Is Dat Funny?

“Is dat funny”, says my daughter as she dances on the table after being told for the fourteenth time that we don’t dance on the kitchen table.

Part of me wants to laugh with her. But the other part of me is a little frustrated that we’ve told her a million times not to do this particular activity and yet she still wonders whether or not mommy and daddy will let it slide and laugh it off.

I want to say to her, perhaps rather loudly, “No honey it is NOT funny because it is outright disobedience. Mommy and Daddy will never laugh at you disobeying us. It’s just NOT funny”. In my finer moments I stay composed and calmly help her to see that it’s not all that funny because we’ve asked her to not stand on the table, then I try to redirect her towards things that actually are funny.

I see myself in my daughters actions.

I love making people laugh—and I’m discovering that she does too. Yet I’m beginning to wonder if maybe somehow she’s picked up a little of her daddies twisted sense of humor.

Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear. –Ephesians 4:29

This one has been a battle for me. I’ve always had a weird sense of humor—and for years before Christ captivated my heart it was pretty vulgar. I’m the guy that not only crosses the line but crosses the line and spanks it. (Hopefully that statement wasn’t doing that). Or at least I was that guy, the Lord has transformed my wit over the years.

Yet, I still struggle.

At times I foolishly assume that just because something is funny that the Lord is slapping his knee up in heaven and going to give my words a free pass. It’s the humor clause. And so I say something really dumb and I’m like my daughter saying, “Is dat funny, God”?

No, son, it’s not. It’s disobedience and disobedience is never funny…

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*Just as a side note, my daughters disobedience is somewhat excusable. She’s not even quite three yet. She’s still trying to learn the ins and outs of humor. But that’s not the case with me. My “is dat funny?” moments are far less excusable.

Also isn’t my daughter about the cutest thing you’ve ever seen?

In Defiance of Them All

He had been working on his glorious castle for at least 10 minutes.  Not very long to me but 10 minutes is like 12 years in Isaiah time.  He had put every bit of his creativity and effort into building what was going to be the most amazing Lego castle known to man. 

His masterpiece was finally taking shape and the little master builder was beaming with joy.  Then the unthinkable happened.  The permanency and impregnability of his creation was questioned in the form of a curious little sister.  Isaiah the architect and his creation did not stand a chance as Godzilla—played masterfully by Hannah—took vengeance upon her brothers joy. 

Anyone with children knows what happened next: Godzilla was firmly rebuked by the discouraged builder as the now tear soaked Lego’s were gathered together to begin their resurrection.  As mommy and daddy set Godzilla on another mission of destruction the little architect began to recreate his castle.  He would not be stopped this castle would be built and built as it was intended to be. 

After about 5-10 more minutes of reconstruction the castle was beginning to take shape again.  Little Gehry was well on his way to fame and notoriety as the world’s greatest castle builder.  Then, without one moment of warning, the entire thing was destroyed by two rambunctious kittens reenacting their version of the Hatfield and McCoy’s. 

Getting up from this bitter betrayal would require the help of daddy.  Together we picked up the pieces and began rebuilding the castle.  Eventually, with Godzilla distracted and the Hatfield/McCoy feud moving to higher ground, the master architect completed his masterpiece*. 

A Little Help From Newton

A couple hundred years ago John Newton compared the work of Christ in our lives to a master-builder that does not stop his creation until “it appears to others as he intended it should be”.  And just as little Isaiah did, Christ finishes His work “in defiance of them all”. 

I couldn’t help but think of Isaiah’s diligence in completing his castle when I read these words from Newton:

But nothing can disappoint the heavenly Builder; nor will He ever be reproached with forsaking the work of his own hands, or beginning that which He could not or would not accomplish.  Let us therefore be thankful for beginnings, and patiently wait the event.  His enemies strive to retard the work, as they did when the Jews, by his order, set about rebuilding the temple.  Yet it was finished in defiance of them all.  (Letters of Newton, 219)

There are many **Godzilla’s within and without that seem to greatly frustrate the work of the master-builder but He is powerful enough to even make these “set-backs” resound to His glory and our good.  We would not enjoy Him as fully or as sweetly had these “rambunctious kitties” not wreaked havoc on our hearts and lives.  But as they crumble and the building stands the wisdom and splendor of the master-Builder shines more brightly. 

Brothers and sisters Christ will complete His work in defiance of them all!

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*Just to show you that you should be careful not to stretch analogies too far you ought to know that shortly after reaching the apex of his Lego career little Frank Lloyd Wright then proceeded to take his bicycle and unleash havoc upon his unsuspecting castle.  I am pretty sure the analogy breaks down at this point. 

**I should probably also mention that I do not typically refer to my beautiful little girl as Godzilla or the work of demons.  But from little Isaiah’s perspective when his creation came toppling down I think Godzilla would have been a nice response.  See how easily you can break down analogies? 

Our Super Adorable Children

Thought I’d post these.  Nikki decided to do a little photo shooting today:

This is Isaiah’s “Oops, I ripped my pants pose”

 

The ones of Hannah did not turn out very good, we’ll try to get some better ones soon.  Here is one: