Roots and Wings (and the San Diego Chicken)
July 4, 2004
Linda B. Hirst
Scripture:
John 14:27
This
past Tuesday night I got to participate in the ultimate American Past time - I
went, with a group of people from First Parish Church to see a
baseball game - the Portland Sea Dogs.
Along with a couple of other thousand people, we enjoyed the crisp June
evening, watched young men following their dream of trying to make it into the
big leagues one day. We ate popcorn and
peanuts and cracker jacks, hot dogs, fried dough and few other things as well,
we sang “Take
me out to the Ball Game”, we stretched during the seventh inning, and even
though the Sea Dogs lost, we left feeling good because it was America at it’s best.
We
went without my youngest son, Andrew, who is at Camp in Canada for two weeks -
not exactly an American thing to do, but that’s o.k., he’s always marched to a
different drummer and it was some thing he really wanted to do, but I was
reminded about the last time he went a Portland Sea Dogs game, last August with
some friends.
Occasionally
the Sea Dogs have entertainment - on Tuesday we were entertained by the Zooper stars, these vinyl covered characters who hop and bounce around alot and
bop each other over the head and occasionally swallow up a 6 year olds whole,
it’s all very silly and entertaining, at least to me. Well, on the day Andrew went, the
entertainment was the Famous San Diego Chicken.
Maybe some of you know who the San Diego Chicken is, but in case you
don’t. let me read you some of his bio...
“He’s
never had a base hit. He hasn’t scored a
goal or sunk a basket. His name has
never appeared in a box score. Yet he’s
one of the most popular sports figures in America. He’s the Famous San Diego Chicken. He’s a blithe comic spirit -- some say a man
in a chicken suit - given to fits of improvisational acts at sporting
events. The San Diego chicken has been
around since 1974 and has played his comedy to more than 60 million people,
rivaling the likes the Rolling Stones, Willie Nelson and Bob Hope. And like Mr. Hope, the Chicken has even been sumoned in the company of President’s Ford and Reagan. He is, said the late legendary sports writer,
Jack Murphy, “Charles Chaplin in chicken feathers.” And it goes on and on, his bio is 3 pages
long, that’s about 2 1/2
pages longer than mine.
As
it turns out every year the Famous San Diego Chicken comes all the way from California to Portland Maine to perform at
the Sea Dogs Game and apparently, there is no entertainment, not even the Zooperstars that can hold a candle to the San Diego chicken. My son, who goes to baseball games mainly for
the food was so taken by this mascot, so moved by his antics, laughed so hard
that night, that when he came home about 11 o’clock, and crawled into bed, he
recounted every single thing the chicken had done, a full 3 hours worth, when
he was finally done and out of breath, he looked at me, his face aglow and he
said as earnestly as he’s ever said anything, “When I grow up, I want to be the
San Diego Chicken.” Every
mother’s dream.
And
not knowing what to say of course I resorted to my mother’s strategy and said,
“That’s nice, dear. Now go to bed.” And I turned out the light and he fell fast
asleep with a smile on his face, visions of chickens dancing in his head.
There
are two lasting things we can give our children, the saying goes, one is roots
and the other is wings.
We
give them roots so they can know the gift of belonging to someone or something
and we give them wings so they will have the ability
and confidence and whatever else they need to fly wherever it is life takes
them
I
spoke of this at the memorial service Friday for the 17 year old girl who died
recently - how we have to give them wings - because if we don’t they’ll take
them anyway, and so we give them wings with our blessing and then we hope and
worry and pray that with the roots we have also given them they will fly and be
o.k. And sometimes they’re not, but most
of the time they are. Roots
and Wings.
And
as I thought about my son and his desire to be the next San Diego Chicken I
thought about the kind of roots and wings I wish for him to have.
And
I thought about the roots we, as Americans, those lucky enough to live in this
country, offer our children, those roots that were offered to us. The roots that tell us we can be anything and
do anything, it doesn’t matter what anyone says, not even your mother. Roots that were born out of a desire by our forefathers
and foremothers who came to this country
to have a different way of life, a life free of oppression and home rule, who
came to this country for independence and freedom of religion among other
things, who came to this country to follow their dreams.
And
I thought about the wings we as Americans offer our children. We really do believe you can be anything if
you try hard enough and work hard enough, that this is the land of opportunity,
if you want to be a lawyer or doctor or stay at home and raise your family,
start your own business,
you can do it here. That’s
the American dream, to be whoever you want to be - and it’s a good dream. I’m
not so crazy about our culture’s obsession with material goods or wealth or the
idea that success is mainly measured by a title or a certain profession or
salary or house, but with a little work I think we can change that.
