A Time to Blog

For everything there is a season. Today is the day. I will try to play catch up. I think bullets might work best.

• BUBBLES. I left off with a photo post of some bubbles made by a toy that Mark received for his birthday. He was only 4 and ¼ after all. The configuration actually looked like something. A dog came to mind, but I called it a blobject, trying to tie in to the theme of this blog. My dear mother-in-law commented on its resemblance to some of her balloon creations. While in her character as a clown she creates some awesome “balloon sculptures.” And with the red tablecloth backdrop Mark’s bubbles sure look like a red hot dog. Dare I say a painted poodle?

• CAFFEINE. My drug of choice since high school has been found in a cup of java. I have always taken pride in the fact that I can slurp down a regular coffee at any time of the day or night. But the times, they may be a changin’. I hope this is not the case, but I believe that it might be. In my effort to stay awake through the evening, I have really been pumping up, alternating cups of coffee with cups of tea. I’ll crawl into bed about 11 and quickly fall asleep only to arise wide awake about two or three hours later. It’s late enough that even our kids are in bed asleep. But it’s so peaceful, and I can understand why my mother-in-law enjoys this time of the night.

• READING. The upside to insomnia has been big blocks of time to read, in an effort to fall back asleep. The problem has been in my reading material though. I’ve been sailing through some books that are hard to put down. These titles have been the selections of the month for a new book discussion group through Plymouth Covenant Church. The first work was entitled “Is God to Blame?” by Greg Boyd, a defense of openness theology. Our discussion group was invigorating. The lead pastor of the church led the discussion, and although he personally holds to a view quite different that Boyd’s in this matter, seemed to me to be quite fair and balanced. (Take that Bill O’Reilly, groan.) Our next book for discussion is The Da Vinci Code, by Dan Brown. This one I read in record time. It truly is a page turner. I look forward to our discussion right after Easter. I enjoyed the book a lot more than I thought I would. Of course the “secrets” held by the secret society in the book are historically bogus in my eyes as well as most “fair-minded” historians. But he raises so many valuable issues about power and corruption and desire and does it in such a believable manner that I was enthralled.

• SATURDAY MORNINGS. This past month I’ve been meeting with a bunch of guys at a local coffee shop for some stiff caffeine and scrumptious waffles with real butter. The group consists primarily of building contractors who would like to offer opportunities to kids (young adults) who have a desire to enter the trades. With our sugar and caffeine highs we hash over how something like this should work, and how our faiths can be brought to bear in the workplace. The stairway photo from a few weeks ago on my blog has become a metaphor for what we see happening. Time and God’s moving will tell.
  

• UPCOMING MONTH. I’ve got too much on my plate for the next month. Maybe I should diet from over scheduling. Well, I suppose I should go now. I need to get started on my April 16th blog.

bubbles can be a blobject; or is it a dog? 

Better than a Top Ten

I’d like to pass on some wonderful words of advice from Damian (whoever he is) by way of Victor (whoever he is) by way of Doug, who is now covered with mud. It’s worth a peek.

Wisdom from my friend Damian...
1. Never, under any circumstances, take a sleeping pill and a laxative on the same night.
2. If you had to identify, in one word, the reason why the human race has not achieved, and never will achieve, its full potential -- that word would be "meetings."
3. There is a very fine line between "hobby" and "mental illness".
4. People who want to share their religious views with you almost never want you to share yours with them.
5. You should not confuse your career with your life.
6. Nobody cares if you can't dance well. Just get up and dance!
7. Never lick a steak knife.
8. The most destructive force in the universe is gossip.
9. You will never find anybody who can give you a clear and compelling reason why we observe daylight savings time.
10. You should never say anything to a woman that even remotely suggests that you think she's pregnant unless you can see an actual baby emerging from her at that moment.
11. There comes a time when you should stop expecting other people to make a big deal about your birthday. That time is age eleven.
12. The one thing that unites all human beings, regardless of age, gender, religion, economic status or ethnic background, is that, deep down inside, we ALL believe that we are above average drivers.
13. A person, who is nice to you, but rude to a waiter, is not a nice person. (This is very important. Pay attention. It never fails.)
14. Your friends love you anyway.
15. Never be afraid to try something new! . Remember that a lone amateur built the Ark. A large group of professionals built the Titanic.

The start (or continuation?) of something new. 

Still Chillin' 

You’ll have to use your imagination’s camera

I actually saw with my own two eyes last Sunday--no make that last Saturday--and individual driving through a busy, suburban, shopping center parking lot who was NOT talking on her cell phone. I’m extremely sorry that I was not able to retrieve my camera in time to take a picture of this event for those of you who find this hard to believe.