Daddy, How High Can You Reach?

This was my kids' question Saturday as we went out to dinner at Grizzly's, a local bar and grill in Dakota Square Mall for a special Valentine's Day meal. Since Valentine's Day was actually Thursday and we'd already exchanged cards to each other, and in conjunction with a substantial federal tax refund that got deposited in our account on Valentine's Day, we've been able to do a few extra things. Get bills caught up, puttering little things like that that keep us off the streets.

But back to the Grizzly's story, the outside of it, outside and inside of it, is built like a log cabin and the kids were measuring themselves against the faux logs stacked on top of each other and were impressed I could reach higher than they (obviously). And dinner was great and reasonably priced too; much better than both Martha's and my respective birthday dinners earlier this month and last December.

Then after Jeffrey and me for the first time being out on the town with our new haircuts, we left Grizzly's and Martha – damn, I so wish I'd taped this – said we should go to Barnes & Noble in the same mall. Her ulterior motive, since we had a little more money than usual, was to make us the proud parents of a NOOK, Barnes & Noble's computer tablet. And now my three kids … ok, David, check yourself.

Let's just say that right now because the kids decided to whine and moan about who gets what computer time they're not on them this week, either our laptop or our home computer or our NOOK. And if it becomes much more of a time-sucker (seriously, I have not used the thing yet – despite our getting the NOOK on my member discount – because it doesn't feel right) it going back to the store. And no, I'm definitely not getting a NOOK Reader … there's something in the feel and smell of a book.

That's mind-blowing. Sunday morning and early afternoon was quite tiring as well as mind-blowing too – the kids got to practice for singing in the front of church at our second service and then come downstairs after church for our lunch annual Sunday school carnival! It was a great time and with our complementary silent auction of (this year) one hundred eighty seven items,

Martha, Sarah, Jeffrey, and I all got something. I was manning the game booth at the carnival for Plinko (you know, based on The Price Is Right game) where you drop – in our case – a ping pong ball into the top of a surface and watch it patter down to either a 0, 1, 2, or 3 slot. The numbers represent the amount of tokens you can receive at the game. Never understood why the game is so popular on TV, but all the kids had fun.

And permit me some small rejoicing … an issue that's really gotten my heart racing all weekend got settled and there was no bloodshed involved. First week of Lent when I vowed to pray more focused on God and what He wants me to do than I have been, and it feels like I have been ready to throw something at someone! Not good at all. So I need to back away, back up, and be willing to maybe, just maybe, see the future without losing myself in it. What's God want me to do NOW?

Next puzzle piece handy, David