Stolen Moment

Today on the way home from preschool, Hayes decided he wanted to eat at "the American place." Oddly enough, he meant Puerto Villarta -- the local Mexican joint. I can appreciate his confusion. So we called Daddy and went to lunch, just the three of us. I am so glad we did. It has been so easy to get distracted from just the three of us lately: I have my show, Richard is in West Lafayette 4 days a week, Thanksgiving and the family and the entertaining it brings. Just last night as we were all in the bed (yes, we still all sleep in the same bed, much to my mother's dismay), I was thinking about how I am going to miss him when I leave for my show this Wednesday. Despite the angst between Hayes and me these last couple weeks, I will be anxious to see him again when this show is over.

I'm so glad I listened to Hayes's idea this time. We needed that time. Hayes listened attentively to the Spanish being spoken; no one had a meltdown; there was a rousing game of I Spy before the main course. It was the perfect way to spend a rainy afternoon, just the three of us.

Guess Who's Coming to Dinner

We spent the weekend with my sister and brother-in-law. They always have these fun party games they play. This time we had to name the 5 living people we would have to a dinner party. Here is my list:

Jimmy Carter
Annie Lamott
Brian McLaren
Maya Angelou
Barbara Striesand

It occurs to me that Terry Gross should really be there too, as she could moderate the discussion much better than I. So, who would you invite?

The Chronicles

I've been reading the Chronicles of Narnia for the first time (I would never have admitted at Traders Point that I hadn't actually read them). I loved The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe, was ambivalent about The Horse and His Boy, liked very much Prince Caspian, loved The Voyage Of The Dawn Treader, and again was ambivalent about The Silver Chair. I have one more to go -- The Last Battle. Lewis had such a grasp on his theology; at least it seems so from his writings. Often, I too, want to be that sure. I don't know that I would actually allow myself to feel certain about it. Every time I have, it has somehow come back to bite me in the ass.

So I am enjoying the reading of such certain faith and far-flung adventures. It makes me happy that a grown man created such fanciful and amazing places. Reading all the chronicles together seems like some sort of stream of consciousness writing about what God is like and how we should and need to be interacting with God, even though we are likely as not to actually do what we should. There is a bit of comfort in knowing we all slip up, yet Aslan loves us even so.

I am actually sorry I waited so long to read them; and yet, I think I would not have appreciated them so much as now. Because I think I am reading them now as they were intended to be read: as a child. Not as theology or any complicated allegory. They are wonderful children's stories about a God who loves us and helps to guide us. Does it really have to be any more complicated than that? Perhaps our reading of the Holy Scriptures should often be more like that too. I just think God wants it to be simple. Did you hear the word easy? Too bad. I did too once. Not easy, just simple.