In one of my favorite sitcoms, Seinfeld, George Castanza's father is repeatedly irritated with one thing or another. When this happened he would lift his arms up as he looked skyward and scream "Serenity Now". It always made me chuckle.
This all came up in my memory yesterday when my daughter attended my church and we were in the adult Bible Study class. We are just beginning a new study of the book of Proverbs, one of my favorite parts of the Bible. Our teacher, our pastor, was leading us into the study for the second lesson by reviewing the lesson for last week. This is a very good teaching technique, to set the scene for the day, by reviewing the last lesson.
The August 28th lesson was With Wisdom Comes Character, with Proverbs 1:5 and James 3:13.
After a review we began the September 4th lesson: Proverbs 17:22 and Colossians 3:23, Enthusiasm Builds Character. There was a lot of discussion about what Character was, etc. Then we began to explore how enthusiasm connected with character. The members who are still wage earners had something to say about how hard they had worked in their jobs and how no one seemed to realize the effort they had put in nor had they been recognized for all of the effort and cheerful "enthusiasm" they had put into their work. They expressed that, though they had not asked for that pat on the back, to be ignored completely by their bosses was a real balloon bursting experience. It just took away their enthusiasm for their work, and how do we combat it in the future. There is not a simple solution.
I just sat and listened to this discussion, but in the back of my mind I could see George Castanza's father with his red face lifted upward and his arms shaking in the air shouting "Serenity NOW !
We did not get to finish the discussion as we were running out of the time allotted for this class. The next week we will no doubt take it up again for a reasonable conclusion. I am thinking however, that during this week when these same people meet this same situation at their jobs, they may look at it in a different way. If nothing else, they may remember that not being appreciated is not a singular experience and that may give them some comfort. Or perhaps it can help them to just dismiss it and go on without allowing someone else to rule their own responses.
Monday, September 5, 2011
Wednesday, August 17, 2011
Something New Every Day
Variety is the spice of life. As long as it does not lead to chaos. There is something comforting about having a routine. It can also become so boring you just have to break out and try something new.
I was not bored when I started a new thing recently, I did it on advise of my doctor. She thought I needed to have some set exercises to strength my bones. She recommended Curves. I am into my second week at Curves, and am learning to use the machines the way they were intended to be used. Today however, I agreed to try something new in conjunction with the machine workout. I knew in advance what it would be but had no idea it would be so vigorous. It is called Zumba dancing.
It has an African flavor in the music and also in the moves. In any videos, or films I have seen with African dancers, they are all younger people. This should have been a tip off that the workout is not for sissies. But I went into it knowing it was not a piece of cake but would be fun. It was fun, and it was vigorous and I did not do the moves perfectly but hey, I was in there trying!
Our teacher danced like her body was a piece of music. Her flexibility and dancing were impeccable. It was fun to see her and to try to imitate her. However, I am not sure it is for oldsters like me. In Curves the machines and physical tolerance are within my range. The slow exercises which I do as per directed by the Physical Therapist are also within my range of physical tolerance. So, the jury is still out on how long I will follow this new trend. I want to wait until next week and try it again. I am not inclined to give up on something after only one try.
For example, last year I made many attempts to propagate kiwi, both the male an female plants. I was not successful. This year I tried again. Failure. But, I persevered, trying a different method. Now I have both a male and a female plant still alive. One has a green leaf unfolding at the top. The other one is still alive and has the original piece of leaf still attached and it is still green. The instructions I read did not say to put the cutting in water (with a trace of liquid fertilizer). But I have propagated gardenia bushes by taking the bloom and letting it sit in water for a few weeks. I got five gardenia bushes. Two, I gave away. Three are thriving here near my house. So, I thought, if it works for gardenias then just maybe it will work for kiwi.
It is good to try new things, but within reason, and as long as no one is placed in danger. My daughter and her husband took their 26 year old son to Six Flags for a day of fun recently. This trip was the culmination of his two week visit from college. They all had a great time and rode everything there. My daughter got soaking wet on one ride. All three of them had done this before as teens, and it was a great repeat for them. I am pretty sure it is not for me but I was glad that they were still so young at heart.
I am not so sure that my brother at age 85 should have gone sky diving - for the first time. But he did, and survived it just fine. He had a great time and being able to look down on earth was an exhilarating experience . He and our former president George H. Bush have at least two things in common. They both are World War II survivors and both are survivors of sky diving at an advanced age. So, don't allow yourself to become bored or caught in a stale routine. Try something new. You just might be happy that you did.
