New tricks

As I have just survived another birthday I had the joy of spending some birthday pennies on some new magic tricks.  Some of them were waiting for me when I got home from the Ministers’ Conference (see earlier posts). After sorting out emails, messages and other important stuff waiting for me I opened them up and have had a play practice.

I am pleased…

I am chuffed…

I am excited…

I am frustrated.

You see there are three others in my nukelear family and they have varying attitudes towards my tricks. My wife’s approach could be summarised as ‘tolerant indifference’. “Hmm, yes, it’s a magic trick. Very good dear, now let me get on with the important stuff.” My son’s response is clinical and investigative. “Let me work out how you did that.” My daughter is a better audience. “Oooooh! Do it again!” (although worryingly as she grows older she is now adopting aspects of both my wife’s and son’s attitudes). In short, I run out of audience very quickly at home.

I’d like to perform these tricks for other people but am wary of becoming a magic trick bore. I even took some with me to the conference in the (vain) hope that someone might be interested in my interest and ask if I had any with me – at which point I could go ‘Tadaa’ and perform a couple of prestidigitations that would leave them speechless.

So if any of you ever feel the need to be an audience for me, please don’t feel reticent about asking. I would prefer it if you were more like an early daughter, or even better my niece who performed the most spectacular double-take I have ever seen at the climax of one of my tricks. But if you are more like my wife or son I can cope (just don’t expect me to show you how it’s done).

At the risk of being accused of teaching about an old God with new tricks… a thought occurred to me. If I get frustrated by being ignored / patiently tolerated / investigated how must God feel about the way we treat him?