July 7, 2007

Sherry and I took a walk on the beach yesterday. We snuck away from the kids and took a long stroll through the shallow waves that were stirring the sand and shells. At one point we held hands. That was rather cool and nostalgic. I asked Sherry about the book she is reading. A friend back in Atlanta gave Sherry a book to read for study break. It’s called “And The Shofar Blew” by Francine Rivers. Sherry has been engulfed in this thick novel, so when I asked about it… she tended to monopolize our beach conversation with an excited retelling of the story line. I listened because I love Sherry… not so much thick novels.
I asked Sherry if she thought her book was a divine appointment thing that God had placed in her hands. She wasn’t sure if it was or not, but she did think there was a theme that was beginning to bubble up in our annual study break. Sherry has been reading my daily blogs and some excerpts from my study break books… and along with her book, and the fact that our kids are trying to memorize I Corinthians 13… Sherry thought we were are seeing a theme of love. Simple love. Not the soap opera kind, but rather the God type of love that pushes aside labels, judgmental attitudes, preconceived ideas, and just loves.
I have noticed people loving other people here at the beach. There was a dad carrying his tiny infant son in a wrapped-up towel, and as he was climbing some wooden, ocean-worn stairs he said, “Daddy’s got ya. I’ll take care of you.” I saw a somewhat weathered man stoop low to the ground with his digital camera. He was trying to get just the right shot of his wife. You would have thought he was taking Cover Girl photos of a hot new super model. She was definitely not the most beautiful bathing beauty on the beach. In fact, she was stooped over and made to look a bit awkward as the waves were affecting her balance. Soaking it all in was a husband who saw nothing but a future-framed prize possession photograph of the woman he loved.
We took our kids to our annual study-break midnight breakfast last night. I didn’t think we were going to make it. At about 11 p.m. my tribe was looking weary as we awaited our departure time of 11:30. We arrived at Denny’s at 11:45. We placed our order at 11:50, and our food came… no kidding… by 11:55. Michael was still trying to talk with a British accent. He moves his body in funny, contorted ways as he says, “Pip, pip old chap…bloody good!” The manager came over to our table and showed the kids how to shoot straw wrappers more efficiently. I think I have great kids who already could shoot straw wrappers with great animation, but I think he was enjoying watching our family and wanted to join in some how. We all laughed and wondered why so many other people were at Denny’s at midnight. Sherry and I split a Grand Slam… because after all, do you really need to sleep on a whole Grand Slam?
I hope my kids remember study breaks. I hope they remember midnight breakfasts.
I hope they remember me taking some study break down time on Saturdays and Sundays just so we can hang out. I hope they feel loved.
I finished reading the last two chapters of “Blue Like Jazz” this morning. I dreaded coming to the end. "Blue Like Jazz" became a much-needed friend and companion these past couple days. Donald Miller talks a lot about love in this great, thirst-quenching book.
He says it’s so important to love people because God is love… and other’s will have such a hard time getting to know and understand God if they are not loved. I want so desperately for my kids to know God, and I think it’s all very much dependent on how I love them. Miller also wrote poignantly about receiving love, and how he had such a hard time doing this. I love this… Miller writes: “If it is wrong for me to receive love, then it is also wrong for me to give it because by giving it I’m causing someone else to receive it, which I had presupposed was the wrong thing to do.” Miller had a epiphany-type break through of allowing himself to receive God’s love which broke open the dam for others to love him as well.
I’m not writing much or doing much today… because I just wanted to hang out and try to love on my family. We’re going to watch Dream Girls tonight and make slushies. Tomorrow we’ll go to church and hang out some more. It seems that even on study break, it’s healthy to take a break.
If I write great blogs, and read many books, and impress people with my study break insights… but have not love… I’m but a clanging, cheap, beach-shop wind chime… and a very bad dad.