Boom, bang, boink, bonk

I was sitting on my pc in MY office and all of the sudden it sounded like a bowling ball was dropping down the stairs. I whipped around expecting to see something that shouldn't be tossed down the stairs come into view...I was correct in my expectation. From my office, I can see the bottom 2 stairs and as I looked in that direction my baby boy was bouncing down. YIKES. I run over there and he is pretty mad. He's bawling and grabbing his head. I pick him up and he's pretty upset. All the others come running and when mom gets there he definitely wants her instead of me.

He has been struggling with following the rules of "going down backwards" and wants to do it his own way. As I look back on the incident it makes me reflect on my earlier post regarding spilled milk. Should I have been harder on him? Or, should I have just gone, "awww, ain't he cute trying to do what HE wants instead of what I tell him? Good luck with that baby boy. Let me know how that turns out!"

Seeing events like this really reinforce the training kids need. Left to their own devices they would surely perish. We were blessed here that it wasn't worse than a little bump on the head and a scared little boy. If you play out the scenarios in other aspects in life it is clear that they need training...for crying out loud, I still need the training. I don't think there is a single soul that has "arrived". Why would we shirk our responsibilties to our little ones when they need it most? Why do people think that when you get on your kid for spilling milk and going down stairs incorrectly that we're being hard on them? I guess those type of folks think that we do it for ourselves. That we only have OUR best interest at heart and don't want the kids to have any fun or something.

He has encountered an event that reinforces what we tell him and he will be the wiser for it. We will, more than likely, see the fruits of his folly well beyond this as we continue to train him. If not, you can bet I'll recall this to use it to help explain why we do what we do!

I am glad he's not hurt. Phew.

Saturday fun

It was a fun day today. However, I didn't get the leak fixed and guess what it started doing just after dark...RAINING. At least it didn't start raining until after dark so our day was full of fun.

1st - My oldest boy, his mother and a friend headed out to Boulder for his league game. I wasn't able to go since my 3rd oldest boy had soccer almost at the same time and I am coaching the under 6 team. I called CT as we were leaving JD's game to go to JM's. CT informed me that they won 3-2 and he scored 2 of our goals! Wow, what a game for him! I wish I had seen it in person. My wife video taped it and I was able to watch his goals. It wan't near as good as being there to see them.

2nd - JD had a game while CT's game was going on. JD did fantastic again and actually, it appears that the whole team is improving. I am proud of them all and I hope they are having a good time.

3rd - JM had the last game of the day. It is always fun watching him control the ball. What a player! He's very good and he scored several as their team won.

4th - We had a picnic with some new friends. Played flag football until dark and then after it was good and dark, the old folk took on the young 'uns. Needless to say, the old folk SMOKED the young whipper snappers.

5th - as the day winds down and my wife and I are battling for computer time I grab this nice little interview with her. (It also includes an office tour. Yes of MY office!!)

Roof leak

What in the wild, wild world of sports causes a roof to suddenly start leaking? Last year we had a roof leak when we first moved in. I bought that sealant that you can put on while it's raining and it's done well to this point. But now there's a NEW leak somewhere else. How does that happen? It's fine for a year, then drip, drip, drip. Makes no sense. Does it wear out? Does it crack? For crying out loud.

Argh!

Crying over spilled milk is good - to me.

I have been thinking a lot lately of how I have been with my kids. I have been relatively short and abrupt… perhaps not as often as before, but, I don’t think that quantity matters in regards to such things. My heart really desires to be patient and kind…like a TV dad. That’s not me though.  I hope that I do the things I do to make them better at…well, at life.

 

Here’s a funny story: Mayf was sitting at the table and suddenly his cup slams the table, he’s all wet and his cup falls to the ground. By the time I look at him he is already looking at me and defending himself, “I was just holding the cup right and it did this”. LOL He was immediately distraught and just kind of hung his head. “Mayf, “ says I…”how about getting it cleaned up?” “ok”. A little later I overhear him telling his mom, “I was just holding the cup correctly and it spilled. <sniff> ”

 

In my house, spilled milk is something to cry about. I really don’t jump them too badly, but I do want them to know that being careful and mindful is part of their responsibility. Carelessness is something that’s kind of important, but most don’t agree. To me it’s like saying, go ahead and cross the street whenever you want. I want you to be careful, but if you look occasionally and you happen to get hit by a car and maimed for life or killed, it’ll be just fine you’ll do better next time. I know you really didn’t WANT to get hit by the car sweetie. WHATEVER!!! Nope, responsibility and being careful is either important or it’s not. How confusing is it to a child to say, this is very important and I want to you FULLY consider this everytime…don’t screw this up. Those things over there, if you mess up I’ll give you a hug and say it’s ok. So, in my house…when you spill milk you get a slight tongue lashing and a crooked eye from dad and told to be careful and mindful of what you are doing. Being careful and mindful spreads from spilling milk to putting away scissors, to riding their bike in the street, to driving cars. It’s a mindset that can be learned. As the Star Wars saga carefully repeats to it’s padawan learners “Be mindful young padawan …”  Even in poorly written space sagas they teach their young ones to be thoughtful and not absent minded.

