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It happened a few weeks ago, another one of those It was the last time I will ever \\u2026 moments. It was the last time I experienced something so meaningful and enjoyable that it brought on a tinge of sadness knowing I will never experience it again.

But based on several other last time I will ever \\u2026 events in my life I know I can be thankful for what comes next. And so can you. It\\u2019s what I talk about in today\\u2019s episode, the first in my \\u201cThankful in November\\u201d series starting today.

But before we get into today\\u2019s episode, here\\u2019s what this podcast is all about.

Welcome to You Were Made for This

If you find yourself wanting more from your relationships, you\\u2019ve come to the right place. Here you\\u2019ll discover practical principles you can use to experience the life-giving relationships you were made for.

I\\u2019m your host, John Certalic, award-winning author and relationship coach. I\'mhere to help you find more joy in the relationships God designed for you.

To access all past and future episodes, go to the bottom of this page. Enter your name and email address, then click on the follow or subscribe button. The episodes are organized chronologically and are also searchable by topics, categories, and keywords.

The last little league baseball game I will ever see

I\\u2019ve got three, \\u201cthe last time I will ever\\u2026 " stories to share with you today. Events in my life I\\u2019m thankful for this November, a month we celebrate thankfulness. I\\u2019m talking about them today hoping it will get you thinking about your the last time I will ever\\u2026 moments in your life that you can be thankful for.

The first of my stories is prompted by the times I drive past a local park near where we live. It\\u2019s where our twin grandsons, Grant and George played little league baseball when they were young. They\\u2019re both 20 years old now and in college.

They played in this baseball league through 6th grade, which was the age limit by which they could participate. Driving past this park reminds me of the last baseball game they played in. They played for one of those leagues that downplay competitiveness so that everyone on the team gets to play in every game. Even if it is just for an inning. It was all about fun, not about winning.

The last out to win the game and end the season

In the boys\\u2019 last game for the season at this park, their team was up by a run at the top of the last inning. George was playing first base, Grant was at third. The batter for the other team hit a grounder to Grant, who fielded the ball cleanly. He then reared back and with all his might and strength threw the ball in the air as hard as his skinny arm would allow to his brother at first base. George easily caught the ball on the fly, and stepped on first base to make the final out to end the game. The final play, of the final game, of their final season as little league baseball players.

Shortly after this. it hit me, this was the last time I will ever see them play little league baseball together again. It was the end of an era in their still very young lives. It was the end of the joy Janet and I were so thankful for that we could be part of as spectators. More joy would come later for other things, but this one last moment. This one last time I will ever \\u2026 moment filled me with joy I am still thankful for years later.

I\\u2019m thankful for being part of the joy they experienced in playing well together for the very last time. Thankful to see that last play that so symbolizes their connection with each as twin brothers.

Her last tennis match I will ever see

Another of my the last time I will ever\\u2026 moments happened just a few weeks ago. Our granddaughter Eleanor is a high school senior and has been on her school\\u2019s tennis team since she was a freshman. It\\u2019s been a great run for her in many ways.

Girls\\u2019 high school tennis is a fall sport where we live. Each season concludes with a state tournament that began a few weeks ago. I drove out to the school where the first round was to be held to watch Eleanor play. I knew she wasn\\u2019t going to know until after she warmed up if she\\u2019d even be able to play. Eleanor\\u2019s had a painful knee problem for the last part of the season, and then the callouses on her feet had recently broken open, exposing very tender skin. Yikes.

She decided after warming up to give it a go, so I watched her play and win her match. Though she won and advanced to the next round, the pain in her knee and feet was too much, forcing her to withdraw from the next round. The risk of further injury was too great and not worth it. You see Eleanor is also very active in ballet, and an important performance was coming up. She didn\\u2019t want to jeopardize participation in her last year of dance.

But I was so happy and thankful she got to win the last high school match she will ever play in. Yet at the same time, I felt a pit in my stomach knowing this was the last time I will ever see her do so. It was kind of sad, actually.

The next thing after the last thing

I\\u2019m sure you\\u2019ve had your own this is the last time I will ever\\u2026 moments in life. The thing I\\u2019ve learned about them is that they often lead to something better. It\\u2019s not always true, but often the last time of experiencing something good makes room for the next thing - a better thing - to occur.

As with most kids, Eleanor learned valuable lessons in sports that will serve her well for many years into the future. Her last time I will ever\\u2026 moment was built upon hard work, sacrifice, dealing with adversity, and self-discipline. It\\u2019s prepared her well for something even better coming down the road as a young adult. What she learned in her last thing has been great preparation for the next thing, whatever that may be.

Two of the last time I will ever\\u2026 moments converge

There\\u2019s an interesting connection to this last-time-moment of Eleanor\\u2019s and one of my own the last time I will ever\\u2026events. At least it\\u2019s interesting to me, and hopefully to you, too.

