Rodents Are Welcome Too

It would probably come as no surprise to most that churches have stumbled across the occasional mouse throughout the years. Church buildings are notorious for having corners, cubbyholes, and attic spaces that provide optimal hiding spaces- not to mention the tons of little crumbs dropped during pot-luck dinners and activities. Food has a way at making it to more functions than not.

One church in Texas received quite a scare when they spotted a little gray mouse. It appeared in the baby nursery and darted back and forth under toy boxes and chairs. It had a short, plump, egg-shaped body with a skinny tail that was easily two or three times longer than the body. Skinny as it was, it was very powerful as it appeared to be shoving around anything that got in its way.

The babies were quickly evacuated and then the hilarity ensued as adult after adult attempted to come up with a creative way to capture it. Who knew that little legs could remove so fast? They were a blur as all four of them moved in rodent precision while the tail continued to sweep back and forth. This continued for a little bit because nobody wanted to reach down to grab this mouse with bare hands. 

The screams and hollers could be heard all throughout the church building.  With more and more people gathering to see what the big deal was, an idea was hatched. One person would use toy boxes to build walls around the mouse's area. Another would discard the broom that had been unsuccessful in swatting the mouse and find a container. Once the container was located and emptied of its animal crackers, the capture proceedings were fully initiated. The walls were put in place and the clear container was placed down over the mouse. He was finally trapped when the lid was slid under the container and turned upside down to hold the rodent. 

The initial sighs of relief were quickly replaced with more anxiety due to the sight of the little mouse's tail caught in the lid. This menacing rodent had become the poor little, cute mouse. Disdain for those who had caused this situation was almost fully in place when the little guy's tail slipped out and he fell to the bottom of the container. Now, everyone was happy and dozens of youngsters followed the container outside where a kind and gentle adult released the mouse back into the wild.

It is told that every bone in his body wanted to put an end to the mouse's life. However, the mouse was, instead, softly placed back on the ground far from the building. Of course, there is no place far enough to keep the little guy from returning, it he hasn't already.

True Worship

The debate has been around now for years and will probably remain for many years to come...what kind of music should be played in the church?

That is definitely not what I want to discuss on this blog.  The myriad of opinions, preferences, arguments, and positions on this matter can be rather nauseating to say the least.  Rather, I'd like to praise my Lord today for what I was blessed to experience in my own heart this past Sunday.  

I cannot put my finger on anything in particular in the music service itself that was any different than what is customary at most of our Sunday services.  Present were the live instruments being played, the faithful music pastor, additional praise team members, and a great, fluid theme that was consistent throughout all the songs.  So, what was different?  In my opinion, it was way more about me and my heart than anything else.  And, isn't that the way it is truly supposed to be for everyone?

Too many times, people get sideways and even look for a different church because the music isn't to their liking.  They'd like more this and less this, or the leader isn't exciting enough.  However, the truth is it is impossible to make every single individual perfectly pleased with every aspect of a music service...unless...every single one of them is heart-focused on Him instead of self.  That doesn't mean that everyone who ever voices a thought or concern about something in the music service is a horribly sinful person who is out of control in their walk with Christ.  What it does mean is that all people are sinners and it is very easy to become self-focused about any number of things in the church.

Sunday, my heart was focused on Him and Him alone.  I never had one thought about who was singing, which instruments were playing, or anything else.  Instead, all I could think about was my God, and how He wants nothing but to have a deep, close relationship with me.  With all His might and power, He reaches out to me through His Word and through other believers every single day just inviting me to come closer to Him.  Why He does this, I cannot understand.  But I am so thankful for that fact.

Sunday was extremely different from many other services for sure.  It was a very cool experience and I hope to enjoy many more just like it.  My goal is to enter each service the same way I've heard preachers instruct their church families.  The question has been offered time and again, "Have you prepared for worship today?"  I want to step into the sanctuary having been prepared to do nothing other than worship my God for who He is and give Him all that I am.

It's Just A Game!!

