THE FLYING IRON

I first started "rethinking 1776" a little bit back when I was in 8th or 9th grade. I wondered why some wars are called revolutions and others, revolts or rebellions. My little middle-school reasoning led me to the conclusion that uprisings were called the latter two unless they were successful, in which case they were given the classier name of "revolution".

Later, in the mid 1980's, I came to have even more misgivings about "1776". It happened thus: My best friend's mother died during that time; and my friend and her sister told me about how their father was rather passive and permissive, and that their mother would sometimes demonstrate her frustration and resentment and unhappiness by bitchy behavior. The sisters told how one morning the mom was so frustrated, mad and unhappy that she the threw the iron that she had in her hand at that moment. Thank the Lord she missed the father.

That and other stories made me really sad, because the woman had always been sweet and kind to me and happy that her daughter had a friend. Also, the mom went to church regularly when she could and had even moved from one church to an 2nd denomination during her life indicating to me that she was trying to do right/was searching for the help she knew the church or God should be to her.

Then I wondered how a woman is supposed to deal with a husband who, in her viewpoint, is failing her. Somehow it became clear then that our American history of embracing the decision of the colonists to revolt against the tyranny of the British at that long ago time (1776) somehow has molded our culture, specifically the dynamics of the relationships of husbands, wives, church leaders, children in a specific way (that I judge to be unhelpful).

Specifically thinking of this example I just gave, how could that family- the frustrated mom, the passive dad and the three daughters- be helped? What could the Church (either her local church or God's world-wide church) have done? Part of their problem was, I think the problem of many of us: they didn't ask for help. Or if they did, it was perhaps in a timid way. The surrounding community couldn't receive the transmission. ARGGGGG!!!!! WE ARE SO INDIVIDUAL, ISOLATED, WITH CONTINUING EXPECTION THAT EACH ONE WOULD HELP HER- OR HIMSELF (OR EACH FAMILY WOULD HELP THEMSELVES, etc.!!!!!!!!!!

Actually, my friend did ask for help later, by attempting suicide ("self-killing"). (Later, unfortunately, she did success in killing herself.)

I think the Church is changing getting better at being the church together. Let's keep praying for us and reaching out.


So that is the story of the flying iron.

I hope we can talk later.

Your sister in Christ's love, Joan