Hockey Night In Canada

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I Was Offended … Or Was I?

I can’t put a finger on the last time I was offended, but I’m sure it had to be in the last day or two. I’m sure of it because I don’t like what some people say about certain things.

I was Offended

People get offended all the time, and I know they get offended because they say so. There is not a day that goes by in the news that someone is not offended by something. 

One online dictionary definition of the word “offended” is “resentful or annoyed, typically as a result of a perceived insult.”

… I should be offended every time CTV’s Lisa LaFlamme tells me what Canada is thinking or feeling. She’s usually wrong when it comes to me, and that insults me that she would clump me in with every other Canadian. 

I have my own thoughts, thank you.  

Truthfully, even if I don’t like what some people say, I don’t take offence because I know they are stating an opinion. 

Opinions are just their own thoughts – that might be wrong, or only partially right. It’s not offensive because it’s JUST … THEIR … OPINION.

Maybe our skin needs to be a little thicker. We need to hear a speech we don’t agree with and not be so hurt or insulted … it’s just an opinion.

The other day on Hockey Night In Canada’s Coach’s Corner, Don Cherry (a hockey analyst) made some comments about Remembrance Day and poppies not being worn. 

Some people have jumped all over his comments as insulting and offensive to newer Canadians. … Probably most of them were not watching hockey that night, but news writers and broadcasters have made sure that everyone in Canada got a fair shot at hearing what they considered offensive.

But if they were not personally insulted by the comments, how could they be offended? 

The thing is, Don Cherry may have made some remarks that were not positive and uplifting to people who are new to Canada, but they were just his opinion.  

He may be completely wrong in his thinking, but let’s not act like we are all about 95 years old with skin so thin that it tears by just bumping into a door or something! 

I think it’s fine for people to point out that Don Cherry might be wrong in what he said. (It probably would be hard to actually prove him either wrong or right.) But they could have the opinion that he is wrong and offensive in what he said. 

But giving their opinion that way really should be offensive to Don Cherry. They certainly insulted him in their remarks.

That begs the question: Is it alright to offend someone who has already offended others? Is it correct to offend one person but not correct to offend a group of people?

What it comes down to is not whether individuals were offended or not, but rather that they didn’t like what was said and they didn’t agree with it. 

That is called “opinion” and we should all be able to have one, whether our opinion is right or wrong. 

And if you don’t agree with me, I’m offended. Hey, I think I may have just been offended today.

Here’s the thing: God says that there is one way to get into heaven and to escape hell, and that is to place your faith in Jesus Christ. Some people may not like to hear this; they may say it offends them. It offends them because they don’t want to agree with it or adhere to it. God is not offended; it is only their opinion. It will also not change their outcome. 

That’s Life!

Paul

Question: What do you need to have thicker skin about? Leave your comments and questions below.

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When You Get Lost in the Change

I get a little lost at this time of year, especially in the evenings. For the past month, there has been hockey on TV pretty much every night.

New old Habit

Often there have been multiple games, extending hockey into the wee hours of the night for us in Ontario. But that has come to an end.

They say it takes 21 days to form a habit, so in the past month, I’ve been in the habit of watching hockey each night.

It didn’t matter if I had a meeting or activity after dinner, when I got home there was always the action, cheers, commentary, and, of course, my red light broadcasting throughout the house that another goal had been scored.

It was comforting; I knew what I would be doing and Lily would know where to find me. I didn’t have to choose between several options or projects when I was home. I was focussed, single-minded. It was a good thing.

… Well, I guess it wasn’t all good. There were some downsides like not being able to follow the conversation Lily was trying to have with me. I found it difficult to look her in the eyes while she was talking when the play-by-play guy was describing how a player just rang one off the post.

All winter I have reserved Saturday night to have a can of Dr. Pepper. It’s pretty much the only time I will drink it. However, with hockey on every night, I had to daily remind myself that it was not Saturday or I’d have been going through a case of pop every week!

But all that has come to an end. I don’t know what to do with myself now, because we are down to only four teams and the games are spread out. I had to watch a repeat of the Canada versus Belarus game the other night and I already knew Canada won 9-0!

I’m finding there is great pressure for me to move away from the TV and find something more productive to do. I keep hearing suggestions and hints of things that could be attended to around the house.

My problem is I don’t have my ready-made excuses to not get at these things. It’s one thing to say, “Sure Lil, I’ll put out the garbage right at the end of the period . . . after Coach’s Corner.”

It doesn’t work any more to say, “Could you repeat that? I didn’t quite hear you” four or five times. Lil knows I’m scamming her.

You see, I just made a habit and now I already have to break it … and that’s why I feel lost right now. My routine is being interrupted; my time must be filled with new things.

I think I just need to be weened off of hockey over a few weeks. And that’s good because the semi’s are on and by the time the Stanley Cup series is done, I think I will be ready to fully embrace golf and mountain biking . . . until hockey starts again in the fall.

Here’s the thing: When a season of life changes or your schedule changes for that matter, it can throw you off from your time spent with God alone. Use these times to refresh your approach to your time with God. Change it up a little. Try to incorporate something that will challenge you and increase your interest and desire to meet with Him.

That’s Life!

Paul

Question: What disruptions to your routine cause you to feel out-of-sorts? Leave your comment below.