Thoughts and Musings on Faith, Music, Family, Life

Imagine when...

I was catching a cup of coffee after a presbytery meeting at my favorite coffee house in Winston-Salem, Krankies.  I had my computer with me and was going to work on a sermon, because that's what I'm always doing, and because I tend to do my best sermonizing when coffee is involved.  Anyway, I grabbed my cup of Kenyan and sat down at a table in the corner, and when I looked up at the wall next to me this is what I saw:

It's called an "Imagination Installation," a local movement of sorts in the area; and per its website it's about "harnessing the collective power of our community's dreams."  Which, in case you're wondering, is awesome.  So was this wall - dozens of small lime green signs tacked and taped all over the place, each with the simple title "Imagine When...."at the top,  and lots of space underneath for folks to write whatever.

So the sermon would have to wait awhile, because in truth I was looking at tons of little sermons on the wall of this coffee house, and it's always good when the preacher gets preached too. Here are a few that particularily spoke to me:

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...the word "can't" is lost from the spoken language

...people "make each other right"

...we decide to invest in happiness instead of war and hatred.

...nutritiuous local food is abundantly available everywhere and is preferred

...elected officials work for the good of the people, not for the power of the office

...human beings realize we are stewards of this earth, and no more important than any other living being

...we are not strangers

...there is a woman in the White House!

...we recognize that "the kingdom of God is here" (no waiting required)

..very child can squish mud between his or her toes in a creek

..we dream together to empower each other, rather than live in isolation

...we grow food rather than lawns, and share that food with our community

..we all Iive in the moments like our dogs, cats and horses do.

...our economic system rewards cooperation, collaboration and generosity over competition

...we all realize we are happier the more we give and love others, rather than how much we get and are loved.

...public art is on every corner in downtown Winston-Salem

...we know that life comes from death

...color is a hue that a painter uses to transform the canvas :-)

...the health care system is healed

..all pets have an owner that is loving and caring and a comfortable place to be

...corporations figure out that creativity and innovation comes from liberated, encouraged and respected employees

...children and adults go outside and play every day

...education rewards innovation and creativity more than compliance

...every child comes home at the end of school to a loving family member and a plate of cookies and milk

...each of us life our lives with respect and honor of all living beings

...we all remember that we're one big family

...people have the courage to be themselves

...we all let our authentic selves shine!

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Of course, I got in on the act. Here's the one I did.  If you know me, this should come as no surprise:


You know what I liked most about this excellent use of coffee house wall space? It's "Imagine When," not "Imagine If."  It's only a matter of time, folks.  Let's get busy.

Thor has a new home

An update on my blog from a few weeks ago about our foster dog Thor: he got himself a new home yesterday.  Which was our intention all along, you'll recall, when we decided to welcome the little furball into our lives back in late January.  You may not have believed me when I told you we were serious about him being just a foster dog. Glad I was able to make a believer out of you.

Well, not 100% glad.  Even with chaotic new doggie routines and the occasional puppy bites (I'm looking at a nice little mark on my hand at the moment), it's inevitable that you're going to get attached.  I think the neatest part was watching his progress.  When he came to us, he was a pretty unruly little fella.  Hopelessly cute, but unruly. Now he was snapping less and cuddling more.  And he was growing like crazy. You don't get into the foster dog business without a little eventual heartache.

We met the new family at a neutral site in Mount Airy; the home of Regina, a Surry Animal Rescue volunteer who was instrumental in the whole adoption process. The family was from nearby Winston-Salem - three kids ages 4-12, and a Golden Retriever named Jake.  Great people. They had lost one of their dogs just two months ago and were eager to be a two-dog family again. Thor was his energetic and adorable self, and they were hooked from the start. Regina pulled my wife and I aside at one point: I think this is a good match, she whispered. It's up to you.

There's a certain level of awkwardness in this type of situation, in case you're wondering.  There's no manual for determining when it's time to go.  It's more a sense of the inevitable being not some distant and dreaded point in the future, but now.  We shook hands, said our goodbyes.  My last memory of Thor was watching him run around the fenced-in backyard with the little four-year old girl, both of them cute as could be, both ready to grow up together and run around many more times together.  And I realized that this scene and the future the two will share would've never been possible had it not been for someone posting a puppy picture on Facebook and my wife sending them a message. And that made me smile.

Suffice to say we're gonna miss the little fella.  But he's going to be in good hands, and that's all we really ever wanted. If not us, we're very glad it's them.

Seriously, he's just a foster dog. Seriously.

Seriously.

Don't think I'm not aware of what's taking place on the other side of this computer screen. I sense your doubting thoughts; I see your mocking smile.  But trust me: he's just a foster dog.  And for the record, it's not like we go out looking for these animals. It's been like this for as long as I can remember.  Call it a Lindsley thing: we don't find stray animals.  They find us.  

