The Mechanic's Gift - It is Finished. John Saurino

      Preface

      “Melchizedek? Really, God? Melchizedek? You had to bring him up, didn’t you?”

      Well John, as you know, he is an important element to advancing in your faith.

      “Of course, he is, but now you are getting into the hard stuff; the stuff I have trouble believing.”

      It’s only hard if you make it hard. I simply provide the information. You must decide if you are willing to believe what I have said is the truth.

      I sat quietly in thought as I surveyed the year-long memories scattered across my desk. Red ink, black ink and pencil markings all found on the same torn out page from the spiral notebook that started it all. Multiple papers taped to the cabinets holding the reminders of God’s message. A timeline list and diagonal crossing lines attempting to connect the single ideas that represent the stories they possess. The special pen my children gave me to complete the task that God began and the encouraging smiles portrayed in their photos lining the far edge of my work station.

      I toyed with the idea of doing what he asked once again.

      “All right, I’m in!”

      A loving challenge accompanied his words.

      Marvelous! Let us leave the elementary teachings about Christ and go on to maturity.

      Dedication

      This book is dedicated to:

      Mary Lynn—Well Baby Doll, you did it again! Thank you for your loving support through every step of this wonderful adventure. With God leading us, and you at my side, it seems anything is possible. As the song states, “You are the wind beneath my wings.” I love you!

      Nigel—Your goal-oriented work ethic and passion for learning is unmatched. Make sure you don’t let the business of life draw you away from the reasons for living.

      Hans—The joy you gain from life’s everyday occurrences is your greatest blessing.

      Joshua—I think you are the best! Continue to grow, continue to learn, and continue to regain that child hiding inside. He has always been the coolest kid ever!

      Senna—Wow! Look what God did! He gave you a heart that is in constant search for his kingdom. There is simply no better gift for a father to enjoy.

      Jim—I will be forever thankful for the blessing of a great older brother.

      Bruce—You viewed the world in a different way. Thank you for opening my eyes to those marvelous possibilities.

      Richard Stephens—Your servant’s heart and love for others are dearly missed.

      And…to all of those people who are seeking to mature in Christ.

      CHAPTER 1

      At Bat

      It came out of left field. The ball crossed the sky on its trajectory toward Nigel at second base. He was standing in position with his left arm extended for the oncoming possible third out to complete the inning.

      Lord, please let him catch it. I thought to myself.

      All of the hockey games were over, and the Boys of Spring arrived with the new baseball season. Nigel wanted to play this year with his best friend, Eric, who was almost a year older and played on a more competitive team. Even though Nigel was eight years old now, a one-year difference in eye-hand coordination is huge at this age. But my son was a very goal-oriented kid, and he had set his sights on experiencing life in sports with Eric.

      As the ball approached, I could see Nigel narrowing his focus. There was a slight foot adjustment. His second hand moved to back up the one in the glove. He raised his arm to the appropriate height followed by the sound of success. “Pop!” The ball hit its mark. The crowd cheered, and I came to my feet when he touched the base to complete the play.

      Nigel removed the ball from his glove, rolled it to the pitcher’s mound, and the team trotted to the fenced-in dugout. Eric was the first to congratulate him on the play with a pat on his head. Then he pulled Nigel’s hat forward over his face while both boys laughed. A few of the other teammates also expressed encouraging words at his good defensive play. Now, it was our turn to hit.

      Eric led off with an excellent double to right field. Our other hitters had similar success, eventually bringing him around to start our run statistics for the season. It was Nigel’s first game with the team, and his initial chance at bat was quickly approaching. Getting a hit this year would be much more challenging since he would be facing a live pitcher. Up to this point, he had been batting against a machine-pitching system.

      In this city league, a mechanical pitching machine was placed on the mound and used through age eight. When the players turned nine, they switched to kid-pitch. There was a major difference in accuracy and consistency of the pitches thrown by a nine-year-old versus a professional pitching machine. The smooth constant thirty-five mile per hour strikes in the middle of the zone found with last year’s machine were replaced by a splattering of balls passing through the space in front of each batter. The umpires did their best at creating a very loose strike zone, but could not keep the routine wild pitch from hitting a player about every third inning.

      As my son walked toward the plate, I wished he had another year facing that three-legged machine, but he had made Eric’s team and was not going to let anything stop him from attaining his objective. Unfortunately, sometimes Satan throws a wrench into the best of plans.

      Nigel was swinging his bat in anticipation of the first pitch. He pulled his cap down tightly on his head and stepped into the batter’s box. Once again, a prayer came to mind asking for God’s help with my oldest son’s new baseball experience. The pitcher reared back and let it fly. Nigel made a great cut at the very first pitch and the pinging sound from the aluminum bat indicated contact. The high fly ball looked like a good hit to far left field. It went beyond the outfielder until it eventually drifted into foul ball territory. I shook my head slightly and snapped my fingers in regret of what had just happened.

      My experience in sports made me aware of how the slightest difference in one play can change the course of an athlete’s career. There are times when only a few feet, or even inches, create the difference between success and failure. Then, in many situations, the outcome can cause the player to spiral upward in triumph, or downward in defeat. Initial success will lead to more confidence in young players propelling them to further achievements, and unfortunately,