Modern Day Elvis

My son is 14 years old, thin and handsome, with sandy blond hair and blue eyes.  He is a bit taller than some, and has a caring and gentle demeanor.  He is somewhere past “girls are icky” to where they are not, yet he has not dated nor had any “special” friends.  He is currently on a mission trip to the Philippines.  He does not like to dance, and he usually does not sing, yet to Philippino girls he is a celebrity. 

I was only a young child when Elvis Presley died, yet I remember seeing how young women would turn into screaming mobs who would crowd around Elvis and swoon.  I really can’t imagine how that must have made him feel, and I never thought I would see a crowd of girls act that way to my introverted 14-year-old son. The pictures are priceless. 

Mission trips sometimes show us a side to ourselves that we do not always get to see.  Sometimes we are more creative and adventurous.  Sometimes we are pushed emotionally and physically.  Often we feel grateful for the blessings we have.  And at times, especially if we are a young American man who does karate, you will be mobbed by young Philippino school girls. 

So what is one to do?  Sometimes all we can do is roll with it. My son politely smiled and let the mob take selfies with him.  

When life throws us the unexpected, we may just have to make the best of it.  And who knows, we might get some good memories, and some good pictures, out of the adventure. 

I’m Just Here for the Owls

Recently my family and I went camping at a state park, and were surprised to find that we scheduled our trip on the same weekend as a yearly festival.  Several activities were planned, including concerts at the amphitheater Friday and Saturday nights.  The first night had Christian music, including a group we know from Christian radio.  The second night had other musicians we had not heard of. 

The first night was a lot of fun, and for a special treat there were several barred owls flying amongst the crowd.  Given my husband and daughter’s certification as falconers, this was pretty exciting for us.  The second night we had no idea what music the artists played, and we had no WiFi or cellular service to look them up.  My husband and I decided to go and check it out while my kids stayed behind in our RV.

The music had a good beat, yet some of the lyrics were quite inappropriate, and not consistent with our morals and values.  At one point I looked at my husband, and he looked at me.  Then the truth came out as he said, “I’m just here for the owls.”

The owls delivered.  My husband took some beautiful pictures of them perched on the tree and flying through he air.  They were majestic and amazing. 

This event reminded me not to miss the beauty around us.  Life is sometimes unpredictable and frustrating, yet God always delivers.  The beauty is there if we open our hearts and look for it. 

Sailing with the Wind

Two days ago my husband and I sailed for the first time on a Hobie Catamaran at the resort where we are vacationing.  When we catch the wind just right, we go fast.  When we don’t, we float.  Pretty simply physics, really. 

It occurred to me that life can be this way also.  If we turn our sail into the wind when the breeze of life’s challenges blow, we will use that experience to learn, grow, and go forward in life.  We spend a lot of energy sometimes fighting back against these challenges, yet that is like turning our sail against the wind.  We will spend a lot of time not getting anywhere, and might capsize.  Yet if we turn our sail into the wind, and learn along with life’s challenges, then this will help us gain knowledge which we can put to use with other future struggles, or perhaps to avoid them. 

At our resort, the wind blows from north to south.  If you want to return the catamaran back to the beach shore, but you travel too far south, you will have to travel north again, then sail into the beach from the north.  In other words, sail in the direction of the wind and you will have smooth sailing, and the winds will bring you back home.  

Today, my wish for you is to learn along with life’s challenges, rather than fight back against them. This is the best way to reach the place of maturity you are intended to have. 

Searching For Dolphins

Today my husband and I went sailing for the first time on a Hobie Catamaran while on vacation.  It is fun to try something new, and this was an enjoyable adventure for us both.  We spent about an hour cruising the ocean bay near our resort.  While this is not deep in the open sea, there is still a chance for marine wildlife. 

I asked my husband to find me a dolphin, and he said “I’ll try.”  Of course, we both knew this was like asking to find a needle in a haystack.  Yet he did not say “No,” he said “I’ll try.”  I thought that was cute. 

Of course, what this really means is we are going to sail around and look at the water.  And if we see a dolphin, then great.  

It struck me that this is typical for my husband’s perspective on life.  He does not say “No” when asked to help with new things.  He tries.  He will google it and give it his best shot.  Kind of like sailing a Hobie Cat, which he had never done before.  Besides, how hard can it be?  Turns out a lot easier than finding a dolphin in the bay.

This is one of the reasons I love this man.  He tries.  This is the tenacity I hope our children learn from him.  Happy 25th anniversary, Dennis.