can you guys good okay okay very good very good
again my name is eric rowell and i want to thank
the house for giving me the opportunity to speak
with you today i believe i've been a member of
the house for more than 10 years but i can never
quite remember how long my youngest jude is 20
years old and he's six foot three and He was
baptized outside of Rock Island High School in
that blue tub over there when he was about somewhere
around here. But it's been a while that I've
been here, and I've loved my time here. As we
continue our series on the book of James, which
comes after Acts and before Galatians, we set
our focus today on patience, which is a noun
that means having the capacity to accept or tolerate
delay, trouble, suffering or suffering without
getting angry or upset if you have your bibles
with you or use of your phones there are also
bibles on the tables please find james chapter
5 verses 7 through 11 and when we read from the
bible here at the house we like to stand in his
honor so please do so if you are willing and
able patience and suffering Be patient, then,
brothers and sisters, until the Lord's coming.
See how the farmer waits for the land to yield
its valuable crop, patiently waiting for the
autumn and spring rains. You, too, be patient
and stand firm, because the Lord's coming is
near. Don't grumble against one another, brothers
and sisters, or you will be judged. The judge
is standing at the door. Brothers and sisters,
as an example of patience in the face of suffering,
take the prophets who spoke in the name of the
Lord. As you know, we count as blessed those
who have persevered. You have heard of Job's
perseverance and have seen what the Lord finally
brought about. The Lord is full of compassion
and mercy. Let us pray. Dear Lord, thank you
for this glorious Sunday to gather on your behalf
and share our interpretations of your wisdom
and love. Let us walk away with a grander understanding
of your commitment to our spirit and well -being.
In your name we pray. Amen. You may be seated.
For the most part, patience is something I believe
we all have a general grasp of. Though I can
imagine that we all can imagine those moments
in our lives when we're not very patient. Sometimes
the roadways are the best examples of this. When
we see cars speeding past us or when we ourselves
are speeding past others. Or sometimes it is
in the face of the microwave. when you are staring
at the machine and you are waiting for your food
to come out of that machine and you stop it at
the 27 second mark because you are certain it
is done. And then you realize it's not and you
have to put it back in there. Most times when
we think of impatience, we think of benign moments
throughout our lives like the microwave or Christmas
time. I distinctly remember one Christmas when
I was about six, seven years old. My cousin and
I snuck downstairs. Everyone was still asleep.
And we went to investigate what we had underneath
the tree. I found one with my name on it. And
I'm sorry, young people, do not do this. I tore
a corner of the box to reveal what was inside.
And I cannot remember what was inside, but I
was excited that I was getting that. I then turned
the box around and... pushed it to the wall,
and when I woke up that morning, it was the first
present that I opened, and I tore it from the
piece that I had torn to make sure I would not
be caught by the P -O -P -P, the Present Opening
Policy Police, who were certainly looking for
Snoopy kids at Christmas time. I don't believe
James, chapter 5, verses 7 through 11, speaks
to remind us of those benign moments. but truly
the moments in our lives that are trying, those
that possibly we will suffer in, and possibly
for long periods of time. Some of those moments
involve our children as perhaps their emotional
state is fragmented or their behaviors are wayward.
Sometimes our work is challenging as it may drain
us mentally and physically. Sometimes it's a
health issue within ourselves or someone we love,
an ailment that is not easily remedied. and can
be debilitating. And sometimes, suffering can
come from a tragic loss. I am very pleased with
my life in this current state. There are many
struggles the members of the Rowell household
have endured over the years. To this day, there
is still anguish that arises from time to time,
often unexpectedly. But we have persevered, and
we feel the benefits of patience that bring about
the blessings of peace and comfort. But how does
one have patience or acquire patience when it
is initially happening, when it appears that
the mountain has fallen upon us, when it appears
that both God and the universe have decided to
punish us for some unknown reason? Catastrophe,
misfortune, heartbreak forever loom over our
lives, seemingly waiting for the right moment
to send us into a tailspin, to dash our dreams,
and to confound our intellect. Both science and
Greek philosophy speak of the four natural elements
of the universe being fire, the sun, air, earth,
and water. For the sake of this discussion, perhaps
there are four elements of patience. And for
me, those would be hope, understanding, love,
and support. Hope would be the emotion that says
we will get through it. That someday we will
feel less pain. Someday we will no longer cry.
and someday we will be happy again. Understanding
is created when one pays attention to the world.
