This is just a quick story about Cee to brighten your day. A few weeks ago my friend Daniel told me about his success using an old Bugs Bunny trick on his 2-year-old. He needed her to put on her bib and she didn’t want to. He said yes, she said no. He said yes, she said no. He said no, and she said yes and took the bib. I know what you’re thinking. I couldn’t believe it worked either.

 I tell you that to tell you this, last week Cee and I were in the Wally World and we were on the aisle with all the bottled water. She saw the gallon jugs of water and said, “Milk!” I told her it was not in fact milk but water. She again insisted it was milk. I tried to reason with her and explain that it was water and not milk. She said, “Its milk!” I told her its water, and she said milk. I said water, she said milk. So being the clever trickster I told her it was milk, and she said, “Right Daddy.” Score Cee 1 Daddy 0. God is Everywhere.

Okay, the last 2 posts have gotten us away from our general ranting, and have almost given this blog a purpose. I’m here to put that to an end. Here are 10 random thoughts with no purpose other than their own truth:

1.    If you don’t know how to use the self check out, or you have gift cards or produce…GO TO A LINE WITH A PERSON!!! And get out of the way!

2.    You should be allowed to hit people who talk loudly during a movie. Even the trailers.

3.    Trailers are the best part of going to the movies. It’s the only time you’re annoyed if you miss the commercials.

4.    The term “people watcher” is just something creepy people call themselves so they feel better about themselves.

5.    My grandmother hates modern worship music, Christian rock, and guys with long hair, but thinks everything about me is wonderful. I guess that’s unconditional love.

6.    The NFL is more fun to watch than college football.

7.    Star Wars is the best movie series of all time and there’s not a close 2^nd, period. (No discussion, put your hand down)

8.    Why do people feel obligated to answer the phone when they really can’t talk? If you’re in the bathroom, hit ignore. You can call me back, we’re not disarming high explosives.

9.    We don’t care how cute your pet is. We’re happy you got one, we’re sorry when it dies or is sick, but that is where pet discussion should end. I’m at best marginally interested in your cute kid stories, don’t approach me with pictures of Fluffy’s hair bows.

10.  I don’t want a pig, a duck or a cow from your farm and I won’t join your mob!!!  Facebook was intended to allow you to keep up with the friends you don’t make to call, to pretend you remember or liked them back in high school, or harass your favorite Doug in your life. Oh, and to advertise your blog, which you can read at http://godiseverywhere.joncoder.com

Enjoy your day. God is Everywhere.

It took me a few weeks to write this. Its been on my mind every day since I heard. But how do you express what can’t be put into words? Let’s begin with some context. Common experiences unite us and draw friends closer together, so naturally when Tiff and our friend Nikki got pregnant within a month of each other they began to compare notes and that has continued while our daughters have grown together over the last two-plus years. We’ve had play dates, done birthdays and shared some great “firsts,” like the fair and a Brave’s game just to name a few. So a few months ago, we were very excited to hear that Nikki and Daniel were expecting their second child. Sadly their joy was to be short lived. On the day they should have been celebrating that their little “peanut” was a baby boy their world broke. They found out that their unborn son, Aiden, likely had a fatal chromosome condition called T18. As the diagnosis was confirmed the news would not improve. Those of us who are lucky enough to be considered their friends could do nothing but watch as updates came out on their blog, theoddkouple. (I will not try to explain Aiden’s condition as I would not do it justice here, but please see their blog for more.)

Of course, when Nikki and Daniel shared with all of us their burden they were surrounded by love and encouragement from friends and family. While this reaction, I’m sure, was somewhat comforting there is a deafening silence when we ask the question “how could this happen?” And now, in light of what has happened how do we go on? This is the question that has haunted me for weeks. How can there still be joy in the world while there is this pain? I’ve heard and read this week stories of the fair and family vacations over the long weekend, and I am stunned that the world goes on as if nothing had happened. Even in my day to day activities there is a constant sobering weight about. How can we be happy when just the thought of Aiden is enough to reduce any of us to tears? I have written this entire blog around the idea that God is everywhere, but this pain is the true test of that viewpoint.

