Hitting a Fast Ball!

In the early 1980's I was a college student in Houston, Texas.  And, it was during this time that I developed a fondness for Houston's Major League Baseball team, The Astros.  While I was working at night to pay for my schooling, KTHR would broadcast the games live on the radio.  It helped pass the time and got me familiar with a man by the name of Nolan Ryan.

Nolan Ryan pitched 27 seasons for the New York Mets, California Angels, Houston Astros and the Texas Rangers.  Ryan was an eight time MLB all star and holds the record for most career strike outs at 5,714. Ryan was a hard throwing right handed pitcher with pitches at over 100 MPH even past the age of 40.  Thus the media tagged him with the "Ryan Express".  There was nothing better than to watch Nolan Ryan throwing the heat!

Though Ryan holds the record for most career strike outs, there were still those who connected with that speeding orb and knocked it out of the park. That is amazing just think about. What is more interesting is that according to Yale University Physicist Robert Adair hitting an 90 MPH is a mathematical impossibility!  A 90MPH fastball travels 60.5' (the distance between the mound and home plate) in 400 milliseconds. According to Adair, it takes 200 milliseconds for the batter to find the ball once the pitcher releases it.  It takes another 100 milliseconds for placement.  Meaning, this is when the batter determines where he will hit the ball as it comes whizzing toward him.  Then the actual decision to swing and follow through takes 150 milliseconds.  That is a total of 450 milliseconds to hit a ball that covers that distance in 400 milliseconds.  It is a mathematical impossibility. Yet, it happens.  And if you are a baseball fan you have seen it happen. 

What does it mean?  It means that despite all of the fact and figures we are all creatures of hope.  We all have inside of us the belief that we can accomplish anything.  Look at all of the technology advances made since 1900.  Many of the things we enjoy today, someone said they were impossible. But,we have them and use them every day.  What some said would never be...IS.

What impossibilities are you facing today?  What dreams, hope, aspirations have you allowed to be buried because you believed the notion that they could never be?  You will never hit it out of the park if you don't try.  You maybe thinking that you only have three strikes then you're out!  Here is the truth:  God is the umpire and when it comes to you and accomplishing your dreams He will allow you to swing until you slam the ball over the wall!  The only thing that can limit you from doing what others say is impossible is you.

I challenge you to step up to the plate.  Look the pitcher right in the eye and tell him to bring on the heat!  Then swing like a wild man!  If others have done it so can you. It can be done.  But you have to try!

Write your life.

"...Write the vision, and make it plain upon tables, that he may run that readeth it."
 Habakkuk 2.2 KJV

One of my favorite quotes comes from the movie “Lawrence of Arabia”. After Lawrence and his men make a long and arduous journey through the desert, they stumble into an oasis to refresh themselves. Upon arrival, it is noticed that one of the camel boys is missing. Lawrence mounts his horse and is preparing to ride back into the blistering desert to retrieve the boy to safety. He asks for help in the search, but his men refuse. They all declared that the boy is taken by the desert and it is futile to go after him. Lawrence insisted that they must find the boy. His men replied that the fate of the boy is God’s will. That it has been written and they cannot change that. Lawrence, angered by their ridiculous belief rides into the desert to find the boy alone.


After several days, Lawrence appears on the horizon with the boy. They collapse in the shade of the oasis and take water to refresh themselves. His men all gathered around to see with their own eyes that Lawrence and the boy had indeed returned alive. Lawrence looks at his men and says, “Nothing is ever written unless you write it.”

That is a powerful quote! Too many are living lives that they have allowed others to write for them. They feel they are prisoners to a way of life, circumstances, culture, disadvantage, or socio-economic status. They feel that there is absolutely nothing they can do to remedy their situation. Their mantra is “it is what it is.” As they attempt to make sense out of their dysfunctional reality. Reasoning and rationalizing in an attempt to dull their emotional, spiritual, and mental anguish.

Understand this: your destiny is not set in stone. It was not painstakingly chiseled out and predetermined for you. The one who writes your story is you. “Nothing is ever written unless you write it.” You have the power to write things out and to write thing in. You have the power to change the outcome. You have the power to take a bad story and make it good. It is all in your hands. The pen is in your hand.  How will you write yoru story?