Yesterday was a good day.
Kiddo and I got to spend the day together, since his daycare provider took the day off and Sweetie had to work. So, we had Guys' Day Out.
It rocked.
We took our time getting ready in the morning--by 9:00 we were ready to go. First stop was Jiffy Lube...the minivan was due for its first oil change. Kiddo thought it was really cool that there was a big hole in the floor and a guy standing up underneath our van--he watched the whole thing through a window in the waiting room.
Next stop was at the Lutheran Student Center, so we could drop off an RSVP for their Partner Appreciation Sunday luncheon and say hi to the folks there. Kiddo had told me he was thirsty on the way, and I knew we'd be able to get him some water too. Really cool "church professional dad" moment: the office manager asked Kiddo what he was doing that day, and just out of the blue he replied, "when I was a little baby, I was baptized." It had nothing to do with her question, but wow.
Next we drove downtown and I found a parking meter with 20 minutes left on it. We got out and just walked around for a while, looking at the big buildings, the sidewalk sculptures, all the cars driving by, etc. From there it was a short drive up to Memorial Stadium. We found a parallel parking spot right across from the stadium with 30 minutes left on the meter, and walked to the northwest corner of the stadium, where the players take the field. Even from outside, you can still see part of the field. Kiddo was amazed that he was looking at where the Huskers played football on TV. He asked if he could see more, so we strolled over to the new Tom Osborne Athletic Complex. THe guy working security said we were welcome to look around in the lobby as well as a separate room off to the left that led to the new (and HUGE) weight room. So we checked it out, and Kiddo spent about 5 minutes watching a few football players "exercising" (as he called it) in the weight room.
After returning to the car, we returned a video to Blockbuster, went to the bank, and picked up some milk at the grocery store. On our way home to drop off the milk, Donna Lewis's song I Love You, Always, Forever was on the radio. Here's a transcript of our conversation:
Kiddo: What's the name of this song?
Me: I Love You, Always, Forever.
Kiddo: That's what Jesus says!
Me: (heart bursting) Who does he say that to?
Kiddo: Everybody!
LH's Heart: ka-BLAMMMMM!!!!
Well, after that, he had me wrapped around his little finger (as if he didn't before!). My plan had been to drop the milk off, grab a quick lunch at home, then go to Kiddo's haircut appointment at 1:00, but from looking at the clock, we were running a bit short on time. SO...I told him if he was a REALLY good boy getting his haircut that just MAYBE we could go to McDonald's afterwards for lunch for a hamburger and some friench fries (which was very works-righteousness of me, but was an example of Luther's lesser known Fourth Use of the Law for Three Year-Olds). His response?
Kiddo: I don't like hamburgers very much...but I'll have some chicken nuggets!
Me: Sure!
Kiddo: And can I have chocolate milk too?
So we got his haircut, and went to McDonalds. It was cool just hanging out at the restaurant, talking about important things like balloons and dinosaurs and the melting snow. He fell asleep in the car on our way home and slept for an additional 45 minutes after we got back, but after waking up from his nap wanted to go back outside. It was simply gorgeous out today--got up into the 50's, so he and I took a long walk together, and we were able to get out his windbreaker for the first time since fall. It's red and has a hood on it--he pulled up his hood, looked in the mirror, and said, "I look like Little Red Riding Hood, Daddy!" I snorted so hard at that I had to grab a tissue.
We went on a long walk together, each had a big cup of water when we came back inside, and worked together to clean up the house before Sweetie got home.
Yes, yesterday was a good day. Nothing momentous, other than a dad and his son getting to spend the day together, doing stuff, talking and having fun.
On second thought, maybe it was momentous.
LH
Saturday, March 10, 2007
Friday, March 09, 2007
Friday Five
RevGalBlogPals Friday Five: Matters of Taste
My mother loved figs.
I only like them in a Newton.
It's all a matter of taste.
Name five things you like a lot that some close relative or significant other did/does not like. This could be food, movies, hobbies, music, sports or whatever springs to mind.
1) Moxie. It's a soft drink that I l-o-v-e!!!! I love it. Love love love it. HOWEVER, Sweetie and my good friend RevScott share the opinion that it tastes like Robitussin. I did a blog post not too long ago about Moxie--you can read it here.
