Who is Murphy anyway?

The adage, Murphy's Law, "Anything that can go wrong, will go wrong," has long been a part of my "comment culture".  So, we had a Murphy weekend.

Seth and I hunted and hunted for a hammock for Jim for Father's Day, as last weekend Jim hung up the old one from camp days and promptly fell right through the rotted middle! Unfortunately no one was there to video that one! The one we ordered looked scrumptiously relaxing, but when put together, was designed for midgets to climb into. When I was finally able to get in it, I could not get out and up. Looks great in the picture, huh? Beware Internet shopping. Also, non-returnable.

It really is lower than this...

So then, Jim and Seth proceed to measure, remeasure and measure again to mount the flat panel television so it is so close to the wall and looks like a picture so it amazes all who visit. Wow! No wires to show either! And, Voila! Extra studs everywhere, unexpectedly, in the wall. Now a hole and ...

Back on the media stand for now.

So, back to Murphy... Apparently the Law was named after Captain Ed Murphy, an engineer from Wright Field Aircraft Lab. Frustration with a malfunction due to an error in wiring caused USAF Col. John Paul Stapp to remark - "If there is any way to do it wrong, he will" – referring to the technician who had wired the bridges at the Lab. Col. Stapp assigned Murphy's Law to the statement and the associated variations.

So, with Murphy on my mind, the Sunday school lesson from Dallas Willard's book, The Divine Conspiracy, focused on the Lord's Prayer. It was very interesting and a very different take on things as Mr. Willard has on all I have heard so far. He is a USC philosophy professor and an extremely deep, profound man with understandings far beyond those I have heard before. So I leave you with Seth and his success for Sunday and Dallas Willard's interpretation of The Lord's Prayer.

Success! Seth is so happy. He whistled the whole way through it! Ikea bookcase dividers look great and that pile of books now has a home, as well as giving me inspiration to finish organizing my corner.

Here is Dallas Willard’s paraphrase of the Lord’s Prayer. He suggests that we paraphrase the prayer from time to time because its richness lends itself to much meditation.

Dear Father always near us,
may your name be treasured and loved,
may your rule be completed in us-
may your will be done here on earth in
just the way it is done in heaven.
Give us today the things we need today,
and forgive us our sins and impositions on you
as we are forgiving all who in any way offend us.
Please don’t put us through trials,
but deliver us from everything bad.
Because you are the one is charge,
and you have all the power, and the glory too is all yours-forever-
which is just the way we want it!

Whoopie!