Like Lady, who ran out in front of the family car on Halloween night 2008.  Or Rocky the boxer, who wandered into our front yard as my younger son and I were walking home from preschool.  Or Bandit the dog who we inherited from an animal rescue - in 1999.  Or Sydney our cat, who camped out one spring morning in a box in my front yard many years ago.  I thought I was breaking the cycle when I talked my then-girlfriend into taking the cat. Which she did.  And then I married that girlfriend. So I got the cat back. Darn thing found me twice.

And yes, I'm aware that still having these animals in our possession does not exactly support my "foster pet" claim. I'll grant you that.  But I'm telling you, it's different this time.  Thor - as the animal shelter in Virginia took to calling him - will seriously be a foster dog, no question about it. He will have a permanent happy home, but it won't be with us.

Seriously.

I will say, though, that Thor took this "finding a sucker" thing to a whole new level.  Apparently "running in front of the car" or "wandering into the front yard" is so five years ago. Who would've thought that a pup, mere weeks old, would be that social-media savvy.  That's where Thor found us - on Facebook.  Apparently he used his indelible puppy cuteness to wield control over a Facebook acquaintance of my wife's, compelling her to post his picture in her timeline with the explanation: At the Patrick County Animal Shelter. Needs a good home.

The pup's face bore a striking resemblance to a Golden Retriever my wife lost a few years ago; a beloved companion she acquired fresh out of law school.  My wife may not be practicing law anymore, but she still knows how to win an argument. Actually, she knows how to win an argument without actually having the argument, which is a brilliant skill.  The way she started talking with me about the whole thing, it was as if the decision had been agreed to in a previous conversation, and I'd just completely forgotten about it.  Maybe that was it.  Or maybe I just didn't care to put up a fight.

He bites like crazy, the animal shelter told her. That's why no one wants to adopt him.  Apparently both the shelter and potential owners had missed the memo about young pups biting things. But that's okay.  My wife hails from a long line of dog whisperers and would break Thor from his gnawing ways.  You know, so his next and permanent owner wouldn't have to deal with the bloody aftermath. Because Thor would be just a foster dog, mind you.

Seriously.

And so there I was, driving up to Stuart, VA to pick Thor up on Monday afternoon, so he'd be there when the rest of the family got home from school.  Was I excited?  Sure I was.  This would be the luckiest dog in the world, along with those other lucky foster pets of ours, Rocky and Bandit and Lady and Sydney.  The vet handed him to me with a bag full of medicine and a paper about his neutering surgery the week prior; I handed them the homemade chocolate chip cookies my wife made them.  On the car trip home I was pleased to learn first-hand that Thor's bodily functions worked properly, even if it meant driving the majority of the trip with the windows rolled down on a January day and a bottle of hand sanitizer within reach. 

Thor hit the North Carolina ground running, quite literally, thanks to two energetic boys who were totally excited to play with their new puppy they wouldn't be keeping permanently.  He did his biting thing, but he wasn't nearly the beast he'd been made out to be.  His presence was met with tremendous intrigue and more than a hint of jealousy from the other foster dogs permanently residing at the Lindsley Inn.  Especially Rocky, the "top dog" who is used to having the house interior all to himself.  We'll have to work on that.  Anyway, when Thor finally crawled into his crate for the night, he barely made it all the way inside before collapsing from exhaustion.  It was a good day for the little fella.  These pets know what they're doing when they pick us Lindsleys.

If you're interested in adopting Thor, get in line.  My wife already has a list of folks who've expressed interest, and she's going to be picky.  Which she should be, because Thor is an awesome dog.  If we didn't have three already, we'd probably keep him for ourselves.  But we won't be doing that, you understand.  He's a great dog, but he's just a foster dog. Seriously, that's all he is.

 Seriously.

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UPDATE 2.13.2013 - As of this afternoon, Thor is with his new adopted family.  They're from Winston-Salem - three kids ages 4-12, and a Golden Retriever named Jake.  You can read all about it HERE. Thanks to Regina Edwards and the fine folks at Surry Animal Rescue for connecting us with some great people. 

 

Creating in and through our grief

Contrary to what you may think upon reading the first few paragraphs, this is not a post about saying goodbye to beloved pets, which my family and I had to do this past week. Nor is this only about bragging on my kids (not only). This is about the power of the arts in helping us cope with and encapsulate life - the good and the bad and the downright ugly.

My wife and I thought long and hard about whether we wanted to take the boys with us to the vet when they put Tigger, our cat of fourteen years, to sleep last week. It would've been easy to have it done while they were at school.  They knew he'd been sick for a while, and we'd mentioned the possibility of such before they headed out the door that day.  Death is difficult any way you cut it, any way it presents itself; and age doesn't make much difference.  Still, when I realized that my initial instinct was more about protecting me than them, I knew they needed to be there.

