Mid-week News - June 13, 2012

Dear Family of Faith, If you think I was tan before, just wait until you see me now! We had our Youth Boat Trip on the Gulf today, thanks to Don MacConnell, who graciously took us out to a few islets where we waded and swam around. The weather was sunny and hot, but no one drowned and all had a good time. I couldn't believe the thousands of little hermit crabs running around on the islands. We even saw a dolphin, a little shark, an eagle, and plenty of sting rays and blue crabs. One of the latter even tried to take a bite out of my toe (luckily I was wearing water shoes!) What a diverse world we live in-- so much variety in nature and so much variety in humanity. Wouldn't it be boring if everyone were the same? I've been thinking a lot about civility lately. As I was driving home last night, I was distracted in my thinking (scatterbrained) and forgot to turn off my bright lights as someone approached me head on. In contrast to what often happens, the driver did not 'flash his lights' at me. As I pondered that, I thought to myself: "Nobody even expects people to be considerate any longer. We just take it for granted that people are rude and try to make the best of it." A recent study of TV programs pointed out how there are no more "taboo words" in late night television any longer, and very few in prime time. Politically incorrect words are now the offenders, not crude and rude words. We are so used to reading and hearing words that our mothers would have "washed out our mouths for using" that we don't even pay attention any more. Whatever happened to being kind and considerate of others, of screening out offensive language and speaking only when we had something good to say? It's a troubling development; but we can all do something about it by our own examples. Why not decide to be "different" from the world-- which is exactly what Jesus wants of us. Why not think about the people around us, the people we can influence, when we speak and act? In today's world, to act like a gentleman, or to speak without cursing is the exception, not the rule. Be exceptional!