This morning was my second Saturday with the kindergarten and first grade boys soccer group for the South Bend branch of the People of Praise. I spent an hour and a half with them, playing a soccer game occasionally even with just one soccer ball, and playing assorted other exercises and games. These boys are great.. I'm still very much learning how one must lead a group this age. They each insist on individual attention, but if I give it to one boy, the rest turns to chaos. Some are on the verge of tears at one point, and at the height of elation at other points. They are all eager to love me and spend time with me whenever they see me. Youth are so transparent, we have so much to learn from them! It's also a testament to the tireless work their parents put in to forming them. At the very least, our community is a collection of passionate parents. More likely, we stand out for our interest in sharing this experience with not only our own flesh and blood.
Immediately after that, I got a call from JT whose parents are in the process of moving, and had a need for my truck if it and I were available. During one of the drives, Terry told me about the recent car accident on the Indiana Toll Road... a massive pileup after traffic was already backed up due to a previous accident. A semi driver plowed through a few cars, killing 8 people. Among the victims were a few Amish people. What a ripple of pain things like this send through a community, not unlike the Virginia Tech slayings and suicide. Then I actually swapped my truck with Terry's car so that he can use the truck for the next few days, moving odds and ends, before one of the infamous POP-style moves on Tuesday night. In Muncie, we're called the Hallelujah Movers whenever we get together for a move. I came back to find the Havard's working on putting the finishing touches on de-winterizing their backyard pool... the water is around 50 degrees Fahrenheit, but of course the kids are still itching to hop in! Incredible. Came down to my room to check email/blogs, and found a coupla interesting posts. Chuck is officially out of my league. (for now. ;-) Becky, who I'm probably not even allowed to call my friend just because I don't really keep up with her, posted about another blogger who is usually hilarious, but just blogged about losing his parents in a car accident. Turns out it is the same accident I just heard about this morning. Wow. Here's the blogosphere at work for you.. you get to get a personal reaction from somebody severely impacted by it.
Paz!
Saturday, April 28
Monday, April 2
Can't sleep
... so instead of uselessly rolling around, I'm going to write the small post I'd been meaning to sometime this weekend.
During the previous two days, Friday and Saturday, I was concerned for my physical safety more than I typically am. In all, this was a pretty full weekend. But I just want to write down the two safety related stories.
Friday late afternoon, I stood at the top of a steep hill with my mountain bike, peering down the path as it went directly under a fallen tree and back up a similarly steep hill. Subconsciously calculating the angles, like say 80 degrees, it appeared quite certain that if I tried such a thing, I would surely have my first ever experience of a broken bone. But with my pride on the line, and Sean and Jeremy acting like this was no big deal, I took the plunge. Never have I been more certain that what I was about to do would result in bodily harm. Lo and behold, the trust exercise succeeded, and I was rewarded with a small stipend of adrenaline. It was already flowing a bit, as mountain biking with friends on a trail they've been on and you haven't seems to be especially reckless. It just doesn't seem fair that they can fly down the trail, as if they know what turns are coming up, and I must somehow keep pace. It was awesome!
Saturday morning, I peeked my head into the home of some friends and was greeted by a snarling Black Labrador. They weren't home and I was there to feed their two dogs, and take this one in particular on a run. I've actually run with him before, for a few miles, and he was a great running partner. This morning he didn't seem to remember me quite as fondly. I gave him a treat, and he tried to take my hand with it. I've always thought myself good with animals, but when a male dog is protecting himself and his home, and has no reason to believe that you are his superior, I'm not sure there is much you can do productively. I just learned that. He snarled in the corner, baring his teeth, and breathing with a rumble in his chest. It seemed that he could go on the offensive at any moment, and when I came back later in the day, I had my second - in as many days - feeling of certain peril. I had decided to just sit there in the room, and wait on him, without making any advances or retreats. I found that if I acted like he wasn't there, he would calm down a bit. The tension dropped even more when I turned on the stereo system that was preloaded with a few live jazz cd's. Eventually, he forgot who I was long enough to trot out the back door that I held open for him, where he could do his business in the fenced in backyard. Unfortunately we never got our run in. So I went for a run by myself to come back and work on him some more. Jeff Hewitt came by at one point to see if he could help, but he got the same treatment. It was nice to be able to share the danger with a brother though!
During the previous two days, Friday and Saturday, I was concerned for my physical safety more than I typically am. In all, this was a pretty full weekend. But I just want to write down the two safety related stories.
Friday late afternoon, I stood at the top of a steep hill with my mountain bike, peering down the path as it went directly under a fallen tree and back up a similarly steep hill. Subconsciously calculating the angles, like say 80 degrees, it appeared quite certain that if I tried such a thing, I would surely have my first ever experience of a broken bone. But with my pride on the line, and Sean and Jeremy acting like this was no big deal, I took the plunge. Never have I been more certain that what I was about to do would result in bodily harm. Lo and behold, the trust exercise succeeded, and I was rewarded with a small stipend of adrenaline. It was already flowing a bit, as mountain biking with friends on a trail they've been on and you haven't seems to be especially reckless. It just doesn't seem fair that they can fly down the trail, as if they know what turns are coming up, and I must somehow keep pace. It was awesome!
Saturday morning, I peeked my head into the home of some friends and was greeted by a snarling Black Labrador. They weren't home and I was there to feed their two dogs, and take this one in particular on a run. I've actually run with him before, for a few miles, and he was a great running partner. This morning he didn't seem to remember me quite as fondly. I gave him a treat, and he tried to take my hand with it. I've always thought myself good with animals, but when a male dog is protecting himself and his home, and has no reason to believe that you are his superior, I'm not sure there is much you can do productively. I just learned that. He snarled in the corner, baring his teeth, and breathing with a rumble in his chest. It seemed that he could go on the offensive at any moment, and when I came back later in the day, I had my second - in as many days - feeling of certain peril. I had decided to just sit there in the room, and wait on him, without making any advances or retreats. I found that if I acted like he wasn't there, he would calm down a bit. The tension dropped even more when I turned on the stereo system that was preloaded with a few live jazz cd's. Eventually, he forgot who I was long enough to trot out the back door that I held open for him, where he could do his business in the fenced in backyard. Unfortunately we never got our run in. So I went for a run by myself to come back and work on him some more. Jeff Hewitt came by at one point to see if he could help, but he got the same treatment. It was nice to be able to share the danger with a brother though!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)