Passover: Shoulda Shipped Out the Yeast AND the Beast

On Monday I drove up to my Dad’s house for Passover. Hailey is on vacation visiting the cousins not far from dad’s. So they dropped her off there as well. Strange mish-mash of folks there for the holiday as always. Dad and grandma Ethel, Ethel’s daughter and husband, Ethel’s son-in-law (longer story there), Jeannie, Felicia (a friend of the family..., “Her mother and I knew each otha since the first Exodus”), the kids, and myself.
The guys put on their Yamukahs. We sit down to read the Haggadah.
We get to the plagues, then stop. Time for dinner. What? Where’s that Moses fella? I thought he figured in here somewhere? Like in that movie with the guy from Soylent Green. You know the one. BUT NOOO, the Jews never get out of Egypt. Later on I remind Hailey that the Jews really do get out of Egypt (which oddly enough is the reason for the holiday celebration). I also assure Hailey that, “Yes, we can eat normal bread for the next week at my house.”

So, dad and Ethel have this dog, I think it’s called a ‘Mahjong Freejew’. Anyhow, it has a number of issues. One is that when the mail is dropped through the front door mail slot, the dog grabs the mail, flicks its little head and flings the mail across the room. So, all night long the adults and the kids were dropping catalogs and envelopes into the slot to see the dog go ballistic.

The dogs’ second issue is that, sometimes, on occasion, he attacks the legs of men. Attack with teeth, not attack like your thinking.

So, my brother-in-law Duane, and his wife Denise come over to pick up Hailey. They come on in to chat a while and be social. Grab some desert. Then, outta nowhere, the dog attacks. Draws blood. Duane has numerous marks on his legs. None too bad. But still.

And that’s how I spent my Passover this year.

Quote of the Month-"A Good Story"

"A good story is one that isn't demanding, that proceeds from A to B, and above all doesn't remind us of the bad times, the cardboard patches we used to wear in our shoes, the failed farms, the way people you love just up and die. It tells us instead that hard work and perseverance can overcome all obstacles; it tells lie after lie, and the happy ending is the happiest lie of all."
Kathleen Norris, from Dakota, A Spiritual Geography

Reading Between the Lines

Did he say Mitt? Re the upcoming presidential election: I heard Gregory Koukl today say that we need to choose someone who holds to the same principles as we do. We do not need to vote for ONLY someone who holds the same 5-point, sola scriptura, pre-trib position that we do. To quote, he said we are voting for a president, not selecting a pastor. Good point. Too many Christians get hung up on the latter. I believe it was Martin Luther who said it's better to elect "a wise Turk" rather than a stupid Christian.

Hurt-Early Beginnings

It was a strange sound. The wooden legs scraping on the wooden floor, the furious rocking back and forth of the mattress, and the strained wheezing sound. In the darkness it would be a puzzle to piece together. Given some light one could make out the boy lying on his side, violently rocking back and forth, gasping for breath.

On many mornings, I’d wake up with my stomach and ribs aching from the workout, the inside of my stomach hurting from all the air I’d gulped down the night before. Somehow I’d manage to actually go through a ‘normal’ morning routine, eat breakfast, and head out the door to elementary school. I don’t know how I got through the days without collapsing in the classroom from extensive exhaustion. Perhaps I caught up on my sleep during nap-time, or during extended games of “Heads-Up, 7-Up”.

I wondered before, and wonder more now that I’m a parent, where in the hell were MY parents? Granted, my dad left to work out of state for long periods of time. But wasn’t he there some time? I truly don’t remember; probably blocked it out. Or it fell out during the extensive knocking of the bed. And mom. That’s a mystery too. She couldn’t have had alcohol related blackouts all of those nights, right?

It’s been knocking around in my head for about a year now. I’d managed to keep it pretty much suppressed for most of my life. At this juncture of the journey I’ve had opportunity to reflect (some of it chosen, some of it bestowed). So I ask questions. Some have answers. Some don’t. And some of the answers will be evident in time. And maybe some of the questions need to be asked of others, though I’m not excited about doing the asking.

So much for stringent psychological testing....they do that; don't they?

Space cadet......

http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2007/02/06/1170524077454.html?from=top5

Eeyore Theology Vs. Christian Hedonism

“Perhaps God just wants me miserable.” That’s my wife’s current view of the world. Eeyore theology. My view of the world: Christian Hedonism.

As I’ve been pressed toward God, I’ve found my joy running ever deeper. The rich, from-down-deep-in-your-soul laughter is truly much richer. And happens much more often. And so too does the ‘waiting for hot chocolate’ kind of joy.

On a backpack trip many years ago, camp was at the end of twelve miles of trail. That’s twelve miles of trail through snow and ice. On that particular day my level of hiking comfort ended at mile eight. Miles nine through twelve were a blur, except for the thought that at the end of the trail lay a warm tent, change of clothes, and hot chocolate. Only the thought of hot chocolate kept my legs and body moving forward.

The experience of Christians on the whole is recorded in Psalm 16:
You will make known to me the path of life,
In Your presence is fullness of joy,
In Your right hand there are pleasures forever.

Resolutions-Live Fiercely

I really like this resolution from Jonathan Edwards. His life is impossible to emulate, his resolutions way above where I am at now. But hey, I've got to aim at something. I aim to low and I get bored; I aim to high and I get discouraged. But this one I can realistically shoot for.


22. Resolved, To endeavour to obtain for myself as much happiness in the other world as I possibly can, with all the power, might, vigour, and vehemence, yea violence, I am capable of, or can bring myself to exert, in any way that can be thought of.

Quote of the Month (or week, or year, or until I find another one I like)

"The real lesson of the Year of Doing Everything Right is this:
If you want to do things right, you must think about them constantly. They have to be part of your conciousness. You make mistakes when you're tired or distracted, or doing one thing while thinking about something else....."
Stephen Madden, from Bicycling Magazine

I Said, "God Said": Is That A Problem?

"I have a relatively good track record," he said. "Sometimes I miss." So said Pat Robertson about his previous prophecies.

To much in the public spotlight and it's easy to like the sound of your own voice, or worse, to listen to other voices and think they're yours. That leaves the rest of us having to explain that you don't speak ex-cathedra like the pope. And about that "relatively good track record"; nah, I won't even go there.

Thanks to Allahpundit and the gang for this one.

But I Can Still Beat You Up

This cracked me up! In a byline on a story about men dying their hair....
"Rodney Cutler is the owner of the Cutler salons in New York City and an Ironman triathlete." Is that like, "I design a women's clothing line, and (but) I smoke a cigar and can bench press 5000 Lbs."