Fools and Honest Abe

Coming from a line of practical-jokers, I've always loved April Fools Day. On no other day can you tell bold-faced lies, toying with the emotions of others and then say 2 magic words and the "victim" is not allowed to get mad at you: "APRIL FOOLS!" Although I've suffered from playing several "jokes gone bad" in my day, I still love to try to fool people and hope they won't break the rules and get upset. I recently discovered that this hilarious day is one of my Aunt Charlene's favorite holidays and she tricks her family nearly every year. I love it. This year my brother text my mom during her business meeting with a message which read: "mom, got in a bad accident. car is totaled. on the way to hospital." Motherly instincts kicked in and completely forgetting the date, she panicked and fled the meeting and called Trav. "APRIL FOOLS!" he exclaimed and my poor, trusting mother had to return with her head lowered in shame, admitting that she had been fooled. It's always more fun to do the fooling than to be fooled:) This idea of being fooled and being a fool is a topic which has come up a lot lately. I'm beginning to think God is trying to tell me something...The following are examples of ways I've been a fool and I've learned about foolishness.

I did it again. I bought cabbage thinking it was lettuce. A few years ago I did this when my family needed lettuce for tacos and my dad cracked up when I said, as I was tearing the lettuce, "gosh, this lettuce feels like rubber." After suffering from the ridicule of not knowing what a head of lettuce looks like, you'd think I'd never make that mistake again. Wrong. I made it again the other day and what's worse is that I inspected the cabbage closely to be sure it was lettuce. Third time's a charm?

My friends Lisa and Sabina are both super smart. They're Princeton grads- they have to be. My attempts to fool them into thinking I was also intellectual and sophisticated like a Princeton grad lasted for about 2 days. Lisa recently was accepted to the Kennedy School. I knew this was a big deal but had no idea where or what the Kennedy School is. When I overheard someone congratulate Lisa for getting into Harvard I said, "Harvard is the Kennedy School?" She was gracious and didn't mock me and confessed she didn't say "Harvard" because it sounded like bragging. She's so humble:) Sabina and I baked Lisa a cake as a congrats for getting into Harvard's graduate program. I love that although Sabina is super smart as well, she does silly things like getting her arm stuck in marshmallow and when we were playing "Cinque!" (also known to some as the celebrity game) the clue was "basketball player" and she yelled out, "Michael Jackson!" Oh and just to clarify, "parabens" means congratulations in Portuguese.

I was recently riding in the back of a truck with a student and we had every one's backpacks with us in the back. Foolish. Driving through the clogged streets of Maputo, we were stopped at a light when two men walked by, saw the many bags and saw two foolish targets. One man tried to distract us by hitting the side of the truck while the other reached into the truck and tried to grab the bag sitting next to me. He wasn't very committed however because when I said, "Hey!" and grabbed the bag as well he continued walking. Not a very intriguing "near-mugging" tale but we weren't being wise by putting valuables out in the open.

At Sunday night fellowship we've been watching DVDs by Andy Stanley and the theme has been on wisdom. One of the sermons was about being wise with how we spend our time and I was continually convicted as I thought about all the episodes of LOST I've been watching recently. I had never seen the show before coming here but now, after hours and hours of sheer entertainment, I am almost completely caught up on the 4Th season. I'm not saying that TV is evil but I have been foolish with my time lately in that I've been staying up til 2 in the morning, engaged in this epic adventure called Lost and have thus been a bit groggy at school. Don't misunderstand me and think I am saying that watching Lost is foolish. Oh contrare. It is a brilliant show which you really must watch from the beginning but I have been foolish with how I've gotten so addicted that I suffer from lack of sleep because I can't practice self-discipline.

The other day I was walking into a store and heard the obnoxious "cat-calling" whistle. Usually Mozambican men try to get a woman's attention with a very annoying "hisssss" so I was surprised to hear the tradition "wooooot wooo." (best attempt to type a whistle sound) Anyways, I refused to acknowledge, the whistling continued, I rolled my eyes and hurried into the store. Once inside, the whistling didn't stop and I thought, "this moron is persistent and about ready to get the look of death if I see him." I peeked in the back room where the whistling was coming from...It was a bird in a cage...I laughed and felt incredibly foolish.

