May Day

My friend (and pastor) Cliff Marshall posted on his blog the other day about the things he got from his Dad. One of the things was his big smile, so big it makes his eyes squint. It got me thinking about the things I have inherited (for a better word) from my parents. I left a comment over there and thought I would post them here too.

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Thanks for sharing Cliff and Jeanne, you had me laughing and smiling too.

Let's see...

>the LOVE of ice cream (Dad and Mom)

>Bull-headedness to the extreme (Dad)

>the gift of conversation (Mom)

>Faith in the power of Jesus (Mom and Dad in that order)

>Orange blood...Go Tigers (Dad)

I left out most of the ones I am trying to overcome or compensate for most days. I hope I am passing the right ones on to Miles and Dylan. Next month is 1 year since my Dad passed, it's still amazing how often I dream about him. Sometimes good and sometimes painful but it is always so real. I often tell them that I hate they got to know him as a weak, sick old man. I was once so scared of him, physically and emotionally. I hope to continue to teach them the good things he showed me and tell the stories about how much he accomplished and what he did that was good. Thanks for sharing!<<<<<

I finished the great book by Anne Rice, The Road to Cana. Wow! When is the next one coming out? I think it will be great to read all 3 together as 1 volume when she is done. The section of Jesus' temptation by Satan in the desert is unlike any you will read elsewhere. I had to check it out twice because it was on a 14 day loan and I had way too much going on in April. But, a 14 day loan is a good thing, it means other folks want it too and it's in high demand. I highly recommend these 2 books for Christians and non-believers. It's fiction (maybe) and it does require you to suspend some of the things you have set in your mind about Jesus: the missing years (to steal an album title from John Prine).

This weekend, Keller and I start doggy school (every Saturday). He's doing good with the home training but we want a little more refining. Today is also the day we celebrate Shadow's birthday. We have been his staff...I mean we have enjoyed Shadow in our LIFE for 4 years now. He was such a little ball of black fur back then. He would follow you around the house and talk to you, which he still does but it's usually to get us to do something for him these days.

Shadow definitely used one of his nine lives this week when he decided to take on Keller head on. Tricia and Dylan were in the backyard practicing baseball with Dylan's new bat. Miles and I were at karate. Tricia said Shadow jumped down off the fence and then pounced on Keller and set his claws and teeth into Keller's side. Well, that's all Keller needed for a reason to wrestle. Tricia and Dylan report they went at it with hisses, barks, snarls, moans, and roars for a least 2 minutes until Shadow had decided it was not the best move he had made recently and took off for a tree. He was still in the tree two hours later. Yesterday he barely moved out of the chair. I did comb out all the mud that dried on his back. I think (hope) he learned his lesson that Keller may be young but he is very strong and always ready to wrestle. Life just wouldn't be the same without them!

See ya!