I bring back these two posts from July and September of 2010 respectively for a little respite from the seriousness of most of my posts.
Special Day For Special Dog
I wanted to write about this while it was fresh in my mind. Our son, our only child, was married today. He married a wonderful young lady who grew up in a house close enough that I could hit it from our house with a golf ball. If you knew how I played golf, you would realize how very close that must be, and if there was a golf course next to it that I could play, I probably would have hit the house many times.
He's two years older than her and for many years they, and the other children of the neighborhood, played release in the evenings until, one by one, they were called home by parents. I assume that release is similar to the tag of my day but never did ask for a description of the rules. I just heard the laughter and shouts until they quieted down for the night about the same time that the chirping of the birds did.
Both are young Christian adults. I remember the day when I commented to my wife on the change in this little girl running around. She was becoming a beautiful young lady. Our son noticed too. By the high school years they were dating. He went off to a very good and a very conservative college. Two years later she went there also, and one after another they graduated. He went to law school and they set a wedding date after her graduation from college and his second year of law. I'm the type of person who likes to be in the background. I merely want to help the politician or to help the pastor, but in an odd quirk of personality, if they do not do the job, I'll tell them that. So being the father of the groom, and having attention as such, was a little bit difficult. I'm sure I would feel much better advising the father of a groom.
It was like I was on a cloud for the last two days. God has blessed our son with fine young Christian friends. To someone like me, this is more valuable than a million dollar lottery win. I watched the young folks laughing and enjoying themselves at the rehearsal dinner, and was very humbled at blessings given. Tonight I saw them dancing with abandon, all good clean fun and certainly the type of wedding celebration God designed for His children. Years ago, when we dropped him off at his freshman dormitory for the first time, I had real difficulty with emotions. When we moved him into his apartment at law school, it was even more difficult. Today was different and similar. They were no tears at his leaving us. It was pure joy to see him join to another in God's plan, but there was one moment when I almost lost it. The pastor of the church, in his accompanying sermon, looked to our son and made this comment, or one very similar to it: You requested only one thing, that I preach this sermon with a very clear definition of the gospel for all those attending to hear... Our son wanted all those who came to his wedding to hear Christ preached.
I was never more thankful! I danced two slow dances tonight. I think that makes three in my life. And I liked it! I also was probably the first and only man, ever, to attend his son's wedding with a tennis ball in his pocket. It's a long story, trust me, I make mistakes like this, and I took great joy in seeing my wife have such a wonderful day!
Rhinos, Hyenas And Jackasses....Oh My!
Our son was less than a year old when one day I saw him sitting in front of the television set, staring at it with his eyes as wide open as they could be. I walked over and said "Son...Son, and then passed my hand between him and the television and there was no response. Well, the television was put away that night and we were a television-free home for the next nine years. We were sitting in a sandwich shop one day that had posters as its decor. The one next to our table was of the animated television character Alf. He looked and looked at it and finally asked, "Dad, What kind of animal is that?" To tell you the truth, I wasn't sure but said "I think it's a dog son." His response was "That's no dog!" I was never much for fairy tales but if I had been one to tell them, one would probably be something like the following.....C. S. Lewis need not worry!
Rhinos, Hyenas and Jackasses...Oh My!
The lampshade rotated slowly in the still and quiet room. Emanating from the top were two beams of light casting a glow on the planets on the ceiling. As the shade further turned, Buzz Lightyear appeared on the wall and slowly circled the room, wobbling over a Pittsburgh Penguins pennant, a Sydney Crosby Jersey, shower curtains revealed through the open bathroom door, two windows and an autographed framed photograph of President Ronald Reagan; not a standard decoration in the bedroom of a six year old boy, but still appropriate in a world where most entertainments for children involve violence or some shaman witchcraft a la Harry Potter. The door creaked as it inched open. Dad would never oil that door for at night he wanted to know every time that it opened. The invading light made it appear as if Buzz was passing from out of the earth's shadow.
"Anyone awake?" He whispered hoping not to hear a response.
"Just me dad. I can't sleep."
Raising his voice to normal..."How about a fairy tale?"
"Yea!" came the reply.
Dad came in and sat on the lower bunk, the top reserved for a brother who had not shown up yet.
"How about Hanzel and Gretyl?"
"Nah."
"The Three Bears?"
"Oh sure, bears that talk! Come on dad!"
"But that's what fairy tales are supposed to be son. They free your imagination to think of strange things....like Little Red Riding Hood....a wolf in sheep's clothing...come on....huh?"
"You said that that women named Hillary is a wolf in sheep clothing."
"Well, that's true but that's what called a metaphor."
"A What?"
"Tell you later. I know. I have a story about scary Rhinos. Only they are scary for different reasons."
"Wow. A rhino could scare anyone!"
