Learning from a Little One

For the past week Mrs. Random and I have been in Glasgow, Scotland visiting and prepping for our daughter’s wedding. We’ve been enjoying the earliest and heaviest snow Scotland has experienced in 50 years from a small flat that we are sharing with the bride’s best friend from So. California, along with her husband and … M, their 11 month old daughter.

Having been away from living with babies for a while (a long while), it has been interesting to relearn some of the important life lessons that an almost 1 year old can teach us. I leave it to my readers to apply to themselves:

• Sometimes nothing will make you happy, but … wait for it …
• Sometimes everything makes you smile.
• Cheerios are maybe the best thing ever invented. they almost always make you happy.
• Eating is always exciting … unless there something more interesting in view. Rarely will there be anything more exciting.
• You must train you parents to feed you. Crying helps.
• You really don’t need many toys to be happy.
• However, if you roll the toys under the sofa you will be unhappy.
• Sippy cups might be the best invention ever.
• Empty Sippy cups are a source of great sadness.
• Cheerios are wonderful … like baby bagels.
• Fashion is not all that important. You can easily mess up anything you wear.
• Being cute means you get to be in lots of fun pictures just like a celebrity.
• People can talk about your poop and you laugh!
• If mommy says “no” to something, it is immediately very interesting.
• It is really easy to train old people to make silly faces and noises.
• If you snuggle up to old people they sigh a lot.
• Being cute means that you can pretty much do whatever you want. This works best especially with any non-parental units that are around.
• Naps are really nice. A good nap makes it so much easier to stay awake and fuss at night when your parents want to sleep.
• Big people keep talking about  what day of week it is. They are silly. Every day is snuggle and giggle day. And Cheerio day.
• When you are little, you get to teach your parents a lot about grace.
• Grace is a good thing!
• Did I mention Cheerios?

The Latte That Went to School

A long time ago in a galaxy far away when my children were small and not yet in school, I would often take them on a dad breakfast to McDonalds. We’d talk about stuff like being kind, helping Mom, loving one another, knowing Jesus … then we’d move on the the really important stuff like which Matchbox car was best, or which baby doll was behaving. Sometimes we even made up stories. The kids did most of the telling, and I’d write it down on a napkin. One of them has survived at least 20 years (mostly on the refrigerator door) and the “author” just framed it and gave it to me as a gift. (We had just moved to Seattle and were amazed with the frenzy over expensive coffee).

One day a latte got bored with being a dumb ole’ latte. He decided to go to school! So … he foamed himself to the brim and went of to Margaret Mead Elementary School. Sadly all the children treated him mean – they laughed at him and said “lattes don’t go to school” and the called him “foam head”.

He ignored them but it didn’t work so he foamed them. Finally he realized that he didn’t have a brain so he went to the principal to find out what to do. The principal drank him down – and boy was he happy – he did what he was made to do! So that’s how the latte went to school.

The end.

Not bad for a four-year-old. It even has a great lesson. I wish I had saved more of their stories … maybe we could have written a book.

The Passing of a Friend

Roby Duke was unique. He didn’t fit any of the categories into which I tend to put people. He was a wonderful musician. Also an encourager, an honest critic, a loving and loyal friend to those who knew him. I loved his sense of humor. He had some pretty cool music. He brought out the best in musicians around him. He was one of those guys you would call “real”.

Roby entered heaven this week.

I talked with Roby just days ago. He led our Christmas Eve service and was amazed and pleased at the way God put things together – especially the spontaneous “solo” of a little girl. He was so excited about some good things happening in his life. And, he was, as always, appreciative of folks in the church who had demonstrated Jesus to him.

A former co-worker who is new to blogging, has a great post about Roby who today beholds the Lion of Judah who for our salvation battled and won.

A Cool Insight from a Fun Movie

Kristin blogged a great insight about Christian growth today as she reflected on a favorite movie. Kristin works with Junior High girls at our church. I think they are getting a good deal! Even if I am her dad.

Now Blogging!

My lovely bride has joined the world of blogging with A Patchwork of Thoughts. Check it out. You might enjoy her view … which usually has a bit more heart.

A Friend on an Adventure

Tami Dale is a friend, and co-worker. Right now she is on a leave of absence serving Jesus in Kenya. You might find it interesting to see what God is teaching her about thankfulness, prayer, and even mosquitos.

Chaos of the Cognitive

Chaos of the Cognitive is a surprise. I didn't know it existed until I found a link on another blog. This writer is creative, enjoyable, authentic, encouraging, and related to me!

There are some great insights here from a very wonderful young woman. She has another blog as well that demonstrates even more of her creative side. All this from someone who keeps pretty active and busy. As her profile says: "I am quite the busy girl–between working at Starbucks, attending school at Imago Dei Institute for a Biblical Studies degree, working with the Junior High girls at my church, and holding on to some remnent of a social life. I still dream of someday being a rock star or nascar driver though :)."

I'm kinda hoping the Nascar stuff doesn't come through … but this sweetheart is making a difference in lives already. A lot like her friend and mentor (and my fellow-servant on staff at Crossroads Bible Church) Tami.

Playing With Children

jenny jack aka, my oldest daughter, has a wonderful insight into both children and adults. I'm pretty sure that she gets her ability to make these connections from her mom and the Holy Spirit. I just get to enjoy the result.

something to think about…

I'm not the writer Tim is, but I thought I'd like to share something that I read that encouraged me. God is working on helping me learn to trust in His love for me, not just intellectually, but from my heart. To understand that I am Linda Jack, a woman Jesus loves.

Rick McKinley in his book "Jesus in the Margins says"
… we need to believe that God's love for us is truer than the lies that our pain taught us.

Of course this means we have to face the pain and deal honestly with it, which is not something enjoyable, but necessary in learing to trust completly in His love.