I was not bored when I started a new thing recently, I did it on advise of my doctor. She thought I needed to have some set exercises to strength my bones. She recommended Curves. I am into my second week at Curves, and am learning to use the machines the way they were intended to be used. Today however, I agreed to try something new in conjunction with the machine workout. I knew in advance what it would be but had no idea it would be so vigorous. It is called Zumba dancing.
It has an African flavor in the music and also in the moves. In any videos, or films I have seen with African dancers, they are all younger people. This should have been a tip off that the workout is not for sissies. But I went into it knowing it was not a piece of cake but would be fun. It was fun, and it was vigorous and I did not do the moves perfectly but hey, I was in there trying!
Our teacher danced like her body was a piece of music. Her flexibility and dancing were impeccable. It was fun to see her and to try to imitate her. However, I am not sure it is for oldsters like me. In Curves the machines and physical tolerance are within my range. The slow exercises which I do as per directed by the Physical Therapist are also within my range of physical tolerance. So, the jury is still out on how long I will follow this new trend. I want to wait until next week and try it again. I am not inclined to give up on something after only one try.
For example, last year I made many attempts to propagate kiwi, both the male an female plants. I was not successful. This year I tried again. Failure. But, I persevered, trying a different method. Now I have both a male and a female plant still alive. One has a green leaf unfolding at the top. The other one is still alive and has the original piece of leaf still attached and it is still green. The instructions I read did not say to put the cutting in water (with a trace of liquid fertilizer). But I have propagated gardenia bushes by taking the bloom and letting it sit in water for a few weeks. I got five gardenia bushes. Two, I gave away. Three are thriving here near my house. So, I thought, if it works for gardenias then just maybe it will work for kiwi.
It is good to try new things, but within reason, and as long as no one is placed in danger. My daughter and her husband took their 26 year old son to Six Flags for a day of fun recently. This trip was the culmination of his two week visit from college. They all had a great time and rode everything there. My daughter got soaking wet on one ride. All three of them had done this before as teens, and it was a great repeat for them. I am pretty sure it is not for me but I was glad that they were still so young at heart.
I am not so sure that my brother at age 85 should have gone sky diving - for the first time. But he did, and survived it just fine. He had a great time and being able to look down on earth was an exhilarating experience . He and our former president George H. Bush have at least two things in common. They both are World War II survivors and both are survivors of sky diving at an advanced age. So, don't allow yourself to become bored or caught in a stale routine. Try something new. You just might be happy that you did.
Saturday, August 13, 2011
Good Jobs After the Rain
Last night we had a rain while I was sleeping away. A good time to pull up weeds is after a rain, when the rain has settled into the ground. The ground is soft and it is just an easier chore. Pulling weeds is back breaking work as you must bend over to reach them (that is for the uninitiated among you).The growth that I attacked early this morning had the same weeds of varying heights. Some barely one inch high, but if allowed to reach full growth would have at least two thousand seeds in the fall. Obviously, I have neglected them in the past at this one spot around my Acuba in back of my house. Some of those weeds were almost four feet high.
As I was bending over and then standing up to pitch the handful of weeds to the collection place, something occurred to me. When Adam and Eve were banned from the Garden of Eden and turned out to toil for the rest of their lives, did God plan to make them regret their disobedience? Every time I bent over I had a humbling feeling , like I was bowing before God . It made me wonder if Adam and Eve had to pull weeds and if so did they feel like they were bowing before God? If the Garden of Eden was perfect, then there were probably no weeds there. Perfection was a given.
Perfection is not a given in humans, it takes hard work to become proficient in anything to reach perfection. It also takes dedication to a cause and usually a lot of time, perhaps practicing for a certain skill, over a long, long time. I was watching some high dive performers and to be able to do some of those twists and flips and enter the water with hardly a ripple, requires a supreme effort.
One could compare their regimen to working toward perfection in lifes most challenging endeavor. What comes to mind for me is human relationships. It may be that achieving that perfect plane is actually impossible. There are too many variables to make it possible. A machine can be designed to make something perfect over and over, and maybe even when it interacts with another machine, as on an assembly line. But for us humans it just does not happen. Too much has to be taken into consideration to have harmony with another person. You must be able to understand how that other person feels about a given situation.
