This month is apparently Model Railway Month. Our pastor had an Open House this afternoon to share his passion for model trains with any who would like to attend. I think the child in all of us wanted to go play. And the curious nature in the rest of us wanted to be fascinated by the miniature details of life on the railway line in a make-believe town.
I enjoy finding out about the varied and interesting hobbies people have. Some people collect items from a bygone era, usually tied in some way to their childhood memories. Some build railway villages while others live in a virtual world, building a parallel universe on the internet at Second Life.
Why do we want to reconnect with the past, or build a new future? Isn’t this all about a sense of wanting to be in control of our own little world? Is this our way of dealing with reality by escaping momentarily from it?
I think it is quite healthy to have any kind of hobby that gives your body, soul, mind and spirit a break from the ordinary, as long as it doesn’t take over your life. “All things should be done in moderation,” as they say.
Play therapy, which I like to call it, is a wonderful component of good mental health. I am quite involved in the art part of the play therapy – you could call it art therapy on a small scale.
This week why not celebrate your uniqueness with further exploring your interests, your passions, your hobbies? See how you could reach out to possibly involve others and share that bit of life with them. You might be surprised how you can bless others by sharing your heart with them in this way. And you can get to know things about others you never might have known otherwise.
There was a constant flow of visitors to Pastor Mark’s this afternoon, all fascinated - but not only by the great railroad town. They were drawn there by several forces. One was the curiosity factor to see what this enthusiastic man they saw in a church leader role found so intriguing about his train collection. I learned to appreciate his hobby through his eyes, as well as marvel at his patience, persistence, and investment of so much time and effort over the years.
Another strong force that pulled many there was the human factor. Folks were drawn by the fact that he and his wife were opening their hearts as well as their home to share a bit more of what made them as human as each of us.
It is in the everyday heartbeat of life where train tracks cross, the whistle blows, or opportunities come around to meet us that we can make a difference by just opening up and sharing ourselves.
You never know when you can have a real impact on someone passing your way. They could be looking for meaning or trying to get an answer to something troubling them. They may even be at an intersection waiting till the current train passes so they can figure out where they really want to go in life.
I encourage you to share your hobbies and your everyday life with others. "Live your life real!" Have fun and bless someone in the process!
I enjoy finding out about the varied and interesting hobbies people have. Some people collect items from a bygone era, usually tied in some way to their childhood memories. Some build railway villages while others live in a virtual world, building a parallel universe on the internet at Second Life.
Why do we want to reconnect with the past, or build a new future? Isn’t this all about a sense of wanting to be in control of our own little world? Is this our way of dealing with reality by escaping momentarily from it?
I think it is quite healthy to have any kind of hobby that gives your body, soul, mind and spirit a break from the ordinary, as long as it doesn’t take over your life. “All things should be done in moderation,” as they say.
Play therapy, which I like to call it, is a wonderful component of good mental health. I am quite involved in the art part of the play therapy – you could call it art therapy on a small scale.
This week why not celebrate your uniqueness with further exploring your interests, your passions, your hobbies? See how you could reach out to possibly involve others and share that bit of life with them. You might be surprised how you can bless others by sharing your heart with them in this way. And you can get to know things about others you never might have known otherwise.
There was a constant flow of visitors to Pastor Mark’s this afternoon, all fascinated - but not only by the great railroad town. They were drawn there by several forces. One was the curiosity factor to see what this enthusiastic man they saw in a church leader role found so intriguing about his train collection. I learned to appreciate his hobby through his eyes, as well as marvel at his patience, persistence, and investment of so much time and effort over the years.
Another strong force that pulled many there was the human factor. Folks were drawn by the fact that he and his wife were opening their hearts as well as their home to share a bit more of what made them as human as each of us.
It is in the everyday heartbeat of life where train tracks cross, the whistle blows, or opportunities come around to meet us that we can make a difference by just opening up and sharing ourselves.
You never know when you can have a real impact on someone passing your way. They could be looking for meaning or trying to get an answer to something troubling them. They may even be at an intersection waiting till the current train passes so they can figure out where they really want to go in life.
I encourage you to share your hobbies and your everyday life with others. "Live your life real!" Have fun and bless someone in the process!
You can see a 2-minute amateur video movie I made of the train speeding through the railroad town at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4ScdwBv-1Y8
For more pictures of Pastor Mark’s train collection and memorabilia, view a slideshow here: http://s252.photobucket.com/albums/hh15/real-lifepix/Trains/?albumview=slideshow
For more pictures of Pastor Mark’s train collection and memorabilia, view a slideshow here: http://s252.photobucket.com/albums/hh15/real-lifepix/Trains/?albumview=slideshow
For more about Pastor Mark's church, visit: http://www.hopevabeach.net/
For more information about model railways, visit the National Model Railroad Association's site at: http://www.nmra.org/
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