Day 36- An Ear Wiggling First

Today I learned to wiggle my ears. That's my "first" for the day.

My sister-in-law Ali is here with her 3 girls.  The oldest is Maren and she is 5.

Sweet Maren

So, Maren announces to me that she can wiggle her ears.  I think, "No Way!"  That is stinking impressive for a 5 year old.  I used to know a guy who was around 75 and was a great ear wiggler.  I just never could quite get the muscle coordination to manage that. So, if Maren can pull it off, I have hopes that she can teach me.

I ask if Maren will wiggle her ears for me.  Being a 5 year old, she is more than happy to put her ear wiggling on display.  That's a lovely thing about most children.  They are willing to put their talents on display (when they are in the mood; not so much when the parents announce they can do something. Then they freeze up like Antarctica).  You get a 40 year old who can sing like Pavarotti and too often you have to beg them to sing a special in church.  Of course, I'm not much of a Pavarotti fan, so not so much is lost on that one, come to think of it.

Back to Maren.  She says she will wiggle her ears for me.  I so wish the video would upload on the blog here but I can't seem to manage that.  Anyway, she shakes her head back and forth vigorously.

Maren wiggling her ears

 

You have to admit, if you are wiggling your head, your ears are wiggling, too. It's just too cute.  Hey, maybe I can wiggle my ears after all.  So, I give it a try.

 

Me wiggling my ears

 

Hey, I did it.  Not quite as cute.  I've not had a stroke and I'm not sure why shaking my head causes my hand to draw up like that.  It must take more concentration for me to wiggle my ears than it does for Maren.  You'd think I could act a bit more natural, but I've waited a long time for this.  Plus, my photographer has gone outside to play with the cousins and I'll take a goofy picture over bringing them all back into the house just to snap a more flattering shot.  It's a bit goofy but it's also pretty quiet in here right now. Sometimes you just have to make a choice.

Often I have a spiritual take-away for my "first."  Not really sure what that is today. It was fun to play with Maren.  The childlike enthusiasm she has for wiggling her ears is contagious.  If you happen to meet Maren, she can also wiggle her nose!

So, do something silly and fun and have a big laugh.  The Bible says in Proverbs 17:22- A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit saps a person’s strength.

If your heart needs cheering up, maybe you can find a 5 year old to teach you some tricks.

Cheerfully pursuing the abundant life

Barry

3 things I thank God for today
1. The way the sun hits the woods on a cool winter afternoon
2. People who can wiggle their ears
3. People who joyfully use their talents for Jesus