To get ourselves in the Christmas spirit we attended a concert last night in Wichita. For you Calvary folks, remember when Festival of Lights was just a concert with the orchestra, choir and 200,000 lights? You know when we had an orchestra and before it became a full-blown pageant/musical that became so over the top they had to start performing it every other year? Yeah, that was this concert. Not real flashy, but just enough Christmas music to choke an elf. This church has jumped on the “contemporary” (or as I call it, “Calvary’s Sr. High Sunday School”) service bandwagon and had a band that accompanied the orchestra.Don’t get me wrong I don’t mind this…I actually enjoy it. It’s just when the band is a little too “Rock” it can be distracting. Close your eyes for a minute and picture this. (Ok, I understand the logistics of closing both eyes and still being able to read this so let’s try just one eye…now raise your hand if you closed both eyes before you realized the predicament this would put you in. There are three people reading this who are lying to themselves and those around them by not raising their hands…I saw those eyes close).
So, picture this if you will. A petite woman who obviously works out dressed in leather pants, a borderline “indecent for church” shirt, with rose colored sunglasses rocking out on a flaming axe (a guitar with flames on it) held up by a leopard print strap. Are you distracted yet? Now imagine that this woman is a spitting image dead ringer for Barbara Lang. Now how distracted are you? Kurt, pick your self up off the floor.
If I hadn’t been in the third row I wouldn’t have believed it. Knowing full well that Babs is 1200 miles away all the while staring her in the face is a bit unnerving. You try to concentrate on the kid’s choir. I love Barbara Lang. She is successfully making AARP eligibility the new 35, but “rocker momma” at a church Christmas concert is not something you would expect from her…at open mic night maybe.
Gabriel (Luke 1:19) had his 2-month shots yesterday morning and has been a little fussy today. Over all though he is doing well having fought off dual ear infections without so much as a whimper. He’s talking more and recently gave a lecture about the effects of subterranean nuclear testing on the North American earthworm…or may as well have since you can’t understand a thing that comes out of his mouth. He likes to sit up on your lap and look around and recently started standing, with help balancing of course.
Sarah is doing well. She’s mostly healed and is just a little sore when she moves too quickly. I think she really likes being a mom, less at 4am when she’s yelling at me, but neither of us could imagine our lives without Gabe. She is lobbying hard for me to find a job in Wichita, but we’ll see. I wouldn’t mind it but I just hate moving. I know, given my track record you’d never suspect it or at least figure I have it down to a science, but the thought of moving again is unpleasant.
Well, I hope this finds you well and that you have a great Christmas (or guilt-free Hanukkah Harvey) and a blessed New Year. I almost forgot! Did anybody else have to make a trip to their local post office for the privilege of picking up Pete and Julie’s Christmas card for the low low price of 13 cents, just to be disappointed there was no picture of a pregnant Julie inside? Yeah, so I foolishly did so yesterday…the busiest day of the year for the post office. Love you too.
Santa out.
