Lose a Bet with God?

Last night, Wendy and I spent the evening reading A Year of Blind Dates to each other.  We took turns reading alternate chapters out loud.

http://www.amazon.com/Year-Blind-Dates-Single-Search/dp/0830748105

After a couple of chapters, I looked at Wendy and said, "I don't think Megan is a good Christian."

"Why?" Wendy asked.

You see, although Megan, the heroine of the story, is a good person who sometimes is a bit too critical of others, she's a selfish Christian.  When she signed up to a special matchmaking dating service, she stated that she wants someone who shares her faith and that was a non-negotiable.  And that's fine.

She attends church regularly.  She is a member of a Bible Study group.  She prays regularly.

So what makes her a bad Christian?  Well, after a series of bad dates, she has a breakdown in her car, during which she has a conversation with God.  Now here's the part that bugged me.  She stated several times in earlier chapters that she trusts God, but in her car she questions his plan.  Not really looking like trust, but it could be a moment of weakness due to stress.

But here's the kicker.  She demands a reward.  From God.  For being good. 

She tells God that she's been a good Christian.  That she's always trusted him.  That she believes in him.  Then she says because of that, he needs to give her someone to keep her from being alone.  Even I don't have the brass ones big enough to give God an ultimatum.

"I'm that kind of Christian," Wendy retorted.

"You make demands of God then throw fits if you don't get it?" I asked.

"No, not really.  But when the funding for the spider research was running out and I had several job options, I asked God to help me and give me a sign.  But he didn't and I was like, 'come on!  Just give me a little hint!'"

"I think that's different.  You weren't telling God to give you a job because you go to church."

"True," Wendy replied, "but like Megan, I was lonely too and I kind of argued with God about it."

"And who won that argument?" I asked.

"I got you, don't I?"  Wendy smiled.

"So you lost."  And I smiled right back.

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Wendy has field work today.  She took a helicopter over to Makaleha.


According to my students, it's like she has the man job and I have the woman job.  She rides helicopters to study endangered plants out in the middle of nowhere.  I'm doing laundry and making a chocolate cream pie.

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Our official closing date on the house is the 16th.  We're going to go in to the bank tomorrow to sign a bunch of paperwork.  After we get the title, Elspeth officially becomes our slave... errr servant.

Unfortunately, after all the waiting, delays, setbacks, etc (we've been on this deal since February), closing feels rather anti-climactic.  It's like all the banks sucked the fun out of buying a house.  Oh well.  Guess we'll get our jollies from picking on Elspeth.