summersgrove.org

Charcoal or gas? Gas or charcoal? The timeless debate. It is said that over 65% of Americans choose a gas grill over a charcoal grill. For my husband and I when time came to make a decision between charcoal and gas it was gas that was our choice. It wasn’t a matter of taste for me, it was a matter of ease. Oh, there are times when I lament the loss of the taste of a burger cooked over charcoal, nothing is quite like it. Some say there isn’t much of a taste difference with hamburgers cooked over gas vs. charcoal, but I have to disagree. However, for us convenience overshadows any loss in taste.

Another reason we chose the gas grill over the charcoal grill was that we didn’t want to have to deal with dirty charcoal briquette and with trying to light them and then waiting for them to be hot enough to cook. We also didn’t want to have to deal with the mess that comes with having to clean a charcoal grill. Charcoal ash is very dirty. A propane container lasts through approximately 20 hours of cooking.

Along with being able to start the gas grill and start cooking within minutes, with our gas grill we have much more control over the temperature of the grill for a longer period of time than we would have with a charcoal grill so that we can cook a roast, or a leg of lamb on the grill without having to worry about spent charcoal. Also, the gas grill gives us much more cooking area. We can easily have 10 or 12 people over and have enough space to cook all the hot dogs, hamburgers, corn on the cob, etc.

When it comes to cleaning out gas grill all I do is turn it onto warm for five or so minutes and any stuck on food wipes right off. It’s the most easy cleaning of any appliance I can think of.

Of course, for some it may come down to price. You can get a small tabletop charcoal grill for as little as $30.00. Most gas grills start at about $200.00

Coaching our youth is a delicate practice that needs to be taken with the kids self confidence at the heart of the teaching. These days, parents and coaches alike want to win so bad, they put undue stress on the kids that can have a negative effect.

We over criticize when we are talking to them instead of building up their self confidence. I once heard a parent yelling at his kid from the stands, “If you don’t get a hit, you will not be eating dinner tonight!” Needless to say, I went up and spoke with the parent about this approach. Some people may think this is harmless, and it may have been said in a joking fashion. But think of the kid on the field who is playing in front of all the parents and friends who hears this as he is strolling up to the plate. Talk about stress and the feeling of rejection and humiliation if this kid doesn’t come through.

Remember, we are building more than just ballplayers here. We are building people who are going to go out in the world someday. We are building character, pride, self confidence. We do this through encouragement and a nourishing attitude. Not through pointing out failures and humiliation.

But how do we get them to play better if they can’t stand a little criticism? By encouraging them. When your kid takes a swing and misses, the first words out of your mouth should be, “Nice swing! You just missed it, keep trying and you’ll get a hit!” That encourages your kid to keep trying. Not only that, your kid will be excited about trying more. This promotes self confidence.

If your kid strikes out 4 times in the game. Put an arm around him after the game and tell him he really swung the bat well and that he will get them next time. And tell him how proud you are of him for trying.

Remember these simple tips:

1- Encourage them through positive reinforcement.

2- Nurture them when times are tough.

3- Be there for them when they need your help.

4- And love them unconditionally.

Remember,help your kids out by encouragement. I can’t say this enough. They will believe what they hear and if you are encouraging them all the time, they will feel good about themselves. Not only in baseball but in other things.
And also remember, be patient. They are still learning,so you need to give them time to succeed. Just keep loving them and nurturing them and the rest will fall in place.

We all have a responsibility to help our youth. They are the future stars of tomorrow, both on and off the field. However, how you coach your kid and other parent’s kids, helps mold that child forever. Remember that. You are
molding them forever. The lessons you teach them now will stick with them. They are like sponges and take in everything. So feed them love and nourishment and confidence and watch them grow. As they say, you have to water
your flowers to watch them bloom beautifully. Same goes for your child.

Don’t hesitate to put an arm around them when they have had a bad game or struck out 3 times. Encourage them and love them. And remember, they are learning lessons in life by playing the game of baseball, so teach them well!

It is within us to explore and draw upon our inner resources to heal. Some wounds are embedded so deeply that no amount of professional expertise can cure, much less heal.

A famous Yale surgeon says that as a surgeon, he cuts into the body, but he can not order the wound to heal. Ultimately, it through our efforts that healing can occur.