That didn't make it any easier, though. It's hard enough dealing with your own grief when you've got your flesh and blood dealing with theirs - grief you would gladly take on without a moment's hesitation if you could. There are a lot of times when we parents feel absolutely helpless when it comes to what our kids experience.  We'd take on that skinned knee in a heartbeat; we'd don their disappointment of not making the team if we could, and we'd certainly bear their burden of grief in the midst of saying goodbye to a family pet.

All of which made what happened when we got home even more powerful.  I plopped down on my green recliner with a glass of water and iPhone to achieve maximum distraction.  I was keeping my grief at arm's distance.  Meanwhile, my two boys dove head-first into theirs like it was their summer swimming pool.  The 8-year old retreated to his room and emerged to ask for his mother's computer and pictures of the cat. Within an hour he somehow manged to create this tribute video using that computer, his digital camera and ipod speakers.  At the same time, our six-year told me that he had a song he'd written for Tigger.  The first line was classic: He was a good old cat / but he died at the vet.  Now that's clever.  From there it talked about how it was sad that he died and how Tigger bit him one time but that's okay now; and there were also a lot of "oh yeah's" thrown in there for good measure, cause every good song has to have some of those.

Now I have no way to prove this, but I seriously doubt my wife and I would've experienced a video montage and new tune had our boys not been with us at the vet that day.  And while neither will be gracing the presence of the Cannes Film Festival or the Billboard 100 anytime soon, I was struck by how both of them - instinctively and with zero prompting from their parents - turned to art in the midst of their grief, as a way to help them through that grief.  Self-expression, through whatever medium, has an uncanny way of tapping into someting deep inside us; something that needs to find its way out but can't do so through conventional means.  And somehow it finds its way out much more naturally in pictures, in song, in paintings, in poetic expression, in dance.

And it needs to get out.  To a degree, we all are little pressure cookers walking around each day, harnessing the stressors and saddling the anxieties that are part of life.  For the most part, we excel at keeping them at bay with busy schedules and numerous distractions.  But at some point - usually in the dark of night when we're lying in bed and all around us is still - we feel the weight of the world on our shoulders. And at some point that weight has to give.

The best thing to do, as my kids showed me, is release the burden before it becomes too much to bear.  Proactive grief creativity!  Think of the number of amazing songs composed in the midst of turmoil and strife (Fleetwood Mac made an entire album out of them a few years back).  Check out the painting above, created by Karen when she was in the midst of her own grief.  I like the way she says in her story that she had no idea where she was going with this when she started.  She just "went."  She let the creative muse work its way from her hands and eyes to the paintbrush and canvas.

I always learn something from my boys; it's the nature of being a parent.  But I'm especially glad they took the time to teach me this particular lesson.  If nothing else, it's convinced me even more that before that we must keep the arts in our children's schools.  God forbid a generation that doesn't have self-expression to turn to when they need to feel something so deeply and completely.

Late night/early morning musings

I typically don't do much blogging at 1:30 in the morning, and there's good reason for that.  I'm not much of a night person. Other than the occasional late night band gig (which amounts to a personal test of endurance), I pretty much flake out after The Daily Show.  I'm much more of a morning person, to be honest.

Ah, but tonight I'm having to defy my instincts.  There's a batch of pretty bad storms making their way through our area, bringing some tornadoes southwest of us.  So the wife and I made the decision to go into full storm-prep mode.  The outside dogs are in the downstairs bathroom, the boys are sleeping on the living room couch.  Right now my wife is joining them there, and I've taken the first watch.

If nothing else this little bit of self-imposed sleep-deprivation gives me the chance to reflect on a number of things this week - something that, frankly, I don't get to do all that much.  If I'm not running from point A to point B and trying to cram C, D, E and F in there somewhere, I'm probably sleeping.  But I can't do that right now.  So I'm reflecting.  And here's what I'm thinking:

• I'm enjoying my week off this week.  I always try to do the typical seven-day respite following the pastoral rat race known as Holy Week and Easter.  It's a nice change of pace.  Even if I keep myself busy doing stuff, at least it's stuff I want to do.  In fact, there's something actually restful in that, isn't there?


• I'm hopeful about the latest installment of our garden.  Cautiouslly hopeful.  This will be the third year that our family has attempted to grow some of our own produce.  And I use the word "attempt" very intentionally.  Our first year wasn't too bad; we had a couple of items that came from it.  We figured that would lay the foundation for better things to come.  No produce at all.  Nada.   This year I'm a little more hopeful because of two things: first, we added mulch to help keep moisture in the dirt.  We should've done that the other two years.  And second, I installed a small chicken wire fence to keep out any little creatures who might want to help themselves to any of the bounty in there.  If all goes well, at various points in the spring and summer we'll get to enjoy some home-grown tomatoes, green/yellow/red peppers, green beans, cilantro, basil, okra, canteloupe, lettuce and onions.  I'll keep you posted.


