kind of sad but I still had a little bit of faith.”  That’s when Grady’s dad, John, came up with an idea.  They would make tamales to sell.  On Saturday they made several dozen and Grady went to the intersection of Underwood Road and Spencer Highway to sell the tamales and water.  Wearing his baseball uniform and carrying a sign, he got to work.  Someone posted a picture and note on Facebook which drew even more customers.  All the tamales were sold so Grady replenished his water supply and went back to sell more water.  His teacher also came by to contribute.  Besides buying food or water, many people offered extra money and words of encouragement.  “You are doing a really good job.  You are going places.”  With the help of his dad and the community, Grady was able to earn enough money to cover both tournaments and some additional baseball gear.

 

Sometimes all it takes to be successful is a little help along the way.  May we be willing givers and grateful recipients.

 

Each of us should please our neighbors for their good, to build them up.

Romans 15:2

 

For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

Ephesians 2:10