If Ronald Reagen was a good communicator, he no doubt had a habit of looking at all sides of a situation when he was trying to achieve a certain result, with another person. It does not require any skill at all when you bend over to pull up weeds. It helps to have a good strong back, and a good dose of humility as you bow down to the ground. It does have its rewards however. A sort of cleansing both in the appearance of your garden and in clearing your mind.
As I was bending over and then standing up to pitch the handful of weeds to the collection place, something occurred to me. When Adam and Eve were banned from the Garden of Eden and turned out to toil for the rest of their lives, did God plan to make them regret their disobedience? Every time I bent over I had a humbling feeling , like I was bowing before God . It made me wonder if Adam and Eve had to pull weeds and if so did they feel like they were bowing before God? If the Garden of Eden was perfect, then there were probably no weeds there. Perfection was a given.
Perfection is not a given in humans, it takes hard work to become proficient in anything to reach perfection. It also takes dedication to a cause and usually a lot of time, perhaps practicing for a certain skill, over a long, long time. I was watching some high dive performers and to be able to do some of those twists and flips and enter the water with hardly a ripple, requires a supreme effort.
One could compare their regimen to working toward perfection in lifes most challenging endeavor. What comes to mind for me is human relationships. It may be that achieving that perfect plane is actually impossible. There are too many variables to make it possible. A machine can be designed to make something perfect over and over, and maybe even when it interacts with another machine, as on an assembly line. But for us humans it just does not happen. Too much has to be taken into consideration to have harmony with another person. You must be able to understand how that other person feels about a given situation.
If Ronald Reagen was a good communicator, he no doubt had a habit of looking at all sides of a situation when he was trying to achieve a certain result, with another person. It does not require any skill at all when you bend over to pull up weeds. It helps to have a good strong back, and a good dose of humility as you bow down to the ground. It does have its rewards however. A sort of cleansing both in the appearance of your garden and in clearing your mind.
Monday, August 8, 2011
Beauty Saloon Information
A lot of information floats around in a Beauty Saloon. Some of it is pure speculation on the part of the patrons. Some is interesting but not applicable to the listener. An example of this kind of news is what I heard last week. A gentleman with gray hair and moustache to match, was in with his wife. He was a man of some girth and was a jolly type. Comments were going back and forth as is common when regular patrons gather there and know each other. The subject came up of him making a good Santa if he had the beard. It seems that he had looked into this matter and learned that this seasonal job is very well regulated. There is a professional organization for Santa's, who keep tabs on the kind of men who can belong and find jobs through them. I had no idea such a thing existed.
I am reminded of an episode of Seinfeld showing what happened when Kramer and a "little man" went to work at a department store as Santa's. The little guy was pretty savvy about union rules and convinced Kramer that they needed to have better pay and working conditions. Of course it all ended in a comedic debacle and they lost their jobs. The gentleman in the Saloon that day had researched it all and found it was not for him, even though it did pay well for a seasonal job.
My hairdresser happens to own the shop and she likes to cook. She can tell me about a lot of easy to prepare dishes while she is setting my hair. Some of them do give me some ideas and I can use them with some modification. Because I try to eat healthy foods, mine probably do not taste as good as her dishes. Her son is a preacher in a near by town so she helps a lot with dinners there. She looks out for her customers and tries to see that they are well taken care of. Her customers like her and the work she does. They bring her vegetables from their gardens and flowers and other things to show their appreciation. She in turn, finds ways to help them in various ways. I have given her a lot of perennials from my place and she has given me things she finds at bargain stores, which she thinks I can use and/or will like. She once gave me black Capri pants which are my favorites to wear anywhere casual. Also she had given me shoes, and other clothing which she has found at a real bargain. She found a pair of bright yellow rubber shoes, a size too big for me but they have become my favorites for working in the wet garden. I can just hose them off and they are ready to go again. She really likes the challenge of finding things at bargain stores. I, on the other hand, never do this kind of shopping. It is a game for her and I am not into that kind of game.
Another game she really enjoys is gambling. She knows all of the favorite gambling places and often gets free lodging and food just to go there and gamble. Some of her patrons give her money to gamble with and if they win, she takes the winnings back to them. She considers it innocent as for her it is only entertainment. We do not agree on how to shop or spend money but she is a great hair dresser and is very good with hair color, which I need on a regular basis.