• Man, the wind is really picking up now.  Perhaps my idea of sitting out on the screened-in porch is not a wise one.


• Something's wrong with my iPhone, and this really bugs me.  Last night it wouldn't charge no matter what I plugged it into.  My good friend and Apple know-it-all here in town tells me this is a classic sign of water damage.  So the phone spent the entire day today fully submerged in a bowl of rice (a common method used to dry out electronic gadgets). I don't think it worked, although the phone seems to charge in my Bose sound dock (ironic, since it's not an Apple product, and you know how Mr. Jobs is about his stuff....)  The plan is to get it up and running for tomorrow (well, today now) and then take it to the Apple store in town, where hopefully any bad news will be diverted.


• There's nothing like having your car deep-cleaned and waxed.  Even if you're the one who had to do it.  It's the biggest pain the world (just ask the Karate Kid - the original one, not Will Smith's son), but the darn thing is paid for in full so we've got to keep it in the best condition we can.  I also vaccummed the interior and wiped the 1/2 inch dust layer that had accumulated on the dash.  Looks pretty darn cool now.


• I don't care what political persuasion you are - contrary to what Mr. Trump may feel, it's a sad day in our country when our president is forced to share his long-form birth certificate to satisfy a few nutjobs who refused to believe the truth that was shared a long time ago.  I have a lot more I could say but I'll just leave it at that.


• Tomorrow will be a music day.  I have a radio interview with our local NPR station in the morning (seven hours, in fact).  After that I'll head to Doug's studio to lay down some Hammond & piano for the Mediocre Bad Guys tunes we're working on.  Then I go pick up the promo CDs for the new album that should be arriving via UPS.  They were supposed to arrive earlier, but the company botched the order and it took a few days to set it straight.


• It's starting to rain/thunder/lightning now, so I think it's time to head inside.

Homeless finding a home

Chalk this up to the "Why-didn't-I-think-of-this-before??" category.  Ignore the sappy music that runs throughout and focus instead on the "outside-of-the-box" thinking that's taken place. Man, I wish I could do that.

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

 

(Video HERE if you can't see it)

Our Disney trip, in Tweets

So the family just got back from Disney World.  Maybe you knew we were going.  Maybe you didn't.  If you did know, though, I can assure you it wasn't because of any Facebook status updates or Twitter "tweets" while we were there.  That's because there weren't any.  I was under strict orders to refrain from referring to our trip in the world of social media.  This is probably because my neurotic tendency to do so annoys my wife.  It may also be because of her fear that making reference to our family vacation on Facebook and Twitter lets any yahoo with an internet connection (read: potential burglar) know we are not at our home. I'm going to assume it's a little of both.

So I swore off Facebook and Twitter for a week.  I know some of you think this was a hard thing for me to do.  But seriously - this is Disney World we're talking about!  I went a few times when my brother and I were kids; and the wife and I have been dreaming about letting our own kids in on the fun.  So I really didn't miss Facebook/Twitter at all.  Okay, maybe a little.  But only a little.

Anyway, now that we're back into the groove of life at home, I feel the need to re-engage.  And so I present to you our trip to Walt Disney World in tweets - the good, the better, and the really good.  This is close to what I would've actually tweeted when I was there, if I had been permitted to do so:

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DAY ONE - TRAVEL DAY

Sunday, May 2, 2010, 1:07 pm - the Lindsley family departs for Charlotte airport and Disney World, whoo-hoo!

1:17pm - wife has forgotten our resort passes and itinerary. We go back home to get them.

Younger throws up in the car before we leave Mount Airy. He's prone to car-sickness. His shorts are unsalvageable. We've got extras.

On the plane. I'm sitting with Younger. He is WAY excited. Practically levitating out of his seat! First flight for the boys. Lots of firsts coming this week.

Ah, terra firma! We land in Orlando. Pilot tells us its 90 degrees & humid. I'm loving it already.

On the Disney Magical Express Bus in airport, driver says over PA that you could fit entire Disneyland theme park in Disney World parking lot. Wow.

We arrive at Wilderness Lodge. Unbelievable! Think Robinson Crusoe's tree house on major steroids. Not very Disney, I know, but still...

Love how the staff at Wilderness Lodge (and I imagine all over Disney) are called "cast members"

Our room is like any ordinary hotel room. Except for the Mickey Mouse ears on the bed w/the boys' names stitched in. And the voice mail from Goofy welcoming the first-timers.

I'd really like a beer, but I just can't bring myself to buy one Bud Light for $5.25. ONE.

