quick thought on Lent, trapped in a bathroom, bowling with the football boys

I promised a blog a few days ago about a quick thought on Lent. Here it is, late as usual and including a story about the bathroom and one about going bowling.

In reading an article by Shane Claiborne on redletterchristians.org, he mentions that the priest at his church asked the following question in a sermon leading up to Lent, "What's the difference between a stick in the mud and a flute?" The answer was that a stick in the mud is full of itself while a flute has been emptied of itself in order to make beautiful music. That is a wonderful illustration for what Lent is about. It's a time when we reflect on what fills us and how we use our time and talents (both monetary and physical) in order to figure out how we can either start creating beautiful music by the way we live or begin crafting an even more beautiful melody.

Many of you know that one way in which people try to empty themselves during the season of Lent is by giving something up. When picking up one of the kids for the after school program at the 174 last Thursday, CJ asked me, "What'd you give up for Lent, Karl?"

"Well, I haven't really decided yet. I thought maybe instead of giving something up I'd make a stronger effort to be nicer to every person I encounter." (Yes, a cop out in all reality. I should figure something out that will help empty me.)

"Ok. I'm going off sin."

"Is that so, CJ?"

"Yup."

CJ is six years old but one has to admire such determination. And it was pretty funny how when he responded to my Lenten decision he did so in a tone on par with a comment like, "That seems pretty good but seriously? I mean, come on, I'm giving up sin. Top that." Never a dull moment at the after schools and for that I am incredibly thankful.

Last night Woodvale joined Shankill Methodist again for the Sunday evening service. It was Rev Mark Charles trial service. He's the minister at Shankill Methodist but is not yet fully ordained and one of the last steps in the ordination process for him was completing this trial service. He did a great job and judging by facebook he passed with flying colors. Congratulations Charlie!

Now, before this trial service even started, I needed to go to the bathroom. I'm waiting because there's just a one person restroom and it's occupied, so I can see that the lock is catching because the guy in front of me has trouble getting out. It's one of those handles where once you close the door you just flip it up and the door is locked. But apparently the lock was catching and when you'd bring the handle down where it should just unlock and open the door, it wouldn't unlock. The man came out after a number of unsuccessful tries and this made me think twice about using the toilet, but I really had to go.

I step into the bathroom and shut the door. It's dark. I think there's a motion sensor for the light but a light doesn't come on. I can see faintly because there's a window that a street light is coming through so I flip the switch that I see. Nothing. That switch is the power for the hand dryer. I can see ok so I start going to the bathroom. Then I notice a string right by my head. It's not uncommon here to pull a string down to turn on a light. One of the men's bathrooms at the 174 has that feature. So I pull the string. A loud sustained beeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeep starts going off and someone runs up and shouts, "Are you ok?!" At this point I realize I've pulled the distress cord. "Yes, I'm ok. Thought I was turning on the light." "There's a reset button on the wall, just push it and the noise will stop." Well, I would push it, but I'm still going. I try to reach it on the wall behind me, leaning back, but can't so I've got to put up with the noise, as does everyone else, for a second longer while I finish up. I wash my hands in the dark and then try to open the door. The lock has caught and I'm stuck in the bathroom. I try it again, this time more slowly to see if it will catch. Still nothing. Then, the same voice that frantically asked if I was okay asks if she'd like me to have her open the door. "Yes, please" I reply already embarrassed. She has the key and opens it from the outside (the lock responds to the key still). I step out with the light still off and having just been locked in the bathroom with the distress call going. A number of people waiting to use the restroom looking at me quizzically. I tell them I thought I was turning on the light (I did) and apologized. They just smiled and looked at the switch outside the door on the wall, all the while saying it was no problem.

The bathroom incident last night was just one of those moments I knew I was a foreigner. I think that some grace did come my way when I stepped out of the bathroom and people heard the foreign accent. But when I went back into the sanctuary and sat with some of the young adults from Woodvale they were talking about that alarm going off and I had to own up to it. If nothing else, it was good for a laugh. Just another growing experience in a new culture. Thought I had bathrooms here figured out but learned that I didn't.

Last night, we went bowling with the football boys. We played a quick game of football at the Hammer, a youth club where we're able to use the gym twice a week for some indoor football, and then went to the 174 for pizza. After eating we headed up the Antrim Road to Glengormley to bowl.

the winning team

When the boys at the 174 bowl, they have a travelling trophy and medal. It seems the trophy and medal only come out on certain nights too, when they know there will be a lot of them there, and it simply goes to the person who bowled the highest game until the next time they go out. Since there was only one lane available at the alley, we paired up and the winning team would get the trophy. We didn't alternate frames but, rather, alternated balls. Brandon and I paired up and most frames he threw the first ball and I then failed to pick up the remaining pins. Nonetheless, that strategy worked well for us and we had an 89 to 87 lead after our final frame and Ciaran/David having one frame left. I was anticipating them picking up the 3 pins needed to beat us, but with the pressure on, Ciaran and David each threw gutter balls making me and Brandon the new champions. Below are a couple more shots from the night.

the whole group

me and Wayne