I spent part of today sitting on a commercial shoot as my youngest son participated in the filming. It was for the Oklahoma Education Fund....if I was not a Baptist Pastor (actually I hesitate calling myself that as much as the Baptists cringe at the thought of me having that affiliation) I would most likely call it the Lottery. "Lottery" is actually what it said on the little "action" clapboard. It was an ironic day, a Baptist Pastor's son was involved in a Lottery Commercial being filmed at a Presbyterian Church. That should give critics enough to talk and write about for a long time.
It was not our first involvement with the Education Fund. Daughter Hannah spent a couple of years on Education Fund billboards around the state a couple of years ago. We have, however, turned down many auditions that include films where the topic was men that eat children, men that abuse little children, and men that behave like little children. We do have some standards.
Baptists are bigtime anti-gambling campaigners. I remember as a staff member at a Baptist church in Colorado when that state was deciding if it would permit gambling in some of the mountain towns. On the Sunday prior to the election our education minister stood up and said that everyone needed to vote "no" since gambling was clearly a violation of scripture. There were many "Amens" from around the auditorium but I sat silently. I was not sure that I could identify the specific, clear, anti-gambling commandments in scripture.
Now, don't get me wrong, I had no problem identifying gambling as being a destructive force for many individuals and families. I also agree completely that the abuse of gambling violates many Biblical principles. I cannot agree, however, that it is clearly forbidden in scripture. The debate always reminded me of the stories my dad would tell about how he was looked down upon because he liked to play pool when he was growing up (he thought it was hilarious when my youth pastor put a pool table in our church youth room when I was a teen).
What did get my attention was a couple of years ago when I ran into a high school, non-Christian, friend who I had not seen for many years. She, and her husband, work in film and advertising. As we shared and caught up on our lives I shared that my kids had been involved in filming some movies and commercials. She wanted to know what projects and in the list I shared that we had been a part of the Education (Lottery) Fund. I was then surprised to hear a long, long, lecture about the evils of the lottery and of this easy and available type of gambling.
Her argument was the first to actually catch my attention. It caught my attention because it did not incorrectly use and abuse scripture but instead attempted to present truth.
I have to wonder how many non-healthy and possibly abusive things could be better approached with truth rather than abuse.
"You will know the truth and the truth will set you free!" John 8:32
Here I Dwell,
Rick
P.S. So.....Rick....why did you participate in the commercial? Good question!
Friday, January 30, 2009
Thursday, January 29, 2009
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
Basic Survival
We survived day two and are now gearing up for day three. Even some our kids complained when they discovered that schools would be closed again tomorrow.
Here I Dwell,
Rick
Here I Dwell,
Rick
Tuesday, January 27, 2009
Ice Days
Andrea and I survived our first "no-school ice day" for the school year today with minor battle scars. We are convinced, however, that we are not, nor will we ever be, meant to be home schoolers.
Andrea spent the entire morning playing "customer" in the restaurant set up by Hannah and Lily, I spent most of the day losing at Risk and Monopoly to Caleb and Hannah, Grace became so bored that she began cleaning the house in between calling her grandma to come rescue her from this hellish boredom, and Isaiah spent the majority of the day giving in to his aggravation inflamed by an incredibly talented pestering older brother (talented in knowing exactly what needs to be done to pester anther individual, the talent is especially pronounced when directed at any sibling).
It was quite a day. Norman Public Schools have announced that they are also closed tomorrow, oh the places we will go, the fun we will have!
Here I Dwell,
Rick
Andrea spent the entire morning playing "customer" in the restaurant set up by Hannah and Lily, I spent most of the day losing at Risk and Monopoly to Caleb and Hannah, Grace became so bored that she began cleaning the house in between calling her grandma to come rescue her from this hellish boredom, and Isaiah spent the majority of the day giving in to his aggravation inflamed by an incredibly talented pestering older brother (talented in knowing exactly what needs to be done to pester anther individual, the talent is especially pronounced when directed at any sibling).
It was quite a day. Norman Public Schools have announced that they are also closed tomorrow, oh the places we will go, the fun we will have!
Here I Dwell,
Rick
Monday, January 26, 2009
Trench Coats and Learning
Every woman should have a nice trench coat in her wardrobe.
