Less than advertized

"Can I try it?" my daughter asks.

"No. I waited 38 years for this - so - you can wait a few more!"

Believe it or not - this afternoon was the first time I ever carved a pumpkin. Really!

Some of our neighborhood families get together every year to have a mass pumpkin carving/painting party. Today was the perfect weather for this outdoor adventure. But, I was soon to find out that although the event was billed as being for the kids - really - all they did was assume the 'Project Manager' position as they directed us parents to assemble the appropriate paint pallette or outline their dream pumpkin face.

"I wanted teeth in the mouth" says my son.

"But - I did put teeth in the mouth!"

"There's none on the bottom!"

Ugh. Fine. I guess the mouth is about to get just a little bit bigger.

"It's a cat!" my daughter says.

"So - you want itty bitty cat eyes and a tiny ROUND nose???"

"Yes."

"I'll try."

At the end of the day - I didn't feel much like Martha Stewart creating and artistic masterpiece.

Martha always makes everything look like such fun. Everything is neat and orderly. The finished product is always spectacular. And everything is cleaned up and ready for display by the end of the 30 minute program.

Maybe she'd like to borrow my kids! THEN it might be a reality TV show!

Nothing is ever as good or as easy as advertized. Well - almost nothing.

As much as I am disappointed in my effort (you'll note that pictures of my work are NOT being provided for your amusement) - I don't really think my kids minded so much!

In a world that consistently gives us less than they promise, when I spend time with my family - it seems that things are always BETTER than I anticipated. Just like a story always gets bigger and better the more it is repeated - I think today will get bigger and better in my memory, and the memory of my kids. The pumpkin I got stuck up my fingernail, the sticky goop I spilt on my pants, the paint that got on the kids clothes, the carving that looked more like a 'how-not-to' demonstration - none of it really matters.

We had a great afternoon.

Better than advertized!

Thanksgiving - Round 1

Gotta love being married to an American!

Lots of great reasons - like being able to live in places that are always warm, earning greenbacks, and a quality of life that is the envy of the world. There are many other reasons (feel free to add your favorite reasons in the comments for this blog) - but - I have to think that the best reason is that I get to enjoy 2 Thanksgivings every year!

Canada celebrates Thanksgiving in October, the US celebrates in November. Why the difference? I figure it's simply because the traditional last harvest of the year is earlier in Canada than in the US (see above re. warm places to live). Other than that - it really is the exact same holiday.

It all started with the pilgrims. Both holidays require turkey and wayyyy too much other stuff to eat. Family is not optional for the holiday - although - I find that in the US, the major family regathering holiday is Thanksgiving, while in Canada, the major family regathering holiday is Christmas - but still, I digress - family is not optional for Thanksgiving!

Growing up in Canada, I never understood why US Thanksgiving was on a Thursday. THURSDAY! The middle of the week!!! Plus, it's generally less than 1 month before Christmas, another major holiday! I always thought Canada had it right when it celebrated Thanksgiving on a Monday.

But, now that I have lived in the US and celebrated many US Thanksgivings - I've somewhat changed my mind. I guess I'd still rather US Thanksgiving be a little earlier in November - but - living here, I realize that it's really not a big deal at all that it's only 1 month before Christmas. Where the US really have it right is that it's a 4 day long weekend! Perfect for family to travel a long way to reunite. Perfect for family to make too much food, then spend the rest of the weekend eating the leftovers. Perfect to watch TONS of football. Perfect to have a real holiday - but - also - not so long that you get sick and tired of actually being with your family!

At the end of the day - the best part of Thanksgiving isn't debating between US/Canada as to which country does it right - the point is that we give thanks to God for all He has blessed us with. I eat well. I have a good roof over my head. I get to choose what I want to wear every day. I have a great family. I married my own Miss America. My kids are the best in the whole wide world. I'm a part of a great church. I have a lot to be thankful for.

Two times every year!

Oops, I did it again!

Did you read one of my previous posts about never knowing when the January semester started in college? Well, here's another one of those things I ALWAYS seem to mess up on!

These are pictures of my driveway.










Notice anything? Yep, that's right, there's a patch that is a different color than the rest. That's because I am in the process of re-sealing my driveway.

WHY CAN'T I EVER BUY ENOUGH SEALANT!!!!!!!

I bought so much, I was sure I was going to have left-over sealant to store until next year! But, noooooo - I run out just short of the finish line, now I have to buy a hole new tub, just for that square!

I figured that I would have been past the problems I had when living in Oshawa in this area. The first time I went to seal that driveway, of course, I didn't buy enough - by FAR! I got 1/3 of the way done.

My neighbor, seeing my predicament, indicated that he can get the stuff for free at work. GREAT! He, of course, doesn't get me enough of it - so - I can't finish ... again. Not only that, but what he gave me was a different consistency that the stuff I used previously, so - my driveway now had 3 sections of sealant: original, store-bought, & commercial use!

Spring-time comes - I buy plenty. But, I forget that the driveway actually goes right into my backyard, past the gate. Of course ... not enough.

I really wanted to get it right this time! Oh well. Off to the store I go!

