Self-Giving on Ice

I have a Friday morning check-list after the sermon is completed and the order of worship is done.

--Print 2 dozen copies of sermon for the back of the church
--Email a copy for the website
--Email a copy to the person doing the prayers of the people
--Make a copy for the projection person as a script for slides
--Email sermon slides to our administrator for the slide show
--Email scripture passages to the Sunday reader
--Breathe a sigh of relief!

I'm done for this week. Sigh. Now...

I have commented a couple of times about the unsettling selfishness of some professional athletes, individuals who are often given god-like status even though they exhibit the moral and ethical maturity of an amoeba.

There was an excellent piece on Sportsnet last evening about a retired hockey player named Joe Juneau who is demonstrating that athletes can be generous and self-giving. Some of you will remember that Juneau was an excellent play-maker rather than a scorer, a skill that earned him millions in the NHL.

Now 40-year-old Juneau is a play-maker of a different kind. After a trip to the far north three years ago he made the surprising decision to relocate his family to Nunavik. He saw how aimless many children were, simply because there was nothing to do in their communities outside of school. He has set up a recreational hockey program in 14 remote villages which the children love. Not only is it keeping them away from the downward spiral of addiction, violence and suicide, it has resulted in a huge increase in regular school attendance. Last Fall more than a 1,000 children enrolled in the program.

Here is a guy who could have retired to the "good life" after his playing career. Instead he has chosen a selfless better life of reaching out to others. I have no idea if Juneau has any religious convictions but his generosity can be an example of self-giving love. My day was better just hearing about him. Read more... http://www.sportsnet.ca/hockey/2008/02/07/juneau_documentary/