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

Thursday, March 31, 2005

He said, she said...

Yesterday was a day filled with miscommunication. I took the clergy boy to tee ball and was supposed to wait until practice was over, then take him to a meeting with me, where Mrs. CC would come and get him. As I left the practice (without the boy) I called Mrs. CC to tell her which ball field he was to be picked up from and our conversation went something like this:

Mrs: "You're waiting for him!"
CC:"I am?... well, I can't because I'll be late for the meeting."
Mrs: "Well I haven't even eaten my supper yet!"
CC: "Oh, I'm sorry... I've totally blown it, haven't I?
Mrs: "I'll get him."

At the end of the evening (about 8) the oldest clergy kid exclaimed. "Dad, I haven't even had my supper yet!" She's not much of an eater anyway (no excuse) but how, in the name of the Lord , did we (my wife and I) manage to forget feeding one of our kids! I'll go home this afternoon to a bony, dehydrated, starving eleven year old asking lethargically, "Daddy, I've been a good girl, can I eat today?" Oh, man, I am a piece of s#$@* father.

Wednesday, March 30, 2005

Brief

I've got this idiot, jack-leg loser that sits in a cubicle right outside my office door that simply drives me CRAZY! Every flippin' thought that runs through his little pea brain has to be verbalized and he conducts all of his phone calls on the speaker phone- and I hired him! What was I thinking?

It's a beautiful spring day here; "Makes me wanna holla- hold up both ma hands"... (Marvin Gaye). I can't think of nothin' else to say.

Cap

Monday, March 28, 2005

Recap

Between kid's stuff, the Easter holiday, company and watching nerve racking basketball games, I am an emotional wreck! I leave this afternoon for places south of here, to return Tuesday evening.

Getting caught up on school work, church work and secular work. Why is it that of those three the one I love the most pays the least? Wouldn't it be great if the one you loved most paid the most? What a concept!

Your captain's little sister got engaged over the weekend and I'm so happy for those two kids. She asked me to officiate the cermony- heck yes, I'm gonna do it! And she asked my big brother to "give her away" (strange way to say it). What a day that will be- I'm liable to turn into a blubbering idiot..........GET A HOLD OF YOURSELF,MAN!

Friday, March 25, 2005

Holy Week!

Back from a trip to beautiful London! I had the good fortune to take Mrs. CC and the clergy kids- they played whilst I worked. Highlights included a private viewing (no one else showed up) of "The Pacifier". The kids thought it was "totally hilarious" and Mrs. CC said it was ridiculous. Anyhoo, we got back yesterday just in time for me to make my NT class at seminary- yippee. After having my "theologically-challenged" butt kicked by the material, I was thoroughly wasted upon arrival back at the house around 10:15 where I found Clergy girls camped out on the hide a bed in the so-called "great" room, because their room ain't finished yet (see Monday's post) and they were watching one of their fave movies- "Oklahoma". I came in just when Poor Judd Fry and Curly's showdown in the smokehouse- high drama, for sure. I kissed them and went back to the bedouir (is that spelled right?) to find the lovely Mrs. CC still awake. I asked about the Maundy Thursday service they went to and she said it was fine. One of our elderly, hard of hearing, and barely able to get around choir members decided to let out an extra loud yawn as he was getting up to go down front for communion- she said the whole choir nearly busted a gut.

Since there was no child care (don't ask) the littlest clergy kid sat with his eight year old sister in the very front pew and was nearly perfect for almost the entire length of the service- an hour and twenty! Can you believe it? I got me a good family...

I hope you all have a blessed weekend and remember- it's for us that He died and it's for him that we live!

And May All Your Easter Eggs Be White,
CC

Monday, March 21, 2005

Cry Baby

As it turns out, your captain got a last minute preaching gig that helped us hire out the wallpaper and paint job. God is good.

I preached in a little, small, tiny, country church yesterday, where I've preached many times. As a matter of fact, I preached my very first sermon there in 2001- it was horrible! The fact that they ever asked me to come back shows the amount of grace and mercy these people possess. My sermon was called "I Love a Parade" and I preached it at our home church on Palm Sunday of 2004. Although I didn't go "noteless", I did (conciously) just "talk" more than simply read the written words.

Otherwise, it was a strange weekend. On the way to the youngest clergy's ball game on Sat. we stopped at a carpet place to choose what gets laid in the girl's room. I'm just like, "Whatever, blue, pink, purple, plaid, shag, - I don't flippin' care! In the meantime, the littlest clergy decided to turn the extra large rolls of carpet into a logging festival. "Get down, buddy." "Hey, now, get down, I said!" "If you don't get off those rolls right now, I'm going to put you up for adoption (not really). As we moved to the cash register, the littlest is hopping from one roll to the next, prompting the comment from the store owner, "Sir, I'm going to have to ask you to get control of your children." OK, granted, the idiot carpet jackass was way out of line, nevertheless, I was livid. I took the little man out to the van (spanked him as we walked) informing him that he was not going to be able to go to his final basketball game that afternoon. All of this took place in the span of eight seconds. Then, Mrs. CC came out with the girls, got in their van (we almost always have to drive two vehicles) and asked me what the plan was. I said in my most authoritative voice, "Why don't you go to the game and pick up his "trophy" because I'm taking him home! After hearing several reasons why we should let him go to the game, we went to the ball game. He and I arrived about twenty minutes early and just sat for a bit- he had fallen asleep (always cute) and I had all but lost my mind. The more I thought about the day's happenings and the all the emotions wrapped up in them, I just lost it. I began to cry a bit then all out water works- I mean sobbing! I climbed into the back seat (not an easy task for an old guy) and woke up the kid saying, "I'm so sorry!" I love you so much, I'm sooo sorry!". He woke up and after seeing the emotional train wreck that I was said, "Daddy you don't have to be a cry baby about it. I feel better now.

