Chuckles

Life has brought our family to the point that -these days- the guys and the gals often get divided up.

That means that AA and I get to spend time together and that's okay. He is still my "buddy-friend" even though he no longer remembers calling me that as a toddler.

Ab and I have had seasons in which we also spent a great deal of exclusive time together - like when she was three and R. was very occupied with a newborn infant. Ab and I often grabbed our bicycles as soon as I got home and headed to a nearby walking track. There she would ride and I would walk - at first - and later ride as well. We went from tricycle to training wheels at that track and I distinctly remember one particular evening in which there were lots of people there. I decided it was time to go and Ab and I found ourselves at cross-purposes. I ended up carrying her bicycle and dragging her back to my truck.

While on vacation, I remembered something that Ab and I share - a love for comedy.
Now AA is our up and coming resident comedian - but if you want to sit down and watch a sitcom or a funny movie - Ab is your girl.

On New Year's Eve, some station plays a marathon of "Three Stooges" shorts. We discovered this on our recent trip to Hilton Head (while we were stocking up on hours and hours of television viewing before our return to TV Exile at home). R. can only stand a minimal amount of "The Three Stooges" - she doesn't get the highbrow humor, you know - so Ab and AA went to their room to watch more while Mom and I read our books.

I began to notice almost a steady rhythm of chuckles coming from the room. It was Ab, laughing on cue with every smash or slap of the trio's shtick. I found that I couldn't concentrate on reading for waiting for the next outburst.

I love funny stuff. I ran across an old Smothers Brothers routine this past week and laughed til I cried. I think Ab is like me in that sense and nothing makes a "funny" more funny than having someone else to laugh with you.

Because we do not have cable or satellite (or antenna) - television viewing tends to still be more of an event with us.

I have often talked about my love for old movies here and am so grateful that R. has come alongside me in that appreciation; but as our family gathered round and watched "It's a Wonderful Life" together this Christmas, I realized that Ab is coming around too. She "got" the humor and added to my own laughter.

The Book says laughter does good like a medicine and that is true!

I am happy for the prospect of continued laughter in our home . . . it's one of those things that keeps me always wanting to rush back there when I am away.

Fall Break

We are settling in at an Inn in Destin, Florida. I think this is the first time since our children have been having "fall-breaks" that we have actually used one to take a little trip.

We had an interesting ride in, I thought I would share a few things with you:

• We found some towns with interesting names like Opp, Luverne and Andalusia. Our reservations do not begin until tomorrow and we almost stayed in a town called Shalimar.
• We passed the "It Don't Matter" family restaurant and it appeared to be a fairly nice establishment - however I could see a "trademark" excuse that might be used by any of the employees i.e. "Hey, my steaks' not even been close to the fire and I ordered it well-done!" - "I understand sir, but you know around here it - "JUST DON'T MATTER"...
• We missed a golden opportunity to see a "Live Rattlesnake Display" in Opp - oddly enough, I couldn't convince my family to take the time for that.
• In addition, there were some towns with very amicable names like Niceville and Friendship.
• In Montgomery, Alabama, I was both thrilled and saddened... there were guys wearing pink and black sandwich-board signs at busy intersections. The signs proclaimed that the Flea Market was Going out of Business. . . about the time that I recognized the name - Mongomery Flea Market - I saw the huge edifice to my right and realized that it truly is "like-a....like-a... it's like-a-mini-mall!"

If that last one doesn't make sense to you then you may have missed this commercial that circulated a little while back:

We had an enjoyable drive, Ab and AA are old enough to need entertainment, but young enough to find some adventure in a long road trip.

I have been praying for us this trip, that we will not only be safe and blessed - but more than that - that God's plan will be accomplished in us. That He will be glorified and we will each be open to the changes He wants to make in us.
We want Him to emphasize the create part in recreation.

Vacation Wrap Up

It was great fun, I hope you enjoy the montage.

