Tuesday, July 28, 2009

Cotton Candy

The following story was inspired by a sermon illustration I heard several years ago...

The sun was beaming through the puffy white clouds as the Mills family pulled their blue Grand Caravan into the parking lot at the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk. This was a day they had been looking forward to for the past month. As they waited in line for their tickets the kids were discussing which ride they would go on first. Emily wanted to go on the Log Ride. Her father, John, suggested they wait until the warmer part of the day so they would be able to dry off without getting too cold in the process. Their mom, Karen, suggested they could hit the Log Ride just before lunch so they could dry off as they ate. The two younger ones, Cathryn and Andrew, wanted to go on Tsunami first. They loved spinning in their cars and Andrew especially enjoyed it when the ride went backwards at the end. So, Tsunami it was.

Throughout the day the kids got to go on any ride they wanted, play any of the carnival-type games, and they even got $5 for tokens at the Arcade. For lunch they could choose to eat whatever they wanted at any of the different restaurants or food carts. This was a day for family fun and enjoyment. The kids laughed and played all day. They had the time of their lives.

As the sun was slipping down into the Pacific Ocean, the family began their walk back to the car, hand in hand, recalling the exciting moments of the day.
"Remember when we went down the last hill on the Log Ride and Dad ducked right as the water splashed up and it hit me right in the face?!" said Cathryn, "that was fun!"
"My favorite part was when the guy on the bumper cars let me stay on three times in a row!" Andrew recalled with a smile on his face. "Hey, look Dad, cotton candy! Can I pleeease have some?"
John thought about it for a second--they were on their way to the car, Andrew probably wouldn't finish the cotton candy by the time they drove away, and even if he did his hands would be sticky and most likely get the candy's stickiness all over the seat, belt buckle and anything else Andrew touched.
"No, son, no cotton candy tonight."
They continued on and made it to their van as the parking lot lights were flickering on.
"Well, kids, did you enjoy your day?"
"Yeah, dad, thanks for taking us!" Emily said.
Cathryn was quick to follow, "Thanks, Dad! It was great!"
"How about you, Andrew, did you have a good time?"
"Well....no," came the response.
"No? Well, why not? Didn't we go on Tsunami first like you wanted? It looked like you enjoyed your corn dog and funnel cake you had for lunch. And you beat me four times on that car racing game! Why didn't you have a good time?"
"'Cause I didn't get any cotton candy," Andrew said, pouting.

"Son, I did not withhold anything from you all day long. I let you do anything you asked during all of the eight hours we were here today. You did politely ask for the cotton candy, but son, cotton candy is very sticky and we need to take good care of our car. Having sticky cotton candy hands inside the car would not be a good thing."

"But Dad! I could have cleaned them off!"

"Son, that is not the point. The point is that I wanted you to have a fun day. That is why we came here as a family. Your mother and I planned this day especially for the three of you because we know how much you like to come here. But if you choose to focus on the one thing you did not get, and you ignore all the many pleasures you enjoyed throughout the day, then of course you will not have a good time. Son, in life so often we experience many many blessings that are gifts from God, but if we ignore His blessings and instead spend our time complaining about the problems that we encounter and the things we do not get, we will miss out on rejoicing for all the good God has given to us in our lives. In the same way, Andrew, you have decided that your day was not a good day simply because you did not get cotton candy in the last few minutes of an otherwise exciting day. Son, when you have all these things, why do you complain about not having cotton candy?"

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Saturday, July 25, 2009

Summer Camp Romance

It is one of my hopes to put up lyrics to songs by the band Everybodyduck so that they can be online and people can search for them and enjoy them. Everybodyduck is a band that used to play at Hume Lake Christian Camps and also did some touring. They are one of my favorite bands because their songs are fun but also very convicting and Christ-focused.

I just came back from my very first Summer Camp with Community Bible Church of Vallejo, CA. On the way up I drove and had a car full myself plus 4 female students. On the way home the bus was larger so I drove home by myself...and enjoyed listening to Everybodyduck's CD "8 Secons on a Holy Cow" :) One of the songs on there is "Summer Camp Romance." It's a funny song, but really it's an analogy based off of what, I'm sure, the members of Everybodyduck witnessed often at Hume Lake. Pay attention to the comparison made in the last verse. Here are the lyrics:
(guy singing)
Stumbled off the bus dazed by the smell of suntan lotion
[can't make out the lyrics] like some angelic sort of dance
our eyes locked through the haze of bugs transfixed with such emotion
[can't make out the lyrics] but I was in your trance.

(girl singing)
saved you a seat at dinner we held hands under the table
and I sacrificed for love by eating just with my left hand
though I could listen to you speak for hours I found I was not able
yeah, you sounded sweet but smelled so bad I still don't understand

chorus:(both)
I don't want to hear you have a boy(girl)friend back at home
please don't tell me you want to be friends
you're the only (boy/girl) that I could love this week
so come on baby please give love a chance
it's clear to me this year you'll be my summer camp romance

(guy singing)
well your friends said that my friends said you said I said I had kissed you
well I didn't and I haven't but I wish 'cause you're a fox
so I passed your friends a note I wrote I hope that it gets to you.
I wrote, "If you want to go steady, sugar, please just check that box."

(girl)
I successfully convinced you that night I was claustrophobic
hand in hand we snuck off in the dark to talk and get some air.
someone said, "kids these woods are no place to bloom a romance."
we deny the implication and claim we were deep in prayer.

(chorus)

(guy) bags all packed we come too soon to our final farewell
(girl) we're both tempted to lie and say we'll write
(guy) instead I say, "I hate you"
(girl) so then I say that you smell
(both) There's nothing more memorable than that last day break-up fight.

(guy)
As the buses slowly pull away I start to think about things
and I come upon a realization I find rather odd
It's a peculiar kind of love each year that somehow summer can bring
It's the kind of love repeatedly I offer up to God.

(girl)
God, there's things I want so I sweet talk to see if I can get them.
And I make a bunch of promises I've no intent to keep.
In a couple days I break it off and just try to ignore Him.
There's never a chance of drowning 'cause I don't wade in too deep.

(both)
I don't want to say "I'm going to love You all my life."
"Let's be satisfied just being friends."
"I'll be dedicated, but not for more than a week."
"Since You don't change there's nothing left to chance."
"I'll use You and then lose You like a summercamp romance."