Your Captain.

Friday, March 18, 2005

This post has no title, just words and a tune...

Your captain has returned from a journey that included two days of terribly boring and depressing business meetings (I think Scott Peterson's first week in San Quentin will be easier than what I had to endure) .

Friday is here at last and the smoke has begun to clear. I have minimal church responsibilities this weekend, so Mrs. CC has decided that the wallpaper in the girls' room needs to go and a new paint job- O Happy Day! Thank you, Jesus! This promises to be a "steamy" weekend, if you know what I mean.

My protion of Sunday's service is the sermonette and the subject is naturally, Palm Sunday. I think I'll come at this from the angle of the of the palm as it signifies victory. Hmmm, I may need a bit more than that, eh? How about this, The Palms in Las Vegas got its name because the palm signifies victory. You know, spend all your hard earned money at the Palms and get ya some victry!? Nah, too "heady" for young minds. What about asking the question, "Why can't palm tress grow in cold weather? Because.... uh... they symbolize victory, right? (puzzled looks from adults and children alike). OK, that's our message for this morning, now run along and get your bellyful of palm shaped cookies and artificial fruit punch.

Carry On.

Monday, March 14, 2005

Above Ground

I talked to the beautiful Mrs. CC over the weekend about how we would spend our fifteenth anniversary weekend (May 13). There is a marriage weekend "retreat" of sorts scheduled in Colorado Springs. The cost is one thing (about $1000.) but child care is quite another...

I had lunch with my little sister last Friday and during the course of our conversation it came up that we will be married fiftenn years come May and I did not mention what, at that time was only in the back of my mind (the Colo. Springs weekend) when she stated frimly, "Hey, I am volunteering my services the weekend of your anniversary to come to your house and watch your kids while you and the Mrs. get away for the weekend- the whole weekend. Unbelievable! All the more reason to go on the trip, right!? We'll see.

Our pastor preached about Ezekiel's vision of the dry bones, asking the question: "Can these dry bones live? Only God knows... Some days are drier than others, right?

Following the Sunday service, we have a kind of "receiving" line where me, the pastor, and student assistant "meet and greet" folks as they leave. Many hugs, some tears, and some off the wall comments like, "It sure was cold in there this morning, can't you do something about the heat?" Or, when asked how one was getting along replied, "Well, I'm still above ground!" I thought the words above ground were only associated with swimming pools. I guess if I were in my twilight years, I might say the same thing. Life is sometimes just about being above ground.

Bless,
Your Captain

Saturday, March 12, 2005

Saturday morning

Saturday morning is so nice. We didn't wake up until 8:00...

I don't quite have this blog thing totally down yet. I want to post some pix and have been to Hello or whatever that place is and downloaded the stuff and I still don't know how to do it!

Is there anyone out there that can help me?

Wednesday, March 09, 2005

Kids and Giants

I took my oldest daughter to a band open house at the middle school (the same one I attended)she'll be attending next fall. Before we got out of the car she said, "Dad, you're not going to hold my hand or anything like that, are you?" This is a sign of things to come. By the way, she chose the trumpet (following in the footsteps of her legendary uncle) as her instrument. Pucker up, baby girl!

Monday night Mrs. CC and I heard Dr. Howard Hendricks speak at the seminary I attend. He was awesome! During the week, it's hard for us to get away with all the kid's stuff going on, but we planned ahead (two weeks) and got all of our ducks in a row to make it happen. "Prof", as he's known by his students, is a real giant in Christianity (he's about 5'0"). His theme was also the title of his re-released book "Heaven Help The Home Today". Here's the bottom line: God first, spouse second, kids third, everything else follows after that. I needed to hear that...

We went by ourselves, but ran into a couple we knew, who were meeting three other couples so we just had a great night out. After the talk I got to meet Dr. Hendricks. He was so kind, gracious and humble. He told the story of his bout with cancer and how the surgey, basically, took the entire left side of his face. It was noticeable up close, but the sweetness in his soul outshined the scars and skin grafts. We had a very memorable evening.

There was a photographer there and I noticed he took a pic of me talking to Hendricks. I contacted the photog. and asked if I could get a copy of the pic. COOL!

I'm fighting off a cold (big sniff) and feel I am holding it at bay, at least for now.

Monday, March 07, 2005

Don't worry, I'm just fine...

Hey now.
I know what you're thinking- "where's Steve been?" Well, you know I've been busy, man! I'll bet this blog has had some 3 hits since last week. I'm sure that Hugh Hewitt will be sitting up and taking note shortly.

I heard about this website called www.dooce.com- this woman is hilarious! I was bustin' a gut in laughter (or was I bustin' a move?). Anyhoo, check it out and put a smile on your otherwise ugly face of yours.

Better go before I gets busted-

Wednesday, March 02, 2005

Too Busy For Fun

Since this is my blog and I've had so many visitors (0), I felt an obligation to update ye olde blog today. The aforementioned weekend was busy and not completely chaotic. The Finn bros. were excellent- I went back to the eighties for a bit! Saturday's "concert" was very successful, if not well-attended and we were tighter than tight! Sunday come around and I was nearly out o' gas. Then on a plane for GR and to a Servant Leadership seminar Monday from 8 to noon- back on a plane for home- many delays- home at midnight.

I have a hard time really enjoying weekends like last. So busy, I don't have "time" to enjoy. I'm so worried about the details (e.g., will we sound good at our concert? will I miss the plane? Will it be snowing? Will the hotrl have a res. for me? Will my rental car be nice and big?) you get the idea.

I am working on that! Help me,Lord!