Our Christmastime with Small Children

Christmas with two young children is a strange adventure. Today Anna, Will, and I braved the mall in an attempt to locate a few last-minute items. Anna rode in the stroller as Will and I pushed it, stopping to pet Santa's reindeer along the way and dodging the several groups of young students apparently on field trips with their classes (when did going to the mall become a school field trip, I wonder). Our worst moment was my effort to buy some Christmas cards at Target... Will still wanted to push the stroller and threw a fit because we were not moving (I put the brakes on); Anna was still in the stroller, but had slunk down far enough that her feet could reach the floor, and she managed to push the stroller backwards into me; I tried to hold Will, but then he wanted to grab the stroller handle bar to push it that way, and he wailed when I would not let him do that. Those Christmas cards required some hard work! I did not get all that I needed, but that may be all that I get this year! The highlight of our excursion for the kids was probably riding the train that's set up in the center of the mall. For me, the highlight was the mere fact that I succeeded in buying a couple presents, didn't lose anybody, and made it home by Will's naptime! Tonight Anna made a point of telling Jon what she and Will got him for Christmas (yes, I said previously I wasn't going to share anymore secrets with her, but I thought it would be nice for her to help pick it out!)! Jon just laughed.

Our Christmas tree has also been a source of excitement around here. The day after we decorated it, Will managed to break two Christmas balls when I was in another room. I think he was trying to pull an ornament off that was not cooperating with him, and he shook the tree so that the ball ornaments fell and broke. Then a couple days ago, Will was eating his morning waffle on the couch next to the tree when he decided it would be fun to toss pieces of the waffle into the Christmas tree... a kind of free-form decorating exercise. So I grabbed the remaining waffle away from him, only to turn around and find Dixie, our food-crazed cocker spaniel, standing precariously on the arm of the couch, peering into the tree, poised to launch a waffle recovery mission! I could just imagine the whole tree tumbling over... but I thwarted Dixie's plans and retrieved the waffle pieces myself.

Just one week left til Christmas... who knows what wonders await us!

Reflecting on Christmas

Just a little more than a week til Christmas, and I find myself struggling as usual to find that quiet place inside to reflect on the meaning of it all. There are gifts to buy and gifts to wrap, schedules to coordinate or rearrange, food to prepare and food to eat! A flurry of busyness all around. But what is at the heart of it all? What is the meaning of Christmas? Is it really about a jolly fat man in a red suit who magically gives presents to good little boys and girls (though he would appear to be socio-economically biased)? Or maybe it's about family and tradition, warm fuzzy feelings and cozy nights in front of the fire? Or is it about the Jewish baby boy, born in a stable of all places, some 2000 years ago?

Is it really about the baby? He was an amazing baby with an incredible story chock full of angels, a virgin mother, lowly shepherds, great kings traveling from afar, the evil plan of an evil ruler. There is wonder and reverence and awe as we gaze on the peaceful manger in that silent night, holy night... the night when God entered our world as one of us, forever changing the course of human events. Emmanuel... God with us, just as He promised.

But more than the baby, I think Christmas is about the man... Son of God and Son of man. As we gaze on the peaceful manger, let's lift our eyes to the cross on the horizon, His purpose in coming. The sweet helpless babe grew to a man of humility and power, a man of justice and grace, a man of peace and division. He came to bear our burdens, to make the great exchange... taking our sin upon Himself and giving us His righteousness that all who believe may be one with God. His love compelled Him to come and die for us; His loves bids us to die in order to truly live. (The truth is full of mysteries and paradox.)

Let us reflect on the babe in the manger this Christmas, being mindful of the man on the cross. And as we bow before Him, let us remember, too, that He will come again. Amen.

Starry Starry Night

It was a cold, starry night in the North Carolina mountains 20 years ago. On December 13, 1987, a senior in high school, I was on a retreat at Windy Gap, a Young Life camp. There was a group meeting that night, and I don't remember exactly what the speaker said anymore, but somehow the message I'd been hearing for months at Young Life meetings became crystal clear to me. The message about God's unconditional love, about my own helplessly sinful heart, about the great chasm separating me from God, about Jesus who chose to die to bridge the chasm, about new life and peace and freedom and hope... it all made its way from my head to my heart. Life was at stake. I had to act. I went to one of the leaders after the meeting and asked what I must do. Her answer was "nothing." I was puzzled, and then she added that God had done it all; there is nothing for us to add, nothing to be done; it is grace. Then she recommended that I go out on the mountainside and talk to God, tell him what I was thinking and feeling. In my mind I remember it so clearly... walking up the hillside in the moonlight with the cold wind blowing. It was there that I had my reckoning. I had heard the undeniable call of the Creator, and I answered with the tears of a humble heart. And that has made all the difference. My life has never been the same. I've seen God's provision, His protection, His blessing, His guidance, His power time after time. So I like to take time to reflect each year on my re-birth date, if you will, and to be thankful. "Amazing grace, how sweet the sound that saved a wretch like me." We sing "Amazing Grace" because it is so utterly amazing! If by chance you don't know what I'm talking about, I invite you to contact me... I'd love to pass on to you the great story of God's love for you.

