Top ten in 2010: #9

I'm thankful for replaceable things that remind us of the things that aren't.

Top 10 in 2010: #10

Dreaming of a white...Black Friday!

Little E. staring at the winter wonderland!

The day after Thanksgiving we all woke up to a thin crust of sleet covering...well, just about everything.  Less than impressive.  Unless you're little E. that is.  Shortly after waking up we heard shouts of joy coming from the living room, "It's Christmas...everybody look: snow!  It's Christmas!" 

We spent our Black Friday in our jammies, put up our Christmas Tree, made some sugar cookies, paper chains and read news stories of all the Black Friday injuries.

Hope you had a SAFE and happy Black Friday!

The last lonely cluster of scallions left in our garden.

Top ten in 2010: #10

It's chilly and gray.  I sometimes want to be grumpy about that, but today I'll think about other things.  In fact, to get me through the darkening days of winter, here begins my top ten things of 2010--in no particular order:

Moments of Reflection

Little E and I spent a wonderful afternoon riding with Mommy around the farm on Grandpa's "jitney."  We paused along the way to toss rocks into the water and to watch the sticks and leaves float under the bridge!  Mommy photographed us along the way.  

I used to have somewhat of a tough time taking a moment to relax.  I felt like I had to always be doing something.  I'm thankful to have these liberating moments, and to have a wife who has taught me that pausing for a moment of fun is "doing something."

Comic of the week...tub for two!

Photos: what a difference a moment makes!

Our boys playing on the slide. . . aren't they cute. . .

. . . moment's later. . .

Sex God . . . In Review


Sex God
Exploring the Endless Connections between Sexuality and Spirituality
by Rob Bell


Must Read: This was such a fantastic book.  I picked it up because I was intrigued by the title.  I turned to the table of contents which produced more questions and still more intrigue.


Introduction: This Is Really About That
One: God Wears Lipstick. . .


. . . Eight: Johnny and June
Nine: Whoopee Forever
Epilogue: More Balloons, Please


See what I mean?  I could tell within a few pages that this would be a paradigm shifting book, and indeed it was.


Rob Bell starts out by introducing the concept of symbolism in our lives.  Material objects that mean more to us than what they are in and of themselves.  They draw their significance from the relationship that they have to something else that has significance to us: the person who made, gave, or used them before us, for example.  Then he begins to talk about us.  Our biology.  Our instincts.  He adds layer upon layer of symbolism until all of a sudden, we're talking about spirituality. . . and it makes sense!


The transition is elegant.  I didn't even realize when it happened, but by the end of the less than two hundred pages, the conversation had shifted.  In the last few chapters, it's a seamless fusion of humanity, biology, relational connection, and spirituality.  He has superimposed the human marriage onto the spiritual connection between man and creator.  The symbolism has never been clearer for me.


Rob Bell has a great writing style! It is unique: a string of vignettes, each building slightly on the last. He handles a delicate subject with skillful sensitivity. He leads the reader down a logical path to support his complex connections in such a fun way that you don't have to feel the weight of the subject matter.  You get to concentrate on the journey.  His thoughts are perfectly articulated and the subject matter is totally relevant. 


Oh, and the epilogue is the icing on the cake!

See all Must Read books I've reviewed

*I borrowed this book from a friend.  I did not receive any compensation whatsoever for reading or reviewing it.

The Perfect Gift--20 questions

One of the things that has been the most helpful in choosing the right gift for Mrs. O. is asking the right questions.  I mentioned in a recent post that it helps me when I don't limit the questions to, "Do you want a blank for Christmas?"  It's much more helpful to ask, "What kind of gift makes you feel treasured, cherished and pursued?"  Think of it like the game Twenty Questions: if you ask the first question and the answer is 'no' then you have only dealt with one gift and you haven't gained any good ideas.  If you ask the second question, it doesn't matter what the answer is.  You'll likely end up with at least a couple of springboard ideas.


I also asked Mrs. O. about the types of gifts she likes for different holidays.  It turns out she likes the gift to match the occasion to some extent.  For example: Birthday--gifts that reflect her love of music, Mother's Day--items that the kids have created or that involve the kids in their use, Anniversary--events enjoyed as a couple, sans kids, and help us remember what it is like to be friends.  Some of them are items, but sometimes an event is fun, too.  If it's an event, she likes me to take care of all the details: reservations, childcare, transportation, parking, etc. 


Every question takes some of the mystery out of buying the perfect gift, and she always appreciates that I'm asking!