Later!

Jesus' Three Words

Top Ten (according to me!)

It is written - Matthew 4:7
Don't be afraid - Matthew 14:27
Watch and pray - Matthew 26:41
Peace be still - Mark 4:39
Come follow me - Luke 18:22
Father forgive them - Luke 23:34
Love one another - John 13:34
It is finished - John 19:30
Feed my sheep - John 21:15
I come quickly - Revelation 22:7

To see the full list of Jesus' Three Words, check out the comments on this post.

Our Three Words

Encouraging Productivity

I am a producer.
I like filling every moment with some activity that culminates with a measurable product. So - for someone like me, there's really no such thing as spare time. Until this afternoon. There was nothing I HAD to do. As I suffered through another losing game of solitaire, I realized how tired I was. I slept for THREE HOURS! 3!!!
What a waste of time! I feel refreshed & alert, relaxed & alive ...
hmmm ... is there a lesson in this for me?

Tis the season to be jolly!

ARE YOU READY FOR SOME FOOTBALL!!!!

Finally, I am living in a part of the world that TRULY appreciates this great sport! I've sometimes wondered why football is so popular. I think because, unlike basketball, baseball or hockey - something AMAZING can happen at ANY moment. In basketball - if you've seen 1 dunk, you've seen them all. In baseball - the most amazing things (like a no-hitter) take over 2 hours to complete! In hockey (my favorite sport) - you kinda have to be at the arena to appreciate the game, it doesn't look so good on TV.

With that thought in mind - it's no wonder church attendance is in decline across the country. It's generally the same week after week, there is no 'event' feel, if you sleep-in on Sunday - it's not like you'll miss a whole lot ... I mean, there's always next week!

In football, on any given Sunday there could be a HUGE upset, there could be an amazing hit, throw, run, kick or return. Something worth talking about at the office on Monday will likely happen during a football game on Sunday.

Maybe something worth talking about at the office on Monday will happen during church THIS Sunday!!!

Techno-Wonder

This is almost too much! I am actually writing this entry by hand (not typing) on my palm pilot. Clearly - I cannot escape the magnet influence of technology! What's next? Mindreading computers? (wow - that WOULD be cool!!!)
.

When does school start?

With the Fall semester starting up with so many students in the last few days, I can't help but remember what it was like to be one of those students! It was always a time with a full range of emotions - excitement, fear, optimism, pessimism, happiness & sadness - all rolled into one morning bus ride!

Ahhhh - those were the days!

But, at least I always knew when the 1st day of school was - something I never did get right for McGill's winter semester. Every January for my 4 years at McGill University - I managed to be unclear on when exactly the Christmas break concluded. My first year, I showed up a day early - walking into an empty classroom, wondering where the other students were. No one came.

The second year, if it weren't for a trip to the corner store where the cashier was a fellow student who asked if I were ready for school the next day ... I wouldn't have shown up until the next week!

You'd think by the third year, that I'd have it figured out - I mean - I'm a University student working on a B.A. with a Major in Linguistics and a Minor in Religious Studies! With my 2 concentrations of study, either I should be able to understand the English language, or God should be helping me get there on time!

Fall, no problem, but winter ...

So, in my third year - I'm so stressed about getting there for my first day that I don't sleep that night. Correction, I don't sleep until about 4AM, and therefore don't wake up until 8AM. No biggy? Well - when your first class starts at 8:30AM and you are 40 minutes from the school - not to mention the need to get dressed and take care of hygene issues - then, yes, it IS a biggy!

Admittedly, I did finally manage to get it right by my 4th year. I circled the date on my calendar. I confirmed with friends that I circled the correct date on my calendar. I knew the bus schedule. I knew the weather conditions. I went to bed at a reasonable time. I knew that at least 1 of the 6 clocks I set around my bed would be successful at waking me from my slumber in time to eat my breakfast (Cocoa Puffs, of course) and get to the bus stop in a timely manner.

I made it to class. *cheers wildly* It took four years to master it --- but I did it.

Unfortunately, the professor didn't make it - so - the class had to be rescheduled.

Doh!

Ooo, I love comics!

My Three Words

What a moving piece! Some are funny, some are sad - really, no commentary is needed from me, the video says it all.

http://ugv.abcnews.go.com/Player.aspx?id=681503

Now, here are My Three Words ...

Feel free to tell me YOUR Three Words by commenting on this post. Pics and videos would be AWESOME!

Another Reason I Love My Wife

She genuinely cares for people.

Not that I don't care for people - but Mary Jo takes it to a higher, more nobler level than I ever think of.

For example this morning - amidst all the chaos that is preparing my kids for their first day of the new school year today, I left Mary Jo's car with that special amount of gas left in it that I call 'EEE' for 'ExtrEmE'. You know - that danger zone that is Far, Far away from 'F', and just beyond the 'E' ... the time when driving is a true adventure, since you THINK you can make it to your destination, but you aren't positive. Then, upon arriving at your destination, you THINK you can make it to your NEXT destination, and so on, and so on. That, my friends, is called EXTREME DRIVING!

