Lessons from Pickleball

Anyone who knows me - even just on facebook - knows that pickleball has become very important to me in the past few months.  I now play 4 times a week - both at church, at Woodword park near home and in Powell.  It is a source for exercise and fellowship and fun.  It really is play.

When I first started I thought to myself - just be patient with yourself.  Your body will figure out what it needs to do.  That has been the case.  Like everyone that I play with - I am improving over these months.  I am watching the ball more consistently, aware of how to tilt the paddle to direct the ball, moving my feet more and generally playing with a greater awareness of where the ball will go.  Of course, like everyone else, I have times when I whiff and completely miss the ball, hit it into the net, mess up serves, and hit way too hard!  That's part of playing.

What I realize is that my pickleball philosophy has also become - in a large way - my general philosophy of life. Get yourself in the arena, be willing to make mistakes, keep your eye on the ball, have fun and you will improve.

Yesterday I preached on one of the hardest parables in the Bible - Matthew 22: 1-14.  At one point I talked about spiritual disciplines and how helpful they are.  Afterwards I thought that really,  it is not dissimilar from my pickleball lessons. 

 There is something about "Just do it!"  The "It" in our spiritual journey is the disciplines - prayer, worship attendance, Bible reading, study, service.  I watch   people in my Bible studies, that come to outdoor worship, that join me in our "sharing group" , that continue to reach out to others in prayer and in service . I believe that they are  feeling more connected to God and to each other.  I won't use the word "improve" but my sense is that in this time of pandemic, racial distress and political divisiveness, it gives a sense of peace and purpose we might not otherwise have.  But it is not one thing and it is a gradual process of sticking with it.

Today is Monday morning and I have spent time with God listening and praying.  It is a good beginning to the week.  In an hour I will be walking on a pickleball court - that is also a good way to spend time on a Monday.

And in the words of Teresa of Avila

“Let nothing perturb you, 

nothing frighten you.

 All things pass.

 God does not change.

 Patience achieves everything.”