TV Dinners

I like clever things. If you don't get the above picture then ask me.

So, I said good-bye for another year to one of my best friends in the world yesterday. Chuck is off to asia-land again. He left TO last night a few minutes before midnight, one of the last scheduled flights for September 11th, 2005; he's actually probably still in the air as I write this watching a crazy Korean movie. Chuck is an awesome guy, a great friend, one of those guys who I know that regardless of where the good Lord takes us in life we'll still keep in contact with each other. He lent me his DVD copy of Indecision 2004, the Daily Show's coverage of the last American election. Jon Stewart is a genius.

Ever seen 'Nooma'? They're a series of short video/talks by a pastor guy from Grand Rapids. They're excellent. One of my favorite's from the series is the one called 'Rain'. Esencially Rob tells the story of hiking around a lake by a cabin that he was staying at, carrying his young son in one of those special backpacks. Anyway, about halfway around the lake the sky just opens up, drenching them both. Well, for the last part of the treck home, he took his son out of the pack and held him close to his chest and sheltered him from the storm, whispering into his ear "I love you buddy, we're gonna make it, I love you man." He then draws the obvious parallel to God allowing us to go through 'stormy' times in our lives but carrying us and sheltering us through them. We still get wet, we still get uncomfortable, and the thunder and lighting still frighten us, but he's constantly whispering "I love you, we're gonna make it". We just need be able to hear it. And Rob, as a father, talks about how fantastic that experience was, being able to carry and protect his son like that. It's the same with God our Father. He loves to express his love that way to us.

Everytime I hear the song "Raindrops + Sunshowers" by the Smashing Pumpkins, it reminds me of the Nooma video, but ultimately of God, and brings me to a place of worship. This song just came on my 'random' playlist here at the office. I needed to hear it and have that reminder, as there's been a storm cloud following me for a week or so now.