We take a stroll to check out the place and go back to the room. Lights out at 11:30. The boys don't put up a fight; fatigue has won out over excitement.

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DAY TWO - MAGIC KINGDOM

The Wilderness Lodge lives up to its name - while we were getting ready this morning, a crow flies in our room off the back porch & grabs a bite of pop-tart.

Hello, Magic Kingdom. It's been 30+ years. Good to see you again.

First stop - The Haunted Mansion. Brought back memories. About halfway through Younger sheepishly asks, "is it almost over?"

Space Mountain. Wow. Line wasn't long. Elder rode in front. Both boys did great. I still remember this at 8 years old or so. Thankfully, breakfast is still in our stomachs.

Still see doors marked "Cast Members Only" instead of "Staff."  Walt Disney ingenuity at its finest.

When I was a kid the castle  seemed friggin' huge. You know what? It still does.

Lunch was the most efficient serving of chicken nuggets & fries to hundreds of people at a time that I've ever seen.

WHAT?!? No more Mr. Toad's Wild Ride??? You gotta be kidding me! I feel like I've been cheated out of a childhood memory.

Me to Elder: "Your Mom & I have always wanted to take you guys to Disney World." Elder to me: "Yeah, cause you all are nice that way."

I feel like I've sweated off about ten pounds today. HOT.

Every inch of this park has a specific purpose, mapped out, unwasted. There is no dead space.  Amazing.

Dinner at the Crystal Palace, buffet-style. Spoon cornbread is to die for. Boys got autographs, pics & hugs from Winnie the Pooh, Piglet, Eeyore & Tigger.

It's 7:50 and we're reserving a spot on Main Street for the parade because everyone else is. Know what time the parade starts? Over an hour from now.

Parade was fun, but not the same as I remember. Oh well. Too wiped out to care. We head back to our boat to the Lodge. Great first day!

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DAY THREE - EPCOT

We start the day with a boat to the Contemporary and then the Monorail to Epcot. Reliving childhood!

Now waiting in a very long line for pics & autographs with Mickey, Minnie, Pluto, Goofy & Donald Duck. Worth every second. #characterscore

After Circle Of Life Environmental program, elder turns to me and says, "Everyone should see this." Words of wisdom from a 7-year old.

I've never seen so many parked strollers before. I mean, they're everywhere. There can't be that many kids here, can there?

Lunch at the Coral Reef Restaurant. Some of the best salmon I've ever had. The walls are huge fish tanks. There are sand sharks swimming by. My foot twitches.

Just did Mission: Space. Awesome simulation ride to Mars. Always wanted to be an astronaut.

Beatles cover band in Epcot's England playing "From Me to You." They've got it all down, including the head bop and Paul's left-handed Hofner bass.

The monorail that keeps coming through the park is all decked out with "Tron: Legacy." These folks don't miss a chance to promo a new Disney flick, do they?

All these countries & their great food, & we're eating chicken nuggets at Liberty Inn in America. This is called "Epcot dinner with schoolaged-kids"

Walking back to the Monorail. Great day at Epcot, although I seriously feel like I've walked through all the actual countries.

Pool time at the Lodge! Elder's been talking about the slide since the first night we got here.

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DAY FOUR - HOLLYWOOD STUDIOS

At breakfast there was a "cast member" & all he did was walk around & recognize folks with anniversaries & b-days. Continue to be amazed by people who work here.

Whoa. Wife is actually drinking coffee. She only does this when she's really tired.

Boys are getting ready to fight Darth Maul at Star Wars Jedi training academy. Definitely one of those "live-vicariously-through-your-kids" moments. #seriouslyenvious

I am now the proud parent of two young Jedis, having been properly trained at Hollywood Studio's Star Wars academy. May the force be with them. And us.

"Honey I Shrunk the Kids" playground came very close to turning turned into, "Honey I LOST the kids." Seriously. Scariest attraction by far. Seriously.

An attraction was closed, but rather than have a sign out front there was a real live "cast member" to relay the news. So impressed with the Disney Way.

Love the fact that the random street rock band is totally wireless & has in-ear monitors. And that Younger got to play air guitar w/them.

Lunch today in a makeshift 50's drive-in theater where we eat in classic-style cars entertained by cheesy black & white sci-fi flicks. Freakin' amazing.

Pixar's Block party parade. So incredibly choreographed. And colorful. With trampolines.

American Idol Experience was much enjoyed by Elder. As with so much in life, I'm doing it for the kids.

Another thing I'm amazed about - the way Disney uses sound. Speakers hidden everywhere constantly playing music, transitioning you from one venue to another. Everything is a production.

If there's a gift shop, there must be an attraction nearby. It's a certainty, like gravity.