One of her patrons has lost most of her vision and she looks forward to seeing me so we can chat and exchange ideas. My hairdresser manages her schedule on Wednesdays just so we can visit. She has me come in right after her so this lady can have a little social life. She rarely gets out now except on rare occasions and she looks forward to these visits. Her son drives her there and picks her up later. I enjoy her company as well. She has another customer, of considerable age who is in a similar situation. She lives nearby and does not have transportation so my hairdresser goes to get her and then takes her back home.
This saloon owner has been in business for over forty years and has a faithful following. Going there is more than a business transaction. It is part social, part therapeutic, and is small enough to be intimate. She keeps her prices under the high end saloons as her shop is modest and her goal is to have happy customers and she goes all out to please them. I think it is an excellent business model for a small shop. It is sort of like Cheers of sitcom fame. Almost everyone knows your name, not to mention that you can hear some pretty interesting things while you are there. It is all good fun.
I am reminded of an episode of Seinfeld showing what happened when Kramer and a "little man" went to work at a department store as Santa's. The little guy was pretty savvy about union rules and convinced Kramer that they needed to have better pay and working conditions. Of course it all ended in a comedic debacle and they lost their jobs. The gentleman in the Saloon that day had researched it all and found it was not for him, even though it did pay well for a seasonal job.
My hairdresser happens to own the shop and she likes to cook. She can tell me about a lot of easy to prepare dishes while she is setting my hair. Some of them do give me some ideas and I can use them with some modification. Because I try to eat healthy foods, mine probably do not taste as good as her dishes. Her son is a preacher in a near by town so she helps a lot with dinners there. She looks out for her customers and tries to see that they are well taken care of. Her customers like her and the work she does. They bring her vegetables from their gardens and flowers and other things to show their appreciation. She in turn, finds ways to help them in various ways. I have given her a lot of perennials from my place and she has given me things she finds at bargain stores, which she thinks I can use and/or will like. She once gave me black Capri pants which are my favorites to wear anywhere casual. Also she had given me shoes, and other clothing which she has found at a real bargain. She found a pair of bright yellow rubber shoes, a size too big for me but they have become my favorites for working in the wet garden. I can just hose them off and they are ready to go again. She really likes the challenge of finding things at bargain stores. I, on the other hand, never do this kind of shopping. It is a game for her and I am not into that kind of game.
Another game she really enjoys is gambling. She knows all of the favorite gambling places and often gets free lodging and food just to go there and gamble. Some of her patrons give her money to gamble with and if they win, she takes the winnings back to them. She considers it innocent as for her it is only entertainment. We do not agree on how to shop or spend money but she is a great hair dresser and is very good with hair color, which I need on a regular basis.
One of her patrons has lost most of her vision and she looks forward to seeing me so we can chat and exchange ideas. My hairdresser manages her schedule on Wednesdays just so we can visit. She has me come in right after her so this lady can have a little social life. She rarely gets out now except on rare occasions and she looks forward to these visits. Her son drives her there and picks her up later. I enjoy her company as well. She has another customer, of considerable age who is in a similar situation. She lives nearby and does not have transportation so my hairdresser goes to get her and then takes her back home.
This saloon owner has been in business for over forty years and has a faithful following. Going there is more than a business transaction. It is part social, part therapeutic, and is small enough to be intimate. She keeps her prices under the high end saloons as her shop is modest and her goal is to have happy customers and she goes all out to please them. I think it is an excellent business model for a small shop. It is sort of like Cheers of sitcom fame. Almost everyone knows your name, not to mention that you can hear some pretty interesting things while you are there. It is all good fun.
Sunday, July 31, 2011
Experimenting in Gardening
Sometimes I have some really off base ideas. It occurred to me that there should be some way I could use the poly/blend tote bags which are found in almost every retail store in my town. They are cheap, sometimes only fifty cents, but usually are one dollar. I thought it might work to use them as planters. I had accumulated enough to experiment with them. So, I filled the first one with good potting soil and planted some year old seeds in it. I used white scallop squash seeds, often they are called "patty pan squash". I even put a date on a card with indelible pen and took a picture of this first odd planter. I was so pleased when all of the seeds came up. I had put in many more than I wanted as I did not trust them to be viable.
