one-handed softball player

Today, I used about 1/2 a cup of curdled milk in my cereal and didn't realize it until later when i poured another glass for me to drink. My colon didn't explode. In fact, I felt no effects whatsoever.

But that's totally not what I'm writing about. Today, again, I played in a softball tournament with a bunch of Laurier and Waterloo students. There was one team that we faced where their pitcher had a deformed right hand (presumably since birth) that was utterly useless. When he pitched he didn't use a glove - he both caught and threw the ball with his left hand.

Not only did he pitch, but this guy batted. With one hand.

Not only did he pitch and bat, but this guy also played outfield. He had a glove on his left hand and if he caught the ball, he would wedge and hold his glove between his right arm and his body, grab the ball out of his glove with his left hand, and throw the ball to cutoff.

Not only did he pitch, bat, and field with one hand; he was also really good.

I didn't have the guts to go up to him afterwards, but I wanted to tell him how amazed and inspired I was by him. He came out of a position of physical advantage; he was probably made fun of as a kid; he probably struggled with a lot of self-confidence issues. But he didn't just make something good out of his situation, he excelled. And that's what's so amazing to me. Half the guys that I played with, who all had two functioning hands, probably couldn't play as well as this one-handed guy.

How can you NOT think of stewardship?

Would you rather someone be a lapsed Christian (meaning that they once were hardcore but are now i don't even know what?) or someone be a total non-Christian (meaning they believe in God but that's about as far as they go when it comes to spiritual contemplation)?

I'd say the latter. I've been in utter turmoil for the last 2 hours because the frontman and drummer of my potentially-favourite-band-of-all-time-whose-cd-i-just-bought-and-listened-to-in-confusion-because-of-the-cryptic-lyrics are apparently no longer christian but self-proclaimed universalists. They were never a "christian" band, but there was obvious spirituality in their lyrics. This new album is full of cynicism and "i just don't know anymores" which breaks my heart. Is it BETTER to be a lapsed Christian or a non-and-never-was-Christian?

What happens when the Shepherd leaves his flock to go look for the lost sheep and comes back and the sheep we thought were safe have disappeared?