My Babysitter

                Last week on the radio, the hosts of The Catholics Next Door were talking about facebook.  In one lawyer’s last thirty-two divorce cases, facebook was stated as a problem in the marriages.  People are connecting with past flames which the spouse finds is inappropriate and other issues arise.  I also heard that lawyers are asking their clients to not use facebook during the divorce process.  Some people spew all their negative emotions for their spouse on facebook giving the other ammunition during court appearances.  These are definitely not steps towards holiness.

                Two days ago, I was wasting time on facebook playing Bejeweled.  I was working hard or hardly working on trying to get up to the next level.  While I was playing, I was thinking about my next big writing project.  Okay, so I wasn’t thinking that hard.  But to my surprise a chat box popped up.  I could get into some trouble by my next statement, but I will take the chance.  My favorite babysitter wanted to connect.  Now I am not talking my favorite babysitter that I have hired for my kids, but one that took care of me when I was little.  Some of her siblings whom I am friends with on facebook also babysat me; hence, the potential to get into trouble.

                Now this babysitter is about seven years older than me which made her a teenager when she took care of me.  The best thing she taught me was joy.  She would put records on the turntable, the good dance music from the 60s.  I am sure the volume was loud shaking the walls in our trailer house.  We sang, danced, and laughed.  I twirled around and felt like the luckiest girl in the world with this beautiful teenager spending “grownup” time with me.

                Our parents have been friends since I was three.  There are so many memories with her family.  Some I will share later because her mother played a big role in my faith development as a child.  Besides music, I have one other memory of my babysitter.  Her family lived right next to a beautiful lake.  We always went out to visit.  My favorite times were swimming, ice skating, and sledding with her and all her siblings.  Well, one day at the beginning of winter she and I went down to the dock to check the ice.  She decided it looked good, but she made me stay on the dock.  She made it out about five or six feet when we heard it start to crack.  We were so scared.  I had to yell for our dads.  They took a long 2X4 and pushed it across the ice.  She grabbed a hold of it and they drug her across the thin ice to safety.  Needless to say, we had a talking too.  I learned never to go on ice unless our dads cleared if first.

                Facebook, like all things in life, can waylay our journey to holiness.  However, it can be a great tool to reconnect with people from our past and connect with people in our future.  I am very thankful I chatted with my old babysitter which brought up memories that I can apply to my current life.  Sing, dance, laugh, in other words, see the goodness in the life God has given and live with joy.  And if you find yourself on thin ice, yell like crazy for your Father in heaven to slide a 2x4 onto the ice to pull you to safety.

                Blessing to you all.