Electric Eel Christmas

Money is very tight and almost nonexistent for us until we sell our rent house, but I might have found the answer to the electric bill. Apparently I need to hit the Chinese Grocery Store and buy some eels. Somehow I think it might be a little more complicated than that.

Questions

"Why don't our contagious joy, enthusiasm, and gratitude infect others with a love for Christ Jesus? Why doesn't the radiant loveliness of the Lord stream from our personalities? Why aren't we windows to God at work? Why aren't we transparent?"

Brennan Manning, The Importance of Being Foolish - How to Think Like Jesus

Wild Night

I've blogged about the dynamo some people know as Susie Jennings. November 3rd found her walking the streets of Dallas with her homeless friends. Read about her eye opening adventure in her own words.

Zoo Doo

I didn't take this shot of Patrick. You can find the photographer's blog and pictures at aeolian dissonance.

Actually, the photograph is not posted on my blog, as the link to the larger version indicates, it is from my photostream on Flickr. After reading your "About Me" blurb, I'm sure you will want to do the right thing here and credit my fully copyrighted photograph with my name. Of course, the right thing to do with an image that is © all rights reserved, is to ask permission of the artist before using it, as is stipulated not only by copyright law, but is also part of the Flickr TOS. If I had chosen to make the image a Creative Commons License image, then it would have been appropriate for you to use it without my permission, but it is still polite to acknowledge and request usage.

Thanks,

Barry

My in-laws met us at the zoo today. They only had an hour to visit so I took them through the Children's Zoo first and we checked in on Clay at his "end of the session" party. The keepers kept offering us ice cream and cookies. We passed and I'm glad we did. I took them down to see Patrick. Betty had heard me telling stories about him at Thanksgiving and I figured if he was out he would put on a good show. We found him sprawled on a huge log soaking up a sunbeam. I waved for him to come over and he casually ambled our way stopping to strip some bark off a felled tree. Right before reaching us he threw the bark at the window and did his charging up and down ritual a few times. Then he pulled something that I had never seen him do and never want to see him do again. Scooting backwards to the very edge of the ravine, he reached behind his back and pooped in his hand. That was enough to make me ill seeing he was inches from us. My first thought was that he would smear it on the window. That would have been horrible. But no, he went more base. He began to pick through it and eat. I'm afraid that if I had eaten the ice cream and cookies it would have all come up. I was a tad bit queasy for the rest of the day.

Later in the afternoon I had a great talk with the Gorilla docent. One of my favorite things to do is to sit in the research center, watch Jenny and Timbo, and read. Jenny is the oldest gorilla in North America. She has been at the zoo almost all of her 54 years. It is so weird to realize that she was there when I was a little girl visiting. I wonder what went through her head as she was introduced to her new habitat. No concrete, no bars...only open sky, green grass, trees. Charles said it took her a few days to adjust. I can imagine. There is an old chimp, that after being offered for many years now a huge lush habitat, still chooses to sit on the concrete at the edge of her room. She will only make a quick dash onto the grass for a treat that lands close by.

We aren't much different. As humans we get so comfortable in our surroundings and circumstances(even if they are bad) that sometimes we struggle to adjust to something good, better, healthier. We would rather hang onto what we've got (and I don't mean the song) than step into the beautiful. The unknown, the different, is too scary.

Programs Over People, Entertainment Over Ministry

It warms my heart when I see a church leader put the wants of a program over the needs of hurting people. Joy flooded my soul today as I learned that the opportunity to minister to many was passed over to make a way to entertain a few. Being the church just doesn't get any better than this.

Take Your Elbows Off The Table

"Take your elbows off the table and lean back in your chair. Sip your drink, pretend to enjoy the sunset and the warmth of the fire in the fireplace. If you can't learn to find some enjoyment in each moment while you're young, by the time you're my age you'll be burned out."

Hannah Alexander

My friend is gone

A phone call you never want to take. Words you never want to hear. Pain you never want to see. It all came without warning, without welcome Friday night. "This can't be happening, this can't be happening, this can't be happening..." has run through my mind since then. Three adored children without their mother. A much loved husband without his wife. Parents that have already said good-bye to one child say good-bye to their daughter. A son becomes an only child. I don't understand. I just hurt. A happy face is put on for the youngest son. We talk, laugh, run and play. He cackles when he discovers I have stepped in dog pooh. Out of his sight the tears come. My friend is gone.