The long wait ending
God's faithfulness on display
He is my refuge
2/28/10
2/26/10
Happy Birthday, Andrew
Feel lucky, punk?
Andrew is three. Don't tell him. He'll tell you he's four and grin while he's doing it. His party was last week and he likes to say he turned three at the party and turned four today. He knows the truth. He just likes to have a little fun.
The little guy is his daddy made over. Poor kid.
He makes me laugh harder everyday. We've known from the beginning that he has a special sense of humor. He's working it out right now, and he's definitely learning his limits, but he's growing into it more and more each day.
He's an emotional little guy. Whatever he's feeling, he's feeling it at a high rate of intensity. Our pediatrician said his emotional intelligence is off the charts. He made the comment when we told him about the empathy Andrew felt for Elmo when he was sent to Grouchland. Andrew was barely one. He continues to weep with those who weep, rejoice with those who rejoice, and cry for those who fall to Grouchland.
He's learning how to make decisions. His older brother would rather he not learn that skill and that has postponed poor Andrew's leap into decision making, but it's fun to watch him grow into his own personality.
The word I think of most when I think of Andrew is fun. It is a joy being his dad. It is a joy getting to know him and watch him grow.
I love you, buddy. I'm so thankful you're my son. I'm looking forward to a lot more laughter. Happy Birthday!
We Are Rebels
"The scripture stories do not, like Homer's, court our favor, they do not flatter us that they may be please and enchant us - they seek to subject us, and if we refuse to be subjected we are rebels." Erich Auerbach
2/25/10
A Little More Eugene ... From Reversed Thunder
"It is impressive how frequently the Psalmists denounced and cried out for help against lying lips and flattering tongues. Far more than they feared murderers, adulterers, usurers, and Egyptians, the feared liars." Eugene Peterson
2/23/10
Completely Crushed and Rejoicing
If it is possible to rejoice and be completely crushed at the same time, then that's the best way I can describe how we are feeling.
A dear friend of mine lost her father this Sunday to cancer. The family set up a website at Caring Bridge to keep friends and family updated on his condition. I never had the chance to meet my friend's dad, but I felt like I knew him based on his daughter's glow when she talked about him. From all I know about him, he's the epitome of the dad and husband I'd like to be. The bold quote above was taken from the Caring Bridge site the day of his death. I'm not sure which daughter wrote it, but I thought it was one of the most honest and profound things I've ever read.
Eugene Peterson writes, "People who live by faith have a particularly acute sense of living "in the middle." We believe that God is at the beginning of all things, and we believe that God is at the conclusion of all life, the Alpha and Omega."
He goes onto explain that we believe the beginning was good and the end will be as well. We assume the middle should be as well. He continues, "But it doesn't turn out that way. Or at least doesn't in the ways we expect."
The world we live in, "the middle," is full of so much pain and agony. Enemies like cancer, death, sin, and Satan overwhelm and crush us. But we are in the middle. The Savior has come and taken back his broken world. All things are being made new, restored, and redeemed. Somehow, in some glorious and mysterious way, the end is going to be better because of the pain we know in "the middle."
The words written by a crushed and rejoicing daughter point me again to the wonderful mystery of God's plan of redemption. The King is coming back. Everything sad is becoming untrue.
A dear friend of mine lost her father this Sunday to cancer. The family set up a website at Caring Bridge to keep friends and family updated on his condition. I never had the chance to meet my friend's dad, but I felt like I knew him based on his daughter's glow when she talked about him. From all I know about him, he's the epitome of the dad and husband I'd like to be. The bold quote above was taken from the Caring Bridge site the day of his death. I'm not sure which daughter wrote it, but I thought it was one of the most honest and profound things I've ever read.
Eugene Peterson writes, "People who live by faith have a particularly acute sense of living "in the middle." We believe that God is at the beginning of all things, and we believe that God is at the conclusion of all life, the Alpha and Omega."
He goes onto explain that we believe the beginning was good and the end will be as well. We assume the middle should be as well. He continues, "But it doesn't turn out that way. Or at least doesn't in the ways we expect."
The world we live in, "the middle," is full of so much pain and agony. Enemies like cancer, death, sin, and Satan overwhelm and crush us. But we are in the middle. The Savior has come and taken back his broken world. All things are being made new, restored, and redeemed. Somehow, in some glorious and mysterious way, the end is going to be better because of the pain we know in "the middle."
The words written by a crushed and rejoicing daughter point me again to the wonderful mystery of God's plan of redemption. The King is coming back. Everything sad is becoming untrue.
2/22/10
Happy Birthday, Rebecca!
Another year in the books for lovely Rebecca. I was telling a friend of mine about her birthday and her age today. The friend is Romanian and explained to me that women don't like for people to know their numbers. I told him my wife was extremely low maintenance and wouldn't mind.
Rebecca is simply the most wonderful person I know. She is unselfish, humble, grateful, giving, and really, really, fun. She is a loving, hardworking mommy and a devoted, beautiful wife. There's no one in the world I'd rather spend time with. There's no one in the world I'd want to share life with. Now, more than ever, I enjoy her. She is gracious and graceful, and getting to be her husband and partner in parenting is an immeasurable gift from God.
Rebecca, I love you. I enjoy you. I'm thankful you're mine!
Happy Birthday.
