Last weekend we saw The Constant Gardner. Our goal was to see a mindless movie that was upbeat. G was stressed out and needed a lift. This was an excellent movie that touched on the plight of many Africans. It was not upbeat and mindless, but very thought provoking. If you see this movie and don't feel a need to do something compassionate for the less fortunate, what a shame.

We have a busy weekend ahead of us. Tonight is the Christian Family Services annual dinner. I am looking forward to hearing the guest speaker. He was adopted through CFS and has managed to create an interesting career in the Christian music scene. Evidently he is funny. Tomorrow I am taking Avion to a youth group activity. He is a special kid. He lives with his mom in the city-he has a great heart-makes good grades, and is quick with a smile. He just needs a good male role model in his life. We have taken him under our wing, and it is a tremendous blessing.

Some people get in a huff thinking about the concept of "It takes a village to raise a family". (Probably because of Hillary) Don't get me wrong, nothing substitutes "Family", but this principle is surely Christian based. I know of a study stating that it takes 5 men to provide a significant and positive impact on a boys life. I am glad to step into those shoes for Avion, and I will also make sure there are good men in Benny's life to impact him. One thing I am looking forward to is giving him something like a Bar Mitzvah with a twist. A friend in CO took his sons camping in the mountains when they reached a certain age. They sat around a campfire where the dad read letters from other men-addressed to his son. These men wrote to that particular son about their hopes for him, faith, responsibility, honor, making good Christ-based decisions...among other things. When they came down from the mountain, it was understood that dad and mom would treat them in a different way. They were instilling a higher level of accountability. I have a few years before I'll do this with Benny, but I look forward to the day.

Getting back to movies. If we have time this weekend, I want to see "The Greatest Game Ever Played". Generally golf movies stink. They are nauseatingly nostalgic and dorky. This is based on a true story. I saw an interview by the director, who wanted to portray competitive golfers as they really are. They are more akin to gunslingers with a great talent to hit a ball. You don't produce results, you don't eat. I don't know how it ends, but I'm looking forward to finding out. Plus I like Shia LeBeouf. Ever since "Holes" he has been one to watch in my book.

All this talk makes me pine for my favorite course-Boiling Springs. Carved out of the brush country outside of Woodward, this offers beautiful scenery and elevated tees on a few holes. I miss playing out there with Bennys Uncle. Hopefully we can book a tee time one of these days.

Last night was a positive reinforcer on why I like to teach kids. Having such a range of ages is a hurdle that I step through each week. The kids are between 3-6th grade. Some are mature for their age. Some are definitely not. When I "signed up" to teach the class, there was no cirriculum or direction. We pretty much fly by the seat of our pants. Once the lesson is done-we go to Bible Hangman.

I hope those days are behind us in that class. Last night I decided to go through Heb 11 for the next month or so. When we talked about Cain and Abel, the kids eyes lit up. They knew the story but I wanted them to go deeper to explore the attitudes of those brothers. Both to each other, and to God. Before we knew it, the hour flew. It is a great feeling to look in their eyes and listen to their questions/comments, knowing their brains are engaged and learning. Hey, at least no Titanic stories this week. We'll I did field a few questions on the exploration of the Antarctic. Go figure.

Benny is growing like a weed. Here is his latest smiley picture.

Qualities I appreciate in many of those I have met include patience and understanding. It seems rare these days to find those who put into practice a faith that ultimately trusts that God is in control, and while there are trials in life, there are many Gifts From Above to focus on. One such person who embodies Godly qualities now has a blog. He has seen trials abound in his family-but consistently is looking upward. Check it out.

http://bradfordlstevens.blogspot.com/

It seems travellers going through the Gutemalan adoption process experience as many delays as travellers at Chicago O'Hare. We rec'd an email/call this morning from our agency to let us know that a GU staff person at the Civil Registry that was caught issuing a fraudulent birth certificate. In steps their government, who decides that every family in que gets to go to the end of the birth certificate line. In other words we are probably delayed another 2 weeks. What we and every other of the waiting families (and there are many) surely are trying to grasp is that God is in control. This is a minor glitch over a lifetime, but it sure seems like a lifetime of wait. It's too bad I don't have the top-secret technology that Austin Powers had, when he went suspended into a big vat tp pass the time away for another couple of weeks.

Quite awhile back I got the idea to start this blog for a few reasons. At first glance I was reading some incredible things that others had to say in own personal blog. I realized it was a very good venue to hack out a few sentences that are rambling around my brain. Second, it is a good way to keep folks informed of what is going on with our lives, since never seem to live in places with family that we can visit on a regular basis. Knowing this, I realize this is a public forum-so on many things I write sparingly to keep personal things personal. This being said it seems my neice is finding the same travails of the blogging world on her own site. Hopefully that won't continue to happen. What can I say-the internet driven world is a crazy place. Don't you agree?

