Random Dozen Preview #14

This is the day that you read and form you answers. Tomorrow you post your answers and link up here. Enjoy!

1. Which Wizard of Oz character are you most like?

2. When you're deciding what you're going to wear each morning, which item do you select first? Why?

3. What kind of animal do you think the world could live without?

4. How many Christmas trees are in your home?

5. Would you prefer to be emotionless if it mean you didn't have to feel a heartbreak?

6. Do you ever experience holiday let-down or depression?

7. Do you like Michael Jackson's music?

8. Why is it that we never judge people who have their teeth fixed for cosmetic reasons, but every other cosmetic procedure has a stigma?

9. Enjoy horseback riding?

10. Shoes--practical or stylish?

11. What was the name of your first pet? Feel free to post a pic.

See ya back here tomorrow!
12. What percentage of your Christmas shopping is done?

The Tale of the Thanksgiving Miracle of 2009

Recently I mentioned that my son, 20, now has a girlfriend. (His name is not actually "20" as it appears in this awkward sentence. It is Jordan. He is 20 years old.) I am very happy about this situation because she is a great girl. I keep trying to make a good impression on her, and yet, I fail.

But this is the tale of the Thanksgiving Miracle, so I'll move on from that unpleasant topic.

Interestingly, since the girlfriend, I've noticed that Jordan is more in touch with his nurturing side.

For instance, he and his girlfriend bought a fish together, a male Beta named "Barry," short for "Barracuda."

I asked him, "So, does this situation make this fish my 'grandfish'?"

Yes, apparently, it does.

I would have preferred to have a LEGITIMATE grandfish, but I have vowed to love this fish unconditionally.

So when he came home for Thanksgiving break Wednesday night, Jordan came in the door with laundry, Barry and a live plant in tow.

I'm having visions of diaper bags and car seats because everyone knows once you have a fish AND a plant, you're just a step or two away from a dog. And then everyone knows what happens after that: diaper bags, strollers and car seats. Oh wait a minute, that's just MY dog. Most people have a baby after the dog and then get the car seats, etc.

Anyway, Jordan brought Barry in a small container and proceeded to put him back into his regular bowl furnished stylishly by the girlfriend with snazzy black pearl foliage and sparkle rocks. Did I mention I like this girl?

As he did this, he told me all about how talented and brilliant Barry is. It seems that Barry has been following Girlfriend's finger up and down. He has also been anticipating his feeding. And he blows bubbles.

Not that I'm bragging, but have you seen my grandfish??

So Barry gets all situated in his bowl, and we put him in the family room. Jordan is on the computer, and I'm watching TV. Occasionally I glance at Barry and note how talented he is.

However, at one point, Barry looked ... sleepy.

I said, "Jordan, does the fish sleep a lot?"

He said, "Yes. He always does that."

I said, "OK. But does he kind of float like that when he sleeps?"

So Jordan goes to Barry and says, "Uh oh." He pokes him with his finger. Barry does not respond.

You can imagine what was going through my head: "The Girlfriend is never going to trust me or my household again!" In an instant, I considered the old sit-com switcheroo where you run out and buy a look-alike replacement and hope the owner is none the wiser.

People on Facebook offered helpful ideas such as: "Maybe he died of SFS, 'Shaken Fish Syndrome' from the car ride."

Jordan tried several times to revive Barry, mainly by poking him, but alack and alas, Barry appeared to have already crossed The Rainbow Bridge.

So my son, being the man of honor that he is, said, "Guess I'd better go make the bad news phone call."

I yelled after him, "Tell her it wasn't my fault! Tell her I didn't cause it!"

So he broke the news and walked away with the fish bowl.

The next day was Thanksgiving. Later in the day, I said, "So did you flush Barry?" Because I'm all sensitive and everything like that.

And he said, no, I put him in my room.

???

I'm not sure why he did this, unless he just needed "time" before the flushing ceremony. But he's 20, not 2.

Anyway, Jordan went to his room and returned with unbelievable good and joyous tidings: "Barry is alive!"

