A Hero's Cape

G.I. Joes, Operation, a sword, and a Walkie Talkie lay abandoned amidst the mounds of crumpled wrapping paper, twinkling with the reflection of the Christmas tree lights. Even the sweet scent of baking cinnamon rolls couldn’t divert Brandon’s attention from the Superman cape he opened in his last present. Had she known how difficult it would be to get the red cape off of his back for even a washing, his mother may have rethought the gift. But as his eyes shined with delight, she gave in to his begging and smoothed the soft felt cape around his narrow shoulders, still covered in Snoopy pajamas.
Her little superhero and his cape built forts, set up traps to trip his older brother, and even tied his best friend to a yellow, Big Bird chair trying to find out enemy secrets. One day, while washing the front window, his mother heard an ear-splitting scream followed immediately by a chubby little girl, with her roly-poly legs bouncing her across the window. Her Barbie backpack pounded against her back and her blonde pigtails did jumping jacks as she sprinted from the unidentified chaser.
It didn’t take long for the telling cape to make its appearance in hot pursuit of today’s enemy. As she looked closer, in his out-stretched arm she saw the silver glint of his plastic knife. Knowing the little girl would have seen this as a real threat, she threw down the soapy rag and stormed outside, screaming for superman to stop.
Chin lowered, he shuffled his way back to his mother’s side, while being chastised for chasing the innocent little girl. “But mom,” he stammered, as big droplets of tears formed in the corners of his chocolate eyes, “Yesterday, she cried as she passed the neighbor’s house because of the barking dog, so I followed her today to protect her.” Sometimes, even heroes in a cape are misunderstood.

Tired

So...I'm back in school. Round #3. Am I crazy or what? This is only my second week of classes, and I'm already really tired! Last semester I had a ball. Loved my classes and it was still new and "fun." Now...reality has come pouring down and I'm tired. Did I say I was tired? If everything works out correctly...I will be done in December...so that rocks! Then on to round #4...or maybe not. :-)

Papers, more papers, exams, books to read, and presentations to give...I better get back to it!

My Rant

It’s my blog, I can rant if I want to. I am embarrassed and ashamed of how Americans have treated George W. Bush, not only for the last four years, but especially for the treatment at Obama’s inauguration. And I won’t even discuss defacing of a monument. Perhaps people need to take a lesson from their six year old child who is learning the benefits of good sportsmanship at his t-ball game. 43 was our PRESIDENT. If anyone thinks they knew a fraction of what that man did about our safety and state of country, then you should go work for the NY Times. I want to thank the man who RESPECTED the position he was given and the office he held, and made the tough decisions to keep us safe, while darts were thrown at his back. When our new President said it is “Time to set aside childish things,” I’m sure he was talking about the behavior of those in front of him.

1 Timothy 2:1-4 (New International Version)
1I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone— 2for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. 3This is good, and pleases God our Savior, 4who wants all men to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth.

Merry Christmas!

I pray we will all stop the cooking, cleaning, shopping, wrapping presents, and staring glassy-eyed at the decorations we've put up but have yet to enjoy, and truly THANK our God for giving us the best He had to offer, and more than we ever deserved...his Son. May all our Christmas Eves be spent pondering the anticipation of the angels who heralded our King's birth and the wisdom of the Magi as they searched and ultimately found Him. And may we sing our carols, eat our turkey, and open our presents with our hearts bursting with the love, thankfulness, and grace our Savior has bestowed on us.

Merry Christmas! Be blessed.

Let Freedom Ring

Lately, a few of my non-Christian friends have made comments saying that to become a follower of Jesus, you have to give up all the fun things of the world...that there is a strict set of rules we must follow and that we are never allowed to sin again. (Darn Pharisees still bugging us! ;-) )

The truth is that Jesus sets us free. Free from the bondage of sin. We are no longer under the constraints of evil and actually have the necessary power to be victors. Jesus wants us to come to Him exactly as we are, issues and all. His time on earth was spent with “sinners, sluts, and liars,” not the religious, upright, or uptight. Jesus’ blood set us free from the old rules. It becomes about a relationship with the only one who truly understands us.

We are still human and every day we walk this earth we will make mistakes and have our vices to handle. But we no longer walk alone, and are covered by the undeserved grace and mercy of our Lord. Yes, we are held to a higher standard than the rest of the world. Every day we will be shaped and molded into a better version of ourselves, the person who we were created to be, more like our Jesus.

Yea's & Boo's

I don’t have much of importance to say. Other than I am so happy Grey’s Anatomy is finally showing new episodes and 27 Dresses is finally out on DVD. Yea!

Oh, and I’m stuck inside the house tonight while we get our new furnace and air conditioner installed. Yea for upgraded machines – boo for a boring Friday night!

Football and a Prayer

Indoor football is a new experience for me. The field is about a fourth the size of a regular football field, yet they play the game basically the same. At our local games, the Kansas Koyotes, if a football gets thrown into the stands, you can keep it. If it is kicked into the stands, you are asked to return it. At the game on Saturday, I took someone with me, who shall remain nameless, and she became obsessed with getting a football. Arms outstretched and waiving at the quarterbacks to throw to her, as opposed to their own wide receivers, maniacal scaling of rows of seats to try and chase down a ball, begging and pleading with lucky recipients for them to have mercy on her and give up their bounty. All for naught, but two hours of pouting. In her one-mindedness she could no longer enjoy the game. Her disappointment overshadowed any joy in the victory or thrill of an amazing play. I wonder if I am the same way...praying so hard for one particular thing, that I fail to find the joy in the moment or the other blessings lining my life.