It's spring training time, and my beloved Cardinals were passing through yesterday to play an exhibition game in Ft. Lauderdale against the Baltimore Orioles. I took a half-day off work, and my dad, my son, and I went out to the ballpark for some afternoon baseball. The Redbirds lost 4-0, and I don't think they ever put two successive hits together in the entire game. Still, it was great to get out to the ballpark for the first time ever with the three generations of Rabes. My mom and dad have been in town for part of the winter, but will only be here another week or so, and it was the only time the Cardinals will be here (at least while Dad is still in town).

During the game, as is my habit, I looked up to the suite level of the stadium to find the booth from which the KMOX/Cardinal Network broadcast would be eminating. I was listening to those broadcasts as far back as I can remember. After a little bit of searching, I was able to spot the familiar face of Mike Shannon sitting behind the mic in one of the booths. It made me sad, though, because it made me recall how easy it had always been to spot that booth quickly up until last year. You only had to scan the row of suites for the white head of the great Jack Buck. He stood out like a sore thumb--I could spot him in just a second or two.

It's just not right that he's no longer there. I so look forward to the day when Christ returns and the perishable is made imperishable.