My philosophy when sick or hurt may be considered to be "foolish" although I'm still not completely convinced. My philosophy: "Ignore the problem and it will go away." This mantra has worked wonders for me in the past but for about a week I felt like the Egyptians suffering from plague after plague. It started with an old ailment called eczema. I've suffered from this non-contagious dry skin disease since I was little. While playing basketball in college, my knuckles would crack and bleed so I was continually sucking the blood off my hands during games so I wouldn't have to leave the court. Dry skin pretty much sucks and has led to several trips to the dermatologist but usually only comes during dry weather. This was the first "winter" in which I didn't have my "old lady hands" and it was wonderful. Then the Mozambican winter started...You haven't known what itching feels like until you've had a thigh covered in an eczema rash. The large gashes are from where I've scratched so hard, I've dug holes into my legs. Attractive huh?

Some of you may be thinking, "Why on earth is she posting disgusting pictures of her rash on her blog?" Quite frankly, it's a good question but if I'm reflecting on physical ailments I've been dealing with, I can't just ignore the nasty rash covering my legs. Oh and yes, I had this rash while still teaching swimming and stood proudly in my speedo, yelling instructions across the pool while the entire crowd watched the crazy American girl with the strange rash on her legs. It could be worse. While blog-stalking, I came across the following picture of a girl who was having treatment for a backache while in Korea. This is another reason why my philosophy is brilliant. If you do try to solve your physical ailment, things like "cupping" happen and you are left with giant hickeys all over your back.

While suffering from my itchy legs, a mosquito decided to wage war against me one night. I haven't been needing the mosquito net lately,...or so I thought. I woke up in the middle of the night with no less than 10 bites on each arm! Never before have I desired to have 4 hands but at that moment, I couldn't scratch each limb simultaneously and it was torture. A few days later, I did a genius move and sliced my finger open while opening a rusty can. Luckily the Butlers and Emelda supplied me with well-stocked first aid kits which I have been putting to good use lately.

And finally, my most painful physical ailment stemmed from the fact that I have incredibly weak teeth. It's true. Trent and I got the "weak teeth" gene and have visited the dentist already more than most people ever will in their lifetime. Before moving to Africa, I went to the dentist to take care of all my issues to ensure I wouldn't have any teeth problems while here. I had 3 or 4 root canals in the span of a few weeks right before I left. (a sign of someone who has terrible teeth: they lose count of how many root canals, crowns and bridges they have) While in Cape Town, I began to feel the old familiar tooth pain but I followed my philosophy and did nothing. Eventually I was grimacing so I gave in and took Advil. (this was a big step for me. I've always hated taking any type of medicine. ) Pretty soon I was researching just how much Advil one can take before there are serious consequences. To fall asleep at night I had to ice my jaw since the entire left side of face was swelling. (still not too concerned at that point and opted to do nothing) I finally caved after days of intense tooth pain and started thinking about seeing a dentist. I don't have fear of dentists. Quite the opposite actually. I usually befriend them since I become such a regular.

However, the thought of seeing a dentist in Mozambique did not excite me. Our empragada (maid) had a really swollen face and when I asked about it, I found out that the dentist had pulled a tooth and messed up on the Novocaine. Wonderful. I got a recommendation from several different missionaries to see a certain Dr. Zaid, who is South African and speaks English. (communication with your dentist really is essential) When I showed up at the office, I felt like I was walking onto the set of a horror film. You want your dentist office to be clean but there just aren't many clean buildings in Maputo and as I sat on the plastic covered chairs, staring at the dirt on the walls, I started praying:) The dentist turned out to be incredibly knowledgable...about teeth. I was a bit worried when he asked me what province I was from in the United STATES of America. I grew more concerned when I said I lived on the West Coast and he asked me if I could see Japan from there. "It's OK Katie, you're not that great at geography either. This is not a reflection on his dentisting skills." He performed a simple test which involved hitting my teeth with a metal tool and asking which one hurt the most. They all did. I felt like such a baby as I yelped every time he hit a tooth but it reeeeeeally hurt. Once he'd determined which tooth was the problem (after 2 rounds of make the American girl scream) he took an x-ray. He informed me that the problem tooth already had a root canal but the root was infected and I would need to see a specialist to perform surgery to cut off the tips of my dead roots. Excellent. The good news is he also gave me a prescription for antibiotics and painkillers. In following with the "fool" theme, I didn't take the antibiotics for a few days because I could not figure out the "child-proof" bottle. I finally asked a student (yes, a child) to open it for me. Ironic?....just plain pathetic? After taking the pills for a few days, the pain and swelling subsided and I stopped taking them. I have a reason this time though- if this infected root gives me problems in Europe, I want to be prepared. Dr. Zaid was incredibly friendly and e-mailed me the following day with the picture of my tooth. Still not totally sure why- I guess to show the specialist? I thought, "Oh good, this will be perfect for the blog." Moral of the story: my philosophy in dealing with physical ailments is sometimes foolish.

