Please Sir, May I have a Hair Hat?

For Loralai

I wanted to write a song for Loralai, but I keep drawing a blank. Everything comes out like Dr. Seuss.

If you remember Green Eggs and Ham from my 1998 CD, you’ll know what I’m talking about.

It’s frustrating. I think I’m going to just let it happen and not force it.

Right now I think I’m going to go watch people run around a track with my wife.

Later.

Cute Doesn’t Begin to Describe.

So, as you know, we have a 6 month old daughter named Loralai Whitney. When you think of that name, you think sweet and cute, right? Well, you’d be right. But there’s another side to this beefy bundle of baby. It’s a side that has begun to expect things. Attention, food, you name it. She’s getting an attitude and it’s not cute. Well, at first, it was endearing. The reaching of her hands for daddy. That’s cute. That makes you feel important. You feel like you must be loving this little person right for her to reach out for you.

Did I mention the little bugger’s getting 2 teeth?

Then there’s the insisting. Yes, at 6 months, there’s insisting. Last night, we started with the insisting. We went for a walk. You know, mommy and daddy holding hands and baby in the stroller just cooing and smiling. Everyone waving and smiling as we pass by. You know the scene.

That’s not what happened.

See, I tend to get distracted and can’t walk fast and talk and think at the same time. I tend to slow down a lot. So, Ash and Loralai end up slowing down for Daddy.

Loralai like movement. She’s like her mom. She likes fast, brisk, purposeful - though leisurely - walks. I dautle.

There was a fair amount of a breeze last night, but not enough to keep the little one pacified. And it was hot. A little hotter than I’d expected.

Loralai had had enough of thr stroller and wanted to see things from Daddy’s vantage point. So, I took her out of the stroller and Mom walked in the sun as we walked in the shade. Loralai likes to bounce, so we bounced. I think she’s a Tigger. Or a Roo. Either way, she had blast.

We all need a change of scenery from time to time. It makes us a happier people.

This made for a happier baby.

So when we reached the home stretch, I thought I’d put her back in the stroller (she’s getting heavy — not fat, but heavy). She didn’t like that.

But we had fun bouncing down the street waving at Mom and staring at the trees.

Life is Good.

My Walk

Why do I keep going back to the old self? Why to I keep going back to the same sins I’ve struggled with for years and give to Christ time and time again?

Because it’s comfortable. It’s familiar. It’s my security blanket. My thumb.

So, I’m learning about roles. I wouldn’t want Loralai feeding herself, let alone feeding me. So, whiy would I try and be God in my life? In the lives of my friends and family. People are human and expecting them to be any different is just arrogant.

I’ll be back…