I like the Narnia movies, but the 10 minutes I spent at the Prince Caspian "journey" are 10 minutes of my life I'll never get back.

Fastpasses freakin' rock. A 100-minute wait for the Toy Story ride becomes just 5.

Dinner at Pizza Planet. Just like the movie. And yes, they have the Claw #ivebeenchosen

Boys are getting their own light sabers made. Both double red. We're in trouble.

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DAY FIVE - ANIMAL KINGDOM

Man. Is it 7am already?

First order of business today at Animal Kingdom - an African safari! Very cool. Two rhinos crossed the road in front of us.

Kali River Rapids ride = my second shower of the day. And we didn't get it half as bad as the two teenage girls in front of us.

Here's another Disney observation - if a real human voice can speak it, like something scripted on a ride, they do. Very little recorded voice.

Looking at a bunch of snakes & other amphibians. After each one, Younger always says "Wow!" Every time.

Here's the hard-core truth: the gift shops are not following the attractions, the gift shops ARE the attractions.

Cutting out of the park a little early. Four solid days are catching up to us.  A short rest and then a character barbecue tonight.

Our first rain of the week. It didn't hit until we were back in our room. Couldn't have planned it better.

Watching a duck swim in the swimming pool while it rains.

Oops. Took the wrong bus to Mickey's BBQ & wound up walking a mile or so in light rain, only to catch another bus #lifeslittleadventures

FINALLY, a beer!  It's included in the meal ;-)

Country Western band was doing well but lost me when they kicked into Kid Rock's "Sweet Home Alabama." Not entirely kid-appropriate. Plus the song sucks.

Character dance. So hilarious seeing parents shove their kids on the dance floor with Mickey. Not sure who's more excited.

Had to go up to the front of the stage b/c Elder wanted to see drummer up close to check out his set. #thatsmyboy

Walked back to the Lodge on a trail that was supposedly lit. It wasn't. Another accidental adventure!

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DAY SIX - MAGIC KINGDOM REVISITED

We begin our last full day at Disney with breakfast at Chef Mickey's in the Contemporary. Tasty buffet. And all the coffee we want.

Autograph & pics with Daisy Duck on our entry to Magic Kingdom completes our characters. Now waiting in ride for Flying Dumbo.

Just went on "It's a Small World." Classic ride. Song is sufficiently drilled in my head now.

We did Splash Mountain again, this time as a family affair. Younger asked me to "hold him tighter" multiple times.

Haunted Mansion again. Love it.

Being the devoted family man, I set off on my own to secure the heralded FastPasses on the other side of the park. Walking around, I feel naked without my family.

Thank you, Walt, for sticking the Mad Tea Party ride in a semi-hidden location. Don't know that my lunch would've survived that.

Tom Sawyer Island is the most un-crowded part of the park. I'm enjoying this.

Wife called an audible & we went to Country Bear Jamboree. I remember bits & pieces of this from way back when. Younger couldn't stop laughing.

Splash Mountain AGAIN! This makes three times. Younger & I are in front row. We'll get soaked!!

Trying to leave park. We are in gift shop hell. We may never get out.

We got out. Nice dinner at the lodge and then a quick swim in the pool. This time Younger went down the water slide. Big deal for him and for Dad.

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DAY SEVEN - HOMEWARD BOUND

Last day! Flight is not until 5pm, so we're gonna hang out at the Lodge. Not sure what we'll do...

Cast members, a.k.a. "staff," are so cordial. Everyone, from hotel to guy picking up trash. They make you wanna be nice. Can someone send Congress down here??

Packing up the raincoat I didn't have to use all week.

With time to kill, we hop on the boat to the Contemporary hotel to check out - you guessed it - a gift shop.

Back at the lodge to......wait some more. Lunch in a bit. Looks like everybody either arrives or leaves on Saturday.

We've successfully killed five hours. Now boarding the bus to the airport.

As we head back home it's weird thinking I've still got eleven weeks left until I really return to the "real world" #sabbatical

Re-entry observation #1: walking around airport w/lots of people feels like Disney World with one exception - not as many people smiling.

Re-entry observation #2: There's a long line at the airport Starbucks. Sure wish I could get a FastPass for this...

Re-entry observation #3: If I see an obvious Disney family in the airport concourse, I feel like I know them, even though I don't.

Re-entry observation #4: Back in Charlotte, I am having to consciously remember how to drive a car.

We arrive home to a laundry room full of smeared cat poo. Takes us an hour to clean it. I have to give the cat a bath. Welcome home!

What I learned on Christmas vacation

Well, this is it.  Today brings my return to the "real world" after an extended holiday vacation.  "Extended" being a loose term in the ministry world after Christmas Eve services and a funeral this past Monday.  Nevertheless, it was some much-welcome R&R with family and friends.

