thursday thoughts

A few Aimless suppositions about this week in life.......

1. I am preaching a series called "boiling point" and it is about the need to handle our emotions. To ensure the students that I am preaching to myself, i recalled the story of how on tuesday Addy for the 2nd time in 3 months reached up and grabbed an entire gallon of milk off the counter and watched helplessly as it blew up on our wood floors. I reacted by throwing 24 rolls of toilet paper ( we were putting groceries away) across the room (although not at addy) and screaming uncontrollably. 8 milk soaked bath towels later, Ava came up to me and said.......Daddy, are you gonna be mad forever? Way to set the example Jon:)


2. A texas man attempted to cash a 360 billion dollar personal check. You have to hand it to the bank tellers though, she told reporters that she thought something was "suspicious" I can't believe she wouldn't just shell out the cash, it looked legit to me.

3. After a tragic carnival accident in california involving 17 children, kendra let me know that any future trips to the old abandoned K-mart parking lot need to be cancelled ASAP. (see earlier post)


4. Lastly, as a bit of an extension of my last blog involving the innocence of children, let me add to the insanity. A boston doctor has opened a clinic for transgendered kids (boys who feel like girls, girls who want to be boys) and is offering more than counseling. He also administers drugs that delay the onset of puberty and stop the natural flood of hormones to the body so that the "patient" (children as young as seven!) has more time to determine if they really want a sex change operation. Click on the link and read for yourself,

Allow me to quote English journalist Malcon Muggeridge, " we have educated ourselves into imbecility."--well said.

pornification

I;m sorry, but as a father of two little girls I am more than just mildly disturbed by the new fashion line, "house of Dereon" put out by Beyonce Knowles. To me it symbolizes all that is going wrong with our society. Seriously, these girls are five and six years old and we want to put make up on them, dress them in high heels and top it off with a pimp hat? If Beyonce chooses to be "bootylisious", more power to her, but can't children stay innocent for a few years?! seriously, what happened to gymboree?!!! I have no problem dressing your girls up as cute as you want to and expensive clothes are your prerogative. My issue is the message we are already sending to young girls that they need to be skinny, sexy and seductive to get attention, now we are communicating that to five year olds? Its really not as much the clothes (although they are way over the top) as it is the marketing ploy. Whats next, thong diapers so your 3 month old can flaunt at daycare? Maybe I am getting too worked up about this. I would really like to know your thoughts.

I pray a hedge of protection around my girls in the name of Jesus, may their beauty and value come from how God made them, not this worlds system.

OK, I'm off my soapbox now.

Alternative Energy!!

With gas and milk both pushin 4 bucks a gallon, I made an executive decision as head of the household. I told Kendra the gas hog explorer days were over and she needed to start bringing the "jeep" to work-This is her getting used to how it handles in the backyard before taking it on the highway..........The girls cried about mom stealing their "toy", but I know Dave Ramsey is smiling somewhere. She can get 90 miles to the charge on that beast.

Thanks for taking one for the team Kendra, Just trying to save a little dough and do our part to stay green.

VISIT FROM A FRIEND

Tuesday an old friend from the apartment complex Kendra and I lived in when we first got married stopped by. Jared and I both lived at viewpoint apts in G.R, in 2000 and have remained good friends. He and his wife Sara live in the big apple and are visiting their families for the week. Jared has appeared in some commercials and films and currently is co-owner of an awesome catering business. He met his beautiful wife when they were both on a modeling shoot. (what can I say, I rub shoulders with famous people:) anyways, it is sooooo cool that we have remained friends and my girls absolutely adored him!!! They chased him around the back yard for hours and the next morning Addy was asking where he went and saying "want to see him"

thanks for stopping by bro and I am so excited about coming your way again in the fall.

ps. I would be remiss if i failed to mention that I accomplished the "perfect storm" trifecta at the gym. We played b-ball and I won at horse, one on one, and three on three!!! Sorry I had to mention it bro, but this is something I have to document for the rest of time:)

DID I REALLY DO THIS?

Last week, the "carnival" came to an old abandoned K-Mart parking lot near us. I always drive by these and think to myself, who in their right mind would ride those things? Don't they know it only takes them 15 minutes to set up the whole "park" and the operators can't exactly be rocket scientists.........
Anyways, upon the request of my 3 year old daughter, I pushed past all of my fears and stereotypes and took my 2 nieces and 2 daughters to the carnival. We pretty much stuck to the small rides, so It only cost me about 40 dollars in one hour to sweat and pray while my daughters rode on a scrambler. When it was time to get an elephant ear for a snack, they were only six dollars so that was a pleasant financial surprise.

the highlight came when the three girls got to go on the "spider" ride again without having to pay!! The nice operator lady with the beard said that since no one was in line (what a shock) we could go again. I made sure to thank her and slip a mach 3 coupon into her ticket belt on our way out.

All in all, I got totally ripped off, but that's part of being a dad/uncle. When Ava asked if she could come back, I told her to play with her soup can at home because daddy barely had enough money left to buy hand sanitizer.

4 years ago today.

today marks four years since my dad went home to be with Jesus. In some ways it seems longer, and in others it seems like yesterday. I am so grateful for the life we shared together and I will always remember him as a man who loved God, his family and life. He was such an encourager to me and literally wrote hundreds of cards by hand telling me how proud he was to be my dad and what amazing ways God would use me. I think in some way every son dreams of making their dad proud and I hope he smiles when he looks from heaven. He is probably talking Peter's ear off about all of his kids. I thank God for blessing me with my own children and hope to love them the same unconditional way my dad loved me.
I miss you dad, but I am grateful that "we do not grieve as those who have no hope, for since we believe that Jesus died and was raised to life, we also believe that when Jesus returns, God will bring back with Him those who have died" (1thess.4:16)
the best part of being a christian, is never having to really say good-bye to those you love in christ, but I can tell my dad, "I'll see you soon, and I'm sure you'll have a card waiting:)

Love your son,

Jon

This song was played at my dad's memorial. It still makes me cry, but I love thinking of my dad with Jesus when I hear it.

Aimless Suppositions on a thursday

A short list of things that grabbed my Attention this week and brief commentary to go with them


1. these people pictured hanging off of a 318 meter waterfall are insane. Apparently this is in Zimbabwe and it is all the new rage to brave the "devils pool" and experience the rush of swimming as close to the edge as possible without falling off. umm........... no thanks-go to youtube and search "devils pool"


2. I found this picture of a college girl playing softball browsing thru a sports page. Remind me never to make fun of girl softball players and also to scratch my name off of the coed church league list. If I had to bat with this young lady pitching, I would fake a leg injury and hobble back to the bench crying.

3. I found this disturbing article about a high school (even though they call it college, they are 11th graders) in Australia where they have a "girls club" that ranks them in "hotness" from 1-21 based on looks, body and popularity with boys. The "club 21" motto is "ugly girls need not apply" Apparently they are encouraged on weekends to see how much they can drink and how many guys they can hook up. This is how you climb up in the rankings. I was just at a youth pastors meeting and found out that a high school in the area right now has 50 pregnant students and 20 have already given birth this year. We need a Jesus encounter in our generation!