Reflections on the USS Yorktown

This weekend Jon, Anna, Will, and I went to Charleston to visit Patriot's Point - where the USS Yorktown museum is - and to drive through the Festival of Lights - 3 miles of lights and activities - on James Island. It made for a long day, but also a fun one (mostly). Anna and Will were quite impressed with the Yorktown aircraft carrier and all the planes on it. Will kept shouting "plane" in his special way (he has no concept of an indoor voice). And he insisted on maneuvering the steep, narrow stairs himself. It was actually safer to hold his hand VERY tightly and let him "walk" the stairs than to wrestle with him, trying to carry him up or down! He has no fear (or common sense, I might add)!

As for me, I felt a sense of awe and humility on the Yorktown. There is something sacred about historic places, especially where people have given their all, and sometimes their lives. Active through World War II and Vietnam, the Yorktown and crew played a significant role in history. Seeing the kitchen, the sleeping quarters, the black and white photos of war... what was it like to have been there? It was a different world. I'm not sure today's media would allow us to win World War II today... too many casualties, too high a cost, too much sacrifice. I heard a woman comment near the Vietnam Base Camp replica, "what a waste." I understand the deep regret that so many people lost their lives, but I'm not sure I'd say it was a waste. I admit I am no expert on the complexities of the Vietnam situation, but I hesitate to call it a waste when people fight valiantly (in spite of what John Kerry says) and do their best for their country, their home. Yes, there were issues, but war is hell. I do not want to go there; I do not want to know the details of it; but sometimes war must be waged, and I'm thankful there are brave men and women who step up and do their best. A life is not a waste if it was lived well. Maybe "how tragic" or "how sad" wouldn't have bothered me the way "what a waste" did. Maybe it's just me, but somehow "waste" carried with it some contempt that made me bristle. Anyway... the point is that it was an honor to visit the USS Yorktown and rub elbows with a bit of history, and take time to remember the many brave Americans and others who have fought (and are fighting) for our country and our freedom.

Thoughts from Christmas Caroling

Today Anna, Will, and I went Christmas caroling at a nursing home with our playgroup. We sang some songs, handed out glittery star ornaments we made last week, and wished everyone a Merry Christmas. It was nice. Will really enjoyed handing out the stars to people. One of the elderly ladies commented with a smile that her son's hair was the same color as Will's when he was little, and it gave me a different perspective, a glimpse into who she is. For an instant I didn't see her as an elderly woman at a nursing home, but as a mom about my age, chasing after her young "cotton-head" son, laughing and snuggling him, doing her best to balance all the aspects of her life. She used to be like me. It was a sweet privilege to gain this insight during our brief encounter. Sometimes we forget when people age and life takes its toll on their bodies and/or minds, that they're still them inside... the heart, if you will, is the same. My mom, for example, is 70 and has multiple sclerosis, which plays on her mind sometimes and has led her to a wheelchair. In some ways she's so different from the vibrant, strong woman I remember raising me, but inside she has the same heart; she is the same person.

Back at the nursing home, time flashed forward and I thought - look at what we become. Sure there are people who live active, independent lives right up to the end, but the reality is we all know where we're headed. We won't always be as strong as we are now, or as capable, or as independent. No use in worrying over the future, but let's make the most of the present. Live well. Love deeply. Follow your dreams. Take the chance.

Live well.

Anna's Stage Debut

Yesterday Anna danced in her first ballet performance, "'Twas the Night Before Christmas." There were two shows at the Trustees Theater in Downtown Savannah. It was a long day for everyone, especially the little ones, but Anna was a real trooper and did a great job! (I was more nervous all day than she was!) We were all very proud of her. In three scenes she was a little girl at a party, and in one scene she was a mouse. There were twelve other little girls the same age doing the same things. Very cute indeed! Anna had a great time - she was so wound up at the end of the day, she twirled and danced all the way back to the van. Grandma and Grandpa, MiMi and PopPop, Uncle Karl, Aunt Sherri, Ryan, and my coworker Cynthia all attended the ballet.

A Little Ditty...

What to write I do not know.
I will make an effort, though.
Today was Friday all day long...
coloring, playing, singing songs.
We went for a walk down our street;
a cat and a dog we did happily greet.
Later on we were off to ballet;
unimpressed Will just wanted to play.
At last we are home, the kids tucked in their beds
while visions of leaping girls dance in their heads.
Tomorrow the sun will rise once again;
we will all get up, get dressed, and then...

Anna's Spectacular Tea Party

On Saturday afternoon we welcomed friends and family to our home for Anna's long-awaited Spectacular Tea Party. The ladies wore dresses, while most of the gentlemen chose their best football attire for the occasion (given that the Georgia game inconveniently coincided with our tea party). We feasted on an array of goodies... from pimento cheese sandwiches to muffins to chips and dip. For the traditionalists out there I regret to say there was no hot tea to be found in our midst. Instead our party enjoyed the choice of sweet tea, water, juice, or soda. It was an entirely pleasant way to pass the afternoon, though I fear Lucy and Dixie (our furry friends) would disagree as they were exiled from the event. Anna had a wonderful time, and turned out to be a pretty good little hostess, welcoming our guests and showing them the food, etc. One happy little girl = one successful tea party! Cheers!

