When I was a kid, I thought I had discovered Flag Day – June 14th – when I first saw it on my calendar. Every year since then (I was probably Ian’s age…) I have made a point to celebrate it in some way. We have no official plans, except a little kidless excursion in the evening. Guess that’s pretty much a celebration!!!
Here’s hoping your Flag Day 2007 is Flagtastic!
Or something. 🙂
We found a neat little podcast from NASA called “Ask An Astronomer” that is definitely very cool for the kiddos. (Mom & Dad like it too!) They are little three minute answers to some big questions regarding things in the sky.
Today we watched a couple: one about lunar eclipses, and one about solar eclipses. Both Jen and I caught a pretty humorous line from someone who either didn’t want to – or didn’t feel “free” to – admit that God could have had some part in putting that stuff in the sky.
Speaking on solar eclipses, the astronomer said, “In an interesting coincidence, the moon is 400 times smaller than the sun, but it’s also 400 times closer to the Earth than the sun. So they appear to be the same size in our sky.”
An interesting coincidence… 🙂
I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again… there are just too many “interesting coincedences” for me to think that what we see around us has created itself over billions of years. I’m no weirdo who thinks I know how everything got here exactly… not by a long shot. I just can’t believe Someone didn’t have a hand in putting it there. It’s too amazing to not have some Originator.
But anyway… thought that was a funny line. Interesting Coincidence. 🙂
We went to watch Jen’s brother and family play softball last night. It’s a family event. All but our niece were there and suited up for the game. We brought our lawn chairs, and gloves and kid ball to play a little catch on the side for ourselves, and some batting practice too, of course 🙂 We had snacks, nice conversations with friends, and, oh yeah… a softball game! 🙂
Our team was winning. (Our team being the one Jen’s bro is on, of course…) Winning by a lot. So, I focused my attention on the myriad children surrounding me asking me to pitch to them, or throw to them, or something else with them. I didn’t mind, but I certainly was losing track of the softball game.
Until it happened.
I heard someone yell from the field, “Look out!!” There was desperation in the voice, so I reacted quickly. Unfortunately, I only caught a glimpse of the ball as it took aim at its target – my daughter’s forehead.
I watched helplessly as the softball came flying past the first row of spectators lining the third base sideline, hit the ground and bounced directly—but still quite quickly, and with great force—into Kirstie’s face. She was looking right at it, but obviously too tiny to block it, or even have time to react. It hit her so hard that she was knocked on her back.
She was not crying, and she was still conscious, so I picked her up in my arms and began to examine the injury. Only seconds after impact her forehead was a nasty shade of purple and blue. It was swelling rapidly. Thankfully there were some trained medical folk playing the game that night, and some prepared spectators as well who grabbed some ice and knew what sorts of things to look for that might signal serious brain or head trauma. Thankfully again, none of those signs were yet evident.
A few of the onlookers placed their hands on Kirstie’s head and prayed aloud, asking Jesus to help her. (Did I mention this was a church softball league?) 🙂 I was thankful again, but kinda wishing everyone would let her soak in what just happened. She just seemed in a daze, as was I, admittedly. She was responding to my questions… but not yet speaking. And STILL not crying. That was really beginning to freak me out.
After we had the ice on her head, and she really seemed to be OK, I just sat down in our chair – Kirsten still in my arms – and rested with her, still applying the ice. I kept asking her if anything hurt. They said headaches, blurry vision, nausea… bad. So, I was hoping for none of those. And, again, thankfully none of those came.
But for some reason… I was the one getting a bit light headed.
I kept trying to fight it off, but I could not. I kept feeling worse and worse, and I finally told Jen, “Man! I need to lay down or something! You need to take her before I drop her!” It was crazy! She was able to make the transfer, and I laid down on the grass behind her. I felt a lot better after a short horizontal break. I don’t know what happened, but my heart was racing, and I felt very light headed and dizzy.
