Kids Draw the Darndest Things

I was mowing yesterday. Kelly was inside getting dinner ready and the kids were drawing on the driveway. One of the things they love to draw is each other. One lies on the driveway and the other outlines them with chalk. They then proceed to color and write on the outline. Very fun.

Well, on this particular day, Sarah was drawing Parker. When I was done mowing, I came over to look at the artwork. Sarah was there doodling something else on the ground. I asked who the outline was and she said that it was Parker. When I asked her to describe it for me.

"This is Parker's head. These are his hands and feet. And, Daddy, this line between his legs is his penis that he goes peepee with. And the other line is the line just like I have right here (as she is pointing it out to me on her bottom)! That's your bum/hiney/fanny line for those of you wondering.

I proceeded to tell her that it was very good drawing and that it would be time to eat soon so we had better wash up. It took just about all I had to not crack up on the spot, but couldn't help but crack (no pun intended) a smile. Too funny. And too cute.

I'm just bummed (so sorry...pun totally intended) I didn't get a picture. Argh.

The Observance of Memorial Day

May 26, 1983

Memorial Day is a time to take stock of the present, reflect on the past, and renew our commitment to the future of America.

Today, as in the past, there are problems that must be solved and challenges that must be met. We can tackle them with our full strength and creativity only because we are free to work them out in our own way. We owe this freedom of choice and action to those men and women in uniform who have served this nation and its interests in time of need. In particular, we are forever indebted to those who have given their lives that we might be free.

I don't have to tell you how fragile this precious gift of freedom is. Every time we hear, watch, or read the news, we are reminded that liberty is a rare commodity in this world.

This Memorial Day of 1983, we honor those brave Americans who died in the service of their country. I think an ancient scholar put it well when he wrote: ``Let us now praise famous men . . . All these were honored in their generation, and were the glory of their times. Their bodies are buried in peace; but their name liveth for evermore.'' As a tribute to their sacrifice, let us renew our resolve to remain strong enough to deter aggression, wise enough to preserve and protect our freedom, and thoughtful enough to promote lasting peace throughout the world.

Ronald Reagan

Super Hero DDR

Somehow I missed this visual image and interpretation our beloved super heroes in the comics I read, movies I watched and cartoons I loved on Saturday mornings.



(bu to Boing Boing)

The Art of Star Wars

In honor of the Star Wars Convention that is going on in L.A. right now and for those of you with too much time on your hands, I present you with this: Star Wars Paper Art (with some serious detail and downloadable PDF files to boot!)

There is also some cool stuff in there for Star Trek fan and Back to the Future fan

(bu to Boing Boing)

Potentially Dangerous Questions 7 & 8

I've been posting on a book called God in the Flesh. In the fourth section of the book written by Don Everts, he leads us to look at Jesus and the consequences of His compassion. Here are the "potentially dangerous questions" that Everts lays out for us in chapters 7 and 8.

Potentially Dangerous Question #7: What would happen if I stopped pretending and collapsed upon Jesus instead?

"What if the Church stopped the Grand Parade of Smiling Christians and instead found itself collapsing upon him in its need? What would that do for us? And to the world around us?
What if we stopped trying to hold it all together? What if we stopped medicating our inner pains with recreation and accomplishments and business? What if we ran collapsed upon Jesus?
Perhaps we would find true shalom [peace] settling quietly into our souls...
Perhaps we could march forward as wounded healers, as beggars who have found bread, as peaceful sons and daughters...
Perhaps this world could look at the church and be intrigued by the inexplicable peace they see there. Perhaps they'd see lived-out testimonies of how freeing it is to admit the pains and struggles of life and take them to Jesus."

Potentially Dangerous Question #8: Would Jesus have done it [died on the cross] just for you?

(Everts acknowledges this can be a very trite question. He ask that we get beyond the triteness and cheese factor and find the kernel of truth calls to deep places inside each of us.)

"What if only you and Jesus lived in this universe? What if your brokenness and sin were the only brokenness and sin to be found in the galaxy? Would he do it [die just for you]?
When you see a crucifix, is it personal? When you stare at this sacrificial Jesus, are his eyes wanting to meet yours? Or do they blankly stare at humanity in general? It is in that stare alone that can help us stand as free individuals in our own skin.
Only through him can any of us really be a Me."

Penn & Teller and Creationism

Here is a thought provoking video from Penn and Teller's show, Bulls*@%! It makes me squirm on both sides of the creation/evolution debate as it relates to education. This is one of those issues that I'm not sure where all the facts come out and all the agendas start. It brings up a ton of questions and feelings. Questions like...what do I really feel about separation between church and state? What is our religious agenda about regarding creationism being taught in public schools alongside evolution? What is the agenda of an intelligent atheist (Penn) creating a piece that takes down creationist a peg or ten? Why do I feel so threatened when they are critical of creations view as a science? What are the reasonable arguments why creation is or is not a legitimate branch of sciece? What do I feel about the language of "intelligent" design? Does the teaching of evolution really shape kids hearts and minds about what they think/feel about the love of Jesus, his death on the cross, and the life he offers each and everyone of us? What does God think about this (I wish He would write a blog about this stuff sometimes!)?

