TO DEW OR DIE!
It's nice to have some consistency in one's life. One constant in my life is knowing that whenever James A. Dewar is around, fun, chaos, mayhem and all around silliness isn't far behind.
I've known Jim since the fall of 1989, when he and I both moved to Prince Edward Island to serve in churches there. Jim and his family moved from Philadelphia. Sheila and I moved from Toronto. Jim had been in the ministry before, but had taken a two-year break from it. I had just graduated from seminary and this was my first kick at the ecclesiastical can. Both of us were far from home and fish out of water (which is funny since we were on an island). Maybe we were land lovers in over our heads! Regardless of the idiom you choose, the fact was that we were both newbies looking to fit in with our new island digs.
Still, that didn't stop us from hating each other. Jim was this big hulk of a guy with a crew cut and mirrored state trooper sunglasses. Every time I looked at him, he reminded me of a cross between a drill sergeant and a stressed out US Postal worker. He was gung-ho, and I was more Don Ho - you know, relaxed, looking for tiny bubbles, instead of big troubles. I, therefore, being a quiet, reserved Canadian, considered Jim to be someone to avoid. Jim on the other hand, must have thought of me as some kind of quite, studious, milquetoast of a guy who was as much fun to be around as an accountant memorizing tax tables.
Yet, we became the best of friends - Mutt and Jeff, Fred and Barney, Roy Rogers and Silver, you get the idea. Still, seeing the both of us together does create some consternation and confusion. Most people look at us and say, "What's the attraction? What do these guys have in common? Why do these guys hang out together? Is it just because no one else hangs out with them, or what?" And yet, for the last 12 years or so, we've kept our friendship going. Even when I moved from PEI in 1995 and he moved in 1997, we have managed to keep in contact.
This past week, Jim drove the 10 or so hours it takes to get to Toronto from Fredrick, Maryland. He did it as Jim does many things, as a lark, as a spur of the moment get away. He wanted to see our new church and our new home. He wanted to check out our kids and see Sheila. He wanted to physically reconnect after doing the cyber handshake for the past four years. I wondered how things would go. Would the "in person" chemistry be there? Would my kids still think he's funny? Would Sheila hide, retreat, or enjoy DewDew, Jr., as those in the know call him?
Well, to say that we had a blast would be an understatement! It was the most fun I've had in far too long. Jim and I and the boys and Sheila, reveled in the Dewistic splendour of the moment. But, I do want you to know that not all was fun and games. We had a few serious moments and some great conversations, but perhaps the most revealing moment for me was in a particularly silly one. Jim had inadvertently found out that he could embarrass my eldest son, John, by simply yelling out the van window to the greater Toronto area, "Hey, does anyone know where John MacDonald is?" He asked young and old, friendly and confused, happy, and grumpy, basically anyone we drove by. Meanwhile, John sank into the back seat and tried to forget he was ever born.
In that moment, the secret of our friendship occurred to me. Jim brings me out of my shyness and seriousness. He's a big, in your face catalyst to fun. Somehow Jim's good-natured craziness brings me out of my shell and makes me want to explore.
Usually, when we're together, we end up talking to strangers about Jesus, in between bouts of laughs and snorts. Often, we end up leaving a swath of humanity shaking their heads in disbelief, but at least they've seen Christians enjoying life. Christians having fun - go figure! Jim has a way of pulling me in from the back benches and throwing me into the front lines. What a great guy! My entire family spent last week sad, and recuperating after Jim's two-day whirlwind tour. We missed the big guy from the moment he left and we have promised ourselves to go visit Jim and Kim in their home this summer.
OK, what do I want to
leave with you today?
First, who is your DewDew, Jr? Who do you have in your life that spurs you on and shakes your world? Do you have someone with whom you can be silly? Do you ever have the chance to let down your hair and scare the neighbours? I personally believe that its does a body good to step out of his or her normal operating procedures for life and mix things up a bit every once in a while. Some might try bungie jumping or skydiving, I take a somewhat more daring approach and see Jim.
Second, it's hard to say what kind of friends Jim and I would have been if we weren't both Christians. Chances are we would have never bothered to connect, seeing that we weren't exactly attracted to each other. What friendships do we miss simply because we overlook, assume, judge, or reject someone without even trying to get to know them?
One thing I do know: Christ makes miraculous friendship out of the most unlikely raw materials. The DewMac, or MacDew friendship is a wonderful thing, because it is a God thing, no doubt. Without the friendship of Jim, especially during my first few years in the ministry, I can honestly say that I would have walked away from preaching and pastoring. I would have still been a Christian, but a somewhat more battered and bruised one than I am now. If you're in a church or a Christian situation that is beating you down, I urge you to find a fellow soldier with whom to dig into the trenches. Jesus knew what he was doing when he sent the disciples out two by two, right?
Finally, I think walking with God is supposed to be kind of like walking with Jim. Walking with Jim makes life a lot more interesting, dangerous, spontaneous and daring. Jim prompts me to say things and do things that I wouldn't normally do. He challenges me to take risks and give it a shot, because life's just too short. Well, guess what. The Holy Spirit is in much the same business as Jim. When we are walking with God, He prompts us to take risks and chances for Him. He helps us step out of our routine and our shells and try and connect in new and exciting ways with the lost world around us. Believe it or not, God is trying to turn us into the kind of people whom others will look at and shake their heads and say, you know what? - those people have a joy I don't have. Let's face it, these days there isn't much joy, or boldness, or confidence floating around. Just think of the kind of witness you can be for Christ by simply enjoying the joy of your salvation. Isn't it time you let God be the kind of catalyst in your life that He wants to be?
If you have any comments, or questions, please e-mail me by clicking on my name at the bottom of this page. I promise to write back.
