A friend posted this site called www.improveverywhere.com on a blog and I was curious so I go to check it out.  Basically it is this guy and some friends that do these random "missions" to cause a scene somewhere.  Some of them are pretty funny.  In one, a bunch of people get on a Subway with no pants on, and then have a friend come in later and sell them some of their pants for $1, acting like they don't know each other.  The reactions they get are interesting too, as some people think it is hilarious and others get kind of mad about it.

 

It makes me wonder if I would do some of these crazy things, and if not, what would hold me back.  I was reading in an awesome book about being single (So You're Single - 2003 annotated version - one printing only)  and the author makes a statement that to be self-conscious is the ultimate sin.  I don't think that there is such thing as an "ultimate" sin, since they are all the same in God's eyes, but thinking about whether self-consciousness is a sin or not was an interesting thought.  I had never thought of it that way.  I don't know that I agree, but I can agree that when we are self conscious, to an extent we are ashamed of who we are, which is how God made us.  I think sometimes we put way too much emphasis on humility, without really looking at what humility is about.  I can remember thinking that to be humble, I had to talk about myself like I was nothing.  I heard a guy say once that true humility is the balance between not thinking too highly of ourselves and not thinking too lowly of ourselves either.  So much of life is about balance.

 

Question of the day - Should I switch over to blogger.com or stay with msnspaces?

 

PS - Vis, I pastor Duchess, not Rosemary.  But I am flattered to be mentioned in the links.

Upon review of my current blogging situation, I see that very few comments are ever left on my page.  This leads me to a few possible conclusions.  1) - No one ever reads my blog.  2) - I am not interesting enough to warrant a comment. or 3) - People are afraid to comment for fear of being eaten by wild rodents.

 

My blog stats counter tells me that at least one or two people do actually visit this page.  Perhaps they only look at the photos.  If that is the case I shall have to move them to the side or something.

 

It is likely that I am not interesting enough to warrant feedback.  Perhaps I should end with open ended questions or some sort of poll.

 

As far as the third possible conclusion; come on people.  There are no such thing as rodents of unusual size.  I don't think they exist.  And if you live in Alberta, then you know that we are a rat-free province.  Wild mice may still nibble at your toes.  To solve this problem, I shall put a picture of a cat at the end of this post.

 

This has been a most productive session.

 

Does anyone care about anything I said?

I remember being in a class in college and a prof telling the story of a student that had approached him and said they didn't think they would have children because they were scared to bring a child into a terrible world like this one.  Part of me can identify with that.  The whole "kids these days..." argument and moral decay of society and so on, plus the environmental issues.  But upon further reflection, it seems that every generation has thought that the next batch of kids was so much worse than the previous one.  So we are in the same boat as most of our family tree.

 

Now that I am closing in on 2 years of marriage, the hints regarding children come with increasing frequency.  But I don't feel ready to be a parent.  It is scary to be completely responsible for a child, knowing that every move I make could (and mostly likely will) have some impact on them.  Even my best intentions could scar a child and cause irreversible damage.  How do you live with that kind of pressure?  Not to mention the financial strain of starting a family.  Not only do your costs increase, but you lose an income as well.  Perhaps it's best to wait until I am 45 and in better financial standing.

 

On the other hand, I don't want to be an old dad.  I suppose that has more to do with attitude than age.  So long as I am not as old as other children's grandparents.  And there are health benefits to having children earlier, from the female side of things.  The older you get, the harder it is for the gears that need to allow a volleyball to squeeze through a tennis ball container.

 

I am also not relishing the thought of getting up at all hours of the night and being exhausted all the time.  I don't function well without sleep.  Thinking of all these things sure makes me appreciate the job of a parent.  It is easy to take the sacrifice for granted.  I guess in the end, the important decision for a parent is to release their child into God's hands.  I read somewhere that mothers are preparing to do that from the moment of conception.  Failure to do so usually has negative consequences, like undue stress and anxiety for the parent, and kids that squirm to be let go like they need.  Ultimately it becomes an issue of trust.  Can I trust that God will take care of my kids?  Can I trust that God will provide for our needs?  Can I trust that God will use my flawed attempts and communicate His love to my children?  I hope so.

Marriage.  Marriage is what brings us together... today.

 

That is what my wife and I had written on the front of our wedding program.  Anyone that had seen the Princess Bride immediately broke into "Mawwage.."  I think the other half of the people were a little confused when they kept hearing all these people speaking with speech impediments.

 

My brother Corey is getting married this weekend out in BC, so we will make the trek out.  It will be my first time in a wedding party, except for that time I was in my own.  I look forward to it.

 

Weddings are an interesting reflection of people.  Is it a serious day?  Is it a celebration?  I think my wife and I tried to make it both.  The ceremony was a sober covenant making before God and all the people that care about us, and the reception was the celebration.  Good times had by all.  It has been a fun ride since.  People say that your first year is the hardest, but it has been swell.  Maybe that means the next year will be the hardest.  Who knows.  I think mostly it has to do with your attitude.  And partly how well you know someone when you marry.  I would recommend marrying your best friend, as a heallthy marriage has a lot more to do with friendship than with romance (I think).  You hear stories about some people that get married and find out that they didn't really know their spouse very well.  That doesn't mean things can't work, but it would be a little harder.  Anyhow, if your spouse isn't your best friend, do it!  It makes life a lot more fun.