Writer's Group & Movie Quads

Sundays are sometimes the busiest days of the week. We were studying that in Sunday School last week, discussing the transition between the Jewish Sabbath days to the Christian Sabbath-Sunday concept during the First Century church era. It used to really confuse me how the Jews got Saturday off, and the Christians were supposed to honor the Sabbath but we always did our yard work on Saturday, and that certainly wasn't a Sabbath. And people used to talk about taking it easy on Sundays, but in the household of a minister/evangelist, Sunday was always the busiest day.

So for some of us, both Saturday and Sunday are very busy days. When do we get a real day off?

Though today wasn't completely relaxing, it was a fun day, mostly due to the fact that I got to spend a few hours with the kids at church in the morning, then a couple hours with Adam at the Writer's Group meeting during the afternoon.

There's just something about being with those young kids - aged 4 years to 4th grade - that fills me with joy. Not sure if it's because I get to teach them Bible stories, lead them in worship songs, play games, or work on artsy projects with them. Or all of the above. Then there's the part where they call me "Mr. Meyer!" when they want to get my attention in the middle of playtime, to tell me about something they've seen or done or wanted. Or when they sit next to me because they just like to be near me. There are so many wonderful kids there, and they all make me feel so special.

Of course, my own kids make me feel special, too, but it's a vastly different kind of feeling from the one I used to get when they were little. They're almost adults now, and our conversations are quite different than they used to be. They don't hug me as much (mostly the boys, but part of that is due to their father's reticence toward making them uncomfortable). I expect more out of them, and that tends to put a strain on the relationship. Then there's the inevitable desire for more independence without the consequent burden of more responsibility.

Teenagers can be so much fun.

Today, actually, Adam and I did have some fun while attending the twice-monthly meeting of a local Writer's Group. He and I have been a part of the group for a few months, sharing our stories with the others and getting lots of good feedback. Today he shared an allegorical story about Babylon and Heaven which was quite good, and I shared a scene from my forthcoming action/mystery story (soon to be submitted to some nameless monthly detective magazine when I get the nerve). And the rest of the group shared stories ranging from fantasy/allegory to repentance.

On the way home, we stopped by Costco to pick up some milk (we seem to be going through it much more quickly now that the children have become teenagers); and while we were there, I found a great quad-pack of sci-fi movies, including 2001: A Space Odyssey; Soylent Green; The Time Machine (1960 version); and Forbidden Planet, all for only $10! Even though we already had the 2-disc version of Forbidden Planet, I couldn't resist it. Especially when Adam reminded me that none of the kids have seen 2001 before. I've been such a bad parent! To deprive them of such a classic sci-fi movie!

Really, though, I much prefer Forbidden Planet. Robbie the Robot is my hero!

But I let them watch the first half hour of 2001, just so we could laugh at the goofy guys in the ape costumes. And the Pan Am shuttle with the 60s-style stewardesses. And the bizarre telephone call from the guy in the space station to his little girl back home.

And I let them watch the trailer for Soylent Green, so I could try to explain to them the significance of having Edward G. Robinson in the movie. It was, after all, his 101st film.

And I let them watch the first hour of The Time Machine, just so they could see the goofy special effects, which were very state-of-the-art for such a low-budget film back in 1960.

Then it got late, so they had to go to bed. And I should do the same.