My Mom used to tell us boys growing up, as we anticipated Christmas morning, “Don’t expect too much and you won’t be disappointed.” As Christmas drew closer, our lists grew longer.
We’d take the Sears Christmas catalog, the toy book, we called it, and circled our wish list. With four boys, the toy section was marked pretty heavily.
Mom also used to say, “You can ask for anything you like. Just don’t expect to get it all.” We did ask, and we did receive … some things, not everything. She taught us a valuable lesson about adjusting expectations and managing disappointment.
I wonder if I dare ask Santa to bring the Atlanta Braves some hitting next season to go with all of this young pitching they have assembled.
The 2015 Atlanta Braves are getting harder and harder to watch. We Braves fans knew this year would be different, especially after last year’s dismal second half, capped by September’s 7-14 finish. Something had to change. General Manager Frank Wren was fired, and John Hart was named president of baseball operations. Hart soon started moving players, getting rid of bad contracts, and upgrading the farm system.
Serious baseball fans understood, though it was tough to lose popular Jason Heyward, Evan Gattis and Craig Kimbrel, the best closer in baseball. Moving these players was a public relations nightmare, especially after Hart said he would not trade Kimbrel. And then he did, on the night before the opening game.
Fans groaned, and Hart reminded us, “It’s not like we’re breaking up the 1927 Yankees.”
So the season opened, and the Braves played better than expected. They were mostly young and scrappy, with some veteran leadership thrown in. They were surprisingly fun to watch. Instead of swinging for the fences, they got back to baseball fundamentals. Our hopes began rising … briefly.
On July 7, they were 42-42, four games behind the Nationals, and one-and-a-half behind the Mets in the National League East. Then two key players were traded, Kelly Johnson and Juan Uribe, for more pitching, and the Braves have been struggling ever since.
Last week, Mark Bradley wrote they were the worst team in baseball in terms of wins and losses since the All Star break. They are on pace to have their worst record since 1990.
And we’re disappointed. Why? Because we were hoping for more. And we’re spoiled. The Braves won so big for so long that we’re not happy with losing records and poor play. Our expectations are high, and this year, may have been unrealistic. Even hoping for a .500 record proved unrealistic.
This season reminds us that disappointment is a good teacher. Life is full of disappointments. Everyone occasionally experiences that sad, let-down feeling that comes from unfulfilled hopes. We expect one thing and get another.
Sometimes people disappoint us. We forget they are only human, just like we are. People may let us down, but, thankfully, God never fails. He keeps His promises and is always there for us.
Sometimes, results disappoint us. We work hard on a project, prepare, study, memorize, and our expected outcome is less than hoped for. Yet, we gave our best effort, and realize some outcomes are beyond our control. And we keep on plugging.
Even in disappointment, we can determine to see positives. Were there any positives for Braves fans this year? Yes! Shelby Miller, Nick Markakis, Cameron Maybin, John Smoltz’s Hall of Fame Induction … that’s a few anyway.
And we trust. Baseball people assure us John Hart knows what he’s doing and has a plan. If we can endure this rebuilding process, then winning seasons will come again. Maybe even World Series.
We hope that’s the case. Regardless of what happens with the Braves, I know God has a plan for us and we can trust Him fully. God is faithful, sovereign and intensely interested in our future.
Jeremiah 29:11 puts it this way: “For I know the plans I have for you,’ says the Lord, ‘they are plans for welfare and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.’”
David L. Chancey is pastor, McDonough Road Baptist Church, Fayetteville, Georgia. The church family gathers at 352 McDonough Road, just past the department of drivers’ services building, and invites you to join them this Sunday for Bible study at 9:45 a.m. and worship at 10:55 a.m. Visit them on the web at www.mcdonoughroad, and like us on Facebook.
