Call Me Maybe

Admittedly, their verses need some work, but overall, I'd have to say who wouldn't want to call these cuties!

George's Thoughts on the Existence of Santa Claus

****** It's been a while since I've posted anything about Agatha the Gift Bearing Beagle, so if you've forgotten or you need Agatha explained, take a minute to refresh, it will make this post make more sense. ******


Geo has been spending a lot of time reading Calvin and Hobbes.  He likes to read them out loud to us as we're in the car which is rather unfortunate because so much of the comic, like his other favorite, The Far Side, needs to be seen to be fully understood.  But he's reading so we're happy. 

But the real problem with Calvin and Hobbes is that it introduces some pretty big areas of question for his growing mind.  And I'm not referring to communism, capitalism, or the differences between boys and girls- I'm referring to questions about Santa.

So the other day in the ISH and Geo are whispering in the back of the car, and suddenly, in a bit of a panic ISH states: Geo says that Santa's not real!

Me: Geo?  Did you tell him that?

Geo: Yes.

Me: Why?

Geo: Because he's not.

Me: Oh? Where did you hear that?

ISH: So he is real? (and he turns to give a smug look to his brother)

Me: I'm didn't say that, I'm just asking who told him that.

Geo: No one.  I just figured it out by myself.

Me: So you're saying there's no such thing as Santa or Agatha or.....

Geo: Oh no!  Agatha's real.  It's just Santa who's made up.


 

Chic-Fil-A and True Religion

Now technically, if we're going to go straight Biblical here, true religion is to look after the widows and the orphans (and I have very strong opinions on how we need to be doing better about the orphans/ fatherless than we are... another post for another day).  But what I'm proposing is something that, while James does not directly mention it, I believe to fall under the whole "What would Jesus do" question.

I didn't go to Chic-fil-a yesterday.  It wasn't out of protest against Chic-fil-a's views.  I personally agree with the thought that marriage, as designed by God, is meant for one man and one woman to enjoy together. (Also other posts for other days would include diving into whether most Christian marriages are actually honoring God with how husbands and wives treat each other.  Does your marriage, does my marriage, reflect the beauty that God meant for it to have?  If not, I would question why it matters who can and can't get married since we're not really living out the story of God and his church through marriage either way... but that's for another day).

I didn't not go because I think it was a bad idea.  If you want to go out and support a local business that you like, go for it.  And if that happens to be on a day when tons of other people want to stand in line to go too, great.  More power to you.

I didn't go because I don't exactly think that God in the flesh would have been there in his car, waiting to be served tasty chicken to prove something to others.  Would Christ be there to show the world that true religion is supporting a business that morally thinks the way I do?  (Side note- I don't think supporting businesses that support similar morals as you or me is wrong, I just think we begin to walk a dangerous line when we see it as an act of showing the world our faith and stance on God and church and marriage.)

But- have no fear good-hearted, well meaning Christians.  We still have a chance to do some good, true, pure religion here. 

On July 19 the LGBTQ community called for August 3 to be National Same-Sex Kiss Day.  And, according to the Facebook count as I write 12,050 people are planing to attend with another 100,000+ still deciding.  That's some huge numbers of people turning out to show how offended or hurt or angry or fill in the blank that they are because of all of this.  That's over 100,000 people that we have the chance to show what Jesus would really do in this.  So here's my challenge:

Grab your I Love Jesus shirt, or a shirt for your church or youth group and as many ice cold waters as you can (because if your weather is anything like it's been here -113 today and not cooling off anytime soon- people are going to be hot even at 7:00pm CST) and head down to your nearest Chic-fil-a.  Then with sincere love and kindness offer the water and a smile and, if they'll let you, a hug, to each person that is there to show how wrong we are.  Show them the love of God and show them that they are people just as worthy of the love and grace of God as we are.

Ready, set, go.
 

What's this a picture of?

And I'll give a hint, it's not (as ISH said) a nostril

 

The Complexity of Genealogy

Perhaps it all the talk of genealogy with Mom going through all of Grandma's stuff lately or if it's something they've been talking about in school, but Geo has a sudden interest in where he came from.

"So," he began as we were driving, "I'm part German."

"Yes," I replied. "Your Great-Great-Great Granddad immigrated from Germany."

"And I'm part Irish."

"Well Scot-Irish according to the priest I met in Ireland."

"And I'm part French."

"Yes, Great-Grannie's family is from France."

"And Daddy's part British. That's why I can speak like Harry Potter so well."

(Non-commentating silence)

"So then ...." he paused pensively, "What's ISH?"

"ISH?!" I replied, looking at LK, "ISH is your biological brother."

 

You know it's time for a weather radio when

You reassure your eldest before bed- no need to worry baby. No anxiety. If there are tornadoes. If we need to take cover, they'll sound the alarm and we'll do our plan. It will be okay- that's why the make the sirens so loud. But then at 2:30AM, when the same said child comes into your bedroom, waking you from the dead. Telling you the sirens are sounding, you reply Shhh. Shhh sweet boy. Get into bed. That's not the sirens. And you roll over and go back to sleep. But oh yes, it was. Weather radio app loaded. Volume set on loud. If there are storms tonight- we'll be better prepared.

Tumbleweeds

That pretty well describes what's been rolling across this here blog lately.

After spending almost two weeks in Israel it's been catch up since I've been back. Which has, in turn, meant falling into bed rather tired at the end of the day.

 If only the suitcase would unpack itself and the laundry move itself over. Oh and if the chicken could get itself out of the freezer in time to be defrosted for dinner, that would be fab too. (No, actually chicken that can, at will emerge from the freezer would totally creep me out!).

One place I have tried to post lately is on my blog dedicated to thankfulness.

If you're looking for snapshots into my life, it won't have the crazy quips from the boys, but it will, hopefully, give you a sense of my life and what I'm thankful for in it (both the good and the why now moments).

Check it out and share the thankfulness.