2) Well, since RevScott mentioned The Statler Brothers (who he loves but I can't stand) I've gotta mention The Carpenters (who I love but he can't stand). Sweetie's with me on this one, both concerning the Carpenters AND the Statler Brothers. Personally, I think most people are closet Carpenters fans, whether they admit it or not...kinda like that scene in Tommy Boy where a Carpenters song came on the radio...trying to act all cool, Chris Farley said, "you can change the station if you want," and David Spade said "that's okay, YOU change it..." then next thing you know they're roaring down the highway together, crying and singing "don't you remember ya told me ya loved me babeeeeeee....ya said you'd be comin' back this way again maybeeeeeee....baby baby baby baby oh baby.....I love you....I really do...."
3) Prairie Home Companion. Love it. Love Garrison Keillor. Love the sketches, the music, the greetings to folks back home from people in the audience, Lake Wobegon, you name it. Of course it helps that just about every Saturday evening from 1981 until 1992 (when I left home for college) my family would have PHC on the radio as we ate supper. Sweetie? Thinks it's both hokey and boring.
4) I love to read, though I don't read as often as I ought or would like. My parents told me growing up that when I was sent to my room for being naughty, they had to specifically tell me "no reading!" as part of my punishment. Otherwise I'd be happy to stay in my room for hours. They couldn't believe that they were actually telling their child not to read, but there you go. Sweetie's not a fan of the whole reading bit.
5) I LOVE keeping score when I go to baseball games. It just ain't a real game if I don't have a scorecard and pencil (preferably a mechanical one). Sweetie wonders why I just can't watch the games. I'm looking forward someday to teaching Kiddo the fine art of keeping score, which was passed down to me from my own dad.
LH
My mother loved figs.
I only like them in a Newton.
It's all a matter of taste.
Name five things you like a lot that some close relative or significant other did/does not like. This could be food, movies, hobbies, music, sports or whatever springs to mind.
1) Moxie. It's a soft drink that I l-o-v-e!!!! I love it. Love love love it. HOWEVER, Sweetie and my good friend RevScott share the opinion that it tastes like Robitussin. I did a blog post not too long ago about Moxie--you can read it here.
2) Well, since RevScott mentioned The Statler Brothers (who he loves but I can't stand) I've gotta mention The Carpenters (who I love but he can't stand). Sweetie's with me on this one, both concerning the Carpenters AND the Statler Brothers. Personally, I think most people are closet Carpenters fans, whether they admit it or not...kinda like that scene in Tommy Boy where a Carpenters song came on the radio...trying to act all cool, Chris Farley said, "you can change the station if you want," and David Spade said "that's okay, YOU change it..." then next thing you know they're roaring down the highway together, crying and singing "don't you remember ya told me ya loved me babeeeeeee....ya said you'd be comin' back this way again maybeeeeeee....baby baby baby baby oh baby.....I love you....I really do...."
3) Prairie Home Companion. Love it. Love Garrison Keillor. Love the sketches, the music, the greetings to folks back home from people in the audience, Lake Wobegon, you name it. Of course it helps that just about every Saturday evening from 1981 until 1992 (when I left home for college) my family would have PHC on the radio as we ate supper. Sweetie? Thinks it's both hokey and boring.
4) I love to read, though I don't read as often as I ought or would like. My parents told me growing up that when I was sent to my room for being naughty, they had to specifically tell me "no reading!" as part of my punishment. Otherwise I'd be happy to stay in my room for hours. They couldn't believe that they were actually telling their child not to read, but there you go. Sweetie's not a fan of the whole reading bit.
5) I LOVE keeping score when I go to baseball games. It just ain't a real game if I don't have a scorecard and pencil (preferably a mechanical one). Sweetie wonders why I just can't watch the games. I'm looking forward someday to teaching Kiddo the fine art of keeping score, which was passed down to me from my own dad.
LH
Thursday, March 08, 2007
Okay, one last American Idol post today...
...I promise, this will be the last one today. Really.
Back to Melinda Doolittle for a moment. I found a clip of her performance of I'm a Woman, W-O-M-A-N from last night. Watch it, and compare/contrast with her performance of My Funny Valentine that I have linked here.
Both are equally brilliant, but in such different ways. The stylistic range she shows is incredible.
If you have a moment, continue watching the I'm a Woman clip after she finishes singing. Pay particular attention to her reactions when the judges praise her. The woman's honestly bewildered by the gobs and gobs of praise being heaped on her. Like I said in my other post, she has no idea how amazing she is.
I love it. I freakin' love it. No matter what happens in the coming weeks on American Idol, Melinda Doolittle is gonna be a star, and it honestly couldn't happen to a more deserving person.
LH
Back to Melinda Doolittle for a moment. I found a clip of her performance of I'm a Woman, W-O-M-A-N from last night. Watch it, and compare/contrast with her performance of My Funny Valentine that I have linked here.
