I'm the Favorite

You may have noticed in recent posts, I have referred to my brother in law as my "favorite brother-in-law." This is kind of a play on words that he and I have been bantering back and forth since sometime this past fall, when I referred to Caroline as his favorite niece.

Let's get some facts straight:

• She is his favorite.
• I have also referred to myself as his favorite sister in law.
• And again, I am right.
• Steve has another sister-in-law...two, actually.
• I'm his favorite
• Steve has other nieces. . . two, that I can think of immediately.
• Caroline's his favorite.

[Side note: If Melany was writing this blog entry, all references would be favourite. But that is another discussion from another country for another time.]

He even refers to me as the favorite sister in law on his blog, but that's getting too bogged down in details. (Go ahead, check the link. You know you want to!)

But all this batting around of the word "favorite" has caused me to do some googling. (I love that it's now a verb!) Here are a few references I found. The first is a search I performed on google that took me to Wikipedia. Just putting in the word "favorite."

Favorite (US English) or favourite (British English) means: Favorite, the intimate companion of a ruler or other important person, with or without a sexual element in the relationship. Favorite is also often used in races and competitions when referring to the competitor (i.e., horse, actress, player, team, etc.) having the best chance of winning.

Favorite is also:
A bookmark in Microsoft Internet Explorer
A chateau in Ludwigsburg, Germany (see Favorite Ludwigsburg)
La Favorite is a French Opera by Donzinetti
A fast food chain in the UK and overseas (see Favorite Chicken)
A customize effect in Final Cut Pro
A small town in Germany

Then I googled "God's Favorite" (No, I don't know why I chose that. . I just did)

God's Favorite is a play by Neil Simon, loosely based on the Biblical Book of Job. It was published in 1974. The setting of the play is a Long Island mansion, where dwells a pious, God-fearing tycoon named Joe Benjamin and his family: a long-suffering wife, Rose, a prodigal son, David, a pair of kooky twins, Ben and Sarah, and the maid and butler, Mady and Morris. One night a messenger from God, Sidney Lipton (with a big G on his sweatshirt) arrives, and, as in the biblical story, goes through all manner of temptations to get Joe Benjamin to renounce God. When he refuses, he is visited by all the afflictions imaginable. He stands firm and the messenger has to admit defeat.

I have never heard of this play, but I certainly want to see it. Sounds hilarious to me--but very pointed.

So why all this talk of favorites? Oh, I don't know. Maybe it's because the idea of being a favorite makes one stand out among the throngs of other favorite wannabes. Maybe it's because deep down, we all want to be someone's favorite. Maybe it's because we casually throw this word around as much as we throw around words like love and hate.

I don't know. Maybe it's really because my favorite husband (my one and only) just reminded me that my favorite pretend celebrity boyfriend (again, my one and only) is on in two minutes.

I don't know. Maybe I just wanted to write something different, and I'm hoping you'll bookmark or "favorite" it because you liked it too. . . .?

I will share one of my new favorite songs. And yes it IS because it stands out among a lot of other songs. And, what do you know. . . it ties into the overall theme of this blog entry too. (But then, you knew I was going to do that, didn't you?)

It's called "Friend of God" and it's a song our worship band is quickly incorporating into the regular rotation. (We're debuting it next Sunday) As I looked for it, I came across this writing. I really like it:

"God created you in His image so that so that He could have a personal relationship with you.

God is seeking an intimate heart to heart relationship with you.

There are some very good parents that have friendship with their children, while still being parents.

God is your Father but He desires friendship with you also.

(James 2:23 NKJV)

And the Scripture was fulfilled which says, 'Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.'

And he was called the friend of God."

Here are the words:

Who am I that You are mindful of me

That You hear me when I call

Is it true that You are thinking of me

How You love me. . . it's amazing

I am a friend of God

I am a friend of God

I am a friend of God

He calls me friend

God Almighty, Lord of Glory

You have called me friend

If you want to watch the song writer sing it in a concert setting, click here. It's amazing. (We don't sound quite that good, by the way!)