The time off, as usual, gives me a chance to gain some perspective on things; perspective I don't always have when I'm running like crazy through an over-packed agenda.  I learned a lot over the course of this respite.  So I share with you now a list of "learnings," in no particular order.  You may find these intriguing or an insufferable bore.  I'm hoping for somewhere in the middle.  Here goes:

I learned that the guys who put together the plastic toys my sons got a-plenty for Christmas must be either the biggest secure freaks on the planet or sadistic jerks who simply want to make the parents of their recipients endure tremendous hardship trying to undo the wiring and screws (screws!) that keep their toys affixed to their packaging.

I learned that Wii is pretty awesome, when you kids let you play it.

I learned that the Draughn kids from our church (Logan, Andi and Claire) are amazing musicians with some freakish natural ability.  How else do you explain them coming up with this for our church's Christmas Eve service?

I learned that wearing Crocs outside to feed the dogs and clean their pens when its 20 degrees will make your feet cold.

I learned that while you never can truly home, it sure is cool to try anyway.  At least for a few days.

I learned that having a 75-pound Boxer running around your backyard when it's been raining for a few days will pretty much guarantee you're not going to have much of a backyard anymore.

I also learned that sharing a sofa bed with said Boxer when you bring in all the outside dogs in 15-degree nighttime weather, is not very restful; but it is still more restful than having a crated Jack Russel terrier mix next to your bed, which is what my wife had to endure.

I learned that Blindside was worth every bit of the hype.  I also learned it will be a crime if Sandra Bullock doesn't get an Oscar for her performance.

I learned that you feel old when you realize the guy you used to sit with on the school bus to elementary school every day, debating the merits of the UNC-NCSU basketball rivalry or who has the cooler dirt bike, is now four years away from sending his firstborn off to college.  That'll date ya.

I learned that I still like looking out in our front yard and seeing remnants of the snowman we made during the 8+ inches of the white stuff we got three weeks ago. Stout little fella, although considerably smaller.

I learned that nothing brightens my day quite like the smiles of my two boys.

I learned that Christmas sweets are the devil.  And for some reason we have them all over the house.  Our kitchen counter is covered with the stuff, and the boys are still making their way to the bottom of their Christmas stockings.  Heck, we've even got Halloween candy still floating around.  What's the point?

I learned that I have a very loving, understanding and patient wife.  I learn that one a lot.

I learned that planning for a sabbatical can be both exhausting and renewing at the same time.

I learned that I will not lose weight by sitting around watching football.  Would be cool if you could, though.

Speaking of football, I learned that an 8-8 season can feel pretty darn good when your team wins the last three games of their season with a second-string quarterback and the epitome of a patchwork offensive line. Yes, I'm talking about you, Carolina Panthers.  Let's give Matt Moore a shot at QB next year, shall we?

I learned that the word "anticipation" can be defined as "waiting for the Beatles Stereo Box set you ordered the minute your family gave you the last needed Amazon.com gift card."  Should be arriving very soon.

I learned that Facebook is even more addicting on vacation than it is when you're working.  Not good.

I learned that I like most White Stripe albums, and Bruce Springsteen's Magic is solid stuff, and the movie It Might Get Loud makes me really want to play electric guitar.

I learned that hands-down, my most favorite moment of the Advent/Christmas season at church takes place after our 7pm Christmas Eve Candlelight/Communion service.  I purposely send home all the wonderful elders and members who volunteer to help me close up shop, telling them they need to be with their families.  It's a generous gesture, but I must admit not totally altruistic.  I have a personal agenda in mind.   There is something incredibly peaceful and - yes, worshipful - about being in the church all by myself on Christmas Eve.  Especially when I close the door behind me and walk out to our upper parking lot, where the sky is lit up by the city Christmas tree next door and the street is still with slow Christmas Eve traffic.  It's beautiful, and I pause for a minute or two - something I probably haven't done much of for the previous few weeks.  I know when I get home I'll get caught up in all the preparations there, and the boys will never let us sleep a second past 6am.  So for that brief moment, there in the upper parking lot of First Presbyterian Church on Christmas Eve, I'm at peace.

And peace, per my last blog post, is a pretty good way to start the Christmas season, as well as the new year.  Bring on 2010.  I'm ready.

Facebook, Twitter, websites, blogs, and ministry in the 21st century

As I'm typing this, there are some fence guys in our backyard adding on yet another dog pen.  This one is for Rocky, who I mentioned in a previous post.  He's been with us for close to a month now.  The fact that we're making a pen for him means his stay with us has probably surpassed the "temporary" category.  This brings the number of rescue dogs in our possession to three.  Truly there is no more room at the inn.  :)

The real reason I'm making this post, though, is to share this article with you.  It's written by Lynette Hawkins, founder of Awesome Insight, a strategic communications resource of Beyond Marketing Group, Inc.  Lynette is also a Presbyterian elder and has a blog that focuses on issues of ministry and church communications in the 21st century.  In her article for The Presbyterian Outlook she looks at things like Facebook, Twitter, church website and pastor's blogs and how these enhance communication among church members, particularly as a way to build relationships.  It's a good article for those who may not already be familiar with this sort of thing, and I'd highly recommend it to you.

