Wine, Woman and Work

Ever have a weekend that blows your mind? Mine just happened.

A sincere sorry to my fundamentalist friends - but the wine of an anniversary dinner is some of the sweetest you can imbibe. Susan, my bride, and I just hit our 29th anniversary. Wanted to share in this post the mind blower this weekend was to me (don't worry, not too risque)

Surprised by joy, being abducted to The JJ Shaw House in Boise. 100+ years old bed & breakfast, history on every floor; for those in Idaho, if you miss staying at this incredible B&B you cannot say you've really stayed in Boise. The owner welcomes you to her home - a home of memories long gone. Sounds like a big plug, doesn't it? Not really, the place plugs itself. You show up and become part of its memories. For those outside Idaho, do not visit Boise, unless you first stop in at this place.

Had lunch at The Grape Escape - a foo-fooish, good eatin' place that 50 year old new parents take their only child named Sophie to - you know what I'm talking about, the kind of folks that never had kids in their youth and now that the biological clock hand has struck 8'clock p.m. they rushed forward for a baby. Now that little Sophie-Heather-Reagan-Conner is able to sit at the table and eat, all they do is cry (it's kinda fun in a sick way to watch the parents go crazy while knowing it is all behind me)...teehee! Lunch was good.

Headed to movies, saw Little Miss Sunshine - unbelievable. It was quirky like Napoleon Dynamite on steroids. Alan Arkin, Greg Kinnear, Steve (The Office) Carell are the stars of this indie picture, and you have the extra pleasure of navigating all the f-bombs. Saw it at The Flicks, enjoying the movie with popcorn and a Dr. Pepper (tempted to enjoy the chardonnay, but my bride had a bottle chilling & waiting for later in the evening - sorry my Baptist friends).

Here's where my mind approached critical mass...we were meandering on 8th street at BODO (for those of you from out of state and Meridian) it is a beautiful new development by Simplot's Sixteen Corp. A flyer was given to us, almost new-agey in appearance, telling the story of a then 4 year old girl, daughter of two atheists, who was visited by angels sent by God (my hackles went up) to give her 2 gifts; one of painting and one of poetry.

Yeah-yeah I can hear what your thinking; but let me go on...

Her name is Akiane and her paintings are sublime; magnificently peaceful and artwork that is easy to appreciate. Akiane is now 12 years old - look at these examples from her website. You can see these at Spirit at Work Books under the Ha-Penny across from PF Chang's (ooh lettuce wraps). For those from out of town you should be  blessed to live in Boise Go Broncos-Blue Turf

Akiane's parents became Christians - evangelical, born-again, Bible believing, charismatic, on-fire, former atheists - figure that out :)

While enjoying this vacation in my own hometown I thought about work. I've been a successful business coach for years and I love it! For the last 6+ years my bride and I have had to deal with our oldest son's drug addiction (opiates) and his incarceration. From that came some great healing for our family - I am very proud of my son. During this weekend I began refining a business project that will launch December 1st; a behavior and education outreach for former inmates and drug addicts, people who really want to be clean. I have transitioned full-time to helping people be free. Spoke Sunday night (my anniversary night) at The Ship Dinner (a group that transitions inmates into housing), it was only fitting and proper to do so, honoring people like my son who are recovering.

On an ending guffaw; I stumbled across the goofiest (and somewhat witty) website-parody of Christian fundamentalism. Maybe it was the wine, the woman or the work; but I laughed myself silly. Written by liberals, for liberals mocking what they believe is the culture of American Evangelical Christianity. Upset? No not really. We kinda deserve to get slapped around when our own house is not in order - they just might have a point.

Sincerely,

Dennis, possibly a former-friend of a few constipated Christians, Mansfield

p.s. - when you visit JJ Shaw's as well as Akiane's tell them who sent ya!

Comments

[Lorraine]

If you know anyone in Eastern Idaho, we are having another exhibit of Akiane's work. (the 12 yr old child prodigy you loved so much) We have a new piece of hers also.

[Dennis Mansfield]

Foo-foo, Esau and Michael ~ thanks for commenting on the blog.

Came to the conclusion that having fun and being "stretched" can both occur at the same time.

Sorry, Michael, 'bout being across the street from you and not even knowing it. I will remember!

On the eve of Nov. 22nd, I have to stop and re-read my own blog comments on CS Lewis, JFK and Huxley....and realize how each of these men impacted my life. Personal impact, you know what I mean?

I was 7 when Kennedy died. 2nd grade. Lived in Texas. San Antonio...cried my eyes out - couldn't believe that ugliness in humans could rob a daddy from his little kids. (my personal 4 foot tall perspective, at the time). Met all the king's men, there at Randolph AFB, as they flew in to meet LBJ. Nothing matched up to young Kennedy at the time. Almost a picture of young America at the time, huh?

Aldous Huxley - deep depression-reading for an aspiring high school student. Dark, dreary, smokestack lifestyles. Yuk. Intriguing, nonetheless...

CS Lewis beat the (Jack Black) crapola out of me post-college...his logic was too, too strong. Too, too mean. Too, too right. January 1979 I surrendered my life to Lewis' God. Almost 28 years in a few months. Never felt better in my life....(I always think of John Wayne's Sgt Stryker on the beach when I say that....look it up)

Night all.
Dennis

[Esau]

Congrats to you and your love.
Pug has a pretty gracious little spot at GE. (Fitting place for sojourners from a place called "vineyard" any-hoo)

That little art gal reminds me of a theory I have about indigo children and God's social engineering.

My father who is Jewish sent me a link to the "LandoverBaptist" site. I felt the same way about the parody infact it led me to look up the WittenBurg Door.
http://www.thedoormagazine.com/current_issue.html

[Foo-Foo Hippie Man]

Hey Mr. Mansfield if'n we'd a knowed you was in da Nort En dis week-en, we da sent a possee out fer ya. Did you secure the proper papers befur ya head-ed our way, or was you all some a them ILLEGALS?!?

Hippie Man

[Michael Devitt]

Dennis,

You dingle-berry, JJ Shaw House is right across the street from our house. Junia and Serena help watch our kids. I also will take issue with your description of Grape Escape as "foo-fooish". What, you don't have any restaurants that wash the glasses in Meridian? Come on, just because the salads are appetizer sized and entree priced doesn't mean everyone there has a child named "Sophie". I will have you know that we take our daughter, Isabelle, there all of the time. Do a little research next time! Either that or just stay in Meridian the next time you want to go out. Besides, God is going to destroy Boise any day now. You would do well to stay away--and tell Susan not to look back; actually, don't--we need the salt.

Ciao Dude.

Michael Devitt