Encouraged that they came up so well, I forged ahead and prepared more bags. My neighbor volunteered one huge bag along with five different kinds of pumpkin seeds that she had saved from pumpkins the year before. They all came up and looked so healthy that I faithfully watered them and watched them travel out of the bag and onto the hillside. One of them now has a green pumpkin growing on the vine. It is small, about the size of a golf ball.
After a month had passed and I watered and watched, I noticed something disturbing. Two of the bags were disintegrating. I had a tiny white squash on the patty pan plant, but in time it began to shrivel. One of the pumpkin bags was disintegrating rapidly. It was literally crumbling. I began to pull on the bag and saw that the water was not getting down into the bag. We are in a drought and no doubt I had not kept up with the watering as well as I needed to. I had a decision to make.
The patty pan was not going to make it and the soil was still usable so I put the whole thing in my rubber garden tub and took it over to the healthy pumpkins which were traveling down the hill. I tore away the shreds of the bag and dumped the good soil all around it and gave it a good drenching. Hopefully it will be revived and still make at least one pumpkin. The other pumpkin bag was partly in the shade and seemed to fare better, at least enough to have a little green pumpkin on it.
I will still water these pumpkins for the rest of the summer, but my experiment did not prove to give me a good way to grow plants. It seemed like a good idea, to tote the plant around. I still have some hope for one of the bags which was in part shade. It is still intact and is showing promise. This bag is larger than the others and on the side is printed "Dalton Carpet.com". They do make good carpets in Dalton. It could be that this bag will last and there may be hope for my idea after all.
After I had started my experiment I received the May/June issue of Birds and Blooms. A reader had sent in a picture of a tote bag from the Wine Store. She had the same idea that I had for using her tote for a mobile planter. She had sent a picture of the bag with spinach (from the market) inside the bag. I knew it was not actually grown in the bag as it was mature and the bag was too clean. I am wondering how her idea worked out for her.
When things do not work out as I had planned with my experiments, I think of Robert Burns the Scottish poet. He was ploughing in his field and uprooted the nest of a little mouse. He wrote a poem about it called "To a Mouse". Lines from that poem have become known world wide. He felt really bad that he had disturbed the mouse's home as it was in the month of November and the mouse did not have time, or materials available to built another nest before harsh weather. The lines are "the best laid plans of mice and men, often go awry". Below is the verse of the poem in which the line appears.
But mousie, thou are no thy-lane, (not alone)
in proving foresight may be vain:
The best laid schemes o' Mice and Men,
Gang aft agley, (often go awry)
An' lea'e us nought but grief an' pain,
For promis'd joy!
It is believed that he was comparing his own life to the problems of the mouse. He loved nature and was deeply hurt by what he had done to the tiny creature. No doubt he had plans in his personal life which did not turn out as expected, and was reminded of them by this event in his garden. My experiment not turning out well did not disturb me at all. I have plenty of other experiments in progress to make up for this failed one.
Encouraged that they came up so well, I forged ahead and prepared more bags. My neighbor volunteered one huge bag along with five different kinds of pumpkin seeds that she had saved from pumpkins the year before. They all came up and looked so healthy that I faithfully watered them and watched them travel out of the bag and onto the hillside. One of them now has a green pumpkin growing on the vine. It is small, about the size of a golf ball.
After a month had passed and I watered and watched, I noticed something disturbing. Two of the bags were disintegrating. I had a tiny white squash on the patty pan plant, but in time it began to shrivel. One of the pumpkin bags was disintegrating rapidly. It was literally crumbling. I began to pull on the bag and saw that the water was not getting down into the bag. We are in a drought and no doubt I had not kept up with the watering as well as I needed to. I had a decision to make.
The patty pan was not going to make it and the soil was still usable so I put the whole thing in my rubber garden tub and took it over to the healthy pumpkins which were traveling down the hill. I tore away the shreds of the bag and dumped the good soil all around it and gave it a good drenching. Hopefully it will be revived and still make at least one pumpkin. The other pumpkin bag was partly in the shade and seemed to fare better, at least enough to have a little green pumpkin on it.
I will still water these pumpkins for the rest of the summer, but my experiment did not prove to give me a good way to grow plants. It seemed like a good idea, to tote the plant around. I still have some hope for one of the bags which was in part shade. It is still intact and is showing promise. This bag is larger than the others and on the side is printed "Dalton Carpet.com". They do make good carpets in Dalton. It could be that this bag will last and there may be hope for my idea after all.
