MEN ARE NOT FROM MARS...

... but from a galaxy far far away.

I think women are planners, organizers, list-makers, but not from some deep-rooted and natural maternal instinct.

It is because we are regularly thrown into chaotic relationships with the opposite and distant sex, saddled with 99.99% of the household responsibility, children raising and discipline, feeding and choices in everything from nylons to nappies to nutmeg.

And if we didn't shape it into some remotely reasonable shape, we would go quickly and quietly mad.

Or, in some cases, perhaps not so quietly.

Tonight was another superb example of men having the advance responsibility for a church activity - on the calendar for weeks - discussed at umpteen meetings - for a large, loud and energized group of 50+ teenagers.

And the adult men leaders still at the last minute haphazardly slopped together an activity, and slip slided away with major deviations and course corrections in route, even to the point of sending someone away to purchase refreshments before the activity ended.

While the group of women I am a part of, with the exact same responsibilities every other month, already have these sessions planned for the rest of 2010, to include activities, methods, assigned responsibilities, hand-outs and any snacks budgeted, planned and purchased well ahead of time.

This evening did go well - we moved outside because of the sweltering heat in our church building - the activity involved a lot of moving and shouting, although the original concept (something involving throwing marshmallows) was vetoed.

And it succeeded admirably in the our ultimate goal of providing a safe, welcoming environment for our church teenagers to interact and learn gospel principles together.

Darn it.