The fish are dead. Yep.....dead. As in floating on top of the water. They're gone. Flipper Lipscomb Thweatt and Swimmer Griffin Thweatt went to that big bowl in the sky Thursday. The same brand new fish I posted about just two posts ago. The same fish we were given at the carnival/fair about a week ago. The same fish that we went all over town looking for a bowl for. And the same fish I was sure Susan would eventually grow to love them. Well, I don't think she will anymore because she didn't have time! They're dead! Isn't there a week warranty on these things or something? I was just starting to get attached. Their stinkin' food container is still completely full! What kind of pet lives a week???? The answer.....fish from a carnival. Oh well. The boys were fine. When Susan told them, Max wanted to see them dead and Carter asked if we could now get a ferret. True story. We're not getting a ferret and we're going to wait on more fish. Maybe at the end of the summer. The boys didn't care. Susan and I were taking care of them anyways....well for the 7 days we did. So allow me a brief eulogy......So long Flipper and Swimmer. Thanks for touching our lives for those couple of minutes or so. I'll always remember the times we had together, you know like when I fed you those 2 times and when I changed your water once. Oh yeah and that time that Flipper looked at me and then swam away. That was great. May you rest in peace on the train tracks behind our house where I threw you. And may your bowl finally dry out in the sun and be rid of that smell. You guys stunk. But you lived a nice, short life as a prize at a carnival. Oh the stories you could tell, if you could remember them.
Ok, enough of that. On to the topic at hand. I'm a runner. I exercise regularly. And I would love to say that I also eat healthy on a regular basis. But that would be a lie and I try really hard not to do that. I do, as a runner, try to drink a lot of water especially with these hot summer days. However, I've never been too big of a water drinker. I can drink it with meals if I have to and after runs of course, but to just drink it....when I'm not really thirsty.....not so easy. That is until about 2 months ago when I noticed that a bunch of my students were bringing water bottles to class. It was a lot more than usual and not only were they drinking from them, they were chewing on them....and sucking on them....and enjoying them a little more than I've ever seen. So I had to ask about them. It was a little distracting to see such affection for a water bottle. The answer.....Camelbak. Anyone else have one? I asked one of my students and he told me they were gre
at. "Mr. Thweatt, they force you to drink water. I've drank 3 bottle fulls today!" To bad it didn't help him with his English. But I asked him why and he told me about the special rubber tips. He said you have to bite them open to drink and they are fun to chew on. O......K...... I thought it was a little strange at first, but then I thought 'I need to get me one of those' I am always needing to drink more water and if it "forces" you.......plus I like chewing on things even though I'm 35 years old. So I gave in and bought myself a Camelbak water bottle. And I love it. It IS a fun water bottle. And I am findiing myself drinking more. I try to keep the chewing to a minimum.The point is....I had to have one just because all my students had one. I had to try it for myself. I find myself getting caught up in that sometimes. I want to have what everyone else has. I want my own. I want to show it off a little bit. I could talk about materialism, but I won't. I would rather talk about being the same versus being different. I often want to be like everyone else. I want to wear the same clothes or buy the same running shoes or the same chewy water bottles. But when it comes to my relationship with God, I want to be different.
With God, I don't want to be like everyone else. I want to stand out so that people want to be like me. I don't know who bought the very first Camelbak water bottle, but it started a chain and everyone wanted to be like that person. I want to do the same in my spiritual life. I want to be an example that others want to follow. I want to be so on fire for God and so open and honest in my relationship that others take notice and maybe even say, "He's different." No, I don't want to show off or seem any better than anyone else, but I do want to lead others closer to God. That's what we're all called to do.
So it's ok to want to be like someone else in some ways. We all have people we look up to or want to follow. It's ok to buy a water bottle just to be like others, even sixth graders. But when it comes to God, start your own trend. Be a leader, not a follower. There are many great Christian examples you can look toward, but in the end, be your own servant for Christ. Be different. My prayer for God today is for Him to give me more opportunities to teach others....more people to lead.....give me a different and special relationship wtih Him so others see and want to be a part. I want to start a revival with the saved and evangelize the lost at the same time. Anyone care to join me? There's nothing to chew on, but it will "force" you on that narrow path to Heaven. Sounds good to me.
I love Griffin and I love God.
Keep runnin'. The PRIZE awaits. (Php. 3:14)
-Albert
Sorry to hear about the fish. Sadly they were probably doomed from being at the carnival :).
ReplyDeleteI have a Camelbak waist pack, but I hate the way it makes my water taste. Doubt that would be a problem with the bottle though. Can't say I enough biting it to drink, but if it gets to drink keep at it.