What on earth is a "tater" you're asking?
Maybe you've figured out it's slang for "potato." (Oh, the English major in me is SO PROUD OF YOU!!)
But, what does THAT have to do with hitting them??
OK, boys and girls, here's a lesson in baseball jargon...free of charge!!
TATER:
A home run. The term started to appear in the 1970s, specifically as "long tater". The ball itself has been known as a "potato" or "tater" for generations. A long ball is thus a "long tater", shortened to just "tater" for this specific meaning.
The phrase was coined by George "Boomer" Scott, a one-time hitter for the Boston Red Sox.
"The Hub" (like the new nickname for my husband?!) is a baseball fanatic!!
He loves using all the fun slang words...
You might remember I mentioned in a previous post that I took a speaker's training class from January to June. And I also mentioned (lamented) how DIFFICULT it was to get up in front of people - and speak - and then get CRITIQUED!!! (Read "criticized" - that's what it felt like to me!)
"The Hub" (I'm really liking this...) helped me so much with this!
How?
He used baseball...OF COURSE!
He told me it was like I was new to the "major leagues" - and I had a lot of "raw talent" - I was just "un-coached." What a difference this made! Now I was able to accept a "critique" for what it truly was - coaching to make me more effective!
In the middle of June, we had our "graduation" night - (Remember that night, L and J?!?!). We had to present a 12-minute talk in front of about 40 women! When I was leaving that night, "The Hub" grabbed my shoulders, looked me straight in the eye, and said, "Sweetie, go hit a tater!"
It was one of the nicest things he's EVER said to me!
That night I was VERY nervous. I knew that many prayers had been, and were at that moment, being offered up on my behalf. I'd done my "fair share" of it, too, let me tell you!! But I WAS SCARED!! Finally, it was my turn - I was the last speaker of the evening. I approached the podium, and looked up at the audience, and the most incredible, thrilling, powerful thing happened...
GOD SHOWED UP!!
An instant calm came over me...and I could feel Him speaking through me!!
It was an amazing experience!
When I came home that night (after 11 P.M.), there was my dear husband waiting up for me. He put his arms around me and said (a little tentatively), "Well, how did it go?"
I looked up into his face, with tears in my eyes, and replied, "Honey, I hit a tater!!"
It's the same with everything else in my life - every dream, every venture, every opportunity, everything else I say, or write, or do...
On my own, I might be - three strikes, 'yer out -
But, with God's help...
I'M HITTIN' "TATERS!"
BLOG = "Blessedly Leaning On God!"
Hi Sharon,
ReplyDeleteLike you and The Hub, I've been a baseball fan since childhood. As you know, it takes a great deal of talent and skill to hit a tater in your first offical AB. I'm sending my congratulations to you and high praises to our God for showing up.
Blessings and peace.
MTJ
Blessings and prayers,
ReplyDeleteandrea
I have come to expect something when I read here:
ReplyDeleteI smile. I'm not talking the kind of quiet "nod in agreement" kind of smile, either.I'm talking about the big cheeky kind that just makes you feel joy.
I guess what I'm trying to say is that you consistantly hit the taters in blogland too! Play ball, Sharon! God is using your gift of analogy in a mighty way.
This was awesome...because our God is so good...
ReplyDeleteYour post made me smile. God is a powerful blessing
ReplyDeleteHitting taters... when I was a "lot" younger we used to have a huge truck garden. Every so often, when digging up potatoes I would find one that was not worth saving... it was then that I would take a stick (or the end of the potato folk) and tit a "tater". :)
ReplyDeleteLarry
This was wonderful. I have a friend who loved football and would shout "Touchdown for Jesus" when something great happened. So I guess in your case..."Home run for Jesus".
ReplyDeleteMy post seems to have gone AWOL?? I left a nice long this afternoon (Australia time). :S
ReplyDeleteI commented that I enjoyed this post, and really had no idea where it was going to end up lol. I don't know anything about baseball because I am not a sports fan and baseball isn't a regular sport in Australia.
But! I loved the message. I got goosebumps when I read about your turn to speak, and God showed up. I would hit many strikes in my life, if my God didn't show up too!
Bless you and I am sorry I didn't get over to visit you sooner... you comment got a little lost amongst all the other Word filled wednesday comments on my blog.
I am so blessed to *meet* you!
that should read "my COMMENT" (not post!) lol. and, "I left a nice long comment this afternoon". I think I have been working too hard today ;)
ReplyDelete