I thought Kirsten was supposed to be the one who was injured? 🙂 Probably just all my “dadness” wearing off, and my sickness from the days before reminding me that my body was too weak to be a super hero.
As I regained my strength, I continued to find colder ice pack options for Kirsten, and to regularly ask her questions. She kept getting back to normal. That was so good to see. But though all seemed fine, all I could think about was that vision of a ball screaming in from the field, bouncing hard off the ground, and planting itself in my daughter’s forehead. I can still see it as I type this. I don’t ever want to see that again.
You know what’s even crazier? A couple innings later, there was ANOTHER head injury! This time, the shortstop was making a play at third, and as the runner tried to slide in to the base, her head dropped into the ball that was coming rather quickly. More pain. More huddling. More praying. Not good.
Thankfully (I keep using that word…) all left the field that night with only nasty bruises. Our heads are pretty fantastic, to be sure. They can take a serious beating and we’re none the worse for wear. Amazing.
Kirstie slept just fine last night, and awoke this morning in great spirits, as though nothing happened. Well, not entirely. She has retold the story in various forms many, many times today. 🙂 That’s certainly understandable when a three year old stared down a 40-50 mph flying softball, and won.
She’s tough. No doubt about it.
That’s the last time I want to see her prove it, though!
We are really not spending any extra money at the moment. We are paying bills, buying food and other necessities, investing in our house a bit, and then just GAS to visit family and such. But no extra “toys” at the moment. It’s kinda hard… but, OK. We’re dealing with it… 🙂
IF I WERE to make a little list of what we’d buy (had we the cash…) it might look something like this…
Refurb is the way to go, since it comes with the same warranty from Apple, for less!
If anyone is interested in getting me a Father’s Day present….. now you know what to get!! 🙂 🙂
AND, if you want any Apple stuff yourself, don’t forget to ALWAYS SHOP HERE. Thanks. 🙂
(Stop by my Apple site for more info, or to contact me about getting Apple stuff…)
Inspired by recent readings, hearings and various thinkings floating through GregsHead, I have thought again about our push for being right. For knowing the truth and letting others “have it”. I read a column this morning by a local radio talk show guy who was certainly convinced that he had the “right” answer for what the church should be and do. (Now, I know… that’s his job… but still, furthers my point that we all love to be right.)
Maybe Christians are the worst at this. From early on, most of us are taught that there is a right, and definitely a wrong. Actually, many wrongs. We recently heard the Bible referred to as “our only Rule Book”. Ouch. Is that what it is? What about all the people who interpret it differently than you do? They have rules, too… just different from yours. In most cases (in the view of both parties) the other guy is wrong. And you’re right.
This obsession with being right actually removes us from relationship with other people. We focus so much on having and knowing the “truth” that we must first verify that those with whom we associate are “with us”, and “doctrinally correct”, and if not, we must instruct them accordingly. There is always a bit of an angst as errors in thinking must not be tolerated. At least when it comes to Christianity.
And there’s the rub. We have something (Christianity) that we need to protect, not Someone we want to introduce. An institution is defined. It has a Rule Book. It’s easy (at least, sort of) to protect and preserve. A Person is not. Someone who is alive and dynamic (yet the same “yesterday, today and forever”) is not easy to define, protect or preserve. Many have said, “You can’t keep God in a box.” Of course, they were probably referring to “the other guy’s box”… but, I believe that statement is true.
For some reason I was reminded of a strange rule we have made up today. Perhaps it’s due to hearing of marriages and other similar relationships dissolving for one reason or another. I remembered a “proof text” that many use for when it’s “OK” to divorce. Remember when Jesus said that divorce was bad… unlesssss… the WIFE has been unfaithful. Don’t you know that people (your intrepid author’s former self included) use that to say that if there has been infidelity (perhaps especially from the woman???) that divorce is OK. And hold mightily to the words Jesus said previously that divorce is always bad. Which, I believe is correct, since Jesus seemed to say it as truth… but we leave out the “context” part where something that’s bad might be better than something that’s worse.