The answer that I know, that’s quick to my tongue, is that God IS present in our pain, that suffering is not a punishment for some wrongful act, and that while we don’t understand the “why,” God is still good even in our darkest days. These words are all true, but even as I type them they feel hollow against the enormity of our sorrow. They feel hollow because they are not words of action, and they don’t “make it all better”. They make us want to rage and lash out because we can’t just sit and accept it, but they are stubbornly true. God IS in this, God IS good, God IS, and it is the truth of these words that slowly, painfully and slowly, begins to work on what is left of our hearts. Truth resounds with us. Whether it is the truth we seek or not it clings to us and refuses to be shaken. It is like cool water on a burn, it stings at first but slowly it sooth. It will never remove the pain. The pain will leave its permanent scar on us but the truth makes the pain bearable.

The truth is that in our pain God has not abandoned us, but provided us what we need to continue. The harsh truth is that the Lord gives and the Lord takes away and in both instances God is worthy of our praise. And the truth is that during this God is not standing off to the side waiting for us to pull it together; no, God is with us each step, each heart beat and each tear are met with God’s endless compassion. I will not pretend that I have any idea what Nikki and Daniel are feeling. It is unimaginable for me but I know enough to know that they will need every bit of God’s truth to endure. I also know that they are never far from my thoughts and they are in my prayers. I still believe God is everywhere, and I hope that they feel the truth of it.

I love you my friends, and I hope your burden is made light.

Please pray for my friends Daniel and Nikki & their family. For more, see their blog theoddcouple.com.

About 2 weeks ago Tiff and I took Cee to see “Playhouse Disney Live.” For those of you without a 2 year old, Playhouse Disney features the characters Handy Manny, the Little Einstiens, Tigger & Pooh, and of course Mickey Mouse and his gang. The show was very cute and a lot of fun for everyone. I wish I could tell you that it was just something for Cee, but I really enjoyed at least as musch as she did.

As each of the characters looked for music for Mickey’s upcoming “music party” they sang and danced for the kids. It was very interactive as they taught the audience motions to go along with the music. I think at first Cee was mesmerized by the scale of the proceedings. She was enthralled and excited but truly awestruck as well. For most of the 1st half of the show she didn’t know what to. She just stood transfixed on how wonderful and exciting the experience was. During the intermission I think she was able to get her feet under her a little and when Mickey came out for the 2^nd half awe and wonder was replaced by pure joy and excitement. Cee jumped and squealed, waved and wiggled, and hot dog danced her way through the rest of the show.

Without knowing it, what really happened there was that Cee painted for us a picture of true authentic worship. Her unashamed demonstration highlighted two of the most basic fundamentals of worship. First, God is awesome. Not awesome like we say that car is awesome but the full context of awesome God is totally overwhelming and incomprehensible. When we, who are so limited and finite, find ourselves in the presence of the limitless and infinite God there are no words or thoughts that do it justice. When we are confronted with God the only comprehendible truth is the we are NOT God. In fact, this was best summed up in the movie “Rudy” when the old priest tells Rudy, “After 40 years of study I’ve come up with only two incontributable truths: There is a God, and I’m not Him.”

The second fundamental truth of worship that Cee so gladly displayed is that the previous truth is not meant to make us feel lowly or worthless but that we can rejoice that God is, without worrying about what we are not. Worship is a celebration! It is not the death march that all too often takes place on any given Sunday. We must be joyful in worship, it should be something we look forward to, and it should be so life altering that it is we need to talk about it.

In 10 years Cee may not remember the night we saw Mickey in the Macon Coliseum, but I will never forget it. I will never forget the pure joy on her face, how she held on to her mommy and daddy, and the way she laughed. I will treasure the pictures and memories I have of that evening. And I will always be amazed how, if we open our eyes a little, we find truth about our God even in an evening with Mickey Mouse. Cee reminded that night that God is everywhere.

PS To those interested I’ve got more pics from our Disney outing on Facebook. Enjoy!

