Thursday Blog, 7-3-08
A Hulk of a Prince
To celebrate the end of a very busy month of June, I took Cindy out for supper and a movie. Being the sensitive romantic type, I bought her a big bowl of popcorn, we shared a drink and I even raised the arm between our chairs so that we could snuggle. It was the perfect evening, just me, Cindy and “The Incredible Hulk”!
To say that the movie was intense would be a gross understatement, and no, it had nothing to do with our snuggling. It left me with the sensation of being beat up, tossed from the roof of a very tall building, then having a large truck run over me repeatedly. When we got home, my mind was still racing and Gabriel insisted that I tell him everything about the movie. While putting him down for the night, I gave him the age-appropriate Reader’s Digest version. As you might expect, he had a million questions and I thought we would never get to sleep. The next day he ran around the house growling, flexing his muscles and saving his favorite girlfriend (Mom) from every evil villain that he could imagine.
A day or so after taking Cindy to see “The Incredible Hulk”, the family and I rented the Disney movie, “Enchanted”. The story lines from these two movies could not be any more different. “Enchanted” is the ultimate adolescence in overdrive “chick flick”. It centers around a princess who is cast out of the animated world of Andalasia and into the real world of Manhattan. As you would expect, her prince mounts a rescue attempt and follows her onto the streets of the big city. From beginning to end, this live-action film immerses the audience in dancing, pretty flowers, flowing gowns, and endless moments of breathless romance. It left me with the same sensation that I get when I eat too much sugar?
For me, it was like two hours of inhaling helium, but for Gabriel it was nothing less than magical. Over the next several days, my five-year-old ran about the house singing princely songs, slaying dragons and rescuing his favorite girlfriend (Mom) from every evil villain lurking in the shadows of our fair kingdom.
Well, yesterday before leaving for mid-week church services, “Enchanted” and “The Incredible Hulk” collided inside the shirt of my little boy. “Dad, would you help with my prince outfit?” he asked in one of those I know this will work if you’ll just make it happen tones. Next, he presented me with several balls of wadded up paper and insisted that I shove them up his sleeves. I wasn’t sure if he was going for the muscle look or just for the puffy sleeves look but either way, the result was laughable. At one point, we had so many paper wads up his sleeve that one fell down and lodged itself around his belly. It reminded me of myself, a lot of misplaced muscle.
As you can imagine, it wasn’t very long until the discomfort from the paper wads overtook his desire to look like a very buff prince. He removed the wads and told me that he decided he would rather be a young prince without the extra bulges. I assured him that a comfortable prince would be better for the kingdom anyway. He seemed pleased.
Psalms 45:13-17 (NIV)
“All glorious is the princess within [her chamber]; her gown is interwoven with gold. In embroidered garments she is led to the king; her virgin companions follow her and are brought to you. They are led in with joy and gladness; they enter the palace of the king.
Your sons will take the place of your fathers; you will make them princes throughout the land. I will perpetuate your memory through all generations; therefore the nations will praise you for ever and ever.”
Are we destined to be the princes and princesses of Heaven? Gabriel hopes so!