Both are equally brilliant, but in such different ways. The stylistic range she shows is incredible.
If you have a moment, continue watching the I'm a Woman clip after she finishes singing. Pay particular attention to her reactions when the judges praise her. The woman's honestly bewildered by the gobs and gobs of praise being heaped on her. Like I said in my other post, she has no idea how amazing she is.
I love it. I freakin' love it. No matter what happens in the coming weeks on American Idol, Melinda Doolittle is gonna be a star, and it honestly couldn't happen to a more deserving person.
LH
Did I just hear 311?!?!?!?!
On the subject of American Idol (see the post below), Sweetie and I were sitting in the living room, watching the guys sing on Tuesday night. Blake Lewis was up to sing first.
I immediately recognized the song, but was having trouble placing who it was that originally sang it.
Then it dawned on me. We were listening to a 311 song!!!!
When I was in high school, 311 was a local group in Omaha that was well-known in the area. It was a group of kids from, if I remember right, Westside High School who were a couple of years older than me...and they rocked. Unfortunately, the vast majority of their shows were in "over-18 only" venues, and since I was under 18, that meant I only got to see them once. At a place in Omaha (now closed, I think) called the Ranch Bowl.
Yeah, I was under 18 at the time. I'm such a rebel. Pffffft.
But anyway, they got a record deal sometime in the mid-90's and have been pretty big with the high school/college set since. They have kind of a Red Hot Chili Peppers-meets-Jamiroquai sound to them. Funky, not quite reggae but almost sometimes, not quite rap but almost sometimes...sometimes hard rock, sometimes not-so-much...they're hard to really put a label on. It was cool to see one of their songs done on American Idol in a "hometown-kids-make-it-sorta-big" kind of way. I'll try to ignore the fact that not a single one of the judges recognized the song.
I swear, they're so out of touch.
Hadn't they ever been to the Ranch Bowl?
LH
I immediately recognized the song, but was having trouble placing who it was that originally sang it.
Then it dawned on me. We were listening to a 311 song!!!!
When I was in high school, 311 was a local group in Omaha that was well-known in the area. It was a group of kids from, if I remember right, Westside High School who were a couple of years older than me...and they rocked. Unfortunately, the vast majority of their shows were in "over-18 only" venues, and since I was under 18, that meant I only got to see them once. At a place in Omaha (now closed, I think) called the Ranch Bowl.
Yeah, I was under 18 at the time. I'm such a rebel. Pffffft.
But anyway, they got a record deal sometime in the mid-90's and have been pretty big with the high school/college set since. They have kind of a Red Hot Chili Peppers-meets-Jamiroquai sound to them. Funky, not quite reggae but almost sometimes, not quite rap but almost sometimes...sometimes hard rock, sometimes not-so-much...they're hard to really put a label on. It was cool to see one of their songs done on American Idol in a "hometown-kids-make-it-sorta-big" kind of way. I'll try to ignore the fact that not a single one of the judges recognized the song.
I swear, they're so out of touch.
Hadn't they ever been to the Ranch Bowl?
LH
Melinda Doolittle
Ladies and gentlemen...your NEXT American Idol...
.
.
.
.
.
...Melinda Doolittle!
That's right. Please, executives at Fox, 19 Entertainment, Simon Fuller, whoever might have a say in this...just end the American Idol competition now.
In its place, I'd like a weekly 2 hour Melinda Doolittle concert, please.
This girl doesn't just sing. She can SANG!!! (That's "sing" with attitude...say it out loud to get the full effect of the word.) And the way she commands the stage--good lord, she's a lil' bit Tina Turner, a lil' bit Aretha Franklin, and a lil' bit Gladys Knight.
Would it be sacreligious to say I'd rather listen to Melinda Doolittle than any of those three?
Not that there aren't other extremely talented folks in the competition. There's a few, that in other seasons, I'd consider front-runners.
But this just ain't fair. Melinda's in a league of her own.
And the best part about the whole thing? She's so doggoned humble about the whole thing. And it's not fake humility either, you know, the kind where it's obvious the person knows they're amazing but they're saying all the right things to sound nice. She looks honestly surprised whenever the judges praise her after each of her performances. No, Melinda still has no idea what a gift she has.
Or for that matter, what a gift she is.
Seriously, if you have DVR or a VCR, record American Idol. If you're not a fan of the show, feel free to fast-forward through the other contestants' bits. There's 3 or 4 other folks that are definitely worth listening to if you're so inclined, but I understand if you're not. At the very least, find Melinda Doolittle's song and listen. You will not spend a more enjoyable 4 to 5 minutes in the rest of your week.