The path to healing is a personal choice. It is a path where you choose to piece together the fragments and make it whole again. It paves the way to self-discovery, to open the door to your inner self and experience inner harmony. And ultimately, come to meet the child within that has longed for your love, care and attention. The child within that is forgotten, pushed to the background, lurks in the shadows, but waits patiently.

What needs healing?

Childhood trauma:
The imprint of childhood experience is a powerful force. An expectant mother who lives through a stressful situation during pregnancy shares the burden with the unborn child.
Years ago, domestic matters were never discussed openly, especially issues about abuse, violence, neglect, abandonment and other related matters. Today, society is more aware of the potential or actual existence of abuse and violence in the home. Tragic that the innermost and safest sanctuary society depends upon can be the most dangerous.

These are issues that take its toll on the young victims. They grow up with wounds, carry them around like a heavy load on their shoulders. Some never get over their trauma, it turns up at the most unexpected moment to haunt them; yet, there are those who are lucky enough to confront it and use it to propel themselves to a healthier and successful relationships and life itself.

When love is a venom:
How many hearts have known pain all in the name of love. It invades lives from all walks of life, social status, add to that race or creed. No one wants to suffer pain, but it does happen. Healing a broken heart, picking up the pieces of broken hopes and dreams, suffer the betrayal, endure shattered self-image, re-live the haunting nightmares, the violation of ones innermost being, soul and spirit.

The most traumatic of all is the violation that comes from those who are supposed to provide a nurturing environment to those who are entrusted to their care. All in the guise of love.

Grief
The loss of a loved one can be most devastating. Sometimes one did not have a chance to bid their last farewell. It was all too sudden. Or one passes away after a lingering illness, with the relief that the suffering is over comes the grief of the loss. At one point and time in ones life, grief is a reality.

Guilt
Wrong turns, wrong choices, wrong decisions. We all take wrong turns, make wrong decisions and choices. This is a human trait that not even the saintliest of the saints has not experienced. We stumble, we fall, but many of us manage to get up and get on with life. The losses incurred at times are life-threatening,
or at the cost of financial comfort and security or worst, relationships are threatened, lost or innocently or unconsciously sacrificed.

Wearing guilt on your face, in your heart, in your being invites negative vibrations and digs you deeper into the mire. Take a look at those sad eyes, the window of the soul, and youll know. However, this is not a dead-end!

Unfulfilled dreams and hopes
Live your dream,ride on the wings of hope; this will not always work out. One day you wake up and realize your dream never materialized and languish over the many years you spent trying to pursue that dream! In the meantime, time, opportunities and life passed you by. Hope can lead to disappointment- realize this. When all hopes are dashed, what have you got?

Path to healing:
Healing is a complex matter.
Who has never felt the pains of suffering, be it physical, mental, emotional, material and spiritual. Even our dear Mother Earth is in desperate need of healing from the abuse inflicted upon her through mans recklessness, negligence and lack of respect.

There are avenues open to healing. One may choose to spend time with a professional, seek comfort from related groups, but always, healing has to start with one.

It is important to acknowledge the pain, to recognize the cause, to be able to integrate the fragmented pieces and be willing to take it to the next step to be wholeagain.

Healing extends beyond the physical state- when one hurts deeply, the spirit; the soul also bears the pain. It is a pain that comes in hauntingly in the dark of the night, it fills a once loving heart with venom, it could ravage a once healthy mind and body beneath a once beautiful and graceful soul is the mask of vengeance.

Blocks to healing:

But, sometimes, the path to healing is full of potholes. Indeed, the path is covered with blocks, where healing can not be accomplished, it almost out of reach. Impediments on the path:denial, apathy, self-absorption and self-indulgence, addiction, putting up walls and barriers, busy-bee syndrome, compartmentalizing, isolation, withdrawal from society, cynicism, loss of faith, trust and compassion, self-pity, poor me syndrome, anger, fear of getting hurt again, martyr complex, neurosis or psychosis, aggressive/ oppressive, confrontational, guilt complex,
resignation

Disclaimer:
Sometimes, we hurt those we love most deeply; likewise, we bear the pain they cause. This is a personal essay, it does not in any way deny the importance of seeking professional help when indicated. However, it is acknowledged that one must want to heal, must understand what needs healing, must be willing to accept the need to heal – all the expert advise and professional help can not be effective otherwise.

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