I saw this article in the New York Times the other day:
“Obama to Unveil Initiative to Map the Human Brain By JOHN MARKOFF and JAMES GORMAN
“President Obama on Tuesday will announce a research initiative, starting with $100 million in 2014, to invent and refine new technologies to understand the human brain.”
Actually, I think this should be a two-part study. He needs to allocate 99.99999 million dollars to study the female brain and a buck twenty-five for the male brain. The male brain doesn’t seem to be used too much and the female version is very complicated.
I could do the study on men’s’ brains myself and get rich. I wouldn’t even take 50 million. I’d only charge one or two million. Think of it. What savings! What cost cutting! Congress would be happy. As a matter of fact, I can hand in my report of the male brain already.
The New York Times article could read something like this:
“Porter Completes Study of Male Brain”
“Yesterday famous person, David Porter, reported to the President with his analysis of the male brain.
“Men’s brains seem to be composed of three distinct compartments,” the famous person said sagely. These can be loosely labeled as: “Fun,” “food,” “football””
While admitting that men do other things like work and washing dishes, Porter noted: “their brain isn’t usually engaged in these activities, at least not very much.”
The female brain? That’s way above my pay grade. I wouldn’t even go there without intricate instruments, complicated calculations and a shield to protect myself.
I could author a BIG book called, “What I Know About Women” It would be accompanied by a liiiiittle bitty book called, “What I Understand About Women.” It’s true that I don’t understand everything I know, but after 63 years of wonderful experiences with mama, sister, daughter, friends and wife, I know when to duck. I still don’t know ‘why,’ but I do know ‘when’ and that comes in handy at times.
Still sometimes I say to myself, “If I say that I’m going to catch it. Is it worth it? You bet ‘cha.” (See number 1 above under men’s brain, “fun!”).
We laugh about male/female differences. They are a wonder to the young man and the young woman engaged to be married but they’re often a mystery to this same couple, three months after marriage.
My wife used to wonder how I could watch a game on television, read a book, and maybe listen to another game on the radio, all at the same time. I’m an excellent multi-tasker for stuff I like.
As for me, well, I can’t understand why it seems that ladies want to cry about stuff. The ladies in my life taught me that, “Big boys don’t cry,” when I was a little boy.
If the truth were told, I’m learning to appreciate the female brain more and more as I go through life. And though I’m frustrating, I don’t think my wife always wants me to think exactly like she does.
God made us different so that each of us could bring something to the couple. What a powerful creation, the Christian couple! When each brings what God has given them into the marriage, sure there are sparks because they’re bringing a personality, a way of thinking, and an appreciation of life that the other one doesn’t have. But, there’s power and wholeness in that double perspective.
If God could give each couple two things, I believe the world would be a different place. Those two things are love (Christ’s love) and respect.
“For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh.”This is a profound mystery—but I am talking about Christ and the church. However, each one of you also must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband.” (Ephesians 5, NIV)
In some mysterious way, this husband-wife relationship preaches the relationship of Christ with His Church. The man represents Christ, his wife the Church.
No wonder the Christian couple is taking incoming fire from all directions. But, we can make our marriage work–by the power of the Holy Spirit.
Don’t quit. Fight for your marriage–even when you don’t understand everything you know.
Hmmm…
“Harvard professor Dr. Catherine Snow followed 65 families over an eight-year period. She made this profound discovery: Dinnertime is of more value to child development than playtime, school time, and story time.
“If eating around the kitchen table trumps the benefits of school, then you’ve got my attention. At the table you can affirm, teach, listen, reinforce, and laugh! Life lessons can be learned here. So put away your phone and look into your family’s eyes.” Dave Stone