Archives for June 2005

Ladies and Gentlemen,

I would like to direct your attention to the right side of my blog, under links (note to self – learn HTML). If you are looking for good books to read or a movie to rent please check out lastgentleman.com.

My friend, Mark, is valiantly working through his blog commitment issues and doing a public service in the process. He is compiling a list of recommended books and movies. How many of you have stood in front of a video display, a big bowl of mush where your brain once resided. Drool dribbles out the corner of your open mouth as you vainly try to recall that movie your friend gushed about. Think think, to no avail. Well those days are over, my friends. Just stroll on over to lastgentlemen.com before you head out the door and your days of milling around video stores are over.

If you are an absolute movie junkie you might not be satisfied as the movie list is slowly being compiled. For the book whores in the crowd he already has 50 Books 2004 and is half way through 50 books 2005.

Enjoy.

Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know.

Jeremiah 33:3

The other day:

“Was das?” pudgy finger points towards my eye.

“My eye.”

“No, was das on yo eye?”

“My eyelashes.”

“Oh yo eye-asses…I got eye-asses too!”

Unlike some families (here I would link to Jaymarie’s post, except I am a total knucklehead and don’t know how. Suffice it to say her family isn’t in the habit of name calling) when a member of our family experiences abuse or injustice he or she is usually willing to give immediate and unedited feedback. At times it involves calling some names. My 9 yo son has been known to be a meanie and a big bully according to my 7 yo daughter. Although both have been reprimanded every time, him for being a meanie and a big bully, her for calling it so succinctly, it stuck in the tape-recorder-like mind of our 2 yo. One day she was being oppressed by her older brother and she wouldn’t take it. “You beeg bowlie!” She howled. I bit my lip while correcting her then had a huge laugh in my room. A week later she wanted ice cream for lunch, a most unusual request which was quickly denied. After calling me, you know what, she spent some time in her crib. Today her sister wouldn’t give her a cookie and was immeditely branded. More crib.

When she is freed she is always penitent, “I sorry for calling you a beeg bowlie. You agive me?” And so we pray and ask God to fill her heart with love and to help her to speak kind and respectful words. We want her to, as the Bible says, “Be angry and sin not.” Now I am just learning this myself as my husband can attest. But I want a heart filled with love which leaves no room for bitter condemnation.

Our pastor preached a sermon on weeping anger, which is righteous anger, anger at injustice that weeps for the hard hearts being unjust. Most of my anger in life has been the adult equivalent of not getting to eat ice cream for lunch, selfish frustration. I don’t know a lot about weeping anger but I am willing to learn. Pastor Dave encouraged us to pray for it. And I will because I want my feisty two year old and her siblings to see (not just be told) how to live.

“I will spend the rest of my life exploring what could happen through the life of one who is willing to cultivate the God-given appetite to see impossibilities bow to the name of Jesus. All my eggs are in one basket. There is no ‘Plan B.’ And it’s from this posture that I write.”

Bill Johnson
Pastor of Bethel Church, Redding California
taken from the forward to his book “When Heaven Invades Earth”

“Could we go to Meijer and buy some mouse for my hair?”

“Mousse?”

“Oh yes. If I use it I will be handsome like Nick (friend at school) and will attract girls.”

Long pause.

“What are you going to do when you have attracted the girls?”

“Oh…I don’t know…maybe I better not attract them.”