Comments on: The Hand of Blessing http://addisonrd.com/WordPress/2008/03/the-hand-of-blessing/ your source for illegal theology downloads Fri, 08 Aug 2008 00:13:36 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6 By: Cerise http://addisonrd.com/WordPress/2008/03/the-hand-of-blessing/#comment-143578 Cerise Wed, 26 Mar 2008 19:16:40 +0000 http://addisonrd.com/WordPress/2008/03/11/the-hand-of-blessing/#comment-143578 Uh...we're talking serious stack-blowing here. The kind where your (you being the yeller and not the yellee) loved ones' heart rates jump up and say howdy, they get that sick feeling in their stomachs and either feel like poo for horribly letting you down - again - (the younger the kids are the more likely this will be their response) or feel like taking a hatchet to your skull for talking to them or their sibling/other parent that way. An average of maybe four times. Per person. Per day. Can anyone claim that? Anyone? When your kids leave the bathroom light on or your wife doesn't clear out of the kitchen quickly enough for you to cut the turkey? I thought not. P.S. This is all hypothetical and in no way lifted from personal experience. P.P.S. I didn't know any other way to honestly respond to what MY definition of getting yelled at is. Again, if this is getting too personal or negative please do let me know. Uh…we’re talking serious stack-blowing here. The kind where your (you being the yeller and not the yellee) loved ones’ heart rates jump up and say howdy, they get that sick feeling in their stomachs and either feel like poo for horribly letting you down - again - (the younger the kids are the more likely this will be their response) or feel like taking a hatchet to your skull for talking to them or their sibling/other parent that way. An average of maybe four times. Per person. Per day. Can anyone claim that? Anyone? When your kids leave the bathroom light on or your wife doesn’t clear out of the kitchen quickly enough for you to cut the turkey?

I thought not.

P.S. This is all hypothetical and in no way lifted from personal experience.

P.P.S. I didn’t know any other way to honestly respond to what MY definition of getting yelled at is. Again, if this is getting too personal or negative please do let me know.

]]> By: michael lee http://addisonrd.com/WordPress/2008/03/the-hand-of-blessing/#comment-143576 michael lee Wed, 26 Mar 2008 18:54:47 +0000 http://addisonrd.com/WordPress/2008/03/11/the-hand-of-blessing/#comment-143576 "Unless you literally yell at your kids and wife an average of about 4 times (each) per day." Define yell. “Unless you literally yell at your kids and wife an average of about 4 times (each) per day.”

Define yell.

]]> By: Cerise http://addisonrd.com/WordPress/2008/03/the-hand-of-blessing/#comment-143570 Cerise Wed, 26 Mar 2008 17:03:29 +0000 http://addisonrd.com/WordPress/2008/03/11/the-hand-of-blessing/#comment-143570 And thanks for the love, you two. I'm clearly going through a neo-adolescent, my-father-is-such-a-butthole phase. And thanks for the love, you two. I’m clearly going through a neo-adolescent, my-father-is-such-a-butthole phase.

]]> By: Cerise http://addisonrd.com/WordPress/2008/03/the-hand-of-blessing/#comment-143569 Cerise Wed, 26 Mar 2008 17:02:13 +0000 http://addisonrd.com/WordPress/2008/03/11/the-hand-of-blessing/#comment-143569 Chad, even though my sermons have turned to dust in my mouth, I'm still not worried about you at all. Unless you literally yell at your kids and wife an average of about 4 times (each) per day. Chad, even though my sermons have turned to dust in my mouth, I’m still not worried about you at all. Unless you literally yell at your kids and wife an average of about 4 times (each) per day.

]]> By: Chad http://addisonrd.com/WordPress/2008/03/the-hand-of-blessing/#comment-143553 Chad Wed, 26 Mar 2008 01:18:48 +0000 http://addisonrd.com/WordPress/2008/03/11/the-hand-of-blessing/#comment-143553 Cerise. I'm really sorry you had that experience. I can tell you that you're far from alone. I sit up at night and wonder what I will do to mess up our kids. Cerise. I’m really sorry you had that experience. I can tell you that you’re far from alone. I sit up at night and wonder what I will do to mess up our kids.

]]> By: Sharolyn http://addisonrd.com/WordPress/2008/03/the-hand-of-blessing/#comment-143551 Sharolyn Wed, 26 Mar 2008 00:14:51 +0000 http://addisonrd.com/WordPress/2008/03/11/the-hand-of-blessing/#comment-143551 We welcome your angst. We welcome your angst.