 

Now, I agree with the fact that kids NEED to make mistakes. And spilled milk is one of those absolutely harmless things that afford a great opportunity at a minimal threat to life. The ratio is perfect. Low risk to child injury to very high great life lesson. When I think of other mistakes that teach life lessons like burning your hand on the stove, not looking where you are going when you ride your bike, changing the radio station or talking on your cell phone as you drive through a school zone….crying over spilled milk doesn’t seem so bad to me.

 

 

Recent Revelation

Dear Therapeutic Blog,

I feel like that God has uncovered some of my recent angst to help me cope with all the frustration that I’ve had lately. It goes something like this:

 

I used to be in a position of authority at work and now in a position of a total absence of authority.

I used to be in a place of influence with the head soccer coach and the leaders of the soccer organization and now I can’t even spell the coaches last name let alone have any understanding of this current organization.

I used to be in a church where everything was appropriately timed and rehearsed and everyone was exceptional at what they did and now I am in a church that’s growing in that direction but doesn’t have the resources.

My wife used to love her house and access to her friends and now we are in a work in progress home and barely have any friends.

 

In essence, every part of my life is dramatically different and I am having to adjust. It’s been very difficult. For so long I was happy with the ways that I was used to. If I didn’t like something in soccer, I had the friends and influence to see a change. My opinions were sought. Now, I am a nobody.

 

Yep…you nailed it. Pride. Pride of where I was and what I had accomplished. Now, I have to learn new ways to communicate and deal with others. Unfortunately, I am failing on the “plays nice with others” category in too many areas and the adjustment time is extremely slow.

 

At least I understand WHAT it is I am upset about…perhaps now God will reveal the way to cope with that for His glory. In a funny way I am very happy to know what my problem is (*pride*) because I now know what to pray for…Thanks Lord.

 

Signed,

A work in progress

Old made new?? Nikon Coolpix 5000

Yesterday, I was going through all my oldest pictures on the PC...I ran across some videos that my old point and shoot digital camera was able to take. Check it out...this is old stuff from 2003ish...

Ain't he quuutte..

So, I had my oldest daughter hunt the ol' Nikon down (I gave it to her) I needed the camera, it's batteries and the book on how to use it. She found all of it. (Isn't she so responsible?)

Here's a still image of what was going on for comparison purposes.


Here's the comparison video from today while getting ready to go to 3 soccer games. MOST of the kiddos are included in this:

(No, that's not Peyton Manning doing our dishes, just an adoring fan)



It was a neat rediscovery of a simple way to capture some live video action of the Tagg fam...and now you get to share in the wonderfulness! ;-) Which do you like best, still image or video?

Communication and passion

I have known for the last few years (especially since I have had teenagers) that I have either, always been a poor communicator and not known it or have recently become a poor communicator. Recently, I have posted on worship...I can't seem to communicate what I am troubled by. Even my wife is frustrated by my attempts. I can see that it must be hard because I can't even put it into a sentence or 2. But, that's just the most recent happening...there are plenty of others. The diconcerting part about it is that it makes it more difficult to receive advice. People "think" they understand and make valiant attempts only to be discussing something that is very worthwhile, but not my issue.

Argh!?!? Don't give up on me folks!!

Worship?

I have really been struggling with the word “worship” and what it means. I have scoured the internet for assistance and from what I can tell, it’s undecided as well. I have a ton of questions and I’m misguided in most of my thoughts as I try to piece information together.