Here's a clip from last week's show. Melinda's singing My Funny Valentine. Enjoy.
LH
.
.
.
.
.
...Melinda Doolittle!
That's right. Please, executives at Fox, 19 Entertainment, Simon Fuller, whoever might have a say in this...just end the American Idol competition now.
In its place, I'd like a weekly 2 hour Melinda Doolittle concert, please.
This girl doesn't just sing. She can SANG!!! (That's "sing" with attitude...say it out loud to get the full effect of the word.) And the way she commands the stage--good lord, she's a lil' bit Tina Turner, a lil' bit Aretha Franklin, and a lil' bit Gladys Knight.
Would it be sacreligious to say I'd rather listen to Melinda Doolittle than any of those three?
Not that there aren't other extremely talented folks in the competition. There's a few, that in other seasons, I'd consider front-runners.
But this just ain't fair. Melinda's in a league of her own.
And the best part about the whole thing? She's so doggoned humble about the whole thing. And it's not fake humility either, you know, the kind where it's obvious the person knows they're amazing but they're saying all the right things to sound nice. She looks honestly surprised whenever the judges praise her after each of her performances. No, Melinda still has no idea what a gift she has.
Or for that matter, what a gift she is.
Seriously, if you have DVR or a VCR, record American Idol. If you're not a fan of the show, feel free to fast-forward through the other contestants' bits. There's 3 or 4 other folks that are definitely worth listening to if you're so inclined, but I understand if you're not. At the very least, find Melinda Doolittle's song and listen. You will not spend a more enjoyable 4 to 5 minutes in the rest of your week.
Here's a clip from last week's show. Melinda's singing My Funny Valentine. Enjoy.
LH
Tuesday, March 06, 2007
Funeral Stuff
I'll be attending a funeral this afternoon, and it got me to thinking about my own funeral. What I want it to be like, to look like.
Morbid? No, actually, I don't think so.
I don't anticipate having my own funeral for a long, long, time (though of course one never knows), but when the time comes, I want it to be an Easter celebration. I want songs of victory, words of resurrection and life. I want those in attendance to be invited to share in the Lord's Supper. I want some sort of baptismal remembrance.
I want the congregation to sing Jesus Christ Is Risen Today (the one with the Lyra Davidica melody, NOT Llanfair...for some of you, that may sound like babble, but you musicians out there know what I'm talking about...oh, and for the record, I don't care if my funeral's during Lent and the hymn is full of Alleluias...sing it anyway, dammit!!!). And A Mighty Fortress Is Our God. And Thy Strong Word. And Crown Him With Many Crowns. And We Know That Christ Is Raised (the words are here).
With everything I want, it's gonna last for hours. But maybe that's not such a bad thing.
I want a church with a big ol' pipe organ and someone playing it who's not afraid to blow the congregation out of the pews.
I want bulletins with the verse "I am the resurrection and the life."
And I want one hell of a rip-snortin' sermon. One that points to the cross, and the empty Easter tomb, and our baptism into the cross, and the dying to ourselves and new life in Christ. Once, while I was getting ready to be the guest preacher at a certain church that was known for being legalistic, Pastor Larry Meyer gave me some good advice that I'd want the preacher at my funeral to follow as well. He said, "Hit 'em so hard with grace, that they think it's law."
I want scripture that does the same. I want Isaiah 25:6-9 as an Old Testament lesson, I want Romans 6:3-10 as an epistle lesson, I want John 11:21-27 as the Gospel reading. If there's an appropriate time and place, I'd also like Ephesians 2:4-9 and Isaiah 40:3-11.
I don't enjoy death. I grieve when loved ones die, or when I see others grieving their loved ones. But when the cross is the focus of a funeral, there's no more powerful reminder that nothing...nothing...can separate us from the love of God that we have in Christ Jesus.
Hymns of praise then let us sing, Alleluia!
But the pains which he endured, Alleluia!
Sing we to our God above, Alleluia!
Morbid? No, actually, I don't think so.
I don't anticipate having my own funeral for a long, long, time (though of course one never knows), but when the time comes, I want it to be an Easter celebration. I want songs of victory, words of resurrection and life. I want those in attendance to be invited to share in the Lord's Supper. I want some sort of baptismal remembrance.
I want the congregation to sing Jesus Christ Is Risen Today (the one with the Lyra Davidica melody, NOT Llanfair...for some of you, that may sound like babble, but you musicians out there know what I'm talking about...oh, and for the record, I don't care if my funeral's during Lent and the hymn is full of Alleluias...sing it anyway, dammit!!!). And A Mighty Fortress Is Our God. And Thy Strong Word. And Crown Him With Many Crowns. And We Know That Christ Is Raised (the words are here).