On many such occasions, we take the Rule Book and we bash it over each other’s heads… saying my way is right. I got it from the Book! You must be wrong! (Even though our “adversary”) is many times doing exactly the same thing. They just view it differently.
I am coming to understand that it’s not my job to interpret the “Rules” for someone… for anyone else. My job is to be faithful to my understanding of what God wants from me, and then to love other people as I have been loved. Yes, sometimes love is “tough” and requires an uncomfortable confrontation – BETWEEN FRIENDS. It seems a confrontation is only effective (and then only sometimes) if relationship already exists. If not, why should the confronted change their “aberrant” behavior based on the “Rules” of a stranger?
The Bible is not a Rule Book. God doesn’t even want us to live by Rules. The Rules were fulfilled by Jesus. It is finished. That doesn’t mean it’s not good to live as God intended us to… certainly God’s law will last forever. BUT, we were never meant to keep the law… never able to do that. I’ve been reading Romans again, and Paul emphatically states that:
For no one is put right in God’s sight by doing what the Law requires; what the Law does is to make us know that we have sinned. But now God’s way of putting people right with himself has been revealed. It has nothing to do with law, even though the Law of Moses and the prophets gave their witness to it. God puts people right through their faith in Jesus Christ. God does this to all who believe in Christ, because there is no difference at all: everyone has sinned and is far away from God’s saving presence. But by the free gift of God’s grace all are put right with him through Christ Jesus, who sets them free. … In this way God shows that he himself is righteous and that he puts right everyone who believes in Jesus. What, then, can we boast about? Nothing! And what is the reason for this? Is it that we obey the Law? No, but that we believe.
Taken from Rom 3:20-27, Good News Translation.
If you try to keep the Rules, and make others do the same, you’ll only be butting your head up against a wall that won’t ever be knocked down. We’re meant (I think) to live in the fullness of a restored relationship with our Creator, and then to love the other Createds he puts around us. Rules work perhaps in a computer program… where everything is always (supposed to be) the same. But when people are involved, Rules almost never work. We’re too unique. Principles, that can adjust to the context of a situation are more applicable, to be sure. But… maybe we could just make our only “rule” the rule to love everyone we meet, as we have been loved.
At least then the Rule Book would be a lot smaller. 🙂
So what I failed to mention in my long account yesterday of the football side of our weekend is the fact that Alex was battling the belly bug (some call it a stomach bug, but belly made for an extra “b” word…) on Saturday, and his brother followed him on Sunday. We haven’t had any more “eruptions” since Sunday afternoon, but none of us felt quite right yesterday.
The weirdest part is the symptoms. You know you’re sick when your breakfast comes back up, but when there’s nothing but “not feeling right”… it’s hard to pin down. None of us was really hungry yesterday. I noticed also that nothing tasted good when I did eat. The kids were all very cranky, whiny, something… And… for some reason I have a scratchy throat that I can’t seem to get rid of.
Very strange.
Perhaps that is the price you pay for that fun weekend? 🙂 Click the linked words above. It’s worth the read 🙂 (And, I’m sure Jen will get around to posting photos from the weekend on our website as well. 🙂
Just to remind…
This Monday, out in San Francisco, CA, Steve Jobs will be taking the stage once again to reveal all the fun new Apple products. It’s so funny. People pay THOUSANDS of dollars (well, I think a ticket to this event is $1595) to go see this hour or hour and a half speech, and everyone else sits at one or two websites that refresh every 60 seconds, following along as bloggers post text comments about what Jobs is saying. Hilarious.
But, that’s where I’ll be Monday at 1pm EDT! 🙂
Just wanted to let you know.
If you want a ticket, go here. If not, check out this site for live updates as the event is happening…
I predict we’ll see new displays (agreeing with a friend‘s prediction), and an update to iLife and probably iWork ’06. Not sure what computer might be updated as they just refreshed the Mac Pro, MacBook and MacBook Pro lines. We’ll see.
