I am 49 year old father of three and husband of one (for life)

Monday, July 18, 2005

People like me

I am such a miserable sinner sometimes. I can't anymore call myself a disciple of Jesus than Charlie Manson! Do you ever feel that way? Some days, I just can't seem to get a hold of this whole Christian thing. My thoughts are anywhere but on Christ- my mouth speaks words that are not of Christ and sometimes, my actions are just plain ugly. Why me, Lord? Don't you know how broken this vessel is? This sucker's got holes in it everywhere! I guess that's the point, huh? God chosses people like me to tell other people like me that there is a person unlike me that has paid the price for us all.

Wednesday, July 13, 2005

Back to back


Holy shoot! Look at this cat! It's the captain in his Sunday best! I figured out how to post pix- cool! What next?

I can't believe I'm posting two days in a row! Work is slow- time to write.

We wrapped yesterday up with two of the three kids having a really bad attitude. The eldest was jealous because the middle got the attention because it was her birthday and the youngest takes his lead from the other two so...

Mrs. CC and I fell into bed and desperately prayed our little hearts out because we felt so completely inadequate for the job of parenting. It is , without question, the toughest, most heart wrenching, turn your stomach into knots, make you want to cry over nothing, job in this universe! I told Mrs. CC that if we can withstand our eldest chid's journey through adolesence we can make it through anything! The US military should send parents that have gone through this stage of life with their kids to Baghdad to serve- it would be a piece of cake! I can see it now:

"Listen Osama, If I release all the anger and frustration I'm feeling at this very moment I could literally rip your head off your shoulders and I wouldn't even think twice about it!" Oh my gosh, did i just type that?

Now I am calm...

My dad died nine years ago today. It was a Saturday and it was hot. He, recently retired, decided he would try and improve his exercise (anything's better than nothing) regimen and was taking a walk in the heat of the day. According to the woman that was walking behind him, he simply stopped, laid the towel that was around his neck neatly on the ground, lay his weary body down and died. I'll bet you that he knew that was IT.

I miss him; his dry sense of humor, his kissing my kids, his somewhat half-baked hugs, his dressed up smell on Sundays, his buying lunch for the whole family (not really). I wish he and I could talk about everything that's happened since he's been gone. Does he know that Second street in downtown big city is now a two way street? What? Does he know there's a really cool, new ballpark to go and watch minor league baseball? Does he know that I want to be in the ministry? Does he know how nice our yard looks just after its mowed? Does he know that we are growing roses? Does he know that mom struggles at times? Does he know that I struggle at times?

Being a dad is hard work.

Tuesday, July 12, 2005

Wild Thing

Yes, well, here I am again.

Birthday seems to be the topic for today as we celebrate the birth of our middle clergy kid. We had the family party over the weekend and the kid party is not until July 19- she is excited! She is as sweet as they come (not perfect), thinks very deeply and is very perceptive. We got her an electric guitar for her big day and she has joined a band (no name yet). At last week's rehearsal her fellow bandmates asked if she would be the "front person" to which she replied, "Why not?" The first song thay have learned is "Wild Thing". I should get out some of my band days pictures and strategically place them about the house so she can get a glimpse of me back in the glory days.

I've been reading lots of other blogs lately and have noticed how filthy dirty some of them are. Now, I'm not a prude or anything, but please- have some decency about yourself! Especially some of the women's blogs (e.g., Dooce)- Holy Potty Mouth!

I'm trying to decide if I will take a class this semster at seminary. Now that I've had some time to recover from the hectic pace of late spring and early summer, I feel like I'm ready to go at it again- we'll see. I'm also thinking that I'll leave the church position in late 2006 and look for something else, probably in a different church and perhaps a different denomonation.

What else is there to say?
CC

Tuesday, July 05, 2005

Ramblin' man, (Lord, I Was Born)

Weekend highlights:

Friday July 1: A quiet day at work. Therefore, I spent a good part of the day working on my sermon. I went to Jazzercise in the evening for a brisk workout (I was the only male).
Pizza and "The Pacifier" with Vin Diesel (it was awful- but the kids liked it) rounded out the evening.

I preached this weekend at home church. The sermon was well recieved and I got a lot of positive feedback from the ever-gracious home congregation. It was titled "An Offer We Can Refuse" and the text was Matthew 11: 25-30 where Jesus said, "Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden and I will give you rest."

Sunday evening I was invited to preside at a renewal of vows (sort of). The couple got hitched at a JP's office, so the groom's mother decided to have a "ceremony" in the back yard of her house with many of her (the mother's) family members. I took my oldest daughter with me and we arrived about six. I met with happy hubby and wife do discuss the "ceremony" and we got on with it. From start to finish, it took about twelve minutes. The whole thing was very,very strange for a couple of reasons:

1. Bride and groom were heavily tattooed and clearly not interested in any of this God-stuff I was preaching.
2. Lots of drinks had been consumed (by the party-goers) prior to our arrival. Many, many speech- slurred, yet well meaning, toasts
3. Upon arrival, I was hustled away to meet with the couple, while my daghter was given a tour of the home that has been in this family's heritage for over one hundred years (very cool). Anyway, clergy kid made her way out to the back porch where all the "wisdom" was (the half-drunk guys).

OLD GUY: What's your last name, honey- Minister?
CLERGY KID: HUH???
OG: I say, uh ... what's your last name- Minister?
CK: Uh.... Like, NO.
OG: What's your first name, then?
CK: Stated her first name...
OG: First name what?
CK First name, last name.
OG: OK.
Clergy kid leaves the wisdom corner to find the Captain and sticks right by my side the reminder of our short time at the wedding "feast". The whole thing could very well be an episode our upcoming HBO series: "All God's Children".
The whole clergy family went out to dinner and then to see "Madagascar" (it was awful- but the kids liked it).

We spent the best part of Monday doing nothing. Around 5 we went to a neighbor's house for swimming, food and fireworks. Even though there was minimal drinking, those that did the drinking got pretty loud and a bit obnoxious. The good news is that they left prior to sundown.

That's probably more than you care to know about my life, right?

Friday, July 01, 2005

Heavy Laden

The holiday weekend is upon us. We have a few plans: Relax. Go to church. Do a renewal of vows service. Relax. Blow off fireworks. Relax. That's about it.

I've got a lot on my mind but not much energy to try and articulate it.

Bottom Line: "Come to me , all who labor and are heavy laden and I will give you rest."