We made it to the end! Shane attended every soccer practice! We celebrated ahead of time at Chic-Fil-A.
Actually, Carrie was still asleep when Shane woke up. I snuck him out the front door for breakfast, so she could sleep. Chick-Fil-A was close to the soccer fields.
Shane was fueled up and ready to go when practice started. We made it early, too!
My one complaint: There was no practice. Instead, the kids played back to back games. Shane's heart wasn't really in it.
I talked to the coach later. "What did you say to motivate him?" Shane didn't like the mud on his shoes. Coach said, "If you run it will fall off!" Brilliant! That explained Shane's strange run kicking his feet. Coach and I had a good laugh.
Shane wasn't the only kid to feel soccer fatigue. Many other kids started to drop off and fade away as time went on. An hour is a long time to ask 4, 5, and 6 year olds to focus on anything (that's not electronic!).
Shane ran around and kicked the ball some early on. He enjoyed seeing his friends and the snack at the end. C'est la vie. We enjoyed the season while it lasted. I am strongly considering signing Shane up for the Spring session. I don't know if he's old enough to do baseball or something else. Soccer was a good experience.
The reaction online to Syrian refugees is disheartening. Fear is palpable. What bothers me though, are the people who claim to follow Jesus out of one corner of their mouth and then oppose allowing any refugees into the states out of the other. The "Bible Belt" was quick to forbid any refugees from entering.
The scriptures that oppose this are legion.
Jesus said:
35 For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in,36 I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’ 37 “Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink?38 When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you?39 When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’40 “The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’(Matthew 25:35-40)
If the online reaction is a measure, it's no stretch to say the Syrian refugees are considered "the least of these" by many people.
And if you counter with "but Muslims are the enemy!"
But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,45 that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.46 If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that?47 And if you greet only your own people, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? (Matthew 5:44-47)
Jesus made a point of reaching out to the people others would push away.
15 While Jesus was having dinner at Levi’s house, many tax collectors and sinners were eating with him and his disciples, for there were many who followed him.16 When the teachers of the law who were Pharisees saw him eating with the sinners and tax collectors, they asked his disciples: “Why does he eat with tax collectors and sinners?”
17 On hearing this, Jesus said to them, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.” (Mark 2:15-17)
The way the refugees are looked at may be similar to how many Jews looked at Samaritans. Even many non-Christians know the parable of the Good Samaritan Jesus told.
Then there are the Christians online who say "It's dangerous" or "Jesus wants us to have common sense."
To the dangerous:
10 Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
11 “Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me.12 Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you. (Matthew 5:10-12)
Jesus frequently said (if I can paraphrase) "It's not going to safe or easy."
And to the bit about common sense: Since when did Jesus follow the path of common sense? His own disciples were aghast when he told them he was going to die.
31 He then began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many thingsand be rejected by the elders, the chief priests and the teachers of the law, and that he must be killed and after three days rise again.32 He spoke plainly about this, and Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. (Mark 8:31-32)
They all thought that he was going to come, kick butt, and rule with authority. Jesus had some choice words that followed.
33 But when Jesus turned and looked at his disciples, he rebuked Peter. “Get behind me, Satan!” he said. “You do not have in mind the concerns of God, but merely human concerns.”
The Way of the Cross
34 Then he called the crowd to him along with his disciples and said: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me.35 For whoever wants to save their life[b] will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me and for the gospel will save it.36 What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul?37 Or what can anyone give in exchange for their soul?38 If anyone is ashamed of me and my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man will be ashamed of them when he comes in his Father’s glory with the holy angels.” (Mark 8:33-38)
There is very little "common sense" by this world's definitions in what Jesus said. Jesus never has and never will be about personal safety. He's far more concerned with our character in trials than our comforts.
The idea of a "safe" Jesus appeals to many but (to go Old Testament):
There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way to death. (Proverbs 14:12)
These are only the first arguments and scriptures that come to my mind and I'm no scholar.
From a secular standpoint, it doesn't make sense to me to forbid Syrian refugees either.
Most of what I read online feels like it could be contributed to fear ("If I gave you a bag of grapes, but told you a couple were poisoned, would you eat them?") or to misunderstandings.
Here's an example of both:
George Takei called out the mayor of a nearby city (Roanoke) for referring to Internment Camps as a 'sequester.' The mayor also compared the terrorist attack in Paris to Pearl Harbor. Now, the Paris attack is a tragedy. The 130 lives lost are worth mourning. However, I don't know why the mayor would consider it an apples-to-apples comparison with an attack made by the army of a sovereign nation that killed over 2,500 people and launched our nation into WW2. Some environmentalist will probably point out that the USS Arizona has leaked oil since the attack and probably made someone's fish taste bad, as well.
I have learned something from what I've read online, though. Only ~30% of the US wanted to allow Jewish refugees after WW2 in one poll. I'm not surprised, but it's still sad.
What chance do the Syrians have when they are being killed by terrorists and their own government, but have the same general look as the people killing them? We didn't want to let starved and tortured Jewish refugees in and they didn't look like the Aryans who wanted to exterminate them.
I'd write more, but I don't have all the facts I want on hand. I suspect ISIS has killed far more Muslims than any other group of people. I worry that if refugees are treated horribly and refused in place after place that could be used as a recruitment tool by ISIS ("See? Everyone hates you! The world is corrupt, blah blah"). I read a long post by a lawyer that said "Do you know how hard it is to be allowed refugee status?" He explained ad nauseam and while no process is perfect, he concluded "There are much easier ways to get into our country for a terrorist than as a refugee."