Here is the video (pg-13 b/c of some stong language). How does it make you feel? What does it cause you to think? What buttons does it push in your science, politics, and theology?



(It looks as though another Penn & Teller clip has been ripped from the screens of You Tube. Bummer. Sorry, y'all!)

Open House: Round 1

I think it was a good day. At least that's what Kelly and my mom are saying. Eight couples showed up to take a gander at the home front and liked what they saw. We had a gorgeous day and the house really showed (is that right?) well. They said out of the eight that toured the house there is one couple pretty serious (the have friends/family in this neighborhood and the one across the street - relationally motivated), one slightly serious couple who really liked the house and style and neighborhood, and six that did their thing.

I was hoping for ten. Didn't get it. I was hoping that I would have a voicemail from Kelly when I got off from work that said we had a serious offer/buyer already (I had a vm from her, but she wanted me to pic up a pizza from Costco). Didn't get that either (got an offer but almost insultingly low).

So there you have it. And so we wait. And work a little more to tweak the house and market it some more. Praying continually.

Big thanks to Mom/Granny. There is no way we could have pulled this off without her help. She was really in her element both as a "realtor" and as a granny! Mom, you are the best! Thanks!

Any and All Buyers Wanted

Kelly and I have been working hard on getting our house ready to sell. If you are just coming around to this blog or just catching up with our life, we are moving to Dayton and I am going back to grad school. So this weekend we started (with HUGE help from our friends Chris and Tara H. and Chris U. - all in our small group) our biggest get-the-house-ready-to-sell project: paint all the interior doors white.

Well, we've had couple of great days: sunny, warm, and a bit of a breeze. We kicked some but last night by getting the doors out of the house and primed for painting (plus we got other big projects done with the help of the beastly help we had). Then today Kelly and got the ball further down the field by painting the doors. Tomorrow we will rehang the doors and all will be Utopian again - almost. Because then we get down to the nitty gritty of getting the house really clean and spotless.

"Porque/why," you may ask. Because our first open house is this weekend! YIKES! The yard looks great and really the house looks great, too, it's just that you have to go the extra mile when selling it. It's nuts to think this time has finally come. So be praying for us. How cool would it be for God to sell our house in the very first weekend that we show it?! I believe He can totally do it!

If you have friends looking to buy a great house, at a great price, and in a great location - or you want to buy the house! - you can point 'em to a couple of places for home details and pics:


www.8727kensingtondr.blogspot.com

or

www.iggyshouse.com
Iggy Number: #173282

Survivor Hypocrisy

Kelly and I love Survivor. It's been a fun year to watch with no clear cut favorite until the last few weeks for me. That's when Earl and Yau Man pulled ahead for me. I love lots of things about the show. Great competitions, different game strategies, and the communal aspect that I can only imagine (since the show focuses on "the game").

But my absolute least favorite part is the last tribal council where the jury questions the three remaining survivors about how they played the game, why they deserve to win the million dollars, blah blah bah. What this ultimately turns into is one big bitch session that perches itself on a thrown of hypocrasy and piousness. Most of the jury members get up with an ax to grind. They have "poo" they have been saving up to fling ever since they got voted off and started talking to each other in their castaway hotel.

It absolutely infuriates me! I hate it. They talk as if this game was about integrity, character, and honesty. As if there was some "pure" way to play it. Let's face it: this game is about aligning yourself with strong, smart people and winning immunity challenges (with a few reward challenges for good food). Then after all that is done and you are either all alone to with no allies left to survive with or your alliance is left to feed on itself - you go primal. You go in BS mode. You know the card game where you LIE to each other to stay in the game and WIN. You have to lie, deceive, and manipulate at some point to get as far as you can. As Jim Rome says, "If you aren't cheating [lying, etc], you aren't trying."

So don't give me this, "Who did you back stab?" crap or "I couldn't trust you in the real world given how you played in this game." Blah, blah, blah! What hypocrits. You're just torked that it didn't play out in your favor cuz you got played! Stop your lecture, be a good sport, ask a thoughtful question, and then sit down.

Congrats to Earl...great win and some great moves at the end like voting Yah out. Huge. I was pulling for Yau Man though and wished he would have broken the Survivor Car Curse (no person to ever win a car has ever gone on to win Survivor) by giving it to Dreamz in that great move. Great season ending show to an otherwise so-so season.

I gotta get on that show...that would be so outstanding! Tough as nails, but sweet.

Parker's a Big Three Year Old

Here are few videos that highlight a great day of celebrating the day God brought Parker into the world kicking and screaming. What a great kid. Our family is louder, sillier, rougher, fiestier, and testosteronier because of him!





Our day was highlighted by...

1. Birthday Doughnuts
2. Hike at Cool Creek Park
3. Lunch at the the Cool Creek playground
4. Nap Time (highlight for Kelly and I)
5. Presentation of presents: bike, t-ball set, and color explosion thingy
6. Small group family night (international theme and more sugar for Parker)
7. Bed time (again, more for Kelly and I. Wow, were we beat!)

