Holy Fool

Something to think about today that I have been for the last couple of weeks:

Your spouse must feel that they are a partner in your ministry, and not in competition with your ministry for attention.

 

Some corresponding questions:

How do you speak about your calling and ministry, is it singular in tone?

Have you left things undone at home that add stress for your spouse?

Are you leading by example through spiritual development at home?

 

I will post a follow up with questions and thoughts for the spouse/family tomorrow.

This probably will be very incoherent and very broad...

Americans are notorious for cultural insensitivity.

I like engrish. (No I didn't misspell that)

I really like the life of pacifism but sometimes it seems incompatible with being a human being.

Violence confuses me.

Sometimes I think the only way God could ensure peace is to take away most of our emotions, even some of the good ones.

I hurt people sometimes with my words.

I am scared that I am not 'good enough' at a lot of things.

A best friend that I consider a brother is in Iraq and I really miss him and pray for him a lot.

I eat too much of the wrong things.

I struggle with the image I want to present to others.

I really don't 'get' parts of the Bible and It's hard to understand how they reflect God.

Sometimes I think my Christian walk would be easier for me if someone said, "you can't be a Nazarene anymore."

I am tired of politics within Church structures.

I like cooking food.

Driving aimlessly around the countryside is relaxing for me.

I have too much debt.

I really like LOST.

I really like writing.

I really like infovis.

I talk a big game.

James Dobson should get out of the political realm, it kind of embarrasses me.

The lame man on the stretcher never said a sinner's prayer before Jesus forgave his sins.

I used to think Christians got a bad rap from non-Christians.  Then I started to really listen to how the most vocal Christians talk about and segregate non-Christians, and I am starting to understand that maybe the non-Christians have got some things right.

I think it's entirely possible that God could have created the universe out of peanut butter and waffles in 2 hours and 45 minutes if he had wanted too.

Theology is used by fundamentalists to put an arm hold on God's power.

I love my son.

After 25+ years I still love Lego blocks.

If your wife is pregnant and asks for something specifically always grab a few extra to save yourself a trip back for more.

Hormones are wacky, wacky things.

The ukulele is underrepresented as a symphonic instrument, same with the banjo.  Couldn't you just imagine Beethoven's 5th on a Banjo?

If I ever really see a tornado I might poop my pants.

Business travel is fun, but lonely.  It's lonely fun.

I want a self-mowing lawn with automatic dandelion removal.

By the time I drive 30 minutes in my polluting car and spend twice as much on it the 'Green-ness' of buying organic produce has been thrown right out the window.  So I go to Wal-Mart.

I really, really don't get a lot of the games these days.  Especially first person shooter games, I have tried a few but they are all the same to me.  I am a FPS bigot.

I love disc-golf, especially with other people.

I need new glasses.

Do us all a favor and get your dog neutered if you take it out in public, No one wants to see that when they go to the park for a picnic.

Immaturity isn't tied to age.

Sometimes we think we are farther along and better off than we really are.

Today my two year old went upstairs to get some of his books to read (be read to). He isn't feeling well today, but is still capable enough to get the cushions off of the couch and dive onto them repeatedly. As he started down the stairs he dropped a book, and being the king of drama decided that was a good point to cry for help. I went to the stairs and grabbed the fallen book, along with the others at the top of the stairs. Sitting on the floor he balled, "Daddy hold you!" This wasn't a, I'm hurt so hold me, this was a power struggle, you come to me thing. Maybe this is the conundrum of stubborn kid with a stubborn dad. I did not ascend the stairs all the way and pick him up, I wanted him to exert some effort and move towards me. I had come all the way up, but for two steps, all he had to do was stand up basically and I would hold him. He insisted that I bend down and pick him up as dead weight. After a minute I walked back down stairs, this of course set off the hurricane force of a two-year old's emotional depth for anger. I could have picked him up, comforted him, but then he would be the one with the power. He would have 'made me', 'owned me' It wasn't a lack of love that caused me to walk back down. It was the simple fact that allthough he was distraught it was the distress of his own choosing, and as the parent I needed to maintain the power in that situation so that as he matures he is less likely to try and manipulate me. Real parenting isn't tested until your child is at least 2 and a half in my opinion. I am not perfect, I am not an 'ideal' parent, I come with my own neurosis and hangups. I just want wants best for my child, and sometimes I have to look past his immediate comfort and happiness to who he will be in 5 or 10 or 20 years.