Tragedy abounds everywhere, as does joy. And
to understand the fragility of life along with
its trials, one is able to better handle sufferings
when we do not feel we are alone in our anguish.
Love. Love comes when we still love the lives
we have, despite what it is that we have endured
or what we have lost. Whatever has befallen us
will not last, nor will it be the last. We need
to continue to rejoice in the existence that
is ours, for in life we have opportunity. And
lastly, support. It is quite difficult to accomplish
anything in this world without the support of
others. Family, friends, neighbors, co -workers,
churches, strangers, all can provide. encouragement
to handle the difficulties, the sufferings, because
there is relief in community. There is renewal
in relationship. Hope, understanding, love, and
support. I am a collector of things. This is
my Luke Skywalker Red 5 battle helmet from the
first movie, A New Hope, that I got a couple
of years ago that I wear often. I will not put
it on because it will interfere with the headset
here. But any young people want to come up when
this is over, you want to put it on, you can.
I have many things that are Star Wars items.
You can ask my wife what they are. I got action
figures. I got miniature ships. I got drinking
glasses. I got Legos. I got all kinds of stuff.
I actually also have, to the grace of my wife,
I have Obi -Wan's lightsaber. It lights up. It
makes sounds. I can change the colors. It is
outstanding. If I would have brought it today,
I would not have gotten through this, and none
of you would have either. Collecting started
for me when I was about 10 years old. And it
started also with items that are in this box.
This box is filled with baseball cards. Though
I played basketball in high school and in college,
my first love was baseball. I grew up on the
south side of Chicago, and when I was about seven
years old, I walked into the room of my uncle,
and he was watching baseball. I had never seen
it before. And I said, what's this? And he said,
baseball. I went, okay. I actually remember the
moment, what was on the screen, and who was on
the screen. It was the Chicago White Sox. Their
second baseman, his name was Tony Bernazard,
and I believe they were playing the Toronto Blue
Jays. This is me at six or seven years old. I
love the game so much that to this day, since
then, I have gone to a game at least once every
year with maybe a few exceptions, maybe four
or five years. And yes, I know the White Sox
are pretty much the worst team in baseball right
now. But in 2005, they won the World Series,
so I'm good for the rest of my life. There's
a card in this box that I want to talk about.
And for those of you who might be watching, if
we can get a picture to come up on the screen,
this card is of this person. Is there anyone
here that can tell me who this is? Who's the
first baseman? Bill Buckner. Who said Bill Buckner?
Good job there, sir. His name is Bill Buckner.
In the fall of 1986, I was 15 years old, and
because I love the sport of baseball, I watched
the 1986 World Series by myself between the New
York Mets and the Boston Red Sox. The Mets hadn't
won the series in 17 years, and the Red Sox hadn't
won it since they traded away Babe Ruth to the
Yankees 68 years prior in 1918. Many sports fans...
knew the woes of the Red Sox, so much of the
sporting world in 1986 was rooting for them.
Personally, I didn't have a dog in a fight, and
I was simply a lover of the game just watching
it. In the best -of -seven series, the Red Sox
were up three games to two. With one more win,
they would gain the World Series and end the
curse of the great Bambino, Babe Ruth. In game
six, which was in New York, in the bottom of
the tenth inning, the Red Sox were up five runs
to three, and there were two outs. with nobody
on base and the red sox were poised for the victory
in their dugout players and coaches were showing
emotion of excitement in the locker room their
cubbies were covered in plastic the world series
trophy was rolled in the owner of the red sox
was brought into the locker room and a sort of
a stand was was erected so that when the players
would come in, the sports reporters would be
able to report on what had just happened in the
locker room. Everything was set up. Well, if
you don't know this story, the Mets rallied,
and they scored three runs in the bottom of the
ninth, bottom of the tenth, rather, on three
hits, a wild pitch, and an error. The plastic,
the champagne, and the trophy. were removed so
fast that by the time the Red Sox got into the
dugout, they had no idea what had taken place
inside. The Mets would win the game, the next
game, game seven, which was two days later, and
they would win another World Series after the
first one in 1969, and the Red Sox would go another
17 years without winning another World Series.
