We had an oh-so-interesting visit to a new park today, McRitchie Reservoir. Firstly, it was beautiful. Like a landscaped rainforest! We didn't make it far into the forest though, pushing the double stroller up the steep hills. But we do have a story to tell!
As we crossed a bridge to the other side of the lake, I spotted a monkey. "Wow, monkeys roam freely in this park", I thought. "Let's hurry over before he scurries away." As I rushed over to give the girls a peek, I suddenly caught sight of his family, extended family, and 100 closest friends! Not only did he not rush off; He invited us to his house! "They're harmless", an passerby exclaimed. "The governement would never allow them to roam here if they were a problem." Hmmm... It was about then that my motherly instincts should have started kicking in. It all happened so fast!
It was about 10am, so we didn't have any food in sight; Just an inconspicuous juice cup. Ever the mindful mother, always thinking first of my children's safety and well-being, I took out the camera and began snapping photos of the monkeys barraging my children. All of a sudden, one of the monkeys climbed right up onto the stroller and snatched Ellie's juice cup right out of her hand! Amazing dexterity, the little dickens!
Before I realized it, that darned critter ran up the side of the hill straight up into the tree with poor Ellie's cup. Mommy thought the whole scene was hilarious, but Ellie was not as amused. The three of us waited helplessly as we watched him laboriously try to crack it open from the top of the tree. Meanwhile, (I'm quite sure they were working in cahoots!) another monkey spied our backpack open which was hanging on the back of the stroller. He jumped on top of the stroller, onto the backpack and began rummaging through the bag for more untold goodies! Luckily mom was becoming keener on these aggressive monkeys and I shooed him away before he could make off with any more loot!
I am not kidding, we (and the small but growing crowd of onlookers) waited for 20 minutes while the cup was passed from monkey to monkey, each having their turn trying to get into this treasure. (I was determined to get the cup back, because I just bought it, at the only store in
And poor little Ellie. Kathryn was kind enough to share her cup with Ellie for the rest of the morning, but both were a bit traumatized. Kathryn kept saying "Mommy, the monkeys! Hurry-- take my cup before they can get it!"
Later after the incident, an observer asked "Haven't you been here before? Didn't you know? You don't ever want to have a picnic here. Never feed the crazy monkeys!"
Tuesday, May 30, 2006
Thursday, May 25, 2006
Life Lessons in the Kitchen: On Cookie Dough and Other Sweet Rewards
My parents who have been here with us in
On a somewhat related note, some life lessons hit me as Kathryn, Nana and I were making cookies together in the kitchen a few days ago. The coveted batter was emerging and Kathryn was standing on a stool overlooking the oh-so-tempting bowl. (And what ADULT can even resist the urge to scoop the finger in to have "just a little taste"?) So I seized the teaching moment.
"Kathryn, that batter sure does look good, doesn't it? You know, Nana said that we shouldn't put our fingers in the batter. And she promised that if we wait, when the batter is done, we can each lick a beater. So I'm going to use self control, and not eat the batter. Do you know what that is?"
"What is it?"
"Well, self-control is when you decide not to do something now because something else better is coming later... (Ok, this may not pass as a philosophical definition, but it worked in the moment.)... SO I'm going to decide not to try the batter now, so that I can have that big beater later! Do you think you can do that?"
"Yeah! I'll wait now, and then later I'll get the beater! And cookies too!"
For the next couple of intense minutes, all seemed to be going smoothly with the dough and the teaching experiment. But all of a sudden, Kathryn jumped off the stool, ran to her room, and plopped down in her bed with her blankie. Reduced to a pile of tears, she lamented, "It's TOO HARD; It's TOO HARD!" It took several minutes of convincing and a serious pep-talk to lure her back into the kitchen. When we returned, Nana had finished up the batter and was ready to fire up the mixer. Now the goal was in sight! Within a couple of minutes, a revived Kathryn joyfully licked every microscopic bit of batter off the prized treat.
There are many days that I feel like Kathryn on the inside. "It's too hard; It's too hard," is my internal lament. Then I hear my words to Kathryn coming back to me-- Something better is coming later. If I can just keep my eyes on the prize, then I am refreshed and can keep on going. Whether it's self-control, to say "no" to something that numbs our senses to greater rewards, or it's perseverance to keep running the long race ahead, it's the awaited treasure that fuels the flame.
"Keep your eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him, endured the cross, scorning the shame, and sat down on the right hand of God. For consider Him who has endured such hostility by sinners against Himself, so that you may not grow weary and lose heart." (Heb. 12:2-3)
[And as a matter of public confession, I must admit that I tasted the batter when Kathryn wasn't looking. One of the perks of adulthood.]
