As part of our Spring Break this year, we took the kids to Plano to visit my sister and her family. It was quite entertaining (most of the time) to have five little kids playing around with each other. They thoroughly enjoyed one another's company. They also enjoyed several of the excursions we planned for the break.
Perhaps the one most enjoyed was a trip on the Grapevine Vintage Railroad which traveled from Grapevine, TX to Fort Worth, TX. We rode in one of the old fashioned, fully restored passenger cars--no a/c, wooden seats, etc.
What was most interesting was the relaxing nature of the journey. It was slower than driving so we got to see more. We weren't insulated from the world around us--we actually had to engage other people. We essentially were at the mercy of the train and its schedule and had to function appropriately.
For some, this might have caused much consternation, but perhaps those folks stayed away on this day because I saw no one getting overly anxious. I saw no one get upset at anyone else. Even when the train was forced into a 45 minute delay because of an incompetent dispatcher, folks maintained their calm. It seemed like nothing would spoil the excursion.
It was vintage in that nature. It was almost as folks boarded this train that they went back in time to a place where civility ruled--where time was not of the most import--where strangers were neighborly to one another despite not knowing a single thing about each other.
I have seen such values permeate various churches in which I have been a part of. I hope my congregation sees itself as such a place today. There is nothing wrong with being vintage in this manner. In fact, I'd call it hospitable, relaxing, recharging, and engaging. I'd call it a place I'd like to come back and visit time and time again.
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