As we come nearer to the day that our next-door-neighbor will move to the Great Northwest, I make some mental cogitations about ways in which I will miss his presence. I enjoy his humor, and his understanding of technology, and generally just spending some time with him.

For the sake of specificity, I will write about a quirky thing that he is performing while I type. We are in the middle of a rare July thunderstorm – wind blowing, lightning flashing, rain falling, lawn-mowing. “Lawn-mowing?” you ask? You read it correctly. Kane is currently mowing his lawn while 2/3 of the world’s electric current rests about a mile above our general vicinity…just perched up there and ready to strike any foolish enough to challenge its authority.

This kind of thing will be missed. The unconventional approach to life that makes us giggle.

When Kane saw me gawking at this spectacle, he stopped the mower, and motioned with his hands as if to say, “What’s the problem?” My response was, “Don’t you want to make it to Portland? You’re gonna die right there!”.

Kane’s response was very Kane-esque. He said, “It’s [the lightning] afraid of me!”. Again, his humor will be missed.

About six months ago, my son Benjamin began wearing braces. He recently had them removed, and is now wearing a retainer only at night. He is faithful about cleaning it in the evening just before bed, and it seems like every night (I’m exaggerating) he says, “This thing smells horrible! You wanna smell it?” I know he has asked me this question at least three times in the past month. Every time he has made this unique offer, I have declined. Call me crazy. Tonight, after he repeated his favorite question, and after I repeated my consistent answer in the negative, I decided I would punctuate my answer with a new twist. I said, “No.” (Pause for effect, and for time to tabulate how many times he has asked the question) Then I said, “I am pretty sure my answer will always be ‘no’.” I wonder if that will sink in…

It has been exactly a week since I dressed like a cow twice in one day for the purpose of getting a free meal. The answer to your question is “yes”. I have no shame. Last year, I refused to bend and thus refused to dress like a cow while my family did. This year was different. I agreed to go through with it, as a favor to my wife. But having now walked away from what I thought might be a disaster for my pride, I can report that I have a change of heart. I actually enjoyed the experience. Who knows, maybe next year I’ll even sing a song like my wife and children did this year. Baby steps.

I marvel at the energy level of my bride of almost 19 years. She could run circles around me in a normal day, and she usually does. It’s a blessing to be married to such an energetic person. She challenges me to do more.

I also stand amazed at her ability to never really meet a stranger. If you were to listen in on most conversations with new acquaintances, you would bet that she has known the person for years. This is an ability I do not really have.

I could go on and on about things that my wife can do so well that place me out of my comfort zone, but one area that has come to my attention lately definitely pushes the envelope for me. It is a road I don’t often travel. One that I shy away from at every turn, but one that seems to attract her like one of those huge magnets in a junk yard attracts cars.

The thing I’m talking about is how she seems to be more than OK with the spotlight. The proverbial spotlight, that is. It’s not that she craves this spotlight. She doesn’t dream about how to get attention, nor does she find it too difficult in times when others have the spotlight and she doesn’t. It’s just that when the opportunity presents itself, she stands at attention. And the opportunity has presented itself…yet again.

Chic-Fil-A is holding its annual “Dress Like a Cow And Get Free Food Day”. Last year, I was fine with my whole family (excluding me) dressing like a cow to get free food. I really have a taste for Chic-Fil-A, so I went along and hid sort of in the background while my family pushed on ahead and got free food. I insisted that I would gladly buy my own food. I think some others in the family had the same wish, but they had no money, and Momma made it clear that it wasn’t an option for them.

This year, to the surprise of my bride, I have agreed to dress like a cow. I said it’s a road that I don’t often travel. I have been known to acquiescently stick a toe into the spotlight. So here goes.

I’ll be wearing an angel costume retro-fitted to look like a cow (frown, grimace…that wasn’t what I had in mind, but oh well). “Sounds like more than sticking a toe into the spotlight,” you say? Well, I figure you only live once, and though the light from the spotlight can be bright at times, and if the spotlight hasn’t been converted over to fluorescent from incandescent, it can also be very warm (I’m told), but so what. I’ll travel this road since my bride seems to enjoy when we are on the road together. I can pretend to like it, I guess, or maybe I really will like it.

I’ll let you know after Friday.

I have been praying a lot about financial things. The majority of these prayers have been focused upon attaining a job that will sufficiently replace the income gained through the mowing of lawns. Don’t get me wrong. I still love to sweat and everything, but the allergies are driving me crazy. It’s like I’ve spent the last six years in a dust and grass storm, and my body is rejecting any more of it.

And so, the prayer was answered. I got a job at a local tutoring center, and I think it will really work out for me. The center will give more hours during the summer, and less during the school year. Perfect fit! From a Perfect God. I’m just amazed at His response to my prayers. It makes me think of a couple of favorite verses:

The LORD is good, a strong hold in the day of trouble…

Nahum 1:7

Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights…

James 1:17

Just had to upload this one!

I am up late. Not sure why. I usually am pretty eager to get to bed by 10 or so, but for some reason I am wide awake tonight. So I decided to listen to some Bible on MP3 and then blog a bit, since I have been slack about blogging lately. I found this picture and just had to post it. I am truly blessed to have been given these wonderful children. They are each so special in their own way. They make me proud to be their dad!

We welcomed Summer not too long ago in the usual way – with a water fight. I am usually not so interested in getting all wet, but this time was different than most. I was basking in the sunshine of paid unemployment – AKA summer vacation for a teacher. I need to remember these days before I look for a new vocation. I am still on the fence here. Can you tell?

We have this card game that we have been “playing” lately. The word is in quotes because CC tells me that we are not playing it correctly.

The cards are formatted in this way:

• the phrase “Would You Rather” begins each question
• a choice between two scenarios is presented
• the choice (due to the fact that both scenarios are usually equally undesirable) creates a dilemma.

I mentioned that we are not playing it correctly. We actually have not really been playing the game at all. We seem to be intrigued, as a family, with just reading the choices, and talking about which choices we would make.

The card that brought on a stiff belly-laugh for me is as follows:

WOULD YOU RATHER…

Have to sing everything you say

OR

Shout everything you say?

The thought of both choices brings a comical situation to mind. Can you imagine doing either of these?

First, singing everything you say would definitely cause most folks to question your stability (if they don’t already). You would be the next Julie Andrews, except for the fact that you would never stop singing. The element of surprise that comes from bursting forth into song in a crowd at a mall or a market place would be lost, because you would always be singing. Everywhere and at every time! I dare you to try it for a day.

Second, shouting everything would have its own problems. I am a teacher, and while I sometimes and tempted to shout in the line of duty, I think the shock effect of screaming out at students would wither on the vine sometime during the first week of school (provided I retained my job that long). And can you envision a simple visit to H.E.B.? “HOW MUCH ARE THE BANANAS!” would probably get you trailed by security, and “WHERE”S THE BATHROOM?” would undoubtedly turn some heads.

Anyway, the point is that this game is a fun one even if we are not playing it correctly. It surely gets everyone engaged in conversation.

I had the awesome privilege of baptizing my youngest daughter today. Praise the Lord!

bethanys-baptism