I've also been getting words of wisdom about "foolishness" from reading the book of Proverbs. My pastor from home once recommended reading a chapter of Proverbs every day since there are 31 chapters- 1 for each day of the month. In doing this and don't get me wrong, I have missed many days, but this pattern of reading Proverbs often, has been giving me more and more insight into the idea of wisdom and foolishness. Throughout the book of Proverbs, a "fool" is described in many ways and often juxtaposed with a wise man. (that's right I used juxtaposed in a sentence.) I want to be that wise man and not the fool so I continue to read the Proverbs, searching for guidance as to how to be "wise." An apt example of this juxtaposition is Proverbs 28:26 "He who trusts in himself is a fool but he who walks in wisdom is kept safe." I confess that I am often guilty of trusting in myself rather than in God but He continues to point me to the path where I am reliant upon Him.

I love Proverbs 2:3-6 because it offers such hope: "and if you call out for insight and cry aloud for understanding, and if you look for it as for silver and search for it as for hidden treasure, then you will understand the fear of the LORD and find the knowledge of God. For the LORD gives wisdom, and from his mouth come knowledge and understanding." My prayer is that I will continue to search for wisdom with such passion as is described so I will not be a fool and will gain an increased reverence for and knowledge of our All-wise creator.

My friend Katie recently wrote a blog entry about saying foolish things. She is one of the wittiest people I know so I highly recommend you check out her blog and read about her recent foolish mishaps. In her April 10Th entry she quoted Abraham Lincoln: "Better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to speak out and remove all doubt." - Abraham Lincoln. The same week Katie wrote this, a student of mine wrote a current event and in reflecting about the event, used that exact same quote. Coincidence? Or God trying to speak to me through ol' Honest Abe? Still not sure. I wonder if Abe said this line after reading Provers 17:28 which says, "Even a fool is thought wise if he keeps silent, and discerning if he holds his tongue."

This year God has been impressing upon my heart the need to be careful with my words, using them more sparingly. He's been showing me the power of words and necessity of thinking carefully before speaking so as to avoid the folly of fools. Fools speak quickly and negatively about others and I don't want to be no fool. (Did anyone else just picture Mr. T saying, "I pity the fool....!"?) Sprinkled throughout Proverbs are lessons about the power of words and the importance of being wise with our words. Proverbs 10:19 says, "When words are many, sin is not absent, but he who holds his tongue is wise," and Proverbs 12:18 says, "Reckless words pierce like a sword, but the tongue of the wise brings healing." Solomon also wrote that, "He who answers before listening- that is his folly and his shame" (18:13) and again, "He who guards his mouth and his tongue keeps himself from calamity." (21:23)I have been convicted by these Proverbs and others to close my lips more often and listen more intently.

I realize I often end my blog entrys with a "Danny Tanner moment" but I am going to deviate from the pattern and end with quotes from the personification of foolishness. I give you....Michael Scott. It is often painful to watch The Office because of this man who is the epitamy of a "fool" to such an extreme that you can't help but groan and laugh. Here are a few memorable lines from the lovable boss and fool:

Michael Scott: I’m an early bird and a night owl. So I’m wise and I have worms.

Michael Scott: Abraham Lincoln once said that "If you're a racist, I will attack you with the North," and these are the principles I carry with me in the workplace.

Michael Scott: When I said that I was king of forwards, you got to understand that I don't come up with this stuff. I just forward it along. You wouldn't arrest a guy who was just passing drugs from one guy to another.

Michael Scott:Yes. It is true. I, Michael Scott, am signing up with an online dating service. Thousands of people have done it, and I am going to do it. I need a username, and... I have a great one. "Little Kid Lover". That way people will know exactly where my priorities are at.

Michael Scott:You'll notice, I didn't have anybody being Arab. I thought that would be too explosive, uh, no pun intended. But I just thought, "too soon" for Arabs, maybe next year. You know, the ball's in their court.

Michael Scott: People I respect, heroes would be, Bob Hope, Abraham Lincoln, definitely. Bono, ah, and probably God, would be the fourth one. And I...I just think those people really, helped the world, in so many ways. That it's, it's really beyond words. It's really incalculable.

Michael Scott: Society teaches us that, having feelings and crying is bad and wrong. Well, that's baloney, because grief isn't wrong. There's such a thing as good grief. Just ask Charlie Brown.

Michael Scott: Yeah, I went hunting once. Shot a deer in the leg. Had to kill it with a shovel. Took about an hour. Why do you ask?

Michael Scott: I’m very fast. I’m like Forest Gump except…I am not an idiot.