My wife has a bit of a laugh at my expense; she thinks it’s
sorta’ funny that I have a regular ‘date’ with my friend X. It’s a “bromance,” if you will. Monday evenings we watch a couple of episodes
of the 1999 – 2003 Australian / American science fiction television series: Farscape. I watch here in Newton, and he watches from
his home several hours away. We chat
with each other over the internet as we watch.
It’s a regular thing.
But it’s not just the escapist fun of a decent sci-fi program (though I do enjoy that); it’s really an exercise in pastoral counselling.
About a year ago my friend called me on the telephone – a desperate cry for help kind of call. He’d made a series of bad decisions, had kept a deep secret, put his marriage and career in question, and was considering suicide. We spoke for several hours on the phone that afternoon, and often in the days immediately following. He slowly pulled things together. He made amends where he could, accepted that his choices had some hard consequences, and is generally much improved, and still improving.
Farscape became an excuse for us to keep in regular contact. As we watch the adventures of John Crichton and the crew of the living ship, Moya, I can ask my friend how things are going… or not. Sometimes it’s just good to watch the show.
It’s not conventional pastoring, I know, but it works and it’s good.
But it’s not just the escapist fun of a decent sci-fi program (though I do enjoy that); it’s really an exercise in pastoral counselling.
About a year ago my friend called me on the telephone – a desperate cry for help kind of call. He’d made a series of bad decisions, had kept a deep secret, put his marriage and career in question, and was considering suicide. We spoke for several hours on the phone that afternoon, and often in the days immediately following. He slowly pulled things together. He made amends where he could, accepted that his choices had some hard consequences, and is generally much improved, and still improving.
Farscape became an excuse for us to keep in regular contact. As we watch the adventures of John Crichton and the crew of the living ship, Moya, I can ask my friend how things are going… or not. Sometimes it’s just good to watch the show.
It’s not conventional pastoring, I know, but it works and it’s good.
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