After I had started my experiment I received the May/June issue of Birds and Blooms. A reader had sent in a picture of a tote bag from the Wine Store. She had the same idea that I had for using her tote for a mobile planter. She had sent a picture of the bag with spinach (from the market) inside the bag. I knew it was not actually grown in the bag as it was mature and the bag was too clean. I am wondering how her idea worked out for her.
When things do not work out as I had planned with my experiments, I think of Robert Burns the Scottish poet. He was ploughing in his field and uprooted the nest of a little mouse. He wrote a poem about it called "To a Mouse". Lines from that poem have become known world wide. He felt really bad that he had disturbed the mouse's home as it was in the month of November and the mouse did not have time, or materials available to built another nest before harsh weather. The lines are "the best laid plans of mice and men, often go awry". Below is the verse of the poem in which the line appears.
But mousie, thou are no thy-lane, (not alone)
in proving foresight may be vain:
The best laid schemes o' Mice and Men,
Gang aft agley, (often go awry)
An' lea'e us nought but grief an' pain,
For promis'd joy!
It is believed that he was comparing his own life to the problems of the mouse. He loved nature and was deeply hurt by what he had done to the tiny creature. No doubt he had plans in his personal life which did not turn out as expected, and was reminded of them by this event in his garden. My experiment not turning out well did not disturb me at all. I have plenty of other experiments in progress to make up for this failed one.
Friday, July 15, 2011
Do Churches Have Personalities?
The church where I have been a member for almost 30 years was originally organized as a mission church, and that is what it is today. We are small in membership and also generally older in age. Some people prefer to be in a larger church. A lady told me once that she liked a big church because she liked to "get lost" in it. I suppose that means that you go on Sunday morning and then return next Sunday, revived but unencumbered by any close associations. For very busy people that may work for a time, but then the time comes when you no longer want to get lost, you want to be an integral part of the group.
Some years ago there was a popular television sitcom called "Cheers". Ted Danson, the bar owner and bar maid Diane, were the central characters who were surrounded by the regular customers. They were like a family and entertained us for years. They learned to know each other quite well, perhaps because the alcohol loosened their tongues and they became less inhibited. Whereas, in our churches we do not go for a drink and conversation, we do receive a balm of affirmation with like minded people.
I was thinking about some of the activities that are an integral part of our church. Because of the hot weather and some temporary health conditions, I have not been there in about three weeks. I miss the connection and this directed my thinking into comparing the aura of our group to the aura of the one time
television sitcom, Cheers. The lead in song says, "Cheers, where everybody knows your name". The same could be said of our church. Maybe we should change the name of our church to Cheers Trinity Presbyterian Church, because after two visits, everybody knows your name.
In order for folks there to really know you, you need to have some other connections. There are lots of opportunities. To name a few: adult Bible class, Bible instruction for children during the church hour, coffee time in fellowship hall before service, a well trained Biblical scholar to lead the service, opportunity to serve as lay leader each Sunday, participate in the adult choir, the bell ringer group, monthly ladies circle, monthly men of the church meeting (usually with a meal), monthly fellowship covered dish dinner. There are multiple service opportunities also. Each month, on the first Wednesday a few members take a meal to the Good News at Noon, Kitchen in our town. Other churches take food on a different day, so every day of the month is supplied. In the hallway of our building, there are shelves which our members keep full of canned goods, dog food, and other household items. Anyone in the community who is struggling to maintain their home can come and take what they need. Last, but not least, the ladies of the church are invited to be a part of a prayer chain. When someone has an emergency, and requests prayer, the calls go out and are passed along to the next person. Prayer is basic to our faith, and expresses concern for each other.
Psychologist stress that children need the association of groups to help them build a lifetime of wholeness. Starting with the child's family, he hopefully branches out with school groups, then sports groups, and various groups structured to train good habits. Circles of friends is a lifelong need, and they should be nurtured and treasured for as long possible.
To answer my question, do churches have personalities, yes I think they do. For the church is the people who gather and worship in oneness of purpose. It is that oneness of purpose which defines our basic personality, it is who we are and how we live.
Some years ago there was a popular television sitcom called "Cheers". Ted Danson, the bar owner and bar maid Diane, were the central characters who were surrounded by the regular customers. They were like a family and entertained us for years. They learned to know each other quite well, perhaps because the alcohol loosened their tongues and they became less inhibited. Whereas, in our churches we do not go for a drink and conversation, we do receive a balm of affirmation with like minded people.
