The Hoodie

This is Pastor Tim’s Article which appeared in the Evening Leader on Monday, Jan 25, 2021

As I contemplate all the topics to write on this week, I decided I am tired of responding to the negative things going on in our world.  So today, no politics, no responses and no desperate calls for strength during seasons of struggle.  Today, I am writing about the hoodie I am wearing as I sit at my desk.

To those of you who are still reading after that last sentence, thank you for giving me a chance to explain.  As many of you are, I am observing my New Year’s Resolution and have been experiencing the joy of dieting.  When you consume less food (or in my case, significantly less food) the first thing you start to notice is that you feel cold all the time.  Even with three shirts, including the hoodie, I am still chilly.

I have had my St. Marys Roughriders hoodie from Albert’s for about 2 years.  I like it because it is heavy, warm, and shows some community pride, which was my original reason for buying it.

I have served churches all over Ohio, but I have never owned a hoodie from any other towns.  I had a few church shirts and many 5K shirts through the years, but no hoodies.  What’s more, I went out and specifically bought this one because I wanted it.  That was a first for me.

Why does it matter, you ask?  Well, it seems like this pastor and this community have moved into the clothing stage of the relationship, a stage I never got to with any other community I have served.  That is significant as I have never been motivated to take this step on my own accord.

The little things in life such as this matter most.  With everything else going on we miss those special little moments.  I never made that connection until I was scrolling my Google newsfeed this morning for something to write about and finding nothing worth my time or yours.  That is when I noticed my hoodie and realized what it means to me.  This small detail makes me wonder what else we are missing with all the noise going on in the world today.

There is plenty of negative distraction out there, but you are under no obligation to pay attention to any of it.  Yes, we need to stay informed, but there comes a time when you need to take a break from it and realize how many blessings you do have, blessings you may literally be wearing on your back, blessings that provide no joy because you don’t pay attention to them.

I contend there is more good than there is bad.  It may not seem that way at times.  The bad can get terribly loud.  However, if you look, you will find something good; it may not jump out at you.  If we don’t commit to finding something to be thankful for, then we will wind up heartbroken all the time.

God created a beautiful world for us.  True, it may not always live up to our expectations, but if we are willing to pay attention, there is good out there waiting for us to notice.  Look around.  What blessings can you see in your own life, even something as simple as a hoodie from a town you love?