Tuesday, May 16, 2006
I've been reading through the Old Testament kings. I'll admit--sometimes the figures seem a bit dry, and I wonder what I'm supposed to learn from them. So I've been praying "Lord, show me Jesus as I read about these kings." He has been answering that prayer...
He was at the height of his kingdom. His father, King David, had passed along all the blessing of God's promises to his son, and Solomon was in the top of his game. His popularity ratings were off the charts. Everyone loved him. I can't think of a single modern example, where a ruler was so famed, so popular, so loved by his people.
After David's death when Solomon was established as king, God gave Solomon a unique opportunity. "Ask for anything you want me to give you." WOW! Give me rest from my enemies. Give me the favor of the people. These first come to my mind. But Solomon says "Lord, you have made me king over a people as numerous as the dust of the earth. Give me now wisdom and knowledge... for who can rule this great people of Thine?"
1 Kings 3 tells us that God promised him a wise and discerning heart, "so that there has been no one like you before you, nor shall one like you arise after you." Quite a promise! Now put yourself in his shoes. Can you not hear these thoughts rising within you? "...No one so wise as ME...No one before ME or after ME as discerning as ME!" Surely that is what he was thinking, right?
During the next 4 years, Solomon enjoyed all the things he didn't ask God for--Fame, wealth, honor, peace, and more. Yet God had something else very special in mind for Solomon. Of all the generations that passed between the exodus from Egypt, to the conquering of the promised land, God had given this king an honor known by no other. Solomon would build a house where God's presence would dwell. He spared no expense in materials or workmanship to complete the temple to the exact specifications that his father had relayed to him. It was a seven year job. No architectural structure like it had existed before his time, and now the task was complete.
The whole nation is assembled before the wondrous temple for a grandiose celebration. A hush falls over the crowd. Every eye is upon the king as he stands up to address the people. Solomon approaches the altar. He raises up to stand upon it so everyone can see him, and raises up his hands before the people. With every eye watching, the grand and powerful Solomon kneels in the presence of the people and spreads his hands out towards heaven. Then he begins his speech, not to the people, but to God, "O Lord, the God of Israel, there is no god like Thee in heaven or on the earth...Will God indeed dwell with mankind on the earth? Behold, heaven and the highest heaven cannot contain Thee; how much less this house which I have built." He goes on to entreat God to listen and answer the prayers offered to Him there in the temple.
The Bible tells us that when Solomon finished praying, fire came down from heaven and consumed the sacrifices, and the glory of the Lord filled the house so that the priests could not enter for the greatness of His glory. I suspect that God's great pleasure shown toward this display was in response in part to the great humility he found in his servant Solomon.
Ponder in awe this figure, Solomon, who was the greatest king the earth had known. Ponder his wisdom as he ruled in power and discernment over his people. Ponder his humility as this greatest of all kings bows in humble worship before the God of the universe. But please, don't stop there.
Here I need to press the pause button for a moment. How many hundreds of sermons have we heard that call us to model the greatness of a biblical character? "Be like Abraham", who trusted God and was willing to give his son. "Be like Daniel", who would not bow to the king. Here we could say, "Be like Solomon", who asked for wisdom over riches; or who bowed in humility. Great models, all of them. Solomon was great, and we should emulate his humility and request for wisdom. But could we be missing the point? Let me ask it this way-- Does your heart ever cry out "YES!" within you when someone calls you to ponder the greatness of Solomon? Does your soul feel fed by the great wisdom of this biblical king? Great as he is, mine doesn't either.
Solomon bowed because he was NOT the King. All the Old Testament kings, great, famous, wicked, godly, all together shout "I'm not THE King. THE King is coming!" So as I quote these passages, think of Solomon, and let them bring you deeper than Solomon could go.
"The Queen of the South will rise at the judgment with this generation and condemn it; for she came from the ends of the earth to listen to Solomon's wisdom, and now one greater than Solomon is here." (Mt. 12:42)
"But God chose the folish things of the world to shame the wise...so that no one may boast before Him. It is because of Him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God..." (1 Co 1:27,30) You thought Solomon was wise?
"Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus, who being in very nature, God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taken the very nautre of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death--even death on a cross!" (Ph. 2:6-8) You thought Solomon was humble?
So THAT is why we read...(don't miss the climax!) "Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every (king's) name, that at the name of Jesus, every knee show bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father." (Ph. 2:9-11)
Bow with me before this One who IS wisdom; who humbled Himself in ways we cannot fathom; who is exalted above every name. This One feeds my soul. To this One, my heart cries "Yes!" For this One is FAR greater than Solomon.
