Something Worth Watching

I have a confession to make.  I watch a lot of television.  I like college football.  I like tennis.  I like the reality singing shows.  I like good movies.  But I also like that streaming has brought us the limited series. It's like a movie divided into parts, except the creators have 10's of hours to develop characters and story lines instead of 1-2 hours with movies. And unlike the weekly series that we grew up on, you can watch the episodes back to back if you have time.  A lot of what I watch is entertaining, but I don't feel like a lot of what I watch is great.  One of my favorite series of all time is The West Wing - 7 seasons with over 140 episodes.  I love that show because you don't always get what you expect, and the show has heart.  It was probably my favorite TV show of all time until the one I just finished -  The News Room - with a cast of actors that is very impressive - Jeff Daniels, Jane Fonda, Oliva Munn, Sam Waterston and B.K. Novak just to name a few.   But the secret sauce is the creator/writer Aaron Sorkin, who just so happens to also be the creator/writer of The West Wing.  Not only are the stories smart, fast-paced and interesting, they have something that most television and movies are lacking - decency.  You won't find one sex scene or one murder in the three seasons, and the characters stand for something besides self-promotion.   If you decide to watch for the first time. or watch again if you have already seen it, don't skip the "Inside The Episode" following each episode which gives Sorkin a chance to talk about what went into his thinking in putting each episode together.   Let me know what you think if you take the time to watch.

All Consuming Fire

 

I have watched with horror over the last couple of days the news reports of the raging fires in and around Palisades. I pray for those whose lives and homes have been threatened and for the safety of the residents and the rescue workers that risk everything to save others. I have heard the fires that are being fueled by the Santa Ana winds described as "all consuming". Those words made me think of this worship song that also talks about an all consuming fire. The lyrics talk about how God's breath blows on the embers of your soul turning it into an all consuming fire - a fire for Him that will burn brightly for everyone to see.  I ask God to breathe His holy breath on you, me and all those affected by the California fires.

Pickleball Fail

One of my favorite Christmas gifts this year was a portable pickleball net and paddles.  We set it up in our driveway, where we had just enough space for a regulation court.  Things went great for a couple of days until a heated match I played with my son and two granddaughters.  As it turns out, while we had enough space for the court, we did not have enough space surrounding the court.   After running for a crosscourt return, I went headfirst off a 4' retaining wall to the sidewalk below.  I was pretty banged up, with the most serious injury being a broken elbow.  I was so fortunate to have Trey, my son-in-law, and Emily, my daughter-in-law with me who have excellent relationships with healthcare professionals through their work.  After a trip to the emergency room on Friday, they were able to get me an appointment with an orthopedic doctor on Monday and surgery scheduled for Tuesday.  I was very anxious about all of this, but the support I received from my family and friends made things much easier.  I met with the surgeon, Dr. Abrar Ansari at Piedmont Orthopedics in Athens, for the first time Monday morning.   I was in tears after he left, not from pain or fear, but from an overwhelming feeling of relief and gratitude that I would be in his capable hands.  I later realized that those feelings were certainly the results of family and friends that had been praying for me, Dr. Ansari, and all of the other support staff that took care of me while I was there.  I was able to begin recovery with the same activity that I would have been involved in had I not had the accident - watching two days of football on television.  Thanks to each of you who sent prayers of support, and if you ever have to deal with an orthopedic injury in our area, I strongly recommend Dr. Ansari and the whole Piedmont staff.