Yes, we made it. And a couple days later Matt and Jenna made it. So everyone in the extended family (all 25 of us) are now in Ohio. We’ve skied two days (yes, you CAN ski in Ohio–check out http://www.bmbw.com/!), and sledded another day. The snow is incredible. I think today some are going for a snowy hike and others are going ice skating.
Since we were here two years ago, another level of grandkids (my nieces and nephews . . . and youngest son) has gotten old enough so that they’ve become the anchors of the continuous “Oh, Heck” games (the game and the euphemistic name taught to them by their grandpa).
By the time we got here, we realized that we weren’t the only ones who got dinged by either the weather (most people) or the airlines (us). Bags were everywhere in the Cleveland airport — bags that arrived for people who didn’t. And then a day or two after we got here, we realized how insignificant all this inconvenience is compared to the suffering in SE Asia and Africa from the tsunami. As of this morning, the news stations report that over 60,000 have died. And so many more have been unaccounted for.
All creation is groaning, longing in anticipation for the new creation that has broken in through Jesus Christ but that has not yet fully arrived. There are hints here and there. But we keep praying the ancient prayer, Marana Tha! (”Come, O Lord.”)
We’re trying again. It’s Christmas Day, but one way or another (think “Planes, Trains, and Automobiles”) we’re going to get to Ohio. We hope.
Have a wonderful Christmas Day!
Eagled again.
We arrived at the Abilene airport at 6:45 this morning for the 8:07 flight. Everything went smoothly, but after 20 minutes on the runway they said there was a small problem and we’d go back. Probably just a fuse. I’ve flown enough on American Eagle to be thinking, “Right . . . .”
At 9:10 they de-boarded us. Flight cancelled. After standing in line for eternity, we discovered that all later flights from DFW to Cleveland are overbooked. So by 10:45 this morning, we learned that there is no way to get there.
So we’re back home.
I hear lots of people talk about how advantageous it is to live in Abilene because of the traffic. But to counter that is the frustration of starting with such few air choices.
I understand: mechanical problems happen. But this morning American Eagle could have made the generous offer to switch us over to Continental (the only other airline here). They had flights to Houston and then on to Cleveland with seats. But the problem was that the second flight only had first class seats left, and American would have to pay the difference. So they said no. I’ve flown almost a million and a half miles with American, it’s Christmas Eve, but they said no. Bah-Humbug Airlines.
Yesterday was one of those days Bill Murray referred to in “Groundhog Day” when he asked , “Why couldn’t I get that day over and over and over?”
I came home from the office at 1:00 and Chris was waiting for me. So the games began. We picked sides of the sidewalk, drew boundary lines, and started firing snowballs. I had the most hits, but Chris had the best hit: a baseball-sized one with a bit of slush that landed in the exact middle of my ear. I think pieces of it came out the other ear!
Last night we ate Becky-Almanza-tamales in front of the fire while watching “King Arthur.” It was a great movie, but there was one tense moment. I’m the guy who’s always encouraging parents to check out screenit.com before deciding whether their children can watch a movie or not. But this was KING ARTHUR, for goodness sakes. Sure, the Saxons were going to take an arrow or two to the chest, but that fit our war motif from the afternoon of snowball fighting.
I hadn’t factored in Guinevere. Late in the movie she entered Arthur’s chamber. He put his hand on her knee and headed north. At that moment, I could feel my wife’s eyes locked down like a laser beam on my temple. The unspoken question was, “You didn’t check this out, did you?” Best I can remember, no one was breathing (in our house, that is — the others seemed to be breathing fine). I was trying to decide: do I hit the “skip a chapter” button or come up with something clever to say (”I guess they neglected to show the wedding . . .”).
Thankfully, the scene cut quickly away. Back to good clean battle scenes. (Even there, it wasn’t the bloodfest you’d get in a Mel Gibson movie.) At one point Diane said, “the only thing that could make this more perfect is if Matt and Jenna were with us.”
Anyway . . . a great day. Today is pack-for-Ohio day. This is an Ohio Christmas year (as every other year since 1978 has been).
Enjoy the day, friends.
Highland folks, please pass the word: tonight’s devotional is canceled because of the bad weather.
Having said that, let me emphasize that to me this isn’t bad weather. This is the weather I love. Usually when I get home from working out on a non-school day, not a creature is stirring, not even a mouse, at our house. But this morning when I got back Christopher was dressed and bouncing off the walls. He’d already been outside rolling in the snow with the dogs.
