fathers day - week of june 13, 2006

Actual photo of my dad on the Mississippi River almost 60 years ago. It's the coolest photo I own and since Father's Day is coming up I figured I should post it. I'm not sure about the whole 'posing' thing. Maybe that's just the way they stood in boats back in the 50's.

For some reason I've been on this 'strange animal' search lately. I feel like this week at dc I will be presenting something more like a PBS or National Geographic show than a 'normal' sermon. (I honestly don't know what a 'normal' sermon is for me.) Anyhow, one of my ideas was to look throughout the animal kingdom to find strange creatures and then compare them to men/fathers. I dont know if it's a good idea or not but it has been entertaining for me. Here's one creature I came across that I probably won't use but I certainly could if I wanted... The sea squirt... Not a great name, I admit but the sea squirt has a very simple brain which is used only to find a suitable spot to root itself for life. Once it's settled into a spot, it no longer needs the brain, so it eats it. (By the way, this has been compared by at least one researcher to a professor receiving tenure at a university.) Reaons I'm not using this example this week: It's kinda gross... and it might be denigrating to men/father... You know the whole idea that men don't use their brains once settled into a spot... truthfully, I think our culture portrays our men as dumb or ineffective far too often. (take a sample of any number of tv commercials out there and see what I mean) so I probably won't use it this week.... however... What a great analogy for people in general. Far too often we find our spot in the world and then settle down... and down... and down... until we expect so little from our lives. There's no need for brains or courage or energy! What a shame. We need to wake up. renovare, j