Journal Lessons

My journals chronicle events and experiences that first year or so after I took the writing project. Reading some of them sometimes takes me back to the moment or experience as if it just happened yesterday. I am amazed by the experience and find it hard to pull myself away from the entries just the way it is when I read Dad’s journals.

One entry caught my interest especially after a conversation with Becky and Heather. It goes back to the fall of 1979 and happened in an unexpected way. I tell in this entry of helping a friend do some work on his acreage. We cut wood in his woods while Becky and his wife socialized and prepared a supper for us back at the house.

This friend had recently undergone a huge transformation in his life. He had been a “rounder” as my Dad would say. That simply meant he was running around a lot and not faithful in relationships with his wife and others. He “got religion” and was a different person. I was impressed with his change but not so impressed with the zealous way he tried to bring others to Jesus. Many of us had been there all along and were now wondering why he didn’t realize that.

He was several years older than I was. We had grown up in the same church as I had but it must have not meant much to him. His parents were friends with mine so even with the age difference we had a lot in common.

I was a little uncomfortable when he would brag about the things he did before he was “saved.” Somehow that just didn’t seem right. I wouldn’t say he actually regretted it. It was as though he thought his past life gave more credibility to his transformation. I thought he was wrong before and wasn’t sure he was totally legit now.

After the dinner the ladies had prepared for us we went out to the yard and played catch with one of his teenage sons. We each took turns going out for a long pass and snagging a difficult catch.

I was taken aback when the boy missed a long one and his Dad yelled out “woman!” in a very negative way. It happened every time the kid would miss a pass and then the son started calling his father a “woman” when he missed one. I was speechless! It was shockingly and blatantly sexiest. It was strong evidence that this cad was no more respectful of females than before.

To me, being Christian means that you have a profound respect for all God’s creation and using the word “woman” in a disrespectful way was a clear indication of his true colors. I don’t see that guy very often. I do believe he has grown as a person and a Christian since then but, somehow, I still don’t feel he is totally genuine. I guess it is not for me to judge.