Lynette and I met over Facebook - hows' that for the ministry in the 21st century!  Lynette paid me and the church I serve a great compliment when she said was "inspired" to write this article after looking at our church's website, this blog and my sermon blog, among others.  It pleases me that someone "in the know" thinks that we're on the right track, doing the kinds of things that a number of other churches are also doing.  Recently our church created a Facebook group and started a church Google calendar that all members can access (it's conveniently displayed on the home page of our church website).  We also began posting the audio of our worship services at the website that you can either listen to in streaming audio or download as an mp3, utilizing a free service from Sermons.net.  Certainly these tools of the internet age will never replace traditional ways of doing ministry.  But folks like Lynette are wise to help us see that it can only enhance what we already do.

Do check out her article and leave a comment there if you wish.  Now I must go check on the dog pen, and the dog that will soon be in it.

25 Things

I'm a big Facebook fan.  I like the comment a friend of mine wrote on the "wall" of a mutual friend who recently joined Facebook - something like, Welcome to Facebook.  Now prepare for your day to be, in essence, one hour shorter.  True, how true.

If you're on Facebook you're probably familiar with the "25 Things About Me" craze that's making its way around.  The general gist is this - you post a "note" on your Facebook profile with 25 random things about you, and "tag" 25 other people to do the same thing.  I've been tagged a number of times but have resisted.  And then, after the cajoling of one of our church youth, I decided to play along.  And much to my surprise I found it to be a fun little exercise. 

So I thought I'd share these 25 things with the blogosphere - here they are. Whether you're on Facebook or not, consider doing the same thing.  I think you'll find it kind of cool.

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25 THINGS

1 - I'm not sure why I'm doing this. I'm also not sure why you're reading this, but thanks.
2 - Other than a couple of years in graduate school, I've lived all 40 years of my life in the Old North State.
3 - Oh, I did live in Hiroshima, Japan for four months in the fall of 1990, teaching English and learning enough Japanese to freak out Japanese people who didn't think I knew Japanese.
4- I have a younger brother, Brad, who is taller than me. But then again, a lot of people are. And I'm cool with that.
5 - I'm a fan of free wireless internet.
6 - I don't know that my two boys will ever be able to know how much I love them.
7 - I'm into reading Paste Magazine these days. It's got lots of great stuff about music, film, books. You should read it too.
8 - My wife has to be the most patient person on the planet to put up with me. And I love her lots for it. And for many other reasons too.
9 - I play music - solo, with Acoustic Blend, and a band called the Mediocre Bad Guys. It adds balance to my life.
10 - One time at a gig we were advertised as "Acoustic Bland." Seriously. Hardly anyone showed. Wonder why.
11 - I think I'm addicted to multitasking. I need to stop that.
12 - I was bitten by a shark when I was twelve. I started a Facebook group for people bitten by sharks, and so far only one other dude has joined besides me.
13 - I'm pastor of a church in Mount Airy and am truly blessed to work with such great members and great staff. It thrills me that they truly are seeking God's mission & vision.
14 - I love yardwork - it's my form of therapy. Cheaper than the real thing, and I can listen to my ipod while I do it.
15 - My family has three dogs.....waitaminute, it's four. At least for the moment. And two cats. And a hamster.
16 - I cried my eyes out when I saw "Marley and Me" with the family. My soft spot.
17 - I always dreamed of playing football as.....get this....a punter. Who dreams of being a punter?
18 - I was in Beijing, China with a Wake Forest group when the Tiananmen Square massacre happened.  We got out about an hour before the airport closed for a week.  Close call.
19 - My grandfather (Dad's dad) died when he fell off Mt. LeConte while hiking. I wrote a song about it.
20 - Speaking of which, I've put out two Cds of original music, but the last one was last century. Still waiting for the songwriting muse to come back around.
21 - A new routine I've taken on is getting up early on weekday mornings, before everyone else, having a bowl of cereal and reading the paper in silence. Aaaah.
22 - I feel at peace the most when I'm in the mountains or at the beach. Montreat and standing on the beach gazing into the horizon are my sanctuaries.
23 - I really don't have many major regrets, or complaints, about my life thus far.
24 - I think that sermons are a three-way conversation between a pastor, the congregation, and God. I like it when all three are communicating well together.
25 - I live by grace, each moment of every day. And I'm still learning exactly what that means. The joy of the journey.