I
overheard a conversation once between my other son and a couple of his friend
of his when they were in the fifth grade - it took place in the back of the car
- we were going somewhere - these are the conversations that happen because the
driver is apparently invisible and the kids in the back seat will say anything
and they do.
And
my son’s friend said, “When I grow up I’m going to be a lawyer.” And my son said, “Oh yeah? When I grow up I’m going to be a
shop teacher.” And I was so thrilled
that being a teacher won out over being a lawyer - no offense to all you
lawyers - and a shop teacher to boot - -
because really how often does that happen in our society today. About as often as you hear kids wanting to be
ministers - we’re just not the career of choice in our culture. Although, I’m doing my best
to change that, too.
These are the roots and wings we offer our children today as Americans - and I
wish them for my son, but more than these, more than these I wish for him and my
other son and all your children and grandchildren and all those kids out there
who aren’t ours but are like our
children anyway, I wish for them the roots and wings that come from faith.
I
wish for our children - roots steeped in the stories of our faith - stories
about Abraham and Sarah, Isaac and Jacob.
Stories of Jacob daring to wrestle with an angel of
the Lord. What gall, what
chutzpah. Stories of
Joseph and his amazing coat of many colors, and his brothers who sold him into
slavery, and how he eventually rose to power in Egypt and forgave
them. Stories of
reconciliation. The story of
Moses and the Israelites and crossing the Red Sea; stories of determination and
persistence as one man follows God’s will for his life and that of his people.
And
I want them to know the struggles these people of faith had, the things they
went through, how they had trouble in their lives, it wasn’t easy being God’s
chosen ones, and they had trouble being faithful, and yet God stood by them,
loving them, guiding them, working with them, fussing at them, caring for them,
because that’s what God does and that’s what God will do for us.
And
that when God had had enough of the people’s unfaithfulness and let them try to
make do on their own, mucking about in the messes they had made, God didn’t
leave them alone forever. God grieved
that the separation and ended it with the birth of Jesus - giving us another
chance, another way. God didn’t gave up the people then and doesn’t give up on us now. God still has hope for us.
I
want them to know that God used imperfect people, flawed people, dysfunctional
people to work out his creation and his purposes. And God uses us - imperfect, flawed,
dysfunctional - still. I wish for them these roots of faith.
And
I wish for them the wings of faith that come from knowing God and Jesus and the
Holy Spirit. So when they strike out on
there own to discover who they are and what they can do, when they begin to fly
to wherever life takes them, they will know that:
Money
and power isn’t everything. Jesus said
if you want to be great, then put others first.
That helping others, loving your neighbor and serving God is what makes
you great in life.
And
that miracles still do happen. Like the feeding of the five thousand with a
few loaves of bread and fish, if they look around and believe, they will see
miracles happen every day and if they try, they’ll even be part of those
miracles themselves.
And
as they grow and wonder who they are, I want them to know they are first and
foremost and will ever be, children of God, precious in God’s sight and loved.
And
as they fly through life on their wings, and come across people who will tell
them, you can’t do that. It’s impossible, I want them to think back to what they
learned in church and remember what Jesus said, “With God, all things are
possible.” and not go ahead and fulfill their dreams and the purposes God has
for them.
And
when things get hard as they often do, I pray that they will remember the apostle Paul’s words, “I can do all things through Christ
who gives me strength”.
And
during those times it feels like the whole world is against them and they don’t
know where to turn, I hope they remember that Jesus does not give as the world
gives - he gives differently - and if they just follow him, they will find
peace and joy, hope and love as his disciples - so do not be troubled and do
not be afraid.
I
wish for all our children that with their wings they discover a loving and
personal relationship with God and with Jesus, one that will grow with them and
stay with them over the yeas, and help them find a community in which to praise
God, help them find a church family like this one, who care enough about them
to give them the roots and wings they need.
These
are the roots and wings of faith and they are steadfast and sure.
If
my child grows up to be the next San Diego Chicken, or something equally as
interesting, I will do my best to be proud...I do know that whatever happens on
this road of life, whatever surprises comes his way and ours, welcome and
unwelcome, as
he takes off after his dream, whatever sadness, pain or joy, that not only will
he be o.k. but I will be o.k., because I have roots and wings of faith,
too. They’re not just for kids. We all need them.
By
the way, the San Diego Chicken will be at the Portland Sea Dogs Game on August
11. My son and I will.