]]> By: Cerise http://addisonrd.com/WordPress/2008/03/the-hand-of-blessing/#comment-143544 Cerise Tue, 25 Mar 2008 22:59:32 +0000 http://addisonrd.com/WordPress/2008/03/11/the-hand-of-blessing/#comment-143544 [referring to my latest comment] Pretty words, pretty words. I wish I hadn't gone on about this last week, because I spent the weekend with said parents and it went very badly, at least on my end. Sorry - I got all preachy about love and how it will work all things out, and now I'm looking at how I was raised and how our current relationship is going and I'm looking at what I wrote and it all just seems like empty BS right now. Certainly not feeling very loving towards my parents or the daughter they produced. I hope this isn't too whiny for everyone - perhaps I should take it to my own blog, but that's too lonely a thought right now. [referring to my latest comment] Pretty words, pretty words. I wish I hadn’t gone on about this last week, because I spent the weekend with said parents and it went very badly, at least on my end. Sorry - I got all preachy about love and how it will work all things out, and now I’m looking at how I was raised and how our current relationship is going and I’m looking at what I wrote and it all just seems like empty BS right now. Certainly not feeling very loving towards my parents or the daughter they produced.

I hope this isn’t too whiny for everyone - perhaps I should take it to my own blog, but that’s too lonely a thought right now.

]]> By: Cerise http://addisonrd.com/WordPress/2008/03/the-hand-of-blessing/#comment-143236 Cerise Mon, 17 Mar 2008 20:52:59 +0000 http://addisonrd.com/WordPress/2008/03/11/the-hand-of-blessing/#comment-143236 Yeah, I hear you loud and clear on that one. My parents made some serious boo-boos that mostly resulted from fiery tempers and not having been loved enough themselves (on one side, at least). God, how those mistakes hurt me. Therapy helped. But one thing that was never, ever uncertain was that my bro and I are totally, fabulously, generously loved by both parentals. They gave us the best things they could afford: the best education, the most wholesome food, they'd save special times for when we could be home (we went to boarding school - a major sacrifice on their part for our education and the main reason my father and I survived my adolescence), and hoarded up treats, likewise, for when we'd be there. Dad could be so terrible sometimes, and I hated him for so long, but I still never, ever doubted that he'd give up anything, even his own life, his time, belongings, money, ANYTHING for me. I wish I could make parents like you not worry, Chad. I know you will, but I very much want you to know that even someone like me - flawed hopelessly and raised, sometimes kind of badly, by flawed people - I'm me because of how they raised me, good and bad, and I like being me, so much. And I think that's mostly because they loved me so thoroughly to begin with. Sorry - blah, blah, blah. But this is one of my pet subjects, watching my beloved friends beginning to raise their own little ones, and I want them to know that they're wonderful and doing just fine. Yeah, I hear you loud and clear on that one. My parents made some serious boo-boos that mostly resulted from fiery tempers and not having been loved enough themselves (on one side, at least). God, how those mistakes hurt me. Therapy helped. But one thing that was never, ever uncertain was that my bro and I are totally, fabulously, generously loved by both parentals. They gave us the best things they could afford: the best education, the most wholesome food, they’d save special times for when we could be home (we went to boarding school - a major sacrifice on their part for our education and the main reason my father and I survived my adolescence), and hoarded up treats, likewise, for when we’d be there. Dad could be so terrible sometimes, and I hated him for so long, but I still never, ever doubted that he’d give up anything, even his own life, his time, belongings, money, ANYTHING for me.

I wish I could make parents like you not worry, Chad. I know you will, but I very much want you to know that even someone like me - flawed hopelessly and raised, sometimes kind of badly, by flawed people - I’m me because of how they raised me, good and bad, and I like being me, so much. And I think that’s mostly because they loved me so thoroughly to begin with.

Sorry - blah, blah, blah. But this is one of my pet subjects, watching my beloved friends beginning to raise their own little ones, and I want them to know that they’re wonderful and doing just fine.