Church softball has been a staple in many churches for years.  Men and ladies alike don matching shirts, grab their equipment and head for the local field. Some churches even have great member support as the bleachers are filled with fans each week.  It is likely the biggest church event each week aside from the normal church services.

I have personally played and witnessed countless church softball games and been part of a team dating back some twenty-four years now.  Over the course of those years, I have seen things that most people would find extremely unbelievable.  Grown men (supposedly god-fearing, church-going men) of all ages end up acting like little boys- right down to the temper tantrums that are normally reserved for average two and three year olds.

The mystery remains til this very day.  What happens to these guys?  Is there something magically stupid that happens when that softball uniform is pulled down over the head?  What makes a grown man begin to act like he is only barely old enough to walk?  Do the lights on the field sap his reserves of wisdom he's accrued over the years?  Maybe those bright lights do something all the more horrifying.  Maybe he really thinks he is a world-class athlete like the ones he watches on TV.  Could that be it?  Is he seriously so delusional to think that he is as good as those guys and that the fans in the stands are there just to see his brilliance on the field?

My first response to those questions is, "Please, NO!"  However, after watching the happenings on the field for all these years, I have to answer, "Maybe."  I have seen a seemingly intelligent man hurl a ball into the dugout of the opposing team.  Why, you ask?  As far as I could tell, there was no reason at all. Something just didn't go right for him, and he was letting everyone know. Worse than that, that same man was nose-to-nose with his coach after the game and only God knows what kept the clinched fists from flying.

As bad as that sounds, I was part of something that made the previous incident seem like a peace talk.  At an early age, I had earned my way onto the men's team.  While I'd like to think it was due to my superb skill level, I'm pretty sure it was because there just weren't enough men to fill the team.  Second base was my position and I was able to hold my own on that team until "The Play" happened late in a game.  

During "The Play" I was at second base waiting on a throw that I would eventually attempt to throw on to first base and hopefully complete a double play.  Those were quite rare for church softball.  As I caught the throw and turned towards first base, I noticed how close I was to the runner coming from first.  My throwing hand had gained control of the ball from my glove and I was going to prepare to throw to first base.  Just before I was to let go of the ball (with blinding speed, of course) I felt a huge blow to my stomach area that knocked me down and left me lying in the dirt in serious pain.  I later learned that the base runner had inexplicably decided to give me a running sucker punch right in the middle of my gut on his way to second base.

While it is a bit of a blur from that point on, I do remember the other horror. Yes, worse than the pain, was what I saw happening from my viewpoint on the ground.  Our catcher (a large man with an even larger passion) was running full-speed toward me and the crowd gathered around me.  Seeing him running was not the horrifying part.  It was the crazed look in his eyes.  He looked like a freight train that had run off the tracks, out of control with smoke spewing from the top.  I'm sure he was concerned about me and my apparent injury. However, he was much more concerned with laying a smack down on the base runner who had hit me in the stomach.  As he approached the group, I saw his big, iron first rise up into the air.  He held it there as he continued to run until he finally reached his destination and put a thunderous punch across the face of the culprit.

At that point, the unfortunate scene turned into a complete and utter melee with tons of people and dust flying all over the field.  When cooler heads eventually regained control and the dust settled, the culprit had been ejected from the game and suspended from the field indefinitely.  To this day he might not be allowed on that field.  Our catcher (the protector of the young) was also ejected from the game, but was spared suspension.  I think his explanation that he was only trying to offer me some defense saved him from the life-time ban.

Now, that story should sound very odd and extremely out of place at a church sporting event.  It should even shock you a bit as you hear it and imagine it in your mind.  More than likely, though, it isn't very shocking.  Too much any more, these kinds of incidents have become almost common place; even at church events.  It is a sad commentary to say the least that church-going people end up acting out in this way. Isn't it supposed to be all about a fun game together? Somewhere along the way, that notion has been lost and fields are full of aging athletes acting as if their play on the field is was more important that it really is.