Sunday School Thoughts

Our Gospel Doctrine teacher opened the lesson talking about his "Newt Gingrich" tie so I was zoned out from the beginning. Not a good start, and I had reviewed the lesson. But as he continued on the tie I just couldn't help myself and I started daydreaming. (It helps to daydream with windows in the room)

I looked out and saw the saguaro on a hill. I imagine those cactus engaged is some great discussions. Their conversation of their alien milieu is almost decipherable from our vantage point with a little daydreaming. You can almost see different ones saying different things:

"Oh, thank heavens."
"Touchdown!"
"Here, give me a hug."
"I surrender!"
"You should really turn down that path."
"Give me a high-five."

They carry on in their succulent ways, I'm sure making fun of us humans the entire time.

"So why do we turn our tents to the temple?" asked our teacher.

I was back in the lesson. But then he talked about his subscription to an archeology magazine-and the arguments therein about biblical times- and my eyes drifted back to the windows.

Outside I could see so many nice cars. I think our Protege and Vibe might be the cheapest ones in the lot. And the fact that they are missing handles, hubcaps, and mirrors solidifies my argument. We do live in so much abundance. But we all have so many worries. I pondered why. And if we could quantify them, would they be more than our ancestors over the centuries? I think so. I think we worry because we have no hands in the dirt. We don't plant that seed that grows into a tomato that gets picked, washed, and placed on our omelet. We've turned all those jobs over to others. And not just food, but water, electricity, security, funds, all of it, outsourced from our home office and field into the hands of others. We have so much, but we have no control. And we worry, worry, worry. That's how I see it during Sunday School, anyway.

"Young people are so smart with computers. I'm old, I don't get it," pipes an older sister.

Evidently the discussion drifted to genealogy and challenges therein. But I sat thinking about her comment, and relating it to my previous train of thought. Really, are we young gunners so smart. I wonder how we would survive if dropped in 1940, 1950, 1960, or even 1970. Would we know how to handle the draft? Would we understand the concept of calling a travel agent to purchase plane tickets? Would we be able to write cursive and make our words mean something powerful and important in an application? Would we know how to grab the public bus downtown? Would we really know how to change our own oil? Would we know how to live without so many freezer foods? Would we be smart enough to go on a hike with an old-fashioned compass? Would we know how to read a map? Better yet, would we know how to fold up that map when finished reading (okay, if you can do this consistently I would vote for you as President of the United States of America). Would we know how to make a collect call? Would we know how to handle a nuclear threat? Would we know how to work a full day without looking at our watch but looking at the job? And would we know how to have a pen pal? Would we know how to go on a date and what to do on a date without so multimedia options? And don't know if we young ones are so very smart, I know I'm not.