]]> By: Chad http://addisonrd.com/WordPress/2008/03/the-hand-of-blessing/#comment-143233 Chad Mon, 17 Mar 2008 18:13:35 +0000 http://addisonrd.com/WordPress/2008/03/11/the-hand-of-blessing/#comment-143233 It's funny... As I raise (well... you know... co-raise) 2 kids, I am more and more convinced of this: In the long run, your race, economic status, intelligence, talent, etc, are not nearly as important as whether or not someone just loved and loved and loved you as a kid. Sometimes while we're out, at church or a play area or a park, we'll come across kids who sorta gravitate towards an latch onto out little family unit. They tend to be a little awkward and oppressive, often trying to gain my attention over my own kids. I try and fight off my annoyance because it's just so painfully obvious that they aren't getting attention and love at home, and any adult who is paying attention to kids is prime target #1. My heart is often bruised and pained after one of these encounters, and I want to find their parents and grab them and confront them. I'd bet that if I did that... and dug hard enough, there would be just another generation above them of parents who were unable to show love and value to them. And so on... Generational sin is a bitch. It's something that keeps me up at night, wondering how I will eff up my kids, and marveling at how the choices one generation makes impacts the next, be them good or bad. I also find myself grateful to my own parents, whom, despite a couple of glaring oversights, (food choices, anyone?) always instilled a sense of belonging in my sister and me. Whenever my kids are in my lap... I tend to just whisper in their ears, "Daddy loves (insert 1 of 2 names here)." I'm literally trying to imprint it in their neuro-pathways. If I get creamed by a semi on my way to lunch today, I'm hoping that, even subconsciously, there will be a fundamental understanding of the fact that they are profoundly valuable. It’s funny…

As I raise (well… you know… co-raise) 2 kids, I am more and more convinced of this:

In the long run, your race, economic status, intelligence, talent, etc, are not nearly as important as whether or not someone just loved and loved and loved you as a kid.

Sometimes while we’re out, at church or a play area or a park, we’ll come across kids who sorta gravitate towards an latch onto out little family unit. They tend to be a little awkward and oppressive, often trying to gain my attention over my own kids. I try and fight off my annoyance because it’s just so painfully obvious that they aren’t getting attention and love at home, and any adult who is paying attention to kids is prime target #1. My heart is often bruised and pained after one of these encounters, and I want to find their parents and grab them and confront them. I’d bet that if I did that… and dug hard enough, there would be just another generation above them of parents who were unable to show love and value to them. And so on…

Generational sin is a bitch. It’s something that keeps me up at night, wondering how I will eff up my kids, and marveling at how the choices one generation makes impacts the next, be them good or bad. I also find myself grateful to my own parents, whom, despite a couple of glaring oversights, (food choices, anyone?) always instilled a sense of belonging in my sister and me.

Whenever my kids are in my lap… I tend to just whisper in their ears, “Daddy loves (insert 1 of 2 names here).” I’m literally trying to imprint it in their neuro-pathways. If I get creamed by a semi on my way to lunch today, I’m hoping that, even subconsciously, there will be a fundamental understanding of the fact that they are profoundly valuable.

]]> By: Cerise http://addisonrd.com/WordPress/2008/03/the-hand-of-blessing/#comment-143232 Cerise Mon, 17 Mar 2008 16:30:50 +0000 http://addisonrd.com/WordPress/2008/03/11/the-hand-of-blessing/#comment-143232 I never was able to comprehend the magic (if you will) of people laying their hands (or pointing their palms in the general direction of) on a little one until my sister pushed out my neffie Oz. Somehow watching his dedication sealed this very act in my mind (and I reached out my hand too, believe you me, and made all the pledges with my heart) as a way of laying claim to him. We all stood up and said "he is ours. His parents are giving him to our care as well as to god's". It was way cool. It was the first time I loved a child enough to think of him in terms of being mine as well as my brother and sister's. Fortunately they seem to think that a good thing. I never was able to comprehend the magic (if you will) of people laying their hands (or pointing their palms in the general direction of) on a little one until my sister pushed out my neffie Oz. Somehow watching his dedication sealed this very act in my mind (and I reached out my hand too, believe you me, and made all the pledges with my heart) as a way of laying claim to him. We all stood up and said “he is ours. His parents are giving him to our care as well as to god’s”. It was way cool. It was the first time I loved a child enough to think of him in terms of being mine as well as my brother and sister’s. Fortunately they seem to think that a good thing.

]]> By: Sharolyn http://addisonrd.com/WordPress/2008/03/the-hand-of-blessing/#comment-143137 Sharolyn Wed, 12 Mar 2008 23:54:42 +0000 http://addisonrd.com/WordPress/2008/03/11/the-hand-of-blessing/#comment-143137 Seth and Vanessa - Wow! Keep us posted! And in the next week, get away to a B & B and see every movie that's in the theaters, even the bad ones! ;) Seth and Vanessa - Wow! Keep us posted! And in the next week, get away to a B & B and see every movie that’s in the theaters, even the bad ones! ;)

]]> By: Gretchen http://addisonrd.com/WordPress/2008/03/the-hand-of-blessing/#comment-143125 Gretchen Wed, 12 Mar 2008 15:40:19 +0000 http://addisonrd.com/WordPress/2008/03/11/the-hand-of-blessing/#comment-143125 He is cute isn't he? What joy our children bring us. This is a beautiful post Mike, for a wonderfully special day. Good luck Seth and Vanessa, we are praying for you! Can't wait to see pictures of your cuties. He is cute isn’t he? What joy our children bring us. This is a beautiful post Mike, for a wonderfully special day.