I learned this over the weekend from Stacey and Clinton. I have three daughters and a television that will apparently only receive The Learning Channel. I also learned how to treat your wife from Dad Duggar as well as how to be a very, very, very patient husband from John and Kate, and it is not because of how he deals with his eight.
Anyway, as fate would have it, my wife presented me with a catalog tonight asking my opinion of, guess what.....a trench coat! She was considering buying one and I was, not only able to give an opinion, but also to appreciate the need for a trench coat. To appreciate the fact that a woman who seldom has to go out in the rain still needs a trench coat. Learning is so helpful, so thank goodness for The Learning Channel.
The kids are out of school tomorrow due to the ice storm. I have three televisions and a household full of kids that cannot leave for an entire day. Andrea tells me that we have much more to learn from Trinny and Susanna.
I am going to be a genius....or insane!
Here I Dwell,
Rick
I learned this over the weekend from Stacey and Clinton. I have three daughters and a television that will apparently only receive The Learning Channel. I also learned how to treat your wife from Dad Duggar as well as how to be a very, very, very patient husband from John and Kate, and it is not because of how he deals with his eight.
Anyway, as fate would have it, my wife presented me with a catalog tonight asking my opinion of, guess what.....a trench coat! She was considering buying one and I was, not only able to give an opinion, but also to appreciate the need for a trench coat. To appreciate the fact that a woman who seldom has to go out in the rain still needs a trench coat. Learning is so helpful, so thank goodness for The Learning Channel.
The kids are out of school tomorrow due to the ice storm. I have three televisions and a household full of kids that cannot leave for an entire day. Andrea tells me that we have much more to learn from Trinny and Susanna.
I am going to be a genius....or insane!
Here I Dwell,
Rick
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
Happy Birthday!
Today is Andrea's birthday, Happy Birthday Andrea! At every birthday dinner we go around the table and tell the birthday person all the things we appreciate and love about them. I didn't think we were ever going to get to eat tonight as everyone had so much to say about their mommy. She takes care of us, has patience for and with us, and always loves us.
Here I Dwell,
Rick
Here I Dwell,
Rick
Wednesday, January 7, 2009
Pet Survival
My family does not have the best record for taking care of pets....actually we do not have a very high pet survival rate. It is probably good that the government, or God, does not make you successfully raise a pet prior to having children. If that were the case, we would have no children. We are much better at taking care of humans than animals.
About eight months after we were married, Andrea and I adopted a Chinese Pug we named Bronson. We named him Bronson after the man we purchased him from who seemed almost heartbroken to see him leave. It was a tribute. We even sent the man a Christmas card with a picture of Bronson the following Christmas, it was a Hallmark moment....for a short while. We loved Bronson, after we had our first child, Caleb, Bronson would just sit by his car seat or bassinet and keep a watchful eye on him. However, less than a year after we had Bronson, he suddenly became very lethargic. I took him to the vet, who ended up having to do a great deal of expensive surgery on him (something that I had always thought ridiculous pre-Bronson) but could not save him.
We then decided that pets were not our thing and began having humans instead.
After we brought home our fifth human, we agreed that our house was full and so we were now a "finished" family.
We did not know that public school teachers have the authoritarian power to supersede even "finished" family decisions. We soon were winning newts and frogs and betas in class lotteries. Our children, the aforementioned humans, would be thrilled while all the while we knew that a teacher was sitting home laughing.
We decided that these were creations of God and we, even as manipulative as the process may have been, had been given the responsibility to care for them. We would go to the pet store, receive advise, purchase the living habitats, furnishings, and food and begin to care for these new family members. It never lasted long. Inevitably, they would die within a short time. We did our part, I would even cheerfully greet them each morning knowing all the while that neither a newt or a frog would even consider giving me back a simple "Have a good day." Don't even get me going on the social skills of a beta!
We even purposely allowed daughter Hannah to purchase a gerbil with birthday money. We bought a cage and then even helped her buy the more extensive, and expensive, gerbil recreation palace after the gerbil had survived a month at our house. The gerbil died soon after we had properly acclimated him to his new home. A local gerbil, and his human counterparts, got a heck of deal on that gerbil mansion at the Anthony garage sale that accompanied that adventure. I got to begin sleeping again, apparently gerbils can only use their exercise wheel when it is totally dark and silent in the house.
