Summer, 2024
“The Ping Pong Maneuver”
Summer is upon us. A time to travel, enjoy the warm and sunny weather, and take some time to relax from the hustle and bustle of the months from September through the following May. One of the things we can take with us during the summer months are memories of past summer adventures.
Many years ago when I was not even in my teens our family took a vacation to Mohican Lodge. Just down 71 and past Mansfield, it is a wonderful place to commune with nature and have fun with fishing, hiking, and many other activities…including canoeing. On our last day we went canoeing, which is a treasured activity at Mohican. So, my brother went off in a canoe with my dad and I was paired with my mom. With my mom sitting in the back off we went… well, sort of. To say I was not meant to paddle in a boat was an understatement. Because I had no clue on what I was doing, even with instruction and encouragement from my mom, we went back and forth from shoreline to shoreline. Five feet diagonally one way, five feet the other, ping-ponging our way down the river. I became so upset and discouraged I was ready to jump out of the canoe. After about 10 minutes of this my mom finally yelled at me to stop paddling and she did the paddling all herself, an enjoyable trek down the river…well enjoyable finally for my mom. After all the canoeing was done and the trauma over we headed off for lunch, where we could laugh about the entire event and fondly, as well as laughingly, named our canoe ride the “Ping-Pong Maneuver.”
Forty years later this fond memory still remains, and I know there are many other memories that we all have. I am wishing you all many memorable moments this summer. Be safe, stay healthy and as Paul wrote to the community of Galatia, May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit, brothers and sisters.
Amen.
Pastor Jason Stitt
pastorjstitt@att.net