So, you guessed it, I get a call on my cell that Mary Jo managed to get exactly 90 seconds worth of driving away from our home, when her goal was to get the 240 seconds needed to arrive at the gas station. So close, yet so far.

You'd think I'd be in big trouble. Nope. Now, I'm certain Mary Jo wasn't exactly thinking 'oh, what a wonderful, loving man I have chosen to spend my life with' at that very moment - but - if she was thinking anything else, she sure did hide it well!

While I was off filling the portable gas tank, a construction worker came by our im(auto)mobile and put up a cone to alert oncoming traffic and gave our youngest child, who was beginning to work up a sweat in the backseat a cool bottle of water. Upon my return, of course I thanked him for his kindness and, after making our automobile, mobile again - Mary Jo and I went off on our seperate ways, resuming the tasks of the day.

But, this is where Mary Jo's caring REALLY comes to the forefront. My cell rings ...

'oh, oh - now what?' I wonder, as I see by the caller display that it is Mary Jo.

"Rob, I think that contruction worker may have given us his last bottle of water. Do you have any water at the church you could bring to him and the other workers?"

WOW! My wife is GREAT! What a great idea! What a great opportunity to show appreciation for their thoughtfulness!

As it turned out - the only cold beverage I had was some cans of iced tea. I brought them to him and he (and especially the guy working the machine) seemed to truly appreciate it. Over the course of the ensuing conversation, I let him know that I worked at the church up the road.

Thank you, Mary Jo! Because of your genuine care for others, I was able to demonstrate how God rewards those who bless others.

I love you!

Rob

Ooo, I love comics!

Mother Theresa ... Angel or Agnostic?

The linked article below this paragraph was the center of a discussion in another forum on the web - a discussion I couldn't help but add my 2 cents to! It seems that Mother Theresa wrote some letters might reveal her awareness of her own hypocrisy, her disbelief in the existance of God and the saving work of Jesus. Her moments of doubt & struggles with faith seem to have stemmed from her observations of the horrible state of the world - and her questions about how God could allow such suffering and pain.

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2007/08/23/eveningnews/main3199062.shtml

Was Mother Theresa really an angel sent from God? Or was she an agnostic who simply loved people and was driven to do all she could to change her world?

The following is a re-working of my post on those discussion boards ...

Just because the world is messed up doesn't mean that there isn't a good and loving God. Part of what makes God good and loving is that He entrusts - He entrusted the world into humankind's hands. The state of the world is OUR fault, not His. There are so many more points I could offer to this argument, but, I'll save them for another time. Suffice to say, I completely disagree with you on this point, and would be pleased to elaborate if asked to.

Also, not all religious people are hypocrites as you make them out to be. They often appear hypocritical because we make them out to be perfect - when - any truly religious person knows that "all have sinned ..." and "there is none holy but God" - therefore - even I, as a Pastor of a church, sin. I am not perfect. I don't pretend to be perfect. But, I'm sure there are some people in my congregation or in my community that THINK that I THINK I am perfect - this would then make me look to be a hypocrite, when in fact I am not.

As for Mother Theresa's faith in God, that is between her and God - and no one can truly know for sure what she believed either in her lifetime or on her deathbed. I will say this - sometimes I wonder what in the world I am doing, giving my whole life to God as a Pastor of a church. sometimes I wonder if it's worth it all. Iwonder if there really is a God who cares. But these thoughts are temporary. I'm then reminded of times in my past when I KNEW God was real. I remember times when I KNEW God involved Himself in my life - beyond any circumstancial evidence. Then, I ask God to forgive me for doubting, and I go about the business of life!

Trade Secrets

Some readers may already know this, but I'm big into fantasy football, baseball, hockey, basketball, etc etc etc. It all started when I lived in a small town that offered very little in entertainment - and when a family member (Mark S.) introduced me to his football matchup sheet, I was instantly intrigued.

Years later, I may not be a rookie at fantasy sports anymore, but I still have the hardest time pulling the trigger on a trade. It seems that sometimes I feel the player on my roster has untapped potential, just waiting to bust out - or that the player I'd be acquiring must have something wrong with him that I am unaware of, I mean, why is the other guy trading him to me?

Here's what I do now -
1. Know my trading partner (no trust, no trade)
2. Don't go on a hunch (player X isn't suddenly going to become a superstar)
3. Remember it's a game (if I like the trade ... go for it! why not???)

I kinda wish life were so easy. But in some ways it is! If I would KNOW who I'm talking with, I could KNOW what they need/want from me or what they need/want to give me. Also, I try to take in information at face-value. Reading between the lines gets me into trouble! If I can trust someone, then I can avoid the 'hunch' and believe that their yes means yes and that their no means no. Lastly, because we take life so seriously at times, we become paralyzed by fear - fear of failure. Hey, I have made bad trades in fantasy sports at times - but that doesn't mean I lose the competition! I've made poor decisions in life, but there's no need to beat myself up over it. I've just decided to make good choices from here on out - and not worry about the mistakes along the way ... I either try to learn from the mistakes and try to not repeat them, or, at the very least, use them for great sermon illustrations!