About three years ago, our fourth child (Human) and future veterinarian, Lily (she is going to be the kind of vet who does not have to put an animal to sleep like the vet on "Marley and Me" had to.....don't read that if you have not yet seen the movie), came to me and said that we needed to get a dog and that I had given enough excuses. I had been the master of excuses up to this point, "We need to wait until after camp", "We need to wait until after vacation", "We need to wait until after Christmas", and my personal favorite, "We need to wait until after Easter since dogs are known to eat bunnies". The gig was over we had to get a dog. So, on April 1, 2006, Slinky was born. We got him weeks later. He was born to our vet's dog who we now have on speed dial (the vet, not the dog).
This April will mark Slinky's third birthday and he is still alive and doing well! Part of the reason is that we have come to an agreement. He does not go to the bathroom in the house and does not chew up much stuff and we do whatever he says. He is the master, with a few limitations (no peeing, pooping, and chewing in the house), and we are his pets. It is working out well and has been endorsed by PETA and the ASPCA, however Ted Neugent and some Republican groups have not yet signed on.
A couple of months ago we decided to push our luck. We now have Violet. Violet is our latest attempt at pet survival and another push by future "no putting to death" vet Lily. Violet is a male beta fish, Lily got a male beta because they are cuter than the females, but a male fish name did not sound right on a cute fish. Besides, the name had already been decided prior to the male/female cuteness revelation.
Violet is a survivor and may make it in the Anthony household.
On New Year's Eve we were getting ready to head out of town. Slinky was going with us to our in-laws because they do dogs but do not necessarily do fish. Violet was going to my parents because they do fish but do not necessarily do dogs (it is an arrangement that works). Slinky also has to go to the in laws because the other dogs at the kennel drive him crazy and he does not get any sleep...he therefore has to teach us a lesson when we get home (I usually have to clean up the lessons so I have become a fast learner). As Lily and I were heading to Grandma's house to drop off Violet I dropped the fish bowl onto the floor of the garage. Violet, in a rush of water, was soon jumping around on the floor of the garage under the middle of the van. I let out an almost cuss word, acceptable today but not in the sixties because mom knew what I was thinking even though I did not actually say the word, and quickly saw the look on Lily's face. Knowing that this was a look that I did not want to see for the rest of my life, I quickly dropped to my belly and crawled under the van. There Violet was, shouting out the actual cuss words without any regard for the appropriateness today or in the sixties. I scooped him up and ran into the house to find a cup and water. Lily ran behind me and was horrified as I placed him into the untreated water. She quickly jumped into "non putting to death" vet mode and placed the treatment solution into the water. She then crawled under the kitchen counter and pulled out a former home of a newt or frog that, had somehow not been clearance sold in the garage sale, and began to prep it for the new, temporary, Violet home. I began to try to salvage some of the pink rocks, Violet has no chance at any possibility of masculinity, when I saw Lily pull out a bag of new pink rocks. She got the new home ready, pink rocks, treated water, and a plant, in time that only a "non putting to death" vet could and placed Violet in. We then took him over to the grandparents and placed the responsibility on them to pull him through this latest crisis.
It is now January 7 and he still seems to be alive. Emasculated, but alive.
The curse may be gone!
Here I Dwell,
Rick
About eight months after we were married, Andrea and I adopted a Chinese Pug we named Bronson. We named him Bronson after the man we purchased him from who seemed almost heartbroken to see him leave. It was a tribute. We even sent the man a Christmas card with a picture of Bronson the following Christmas, it was a Hallmark moment....for a short while. We loved Bronson, after we had our first child, Caleb, Bronson would just sit by his car seat or bassinet and keep a watchful eye on him. However, less than a year after we had Bronson, he suddenly became very lethargic. I took him to the vet, who ended up having to do a great deal of expensive surgery on him (something that I had always thought ridiculous pre-Bronson) but could not save him.
We then decided that pets were not our thing and began having humans instead.
After we brought home our fifth human, we agreed that our house was full and so we were now a "finished" family.
We did not know that public school teachers have the authoritarian power to supersede even "finished" family decisions. We soon were winning newts and frogs and betas in class lotteries. Our children, the aforementioned humans, would be thrilled while all the while we knew that a teacher was sitting home laughing.
