I saw myself in a movie today

I watched Women of the Year this afternoon while cooling off after spending the morning shoveling gravel. (Note to self next time where GLOVES! What a blister I have on my left hand) Maybe it was the sun or something but I saw a snippet of my own life in that movie.

No I had no grand illusions of my being crown women of the year. I have no interest in arbitrary and meaningless titles. Even though this is a love story I did not have dreams of me falling in love. The snippet that came back to me was of the friendship I have with two patient men.

A couple of years ago when my friend Len still lived here our friend Mark and I went over to help him with some packing chores then we watched TV.

You see there was a playoff game between the Yankees and the Red Soxs. To me this was meaningless, but to Len and Mark this game was important. So, I watched. During commercials it was decided we would watch Monty Python and the Holy Grail so I figured it wouldn't be too boring to watch baseball.

They whooped and cheered and I had no idea why. Men have tried to teach me about baseball in the past but soon grew frustrated and until that day what I knew about baseball could fit in a thimble. I sat quietly waiting for the commercial break Monty Python. Then something strange happened. Len and Mark started to explain to me what was going on. They explained patiently and in terms that I could understand. I asked questions and they answered. I guess my boredom was obvious and they wanted me to enjoy the game too.

Oddly enough the mystery that was baseball began to unravel for me that day. I save my baseball questions for Len when I talk to him. He still patiently answers. I enjoyed that game that day. I enjoyed Monty Python more but, I did enjoy the game. The three of us bonded that day a solid friendship grew even more firm.

How does this relate to a love story? Easy, in the movie Sam is a sports writer and Tess is a political journalist. Same takes Tess to see a ball game, the Yankees where playing. She knew nothing about baseball and asked ten thousand questions. Sam answered each question was patients while the men around them groaned and teased. Ok so they started falling in love at the game and I did not fall in love with either of the men I was with, but the point is when you take the time to share what you know and encourage someone the bond between the people grows a little bit deeper.

Today I don't hate baseball. I can watch or listen to a game without falling asleep. I don't have a favorite team or "follow" baseball but I will say this. A couple of weeks ago the Yankee game was on the local radio station. I was rooting for the White Soxs just because they where playing the Yankees and as long as the Yankees don't win I am happy.

So here is a hat tip to Len a sort of thanks for all your patient answers. From this day forth I will call myself a Boston Fan, and when ever I watch "Women of the Year" I won't see Spencer Tracy, I will see Len and Mark. :-)

Sad thoughts

The other day Len posted a link to an article in Simply Youth Ministry, Adam McLane wrote "Left for Dead by the Church".

I followed the link and read what Mr. McLane wrote on his blog. My first reaction was to joke, I always make jokes to myself when I see something that upsets me. My joke was to wonder if Len had decided to take on a secret identity without telling me. I knew he had not but the excerpt in the blog so closely resembled what happened to Len in our old church he could have written it.

My second reaction was to cry. I cried because it so closely resembled his story and the story of so many other youth workers I know. Secret meetings where the lie to be passed on to the congregation is set. Then the youth worker is included and their ability to provide for their family is tied into their going along with the lie.

I also cried for the churches because I sometimes wonder if there are healthy churches out there. The church is the face Christians put to the world what they see in the church is what the world thinks God is. We are Christ's representatives called to walk his path. We invite the world into our churches and say come learn about God here. When we treat each other this badly what is the outside world suppose to think of us. We preach love, honesty, and the Ten Commandments, but too often the church doesn't live them.

No wonder the world laughs at Christians and condemns the church as bull. If the church doesn't act like it believes what it preaches why would the world want to come in and join.

I once thought I would like to work in youth ministry. I love working with teens and I love serving God and once upon a time I had thought that a church was the perfect place to do that. Now I know better, I have seen too many wounded soldiers on the church battlefield to want to put myself through that. I can serve God better healthy and whole outside of the church. Maybe someday Church will again be about serving God and not ourselves, but until then I weep for the wounded.