Phoebe and the Security Blanket

Phoebe is our 64 lb. doberman...

Phoebe is our 64 lb. Doberman. It came as a shock to some when we got her, probably because our two previous dogs were miniature dachshunds. When I'm asked why we got such a big dog my reply is, "I wanted a dog that wasn't allergic to truck tires like dachshunds seem to be". For all her perceived viciousness, Phoebe is actually one of the most "loving" dogs I've had. She is always wanting to be right up under one of us. It's a regular thing for the kids to spread out a blanket  on the couch so she can sit with them, for Beth to holler at the dog to "quit standing on me" while she sits in the recliner, or for me to gripe about having no where to put my feet because the dog is curled up at the foot of my chair. There are constant wet-nosed hand nudges, push you off your feet leg leanings, and sad-eyed food beggings at our house. But her favorite place to be is in our bed. This silly dog rolls over on her back in between us with her feet up in the air like a dead bug and proceeds to fall asleep. The term "goofy dog" comes out of my mouth quite often.

Forsaken Son

Easter is nearly here. On Sunday morning, my family will wake up, get dressed, and join with countless others around the world to celebrate Christ's resurrection from the dead. We will sing praises to God that are filled with barely containable joy. We will listen, with enraptured hearts, to a sermon proclaiming the wonders God has done for us through Christ Jesus. But now, in this week leading up to Easter, we remember the awful things that lead up to our Easter joy. As we read the events found in the Gospels, we come face to face with pain, suffering, grief, and unimaginable love.

The Kiss You Give

...the tenderness of a parents heart...

Oh, a kiss! Such variety of meaning can be found in this little gesture. For little ones it is the tenderness of a parents heart; of them finding joy and wonder in their child. As they learn to crawl, walk, and become their own person, it's a wet smack during play time or comes accompanied by a mispronounced "I love you'. In school, a kiss becomes a thing to be wiped off, a "your beard tickles" moment, or the way you get cooties. It conveys safety and security to the sick child, comfort for the wounded knees and scraped palms, and makes monsters shrivel under beds during the wee hours of the night.

Grass Mowing Goats

...I hate mowing my grass...

I hate mowing grass. Let me rephrase; I hate mowing my grass. A good part of our yard is low, so water collects from our yard and from our neighbors' yard. This means it takes twice as long for it to be dry enough for me to not leave holes and ruts when I mow. All the excess water feeds gigantic clumps of crab grass, not to mention a variety of weeds, that grow twice as fast as the centipede grass that is in the rest of  the yard. On top of that, if my grass gets too tall, I run the risk of receiving a fine from the city. So, if it rains on a consistent basis, I find myself in ankle deep marsh sludge using my weed eater to knock the tops off the mutant grass and weeds that infest my yard. There are many days that I have wished I owned some goats to make the whole thing easier.

Juggling Honey

...a "quick " grocery trip...

My wife frequently takes me grocery shopping with her. Now, I love hanging out with my wife, but grocery shopping ranks pretty low on my list of things I want to do. Still, I get to spend time with my wife so I go and try to find ways to amuse myself (as everyone on my social media pages can attest to). The holidays are usually more fun because there is always an embarrassing hat I can wear around the store, or a holiday themed item I can make fun of. I am often amazed at some of the products that companies think people want to buy. I can almost hear them desperately working in some stuffy, windowless room during a week long planning session that has yielded no results.
                "Everybody loves Little Female Explorer Cookies, right?"
                "They sure do!"
                "And people love flavored milk, right?"
                "I like where this is going!"
                "Let's make Mint Cookie flavored milk!"
                "That's an awesome idea!"
And then room erupts into spastic high-fives and weird group hugs. This is how I amuse myself at that big chain store that I won't name for trademark reasons.