Everything I've got is pretty much in this little guy. He's a handful, but so very worth it. To me, he is all the goodness in the world behind that easy, sweet, goofy grin and those large, hopeful and trusting eyes.
Many of you keep up with Nathaniel's goings-ons on Picasa Web (not always by choice, I know), but here's one of him in action - doing his "injured soldier" crawl (please excuse my inane chatter). I really want to phase out this posting on YouTube thing, because I feel icky about him being out there, but it's the easiest way tech-wise for my mother to see her grandson and Eli says no one will watch it. . . . Posting it on the blog takes forever, but I will figure it out one day.
As some of you know, we don't have the most ideal kitchen set-up here - the spices were being kept at ground level, but they have since been stored in a clementines crate on an Odwalla shelf (don't ask) we use to store pots and pans. We thought we'd do this before he figured out how to unscrew the jar of cayenne pepper . . . .
Before: easy access for one and all - all gone!
After: I know, isn't this fascinating??!!
Aah, the incredibly intriguing and enigmatic life I lead. Who knew? I know this will be a daily stop for you on the www and a must-read. I leave you for now with this prayer for our new president. It moved me to tears. It also makes me want to take a trip up to New Hampshire and listen to a sermon. I have never been moved to attend church . . . .
A Prayer for the Nation and Our Next President, Barack Obama
By The Rt. Rev. V. Gene Robinson, Episcopal Bishop of New Hampshire
Welcome to Washington! The fun is about to begin,
but first, please join me in pausing for a
moment, to ask God's blessing upon our nation and
our next president.
O God of our many understandings, we pray that you willŠ
Bless us with tears - for a world in which over a
billion people exist on less than a dollar a day,
where young women from many lands are beaten and
raped for wanting an education, and thousands die
daily from malnutrition, malaria, and AIDS.
Bless us with anger - at discrimination, at home
and abroad, against refugees and immigrants,
women, people of color, gay, lesbian, bisexual
and transgender people.
Bless us with discomfort - at the easy,
simplistic "answers" we've preferred to hear from
our politicians, instead of the truth, about
ourselves and the world, which we need to face if
we are going to rise to the challenges of the
future.
Bless us with patience - and the knowledge that
none of what ails us will be "fixed" anytime
soon, and the understanding that our new
president is a human being, not a messiah.
Bless us with humility - open to understanding
that our own needs must always be balanced with
those of the world.
Bless us with freedom from mere tolerance -
replacing it with a genuine respect and warm
embrace of our differences, and an understanding
that in our diversity, we are stronger.
Bless us with compassion and generosity -
remembering that every religion's God judges us
by the way we care for the most vulnerable in the
human community, whether across town or across
the world.
And God, we give you thanks for your child
Barack, as he assumes the office of President of
the United States.
Give him wisdom beyond his years, and inspire him
with Lincoln's reconciling leadership style,
President Kennedy's ability to enlist our best
efforts, and Dr. King's dream of a nation for ALL
the people.
Give him a quiet heart, for our Ship of State
needs a steady, calm captain in these times.
Give him stirring words, for we will need to be
inspired and motivated to make the personal and
common sacrifices necessary to facing the
challenges ahead.
Make him color-blind, reminding him of his own
words that under his leadership, there will be
neither red nor blue states, but the United
States.
Help him remember his own oppression as a
minority, drawing on that experience of
discrimination, that he might seek to change the
lives of those who are still its victims.
Give him the strength to find family time and
privacy, and help him remember that even though
he is president, a father only gets one shot at
his daughters' childhoods.
And please, God, keep him safe. We know we ask
too much of our presidents, and we're asking FAR
too much of this one. We know the risk he and his
wife are taking for all of us, and we implore
you, O good and great God, to keep him safe. Hold
him in the palm of your hand - that he might do
the work we have called him to do, that he might
find joy in this impossible calling, and that in
the end, he might lead us as a nation to a place
of integrity, prosperity and peace. AMEN.
By The Rt. Rev. V. Gene Robinson, Episcopal Bishop of New Hampshire
Welcome to Washington! The fun is about to begin,
but first, please join me in pausing for a
moment, to ask God's blessing upon our nation and
our next president.
O God of our many understandings, we pray that you willŠ
Bless us with tears - for a world in which over a
billion people exist on less than a dollar a day,
where young women from many lands are beaten and
raped for wanting an education, and thousands die
daily from malnutrition, malaria, and AIDS.
Bless us with anger - at discrimination, at home
and abroad, against refugees and immigrants,
women, people of color, gay, lesbian, bisexual
and transgender people.
Bless us with discomfort - at the easy,
simplistic "answers" we've preferred to hear from
our politicians, instead of the truth, about
ourselves and the world, which we need to face if
we are going to rise to the challenges of the
future.
Bless us with patience - and the knowledge that
none of what ails us will be "fixed" anytime
soon, and the understanding that our new
president is a human being, not a messiah.
Bless us with humility - open to understanding
that our own needs must always be balanced with
those of the world.
Bless us with freedom from mere tolerance -
replacing it with a genuine respect and warm
embrace of our differences, and an understanding
that in our diversity, we are stronger.
Bless us with compassion and generosity -
remembering that every religion's God judges us
by the way we care for the most vulnerable in the
human community, whether across town or across
the world.
And God, we give you thanks for your child
Barack, as he assumes the office of President of
the United States.
Give him wisdom beyond his years, and inspire him
with Lincoln's reconciling leadership style,
President Kennedy's ability to enlist our best
efforts, and Dr. King's dream of a nation for ALL
the people.
Give him a quiet heart, for our Ship of State
needs a steady, calm captain in these times.
Give him stirring words, for we will need to be
inspired and motivated to make the personal and
common sacrifices necessary to facing the
challenges ahead.
Make him color-blind, reminding him of his own
words that under his leadership, there will be
neither red nor blue states, but the United
States.
Help him remember his own oppression as a
minority, drawing on that experience of
discrimination, that he might seek to change the
lives of those who are still its victims.
Give him the strength to find family time and
privacy, and help him remember that even though
he is president, a father only gets one shot at
his daughters' childhoods.
And please, God, keep him safe. We know we ask
too much of our presidents, and we're asking FAR
too much of this one. We know the risk he and his
wife are taking for all of us, and we implore
you, O good and great God, to keep him safe. Hold
him in the palm of your hand - that he might do
the work we have called him to do, that he might
find joy in this impossible calling, and that in
the end, he might lead us as a nation to a place
of integrity, prosperity and peace. AMEN.
3 comments:
powerful prayer! let's all hope for change
I WILL ABSOLUTELY follow your inane chatter, because it so frequently echoes what's been on my mind, and because I miss you and your chatter. Glad to read we're fitting our Anthro demographic so neatly, all but the "suburban" part. How did they know I moved to the burbs?
Nathaniel is scrumptious. We'll most likely be in Newton the first week of March; I plan to spend much time with him and his parents, if you'll be around.
Yay, I love your blog! Love the video of Nathaniel, and love the Obama prayer.
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