The Hardest Good-bye

Today I learned that the father of one of my old friends lost his battle with cancer. My heart is heavy for the family's loss. As Christians, we have the hope of a future heavenly reunion, but still, death is hard. Hard because it is so final, complete, irreversible, and utterly unavoidable. ("Love's as strong as death, my love, unyielding as the grave."**) It is the terminal diagnosis for all humankind; so why do we resist it, deny it, ignore it? Fear perhaps. (Though perfect love drives out fear.) And maybe because deep down we know it is somehow unnatural. After all, we were created for life.

It is our love for others that makes death hard. It is God's love for us that makes it a bit easier to deal with. His love that conquered death, that brings us to new and everlasting life, that promises a future joy beyond imagination. In Christ we have a hope and a future. Praise God.

May the strong love of God enfold you, my friend, and keep you through this darkness.



**Rich Mullins "Canticle of the Plains"

Giving Thanks

In preparation for Thanksgiving, I give thanks...
for crunchy, sweet-smelling November leaves;
for happy do-it-again giggles;
for wiggly dogs who are always happy to see me;
for Anna's spontaneous pink tea parties;
for shouts of "boat" every time Will sees one;
for a cozy home and good food to fill our bellies and jobs to pay for it all;
for hugs and kisses and snuggles;
for Jon, my love, who helps me dream and makes me laugh;
for loving parents and in-laws and out-laws;
for this great country - "amber waves of grain" and "purple mountain majesties";
for "life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness";
for a gracious God from whom every good thing comes, who pursues us tirelessly, blesses abundantly, and draws us mercifully to Himself.
His faithfulness is never-ending. Amen.

Into the Forest

Today I took Anna and Will to my parents' house for the morning and lunch. They live almost an hour away, and we hadn't been there in a while (they usually come visit us). Anna was especially looking forward to going for a walk in "the forest" - not the woods, but "the forest", which apparently is a special, enchanted place... located behind my parents' house. So after lunch, my dad, the kids, and I ventured forth into the forest for an adventure. What kid doesn't love tromping through leaves and pine straw, crunching on sticks, and climbing up and down little hills? We had a grand time! My dad was in charge of our expedition, and made sure we stopped to look and listen for wild turkeys, deer, etc at appropriate intervals (we heard something, but didn't see anything today). It was so neat for me to see him teaching Anna and Will about trees and animals and nature. It reminded me how he and my mom instilled a love of nature in me as a kid... going for walks, hikes, camping, fishing, to the beach and the mountains, etc. They taught me how to look and listen deeply, to value all living things, to treasure the beauty all around. What a wonderful gift that hopefully we can pass on to Anna and Will. It's funny how parenting Anna and Will can cause me to reflect on my own childhood.

Will at Bedtime

It's almost 9:30 pm and Will is singing in his crib. He's been in there for about an hour. Occasionally he will say "uh-oh," which probably means either his pajama leg has been pushed up or he threw one (or more) of his stuffed animals out of the crib.

Will is a fun little guy. He loves trucks; even better than trucks are planes and helicopters; better than that are boats; and the best of all are trains! "Choo-choo" he says in a high-pitched imitation. I took Will to Target with me the other day to shop for Christmas presents, and he found this ride-on Winnie the Pooh train that makes train sounds and has things that pop up and such. It was high on a shelf where he couldn't reach, but he saw it and started doing his happy dance and pointing and carrying on. So I pulled it down and set it on the floor, and he played with it so well that I was able to look at everything in that section uninterrupted. And yes, I bought him the train for Christmas. (That's the beauty of this age - 21 months - you can put the toy right in the cart, pay for it, load it into the minivan with him right there, and he doesn't even realize you have it! He'll still be surprised! Anna has even told him he's getting a train for Christmas, and he has no idea what she's talking about! Anna, on the other hand, being almost 4, is trouble, and will not be included in any more Christmas secrets for quite some time I'm sure!)

Jon just put Anna to bed (we take turns), and Will has quieted down. The two share a room, and I think Will likes to wait up for Anna to go to bed. All is peaceful now. Good night!

Disney Princesses on Ice

Yesterday, Anna and I ventured forth into the world of Disney... Princesses on Ice. It is a rather expensive world, a true money machine in fact! The show was a beautiful display of talent and creativity with the skating, costumes, scenery, music, and theatrics. Anna enjoyed seeing all of her favorite princesses. But in the midst of it all, I couldn't help feeling like it was a bit of a racket... the $15 program (with complimentary plastic rose), $5 coloring book, $8 lemonade in a sports bottle that leaked when we tried to drink out of it, $12 plastic Ariel doll. We bypassed the $10 snow cone in a Cinderella mug, stuffed toys, magic wands, twirly light-up thingamabobs, etc. During intermission, Mousekepeddlers were happy to bring $10 cotton candy (with complimentary plastic crown) to your seat in case you were trying to hang on to a bit of your cash. I could almost hear the money being sucked out of the wallets of kind-hearted parents and grandparents, trying to give their special little ones a memorable experience. After the show, the mom sitting behind me asked if there was a big plastic straw under my seat. As I gave her the pink straw, she said, "I paid $2 for that piece of plastic and I'm taking it with me!"