For those of you who know that series, you know,
what has been shown over and over again for nearly
40 years and it has been that error and that
era was committed by bill buckner i've seen it
so many times i don't know if my visions are
my own or of the replays each of us has made
and will make a regrettable error something that
perhaps haunts us for the rest of our lives but
i don't know if any of us will make that error
in front of approximately 50 million people.
Post that World Series, the life and times of
Bill Buckner, who played 22 years of professional
baseball and made a ton of money, were fraught
with regret, yes, but mostly with fear and anger.
For much of the remainder of his life, not only
was the error shown repeatedly on television
whenever the subject of the World Series came
up, he and his family were harassed by fans and
the media. everywhere he went. It got so bad
for him that after years of suffering, he moved
out of the state of Massachusetts following his
retirement and moved to Boise, Idaho and vowed
never to return to Boston where the harassment
was the worst. It took Bill's faith in God and
an extreme amount of patience made up of hope,
understanding, love, and support. for him to
get through a very difficult 20 years of persecution.
What also helped was the Red Sox finally winning
the World Series in 2004 and again in 2007. After
numerous requests, the Red Sox, after that first
World Series, asked Bill Buckner to come and
return to Boston, and he finally relented. On
opening day of the 2008 season, Bill Buckner,
to the surprise of all fans in attendance and
all those who watched on television, walked out
to the mound to throw out the ceremonial first
pitch in front of a standing ovation that lasted
for two full minutes and brought tears of forgiveness
and peace to his eyes. After retiring from the
game, Bill Buckner successfully invested in real
estate in Idaho and also had stints as a minor
league manager. Bill Buckner died in 2019 due
to a long illness surrounded by family and friends
and ceremoniously by the Red Sox. and general
sports fans who had come to appreciate his life.
He was survived by his wife and three children.
Those who knew him best said Bill died in peace,
knowing of God's love. Through patience, again
made up of hope, understanding, love, and support,
Bill Buckner was able to let go of the pain and
regret that haunted him. There is another card
in this box. I want to show you guys. If we can
bring this person's picture up. Does anyone recognize
him? I didn't think anybody would. This person's
name is Donnie Moore. Many sports fans remember
Bill Buckner's era and the subsequent torment
he went through. But most people who watched
at that time don't remember Donnie Moore's significance
in the fall of 1986. Before playing against the
Mets, the Red Sox had to play against the California
Angels in a best -of -seven game series with
the winner being the representative of the American
League in the World Series. The Angels were up
three games to one, needing one more out, needing
one more victory to advance to the World Series
for the first time in franchise history. The
Angels do not have a tragic history like the
Red Sox. They don't have the time of being great.
winning several World Series in the early 1900s,
then having years of being dormant, and then
becoming great again. The Angels simply hadn't
been anything. They had been in existence for
about 17 seasons, and they were owned by Gene
Autry, the once -famous actor and singer of old
Westerns. In Game 5, the Angels were home, and
they were up 5 -4 in the top of the ninth inning,
with two outs and a runner on first base. Donnie
Moore was the closer of the team and an all -star
the year before. He was brought in to shut the
door on the Red Sox and put the Angels into the
final series, the most important series any Angels
player, employee, or fan would ever experience.
With two strikes, Donnie Moore threw a forkball.
It was to a player named Dave Henderson, a backup
outfielder. And Dave Henderson hit that forkball
over the left field wall for a home run and to
go up by one. The Angels would tie the game in
the bottom of the ninth and send the game into
extra innings. In the 11th inning, with Moore
still on the mound, he would allow the bases
to get loaded. And with one out, that same backup
outfielder came up to the plate, hit a deep fly
ball. It was caught, but the runner from third
scored. So now the Red Sox are up 7 -6. The Angels
come up in the bottom half of the 11th inning,
and they do not score. So they lose that game.
Remember, they were up three games to one, so
now they're up three games to two. They lost
the next two games by blowouts. The Red Sox will
win those games and go on to the World Series.
I didn't do research to find a story that would
contrast that of Bill Buckner's. I knew this
story. I actually watched Game 5 in 1986. I was
there in front of the television when Donnie
Moore threw that home run. and I have never forgotten
it. It is perhaps the first time I ever felt
true empathy for a public figure. I remember
watching Donnie Moore walk around the mound as
the batter went around the bases, and in that
moment, he was the saddest person I had ever
seen. Three years later, Donnie Moore was dead
by his own hands. James Chapter 5. verses 7 through
11, again speaks about having patience and the
virtue of persevering through suffering. Donnie
Moore regretted giving up that home run, and
he shouldered much of the blame for the Angels
not going to the World Series by the Angels faithful.