"These are different types of rhinos. Some of them are very small. Susie the rhino is about mom's size and Olympia the rhino carries a purse. Some are strong with very big muscles like Arnold the rhino, but as soon as Mrs. Arnold comes out, Arnold the rhino sneaks back into the bushes."
"So why are these rhinos scary?"
"Well, they are scary because they are pretending to be elephants. They're very dangerous to little children and babies not born yet because they are always stomping around. They like to live in big castles but when wolves come around they open the castle gates!"
"Why do they do that dad? Don't they know that the wolves will come in and eat them?"
"Well, part of the problem is that they do not have very good eyesight. They look at the wolves and think that they are cute little puppy dogs!"
"Wow!"
"And they don't hear very well either. You can warn them that there are bees buzzing all around and even yell 'Look out! The bees are going to sting you!' but they just keep on stomping on baby carriages and school books...so anyway, one day little bitty tea cups hopped up to them.."
"Oh come on dad, tea cups that hop?"
"Use your imagination son. The tea cups hopped up to them and told the rhinos to stop chewing on the animals constitution."
"They were chewing on the animal's constitution?"
"That's right son, chewing on it and spitting it out for there were two much trans fats in the Constitution and not enough fluoride and Prozac."
"What?"
"Never mind, I got carried away; but they chewed and chewed and said that they were going to make their own laws over the animal kingdom. All the other animals were scared because they knew that the rhinos would get big and fat and eat everything in sight, including all the other animal's food. That's why this is such a scary story."
"Wow! What happens then?"
"Well, one day the lion, the king of the jungle, came back and he was not very happy. He told the rhinos that they were not elephants, they were rhinos, and they were more like jackasses."
"What did he do then?"
"He roared at the rhino castle and it fell down, and he roared at Lisa the rhino and she cried, and he roared in Spanish at the rhino with the white hair!"
"Wow! How did he roar in Spanish?"
"He rolled his R's...anyway he put the tea cups in charge of the constitution, to protect it."
"And what did the elephants...I mean the rhinos...I mean the jackasses do?"
"Well, they cried for a while but then they said 'OK, so we're not elephants...we are really hyenas!' and they laughed this crazy laugh. And then they said that they were going to huff and puff and blow the tea cups away but they didn't have any lips to blow with......then they became lobbyists."
Yawn! "That's a good story dad. I think that I can go to sleep now."
"That's good son."
"Are you going to bed now dad?"
"Soon son... but I have promises to keep and miles to go before I sleep...I'll explain that tomorrow."
He kissed his son on the forehead, put Buzz back into orbit and tiptoed out the door...creeek!
Special Day For Special Dog
I wanted to write about this while it was fresh in my mind. Our son, our only child, was married today. He married a wonderful young lady who grew up in a house close enough that I could hit it from our house with a golf ball. If you knew how I played golf, you would realize how very close that must be, and if there was a golf course next to it that I could play, I probably would have hit the house many times.
He's two years older than her and for many years they, and the other children of the neighborhood, played release in the evenings until, one by one, they were called home by parents. I assume that release is similar to the tag of my day but never did ask for a description of the rules. I just heard the laughter and shouts until they quieted down for the night about the same time that the chirping of the birds did.
Both are young Christian adults. I remember the day when I commented to my wife on the change in this little girl running around. She was becoming a beautiful young lady. Our son noticed too. By the high school years they were dating. He went off to a very good and a very conservative college. Two years later she went there also, and one after another they graduated. He went to law school and they set a wedding date after her graduation from college and his second year of law. I'm the type of person who likes to be in the background. I merely want to help the politician or to help the pastor, but in an odd quirk of personality, if they do not do the job, I'll tell them that. So being the father of the groom, and having attention as such, was a little bit difficult. I'm sure I would feel much better advising the father of a groom.
It was like I was on a cloud for the last two days. God has blessed our son with fine young Christian friends. To someone like me, this is more valuable than a million dollar lottery win. I watched the young folks laughing and enjoying themselves at the rehearsal dinner, and was very humbled at blessings given. Tonight I saw them dancing with abandon, all good clean fun and certainly the type of wedding celebration God designed for His children. Years ago, when we dropped him off at his freshman dormitory for the first time, I had real difficulty with emotions. When we moved him into his apartment at law school, it was even more difficult. Today was different and similar. They were no tears at his leaving us. It was pure joy to see him join to another in God's plan, but there was one moment when I almost lost it. The pastor of the church, in his accompanying sermon, looked to our son and made this comment, or one very similar to it: You requested only one thing, that I preach this sermon with a very clear definition of the gospel for all those attending to hear... Our son wanted all those who came to his wedding to hear Christ preached.
I was never more thankful! I danced two slow dances tonight. I think that makes three in my life. And I liked it! I also was probably the first and only man, ever, to attend his son's wedding with a tennis ball in his pocket. It's a long story, trust me, I make mistakes like this, and I took great joy in seeing my wife have such a wonderful day!