So what's the point? I don't know. As I said, it was a great show and a special occasion - not something we do frequently. And prices reflect supply and demand... we all had the choice not to buy souvenirs. But Disney also had a captive audience as it were, with the forces of children's capricious desires and parents' goodwill toward their children conspiring on Disney's behalf. Somehow it just didn't seem quite fair.

Happy Halloween / Reformation Day!

We had a great Halloween. Anna was Belle from "Beauty and the Beast" and Will was a farmer. We carved a pumpkin, and went to the Pumpkin Patch Party at Savannah Christian Church and had a fun time. Will caught on to the whole candy thing real quick!

Halloween is also Reformation Day, which you might not be aware of if you're not in the Lutheran church, though it really impacts all Christians. On October 31, 1517, Martin Luther nailed his "95 Theses" to the door of the church in Wittenburg, Germany. He did it to open up a discussion of abuses in the Catholic Church (the only church at the time) - mainly the selling of indulgences. If you had the money, you could buy an indulgence, basically a piece of paper saying your sins were forgiven and you could get out of Purgatory. You could buy your indulgence and then sin away with no worry (like a "get out of jail free" card or a carbon credit)! The church used indulgences to create fear and thus raise money, but they also cheapened the gospel by implying that Jesus was not sufficient for salvation.

Martin Luther was radical in that he actually read and studied the Scriptures for himself (highly uncommon at the time), and found not a God of fear and manipulation, but a God of love and grace, mercy and forgiveness. He put his life on the line to get that message out to the people. He wrote extensively in German, and had the benefit of the new printing press so "common" folk could understand, too. Luther believed the Bible should be translated into the language of the people (a heresy to the all-Latin Catholic church who did not trust ordinary people to understand it), and he completed a German translation. Fully aware of his failings and sinful nature, Luther resisted that anyone should follow him, only wanting them to follow Christ. He was a man of passion, unyielding in his convictions. When pressed by the Church to recant his teachings or face excommunication or worse he said, "My conscience is captive to the Word of God... Here I stand; I can do no other."

Everyone who is a Christian has a lot to thank Luther for. He paved the way for our religious freedoms. He did not set out to break away from the church, but to reform it from within. But the church would have none of that - there was too much power and money and politics at stake. Still, Martin Luther insisted that salvation is by grace alone, through faith alone, and had the courage to stand. We have the message of hope, the Bible in a language we can understand, freedom from oppression and manipulation by church hierarchy - thanks to God's work through Martin Luther. Happy Reformation Day!

PS - There's a good movie on video/DVD called "Luther" if you'd like to see his story.

The Moon and Me

I love the moon. The moon and I go way back actually. I can remember even as a kid the moon would follow me around. Pretty cool. When I got older, I remember quiet nights standing in my backyard staring at the moon with the wind rustling in the pines. One time I stood on the rim of Bryce Canyon and watched the moon rise, a perfect giant red sphere, echoed by the glowing orange rock. Of course there's been moonlight on the ocean or on the river down at the dock; moonlight peeking through the cracks in the mud hut in Cameroon to bid me goodnight as I drifted off to sleep; the moon watching over me as I slept in a sleeping bag in the back of a pick-up truck in Kodachrome Basin. The moon has been a friend, a guide, an inspiration at times.

But sometimes I think the moon is out to get me. See, I love to sleep in darkness. I manage to tolerate a nightlight in the hall since Anna and Will came along, for those middle-of-the-night wakings. But I like to block out any other unnecessary light. But sometimes, by some wrinkle in the natural order of things, somehow the moon manages to get to me, shine in my eyes, and wake me up. (For some reason I like to wake up Jon to share the joy with him, which he inexplicably does not appreciate!) Maybe this is the moon's reminder to me that I've been neglecting my friend. Or maybe the moon is a bit of a prankster, a little bit cheeky, which seems at least plausible.

Anna Ballerina

Ok, so Anna is loving ballet class, although she complains that they often do "that boy dancing" (creative type stuff like dancing like a grasshopper, etc) instead of "princess dancing" a la "Barbie and the 12 Dancing Princesses." She has threatened to teach Ms. Paula (who used to dance with the London Ballet) and class how to do princess dancing, but has not yet done so. :) Tomorrow Anna will attend the first rehearsal for the "'Twas the Night Before Christmas" performance, which she surprisingly wants to do considering she doesn't normally like to draw attention to herself (although I remember enjoying being in "The King and I" in community theater when I was in maybe 4th grade even though I was "shy"). Anna and the other 3-year-olds will be mice and then girls at a party; she's excited about dancing with the bigger girls.