"What?" I say in disbelief. "But I saw you poke him and how he floated! He was, as Ebenezer Scrooge said about Bob Marley (wait, that was Jacob Marley) 'deader than a doornail!'"

Jordan said, "I know, but I just saw his fins moving. It's like he's hibernating or something."

And do you know that as the days have passed, that fish has rebounded. Not 100%, but he's returning to us.

Apparently, he still has work left to do here on Earth. And I get another chance to win over the Girlfriend.

And that is the story of the Thanksgiving Miracle of 2009.

How was your Thanksgiving?

Today's the Day!

1. Are you sticking to traditional Thanksgiving foods this year, or are you being culinarily adventurous?

2. Tell me something concrete that you're thankful for. (Something you can literally touch, see, etc., not a concept like "hope.")

3. You knew the flip side was coming: Share about something intangible that you're thankful for.

4. Share one vivid Thanksgiving memory. It doesn't have to be deep or meaningful, just something that remains etched in your memory.

5. What is one thing that you know beyond a shadow of a doubt is going to happen this Thanksgiving because it always does, year after year?

6. Do your pets get any left-overs?

7. Does your family pray before the big meal? If so, do you join hands while seated, stand, repeat a formal prayer or offer a spontaneous prayer? Who does the praying?

8. Will you be watching football in the afternoon? If not, what will you be doing?

9. There are two distinct camps of people on this issue: How do you feel about oysters in the dressing/stuffing?

10. Do you consider yourself informed about the first Thanksgiving?

11. Which variety of pie will you be enjoying?

12. Do you feel for the turkey?? (This is a humorous throw back question related to the 12th question in another Random Dozen!)

HAPPY THANKSGIVING, EVERYONE! BE BLESSED! BE A BLESSING! Praise God from whom all blessings flow!

Random Dozen ~ Thanksgiving Edition!

In addition to making this a Thanksgiving theme this week, we are bumping it up to the beginning of the week to prevent a "meme tank" on Wednesday and Thursday. That is, I think we'll be too busy later to get our Random on. So let's do it now.

PREVIEW today; post and link TOMORROW.

1. Are you sticking to traditional Thanksgiving foods this year, or are you being culinarily adventurous?

2. Tell me something concrete that you're thankful for. (Something you can literally touch, see, etc., not a concept like "hope.")

3. You knew the flip side was coming: Share about something intangible that you're thankful for.

4. Share one vivid Thanksgiving memory. It doesn't have to be deep or meaningful, just something that remains etched in your memory.

5. What is one thing that you know beyond a shadow of a doubt is going to happen this Thanksgiving because it always does, year after year?

6. Do your pets get any left-overs?

7. Does your family pray before the big meal? If so, do you join hands while seated, stand, repeat a formal prayer or offer a spontaneous prayer? Who does the praying?

8. Will you be watching football in the afternoon? If not, what will you be doing?

9. There are two distinct camps of people on this issue: How do you feel about oysters in the dressing/stuffing?

10. Do you consider yourself informed about the first Thanksgiving?

11. Which variety of pie will you be enjoying?

12. Do you feel for the turkey?? (This is a humorous throw back question related to the 12th question in another Random Dozen!)

HAPPY THANKSGIVING, EVERYONE! BE BLESSED! BE A BLESSING! Praise God from whom all blessings flow!

Sad Today

I wrote about these girls last week having a rare (11 people in the world kind of rare) genetic immune deficiency disease and how my church sponsored the Be The Match event to try to find stem cell donors. And then this week's newspaper column (yesterday) was also about them.

Last night the family announced on Facebook that the 15 year-old, on the left, has been diagnosed with Lymphoma as a result of the disease. Please pray for Karly.

I babysat her once when she was a tiny little thing and her mother was taking her older sister to a doc. I still remember how cute she was and how beautiful and sweet she is today. Please pray for the Koch (Cook) family, esp. Kelsey (21) and Karly (15). This is heartbreaking, but God has her in His hands.