Rebecca is simply the most wonderful person I know. She is unselfish, humble, grateful, giving, and really, really, fun. She is a loving, hardworking mommy and a devoted, beautiful wife. There's no one in the world I'd rather spend time with. There's no one in the world I'd want to share life with. Now, more than ever, I enjoy her. She is gracious and graceful, and getting to be her husband and partner in parenting is an immeasurable gift from God.
Rebecca, I love you. I enjoy you. I'm thankful you're mine!
Happy Birthday.
2/19/10
2/14/10
Beauty Will Rise
2/13/10
Conversations with Rebecca
We were driving through Cool Springs today. It was a mistake. Christmas offered less traffic.
There have been wars that didn't last as long as the line leaving Sam's parking lot. It's no big news when I lose my temper and call another driver a name. It is big news when Rebecca does.
We finally got out of the Sam's lot and needed to make a Nascar move to get into the left turning lane. The car in front of us slammed on their breaks for no apparent reason. Rebecca and I called the driver stupid. I added a small detail about them looking like a character from LOST from behind (think Dharma). It was about that time we remembered we are parents. Joshua was sitting in the back seat. We began talking to him ...
Me - "Hey, buddy. Did you hear mommy and daddy call that person some bad names?"
Joshua - "Yes."
Me - "Who made that person?"
Joshua - "God."
Me - "Does he like it when we talk badly about people he made and loves?"
Joshua - "No."
Me - "We need to tell him we're sorry and ask him to forgive us."
Joshua - "Uh huh."
Me - "Jesus died for all of us and he wants us to love everyone."
Rebecca (under her breath) - "Even stupid."
There have been wars that didn't last as long as the line leaving Sam's parking lot. It's no big news when I lose my temper and call another driver a name. It is big news when Rebecca does.
We finally got out of the Sam's lot and needed to make a Nascar move to get into the left turning lane. The car in front of us slammed on their breaks for no apparent reason. Rebecca and I called the driver stupid. I added a small detail about them looking like a character from LOST from behind (think Dharma). It was about that time we remembered we are parents. Joshua was sitting in the back seat. We began talking to him ...
Me - "Hey, buddy. Did you hear mommy and daddy call that person some bad names?"
Joshua - "Yes."
Me - "Who made that person?"
Joshua - "God."
Me - "Does he like it when we talk badly about people he made and loves?"
Joshua - "No."
Me - "We need to tell him we're sorry and ask him to forgive us."
Joshua - "Uh huh."
Me - "Jesus died for all of us and he wants us to love everyone."
Rebecca (under her breath) - "Even stupid."
2/11/10
Letters from that City
"And from that City from which we have come on pilgrimage, letters have arrived for us: these are the Scriptures." - Augustine
2/10/10
A Walk Through Conversations with Joshua
So, I'm a typical parent. My kids are smarter and cuter than everyone else's. No harm done.
I'll walk you through how God humbles those who need to be humbled.
Tuesday morning was a disappointment for the Bryants. The snow accumulation caused us all to hope for another snow day. Joshua's school was canceled, but mine wasn't. I was getting ready for work when he said, "Daddy, my school has been cautioned."
My thoughts began ... "My child is brilliant. He just used the word caution in a meaningful sentence. He's probably going to be a writer. How descriptive? How poetic?" My thoughts probably would have continued, but they were interrupted by his follow-up.
"Daddy, caution means robots."
I'll walk you through how God humbles those who need to be humbled.
Tuesday morning was a disappointment for the Bryants. The snow accumulation caused us all to hope for another snow day. Joshua's school was canceled, but mine wasn't. I was getting ready for work when he said, "Daddy, my school has been cautioned."
My thoughts began ... "My child is brilliant. He just used the word caution in a meaningful sentence. He's probably going to be a writer. How descriptive? How poetic?" My thoughts probably would have continued, but they were interrupted by his follow-up.
"Daddy, caution means robots."
2/8/10
The Mumbo Jumbo
Since I don't write much these days, I'll direct you to someone who does. Enjoy...
The Mumbo Jumbo at Thomas McKenzie's Blog
The Mumbo Jumbo at Thomas McKenzie's Blog
2/4/10
Mr. Anonymous
Just a quick update about the whole Mr. Anonymous postings. A few weeks ago an anonymous poster left some parenting advice for me in the comment section.
Yesterday, someone anonymously posted some things in some of the comment sections. The current anonymous poster isn't anonymous. He's my neighbor. We're good friends. We play a lot of jokes on each other. Mine tend to be funnier than his, but they are all fun.
Anyways, some of you have expressed some concern over Mr. Anonymous. I don't think the real anonymous poster has been back. This new one is a great friend who means nothing but good and fun.
Thanks to those of you who have worried. We love our friends!
Yesterday, someone anonymously posted some things in some of the comment sections. The current anonymous poster isn't anonymous. He's my neighbor. We're good friends. We play a lot of jokes on each other. Mine tend to be funnier than his, but they are all fun.
Anyways, some of you have expressed some concern over Mr. Anonymous. I don't think the real anonymous poster has been back. This new one is a great friend who means nothing but good and fun.
Thanks to those of you who have worried. We love our friends!
2/2/10
Or Was It Uncle Tom's Cabin???
According to one fifth grader at The Covenant School, Uncle Sim's Cabinet was Harriet Beecher Stowe's novel exposing the evils of Southern slavery.
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