Tonight is the first night of the World Series and the two starting pitchers are Cliff Lee and CC Sabathia.  These guys are both great pitchers and each pitched for the Cleveland Indians until they were traded by the Indians.  The other day the Cleveland Indians hired a new manager who just happened to come from the team that finished last in the entire league.  This is sort of like asking the guys from Enron to take over the highest level of leadership in your business.  This past Sunday the Browns lost their sixth game in just stellar fashion.  They lit up the score board with just 3 points.  Dropped passes, poor tackling, bad play calling….just a typical Sunday.  Then last night,  the Cavaliers (the most promising team in Cleveland) lost their opener to one of their strongest opponents.  The above words are just the reality of what it is like to be a Cleveland fan.  It is pathetic.  It actually has become silly and sad.

I was thinking about all of this and something occurred to me.  It is something I have thought about before, but am just reminded about it.  When it comes to the Browns, Indians, and Cavaliers I spend a lot of time and emotional energy and even sometimes money.  These things I give sometimes take me away from my family or put me in a bad mood or take cash that could have been better used.  Yet as I do all this in association with these teams, I have no control.  I do not take a jump shot, make a draft selection, throw pitch, catch a pass or call a play.  I do nothing and control nothing and yet get mad or happy or whatever.  Here is my point, how often do you and I get mad about the stuff we have no control over.  Rather why not put my energy into what I can do.  I can love my neighbor.  I can honor my wife.  I can model the right stuff to my kids.  I can give generously.  I need to become a fan of what I can control.