Yesterday I was on the computer and Anna came in and told me she started up her own ballet school in the kitchen and wanted to know if I'd like to come. Who can resist that?? She proceeded to demonstrate various twirls and such for me to imitate, and then she provided feedback on my performance. It was very cute... and nice to see that entrepreneurial spirit at such a young age!

Mysteries

The sermon today was about mysteries. How there are some things that we just can't figure out; specifically things about God and His nature. And yet God has chosen to reveal mysteries to us through Jesus and His Word -even though our minds may not fully grasp them - but we may know because of His amazing grace and mercy and love toward us. God stoops down to us when we cannot possibly lift ourselves up. His love reaches out to and yearns for each of our tattered hearts. But how would we know, left to our own devices, our own cleverness? So He put on flesh and dwelt among us in the form of Jesus, and He inspired some people to write His words in the Bible, and He speaks even through those of us who believe and love and follow Him, however imperfectly. How amazing is the unquenchable love and desire of the holy, Most High God for us, such failing and self-absorbed creatures!

Father God, Maker of all that is good and beautiful, thank you for the strength and steadfastness of your love for us mere humans. May your love fill us and flow through us, reaching out to all who might receive it. "Flood the nations with grace and mercy; Send forth Your Word, Lord, and let there be light!"

The Weight of the World

Did you know that 21 countries in sub-Saharan Africa have recently had flooding rains, leaving 1 million people in need of help? I had no idea until I received an email from World Vision. And now the flood waters will provide ideal conditions for the spread of disease - like malaria and such. Did you know we used to have malaria here in the US? But we were able to use DDT to eliminate it (and we still have birds somehow!), though the world won't allow Africa the same benefit (even though studies have shown the proper use of DDT is not so environmentally terrible after all).

Are people really compassionate if their ideas look friendly and caring but really have harmful results? Or are they ignorant or even manipulative? Some want to increase the welfare state in the name of "helping the poor", but maybe that just makes people more complacent and dependent, robbing them of the drive to change or get a job or whatever. "Give a man a fish" vs "Teach him how to fish." Maybe we need to teach fishing more often, enabling people to take care of themselves, restoring their sense of dignity and pride.

And what about all these "undocumented immigrants?" Some people think they should have full rights like American citizens?! Drivers licenses, in-state tuition, safe havens... what in the world?? Just because they managed to sneak across the border and their own country is poor? What about all the people sitting on waiting lists to get into this country the legal way? If you want open borders, then tell everyone to come on in! But don't discriminate based on who has easier access. Maybe Americans could give up their citizenship and sneak back in and then we'd all have free healthcare.

Free healthcare? Government healthcare? Socialism? Just like Great Britain and Canada where you have ridiculously long waits and people turn to self-treating or private doctors anyway? Wow, that sounds great. How about some sort of transparency and accountability in healthcare? (My own doctor's office could not tell me how much a physical costs when I called them - "it depends.") Doesn't anyone have good ideas and the courage to stand up for them? Would they get any publicity or media attention if they did? Could they get elected?

Sigh! Sometimes it's happier to not pay attention to what's going on in the world. Ignorance is bliss, right?

Pondering Churches

There's a church in our area that puts up signs advertising themselves as a come-as-you-are church especially for people with tattoos, I guess (like the guy in the ad's picture). It causes me to start pondering questions which may not really need to be answered, but just float around in my head anyway. Like do tattooed people really need a separate church? Is this a form of segregation? Isn't the church a body made up of all different kinds of parts?

I must confess I haven't been to this particular church in question, but I've been to different kinds of churches... contemporary, liturgical, charismatic, etc. I realize this particular church is trying to emphasize that God is approachable and loving, both of which are true. But God is very multi-faceted, and I wonder if, in our attempt to know Him and share His love with others, we too easily lose sight of much of His complexity that makes Him so mysterious and beautiful to begin with. Yes, God is approachable, but He is also holy and to be feared/honored/respected. Does that aspect get left out when we try to make God so "cool"? He is like the proverbial elephant described by the blind men, each of whom get to touch a different part of it, and they all describe the elephant in completely different ways, though it is one creature. (Just to be clear, this is not a valid example for arguing that all religions are equally true, it's all the same god, blah, blah, blah...)

Also, I love contemporary worship music, but I wonder at what point in church does it cross the line to become too much like entertainment (a concert or performance)? Perhaps that just depends on how individuals receive it personally... whether it brings them really into worship or creates distance for them and I guess they should go elsewhere. Of course, no church is perfect because we are not perfect, but sometimes I just wonder about things.