Good luck Seth and Vanessa, we are praying for you! Can’t wait to see pictures of your cuties.

]]> By: Seth & Vanessa http://addisonrd.com/WordPress/2008/03/the-hand-of-blessing/#comment-143124 Seth & Vanessa Wed, 12 Mar 2008 13:27:07 +0000 http://addisonrd.com/WordPress/2008/03/11/the-hand-of-blessing/#comment-143124 Sharolyn, Yes, we are still waiting on our twins arrival. We are scheduled for a c-section on March 20th, so it won't be long now :) Thanks for asking! Sharolyn,

Yes, we are still waiting on our twins arrival. We are scheduled for a c-section on March 20th, so it won’t be long now :) Thanks for asking!

]]> By: June http://addisonrd.com/WordPress/2008/03/the-hand-of-blessing/#comment-143107 June Wed, 12 Mar 2008 05:42:21 +0000 http://addisonrd.com/WordPress/2008/03/11/the-hand-of-blessing/#comment-143107 Indeed, he's a completely adorable lil' love! Too bad his dad can't play any instruments or write and doesn't know phooey about computers. Poor kid. At least he has his fabulous mom and sister! Indeed, he’s a completely adorable lil’ love! Too bad his dad can’t play any instruments or write and doesn’t know phooey about computers. Poor kid. At least he has his fabulous mom and sister!

]]> By: Sharolyn http://addisonrd.com/WordPress/2008/03/the-hand-of-blessing/#comment-143104 Sharolyn Wed, 12 Mar 2008 03:33:19 +0000 http://addisonrd.com/WordPress/2008/03/11/the-hand-of-blessing/#comment-143104 Could Josiah be more handsome?? ... or blessed??? What a gift he will have when he reads this someday. S & V - Are you the ones with twins? Could Josiah be more handsome?? … or blessed??? What a gift he will have when he reads this someday.

S & V - Are you the ones with twins?

]]> By: Seth & Vanessa http://addisonrd.com/WordPress/2008/03/the-hand-of-blessing/#comment-143103 Seth & Vanessa Wed, 12 Mar 2008 03:20:11 +0000 http://addisonrd.com/WordPress/2008/03/11/the-hand-of-blessing/#comment-143103 I'm sad we missed such a special event. I can't believe how fast he is growing (and Sophia). We miss you guys a ton! You are in our prayers and we hope to get to see you all soon! I’m sad we missed such a special event. I can’t believe how fast he is growing (and Sophia). We miss you guys a ton! You are in our prayers and we hope to get to see you all soon!

]]> By: Karen http://addisonrd.com/WordPress/2008/03/the-hand-of-blessing/#comment-143097 Karen Tue, 11 Mar 2008 17:24:27 +0000 http://addisonrd.com/WordPress/2008/03/11/the-hand-of-blessing/#comment-143097 Beautiful Mike! Beautiful Mike!

]]> By: Adam S http://addisonrd.com/WordPress/2008/03/the-hand-of-blessing/#comment-143095 Adam S Tue, 11 Mar 2008 16:50:45 +0000 http://addisonrd.com/WordPress/2008/03/11/the-hand-of-blessing/#comment-143095 I think one of the most important parts of the blessing, laying of hands, and child dedications, etc. is that there is a point in time that can be pointed back to. There has been a commitment to that person or group of people and we can remember it. And especially with child dedications there is a sense of rememberance that you are committing not only to this particular child, but all the other children that are currently in the charge of the church. If there is not a specific mention of this, then the leadership is really missing out in a large part of the blessing on the congregation. I think one of the most important parts of the blessing, laying of hands, and child dedications, etc. is that there is a point in time that can be pointed back to. There has been a commitment to that person or group of people and we can remember it. And especially with child dedications there is a sense of rememberance that you are committing not only to this particular child, but all the other children that are currently in the charge of the church. If there is not a specific mention of this, then the leadership is really missing out in a large part of the blessing on the congregation.

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