Baseball.

Life is like a game of baseball.

Sometimes, you see the ball coming and have time to react. Maybe you catch it in your mitt (or throw your arms over your head and scream like a little girl -- that's what I'd like to do most of the time).

Sometimes, it hits you square in the head and you're thinking, "What the...?" and then you need an ambulance.

You can't always control what's thrown at you and you can never control how it comes, but you can control how you'll react after the pitch.

I choose to learn something from the unexpected baseballs in my life.

So this is what I have learned this week:

1) Sometimes, you can pray and pray and pray for something and think God is never going to give it to you. And just when you think He's forgotten about you, it happens. Lesson: Never give up on God.

2) An victim of abuse is likely to believe their abuser loves them more than their own family members do. Lesson: Love the victim any way. They will come around.

3) Some people react to being caught in the wrong by directing hatred towards a scapegoat. Lesson: If you're the scapegoat, don't respond.

4) Things don't always end up how you plan. Lesson: Don't set your plans in stone.

5) Sometimes, the dental hygienist forgets about you while you're in the chair. Lesson: Speak up, or sit there until the dentist happens to find you 45 minutes later.