We decided that these were creations of God and we, even as manipulative as the process may have been, had been given the responsibility to care for them. We would go to the pet store, receive advise, purchase the living habitats, furnishings, and food and begin to care for these new family members. It never lasted long. Inevitably, they would die within a short time. We did our part, I would even cheerfully greet them each morning knowing all the while that neither a newt or a frog would even consider giving me back a simple "Have a good day." Don't even get me going on the social skills of a beta!
We even purposely allowed daughter Hannah to purchase a gerbil with birthday money. We bought a cage and then even helped her buy the more extensive, and expensive, gerbil recreation palace after the gerbil had survived a month at our house. The gerbil died soon after we had properly acclimated him to his new home. A local gerbil, and his human counterparts, got a heck of deal on that gerbil mansion at the Anthony garage sale that accompanied that adventure. I got to begin sleeping again, apparently gerbils can only use their exercise wheel when it is totally dark and silent in the house.
About three years ago, our fourth child (Human) and future veterinarian, Lily (she is going to be the kind of vet who does not have to put an animal to sleep like the vet on "Marley and Me" had to.....don't read that if you have not yet seen the movie), came to me and said that we needed to get a dog and that I had given enough excuses. I had been the master of excuses up to this point, "We need to wait until after camp", "We need to wait until after vacation", "We need to wait until after Christmas", and my personal favorite, "We need to wait until after Easter since dogs are known to eat bunnies". The gig was over we had to get a dog. So, on April 1, 2006, Slinky was born. We got him weeks later. He was born to our vet's dog who we now have on speed dial (the vet, not the dog).
This April will mark Slinky's third birthday and he is still alive and doing well! Part of the reason is that we have come to an agreement. He does not go to the bathroom in the house and does not chew up much stuff and we do whatever he says. He is the master, with a few limitations (no peeing, pooping, and chewing in the house), and we are his pets. It is working out well and has been endorsed by PETA and the ASPCA, however Ted Neugent and some Republican groups have not yet signed on.
A couple of months ago we decided to push our luck. We now have Violet. Violet is our latest attempt at pet survival and another push by future "no putting to death" vet Lily. Violet is a male beta fish, Lily got a male beta because they are cuter than the females, but a male fish name did not sound right on a cute fish. Besides, the name had already been decided prior to the male/female cuteness revelation.
Violet is a survivor and may make it in the Anthony household.
On New Year's Eve we were getting ready to head out of town. Slinky was going with us to our in-laws because they do dogs but do not necessarily do fish. Violet was going to my parents because they do fish but do not necessarily do dogs (it is an arrangement that works). Slinky also has to go to the in laws because the other dogs at the kennel drive him crazy and he does not get any sleep...he therefore has to teach us a lesson when we get home (I usually have to clean up the lessons so I have become a fast learner). As Lily and I were heading to Grandma's house to drop off Violet I dropped the fish bowl onto the floor of the garage. Violet, in a rush of water, was soon jumping around on the floor of the garage under the middle of the van. I let out an almost cuss word, acceptable today but not in the sixties because mom knew what I was thinking even though I did not actually say the word, and quickly saw the look on Lily's face. Knowing that this was a look that I did not want to see for the rest of my life, I quickly dropped to my belly and crawled under the van. There Violet was, shouting out the actual cuss words without any regard for the appropriateness today or in the sixties. I scooped him up and ran into the house to find a cup and water. Lily ran behind me and was horrified as I placed him into the untreated water. She quickly jumped into "non putting to death" vet mode and placed the treatment solution into the water. She then crawled under the kitchen counter and pulled out a former home of a newt or frog that, had somehow not been clearance sold in the garage sale, and began to prep it for the new, temporary, Violet home. I began to try to salvage some of the pink rocks, Violet has no chance at any possibility of masculinity, when I saw Lily pull out a bag of new pink rocks. She got the new home ready, pink rocks, treated water, and a plant, in time that only a "non putting to death" vet could and placed Violet in. We then took him over to the grandparents and placed the responsibility on them to pull him through this latest crisis.
It is now January 7 and he still seems to be alive. Emasculated, but alive.
The curse may be gone!