This is a post that has been interrupted a couple of times this week. Once by an unexpected solar system model and once by a two hour chat with HP tech support (both of these are stories worthy of telling but now is not the time). So I’m pleased to finally be able to share with you guys a couple of random thoughts (I know you’ve been dying to hear them).

While posting one of my last entries about turning 30 I noticed something odd. I have an app on my site here to keep track of the number of hits my blog gets (which the 30 post got the 2^nd highest ever and was only beat out by the sappy post about Tiff). This app also tells me how people came to the site, like a Facebook or Twitter link or from a search engine and it tells me what they searched for.

This is where is gets a little weird. Most folks come from FB and Twitter, and there were a lot that even just typed in joncoder.com or godiseverywhere.joncoder.com (I like to assume it’s a saved favorite cause I won’t even type in such an accursedly long title…wait, I just did…curses!). But I noticed I’ve gotten a lot more search engine referrals lately. There were a couple where people searched “God is Everywhere” which I can only assume means they were looking for me (who can help them, they’re only human), and one was a search for Jon Coder and again I don’t think I’d be vain to assume that was also directed at me. However, I’m not sure everyone was quite so satisfied with their search results.

To the person who searched for “How to fix ugly hair” I hope the tale of my coloring woes was entertaining and encouraging but I doubt it was educational. And to those who were searching for “ferocious pink things” first, why? Second, was this really what you were looking for? While that disturbing dog might have qualified I’m not sure its what anyone is looking for. I’m hoping the person looking for “male bonding” found no help here, but I know I helped the folks looking to “compare and contrast honey nut cheerios and regular cheerios”.  My expert analysis for the breakfast bracket (pt2, pt3, pt4, pt5) was just what they needed. Sadly, to those seeking advice on “how to get chicken smell out of your car” the only way I got away from the smell of the chicken-mobile was to have some run a red light and total it out…so, try that.

Oh well, whether they found what they were looking for or not I guess they hung round because a lot of my older posts had been viewed, so that’s fun. I guess some people like to hear me talk (or watch me talk, or see my words…whatever) as much as I do (I could listen to me all day).

But there is one person I would like to seriously address. To the person who searched “If God is everywhere is he with me in tough times,” I would want to say to you that if there is nothing else that comes off these pages I hope you see that God is everywhere. God was in your hard times before you ever knew there would be hard times. The Bible tells us if you know God as your savior then God has promised that all things have been worked together, by God, for your good. Trust me friend, I know that those words do little to help when it all hits the fan, but from my most painful experiences I can promise you that God never leaves you and never forgets you, and God is never shocked by what is going on. There are times that we can’t see where we’re going but we have to trust that the God the created all of heaven and earth and everything in between might have a little better idea of the results your current situation will produce. It comes down to a question of trust. I trust God, and God’s track record has been pretty solid. Just remember, God is in control, God is good, and God is Everywhere.

Let me begin by saying I have never been a waiter (or waitress for that matter). There is a good reason for that, I didn’t want to be a waiter. Its not because I have lofty idea of who I think I am; am not “a somebody”. No, its because waiters and waitresses have to put up with a lot a crap for stuff that is for the most part out of their control. Now, I know that not having the experience of waiting tables may color this opinion but I hope that I possess enough perspective to be reasonable.

If I had it my way we would set up the rules with our waiter (once again I apologize for the patriarchal language, please see a linguist about getting a gender inclusive word added to the language cause until then lazy people like myself will use a masculine pronoun…soapbox away) right at the beginning of our dining experience. I would explain to him that I understand he has little control over what happens in the kitchen but that he shouldn’t feel the need to come and explain to me the inner working of the place, nor does he need to sit down and strike up a conversation. If fact, all I really want from him is to make sure my drink is full (and keep in mind I’m not talking about a mixed drink or anything difficult…this is just coke or water). Actually I’d like to bring my own glass to the restaurant that has markings on the side showing how their tip is decreasing as the drink level does. That’s it! Don’t make me sit without a drink cause then I think about how long I’ve been sitting. Just keep me sedated.

