Filbert Visits the Klotz Home

A couple of weeks ago Filbert traveled with me to Indianapolis for the weekend. A few photos with him in them appeared on Facebook in the days that followed.

Today he asked me if I would post these. He has such fond memories of the evening we spent at the Klotz home.  I think that there are two things he really liked: very cool kids and yummy food.

He is crazy about chocolate chip cookies. And ice cream. And spaghetti. And spicy pork chops -- he's never had those before, but he thought they were grand.

But he told me later that he would have had a fantastic time even if the only food offered was dry toast and tap water -- and for a mouse who likes to each as much as Filbert does, that's saying something.

He liked it when Libby shared her mint chocolate chip ice cream -- and how she giggled at his antics.

He liked it when Drew came down with those hilarious glasses on and cracked up all the grow-ups. 

Emily helped him try the glasses out himself while Drew got the camera out. (Filbert loves photo ops -- as if you couldn't tell.)

Filbert is a little upset with me because I didn't get a photo of Drew in the glasses -- he loved that so much -- and hopes that maybe Drew will let his mom post a photo of him in the glasses on her Facebook page so Filbert can laugh again.

He also loved singing Angels From the Realms of Glory with the whole family (good song choice, Libby) and then praying before we headed home and the kids headed to bed. 

Looking around to see if Hitchcock might be lurking nearby...

Yesterday I was working at my computer when I heard a rather loud thunk followed by more thumping. I went over to the other window in my office and found this fine feathered friend on my sill, looking in at me. Well, more likely it was looking at itself reflected in the class of the window.

Always a little creepy when the turkey vultures hover too close. Still, in the years I've lived down here in Florida I have grown to have a great appreciation for these creatures. (Okay, this is about to get graphic. You've been warned.) 

Yes, it is gross that they eat things that have previously died -- and seem to prefer when those creatures have had time to ripen before digging it. I've seen them stand around a dead critter for hours waiting for just the right...I'm not sure what. However, they do a really fine job of cleaning up things like road kill. I've seen a medium dear disappear within 24 hours of the beginning of the feasting.

Life's for Sharing

Purely from the perspective of effective advertising for the time -- that is, something that gets people's attention, makes them feel better about begin alive, makes them want to share the story, and actually does somehow connect with the product being offered -- this is good stuff. Someone is getting a big financial bonus for this, I imagine. T-Mobile used 10 hidden cameras and 300 dancers when they recorded this live in the Liverpool station in January. The employees at the station were "in" on the deal, but to everyone else, it was quite a surprise. 

Beyond that, the IDEA of it is wonderful. I've seen something like this somewhere before (can't remember specifics now and that will bug me all day, no doubt) and I love it.

I find myself asking what it is about this that I respond to so deeply. I think what I see when I watch this is an outward expression of a greater reality that we rarely "see" in our lives. A connectedness (yes, I see connections everywhere) and a...a sort of dance that those who hear the music are doing (or should be) everywhere we go. And in one sense, there is a connection that humanity shares which makes this "true" for anyone. 

But I found myself saying "that is what the church should look like in the public square." 

I'm still unpacking what I meant when I said that, but that is what I said.