Some highlights:

• We took turns setting the theme for each day on the menu-chalkboard in the hallway of our condo
• The trip included much sun, sand and water... that was about it.
• We went on a crab hunt ... and though we were successful, we didn't pick any of them up [yeech]
• Ab was reading Beverly Lewis and expressed an interest in becoming Amish. . . . You will notice the influence in her Amish welcome to Grandmother and Papa.
• R. wiped out one morning - oh not riding the waves - but crawling out of bed {may be an upcoming Olympic Sport}.
• We rode bicycles a little. Papa rode a bicycle - maybe for the first time in 65 years! (he still knew how)
• The trip included one moonlight swim.
• Our equipment upgrades consisted of large "body boards" and then eventually a "boogey board" ... I finally managed to stay on that instrument of cruelty for all of 3 seconds.
• AA pulled a tooth (not pictured)
• We finished out the week with some potential "Christmas Card" photos while trespassing on what was possibly federally protected sand dunes... (sorry Mr. President)

Enjoy!

Make video montages at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Coming Home

Well we are back.

Our kids are pretty amazing (at least comparing them with myself) as soon as we were in the car heading home, they began to talk about how they couldn't wait to get home!

I think R. and I were plotting to find some way to stay without wreaking havoc on our world.

Anyway we came back.

This morning I have donned long pants and something other than open-toed shoes for the first time in over a week.

Our "unwind" day was yesterday but things got a little tense after I spent an inordinate amount of time trying to download pictures and then get the Photo-bucket slide presentation to cooperate. It's fairly user friendly unless you want to move pictures around in the presentation; for some reason every time I tried to drag my picture to the correct row, the entire row would move and I would land in the wrong place.

I don't want to talk about it.

Hopefully I will have pictures up soon. In the meantime, R. has her neat presentation all ready and posted on her blog.

Here is some beach humor:

What is the favorite dish of most beach - combers?
a sandwich.

Knock-knock
Who's there?
You Octopus!
"You Octopus" who?
You octopus open this door and let me in!

What does Barbie use to help her swim?
Dolphins (doll-fins)

Okay I'll stop.

Three Things You Won't See in Heaven

You know time spent walking on the beach can be thought-inspiring. I am not sure if that inspiration always results in my writing something worth reading; but thoughts do seem to get crowded out more slowly in this setting.

I took a stroll this morning before the rest of the family awakened; my "sunrise" walks lasted exactly one day but I have taken several early morning walks in solitude.

Today, I was praying a little as I meandered along the surf. For some reason I remembered a verse from the Revelation (that's in the Bible) that said that in the "New Heaven and New Earth" there was "no more sea".

What about people who love the sea? Does this remove their incentive to go to heaven?

And what about that old convention song about sitting "by the crystal sea"?

The older I get and the more I learn - I seem to find that there are quite a few things that God just doesn't explain completely and the fact is - He doesn't have to. There are times that my best course of action with God is to just reply: "yes Sir".

When I came back to the condo I thought I would do a little quick research. So I looked up the verse in Revelation 21, I found that there are some other things that won't be around in heaven:

There is no temple there. Wow, where I live we have churches everywhere - churches in homes, in retail buildings, in schools, in theaters, in bars and even churches in churches (we have a lot of those too). But all those buildings are just gathering places meant to equip folks. They are evidence of our constant effort to try and get something like God's perfect design accomplished here on earth.

Oddly enough, in heaven - where His "kingdom (is) come, His will (is) done" - there are no churches. I suppose we won't need them there since He is dwelling with us and we won't have to go anywhere to meet with Him.

Secondly, there is no sun there (well, at least there is no need for the sun). Again, there is no need for light - the Light of the world will walk around with us.

"I can see clearly now the rain is gone..."

Now, if you read the 21st chapter and the one that follows you will see that there are a great deal of other things mentioned that will not be there; but do you really want me to add more to this post?!

This vacation, I am really enjoying two of those items that will be missing in heaven - the sun and the sea - so why would He deprive me of them in heaven?

I think it is because He has something better.

Isn't that usually the case when God seems to be depriving us of something?

I did notice something that made me think of a father's role with his family. And how our desires sometimes reflect the desires of the Heavenly Father.

Verse three says that "God's home is with His people!" (GNB) and He dwells with them and they will be His people. . .

When Dad's relish the thought of spending time just being with their family - that's when they are acting like God.

In fact, I think that the Bible and all of History can be simplified down to this: God created people because He likes family... people turned away from God ... then God spent the rest of human history fulfilling His plan to get them back.

That's what Revelation 21:3 is about... God reconciled with His family... again to enjoy those walks in the cool of the day we read about in Genesis.