I think he's right, too. The refugees walk a dangerous and desperate path. One picture of a Turkish soldier holding a drowned five year old refugee I cannot forget comes to mind.
I do approve of my state governor's refusal to block refugees from entering. He recently made huge strides in ending veteran homelessness in VA, as well (poignant when one of the many memes I see chastises people for thinking about refugees when there are homeless veterans).
I don't know it all, but that's my two cents. I'd come up with a better ending, but it's late and I'm tired.
Sometimes super heroes "fly" over the top of the shower curtain. Only when Shane showers, though. A pair of them hung on here. "Come down, Michael Keaton!"
Happy Birthday Party, Samuel! He didn't turn three yet, but we sure celebrated it. Samuel's mom arranged for everyone to tour the Fontaine Street Fire Station: The first new station in Charlottesville in the last 50 years.
Shane was too excited to let me take a picture.
When we stepped through the front door, we walked into a small memorial.
There was a girder from New York, concrete from the Pentagon, and a rock from Stonycreek Township.
The little ones were too young to understand the significance, but they enjoyed looking at the memorabilia.
I found some fliers shaped like fire trucks. Instant toys.
There were real toy fire trucks when we went inside, but we couldn't touch those!
When the rest of the party arrived, the captain started the tour.
We walked through the kitchen, dining room,...
...and into the lounge.
Once there, the firefighters talked to us about fire safety plans. The captain asked, "Who has talked to their kids about a safe fire evacuation route?"
No one raised a hand.
I remedied that later! I'm sure many others did, too!
When continued on the tour by going up to the third floor. We got to look down into the entry hall,..
...and see the training room. The station acted as the region's fire college. It could also be used as a command center to coordinate during extreme weather or taken over by the secret service if the president visited.
Behind the training room, were the dorms. Firefighters work 24 hour shifts, so they have rooms where they can sleep. Four firefighters lived in the station full time.
Each fighter gets a small room with a twin bed. There are red lights and a speaker on the wall to wake them up if needed.
If they are called, the fighters need a way to get downstairs in a hurry.
We got a demonstration later. I wish I could have slid down, too.
I'm glad Shane didn't get a chance, though.
The stairs between levels were long and straight to run down in case of a backlog at the polls.
Next, we peeked at the offices on the second floor, but the engine bay was the real exciting part.
The captain let everyone take turns in his seat.
The kids explored the office of the haz-mat engine, too. Shane tried to crawl on the desk.
Another firefighter geared up for the kids to see.
Firefighting has always held an allure to me. I briefly thought about as a career, but never was serious. I ended up where I'm supposed to be, but it's fun to think about in retrospect. My sisters started training to be volunteer fighters once upon a time, as well.
Shane and I are none to wander (like my thoughts). We found a map of all the fire stations and their service areas while everyone else was still checking out the engines.
After the tour, everyone rendezvoused back at Samuel's house for cake and pizza.
The kids were hungry.
Then they got to take out their energy on Darth Vader.
A pinata seems like the perfect way to get rid of excess Halloween candy (If Shane's candy lasts until his birthday....hmmm)
I took a video of everyone singing Happy Birthday.
Last but not least: Presents.
We wanted Shane's gift to be heartfelt, so he picked out one of his garbage trucks to give to Samuel (he only had one). Now Shane and Samuel can both play with garbage trucks on community group nights! Carrie stuck an amazon gift card in the truck to make it heartfelt from us, as well.
My wrapping....was a little rushed.
Carrie's the artistic one. She's limited. We didn't know the details about the party until Tuesday night, either. Wrestling is in full swing, SOCA hit in the morning.....I'm lucky I found a grocery bag.
Samuel liked the truck. I'm glad we're down one (until the next time Nana visits, at least).
I was wiped by the end of the party. Shane didn't want to go! Happy Birthday, Samuel!
Still nice enough for fall. A little exercise warms you right up.
Blob tag is much harder when you pull your hat over your eyes, though.
I played pseudo-coach today. I missed my calling as a coxswain. It amuses me how kids who aren't my students tend to listen to me. When they show up in my class, all bets are off.
Soccer's been a great experience for Shane. We may sign up again in spring. I don't know if he's ready for baseball. There's too much standing still.
Next week is the final week! We get to make up the day missed due to the hurricane rains.
I have another new challenge this year: Coaching middle school.
The city wanted to restart their middle school wrestling program. Coach told them about me. I called and the job was mine. I met with the principal Monday, held an interest meeting today, and the kids start Monday.
I'm a coach again. I signed on with the local high school. It's a whole new world.
My last head coach ran a tight and intense ship. He ran the room with a big personality, iron grip, and was incredibly technical. We had "cuts" at the end of the week.
My new head coach runs a very loose ship. He has some health issues and can't roll around. However, he's been a coach for over 30 years for various sports, knows the kids, knows their parents, and they respond to him.
Day 1 was hydration testing. Practice started late, the kids ran their own warm-up, and when coach didn't come after the water break I started teaching based on the notecard he gave me.
Like I said, a whole new world. The room has a healthy feel to it, though. The kids are there because they want to be and they're not afraid to work. A lot of them have athletic talent. Experience is in short supply, but I hope to help with that. I started off the teaching Day 2, as well. The kids and I rolled with it.
Have I mentioned that everyone seems far more relaxed down here?
I asked "Where's the best to park?"
"By the fire lane or loading dock outside the door. "
"There won't be trouble if I park there?"
"Only if there's a fire."
I looked. There were six cars all parked out along the yellow curb.
