Friday, July 29, 2005

I Like Funny Words... That's What I Like

The title of this post is actually a quote from an SNL skit where Will Farrell is portraying the lead singer of the B-52's. He is explaining how he comes up with the titles of songs like "Rock Lobster." It is one of Farrell's best skits on SNL... and I highly recommend checking it out if you get the chance. Unfortunately, I have not been able to find it anywhere on the internet... but it exists.

Funny words... I think we all have words or sayings that we use with our friends that only we think are funny. For example... today at work, our Admin brought in some snacks for us to graze on during the day. One of the items in the trough is a bowl of pistachio nuts. When I saw them, I instantly called them "pi-stanky-toes." The people around me were slightly taken aback by this rather uncouth name I had just given to the food they were about to eat.

Well... the term "pi-stanky-toes" was coined by my college roommate and I... and it will forever be what I call pistachio nuts (at least in my head... I think I will refrain from blurting it out in public from now on). Unfortunately, no one but my old roommate will really appreciate the humor in it. But it did get a few laughs today... so I got that goin' for me... which is nice.

So for those of you reading... share your "funny words" with the rest of us.

Thursday, July 28, 2005

Don't Call it a Comeback

No... seriously, don't call it a comeback. I really didn't go anywhere, and this post will likely not change lives. However, at the request of many (a surprising number, actually), I have decided to break my unofficial blog sabbatical. I am still not certain that I have too much to say that will be of much interest; but as the title of the blog says, take it "for what it's worth."

So I spent this past weekend in "baby mode." I went to visit my family in Louisiana... and my brother and sister-in-law have a four month old baby named Landon. While visiting them, I noticed some things... and God used them to remind me of some important lessons and truths of the Christian life.

Landon is completely helpless. He can't really stand up yet (though he tries when you help him), he can't feed himself, he can't talk, he can't do a whole lot but sit there and just be the cutest baby in the world (at least that is how we all see him).

Now... here is the lesson (and I am sure most of you see where this is going). We are the exact same way with our Heavenly Father (well, without the part about being the cutest baby in the world). We are helpless when it comes to so many aspects of life. And like Landon, we try... oh how we try to be better or to do more for God. But also just like Landon, we can't do any of that unless our Father in Heaven helps us. He lifts us up by our arms and lets us get our feet on the ground. He is still holding us up, but He is letting us exercise our spritual legs. He starts the whole thing... because without His help, we just sit there (some looking cuter than others).

But one way that we differ from Landon is that, in some respects, we try too much... when Landon needs food, he doesn't try to find his way to his mother by pushing himself out of the bed and rolling into Brad and Renee's room. No... he simply cries (loudly, I might add). And Brad and Renee' aren't shocked by his cries... they know it has been three hours since he last ate, so they go and tend to his needs. It is such the same way with our Heavenly Father. He knows our needs... and when He doesn't meet them right away, it isn't because He forgot.

But the best lesson from all of this is that I saw and experienced the fact that Brad, Renee', my parents, my grandmother, and I (all of whom are flawed by the fall of man) want to give the best to Landon. And when I was playing with him and trying to get him to pick up a toy... I didn't get annoyed when he couldn't do it. In fact, I clapped when he finally did do it (even though he still needed a little help). Jesus said that if we who are sinful humans would not give our sons a stone when he asked for bread... how much more will God give what is best to His children. This is a basic truth of faith, but one that is so much richer when you see it first hand.

Sorry this wasn't a comical post... I hope it was encouraging though. I will try to be funny tomorrow. ;-)