Okay, this vacation has also revealed to me some other things I think will not be included in the heavenly package:

afternoon television
anti-depressant prescription drug commercials
Nintendo- DS
jellyfish
sand in one's swim trunks

Lull

Today I succumbed to urge to roll over and go back to sleep after waking around 5:30 this morning.

It is lunch time and we have yet to breach the beach today.

Actually, it is very hot and while I know there is a cool breeze and refreshing water at the shore... I also know that in order to get there I have to comply with all those safety regulations regarding proper protection from those nasty UV rays. Once I am saturated with all that sticky sunscreen (which results in my having to walk with limbs akimbo), then I have to figure out how best to proportion all the beach paraphernalia under each arm in order to transport it to the beach.

It's easier when you are a kid - you just take off. Well, actually kids can't do that anymore, they too have to be appropriately smeared with a liberal portion of 30-weight sunscreen ... even as I post, my son is bewailing that process.

So vacation has hit it's little lull stage. That's what happens when you take vacations the way we do and don't really plan any activities.

So let me record some items about this vacation so far:

While on the beach, one might hear the call of distant seagulls, here at our condo (a short walk from the beach), we are constantly regaled with the call of doves.

It is constant.

In Georgia, we have Mourning Doves and their call is distinctive, these are different. The produce a continual cadence of coos in a short-long-short pattern. Then there is one that provides a absolutely antagonizing sound. It sounds a little like Elmo with a chicken bone caught in his throat.

Last night we finally took the bikes off the rack and rode around a little but we were chased back in by an impending thunderstorm.

After the threat of lightning had subsided, we went on a Crab Walk. That was nice, for a few moments it seemed that we had the beach all to ourselves but soon more flashlights appeared. We weren't just overflowed with crabs but did see a goodly portion.

Since we do not have cable at home, we tend to take in a good bit of television during vacations, and it only takes a day or so for us to have our fill. And day-time television is awful! It seems that every other commercial is about people medication for people suffering from depression.

I think a better cure would be to turn off the television.

Okay, that was insensitive.

Oh yeah, R. took a fall yesterday. But I will try and talk more about that later - except to say that I think her hip is still intact.

Today we have invested in a boogey board - we have been watching kids skim along the crashing waves for the past several days. So we decided to give it a try.

If our attempt at boogey-boarding provides anything worth talking about I will let you know.
And probably if it doesn't.

Chaos Meets Order

I love the beach.

It just draws me.

It lures me into something of a sense of solitude.

Now this is not always the case, because there are times that the roar of the waves are punctuated with squeals and giggles and the happy sound of feet slapping against the wet sand.

I like that, too.

Today, I didn't make it in time for the sunrise but did manage an early morning walk and I thought about the sea.

You know, it's just the coastline that has that "pulling" effect on me; I do not have the Robert Louis Stephenson type of desire to "go down to the sea in ships". I tried deep sea fishing ... once.

It was HOT.

About the only place to go to escape the punishing sun was down below - where it was HOT ... and there was no air.

And it smelled bad and there were fish "leavings" everywhere.

and it was HOT.

But the place where the land meets the sea - that's the place I want to be! (Hey - I think I may be onto something - that line would make a great Chamber of Commerce jingle... maybe I'll get a chance to pitch it before I leave and earn enough to pay for this vacation)

So what do I love about the sea?

I am drawn by the uncontrolled nature of the crashing waves. There is a sense of danger there - the ocean is untamed. There is violence and then there is the softness of foamy tide. I love the contrast amid the constant breezy roar.

I am fascinated with the big-ness of it all.

As I age, I am able to exercise a little more self-discipline against my urge to plunge into the water at every opportunity. I still remember Ab displaying that inherited trait when, at the age of three - she made a beeline for the water immediately upon our arrival at a Fort Morgan (AL) beach house. My Mom, who was with us on that trip, was accompanying her as Ab peeled down to her skivvies, leaving a trail of clothing from where we parked to the beach. By the time I arrived, she was lying down in the surf.

I remember one of our vacations when I was a child (most of which seemed to be spent in the car), Dad finally stopped long enough to let me go "see" the beach before we continued to our destination (okay there really weren't many predetermined destinations on our family vacations but we were heading somewhere); by the time they were finally able to corral me back into the car I had shed my shoes and socks and rolled up my jeans. I remember Dad being a little upset that I tracked sand into the car. There was something very compelling about plunging into that water!