But there is a question. What is the difference
between Donnie Moore and Bill Buckner, particularly
in the realm of patience? Why is it, perhaps,
that Donnie Moore did not endure like Bill Buckner?
Why did Donnie Moore not receive the moment in
the sun years later with an ovation and tears?
I do not know much about Donnie Moore's life
as very little has been written about a man who
played 13 years of professional baseball with
none of his statistics being worthy of notation.
But I can imagine he may have been, in the most
difficult time of his life, devoid of patience.
Which again is having the capacity to accept
or tolerate delay, trouble, or suffering without
getting upset or getting angry. Maybe Donnie
did not have the hope that brighter days were
ahead, that he would survive his fall and be
redeemed in some way by those who knew of his
mistake. Maybe Donnie Moore did not understand
that so many others before and after him have
failed before the eyes of many and lived to tell
the tale of redemption and grace, like Buckner,
which happened only two weeks later. There are
also people like Jackie Smith. Jackie Smith was
a tight end for the Dallas Cowboys. And in 1976,
I believe, he dropped a touchdown in the Super
Bowl against the Pittsburgh Steelers. Or there's
Chris Weber of the University of Michigan, who
called a timeout late in the game when his team
did not have any timeouts. And the University
of Michigan lost that game. Maybe Donnie did
not have as much love for himself as he needed.
Maybe there was too much self -loathing and anger
and a lack of appreciation for the life he had
and the man he already was. And maybe Donnie
believed he did not have enough support around
him, people he trusted that not only told him
he was going to be okay, but that would walk
with him every step of the way until he was okay.
People that would not condemn him for something
so simple as throwing a pitch near home plate
and contributing, not causing, but contributing
to the loss of an important game. I do not know
the reasons that Donnie Moore is no longer with
us, for only he and God knows what caused his
decisions in his final moments. What I do know
is this, fragile is the mind that is without
patience. I will ask another question to this
room, but I will not ask you to raise your hands
with an answer. Who here without raising your
hands knows someone that has committed suicide?
I imagine some hands would raise if you do. And
I imagine some of those hands while raised would
tremble because the person that was lost was
someone that was dear to you. Just be patient
is something we say to one another all the time.
And most of us are patient. But for some of us
who are missing either hope understanding, love,
or support, or in our minds, all four, patience
is hard to come by. For those of us who are going
through a difficult experience at this moment,
or will go through difficulty in the future,
please find patience. As God has said, be patient
and stand firm, because the Lord is coming. The
Lord's coming is near, and we count as blessed
those who have persevered. Remember that this
thing, whatever it is, shall pass. and joy is
forever on the horizon. Remember to understand
that you are not alone. The others share in your
grief, and they too have survived. Remember to
love yourself where you are worthy. Not only
does God love you, but so do his people. And
lastly, seek comfort in those who will support
you and those who will care for you, whether
they be family, friend, or stranger. For those
of you who may be struggling in some aspect of
your life, and for those of you who know someone
who may be struggling in some aspect of their
lives, go to them and offer patience, filled
with hope, understanding, love, and support.
Be diligent in your desire to see them through,
for we are called to be good neighbors. As said
in 1 Peter 3, verse 8, all of you be like -minded,
be sympathetic. Love one another. Be compassionate
and humble. Donnie Moore was born in Lubbock,
Texas. He played for five major league teams
and was drafted at the age of 19 in the first
round by the Chicago Cubs. Bill Buckner also
played for the Chicago Cubs. He played a one
-off star game in 1985, and like Bill Buckner,
At the time of his death, he was married with
three children. Let us pray. Dear God, weak are
our legs and doubtful are our hearts when the
trials of life overcome us. Please help us stand
and remember to be patient when no other actions
remain. Whether we rise or succumb, keep our
souls in your everlasting warmth. For in you,
We are forever whole. In your heavenly name we
pray. Amen. Thank you for allowing me to speak
and share with you a few of my passions and insights.
Following service today, go in peace with the
knowledge that both God and life are most precious
to behold.