Parker played while I got started on laundry, we went outside to watch Dada leave for work, went back in to eat breakfast, Parker read while I did Bible study and drank my tea, and then we got ready to go to the park.
Upon starting my car and smelling the stale noxious air, I remembered that I still needed to buy a new air conditioning filter. I had no idea where a Kragen or other auto store was, but something told me to take the freeway to get to the "dinosaur" park today instead of side streets. At the exit, lo and behold, there was a Kragen right there. They didn't have my air filter in stock, but directed me to another Kragen up the road that had one. Yes! An unplanned chore done! Well, partly done anyway. Still need to install it.
Then, we finally headed to the our original destination. We had lots of fun exploring the park and playing in the
turtle fountains. Parker shared his crackers with some little blackbirds. Actually, there were small blackbirds, and then slightly fatter brownish blackbirds. I immediately thought the bigger 
browner ones were females and the males were the smaller black ones. Why did I think that? Well, the bigger ones would stand right next to a piece of cracker and make a loud racket until a smaller blackbird would come pick it up and put it in the bigger bird's mouth. At least two pairs of these birds did this. I thought it was a little sweet, but pretty comical, too. Those bossy, demanding females, making the males their slaves! After doing some research online, I confirmed my suspicions. They are Brewer's Blackbirds. The females are the larger, browner, bossy ones. Speaking of females, this morning I read Ecclesiastes and I'm fairly convinced whomever the author is (many believe it is Solomon, some think it was one of his brothers, but ultimately we don't really know), that he must have been scarred by some women. I laughed out loud at this passage, "... I do know there is one good man in a thousand, but never have I found a good woman." (Ecclesiastes 7:28) We women are blamed for the original sin. We've been bossy from the very beginning. Eve told Adam to eat, and he did. These female birds tell the males to feed them, and they do. I find it more than a little hilarious. I think God does, too. He was the one who created us, after all. "Think of what God has done! If God makes something crooked, can you make it straight?" - Ecclesiastes 7:13
Even children recognize who's really in charge. This past Sunday, after Parker woke up from his nap and I took some chicken out of the freezer to defrost, I suggested we all go to the park for a little bit. I asked Jake what he thought and he said, "Parker's the boss." Parker turned right around and said, "I'm not the boss. Mama's the boss!" He's no fool.
OK, so I went off on a tangent there.
Back to the present day. We got home from the park and I noticed that the two plants on our front entry could use a little watering. Parker loves to help us water the plants so off we went to fill a water jug. Parker helped me water one of the plants and then we went on to the next one. I foolishly let him stay on my left, closest to the stairs. After we were done, he stood back up and lost his footing. I was horrified to see him start to tumble down the stairs. His butt went down first, then he flipped over head first down another step. I shouted, "Oh my God, oh my God, help!" And He did. Parker just stopped tumbling. It was a miracle. He had only fallen down two of the fifteen stairs. I scooped him up and held onto him tightly, probably more scared than he was. I thanked Jesus and after we were back inside and I was able to calm down a little, we said a little prayer together thanking the Lord for keeping Parker from falling any further down the stairs. So far, I haven't found even a single scratch on him, and hopefully there's nothing hurt internally.
Now Parker is napping and I'm thinking that although he really wanted to help me install the air filter in my car later, that maybe we've had enough adventures for one day, thank you very much. I think I'm gonna pull rank and make Dada do it.
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For some laughs, here are some more UNinspiring (and yes, way out-of-context) quotes from Ecclesiastes:
"Nothing makes sense!" - Ecclesiastes 1:2
"All of life is far more boring than words could ever say." Ecclesiastes 1:8
"The more you know, the more you hurt; the more you understand, the more you suffer." Ecclesiastes 1:18
"Wise or foolish, we all die and are soon forgotten." - Ecclesiastes 2:16
"Don't be surprised if the poor of your country are abused, and injustice takes the place of justice." - Ecclesiastes 5:8
"... There is no end to books, and too much study will wear you out." - Ecclesiastes 12:12
I truly believe that books of the Bible should be read as a whole to fully grasp the context. It's easy to misconstrue single verses and manipulate them to read how you want. I just showed you how I did it! Maybe it'll hearten you to read Ecclesiastes, though. ;) Happy Wednesday!