I realized today that the irony of the sea coast is that it combines such chaos with a distinctive sense of order; in that sense it serves as a reminder of the BIG Creator we serve.

I think I am sometimes uncomfortable with the BIG-ness of God and the fact that He will not be controlled. But that attribute also draws me to Him.

R. and I view the same waves from two very different perspectives (it's okay - the disconsonance in our relationship adds the flavor). I see the same diversity of perspectives in our two children.

When in the water, R. and Ab both seem to stiffen against beating of the waves; they tend to fight.
AA and I, on the other hand, tend to allow the waves to carry us, enjoying the ride and the adventure of the unknown. If we go under or get tossed around - well that's part of the ride!

On the other hand, when God tosses me around a little - I tend to "stiffen" against the circumstance that push me around. There is a place in Him, in which we find the freedom to allow Him to "carry" us.

Then there's the sand - the product of centuries upon centuries of pounding waves. On some portions of the Gulf Coast in the Southern U.S. these sands are white and beautiful.

But sand isn't very dependable. If you ever attended Sunday School, you know that it does not serve as a good foundation on which to build ("the foolish man's house went SPLATT!").

This week, I have watched as numerous times, Ab or AA would write something or build something in the sand only to have it washed away with one sweep of the tide.

But there is also something compelling and something we can learn from the sand on the shore: because it is so pliable - it is renewed each day. The great castles we built yesterday, the holes we excavated, and even the cracker crumbs we left behind are all gone the next morning.

In that sense, if I can continue to allow myself to be "pliable" - changeable or teachable - God can renew me... refresh me daily. It may mean that some of my own "castles" will be wiped out - but with them will go some of those deep scars as well.

Finally, there is the marvelous sense of order that surrounds the beach. I thought of this as I watched the odd little sand crabs this morning as they busily went about their work of "cleaning" the beach of decaying fish and debris.

On Monday, Ab and I noticed something shiny float out in the distance. Some time later, we viewed a great bird soaring nearby, as he banked overhead I saw that he wasn't a gull or even a pelican ... he was more like a hawk. Then we watched as he set a determined course toward that shiny thing we had seen earlier. He swooped down and scooped it up in his talons. He made a long trek down shore from us, banked and returned swooping over our heads carrying what appeared to be a 3 to 5 pound fish.

God set all these things in place. And there is an order to them - they provide evidence of a grand design.

Chaos and order. . . an illustration of God, Himself.

I think my favorite line from Lewis' "The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe" is when we are remained that Aslan is not a "tame" lion... but He is good.

Perdido Key Vacation Log -Day One

I am recapping some of the events of our vacation:



Day one started with some frantic preparations though not nearly as stressful as at other times.



As far as I know, not a single thing was packed before Saturday morning. All previous efforts had been aimed at a party R. had planned for Ab's Fourth Grade Girls Bible Study Group at our house; AA and I had assisted as much as possible and then stayed out of the way. We had tested the hot dogs I sacrificed on the grill and then evacuated the premises to take in a movie before the females invaded.



On Saturday, R. and Ab took care of most of the packing and the "inside" stuff, AA and I took care of the toting and lifting and such.



AA. and I had to take our garbage to the dump site. so we first had to empty my little truck of some lengthy pine logs I had removed from my brother in-law's yard. I had had an idea that I could drive my truck through some narrow landscaping up an embankment to an area on the edge of the woods. I hope to use the logs as borders for some planned areas up there. AA and I tried it and we made it to the top narrowly missing some small trees and - as I learned later- running over a couple of shrubs in the process.



Our trip back down was much more treacherous: after making attempts, I learned that there was no room to turn around on that embankment so we had to back down the hill. In order to actually get back to the driveway, I had to make a sharp turn which I couldn't seem to accomplish in reverse. We ended up getting stuck with one wheel sort of hanging precariously higher than it's mate.



We stopped and prayed . . . later, I was grateful for that opportunity for my son to learn that you can, and should go to God about everything. Within a few moments we were down the embankment and on our way.



We left behind schedule and I kept waiting for R. to display some sort of anxiety. I asked several times, what time we needed to arrive in order to pick up the keys - her replies were always calm . . . non-plussed.



