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Cal's Pastoral Epistles
"How Much Do You Remember?"
August 25, 2010
I was stumped. My eyes rolled back and my jaw dropped when I read the
security question on my credit card account. Usually they ask you for your
mother's maiden name or make you decide which of your cats, dogs,
rabbits or ferrets was your favorite pet. That is what I was expecting.
That's not what I got.
These questions are not meant to be difficult. They are supposed to be
helpful. They are like the little white boards in people's rooms in
Convalescent Homes. You have seen them. They list the day of the week
and give a weather report. They list the name of the nurse and PCT and
sometimes contain a note on what they are serving for lunch.
The white boards are tools to help orient those who suffer from the slight
memory loss. The truth is that I've found them to be helpful when I drop in
and visit one of my parishioners. I get so busy sometimes that I don't know
what day of the week it is.
That's why I felt like a contestant on "Who Wants to be a Millionaire?"
when I saw the security question. I needed a lifeline. The prompter wanted
to know the name of my high school mascot. I blanked. I went to school
long before they had people running around in costumes. All I could think
of was the cute cheerleaders.
I played soccer and went to hundreds of basketball games but I blanked
on the name of the mascot. It was so bad that I had to get up from the
computer and walk away. After all, I've been out of high school for almost
35 years. I haven't been back since the day I graduated.
I felt badly. I loved high school and had a lot of school spirit. I was active
in everything. But that was then and this is now. Time had erased some of
those precious memories simply because it wasn't part of my world today.
The things I used to know were buried some place in a storage cabinet in
the back of my brain.
As we get ready to begin another year of Christian Education in our
churches, it struck me that the same thing is true of our knowledge of
Scriptures. Many of us learned all the Bible stories as children. We learned
about David and Goliath, Adam and Eve, Jonah and the Whale and so much
more. But over time, many of us have forgotten much of the substance of
those stories.
That's why I continue to invite people to come to Sunday School and get
involved in Bible studies. The fact that you went every week as a child does
not insure that you will remember everything you read. Time has a way of
erasing the memories we do not use regularly.
So take advantage of the educational opportunities at your church or
synagogue this fall. It will not only bless you as you grow in God's word.
You will feel like a kid again and be able to impress your friends with how
much you remember from the Bible.
By the way, our mascot at Bacon Academy in Colchester was a Bobcat. It
took me a while but I got it. It will be the same for you once you sign up
for a class at your house of worship.
God Bless! See you in church. Cal
August 25, 2010
I was stumped. My eyes rolled back and my jaw dropped when I read the
security question on my credit card account. Usually they ask you for your
mother's maiden name or make you decide which of your cats, dogs,
rabbits or ferrets was your favorite pet. That is what I was expecting.
That's not what I got.
These questions are not meant to be difficult. They are supposed to be
helpful. They are like the little white boards in people's rooms in
Convalescent Homes. You have seen them. They list the day of the week
and give a weather report. They list the name of the nurse and PCT and
sometimes contain a note on what they are serving for lunch.
The white boards are tools to help orient those who suffer from the slight
memory loss. The truth is that I've found them to be helpful when I drop in
and visit one of my parishioners. I get so busy sometimes that I don't know
what day of the week it is.
That's why I felt like a contestant on "Who Wants to be a Millionaire?"
when I saw the security question. I needed a lifeline. The prompter wanted
to know the name of my high school mascot. I blanked. I went to school
long before they had people running around in costumes. All I could think
of was the cute cheerleaders.
I played soccer and went to hundreds of basketball games but I blanked
on the name of the mascot. It was so bad that I had to get up from the
computer and walk away. After all, I've been out of high school for almost
35 years. I haven't been back since the day I graduated.
I felt badly. I loved high school and had a lot of school spirit. I was active
in everything. But that was then and this is now. Time had erased some of
those precious memories simply because it wasn't part of my world today.
The things I used to know were buried some place in a storage cabinet in
the back of my brain.
As we get ready to begin another year of Christian Education in our
churches, it struck me that the same thing is true of our knowledge of
Scriptures. Many of us learned all the Bible stories as children. We learned
about David and Goliath, Adam and Eve, Jonah and the Whale and so much
more. But over time, many of us have forgotten much of the substance of
those stories.
That's why I continue to invite people to come to Sunday School and get
involved in Bible studies. The fact that you went every week as a child does
not insure that you will remember everything you read. Time has a way of
erasing the memories we do not use regularly.
So take advantage of the educational opportunities at your church or
synagogue this fall. It will not only bless you as you grow in God's word.
You will feel like a kid again and be able to impress your friends with how
much you remember from the Bible.
By the way, our mascot at Bacon Academy in Colchester was a Bobcat. It
took me a while but I got it. It will be the same for you once you sign up
for a class at your house of worship.
God Bless! See you in church. Cal
Pastor Cal Lord writes these weekly epistles to
help us see God in every day things.
help us see God in every day things.
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