With everything I want, it's gonna last for hours. But maybe that's not such a bad thing.
I want a church with a big ol' pipe organ and someone playing it who's not afraid to blow the congregation out of the pews.
I want bulletins with the verse "I am the resurrection and the life."
And I want one hell of a rip-snortin' sermon. One that points to the cross, and the empty Easter tomb, and our baptism into the cross, and the dying to ourselves and new life in Christ. Once, while I was getting ready to be the guest preacher at a certain church that was known for being legalistic, Pastor Larry Meyer gave me some good advice that I'd want the preacher at my funeral to follow as well. He said, "Hit 'em so hard with grace, that they think it's law."
I want scripture that does the same. I want Isaiah 25:6-9 as an Old Testament lesson, I want Romans 6:3-10 as an epistle lesson, I want John 11:21-27 as the Gospel reading. If there's an appropriate time and place, I'd also like Ephesians 2:4-9 and Isaiah 40:3-11.
I don't enjoy death. I grieve when loved ones die, or when I see others grieving their loved ones. But when the cross is the focus of a funeral, there's no more powerful reminder that nothing...nothing...can separate us from the love of God that we have in Christ Jesus.
Jesus Christ is risen today, Alleluia!
Our triumphant holy day, Alleluia!
Who did once upon the cross, Alleluia!
Suffer to redeem our loss. Alleluia!
Hymns of praise then let us sing, Alleluia!
Unto Christ, our heavenly king, Alleluia!
Who endured the cross and grave, Alleluia!
Sinners to redeem and save. Alleluia!
But the pains which he endured, Alleluia!
Our salvation have procured; Alleluia!
Now above the sky he’s king, Alleluia!
Where the angels ever sing. Alleluia!
Sing we to our God above, Alleluia!
Praise eternal as his love; Alleluia!
Praise him, all you heavenly host, Alleluia!
Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. Alleluia!
Amen!
LH
LH
Monday, March 05, 2007
Xterra Sighting
This past August, Sweetie and I traded in our 2001 Nissan Xterra for a more practical Chrysler Town and Country minivan.
I think I saw our old Xterra on my way to work this morning.
It was the right color and the right year, it had a dealer ad on the back for the Chrysler dealership we traded ours in to, and I could tell from looking at the license plate that it had been registered in September.
There weren't any lasting "identifying marks" to let me know for sure that it was the one we used to own, but if it wasn't, it was one heck of a coincidence.
Now, I'm not one to get overly attached to cars. But as much as I do honestly enjoy having our minivan, I felt a twinge of bittersweetness seeing the vehicle that we had discarded. Can't say it was guilt, maybe just a vague collection of memories attached to it.
There was a young woman driving, looked like she was maybe in her early to mid 20's. I thought about pulling up alongside and trying to get her attention to tell her that the SUV she was driving used to be mine.
Yeah, that probably wouldn't have been the best idea. I may be a number of things, but "weird stalker" isn't one of them.
Still, it was cool getting to see the ol' Xterra again.
LH
I think I saw our old Xterra on my way to work this morning.
It was the right color and the right year, it had a dealer ad on the back for the Chrysler dealership we traded ours in to, and I could tell from looking at the license plate that it had been registered in September.
There weren't any lasting "identifying marks" to let me know for sure that it was the one we used to own, but if it wasn't, it was one heck of a coincidence.
Now, I'm not one to get overly attached to cars. But as much as I do honestly enjoy having our minivan, I felt a twinge of bittersweetness seeing the vehicle that we had discarded. Can't say it was guilt, maybe just a vague collection of memories attached to it.
There was a young woman driving, looked like she was maybe in her early to mid 20's. I thought about pulling up alongside and trying to get her attention to tell her that the SUV she was driving used to be mine.
Yeah, that probably wouldn't have been the best idea. I may be a number of things, but "weird stalker" isn't one of them.
Still, it was cool getting to see the ol' Xterra again.
LH
Sunday, March 04, 2007
Oh crap...
Well, it took over three years to happen, but tonight it finally did.
Kiddo pooped in the bathtub. While I was on bath duty, no less.
There we were, making his toy ducks sing Raindrops Keep Falling On My Head when all of a sudden, he looks up at me with panic in his eyes and says "uh oh, Daddy...uh oh!!!"
He and I both looked down at the same time, at the same place, and well...there it was. Just a couple of little pieces.
