Matthew and I are doing a lot of praying right now. Really, that in itself is nothing new... but lately, are pleas have been shorter, more urgent, and punctuated with several more soulful sighs. We have two possible futures at present: a) continue with current job and live securely b) uproot in order to dabble in further education and flirt with poverty. Hmmm.....I know it looks like it should be an easy choice.
The other day we sat down heavily to our chicken dinner, bowed our heads, and remained silent. Our toddler slapped her palms together and eyed me impatiently. Finally, I simply said, "God, help us. And thank you for our food." We remained quiet, heads bowed, perhaps each of us continuing with our private petitions. Lila noticed that something was missing from my succinct plea. She tipped her folded hands forward and solemnly ended our prayer with the word"Elmo."
"Elmo?" we asked, laughing. "Do you mean 'amen'?"
"Doh," she replied, which means 'yes' in Lila-language.
We got a good chuckle out of her attempt at prayer. I imagine God did too.
Friday, May 21, 2010
Friday, May 14, 2010
All Things Nasty
My daughter loves all things nasty. Let me clarify that--my one year old is attracted to all
things scum-covered, germ-infested, moldy or otherwise stinky. Not that my house is filthy--it's actually rather clean about 95 percent of the time. But somehow--she finds it. This morning I decorated her nursery floor with a myriad of toys. Blocks, butterflies, rocking giraffe, books galore, .....if it's been created, somebody has graciously given it to my adored child. Feeling that I had provided her with sufficient entertainment, I left to cleanse both face and teeth in record time. She was quietly playing when I returned--quietly playing with the balled-up sopping diaper in the pail. It doesn't stop there. Toilet seats are apparently objects of sensory delight. Her pacifier is most delectable when its been dropped numerous times on the floor. If she truly loves a toy....like her fuzzy snow leopard..... she dips it in the dog's water while I'm cooking and sucks the droplets off while I rush over to rescue her from herself.
Well, I got to thinking--as I threw Snow Kitty into the wash for the third time this month---that humankind as a whole isn't much different. How many times have you seen something disgusting or totally morally deplorable and been surprised to find out that it's a favorite with the crew at work? Or...like me. ...find yourself stuck to the tabloids in the store line like a fly on tape. Sure, it's all rampant lies that are possibly damaging super-star lives---but can you believe that they really did that? I mean, maybe they did and that's why their famous rich marriage is breaking up. But I digress--I think we've been attracted to the wrong thing since Creation. In time, my daughter will understand when I shriek, "don't touch that dog doo!" and will listen and obey. What about when she's fifteen? When I tell her that a certain song is nasty, will she listen and turn the station?
things scum-covered, germ-infested, moldy or otherwise stinky. Not that my house is filthy--it's actually rather clean about 95 percent of the time. But somehow--she finds it. This morning I decorated her nursery floor with a myriad of toys. Blocks, butterflies, rocking giraffe, books galore, .....if it's been created, somebody has graciously given it to my adored child. Feeling that I had provided her with sufficient entertainment, I left to cleanse both face and teeth in record time. She was quietly playing when I returned--quietly playing with the balled-up sopping diaper in the pail. It doesn't stop there. Toilet seats are apparently objects of sensory delight. Her pacifier is most delectable when its been dropped numerous times on the floor. If she truly loves a toy....like her fuzzy snow leopard..... she dips it in the dog's water while I'm cooking and sucks the droplets off while I rush over to rescue her from herself.
Well, I got to thinking--as I threw Snow Kitty into the wash for the third time this month---that humankind as a whole isn't much different. How many times have you seen something disgusting or totally morally deplorable and been surprised to find out that it's a favorite with the crew at work? Or...like me. ...find yourself stuck to the tabloids in the store line like a fly on tape. Sure, it's all rampant lies that are possibly damaging super-star lives---but can you believe that they really did that? I mean, maybe they did and that's why their famous rich marriage is breaking up. But I digress--I think we've been attracted to the wrong thing since Creation. In time, my daughter will understand when I shriek, "don't touch that dog doo!" and will listen and obey. What about when she's fifteen? When I tell her that a certain song is nasty, will she listen and turn the station?
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