Even with my full weekend, I’m sure I’ll find time to be at least a little excited/curious about what we’ll see on Monday. 🙂
So, I visit LOTS of websites throughout a week’s time… Often I will post links here (and I will continue to) but I have heard of a site called Tumblr which seems perfect for posting links to cool sites I come across. I decided to start an account where I will (mostly) share good web/design tools and resource sites. So, the address corresponds with that…
So.. not much there yet, but more will follow I’m sure. Bookmark it for future reference. There’s also a feed, if you know what to do with that…
One of our favorite foods is Skyline Chili. It’s a regional delicacy for Southwestern Ohio. Specifically from Cincinnati. There are many brands of “Cincinnati-style chili” but we like to think Skyline is the best. (Of course, Chi might tell you it’s Empress Chili… but I’m sticking with Skyline.) Over the years I have taken a recipe for Skyline chili that I received from (I think?) my mother-in-law, through my sister-in-law (Jen’s entire family are Skyline afficionados…) and added, subtracted, monkeyed with, and attempted to match the real deal as best I can.
I’m close… but still not quite there.
Still… it is a fantastic thing that I can make GALLONS of Skyline-like Chili in my own house!!!
Well, this weekend, we’re headed to Clarence for a little family party (celebrating the graduation of one of our neices, among other things). It was requested that I make and bring the main course – Skyline Chili!!!
There are many things being celebrated this weekend. There’s Megan’s graduation. 🙂 And a church that my in-laws have lent their musical and preaching talents to on numerous occasions is celebrating 100 years of existence. So we’re celebrating that with them. My in-laws will be leaving soon for their summer travels, so it will be a good-bye party of sorts… and since they’ll be gone for my father-in-law’s birthday and their anniversary (same day), I’m sure we’ll be celebrating that too…..
But that just wasn’t enough.
My mother-in-law is very gifted. She can play the piano like nobody’s business. She has probably sewn (or do you just make?) THOUSANDS of quilts in her lifetime. She can sew anything. AND, she can cook. Add to that the fact that she loves to do all of those things for people, and she keeps herself pretty busy! 🙂 Well, she had been trying to have the Holcomb family over for dinner, where our family could join them – and we’d get to meet a (former) Buffalo Bills, NFL QB!
The problem is that little “former” word back there…
Kelly was traded to Philadelphia a while ago. His family still lives here in Buffalo area, and they attend the various functions at the Clarence Church of Christ (where Jen’s family attends, and Dad was the preacher for 31 years!). Jen’s Mom has been trying for awhile to get together with them again, and found out that they are headed to Philly very soon. SO…
They’re coming to our party! 🙂
So now we’re celebrating everything above … AND it’s a “going away party” for the Holcombs! 🙂
This morning as I was adding all the right seasonings to the giant vat of Skyline, I was thinking, “Kelly Holcomb – #10 for the Buffalo Bills – will get to eat my Skyline… CRAZY!” 🙂 It’s certainly a fun addition to an already fun weekend… and as you can guess, the boys are quite excited to have a meal with KELLY HOLCOMB. 🙂
I wonder if we’ll get to play a little football??? 🙂
So, that’s part of what we’re looking forward to this weekend. I’m sure I’ll have some kind of a report here by Monday.
Hope your weekend is full of Skyline, family celebrations and milestones, and meals with NFL QBs also!!
There’s some stuff stewing in Greg’s Head this week… perhaps a bit longer… about two different ways of approaching life. This common theme seems to be running through my head, a thread of thought that permeates many conversations, events, and other happenings. Basically it comes down to whether we attempt to control our surroundings (including people around us), or whether we (as a general rule) live and respond to the moment. I’ve noticed it in the training of our children, in how we live life with God and the Church, and even on a personal level.
I won’t elaborate now… my time is demanded elsewhere. (Gotta pay the bills!) 🙂
Stay tuned… I look forward to fleshing out these thoughts and reading your responses.