"No problem," I think, and I pick him up to lift him out of the bathtub, and there in midair he drops the Atomic Poop From Hell. I kid you not, this thing was almost as big as my fist and he let 'er fly from about two feet above the bathtub. And it landed with FORCE. Ever see a someone do a really good cannonball off a diving board? Picture that, only with poop.
Impressive, it was.
Not knowing what else might be coming, I quickly got Kiddo on the toilet and did what most dads would do in this situation: I called for my wife. I don't know why...there's nothing really she could do (or needed to do) by this time. The situation was under control. Maybe I just needed reassurance that there wasn't anything else obvious that needed to be done right away that my little pea-brain had overlooked.
Besides cleaning the bathtub, of course.
After Kiddo got off the toilet, Sweetie took him into his bedroom to dry him off and get his pajamas on. I looked at the bathtub, where the Kiddo Droppings had already begun to break down and spread out.
I'll spare you the rest of the details, but fear not, our bathtub is now clean.
On a completely different subject, we sang Sing of the Lord's Goodness at our contemporary service this morning. While rehearsing it this past Wednesday night, our praise team's bass player pointed out another song that it reminds him of--Everything's Alright from Jesus Christ Superstar. And you know what? He's right. Of course, there's not a whole heck of a lot of songs out there written in 5/4 time, so when you run across one that is, it's bound to remind you of either Take Five or Everything's Alright, but there ya go.
We also had our first go at a new liturgical setting at the early (traditional) service. This congregation switches liturgical settings about every 3 or 4 months, so they're used to switching. This was something new, though. We're technically using Setting 6 from With One Voice, but if you look at it, that's the one that basically tells you to use various hymns as the parts of the liturgy. This congregation has used settings 1 and 2 from LBW, as well as setting 5 from WOV, but this was their first crack at something other than those or LBW's Service of the Word.
It didn't go all that great, to be honest with you.
It didn't go badly either, but the pastor got confused in a couple of spots and completely skipped both the hymn of praise (which I had a cantor up in the balcony with me all ready to sing the verses of) and the entire Great Thanksgiving before the words of institution. In his defense, thanks to the snowstorm this week we hadn't had the opportunity we had planned on to run through things, but eek. I just hope folks are willing to give it another go next week.
I'm excited about the songs we're using for the parts of the liturgy, but since it's not all there in a real linear form, it can be a bit confusing at first for the average person in the pews. When you add in parts being skipped, it can be very confusing, which can easily turn to frustration, which isn't exactly worshipful.
We'll get our act together, and I'll fill you in on how it all goes next week.
I realize I've begged the question, "so what are you using for the parts of the liturgy?" I'm writing this at home without the aid of hymnals, so I'm going off the top of my head with the hymn numbers, but here's the order of service for the communion liturgy...the parts that have music, at least:
Kiddo pooped in the bathtub. While I was on bath duty, no less.
There we were, making his toy ducks sing Raindrops Keep Falling On My Head when all of a sudden, he looks up at me with panic in his eyes and says "uh oh, Daddy...uh oh!!!"
He and I both looked down at the same time, at the same place, and well...there it was. Just a couple of little pieces.
"No problem," I think, and I pick him up to lift him out of the bathtub, and there in midair he drops the Atomic Poop From Hell. I kid you not, this thing was almost as big as my fist and he let 'er fly from about two feet above the bathtub. And it landed with FORCE. Ever see a someone do a really good cannonball off a diving board? Picture that, only with poop.
Impressive, it was.
Not knowing what else might be coming, I quickly got Kiddo on the toilet and did what most dads would do in this situation: I called for my wife. I don't know why...there's nothing really she could do (or needed to do) by this time. The situation was under control. Maybe I just needed reassurance that there wasn't anything else obvious that needed to be done right away that my little pea-brain had overlooked.
Besides cleaning the bathtub, of course.
After Kiddo got off the toilet, Sweetie took him into his bedroom to dry him off and get his pajamas on. I looked at the bathtub, where the Kiddo Droppings had already begun to break down and spread out.
I'll spare you the rest of the details, but fear not, our bathtub is now clean.
On a completely different subject, we sang Sing of the Lord's Goodness at our contemporary service this morning. While rehearsing it this past Wednesday night, our praise team's bass player pointed out another song that it reminds him of--Everything's Alright from Jesus Christ Superstar. And you know what? He's right. Of course, there's not a whole heck of a lot of songs out there written in 5/4 time, so when you run across one that is, it's bound to remind you of either Take Five or Everything's Alright, but there ya go.
