The Horoscope, The Bible, And Me - Thursday

Did you SEE the news yesterday? "Pregnant man due in weeks, still mows lawn." There is one thing that's amazing about this story, and it's not that a pregnant man exists.

The thing I find the most amazing is that this is reported across the world:

"Just six weeks before he's due to give birth, the world's first pregnant man Thomas Beatie has been photographed mowing the lawn – complete with baby bump and beard."

... but this, to my knowledge, doesn't make the news:

"Two days past her due date, a heavily-pregnant mother in Australia has been spotted shopping with a trolley full of groceries and three active and energetic children in tow. The Supermum was observed to complete her whole supermarket experience despite four tantrums: two from the children, one from a disapproving elderly onlooker and one from herself. Asked why she chose the controversial and dangerous option of shopping with the children while heavily pregnant, she replied that it was either that, or the whole family ate grass for dinner."

Nor does this make the news:

"At nine weeks pregnant with her first child, a 24 year old British woman has been photographed while working full-time teaching a classroom of twenty-two challenging preschool students with a vomit bucket in her hand. She is still in her first trimester and has attempted to keep the happy news from friends, family and co-workers by explaining that her vomit bucket and crushing exhaustion are in fact results of a VERY big weekend. A source close to the woman reported today that her credibility is tenuous."

But mowing the lawn at 34 weeks? That's what we call getting some gentle exercise in peace and solitude.

And now on to today's Horoscope-Bible-Me.

Advice for Goats: An authority figure may be giving you a real headache now. Maybe other people are having trouble with your attempts to control them. Either way, you can feel the constraint as you try to express yourself spontaneously. Remember, it's not an all-or-nothing proposition. Even if you aren't happy about it, tempering your urges can help you attain your goals in the long run.
By Rick Levine Thursday, May 22, 2008

Advice for God's People: I got thinking about hard work. Not just the hard work that comes with being a parent (the daily stuff like pregnant men mowing their lawns), but also the hard work of paid employment, the hard work of volunteer work, and the hard work involved in labours of love (like my Mum coming down to help me with my own hard work!) Here are three verses about hard work:

Proverbs 14:23 All hard work brings a profit, but mere talk leads only to poverty.

Acts 20:35 In everything I did, I showed you that by this kind of hard work we must help the weak, remembering the words the Lord Jesus himself said: 'It is more blessed to give than to receive.' "

Revelation 2:2a I know your deeds, your hard work and your perseverance.

Real Life On Thursday: This is not a direct quote of a real conversation, but is a sort of average of many recent conversations that tend to take place in the later afternoon.

Sonny Ma-Jiminy: Mum!
Me: Yes, Sonny?
SMJ: MUM!!
Me: YES?
SMJ: MUUUUMMYYY!!!

[An authority figure may be giving you a real headache now.]

Me: Sweet heart, stop saying 'Mummy' and tell me what you need to tell me!
SMJ: Can I please have a carrot?
Me: No Sonny, it's past 3:30. That's past the Food Curfew. We can't eat anything until dinner now.
SMJ: It's NOT PAST THE FOOD CURFEW!!!
Me: Look at the clock. When the big hand was pointing down, it was the Food Curfew. Now it's past ...
SMJ: NOT THE FOOD CURFEW!!! (huge tantrum)

[Maybe other people are having trouble with your attempts to control them. ]

Me: It is past ...
SMJ: Waaahhh!
Me: The rule is ...
SMJ: WAH-WAH-WAAHH!
Me: In our family we ...
SMJ: WAAHHHH!

[Either way, you can feel the constraint as you try to express yourself spontaneously. ]

Me: No carrots. Look, I can't stop you screaming, but I can stop you making the noise in my kitchen. Out you go. (Picks SMJ up and puts him in his room.)

[Remember, it's not an all-or-nothing proposition.]

Me, muttering under my breath: Stupid horoscope. It is an all-or-nothing proposition. No carrots at 4pm.

[Even if you aren't happy about it...]

Me: (didn't do anything I'd regret)

[...tempering your urges...]

SMJ (emerging from bedroom): Sowwy Mummy. Can I play on my big bike?

[... can help you attain your goals in the long run.]

Me: Of course you can, sweetheart.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

I take my metaphorical hat off to people who are buried in lots of hard work. Of course there's those of us who call out to the world from under a pile of dirty laundry and stuffed animals, but also my friends and family who are busy at paid jobs working such long hours for their employers and for their own families. It can be so exhausting and sometimes it's quite thankless too.

We have many volunteers in our city who donate their time and services (lots of both!) to help those who are not as fortunate as most of us. Our church runs a street-level ministry like this - it's great! The volunteers work so hard and give so much of their time, effort and friendship to people who drop in.

And lastly, the labours of love. My Mum visits me and Crazy Sister often, helping us by looking after our kids and doing little jobs around the house. Every time she leaves, we keep finding little things she's done for us. The microwave is clean. A pile of clothes was folded. Some shirts were ironed. The bath is clean. A previously filthy window has been cleaned. And we're so very thankful for the hard work she's put in for us. THANKS MUM!

Well done, all you who put in a lot of hard work to keep the earth turning. Well, of course, God does that, but thanks for keeping our own little worlds working smoothly. Your hard work brings a profit, and there's heaps of blessing in giving, rather than always receiving.