Is It Fun?

I spoke to a collective group of Sunday School kids, ranging in age from Kindergarten through Fifth-grade, a few weeks ago, and as has happened before, kids say the “darnedest” things!” After speaking about my blindness, and how God has helped me, I asked them if they had any questions. After one or two questions, one of them asked, “Is it fun being blind?” I couldn’t exactly point out that that’s a pretty dumb question, so I tried to answer it as best as I could. Have you ever asked a really dumb question? I sure have.

I’m progressing with ‘Home Run,’ and my above story connects with the character of Bradley, who makes his second appearance in the chapter I am currently working in (chapter 6). Bradley is serious, even stoic, watchful, focused, which are all decent qualities, but he is also extremely boring. He’ll say some things that will sound like he’s really dumb, despite the fact he is a wealthy businessman and understands his line of work better than most people twenty years his senior.

My ultimate plan is to write the sequel to ‘Home Run’, which will feature Bradley’s efforts to change his dullness, and address his growing awareness that his life lacks something very important. Any guesses what (or who) that could be?

Well, yes, ultimately, it is a ‘who’ that is missing in his life. I plan to create a story line that will focus on this missing part of his life, hopefully in a way that the reader will follow his growth and relate to it in some way. His future partner will probably be very opposite in many ways, and most likely will have spotted some potential in him that she will seek to nurture and bring to full bloom.

Since ‘Home Run’ and its sequel are modeled after the Luke 15 passage about the prodigal son, I’ve enjoyed reading and re-reading that section. My story lines, including the brothers, as well as their contemporary environment, are of course quite different from the setting in Scripture, but I hope to stay true to the basic underlying principles. A really big one concerns choices we make. They can make or break us. I’ve made some really bad choices in my life, which have caused me no small amount of trouble. The cause and affect principle is alive and well, and this will be seen in both ‘Home Run’ and the sequel.

Even though I have brought trouble into my life (and those around me) because of bad choices, God has still seen fit to provide many blessings in my life. No, being blind is not fun, but I am alive, and have been blessed with a loving and faithful wife, as well as a terrific son. Maybe my temporary blindness is all about giving me a sturdier platform to stand on when training my son about choices. Maybe, I am just a link in the chain so he (and maybe future offspring) will grow up to be strong, bold, wise, and more faithful servants of Christ.

It’s no picnic being blind, but it may have its benefits!