I was thinking about some of the activities that are an integral part of our church. Because of the hot weather and some temporary health conditions, I have not been there in about three weeks. I miss the connection and this directed my thinking into comparing the aura of our group to the aura of the one time
television sitcom, Cheers. The lead in song says, "Cheers, where everybody knows your name". The same could be said of our church. Maybe we should change the name of our church to Cheers Trinity Presbyterian Church, because after two visits, everybody knows your name.
In order for folks there to really know you, you need to have some other connections. There are lots of opportunities. To name a few: adult Bible class, Bible instruction for children during the church hour, coffee time in fellowship hall before service, a well trained Biblical scholar to lead the service, opportunity to serve as lay leader each Sunday, participate in the adult choir, the bell ringer group, monthly ladies circle, monthly men of the church meeting (usually with a meal), monthly fellowship covered dish dinner. There are multiple service opportunities also. Each month, on the first Wednesday a few members take a meal to the Good News at Noon, Kitchen in our town. Other churches take food on a different day, so every day of the month is supplied. In the hallway of our building, there are shelves which our members keep full of canned goods, dog food, and other household items. Anyone in the community who is struggling to maintain their home can come and take what they need. Last, but not least, the ladies of the church are invited to be a part of a prayer chain. When someone has an emergency, and requests prayer, the calls go out and are passed along to the next person. Prayer is basic to our faith, and expresses concern for each other.
Psychologist stress that children need the association of groups to help them build a lifetime of wholeness. Starting with the child's family, he hopefully branches out with school groups, then sports groups, and various groups structured to train good habits. Circles of friends is a lifelong need, and they should be nurtured and treasured for as long possible.
To answer my question, do churches have personalities, yes I think they do. For the church is the people who gather and worship in oneness of purpose. It is that oneness of purpose which defines our basic personality, it is who we are and how we live.
Thursday, July 14, 2011
Pat Yourself On The Back
These words are directed to anyone who has a paying job. It is also for anyone who is responsible for some endeavor, which has no pay check attached to it. Have you been receiving "Attaboys" for the myriad of things you do in that job. I doubt it. It would be impossible for anyone else to know all of the many things you do throughout the day, and perhaps into the night, to be successful in what you do.
Every job is important, it only varies in the weight of consequences. Brain surgery carries a heavy weigh indeed. Properly pruning a flowering shrub has consequences, but far less noticeable. Think about your own job and all of the things you do to accomplish harmony in your day. Do you reward yourself after a job well done? Probably you are too busy to stop and think about it. But at the end of a day, or week, or a month, when you receive that pay check, find a way to pat yourself on the back.
The way you reward yourself will be different from the way someone else finds satisfaction. A small effort may call for a rest, a cup of coffee, or a quick coke. A longer effort could be a good book, or box of fine chocolates as a reward.
Think about the way you felt when someone has said, "Good Job", or "I like the way you handled that situation". It is only human nature to want affirmation from another person. When you are happy about something you have accomplished, a word, or smile from someone is like icing on the cake.
Perhaps you have someone in your life who can give you those pats on the back. If not, I urge you to do it for yourself, and to do it for others. You may soon forget what you did, but the one you encourage will not forget, and the encouragement can last a lifetime.
Every job is important, it only varies in the weight of consequences. Brain surgery carries a heavy weigh indeed. Properly pruning a flowering shrub has consequences, but far less noticeable. Think about your own job and all of the things you do to accomplish harmony in your day. Do you reward yourself after a job well done? Probably you are too busy to stop and think about it. But at the end of a day, or week, or a month, when you receive that pay check, find a way to pat yourself on the back.
The way you reward yourself will be different from the way someone else finds satisfaction. A small effort may call for a rest, a cup of coffee, or a quick coke. A longer effort could be a good book, or box of fine chocolates as a reward.
Think about the way you felt when someone has said, "Good Job", or "I like the way you handled that situation". It is only human nature to want affirmation from another person. When you are happy about something you have accomplished, a word, or smile from someone is like icing on the cake.
Perhaps you have someone in your life who can give you those pats on the back. If not, I urge you to do it for yourself, and to do it for others. You may soon forget what you did, but the one you encourage will not forget, and the encouragement can last a lifetime.
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