Rhinos, Hyenas And Jackasses....Oh My!
Our son was less than a year old when one day I saw him sitting in front of the television set, staring at it with his eyes as wide open as they could be. I walked over and said "Son...Son, and then passed my hand between him and the television and there was no response. Well, the television was put away that night and we were a television-free home for the next nine years. We were sitting in a sandwich shop one day that had posters as its decor. The one next to our table was of the animated television character Alf. He looked and looked at it and finally asked, "Dad, What kind of animal is that?" To tell you the truth, I wasn't sure but said "I think it's a dog son." His response was "That's no dog!" I was never much for fairy tales but if I had been one to tell them, one would probably be something like the following.....C. S. Lewis need not worry!
Rhinos, Hyenas and Jackasses...Oh My!
The lampshade rotated slowly in the still and quiet room. Emanating from the top were two beams of light casting a glow on the planets on the ceiling. As the shade further turned, Buzz Lightyear appeared on the wall and slowly circled the room, wobbling over a Pittsburgh Penguins pennant, a Sydney Crosby Jersey, shower curtains revealed through the open bathroom door, two windows and an autographed framed photograph of President Ronald Reagan; not a standard decoration in the bedroom of a six year old boy, but still appropriate in a world where most entertainments for children involve violence or some shaman witchcraft a la Harry Potter. The door creaked as it inched open. Dad would never oil that door for at night he wanted to know every time that it opened. The invading light made it appear as if Buzz was passing from out of the earth's shadow.
"Anyone awake?" He whispered hoping not to hear a response.
"Just me dad. I can't sleep."
Raising his voice to normal..."How about a fairy tale?"
"Yea!" came the reply.
Dad came in and sat on the lower bunk, the top reserved for a brother who had not shown up yet.
"How about Hanzel and Gretyl?"
"Nah."
"The Three Bears?"
"Oh sure, bears that talk! Come on dad!"
"But that's what fairy tales are supposed to be son. They free your imagination to think of strange things....like Little Red Riding Hood....a wolf in sheep's clothing...come on....huh?"
"You said that that women named Hillary is a wolf in sheep clothing."
"Well, that's true but that's what called a metaphor."
"A What?"
"Tell you later. I know. I have a story about scary Rhinos. Only they are scary for different reasons."
"Wow. A rhino could scare anyone!"
"These are different types of rhinos. Some of them are very small. Susie the rhino is about mom's size and Olympia the rhino carries a purse. Some are strong with very big muscles like Arnold the rhino, but as soon as Mrs. Arnold comes out, Arnold the rhino sneaks back into the bushes."
"So why are these rhinos scary?"
"Well, they are scary because they are pretending to be elephants. They're very dangerous to little children and babies not born yet because they are always stomping around. They like to live in big castles but when wolves come around they open the castle gates!"
"Why do they do that dad? Don't they know that the wolves will come in and eat them?"
"Well, part of the problem is that they do not have very good eyesight. They look at the wolves and think that they are cute little puppy dogs!"
"Wow!"
"And they don't hear very well either. You can warn them that there are bees buzzing all around and even yell 'Look out! The bees are going to sting you!' but they just keep on stomping on baby carriages and school books...so anyway, one day little bitty tea cups hopped up to them.."
"Oh come on dad, tea cups that hop?"
"Use your imagination son. The tea cups hopped up to them and told the rhinos to stop chewing on the animals constitution."
"They were chewing on the animal's constitution?"
"That's right son, chewing on it and spitting it out for there were two much trans fats in the Constitution and not enough fluoride and Prozac."
"What?"
"Never mind, I got carried away; but they chewed and chewed and said that they were going to make their own laws over the animal kingdom. All the other animals were scared because they knew that the rhinos would get big and fat and eat everything in sight, including all the other animal's food. That's why this is such a scary story."
"Wow! What happens then?"
"Well, one day the lion, the king of the jungle, came back and he was not very happy. He told the rhinos that they were not elephants, they were rhinos, and they were more like jackasses."
"What did he do then?"
"He roared at the rhino castle and it fell down, and he roared at Lisa the rhino and she cried, and he roared in Spanish at the rhino with the white hair!"
"Wow! How did he roar in Spanish?"
"He rolled his R's...anyway he put the tea cups in charge of the constitution, to protect it."
"And what did the elephants...I mean the rhinos...I mean the jackasses do?"
"Well, they cried for a while but then they said 'OK, so we're not elephants...we are really hyenas!' and they laughed this crazy laugh. And then they said that they were going to huff and puff and blow the tea cups away but they didn't have any lips to blow with......then they became lobbyists."
Yawn! "That's a good story dad. I think that I can go to sleep now."
"That's good son."
"Are you going to bed now dad?"
"Soon son... but I have promises to keep and miles to go before I sleep...I'll explain that tomorrow."
He kissed his son on the forehead, put Buzz back into orbit and tiptoed out the door...creeek!