I am feeling a need to reveal a bit of myself through some of my thoughts about family/faith/beliefs/annoyances/joys... In order to stay away from arguments, I used to avoid bringing these thoughts up. This probably reveals a long-standing fact. I do not like confrontation. I'll post a few things here and there, as I have time.

Reality bites

Do you like reality TV? I have always denied any interest. We'll today I am coming out of the closet. I like the Apprentice and a few others. Now keep in mind that I didn't like The Donald's show last season. There was just too much cussing and beeping out words. If pretty is as pretty does, those candidates were...we'll they weren't pretty.

Last night G and I watched The Apprentice, where G kept commenting on the snide "Melissa". As the program wore on, this candidate was not a team player, she was not positive, she was not humble.

Sampling of our conversations throughout the Apprentice:

Her: "Don't you remember that girl at the regional meeting who wore the white blouse?"
Me: "No"
Her: "I bet that's her" "I guarantee that's her".
Me: "Since there is a commercial can I turn it to 118?" (The Military Channel)
Her: "I'm calling Geoff"
Me: "Go ahead then..."

Now, Me, I can't remember where I parked the car at the mall. How can I remember a lowcut blouse at a regional meeting dinner 5 or so years ago?

We'll. It turns out G has the keys to the family memory bank. She nailed it. This same Apprentice candidate that got canned last night evidently didn't cut it as an IR either. Her and G were in the same region.

It's a small world.
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Last night I was up late-and just channel surfing. I happened to catch the Martha Stewart version of The Apprentice. I like Martha. Forgetting about the felon thing-I think she has worked hard to create a great company. This will be gooood. The candidates have created their own teams. They grouped each other into the "Creatives" vs "Corporates". I would predict that the latter will have someone prevail. The Creatives don't posess much crossover to the rational business side. There was much more crossover balance on the Corporate-types. Like everything else, it is good to be balanced. Of course I usually know this in theory.

This also reminds me of the final "Reality" show I like. Big Break on the Golf Channel. A few seasons ago, I tried to root for a specific guy, Don. He had talent and the drive, but he was one-dimensional. In his lifelong quest to get on the tour, this show was his last gasp to "make it" as a golfer. After he was eliminated he didn't know what to do with himself. The very thought of elimination didn't cross his mind and he was putting all his eggs in this basket. It was even too obsessive even for me (who has been known to obsess about a thing or 2. ie: skiing, CO, WWII, Recees PB Cups).

One reality show I would watch--The Slick WIlly Show. I would love to see Bill Clinton have his own show. Keep in mind I would not vote for him, but I'd still like to meet him. For whatever reason he interests me. When I see him on TV, I tend to analyze him like I'm some sort of amateur counselor.

Did I tell you that we like Survivor Guatemala?

Heavenly Armor

Kids, how many people are talking? (no answer) How many are supposed to be talking? "One" (in unison). How come I always hear way more than one?. Don't you remember what we have been talking about in this class? "Yes" (in unison). Well, what have we been talking about? ---Blank Stares.......a hand raises........"Respecting other people". Yes! Lets try and put that to good use.

Our talk turns to protecting ourselves from the Devil's schemes. We talk about soldiers before reading the Bible. All of the sudden a squirrely hand pops up...

"Mr Eric, do you know what else has armor?"

Why don't you tell the class!

"The Titanic has Armor" "Do you want me to draw a picture of the Titanic?"

The class then breaks out..everyone is fixated on the Titanic. It was unsinkable you know! There's an exhibit coming you know! Can I still draw the Titanic, he asks. Did you know that boulders sunk the Titanic? (from the smallest kid).

And so this is how the conversation went as I was teaching the kids class last night. We were talking about honoring your father and mother, then moved on to putting the Armor Of God.

Hopefully something sticks. They are good kids. At least I'm clued in on the latest "boulder theory" for sinking large vessels.

We ended class with a series of Bible Hangman games. The girls were outnumbered 2 to 4. Of course they won. I don't know many Bible words with "X" and all the other obscure letters the boys consistently blurt out. Was I this squirrely?

1. My streak continues. I didn't notice G's haircut again... Somewhat like the tendencies of the movie character Rainman, I instantly notice if she touches my toothbrush and WWII books, but can't quite pick up on when she gets her hair cut.

2. Delays. Delays. Delays. The household is a bit downtrodden today, as the GU gov't has changed some rules on issuing Birth Certificates. Looks like everything gets pushed back another week. I am hoping it won't be that long.

3. I hope this is the last mowing of the season. Some days I am tempted to sit on our front porch with a BB gun. The "landmines" are getting bigger and smellier. You should see my shoes!

4. What's playing on ITunes? Van Morrison. Days Like This.

5. I recently sat down and watched an interview with Esther Williams. I like her. She has confidence, gumption and guts.