Here I Dwell,
Rick
Sunday, January 4, 2009
Christmas Lessons
1. A lowing cattle figurine is not an adequate substitute for a missing baby Jesus in a nativity scene….anyway, the baby Jesus figurine always shows up by New Year’s Day.
2. Not everything marked “Teen” is suitable for all audiences, even if that “Teen” marked item is a Bible used by your “Teen” (actually not until March) daughter as she reads a passage for the Christmas Eve Candlelight Worship. The “Teen” marking means that the “Teens” sitting on the front row will chuckle when the word “Virgin” is first said by your “Teen” daughter and a collective gasp will be heard when she reads “who had not yet had sexual intercourse”. You also realize that God is truly gracious when the precious second grade reader does not have to say any of the “Teen” words in her assigned scripture.
3. The mother of the bride, at the wedding you perform after Christmas, is not the sister, and the Grandmother is not the mother. You realize that you are now performing weddings where you may be closer to the age of the grandparent than the parent and the idea that you are close to the age of the bride (which you are stupid enough to verbalize) is something that brings tears of laughter to the eyes of your wife.
4. When you go with your adolescent daughters to Aéropostale to make a purchase, you need to just go save a place in line as instructed by daughters as they look at clothes.
5. A son that has to be woke up at 3:00pm on Christmas Eve will mysteriously wake up at 6:00am on Christmas Day.
6. “A Christmas Story” is surprisingly funny even after the fifth time you watch it on Christmas Eve.
7. Just because you buy your fourteen year old son a sports coat to wear at an out of state wedding does not mean that he will think that he is supposed to take the sports coat out of the state for the wedding.
8. Sleeping with an eight year old son for five nights can lead to a great lack of sleep and a possible black eye on a dad (courtesy of an eight year old foot).
9. No matter how many Wii Fits are delivered to local stores prior to Christmas day, and no matter how many delivery truck arrival times (of every area store) you memorize, you will always arrive at the store as Aunt Jane (not your Aunt Jane….not even a likable Aunt Jane) walks out with the last Wii expected in your community until after the New Year. A lack of Wii Fits will guarantee a great Christmas Eve illustration for your Candlelight worship but not a smile on the face of your fourteen year old son on Christmas morning.
10. Ending one year remembering the gift of our Savior is a great way to begin a new year.
2. Not everything marked “Teen” is suitable for all audiences, even if that “Teen” marked item is a Bible used by your “Teen” (actually not until March) daughter as she reads a passage for the Christmas Eve Candlelight Worship. The “Teen” marking means that the “Teens” sitting on the front row will chuckle when the word “Virgin” is first said by your “Teen” daughter and a collective gasp will be heard when she reads “who had not yet had sexual intercourse”. You also realize that God is truly gracious when the precious second grade reader does not have to say any of the “Teen” words in her assigned scripture.
3. The mother of the bride, at the wedding you perform after Christmas, is not the sister, and the Grandmother is not the mother. You realize that you are now performing weddings where you may be closer to the age of the grandparent than the parent and the idea that you are close to the age of the bride (which you are stupid enough to verbalize) is something that brings tears of laughter to the eyes of your wife.
4. When you go with your adolescent daughters to Aéropostale to make a purchase, you need to just go save a place in line as instructed by daughters as they look at clothes.
5. A son that has to be woke up at 3:00pm on Christmas Eve will mysteriously wake up at 6:00am on Christmas Day.
6. “A Christmas Story” is surprisingly funny even after the fifth time you watch it on Christmas Eve.
7. Just because you buy your fourteen year old son a sports coat to wear at an out of state wedding does not mean that he will think that he is supposed to take the sports coat out of the state for the wedding.
8. Sleeping with an eight year old son for five nights can lead to a great lack of sleep and a possible black eye on a dad (courtesy of an eight year old foot).
9. No matter how many Wii Fits are delivered to local stores prior to Christmas day, and no matter how many delivery truck arrival times (of every area store) you memorize, you will always arrive at the store as Aunt Jane (not your Aunt Jane….not even a likable Aunt Jane) walks out with the last Wii expected in your community until after the New Year. A lack of Wii Fits will guarantee a great Christmas Eve illustration for your Candlelight worship but not a smile on the face of your fourteen year old son on Christmas morning.
10. Ending one year remembering the gift of our Savior is a great way to begin a new year.
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