PAPA SMURF

It started with phone booths in foreign countries. When I saw one, I wanted a picture as if I were calling someone from that country.

I advanced to colleges. I'd stand in front of a library or some building designating a specific university and act as if I were on some kind of special teaching assignment there. It wasn't always in a foreign country, because I remember several pictures taken of me at Harvard.

After I tired of those pictures, I moved on to characters. I had a field day in Zurich last summer when the city celebrated teddy bears. They had all kinds spread out on some of the main streets: Care Bear, Mont Blanc Bear, California Surfing Bear, Builder Bear, Spiderman Bear, Spikey Bear, and a host of others. Even some were in cases for protection. I guess they were Valuable Bears.

I found Papa Smurf in Vienna. I knew it was a photo op. Why? No idea. But I had my picture taken with him. I'm the one on the right.

I think I'm done with characters, now. Gone also are phone booths and colleges. Once I've moved on, I've moved on. It must have something to do with validation, but I'm not sure why or what I'm validating.

THE ROPE

Gosh, I hated the rope.

Chin ups were bad enough. Especially when you couldn't turn your wrists over. Then chin ups became pull ups.

But the rope.

In ancient p.e. classes, some even called phys ed, possibly an abbreviation for phizzed (out) ed, the rope was in vogue. At least once a semester, when teachers forced their throng to climb as high as they could. Some could go all the way up to the rafters, some half way, some half of half way. Then there were us. We couldn't do squat with the rope.

I wasn't a great tree climber, but I could climb as long as shimmy wasn't required. Maybe that's part of my problem with the rope. My legs were worthless when they had to wrap or grasp. Without legs, I was having to pull my weight up and that wasn't happening.

I never gave up. Every semester or so, I'd try my hardest, like suddenly it would sink in. But every semester, I'd jump up, grab the rope, and not move an inch.

It's probably just as well. Had I been able to go to the top, I'd probably been like the monkey and lorded over the rafters. I would have Tarzaned all they way down. I would have gotten in so much trouble. That's probably all I'd ever want to do.

"What did you do Saturday night?"

"Oh, the usual. I climbed the rope. There are some great views up there, you know."

Not to worry. There's not much a view from seven feet off the ground.

THERE WERE 8, NOT 4

Beatitudes, that is. These pictures are from our trip to Israel March 17-27, 2006. The Church of the Beatitudes sits on the western shore of the Sea of Galilee. In the 14th Century, Muslims destroyed a church on this site wanting to obliterate anything Jewish, Christian, or non-Muslim.
In bribery to Muslims, Mussolini of all people bought back the land in 1938 and Barluzzi designed the church octagonally and marked with a cross the spot where the Sermon on the Mount was delivered. The full text may be found in Matt 5:5.

Two fish symbolize the love Jesus spoke of--love your God and love your neighbor. It's all that simple and all that difficult.

How does God use all kinds of people for His purpose? Well, Mr. Mussolini
is a prime example.

A CUB HERO? YOU BET

Thirty years ago this week, Rick Monday of the Chicago Cubs became a hero in LA. Two protesters sneaked on to the field and poured lighter fluid on an American flag. Before they had time to torch it, Rick Monday made the greatest play of his career. He ran from his centerfield positon and snatched up the flag.

The protesters were arrested for trespassing and Rick Monday became a hero. Later that season, the Dodgers presented the flag to Monday who still possesses it. In fact, recently he put it to good use auctioning off pictures of people standing with the flag. The money was donated to a local shelter, in fact a food pantry who had just served their only meal for that day. Until Rick showed up again to save the day.

The Dodgers must have been so impressed with the former number one draft pick out of Arizona State that they traded Bill Buckner, yes that Bill Buckner, for Monday shortly after the season.

Now if Cub fans would just follow the lead of Rick Monday and do something that makes sense, that is right, then maybe good things would follow them. The first thing to stop is throwing opponents' home run balls back onto the playing field.

GIVE THANKS

What a great picture! Although grammatically there should be a comma after you, for direct address. And you don't get too much more direct than when you go to God.

I'm reminded of so many things when I look at a picture like this. One is "The Happy Dancing Song" that Chris sang on The American Idol last week. I think its real title is "What a Wonderful World," but somehow our family called it by a different name. It could have something to do with a Scott Q movie or a lawn art thing at the Mitchell Museum.

Our Bible Study Fellowship teaching leader last night in our study of Joseph from Genesis identified the most difficult concept to grasp from the Bible. Giving thanks. When we are given difficulty and loss, it was at the hand of God. Why? Because hen we realize there was a purpose for it and accept it, we grow. Talk about growing pains! And we are told in other places in scripture that if we accept all the good things God brings our way, then we are to accept the bad. And give thanks. That sure takes a mature Christian.

But where would we be if we couldn't thank God? Where would we be if we didn't have Him to rely on? While it's so difficult to pattern our thoughts after Jacob's touching prayer about his son,"if I am bereaved, I'm bereaved," and not complain, it's comforting to know that God has it all planned out for us. We just have to be strong in the faith.

Thanks, God.