We also had our first go at a new liturgical setting at the early (traditional) service. This congregation switches liturgical settings about every 3 or 4 months, so they're used to switching. This was something new, though. We're technically using Setting 6 from With One Voice, but if you look at it, that's the one that basically tells you to use various hymns as the parts of the liturgy. This congregation has used settings 1 and 2 from LBW, as well as setting 5 from WOV, but this was their first crack at something other than those or LBW's Service of the Word.
It didn't go all that great, to be honest with you.
It didn't go badly either, but the pastor got confused in a couple of spots and completely skipped both the hymn of praise (which I had a cantor up in the balcony with me all ready to sing the verses of) and the entire Great Thanksgiving before the words of institution. In his defense, thanks to the snowstorm this week we hadn't had the opportunity we had planned on to run through things, but eek. I just hope folks are willing to give it another go next week.
I'm excited about the songs we're using for the parts of the liturgy, but since it's not all there in a real linear form, it can be a bit confusing at first for the average person in the pews. When you add in parts being skipped, it can be very confusing, which can easily turn to frustration, which isn't exactly worshipful.
We'll get our act together, and I'll fill you in on how it all goes next week.
I realize I've begged the question, "so what are you using for the parts of the liturgy?" I'm writing this at home without the aid of hymnals, so I'm going off the top of my head with the hymn numbers, but here's the order of service for the communion liturgy...the parts that have music, at least:
- Kyrie: Kyrie by Marty Haugen (ELW #157, I think). It's the Kyrie from his Now The Feast And Celebration liturgy. We had it as a bulletin insert.
- Hymn of Praise: Now The Feast and Celebration (#789 in WOV???) One of my favorite hymns ever, but the verses can be tricky at first. I had a cantor lined up to do the verses, with the congregation coming in on the chorus...unfortunately, it got skipped.
- Gospel Acclamation: Lord, Let My Heart Be Good Soil (WOV #713), by Handt Hanson. GREAT hymn to introduce a scripture reading.
- Offertory: As The Grains of Wheat (WOV #705).
- Holy Holy Holy: Holy, Holy, Holy Are You from Marty Haugen's Now The Feast And Celebration liturgy (we had it in a bulletin insert...on the back side of the Kyrie page...it's also in the ELW hymnal). Sensing a theme here? I tried to keep a relatively unified sound. Unfortunately, this also got skipped this morning.
- Lamb of God: Lamb of God from Marty Haugen's Mass of Creation. It's in the Service Hymns section of WOV, not sure of the hymn number.
- Post Communion Canticle: Praise To You, O God of Mercy, from Marty Haugen's Now The Feast And Celebration. WOV #790.
I think all the pieces are there for a good service that flows well and through which God's word is proclaimed to the congregation. I'm not so stubborn as to insist that we keep doing it for 3 or 4 months if it's not effectively reaching folks, but I am stubborn enough to insist that we do it for at least a month. We'll evaluate then and see where we're at.
If I wanted to be all theological and everything, I'd go back to Kiddo's crap story at this point and say something about our own crap as human beings (even when we try to worship), and how all we can do is muddle through it all and how God reaches his hands into the dirty bathwater of our lives and cleans us up out of nothing more than sheer fatherly love. And in a way that we'd never be able to do ourselves, because we are, quite literally and figuratively, full of crap.
I could say all of that. But it's late. It's time for bed.
And tomorrow, there's work to be done.
LH
Friday, March 02, 2007
You're On Notice!
That's right...you're all on notice! Even you, Mr. HyVee Guy who cut in front of me in the "12 Items or Less" line to get to the other register even though there was an unspoken rule amongst us line-dwellers that there was only one line for both registers...and I counted at least 13 items in your basket...I'm sorry, but 2 loaves of bread counts as 2 items...not one. Mr. HyVee Guy, wherever you are, you earned your place right above Non-Liturgical "Lutheran" Worship......but don't worry, you still have a long way to go before you even begin to approach the Yankees.
LH
A surprise visit
Paul Simon (the musician, not the politician) was at my church Wednesday during our Lenten worship service.
Let me explain.
I had planned to play a generic Lenten piece as a piano solo during the offering Wednesday night (In The Cross of Christ I Glory, I think). During the pastor's sermon, though, something started tugging at me. We're doing a 6-week series called The Valleys of Lent, which looks at some of the "down" times in the Bible and in our own lives, and how God walks with us. This particular sermon discussed the story of Joseph (you know, the one of Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat fame) being sold into slavery by his brothers, and their eventual reconciliation. The general theme was the pain caused by others being transformed into the cross of Christ.