Ramblings on Bugs

The butterflies are migrating south, right past my house, it seems. One after another, yellow butterflies and orange and black butterflies flutter by, with some of them stopping to drink from our flowers. When Will sees one, he points and yells "Bah!" (which is about the same thing he says for "boat" and "ball"). Anna chases after them. I remember when I was a kid chasing butterflies with my net. When I caught one, my mom and I would put it in a jar with a little cottonball dipped in rubbing alcohol, I think, that would "put it to sleep" so we could mount the pretty thing and display it. I am appalled by the very thought of it now, but at the time it did not occur to me that we were actually killing the poor little butterflies.
:(

And whatever happened to all the lightning bugs? Do you guys up north still have lightning bugs? We had so many in New Jersey every summer night, all over the neighborhood. And I remember some lightning bugs when we moved south, but they seem to have disappeared now, which is sad. Or maybe I just don't live in a good lightning bug neighborhood. We have plenty of other bugs, though! Enough rambling for now - away with me!

Oktoberfest

So we went to Oktoberfest on Saturday with my parents. It was nice. We tried to see the weiner dog race, but it was impossible to see due to the shortness of said dogs combined with the density of the crowd that got there before we did. But we did see lots of weiner dogs walking around (as well as other dogs), and Anna and Will got to pet some of them. There was a lot of beautiful art there, and Anna made some crafts at the kids' area. Will was determined to ride a boat, trying repeatedly to run down the boat ramps. Maybe next time we're down on River Street, we'll ride the ferry across the river (which we've done before), but it didn't seem practical with my parents along.

Of course, there was food, too. We ate some German funnel cake (?). There wasn't really much German food at all except for those sausages (bratwurst and such), which I don't like one bit (it's a texture thing)! Anyway, we drove out toward the beach and ate at Barbara Jean's Restaurant, which is Southern style cooking, kinda like Paula Deen's place but without the hype and the lines.

Other than that, I've been trying to organize my house better, but it's a slow process. I have trouble figuring out what I need to buy to maximize my space - cabinets, shelves, etc - and how to make it all work together. I saw a show on HGTV the other night that inspired me. It was called "Fun Shui" (spelling?), a play on Feng Shui. While I don't buy into some of their ideas about energy escaping out the back door or whatever, it did make sense that your environment can help you be more focused and peaceful, etc when it's in good order. Jon always gets nervous when I start tackling projects in the house, but so far I think he likes the results. Anyway, blah, blah, blah...

Reflections on Glitter

In my continuing quest to find new and fun ways to keep my little people busy, the thought came to me... glitter! I have fond childhood memories of squeezing glue and sprinkling glitter to make lovely pictures, so I thought it was time for Anna (not Will - he would surely eat it and throw it!) to share in the joys of glitter (especially since she loves all things sparkly). We've tried those glitter glue tubes that seem like such a good idea, but Anna's little fingers aren't strong enough to get the glue out, so I would end up squeezing glue wherever she wants it, which is ok I guess, but it's not really her doing something fun at that point. So last Wednesday I was at the craft store while Anna was in ballet class, and I succeeded in finding real glitter (which has proved quite difficult to locate with all the glitter glue out there now).

Anna was delighted a few days later when I pulled out the glitter for her to make pictures and decorate a wooden pumpkin picture. She immediately set to work on her creations... squeezing excessive amounts of glue and sprinkling even more glitter, having a blast all the while. Glitter was a definite hit... especially considering it kept her happily occupied for a good half hour or more. There is one downside to all this glitter, though. Glitter is really tiny, and it scatters easily so that, even after "cleaning up", there is still residual glitter lurking about. I'm not sure it's possible to truly clean up all the glitter. Plus, glitter is like those little seeds on those tall weeds that grow in the grass... the ones that stick to your shoes and socks as you walk through... it catches a ride on clothes, feet, dogs, etc in order to relocate to another part of the house where it hopes to go unnoticed and unsuspected indefinitely. I am certain that, if you were to come visit me in a month, you would run a good chance of having some glitter attach itself to you from seemingly out of nowhere, and it would be from our craft projects last week. Glitter is here to stay.

Festival Time

Today we went to the Medieval Festival at Oatland Island Education Center (which is a cool place with a walking trail and wild animals to view - Savannah's mini zoo, sort of). It was a beautiful day, and it was fun to see people in their costumes and all the activities. They had the "Whack a Knight" activity for kids, which was funny... kids were given these soft "swords" and costumes and then they got to whack away at an adult dressed as a knight... it was hilarious! Anna and Will were too little for most of the activites, though. We did wait in line for over half an hour to ride a pony named Ms. Bullet (she followed Bullet around the circle - I guess they're a couple). Anna and Will rode together and really enjoyed it. Then we waited in another line for half an hour to buy hotdogs. But overall, we had a nice time. Before going to bed tonight Anna asked when we could go to the "Weevil Festibal" again.

I wonder if there is a weevil festival somewhere. I wouldn't be surprised. There is a bollweevil monument in Enterprise, AL where my sister-in-law Rose and her family live. The town celebrates the bollweevil because it got their economy out of cotton (by destroying it), which turned out to be a positive thing. Anyway, I love all the festivals that pop up this time of year... Octoberfest is coming, the Bamboo Farm will have their fall shindig, shrimp/seafood festivals in Beaufort and Richmond Hill, the Greek Festival (opa!), Jewish Food Festival, etc. And maybe somewhere someone is being festive about weevils!

