PHILLIES, YANKEES, AND FLU SHOTS

The front page of the Lancaster newspaper Tuesday night featured a shot of a line of people winding for several blocks around the Carter-Macrae Elementary School waiting for flu shots. The flu season has begun, this year being heightened by a virulent strain of swine flu that has many people on edge as it has proven deadly in some instances. As the lack of anywhere near sufficient doses of the vaccine have yet to emerge from the governments pharmaceutical pipeline, people (especially parents of younger children) are restive and worried. President Obama's approval rating has sunk into the 30% range. People in a panic are not very forgiving.

Yet there are good people who care about others, and seek to make a difference for people whose lives are difficult. In the Hempfield School District, senior citizens are permitted to volunteer in the schools and get a credit on their school taxes for their time. (GREAT PLAN, HSD!) At our church, we have a Gym/Multipurpose Ministry Center--that we make accessible to support the community. For the last two several years (this year again), we have given practice space to the Hempfield Junior Varsity Cheerleading Squad as they prepare for November competitions (there is not enough gym space nd practice time in the schools.) A grandmother of one of the cheerleaders is now volunteering in the schools and anonymously donating HER tax credit to an older widow in our congregation who finds it difficult to pay mounting school taxes.

Not all is right with our world, yet there are more people trying to put it right than many of us believe. Usually because acts of kindness and sacrifical servanthood.

What does the World Series between the Yankees and Phillies have to do with all of this? Except for its record-breaking potential--not much. But a whole lot of people take joy from their baseball (I being one of them) so for about the next 10 days Fox Sports will bring some nightly joy into people's living rooms. PLus, the head line got you to read the blog today about some really significant good news that will not appear on a Jumbotron in Yankee Stadium or Citizens Bank Field. Forgive me.