Happy Birthday, Parks!

Oh, My Eyes!

This is pretty freakin' funny albeit a bit inappropriate for prime time television. Who's Line Is It Anyway? had a great run and I watched it pretty consistently. However, I NEVER saw this one with a cameo by Richard Simmons. I can't believe that it got to air. I'll give it a PG-16 rating because of sexual innuendo.



(bu to my father-in-law, Don, via email)

Bo Knows Accapella

While I'm talking about my Idol top three performances, here's another one. Bo is a stud, but where the heck has he gone? Regardless, this performance was risky, fresh, and tight as all get out. A-Ma-Zing!

You Give Love...A Funky Beat

I totally forgot to post this last week, but in light of tonight's performance, I thought I would jog our memories as to why Blake Lewis should at least make it to the finals of American Idol. This has got to be top three Idol performances of all time.



p.s. I'm going to be so ticked if he gets the boot tomorrow...he's what keeps me watching and guessing this year because he's fresh, hip, and relevant. Just my two pennies.

The Good and the Bad

I've seen two movies in the theater in the past week. Unheard for me for a long, long time, but still fun. Kelly let me out of the house for one free movie and the other out-of-pocket expense one.

First movie was Hot Fuzz. I didn't go in with high and expectations, but was thinking that it was going to be the British version of Naked Gun and Hot Shots. But BOY was I wrong. Not only was it one of the funniest movies I've seen in a long time, it was also one of the best movies I've seen in a long time. Great cinematography. Well acted (lead guy totally rocked...could totally play dramas, too). Amazing writing. If you are into British comedy (Monty Python, Snatch, etc.) go see it. I don't think you will be disappointed.

Second movie I saw was a big bust in my book. I had great expectations for Spider-man 3 like everyone else. For gosh sake, it blew away box office records over the weekend. So with the hype came the great fall. Great action sequences and amazing special effects, washed out by needless character studies, romance complexities, and one random dance scene. Total bummer. Only reason to go see in the theater is to see the special effects on the big screen (plus the bad guys are great - Venom and Sandman).

There you have it. I'm no paid movie critic, but it's still my two cents. Take it or leave it.

By the power of Greyskull!

Potentially Dangerous Questions 4, 5, & 6

I haven't posted in some time about this book I am about to finish up. God In the Flesh is written by Don Everts, a campus minister for Intervarsity. For me, you can never go wrong looking at the life of Jesus from from a fresh perspective and that is what this book is doing for me. Click here to see my first post about the book and the idea behind the potentially dangerous question idea.

So in my state of slackerness, I am going to post the next three questions in the book to catch you up and the light a fire under my ars. Here we go:

Potentially Dangerous Question #4: Is it really Yahweh who lives inside me?

"I mean, really. The Spirit of Jesus that has made a home within me - is it the real presence of fiery, jealous, powerful, divine Yahweh? Or is it a cute, lesser. diminished part of the Trinity?"

Potentially Dangerous Question #5: Where do I disagree with Jesus?

"Yeah, disagree. Sit down and study the Gospels until you reach a teaching that makes you feel like Jesus is exaggerating a bit. Overstating things. Getting carried away. It's important that we find those teachings. Because then we can consider what it would mean to dare to believe him rather than our own common sense.

Potentially Dangerous Question #6: Did God get smaller when he incarnated?

"Did he get smaller? Did he diminish in authority? Have his authority and dominion shrunk over the years, letting out of him bit by bit over the centuries? When Jesus walked this earth, did he have all the authority of Yahweh - mighty, jealous, roaring, Creator-of-the-Leviathan Yahweh? And does he still have all that authority today?"

The question that got me sweating and thinking hard was #5. If I'm honest, there are a couple out there that I go, "Really, Jesus? Do you really mean that?" Still chewing on that one.

What about you?

A Tale of Two Siblings

I love these videos. It gives you glimps into the wiring of boys and girls and the makeups of Sarah and Parker. She loves to sing and dance. He loves to chill and check out the chicks and tech stuff. It was so cool to be there to watch them both and thank God for our church where they are encouraged to follow Jesus and to sing out loud (or just stand there and watch)! Again, I cried like a fool thinking that this growing up business is moving way too fast. Wow, do I love these two kidos!

Sarah Beara

Here is Sarah performing as one of the bears in Goldie Locks and the Three Bears. She was so excited about this day and her ballet outfit. It's was a great day and weekend with visits from both grandmothers and cousin Scout. Plus a special visit by friends in our small group, Chris and Tara Haynes. It was great. I cried. She's growing up way to fast.

Happy St. Happy Pats Day

March 17th is always a cool day for us. It's St. Patty's Day when all the world dons green in hopes of not getting pinched and drinking something green, cold, and with froth. But even cooler it's my favorite mother-in-law's birthday. This year she turned the big ;laksdf7;alksgjf0. The Voet crew threw her a great birthday shindig (which I couldn't attend due to work). All had a great time and so I wanted to share a few pics from the partay.