In Need of an Inspirational Pick Me Up?

If you are feeling at all blah in any way, shape or form, take the time to go to YouTube and look up Susan Boyle's performance from "Britain's Got Talent". I saw mention of this story on the Today Show this morning but missed it and so I thought that I'd take the time to look it up this morning and was it worth it!

Susan Boyle is a 47 year-old woman who looks nothing like a talented singer or entertainer. Such a preface is sometimes the more unfortunate part of Reality TV's success, but sometimes, just sometimes such an introduction leads into a surprising WOW that is inspirationally motivating. As Miss Boyle walked onto stage both the audience and the three very cynical judges judged her in a mocking way, as if to imply anyone who looked such a way and acted in such a cheeky manner could not possibly be anything. And through it all Susan Boyle remained ready to turn their cynicism on its ear and that is exactly what she did by singing "I Dream a Dream" from "Les Miserable" and it was amazing.

One of the most inspiring things about the 7 minute 30 second video is to watch the complete change on the looks of the judges faces and to see the audience go from mocking laughter to standing on their feet cheering and clapping as Susan Boyle belts out one powerful song of hope and dreams. So if you need a pick me up, please, please, take the time to check out YouTube and Susan Boyle, you won't be disappointed.

Waiting

Do you feel it? Can you sense the anticipation? No, I'm not talking about the Twin Falls High School Prom that will happen this evening, but something much more important. And, oh by the way, can you believe that Twin Falls is hosting a Prom on the night between the Crucifixion and the Resurrection? I mean, for a community that is quick to claim "community values" having Prom on Holy Saturday doesn't seem all that "Christian". But then again, most Christians don't recognize this Saturday as being any more Holy than any other Saturday, do they? But I digress.

This day, on the Christian calendar marks the day in which Jesus' body laid in the tomb; a day of solemnity and remembering both the depth of God's love along with Jesus' dedication of going to the cross and the power of God raising Jesus from death to new life. It is a day of anticipating the joy we proclaim on Easter morning.

Then again, many of you have had many different tasks to accomplish today. From getting ready for Easter dinner with the family, to going to Easter Egg Hunts, to paying bills, to finishing your taxes, to grocery shopping, to finding a moment to rest between all that you have to do this may seem like just another Saturday. But then again it is not for those who call on the name of Jesus as Lord and Savior.

So as we wait the setting sun of Saturday and the rising sun of resurrection that greets us on Easter morning may we all take a few moments or more to pause and ponder the power of this Holy Saturday that is may sacred if not for what we do if for who we remember this day.

Mr. Mom Chronicles 5

A day of rest and redemption is what I am hoping for today.

On the "rest" front, in just over a half an hour I hope to have Eric safely on the bus and headed for a morning of Kindergarten while I look to drink coffee, read some Brian McLaren and possibly doze off while doing so.

On the "redemption" front, I went a little overboard last night with Eric. You see, he has been a good phone conversationalist for some time and knows how to chat it up with grandparents or whichever parent happens to be out of town. So it came as a surprise last night when I handed the phone to Eric to talk to mommy and within sixty seconds he handed it back to me not once, but twice which caused me to probably look like some sort of monster in his eyes yelling WHY!!!! The second time his eyes watered up, and I could see his little body tremble and all of a sudden the bigger person in the room was not the six foot three two hundred plus person supposedly called "Dad".

Now I'm sure I could justify things by saying that I was up most of the previous night with a wracking cough and that we had just finished another very successful four hours of LOGOS and that I just didn't want to deal with anything else. But then again, he is my son and he was tired too and missing mommy and there is no way that he did it intentionally. And this morning when I apologized again, he said, "I think my ear was turning the phone off". Again, the bigger person in the room was just over three feet tall.

So this afternoon I hope to work on a little redemption with my son by helping Eric with his homework and then venturing into Lego Star Wars and Mario Kart and trying our hands at some Wii Sports.

Thanks to all of my friends, family and church-family who are concerned and prayerful that my persistent cough subsides and that I regain the patience to be a good dad over the next four days. I so appreciate all of your kind words and offers of help, all of which not only make me want to be a better dad, but a better pastor and person.