Rubberbands & Megatrons

The most unfortunate part of Junior High is all the physical changes that happen to your body. Acne, voice cracks, braces… it’s just such a terrible time to look back on. The pictures from that era of life are unbearable. I think the worst thing ever, though, is headgear and those rubberbands that make a cat’s cradle in your mouth (a throwback to the 90’s for anyone who adored string art). This poor kid on Sunday had about 84 rubberbands extending from every tooth in his mouth. When he opened wide to sing, you almost cringed in fear that one would pop out and smack you in the eye. How is it that my phone can identify a song being played on the radio and give me lyrics, background, artist, etc. yet we are still subjecting people to the “rubberband braces” treatment. There has to be a better way.

I included this picture if you are at all confused:

We went to Richland Hills on Sunday morning with Taylor’s parents which leads me to Introductions Part 2. During “Hug and Howdy” time, every single person in my vacinity turned and greeted the person they came to church with. In front, behind, beside….all people around turned towards the familiar. This is exaclty my point. Even though RHCC is a gigantic church with small groups where you can find “community”, we aren’t willing to greet our neighbors during a designated greeting time. It’s kind of ridiculous. I don’t know what inside of us keeps us from extending a hand but I feel sure it is turning people away from our churches.

Thanks to dear ole Lindsay, she told me about this blogger who is hysterical. I haven’t read all of his posts since that would take forever, but I especially loved this: http://stufffchristianslike.blogspot.com/2009/06/555-making-up-prayer-request-because.html
It reminds me very much of my times in the Center for Building Community and Loving Your Neighbor As Yourself, LYNAY. It was hilarious the requests we had sometimes. We had two people dating in LYNAY that broke up sometime over the course of the semester. When it came to “family time” where people shared prayer requests, the boy heartbreakee would get up and give elaborate requests like, “I have just had a lot going on in my life. I have a broken heart and I feel like I am not going to be able to love again. I really don’t know if I can trust people anymore…” I wanted to stand up and scream for him to call his beau later instead of using prayer time as a venue to get back at her in front of everyone.

We also had the girl who would give the “mine will top yours” kind of request. I am not being insensitive I don’t think, it was just a given that she would stand up and make an outrageous statement. One Monday afternoon we had several hurting people – deaths of mothers, car crashes killing friends, etc. In the midst of all these gut-wrenching prayer requests, the over-the-topper says, “I am going skydiving this weekend…soo…that’ll be fun. I guess pray that I don’t die or something!” Wow. Your timing is impeccable.

Mom is getting an iPhone this week…be thinking about apps to suggest to her.