Over the weekend Danny Willett became a household name (for those that watch golf, at least.)  The 28-year-old from England won the prestigious golf tournament, The Masters, after he had almost decided not to attend.  But what makes Danny so likable is the story that accompanies his new green jacket.  His wife was due to have their first child on April 10 and Danny said that he wasn't going to miss the birth of his kid for anything, not even a golf tournament where the winner earns over $1,000,000.  Well, his son was born on March 30, and after changing some diapers and prepping some bottles, he was clear to fly over the pond to play some golf.  

After winning the tournament, some of the most touching scenes were of him talking to his wife with their new child and sharing with them the joy of such a special moment, a moment that I am sure he wished they could've been a part of.  And through it all it seemed he was more excited to get back home and see his family and be a dad than he was about winning a new blazer. That's a pretty cool story.

 

There is always a story behind the event, but do we take the time to hear it?  In our on-demand, high-paced life, do we take the time to look beyond the headlines and the celebrity to figure out what led up to this moment, or have we already moved on to something else?  One of my weird habits is going to a website (IMDB.com-Internet Movie Database) and looking up actors from movies I have just seen.  I like to read about the other movies they were in, some basic info about them as real people and where they came from.  For me, I find a fuller picture about the person, the story behind the character that truly makes them who they are.  Do we know those stories?  Do we ask questions and invite others to share their stories so we get to know a bit about them?  How many people do you really know?

 

We used to be a culture based on and around stories.  These were things we passed down from generation to generation like heirlooms.  Some of what Jesus is most remembered for were the stories (parables) that he told.  These stories stayed with people, they related to them, and they told them to others.  What stories have you told and what stories have you heard?  What are the stories that shape you and define who you are?  If you have a hard time finding an example for these questions, put down the screen, ask some questions, and listen.  We all have a story to tell and we all are richer when we share those stories with one another.  Find a voice, lend an ear, and let's reclaim our heritage of storytelling.  These stories are more valuable than a green jacket.

 

I am listening...

 

Chris 

 

pastorchris@epiphanysuwanee.org

On Sunday, April 17th, the formation hour will focus on ways we can care for creation. This will be a center-based all-ages formation hour in which we will begin our TeraRecyle recycling program and learn more about how we can be better stewards of our planet.