Straight up, she's nuts

Admittedly, I'm not an American Idol watcher. I usually just watch the auditions (what I affectionately refer to as the "train wreck round"), and then I'll glance at an episode here & there over the next few weeks. For example, last week they had Andrew Lloyd Webber come work with the contestants...which would be like Mario Andretti working with me on how to steer a cart at Wal-Mart, but I digress.

Anyway, last night Tammy and I were flipping channels and sat on that for a few minutes. After the contestants had each performed one - one, mind you - song, the judges were asked for their group assessments. Dawg Randy Jackson had a quick synopsis, and then they turned it over to the Mistress of Zen, Paula Abdul.

Sweet heavens.

If she's not nuts - certifiably - then I'll eat this computer.

First, she said it was hard for her to write stuff down about the contestants, muttering something unintelligible about the darkness of the studio.

Uhm, Paula, I saw a few minutes of the show; people in the first few rows could've read a book during the performances, the lights were so bright. I'm not sure, but I think there was a surgeon performing an operation just in front of the judges' desk.

Then, she made all of us who think she doesn't know what day it is really, really proud. While commenting on one of the contestants, she said, "The first song I loved hearing your lower register, which we never really hear. The second song, I felt like your usual charm wasn't...it was missing for me, it kind of left me a little empty. And the two songs made me feel like you're not fighting hard enough to get into the top four.''

Here's the problem.

They'd each only performed one song.

Then she told them, "I thought you performed two songs!"

Nice.

I always knew Paula was a space alien, but now she's a time traveler as well. Wonderful!

I knew there was a reason I didn't watch that show. We flipped to some HGTV show right after that grease fire.

Classless

Yesterday, I taught what might be one of my last speech classes - depending upon how many sign up for the June mini-term class. Because we don't know what type of schedule I'll be under in the fall with my job...not to mention if we will be here or otherwise...I just thought it to be the height of irresponsibility if I accepted a contract to teach in the fall. So, I voluntarily removed myself from the adjunct faculty roster at the college this fall. If they'll take me, and Lord willing in where we land, I may very well step back into the role in the spring of '09. But that's for another day.

That was really painful. Last night we had one of my classes over for an end-of-year party, and after they left, some of my students from previous years' classes stuck around until the wee hours of the morning. It was some of the most fun Tammy & I have had in a long time.

I love my students. I love teaching. It helps keep me young to be around the collegiate setting. I only hope I was able to give back to them the same joy and fun that they gave to me. This fall will be the first time in years that I haven't had a hand in the college ranks. Tammy and I used to be the college Sunday School teachers at our previous church, and then I went from teaching at church to also teaching on campus. It'll take a little getting used to, but I'm looking forward to being able to return someday. It's been more fun than a human should be allowed to have!

A beautiful voice

But when the chief priests and the teachers of the law saw the wonderful things he did and the children shouting in the temple courts, "Hosanna to the Son of David," they were indignant. "Do you hear what these children are saying?" they asked him. "Yes," replied Jesus, "have you never read, "'From the lips of children and infants you have ordained praise'?" - Matthew 21:15-16 (NIV)

Before I begin talking about David, let me say a few words about Jonathan. Jonathan is one of the few children I know who - during the worship service at church - will take his picture Bible and read the stories. He loves doing this on Sunday nights (Sunday morning is Kidz Quest/Children's Church). He's always shown his knowledge of the Bible since before he accepted Jesus as his savior, and it's only gotten stronger through the years. He's a really, really good boy.

David, on the other hand, is usually a bit more hard to handle in the services. But Sunday night...wow.

I picked David up during one of the worship songs because I thought he was acting up. I was so, so wrong. He actually was going through motions he made up (or at least were made up by someone and he subsequently learned) for the song..."Your love is deep, your love is high, your love is long, your love is wide..." I picked David up, and he started singing the song as well, reading the words off one of the big projection screens in the sanctuary. I was never so proud or so moved to hear my youngest son singing, "Your love is deep, your love is high, your love is long, your love is wide..." into my ears while doing the motions to match. We just stood there, singing to each other and with the rest of the congregation for a few moments. The notes weren't always dead-on (for either of us), but it was beautiful. I always find those moments to be so fleeting, but they're great to hang on to and remember.

For a parent...and I think more so for a father who's ordained to be the spiritual head of the household...nothing is sweeter to an ear than the sounds of a child praising God. I admittedly fail miserably so often to be the spiritual head God wants from me, but moments like that make me realize again and again His good can emerge from my bad. And for just a few moments, I had just a glimmer of the kind of joy God feels when His ear hears the sounds of adoring hearts of His children singing praises.

With so many other worries and distractions in this world, to know our entire family is saved by His grace and our two children are well grounded in their faith and salvation in Him...everything else just seems sort of trivial. As well it should.

While pinned down by sniper fire...

With all due respect to Mitch Ryder and the Detroit Wheels:



Devil with the blue dress, blue dress, blue dress
Devil with the blue dress on