In the four years Eleanor played tennis for her school, she had never played at the high school where the sectionals for the state tournament were held, and where she played her last ever tennis match. It surprised me because the school is fairly close to her own. I thought the two were in the same conference, but they weren\\u2019t, I later learned.

The connection with me is that I was a teacher for 7+ years at this very same high school where Eleanor played her last tennis match. It is the site of one of the most significant last time I will ever \\u2026 moments in my life.

In December of 1978, at the end of the last school day right before Christmas. I walked out of my classroom, down the stairs, and out to the parking lot to my car to drive away for the last time I will ever teach at that school. Or any school for that matter. I did so with tears in my eyes because I so loved my job. It was a great experience for me, one I\\u2019ve always been thankful for even many years later.

But on this day I was hanging it up for the last time. Why I left teaching is a story for another day, but for now, I can tell you I felt God calling me into the business world. In order to do this, our school superintendent was so kind and gracious in letting me out of my teaching contract in the middle of the year.

On to the next thing

\\u201cBest of luck to you,\\u201d he said the last time I saw him. \\u201cI got started in business and years ago made the switch o public education. Now you\\u2019re going in the opposite direction. I hope it works out well for you, but if it doesn\\u2019t, you\\u2019ll be welcomed back here if we have an opening.\\u201d

Eleanor\\u2019s last time I will ever play high school tennis and my last time I will ever teach in a high school occurred in the very same place, just 40-some years apart.

My last time I will ever teach at that high school led to a 25-year career in business, which paved the way for 10+ years in the missionary care ministry My wife and I are involved in now.

I am so thankful for this last time ever experience, even for the sadness that came with it, because it showed I was leaving something meaningful to me. There was a sense of loss in the midst of the excitement of going to something new, with all the possibilities that awaited me in the business world.

So what does all this mean for YOU?

How can you use what you\\u2019ve heard today to help you find more joy in the relationships God designed for your life?

It\\u2019s important to note that not all the last time I will ever\\u2026 moments are as positive as the ones I\\u2019ve described. Living in a fallen world as we do, there\\u2019s the last time we will ever see a loved one, the last time I will ever work at a job I was forced out of, the last time I will ever find joy in a relationship that ended, etc. You know what I\\u2019m talking about.

Having said this, though, it\\u2019s helpful to look for the joy when we go through a the last time I will ever\\u2026 moment. Sometimes the joy is found in a beautiful memory it created, and sometimes it\\u2019s found in anticipating the future.

I wonder what joy you may have found in one of your the last time I will ever\\u2026 moments. I bet our other listeners would love to know, too. You can share this in the \\u201cLeave a Comment\\u201d box at the bottom of the show notes, or you can send it to me in an email to john@caringforothers.org.

Better yet, respond with your phone or computer by going to PodinBox.com/John, and record your answer, much like leaving a voice mail.

Relationship question of the month

What is a story from one of your relationships that you are especially thankful for?

It can be just about anything. Like a time someone was especially kind to you. Or maybe something you learned from a person in your life. It could be something you observed in a crowd or in the company of strangers. Just about anything involving a relationship you\\u2019re grateful for would be fair game.

Just go to PodinBox.com/John to record your answer using your phone or computer. With your answer, please include your name and where you\\u2019re from. It\\u2019s that simple.

I\\u2019ll need your response by 5 pm Central time on November 16, 2022. Just go to PodinBox.com/John to record your answer. If something comes to mind right now, head over to PodinBox.com/John and give me a call.

I\\u2019ll pick several responses to air on our Thanksgiving episode. Who knows, it could be yours! And if so, it will look good on your resume.

Closing

In closing, I\\u2019d love to hear any thoughts you have about today\\u2019s episode. I hope your thinking was stimulated by today\\u2019s show, to put into practice what you\\u2019ve heard about finding joy in reflecting upon the last time you ever experienced something significant to you.

For when you do, it will help you experience the joy of relationships God designed for you. Because after all, You Were Made for This.

Well, that\\u2019s it for today. Come back next time for episode 183 and another relational part of life we can be thankful for this November in 2022, and every month and year thereafter.

If there\\u2019s someone in your life you think might like to hear what you just heard, please forward this episode on to them. The link is JohnCertalic.com/182. Or scroll down to the bottom of the show notes for this episode and click on one of the options in the yellow \\u201cShare This\\u201d bar.

And don\\u2019t forget to spread a little relational sunshine around the people you meet this week. Spark some joy for them. And I\\u2019ll see you again next time. Goodbye for now.

Related episodes you may want to listen to

139: Why Should I Listen to This Podcast?
021: The Most Important Relationship of All

Last week\\u2019s episode

181: Tenderness Found in Two Unusual Places

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