In August, the Portland area Lutheran church softball season culminates in a two day tournament at Meldrum Bar Park. Church softball can be distinguished from other forms of softball by the ritual group prayer that opposing team members participate in together before they try to beat the hell out of each other. The typical prayer format: General thanksgiving for nice weather Vague promise to enjoy fellowship Petition for injury free play As with most prayer, the recognition of answers requires active and imaginative interpretation. There’s really nothing like sliding in shorts (except maybe falling off a motorcycle) to set up the circumstances that will showcase the miracle of self-repairing skin. Softball, with its rules and regulations, is rich with metaphors and analogies that can be applied to life in this universe. In the following dialogue from Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, commander Sisko explains our linear existence with a baseball metaphor. JAKE ALIEN "Baseball...
a photographer's take on ART, SCIENCE & THEOLOGY in the Pacific Northwest