A Sunday Muse

SUN., MAY 28, 2000, 2:20 PM
HONOLULU, HAMA’S CABA

It’s a warm, tradewindy Sunday, with two differing experiences already “achieved”. First was morning worship in that old familiar sanctuary, Central Union Church. It was a satisfying service, though not an inspiring one. It was pleasant to be in that place, with the mighty organ, but the recognition of only one person was disappointing, even though expected. You realize it has been 43 years since you left this place, and hence there is a beautiful stone building to come back to, but few familiar people.

You have been a vital part of several churches since you departed this place, and this has been an important aspect of your adult life. And now you’re “pulling away” from continuing responsibilities, and you wonder how this will be, when you’ve clearly settled into it. Your perception is that “there’s no going back”… a perception not unlike that of you and your University department. The active participation is done. You’ll “hang on” for…?

You’re not as old as your Dad was when they came here, and you realize that their move here, from Long Beach, cut all institutional ties, of many years, and made it easy to just not affiliate anew. You still have “ties”. Some of these you’ll purposefully “break”… others will just fade. Active life, as it has been, will just recede, some smoothly, and some in spurt-like changes.

You’ve given some consideration to attending, and contributing to, other churches, in Carbondale and Cobden, to check out the “spiritual health” of some other congregations. You don’t plan to withdraw from your “home church”, but you are no longer “tied”, symbolically, to one congregation. Since you do look ahead to “affiliation” with the “church triumphant” it would seem appropriate to spread out, a bit, to the “church universal”. Give it a try. You might be “ripe” for such.

Then came your “Sunday experience” in Waikiki. As you expected, it continues to increase commercially, clear evidence that the prosperity of this place is “fueled” principally by the spending of visitors. “In your day” it was clear that the “tourist trade” was important, but now it seems quite more blatant.

As I’ve told you often, I have no clear “favorite” of an economic system. This one seems excessive in some obvious ways, but many people do make at least a living wage by serving tourism, directly or indirectly. WWJS… What would Jesus say? Personally, just consider that I am providing for your welfare, so judge purchases before making them, considering the merit of the “purchase” and alternative uses for the money. You appreciate Matthew’s generosity, but it also is uncomfortable… to “painful”… to know of some of his spending. “To thine own self be true”. This is good advice for you, and you realize you’ll never be a comfortable “spender”.

The possible “uses” of the rest of your time here are obviously greater than the actual time that will be available. You’d better “make a list” and prioritize. Don’t “over-organize”, but don’t leave feeling sorry that you didn’t do… this… and this. You’re not quite ready to go home, but you feel that “sensation approaching” – at good speed.

“Reasonably good” is how you feel today, better than expected, after an evening of “excess” in alcohol. Keep your promise to yourself for this day… and maybe for tomorrow also. You needn’t be super-troubled about an occasional excess, but also don’t just accept such as normal and normative. For you this can be a “tricky balance”. You needn’t “reform yourself” but neither should you allow the addiction to develop. I’m here to advise.