Something told me I needed to look for another song. And it needed to be sung as well as played. Not that there's anything wrong with what I was going to do, I just felt compelled to look.
So look I did (yes, during the sermon...sorry, Pastor!). And I found, in my ELW Accompanist's Edition, hymn #703, O God, Why Are You Silent? The tune is a familiar one--O Sacred Head Now Wounded, but the words are newly-written ones by Marty Haugen. It was too perfect. So I quickly set up a microphone by the piano (thank goodness I was by myself in the balcony) and accompanied myself while singing it during the offering. There was a relatively small congregation in church Wednesday night, so I just did the first and last stanzas, which were the most appropriate anyway. Here's the words of those verses:
O God, why are you silent? I cannot hear your voice;
the proud and strong and violent all claim you and rejoice;
you promised you would hold me with tenderness and care.
Draw near, O Love, enfold me, and ease this pain I bear.
May pain draw forth compassion, let wisdom rise from loss;
oh, take my heart and fashion the image of your cross;
then may I know your healing, through healing that I share,
your grace and love revealing, your tenderness and care.
Good stuff.
So what does Paul Simon have to do with all of this? Well, I didn't want to sound like I was just playing something generic out of a hymnal, even though that's exactly what I was doing, so I arpeggiated the accompaniment, changed up the rhythm of the lyrics a little bit, and when I got to the "the image of your cross" I took the melody high. It was spontaneous, yet there was something about it that felt right...comfortable...almost familiar. I finished it pleased with the song itself and how it had gone.
Then, a couple of hours later, driving home alone in my car, it hit me why it all felt so familiar.
I had just, in the changing of accompaniment and rhythms; as well as changing the melody in that one phrase, unconsciously imitated Paul Simon's song American Tune, which itself is based on O Sacred Head Now Wounded.
The Spirit does work in mysterious ways...apparently, one of them is through Paul Simon.
And that's how Paul ended up in my church this past Wednesday.
BTW, for those who haven't heard it, here's a clip of American Tune:
LH
Let me explain.
I had planned to play a generic Lenten piece as a piano solo during the offering Wednesday night (In The Cross of Christ I Glory, I think). During the pastor's sermon, though, something started tugging at me. We're doing a 6-week series called The Valleys of Lent, which looks at some of the "down" times in the Bible and in our own lives, and how God walks with us. This particular sermon discussed the story of Joseph (you know, the one of Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat fame) being sold into slavery by his brothers, and their eventual reconciliation. The general theme was the pain caused by others being transformed into the cross of Christ.
Something told me I needed to look for another song. And it needed to be sung as well as played. Not that there's anything wrong with what I was going to do, I just felt compelled to look.
So look I did (yes, during the sermon...sorry, Pastor!). And I found, in my ELW Accompanist's Edition, hymn #703, O God, Why Are You Silent? The tune is a familiar one--O Sacred Head Now Wounded, but the words are newly-written ones by Marty Haugen. It was too perfect. So I quickly set up a microphone by the piano (thank goodness I was by myself in the balcony) and accompanied myself while singing it during the offering. There was a relatively small congregation in church Wednesday night, so I just did the first and last stanzas, which were the most appropriate anyway. Here's the words of those verses:
O God, why are you silent? I cannot hear your voice;
the proud and strong and violent all claim you and rejoice;
you promised you would hold me with tenderness and care.
Draw near, O Love, enfold me, and ease this pain I bear.
May pain draw forth compassion, let wisdom rise from loss;
oh, take my heart and fashion the image of your cross;
then may I know your healing, through healing that I share,
your grace and love revealing, your tenderness and care.
Good stuff.
So what does Paul Simon have to do with all of this? Well, I didn't want to sound like I was just playing something generic out of a hymnal, even though that's exactly what I was doing, so I arpeggiated the accompaniment, changed up the rhythm of the lyrics a little bit, and when I got to the "the image of your cross" I took the melody high. It was spontaneous, yet there was something about it that felt right...comfortable...almost familiar. I finished it pleased with the song itself and how it had gone.
Then, a couple of hours later, driving home alone in my car, it hit me why it all felt so familiar.
I had just, in the changing of accompaniment and rhythms; as well as changing the melody in that one phrase, unconsciously imitated Paul Simon's song American Tune, which itself is based on O Sacred Head Now Wounded.
The Spirit does work in mysterious ways...apparently, one of them is through Paul Simon.
And that's how Paul ended up in my church this past Wednesday.
BTW, for those who haven't heard it, here's a clip of American Tune:
LH
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