Recently, I have had two incredible experiences. This past week, I went white-water rafting down the Colorado River. It was a 3-day expedition. We camped at night and traveled during the day. It was exhilarating, challenging and fun.
At the beginning of September I went to the Gopher Football opening game against Ohio State. We lost. It rained. We get wet. But what fun we had, especially because we were contenders all the way through the game. They even gave us these towels to wave during the game. It contains the saying made famous the Gophers’ coach, PF Fleck. [Show towel with “Row your boat” on it.]
Both of those experiences remind me of the children’s song, “Row, row, row your boat.” Help me sing it . . . Row, row, row your boat gently down the stream. Merrily, merrily, merrily, merrily, life is but a dream.
The song is made up of only 18 words, but it is one of the most famous children’s songs we all know. During my rafting trip, and during the Gopher’s game and even on a day like this celebrating our FALL FEST, I think that the song can teach us a lot and it also brings in the scripture readings of today.
First lesson: Keep it simple. Whether that’s rowing down the rapids or dealing with a sport event . . . or simply with life. Don’t make it so complicated. Stop over-analyzing things. Let go. Enjoy more. In the gospel Jesus reminds the disciples (after they’ve been arguing about who among them was the greatest), that if you want to be first put yourself in the last role, or the serving role. Look after the little ones in your life.
But examine the song and what it can teach us:
Row – get involved. Don’t just drift through life. Set some goals. Have some principles to live
- For me, as you’ve heard me say before. I strive for three things daily: Good sleep,
Good exercise. Good prayer. I attend to them. I don’t always succeed but it gives me
direction. Find your direction
Your boat – you are only responsible for your boat, and you boat only. Of course, you parents need to oversee
the boat of your children. But there is a time, when you won’t . . . especially you have sent your kids off to college. If you’ve raised them well, then let go and let them make their own mistakes. For basically, you can’t change any one anyway. So stop trying. You can only change yourself. Bad things will happen. I wish that wasn’t true, but it is. In the gospel, Jesus tells them that he will endure hardships. And like Peter’s rebuking from last weekend’s gospel, the disciples don’t get it. It’s hard. Relationships are hard. But you cannot change another, you can only change your attitude toward that other. It’s like the serenity prayer:
God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change,
courage to change the things I can, and wisdom to know the difference.
But here’s a take-off on it for you workaholics:
God, grant me the serenity to prioritize the things I cannot delegate,
the courage to say no when I need to, and the wisdom to know when to go home.
Gently – Give yourself more slack. You don’t have to be perfect. And stop competing so much.
As James said in the second reading, “Where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there is disorder
and every foul practice.” Maybe the reason that you are not feeling “at your best” is that you keep
comparing. Jealousy is when you count someone else’s blessings instead of your own.
Down the stream – it’s going with the flow of grace. Not against it. Sometimes to simply need
to let go of being in control. It will be OK. Trust the flow that God has for you.
Merrily – this song has more “merrily’s” than most people have in their week. One of the best
medicines for whatever ails you is laughter. Once I had bunion surgery and afterwards I was to stay off
my foot and rest. I was given pain pills, but I didn’t use any. Why? Instead I was given DVD’s of the
TV show Modern Family. So for two days I laughed. My doctor told me that laughing is the same
reaction as to pain pills. So if you are having a bad day. Find some fun. Laugh a bit more.
So here’s an activity I want you to join. Let’s sing “Row, Row your boat” again several times. And each time we sing it we drop off the last word . . .
Row, row, row your boat gently down the stream. Merrily, merrily, merrily, merrily, life is but a
Row, row, row your boat gently down the stream. Merrily, merrily, merrily, merrily, life is but
Row, row, row your boat gently down the stream. Merrily, merrily, merrily, merrily, life is
Row, row, row your boat gently down the stream. Merrily, merrily, merrily, merrily, life
Row, row, row your boat gently down the stream. Merrily, merrily, merrily, merrily,
Row, row, row your boat gently down the stream. Merrily, merrily, merrily,
Row, row, row your boat gently down the stream. Merrily, merrily,
Row, row, row your boat gently down the stream. Merrily,
Row, row, row your boat gently down the stream.
Row, row, row your boat gently down the
Row, row, row your boat gently down
Row, row, row your boat gently
Row, row, row your boat
Row, row, row your
Row, row, row
Row, row,
Row,
Now go out, like Jesus said in the gospel, and loosen up and have some fun.