PS - I'm not sure why, but the date and time are wrong on my blog. I am actually writing this on Saturday, Sept 29 at 9:57 pm. Weird!

Comments

Hey, everyone! Comments are now open to everybody, not just registered users. I didn't realize I had to change a setting to enable that, but now it's fixed. So feel free to comment away without the commitment of registering! Also, I've added a "Links" section (top left corner) where I'll be adding some links... right now you can click and see some World PeaWear designed by yours truly.

Balance or Passion?

Driving to work this morning I was listening to talk radio and pondering people who are very outspoken in their opinions, as compared with myself. They are most likely extroverts to begin with, which I am not. I have some strong opinions (ie - Jesus is the Way to Life; big government, socialism, and the far left (hey, synonyms!) are bad; limited government, free markets, and liberty and justice for all are good; there is no perfect temperature for the earth... it goes through cycles like everything else... did you know the "coastal plain" used to be under the ocean??!), but I don't typically share them aggressively. I like to give others the benefit of the doubt, hoping they have some good reason for thinking as they do, and realizing there are two or more sides to every issue (which most of the media fails to communicate).

Thus, I would say I have a balanced perspective on things, which is friendly, I suppose, but is it inherently good? Balanced, well-rounded... these are good things to a certain extent. But perhaps it is better to be all-out passionate (not necessarily about everything, but about one or two things). How "balanced" was Martin Luther (who inadvertently started the Reformation), Patrick Henry ("Give me liberty or give me death"), Mozart, Van Gogh, the Apostle Paul, Rich Mullins (who took a vow of poverty, while his "riches" from his music went to charity), or any entrepreneur who has started a great organization? Balanced or inspirational? What kind of legacy will we leave?

PS - I still think balance is a good thing (along with reason and looking at different viewpoints, etc)... maybe with a side of passion... but not too extreme... in a balanced sort of way...

"In that better land..."

Ok, so much for the lovely cool autumn days... with a heat index in the 90's today! Ugh! Did everyone watch the Georgia vs. Alabama game last night? How 'bout them Dawgs?! Really I'm not much of a football fan, but Jon was watching it and somehow I got into it in the fourth quarter and even watched the overtime. Anyway...

Here's a neat quote my friend Rachel reminded me of recently (I'd forgotten exactly how it went): "In that better land, no bright dream is broken, no flower shall fade in beauty's hand, and no farewell be spoken." That was an inscription on a headstone in a cemetary in Oregon. Rachel and I had gone for a walk and came across it, and we just thought it was such a beautiful and hopeful statement that we memorized it. The hope of "that better land" - no tears, no decay, no goodbyes. It's easy to forget in the everyday bustle and struggle and busyness of life. How refreshing it is to me to stop and reflect on that idea once in a while. In this fallen world we know suffering and heartache and too many sad goodbyes. But one day everything will be whole and real and true and beautiful and strong and joyful. That's all.

A Question for You

Autumn is in the air at last! Cool breezes, butterflies, crisp-looking days with clear blue skies, fun time outside because it's not so suffocatingly hot and humid anymore! I love the changing of the seasons. I can't really pinpoint which is my favorite season - it's each one when it's fresh and new.

I have a question to throw out just for fun. What would you do if you won the lottery... or otherwise came into a huge sum of money suddenly... like $100 million? Think of all the cool stuff you could do... give to the church and charities; invest in a variety of things; start a business; help other people start their businesses; etc. After taxes, church/charity, and investments, I would want to buy an RV, load up the family, and travel this great country for a while (months). I'd probably write a book about our experiences along the way. I'd also want to visit Africa again, and Europe (especially France, Italy, the UK, Germany, and Ukraine). And I'd send my parents on a trip to Australia, where my mom has always wanted to visit. It would be nice to have a house in Maine, central Virginia, and/or Colorado. I'd like to have a maid to clean my house(s), too. Our houses would be open for visiting missionaries to stay on furlough, and we'd have plenty of room to extend hospitality to anyone who would come for a visit/retreat. So anyway... what would you want to do if you suddenly had a ton of money? Feel free to comment or ramble.

Two Visions - Thoughts Inspired by an Article

I read a neat article in theWall Street Journal the other day (Sept 7 edition). It was called "Don't Suffer the Little Children," by Tony Woodlief. He discusses a book - Thomas Sowell's "A Conflict of Visions" (published in the 80s) - specifically in terms of its application to parenting, but it applies to many areas. Anyway, the point is that there are basically 2 opposing visions... the "unconstrained vision" of utopians and the "constrained vision" of realists.

Utopians/"unconstrained vision" folks want to make the world a better place by improving humankind (and believe this is possible), often by way of government and "experts," and at the cost of liberty. They view people as basically good at the core, though they would say society corrupts us (thus we need their intervention on our behalf).

Realists/ "constrained vision" people begin with the idea that humankind is essentially self-interested, utopia is an illusion, and government's job is to "protect institutions (like markets and families) that channel our inherent selfishness into productive behavior."

