It's okay, we can't all be normal.

There's these things on Facebook these days about God and schools and prisons and other dumb shit like that. I suppose they've been around for a while but I've finally seen enough to write a snarky post about it. See Exhibit A:

My mouth is gaping. I can't think of anything to say. I'm rarely speechless. Just see Exhibit B:

No. That is not the
definition of irony.

I guess my problem with Exhibit A starts with the obvious - the whole separation of church and state thing. But let's move past that dumb law and talk about what really matters: God allowing violence in schools and blaming a lack of corporate religion in secular institutions on God's inability to stop it. Wait, let's just say His, as in His inability to stop it. Because God is a man, right, as indicated by the masculine font chosen for His signature. Perhaps, though, it is that God is not unable but simply unwilling to stop the violence. Or maybe God is neither unable nor unwilling, but rather is unaware that there is violence going on; however, Exhibit A suggests God knows it's happening and is not getting involved because some moronic human decided homeroom was going to be for studying and not praying. Yes, let's blame secularism for violence because Christians have never done anything violent ever. And I'm assuming we're talking about Christians here and not Muslisms or Jews (who also have a God) because only evangelical Christians would say Columbine happened because we all didn't pray enough. That's just bullshit. Kids are bullied and beaten and teased and humiliated because people of all ages really suck ass sometimes and often make decisions that harm other people. And they still would, with or without saying The Lord's Prayer before 2nd period.

Exhibit B. I've already noted that trivial law about separation of church and state and have indicated that perhaps the picture employs an incorrect use of the term irony. Though I must first note that the shackled Bible on the left is pretty funny. I actually didn't see it at first, but I think that's why the little boy is sad. Poor kid can't get to his rock hammer. Anyhow, back to irony. Irony refers to - hell, let's just google it. The third definition on Merriam Webster's website says that irony is the "incongruity between the actual result of a sequence of events and the normal or expected result." Is the situation ironic in that you would expect a prison to not allow Bibles? Where else should a Bible to go but a dark place where there is no Light?? That's exactly where evangelicals should want the Bible to go! Hell, we should ship all Bibles from our churches to the prisons! I mean, Jesus is all about ransoming captives, right? And let's talk about little Timmy, who is so sad with his head in his hands. It's just so hard to go 8 hours without reading your Bible, what with all the time you spend at church and in your daily quiet time. And it is really hard to pray and think about Scripture (that you already should have memorized or you failed youth group) when you can't even think words inside your head without someone interrupting to say, "stop! Don't think that!" Wait...I think that was just a George Orwell novel. So is that the irony? That Timmy wants to read his Bible in school with all his friends during PE and can't because he has to run laps to avoid childhood obesity? Timmy, read your Bible during your school sponsored Christian club time. Perhaps, though, the author of the picture is simply trying to imply that he or she feels it is unexpected that the government allows (encourages even!) Bibles for big boys in prisons but not for little boys in schools.

But that would be myopic.

First Comes Love

That rhyme has always been a little off. Love, marriage, and the baby comes IN a baby carriage? I have witnessed love, marriage, and babies, and babies can hardly fit through 10cm - a carriage for damn sure isn't going to make it. Then again, I guess there are few words that rhyme with marriage.

Baby season is in full swing for my circle of friends. The love happened (lots of engagements about the same time) and the marriage, too (one year I was at or in 4 weddings in 3 months). Now it's baby time. I recently attended a party where at least 2/3 of the females estaron embarasada. And the couple of couple friends I have who aren't pregged yet are in semi-serious talks about timing.

I love babies. I'm over the moon for my niece. One of my best friends from high school is due in October (I'm rooting for the 19th). One of my close friends here in Atlanta is due in September. Another friend here in the ATL is due in December. An acquaintance - who went through three rounds of IVF - is finally pregs and due sometime October(ish). A girl with whom I'm friendly from our seminary days is due around the same time. The family for whom I babysit had their third child about 3 weeks ago. Babies. Babies to hold and rock and smell their Johnson&Johnson heads... I've semi-joked that my cutoff date to have kids is around 32. If there's no love or marriage, I still want a baby and its carriage.

I actually went to church today, though I wasn't late enough to miss the new, awkward "hospitality time." Crap. But the sermon was about trusting God to provide in the future because God provided in the past. Whatever. I don't know if I'm ready to universalize that claim, but I am excited about the possibility I could get a dog within the next year.

It's ok. She is the best thing since
sliced bread.