Someone brought Focus on the Family's radio theatre production of C.S. Lewis' "Prince Caspian". It was three CD's and it kept us fairly occupied for 2 to 3 hours. We had spoken of a picnic but those plans were usurped by the need to make better time so we made one gas stop and one bathroom/late lunch stop at McDonalds in Greenville, Alabama.



The last hour and one-half became - well ... punishing.



The entertainment had been used up, though we tried a Dave Ramsey - Financial Peace University CD but it was soon drowned by the two way conversations emerging from the back seat.



Ab decided that it was time for her to sleep. And she announced this schedule in no-uncertain terms. Oddly enough, AA decided that it was time to sing joyfully! And furthermore, he decided that he should sing an original composition which he was writing on the spot.



If you can imagine, it was sung somewhat to the tune of Su-wan -ee, How I love ya' How I love ya'... only the words were more like:



Pensacola!

Pensacola!

You're my guy!



I don't even know what that means; but the song had its desired effect - it aggravated Ab.



So for a brief interlude, we heard a line from Pensacola! followed by the terse - "AA I'm trying to SLEEP!".



As fate would have it, about this time something stimulated my seasonal allergies and I presented a chorus of percussional sneezes.



For a few moments, we altogether produced a rhythm that would have been suitable for the stage with the troupe from "Stomp".



A - CHOO!

"Pensacola! Pensacola! You're my Guy!

"AA, I'm Trying to SLEEP!"



A - CHOO!

"Pensacola! Pensacola! We're coming your way!"

"AA - I'm TRYing to SL-EE-P!"



Unfortunately, the music eventually degenerated into tears.



By about Seven o'clock we made it to our condo and we soon hit the beach.



Energized by all the pent up anticipation, they played with vigor until dark.



I felt a determination to try and maintain some semblance of my exercise regimen so I ran.



I wasn't really prepared, so I ran barefooted, sometimes in some sluggish sand other times on a very slanted plane. Sometimes dodging small children and photo shoots, other times ducking to avoid being "clotheslined" by some fisherman's 80-pound, microfiber, test-line.



When I finally reached a turnaround point, I learned an important lesson: One should always determine the wind direction and include the drag-effect of gale force winds in one's calculations before actually beginning one's beach run endeavour.



I immediately felt sluggish and weighty as the wind from the incoming tides provided a constant pressure.



I felt much better having made the run.



We finished off the night with some leftover hot dogs, then we slept with the anticipation of the days ahead.

To Catch a Sunrise

It's Monday - officially it is Day Three of our vacation - second morning in Perdido Key.

I awoke early and decided to seize the day as they say. So I sneaked out the back door just after 5:00 AM (Central time - which gave me a slight edge) and headed for the beach in search of a sunrise.

I am somewhat directionally-challenged so I am never quite sure if you can catch a "glorious" sunrise on the eastern gulf coast or not. The sky hinted toward pink as I made it to the beach and the waves seemed to be a little more thunderous and threatening than during full daylight. I should have known where Due East was - but I didn't- so I looked for the brightest area of the sky and walked in that general direction.

We are on something of a barrier island and the end toward the sunrise is bounded by a Gulf Coast National Park so the buildings end within about a mile from our beach access.

I walked along the beach until I reached the second boardwalk over the dunes and I went there to sit a moment and watch.

I don't know if it was glorious - but it was grand.

You know, those happen everyday and seldom with my notice.

It is inspiration in waiting for anyone that wants to access it - God performs this miracle everyday. . .day in and day out. They even have sunrises in Georgia, only where I live we have daylight quite awhile before one can actually see the sun. On some occasions - especially on crisp and bright winter mornings I can catch the sun brimming over the trees as I ride in to work.

I guess for me - vacations are the only time I really take the time to enjoy these events, and frankly I will even then choose to roll over and go back to sleep given the opportunity.

But every single day, God is there . . .keeping things going - without my help ... without my concern.

The song says "Morning by morning, new mercies I see . . . great is Thy faithfulness. . . ."

I am amazed at His kind faithfulness.

Cause me to hear Your lovingkindness in the morning,
For in You do I trust;
Cause me to know the way in which I should walk,
For I lift up my soul to You.
Psalm 143:8 NKJV