This contrast makes so much sense to me. It explains why, politically speaking, liberals and conservatives talk past each other so often... they're coming from 2 completely different worldviews/ starting points. Different assumptions altogether. This also ties in with parenting and a book I read recently called It Takes a Parent by Betsy Hart, in which she challenges the "parenting culture" that tells us it takes experts to know how to properly raise and cultivate children (making me wonder how the world ever got this far, with all the unenlightened parents raising kids forever). In classic utopian style, in 1897 the president of the National Congress of Mothers declared that science-based parenting techniques would improve the world so that "those of us who live to see the year 1925 will behold a new world and a new people." And now, after 2 world wars and devastation caused by utopian totalitarianism, some continue to hope beyond reason. Stephanie Marshall (an education expert) wrote in 2006 that "the fundamental purpose of schooling is to liberate the goodness and genius of children." What??!! No wonder public schools are struggling.

I think children are the purest form of ourselves - not meaning pure in the sense of innocent and good (though they can be that way at times). They haven't yet learned social etiquette, customs, and such. So they are sincere - sincerely sweet, honest (maybe painfully so), selfish ("mine!"), spiteful, etc. Without masks, they reveal the potential for good and evil in the human heart. But with the presence of evil, how can you think utopia stands a chance? How much better to acknowledge the selfish nature and try to work with it, redirect it, etc? I love my children with all my heart, but I do not operate under the false pretense of their being little angels. Discipline is essential for them to grow into responsible, mature adults. Thomas Sowell summed up the parent's duty: "Each new generation born is in effect an invasion of civilization by little barbarians, who must be civilized before it is too late." Is it getting to be too late?

Anna goes to school (and ballet)

Well, now that my computer is working again - after 3 days, 2 tech support phone calls, and 2 trips to my neighborhood Comcast office - I can write again!

On Monday, Anna went to preschool for the first time. (Sigh! Where does the time go?) She was great, no tears, and had a lot of fun. When I came back to pick her up, I nearly cried when I saw her grab her backpack off the hook, look at me across the crowd, and smile. Then I really nearly cried when she came over and gave me a big ol' bear hug!

On Wednesday, Anna was overjoyed to go to her first ballet lesson! She literally squealed with delight when I told her that was where we were going that day. She looked so cute in her pink tights, leotard, and ballet shoes, with her hair up in a bun. I thought we had to have a bun, so I'd learned how to do it online. When we got there, though, all the other girls just had ponytails, so I asked, and it turned out buns are optional for the three-year-olds. But we had practiced our bun and Anna was excited about it, so we went ahead as planned and I made the little bun (her hair is so fine). After the class, Anna was bouncing off the walls, very excited! And she got stickers, which is always a good thing, until she realized she'd lost a couple of them, which then became a bad thing accompanied by crying. O the highs and lows of a preschooler!

Today I thought I'd take Anna and Will to the playground for some outdoor fun since it was only going to be in the mid/upper 80's (with the added benefit that I wouldn't spend any money on food, etc because we could eat lunch at home). Often we will go run around a nice air-conditioned mall when it's hot outside (yes, Jon and I are those parents!). But today we headed for the great outdoors. I knew it had rained last night, but I didn't think it had rained all that much from what I could tell at our house. It had, however, apparently rained quite a lot at the playgrounds, parts of which were flooded and/or very muddy. So after 2 playgrounds and over an hour driving (while Will became increasingly restless and vocal about his discontent), we ended up... at the mall, where I bought us all lunch anyway as a sort of consolation prize for not being able to swing and climb! So much for plans sometimes!

What does God know anyway?

"God doesn't know anything about eating out or stores." What?? This came from Anna today as we were driving in the minivan, discussing whether or not to eat out for dinner after doing a bit of shopping. Jon and I asked her to explain, but her 3 1/2 years of life had not provided her with that depth of reasoning ability. But she stuck with her statement. It was funny - one of those funny "out of the mouths of babes" kid statements. But it made me think, too, how so often people have ideas about things... God, life, whatever... that we might not even know how we came to think them, but that's the way it is, to us, and that's that. No reasoning, nothing to back it up - just some idea that we hold to, unquestioning. We can be very stubborn in our ignorance (as well as in our knowledge) - like sheep. Good thing we have a good Shepherd and grace and mercy...

An Invitation

I would like my blog to be a place of friendly discussion. So I invite you, my friends, to share comments, thoughts, ideas, and insight as you please. We may have differing opinions or views on some things, but that's ok as long as we maintain respect for one another. As Thomas Jefferson once said (and as seen on Clark Hall), "Here we are not afraid to follow truth wherever it may lead, nor to tolerate any error so long as reason is left free to combat it." I always liked that quote. "Come now, let us reason together" (Isaiah).

So it could be fun, enlightening, helpful, or just a neat way for us to connect with each other. Check back periodically... I'm not sure how often I'll write yet. And feel free to share the blog with others who might be interested in the discussion.

Come along!

hello, world

hello, world. here i am at my very own blog. nothing much to say right now... just happy to get started!