• Why would we choose music as a form of worship in the modern day, a medium that is so “controversial” and that so many have personal preference?
• How does music display the service of worship? Why, when an angel appears or God speaks, does one go prostrate and worship? I am thinking that it is more like the wording should be “go prostrate IN worship”. I don’t recall scripture talking about Joshua falling on his face when confronted with the Angel of the Lord and the muffled sound of Amazing Grace arises from the ground in worship. It merely states, bowed down and worshipped. So, to me, it’s the action of bowing down that displays the WORTHSHIP of the person whom you are bestowing it upon. It’s not only there..but, Gideon, John, etc.
• What does worship have to do with us anyway? Why is there a preference if it’s declaring the WORTHINESS to the one that you should be offering it up.
• There is an instance in Numbers, I believe, where it states how they were to worship. (When they finally took census of the Levites) That the stringed instruments, cymbals and 120 priests with trumpets come together as one and everyone would say something to affect, “Holy is the Lord, Mighty are His works.” … The end. That’s all they would say and only after the music came together. So, it wasn’t a song…more like a battle chant or something.
• What are you supposed to be doing in worship? It’s quite clear it’s service…but what are you doing? Are you supposed to be swept with emotion? Are you just supposed to agree with the words? If so, why is it in a song? Why don’t they just recite the words? What do you do to worship?

It seems quite clear to me that music is important in the Old Testament setting of the tabernacle, however, I don’t recall much of it in the new testament. The 12 tribes are disbanded and the Levites aren’t required apparently. The piano and organ are invented and viewed as the reverent instrument and if you slam a cymbal, “oh my”!

Here’s the crux of it…God’s word is timeless, should His music be? I suspect it was somewhat important to have psalms scattered with it and quite a few scriptures referencing it. But, what has man done to it? Is the problem larger than that? Do people actually expect to be catered to in church? You know, drop off the kids and watch a movie kind of atmosphere? If it’s not the correct genre, try a different location? Is the church becoming a country club limited to like minded stubborn folk? Is it lead by directionless, godless men that are more interested in being “admired” than admiring God? Why is Joel Osteen’s church packed when other bible preaching churches are empty? Why would someone need to drive past 10 churches to get to “theirs”? From what I see, people are afforded too much power in church to change things and God is squeezed out and self preservation kicks in which leads to self sufficiency and then competition for a congregation, viola, people get catered to. What SHOULD we do to cater to GOD?

I wonder if there were grumblers in the OT days where they complained about the cymbal crashing to loudly. Ya know, 120 trumpets wouldn’t be quiet. Of course, their audience was probably in the hundreds of thousands…so it needed to be loud. I guess all the old grumpy folk would move to the back due to the volume. Or, would they have been there in the front being an example of what worship is, testifying to the Great and Mighty things they witnessed God do in their lives? Were the young folks whining about the old folks and their stubborn ways? Unknowingly being very judgmental and stubborn in their own right?

These seem like pretty immature questions…but, I am a follower of Jesus and don’t know. Why don’t I know? How would I explain this to a non believer? Since I can’t, I must rely on the knowledgeable folks that might happen upon this blog entry… To be wise, walk with the wise.

Presumption

We've all done it. You know, assumed that someone meant one thing...yet, we were totally wrong. I've found that when someone does that to me, it really annoys me and I feel compelled to "set the record straight".

This morning it happened. MSN messenger, the official instant messenger of my office had a news snippet about Palin's (VP candidate) 17 year old daughter being pregnant. I make the mistake of saying out loud, "great, did you read about Palin's daughter being pregnant?" One of the guys says "be careful what you say about that." I must have been giving him the ol' deer in the headlights look (honestly, I had NO clue of what he was talking about." Then he says, "my mom was pregnant at 16 and a lot of people talked about her only to have their daughter get pregnant too." Gee, what tremendous insight. Had he asked me what I meant first he would have seen how totally inappropriate his response was.

Isn't that a typical example of all of our pride though. Scripture talks about how a fool answers a question before he hears it. I know I do that regularly.. Another HUGE shortcoming of mine. Isn't it strange how pride manifests itself?

Well, I didn't say anything. I am not sure I should. I would really like to but I am not sure my heart is to help him or exalt me. So, I'll just shut up. "Even a fool is thought wise that can "shut up", right?

A Good Friend

Yesterday, an old friend of mine called from Arkansas. He was just checking up on me and seeing how I was doing. It really made me miss the kind of days I used to have when around him. Since we worked together, that was everyday. I was just thinking this morning of some of the things that we used to do during the workday that had nothing to do with work:

·         Talk about what we’ve read in the Bible.

·         Ask each other for advice on things we would be struggling with at the time.

·         Get corrected on an incorrect action.

·         Hold each other accountable.

·         Pray for each other and others.

I guess the main thing that was always happening was that he was making me be a better me. We kept and eye on each other…our countenance, sins, attitude, etc. Not out of spite or to hold it over each other, but because he loved me like a brother. He authentically knew what I wanted and wanted to help me become that person. I tried to be the same to him…but, often fell short.

 

There is no doubt in my mind that we will be friends forever, but I can see how far I’ve “slid” even after just a phone conversation.

 

I highly recommend that type of friendship with someone.