A couple weeks ago we went to a restaurant that shall rename nameless (Sticky Fingers on Riverside Dr Macon, GA) where we received probably the worst service EVER when we’ve been out to eat. I should have known we were in trouble right off the bat. Our waitress showed up and was covered in glitter. Now I’m not saying…I’m just saying…glitter is great for a lot of things: a card, an elementary school project, even the occasional sticky door jam (don’t ask, just go with it), but glitter has never and will never go well with food service. So our glitter-clad waitress brought menus and was “coming right back” to get drink orders. We waited for a while and was assured several times that our waitress was on the way. After placing drink orders we began a waiting process that really only be compared to that of a snail 100 yard dash time. While we waited the seats around us began to fill but nary was there a glitter sighting. Finally she returned not with drinks but to take the order of the people had just been seated. When we pointed out our desire to also eat we were greeted with a level of attitude that normal ends with someone getting the tale whooped! However since we had gone out to eat with several people from the church I didn’t want to be the bad guy but I really have no patience for rudeness in that measure. But we continued to wait.

We finally got our drinks and were permitted to order before heading back into the glitterless wilderness. Sadly you know the worst part of the wilderness??? No refills! See rule number 1! Keep the drinks coming. Thankfully Tiff has come to accept this from me, because if my drink sits for more than a few minutes I have no hesitation in getting up and getting more on my own. I do it every day at my home and I’ll do it at a restaurant. There have been times I’ve gotten dirty looks for doing it and glitter was no exception but that’s the way I roll.

In the end the food was fine. But what galled me to no end was on the check they included 18% gratuity. I know that standard practice with groups to include some gratuity, but 18%??? And while I do have a little bit of a problem with the expectation of gratuity I normally don’t mind. This however was a different matter. I wanted more than anything to refuse to pay it, to rant and be an overall pain in the rear, but alas, I didn’t want to embarrass my friends and didn’t want to represent my faith like that so I digress. Really, by that point, I just wanted to get out of there. Curse you glitter, you win this round. But seriously, I’d have been happier if I had just had more to drink.

I turned 30 Sunday. It is of course the natural progression after turning 29 last year but it is somehow not at all the same thing. Thirty is a round number (no fat jokes). It brings to a close a whole decade and begins a new chapter. I guess at the end of any decade you can amazed by the change. The 1^st ten years you go from an immobile mass to an extremely mobile ball of energy. Ten years later you move from childhood to the beginning of adulthood. You’re expected to finish school, vote, and decide what to do with your life. But even in light of those amazing metamorphosis it is in the past ten years that somehow even more has changed.

Ten years ago I was at Mercer just trying to figure out what the heck was going on. I spent as much time @ the Waffle House as my dorm room and rarely saw the bed at anything resembling a reasonable hour. There are times I still don’t know how I got from there to here. It seemed that before I knew it they were calling me a graduate, and I was off to Memphis to continue studying before I really knew why. Over the next years I would rack up a collection of titles: fiancée, husband, homeowner, car owner, reverend, minister, and father.

Today I still feel like this isn’t completely real. I can’t help but wait for the real adults to come and take back over, but last night I watched Cee climb up on the stage @ church and turn off my amps and the stage lights, and then she pulled a chair over and turned the tv’s off in the youth room, and it hit me again that I am the adult.

I don’t feel like I am incredibly old. In fact I feel perpetually stuck at about 24-25. In fact I have to stop and figure out how old I am when I’m asked. Maybe that in itself is proof of old age but what I mean is that I just default into that age range. I think a truism of working with students is that it makes me feel young because seriously adult don’t do messy day, but at the same time it reminds me regularly I’m not as young as use to be (one lockin proves that).

I guess in the end I’m lucky to have an amazing family, a career that I love, and friends that are fiercely loyal and supportive. The presents are nice too! In the last decade I’ve faced trials and suffering that I would have never thought a possibility, and I have enjoyed times of almost unendurable joy. It is true that God’s plan for us is for our best and for us to live our lives to the fullest. And I guess getting older is not so bad, its just a little more time on this crazy ride. God is everywhere.