I love white Christmases! All right, so it’s supposed to be 50 degrees on Christmas here. But I also love white December 22s. (Plus, it’s supposed to snow a ton today in Ohio where we’re going.)
One of my favorite Missouri winter memories is the year we got 36 inches in one huge storm. Drifts were up to six feet. School was canceled forever, and my brother, my cousins, and I made a series of tunnels all up and down our street that groundhogs would be proud of.
So get out and play in the snow today. Just don’t show up at Highland tonight. (We’ll try to hold for next year the wonderful devotional that Jack Maxwell was going to lead, telling us about some of his favorite paintings from the birth story of Jesus.)
Some of my favorite Christmas presents from previous years:
- A little brother (apparently I’d been praying pretty specifically for one about nine months earlier);
- A 007 spy kit;
- A rock-em-sock-em robot (all right, technically, this may have been Randy’s but he needed an older brother to play with);
- NFL electronic football game (can you imagine kids playing with that today in the world of Play Station 2?);
- Cowboy pistols and holster;
- A football uniform — complete with helmet and shoulder pads;
- Boxing gloves for me and my brother (which I enjoyed immensely when I was 16 and he was 11 but not nearly as much when I was 19 and he was 14);
- A “world’s greatest dad” t-shirt;
- Every tie, CD, book, or gift certificate from my kids.
A few recommendations.
First, even if you’re not a documentary person, you’ve got to see “Super Size Me.” Ever wondered what part of the chicken a nugget comes from? Ever wished you knew what would happen to a person if they ate only fast food for a month? Note: be sure to read the appropriate warnings at screenit.com. Also note: this movie is not officially sanctioned by Ronald McDonald. This film will make it hard to shove fast food down your kids just to make life easier! (IMHO, there is nothing wrong with everyone going to Mickey D’s or someplace similar on rare occasions. The problem in America is that fast food has become a staple of our diet. The fast food industry is a powerful economic force that gets its hooks in our children early.)
Second, Diane and I went to see “Spanglish” yesterday. We were shocked at the powerful message of the film, especially in the last ten minutes. (Again, please check out screenit.com before making decisions about seeing the film.) It is an amazing film about the power of a parent in a child’s life — even when being a parent means saying “no.” There’s so much more I’d like to write about the last few minutes, but I don’t want to spoil it.
Third, I want to recommend The End of Faith by Sam Harris. Please note: I’m not endorsing his position (that religion itself rather than religious fundamentalism is ripping our world apart), but I believe Christians need to read insightful books like this. We need to be able to respond without getting mad.
I guess I’m all about recommendations and disclaimers today.
Favorite Christmas song? I’m going with “Joy to the World” (thank you, Isaac Watts).
And favorite Christmas song that isn’t found in a hymnal? Got to go with “Rudolph” here.
I preach to Wendell and Betty Broom.
That’s crazy. They should preach to me. These are heroes of the faith, who have served the Lord faithfully across the world. They have put their lives on the line for the gospel. If the Churches of Christ had a pope in Africa, the churches would select Wendell (and, of course, he’d turn it down!).
At times it hits me that I preach regularly — and have for 20 years — to people who are better Bible students (the name John Willis comes readily to mind!), more prayerful, and better representatives of the good news of Christ.
It makes me thankful that God uses broken jars. I know he uses me. But it’s still nuts that I preach to Wendell and Betty Broom!
My message for this Sunday is “Putting Herod Back in Christmas.” Any chance we might find t-shirts with that slogan at the local Christian bookstore?
I keep hearing that the FAA is considering a proposal to allow cellphones on flights. As a person who flies quite a lot, let me say this:
PLEASE. NO. I beg you. Even as an asthmatic whose airways begin closing down at the first whiff of smoke, I’d rather have smoking return to flights than to have you permit cellphones. At least smokers know they’re being disdained. Too many cellphone users think we actually WANT to hear about how wasted they got last night or how vital they are to the American economy or what they think about Barry Bonds and steroids.
Trust me on this one: the people flying aren’t THAT important. The call can wait. The business won’t fall through. Exeptions should be made only for the following jobs: President of the United States.
Cellphones have added a lot of convenience to life. I’m not a Luddite. But I can’t bear the thought of self-important people rattling on for a couple hours in what is now a cell-free zone.
If cellphones are allowed, then we need “Yak” and “No Yak” sections. Put the yakkers in back. We non-yakkers are willing to sit up front in what is now called “first class.” It’ll be our little reward for not contributing to the problem of noise pollution.