Mental Health in Fathers

This article on the BBC caught my attention today because of my ongoing interest in mental health and depression issues.

Apparently, they're now saying that it it not just the mental health of the mother that can have an impact on whether children develop mental health issues, but that if the father suffers from a mental illness, it is also greatly impacting on the children, and particularly on boys.

Before He Speaks

My friend LP/CA had posted this video on her blog today, and it made me laugh. Hard.

Because can I just say that as a pastor's kid, I've been the sermon illustration more times than I can say. Though I will admit that dad was usually generous in what he said, and typically, if he wanted to share something embarrassing or personal, he asked our permission first.

My favorite preachers to listen to are the ones who rarely use their families as illustrations. Rob Bell is a good example of this.

Most of you will already know that I have a love/mostly hate relationship with having been a pastor's kid. If I stop and talk for very long about the "fish bowl" existence, I have a rather dear friend who will get cranky with me! But let me just say that it was a less than ideal way for someone who's natural tendency is to be a people pleaser, and to care deeply about the expectations of others to grow up.

And with that, I think you should enjoy the video. And possibly link through to Youtube and watch the one by the same group called "Mama's Don't Let Your Babies Grow Up to be Pastors."

When in Rome...

This article on the BBC caught my attention today.

When I finally get to make a return trip to Rome, the catacombs are definitely something I'd love to visit.

Heading out...

L. and I are headed out this morning to do errands.

And to enjoy the fact that the weather has finally warmed up a bit by driving to a nearby town with a well-known ice cream shop.

Never mind that ice-cream almost invariably is the worst thing for my lactose intolerant stomach.

About once a year, I want ice-cream. And when I do finally get that craving for that sweet stuff that tends to give me a rather severe stomach ache later on, I want the good stuff. None of this $3 a gallon cheap grocery store stuff. I want rich, creamy, exotic flavors.

So today, we're going to do that.

We're also going to do things like visiting the bottle depot, and returning a dvd we rented. But those things are somewhat less exciting than exotic ice cream flavors.