"The Passion of the Christ" last night. I don't know...I kind of feel obligated to do that. Not obligated in a you must pay your taxes kind of way. More like after watching a visual depiction of what went on 2000 years ago it's the least I can do for my Savior kind of a thing.
Two parts of that movie make me cry. The scene where Mary is flashing back to Jesus as a boy. He falls and she runs to him saying "I'm here.". Then she runs to the bloodied beaten Jesus and says "I'm here." Then he says, "See mother. I make all things new." I'm tearing up just thinking about it. Even in Jesus' unthinkable situation, it seems as though he is not only assuring her but also seeking her approval. I'm sure I am totally misinterpreting that scene but it sure sticks with me.
The other scene is when the criminal on Jesus' left asks for Jesus to remember him. Jesus promises him he will be with Jesus in paradise that same day. Can you imagine? Leading a life which got you to a point where people found it necessary to crucify you. While hanging on the cross, the Son of God promises you you will be in heaven with Him. How heavy was the stone lifted from that guys shoulders?
One thing I often think about today is how little there is written about the time between His death and His resurrection and what the apostles were going through.
Their Lord. Their Savior. Their Leader...was gone. Beaten beyond recognition, nailed to a cross and left to die. Which he did.
I presume from the fact that Mary and Mary Magdelene went to the tomb on the third day they had no clue he was going to be resurrected. Unless the guys knew and kept it from the girls. I doubt it.
How petrified would you be in this situation? How willing would you be to go preach his word? I think, nay, I know I would have been hiding as well.
How do you think they felt when he walked through that door?
From the sixth hour until the ninth hour darkness came over all the land. About the ninth hour Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?”—which means, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”
And when Jesus had cried out again in a loud voice, he gave up his spirit. At that moment the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. The earth shook and the rocks split. The tombs broke open and the bodies of many holy people who had died were raised to life.
When the centurion and those with him who were guarding Jesus saw the earthquake and all that had happened, they were terrified, and exclaimed, “SURELY HE WAS THE SON OF GOD!“
Remember that show? The snake in the can game. "What the heck is it?"
That was a great show.
The reason I remembered it this morning is because of my son. He came into my office this morning after waking up, without saying a word, raised his arms, not perpendicular to his body but at a 45 degree angle, and started rocking from side to side alternating feet as he went. Left foot, rock to the right, right foot, rock to the left, left foot and so on.
I thought of something I hadn't thought of in years. So I had no choice but to start singing.
You see, Harry Chapin was on Wonderama one Saturday morning many years ago and brought his son Josh. Harry explained that Josh liked to dance to his song "Cats in the Cradle" and he would do so now as Harry performed the song for us. Harry started in on his classic tune, "Well my child arrived the other day..." and Josh on cue began to dance. Without saying a word, raised his arms, not perpendicular to his body but at a 45 degree angle, and started rocking from side to side alternating feet as he went. Left foot, rock to the right, right foot, rock to the left, left foot and so on.
I sang the whole song for my son.
After which Ian came over and put his head on my chest and gave me a hug. He then walked out to explore the world.
Never saying a word.
He usually never lets me finish songs. He is always off into something else. But for some reason today, he even gave me a hug.
Not much. We are heading down the path to socialism at an alarming clip; the root of any opposition to the One's initiatives is obviously racism; the violent right is taking this country to the brink of disaster...and...Israel sucks.
That about covers it.
This morning while getting ready for work, I watched my two youngest dance the hot dog dance on our bed. I of course joined in loving all things hot dog. As we danced, I smiled. They laughed. A good time was had by all. Now, I am not going where you think I am going with this. Even if this country becomes fully socialized, kids will still dance on the bed and parents will still smile as they watch. Books will be read. Pirates will be played. Dogs will be scolded for chewing you out of house and home. Life will go on. To children, life will go on.
That's the way it is with kids. They live through their emotions. They want to play, dance, laugh and eat candy all day. And as a parent, I would love to let them do that. However, as a parent, I know it is just not feasible. Even for kids there are consequences to their actions. They just don't know it. That's why as adults we must set limits and enforce rules. Not always wanting to do so but knowing it is for their own good.
Now the reason we do these things is so when they become adults hopefully they will have learned what responsibility is, what consequences are. While running on emotion is not entirely a bad thing, sometimes there needs to be a little logic and reason applied to our decisions to keep things in balance.
I am not immmune to this childish child-like behavior. I want to get an HD TV with some of our tax return money. Kelly doesn't think is such a great idea. With every fiber of my being I hate to admit she's right about this but she is. We have a perfectly good TV and we don't need a new one. What we do need is some home repair. Yipee! Not fun but necessary. In the end she will probably win out and I will sulk but the adult will prevail as it should be.
I shudder to think of a society where the children make all the decisions and the parents are relegated to watching the debacle because they have a filibuster proof majority. Oops. Did I just inject politics into this? It really has nothing to do with that. Really...really.
As much as that scenario bugs me, I'm not sure I am less irked by the One's treatment of Benjamin Netenyahu. He is the leader of Israel you know. He came to visit us here and was promptly treated like a horses ass by our Chief Horses Ass. How do you explain this level of mistreatment of a foreign dignitary? My theory is it is not political. They have been our allies for 50 years. The only one in the area for the majority of that time. If not political then what? I say religious. Explain to me why the One will not allow a picture of himself and Netenyahu, a Jew mind you, yet we see these images...
In conclusion, the President of the United States will not have his picture taken with the head of a jewish state who is one of our closest allies and yet feels no qualms about bowing before a muslim king of Saudi Arabia. Something a President is never suppsed to do. Bow to anyone.
Ever.
Following is one of the best pro-life ads I have ever seen.
Says it all doesn't it?
For those of you who don't know the hot dog dance, Mickey Mouse shows you...
