Males and Humor

I'm sitting here listening to my dh and son talk. It's a funny thing - men and humor. I'll readily admit, I don't get a lot of it. Things they think are hilarious, I just roll my eyes at. Of course, that makes them laugh all the more. Truth be told, however, I love watching them interact. They get such a kick out of each other, and their tastes are so similar. I savor these moments because I know they'll be gone before I know it. And so I groan at the gross or silly stuff, but underneath, my heart is smiling.

Teens and Socializing

Our son is completing driver's education. It's been interesting to see his reaction to driving. Whereas I was eager to learn, ready to hit the road with my friends to see where it might take us, he really has no interest in it. I thought this was unusual, but the more I've talked with other parents, the more I have found similar mindsets. Our children aren't interested in driving. Why?

In my day (translated "the dark ages") getting a driver's license was a rite of passage. I've noticed the same attitude toward cell phones today. Has this replaced the license? Teenagers stay in touch using these phones, and our son is one who keeps his phone accessible. Combine the phone with facebook, online video games and the like, and you have children who are interacting with their friends without actually being with them. Obviously, there are pros and cons to this type of socializing. What say you, o gentle reader?

For the Love of Books

I enjoy reading. Well, that's an understatement. I love reading - to the point that I have to be careful, or I'll forget about everything else. My tastes are varied, but I tend toward the classics, historical fiction, and biographies. Period pieces intrigue me, especially those set in ancient Rome and/or Greece. Some are written in such a way that it is hard to return to the present time.

It's when I'm reading a selection set in the period of the early Christian church that I wonder how our present day would look through such eyes. Sounds goofy, right? People rushing through the mall become shoppers at a market. The screaming fans at a football game are really those at the Colosseum. Especially do I wonder about the government, the church, and the culture in general. Are we repeating history? Confused thoughts at the moment...I'll write more tomorrow, when there's more time!

Rah! Rah! Miss USYea!

I'm probably the last blogger to comment on the Miss USA incident. If you haven't heard, a contestant (Miss California, I believe) was asked about her views on gay marriage. Her comment was gracious as she expressed that she didn't want to offend anyone but believes marriage is between a man and a woman. The judge that asked her the question was evidently upset enough about her response that he insulted her on his blog. Since then, it seems he retracted his statement, only to change his mind once again and stand by it, since she stood by her comments.

My first reaction to this was, why was this man a judge of the Miss USA pageant? His lack of professionalism, using insults and rude language to describe a contestant because he disagreed with her - seems like some eyebrows would be raised. But, maybe not.

As to the young woman's comments - the reaction to her politically incorrect answer seems to be indicative of an ever-growing lack of tolerance for Christians. It's ironic really, when you think about it. In this day and age of "tolerance" and "diversity," why are Christian views not tolerated? Various groups spout rhetoric of being nonjudgmental, only to judge others.

Now, do I think this type of lashing out at traditional, Judeo-Christian values will continue? Yes. Do I think it will get worse? Probably so. Why? Because our country has undergone a great deal of change over the past 50 years or so. Christians will understand what I'm talking about - a generation or two removed from the faith hurts future generations more than we realize. And while many mourn the passing of these values and ideals, Christians can use this as a wakeup call, if you will. Our culture, values, norms - none of these stand without Christ. It is through Him that we have our identities, that we live our lives as forgiven children of God. Although the world would try to take these things from us (and probably will take a lot!) it cannot take us from His hand. So we continue to live in this world, remembering that we are truly pilgrims. This is not our home - we live our lives in love, teaching our children of the Savior, and serving Christ by serving our neighbor.

And this leads me back to the Miss USA contestant. Do I believe she was serving her neighbor in her statement? Absolutely. Her witness rang clear, although she was not even talking about God at the time. Still, she told others that she believes what many still do, that the crown might be "taken" from her, but her beliefs cannot. Hopefully many young girls who watch the pageant learned a lesson about standing up in the face of adversity.

Date Time with Spouse

Since the beginning of the new year, my husband has insisted that we have date time each week. Insisted - isn't that hilarious? I mean, what wife wouldn't like to have date time? I know I was thrilled with the idea - until he introduced the rule: no discussion of the children! Well, since we have only one child, you can imagine that he is a topic of conversation quite often. Actually, as we quickly discovered, he is THE topic of the majority of our conversations. And why shouldn't he be? He is our son. We love him. We want what is best for him, blah, blah, blah. You know how it goes.

But my DH wants more. More time with us as a couple. More time to strengthen our relationship. More time to talk about our lives apart from our child who will always be our son, but who will soon be leaving the nest. At first I balked at the idea. Not realizing how often our world revolves around this teen, I thought it would be no big deal to discuss him for just a few minutes during our 4-hour-date time. Then I tried NOT talking about him, and I was amazed at how many times he came up in the conversation.

Mr. Prince Charming would grin and shake his head. "Nope. Not allowed!" Pretty soon I was laughing with him. And after the first couple of dates, we no longer had to purposefully focus on ourselves as an old married couple - it came naturally. We started laughing at old jokes, reliving earlier times, and planning for the future. We have found ourselves discussing hobbies to explore together and trips to take sans child. It has quickly become one of the highlights of my week.

And, do you know what has been the most amazing thing about date time? Since we started doing this (4 hours together, once a week), we've found ourselves more relaxed throughout the rest of the week. We approach our family time with renewed energy, and we can see the positive impact it is having on ....our son! Wow! Our Lord created marriage and when we do things to help our spouses, to spend time with them, to focus on just them...the blessings overflow to the rest of the family. Our Lord is gracious and merciful!

Goodbye to Childhood

The past week or two has been a time of transformation of our son's room. Gone are the cute little things from his childhood. Replacements include college gear, posters, and general items of interest...mostly music (at least, that's what he calls it!). And, in the midst of everything, his Bible and catechism remain bedside. It is one of those things for which I'm very thankful. He reads Scripture often and usually talks over his latest selection with his father. I consider myself blessed to be able to listen to their theological discussions.

As he leaves childhood and prepares to enter the adult world, we often wonder if we've done enough. Have we taught him everything he's going to need to know? Of course not! What we have accomplished, have we done those things well? Probably not. Still, it's becoming clear - he is clinging to the One thing that is needful. So, even if he doesn't become "successful" in whatever terms society chooses to attach to the word, he is victorious through Christ. He is mindful of his sinful nature and rejoices in his baptism. He looks forward to the Holy Supper each week and is comforted knowing that his sins are forgiven in Christ. He's a child of God - who is quickly becoming a man. Thanks be to God!

Easter 2009

It seems that I gave up my blog for Lent! Actually, I found myself with little time to post during the past two months. Hopefully I'll be able to attend to this more frequently. Right now, however, it is quite late, and I am a morning person. I shall add this mini-post and check back tomorrow!
Cristiana