life – Calvin Roso

The carnival ride: What vomiting on others taught me about grace.

One sunny summer day when I was about ten years old, my brother Spartacus, a neighbor kid, and I walked to the town carnival. Upon arrival we arm-wrestled to see who would choose the first ride. After great embarrassment on my part, it was decided that the first ride for all of us (unknowingly, theContinue reading “The carnival ride: What vomiting on others taught me about grace.”

In my attempt to show kindness, I almost committed a drive-by.

My wife, Princess Bride, is very good at buying the right gifts for family members on birthdays and holidays. The reason she does such a great job is because she asks people what they would like beforehand. I don’t like to know ahead what people want because for me it takes the mystery and surpriseContinue reading “In my attempt to show kindness, I almost committed a drive-by.”

New Year’s Resolutioners beware: Don’t read today’s blog.

Even the good things I add to my schedule can potentially become time-suckers. Time-suckers are the things I waste time on — the things that after three hours I ask myself, “What have I done all day?” I’m not dissing rest; the Bible clearly emphasizes the importance of rest and Americans are often guilty ofContinue reading “New Year’s Resolutioners beware: Don’t read today’s blog.”

I can’t believe I’m arguing with a five-year-old about why kids cry.

I saw a big kid picking on a smaller kid a few days ago. Ironically, Big Kid had been crying just a few minutes earlier when someone else had whacked him. I thought it was a good time to have an adult conversation with Big Kid about his childish behavior. Me: “Why were you hittingContinue reading “I can’t believe I’m arguing with a five-year-old about why kids cry.”

Fair Maiden quietly spit up her Cheerios during the choir’s special song.

One of our first Christmases as parents was spent in Florida with my in-laws. We were to enjoy a Florida tradition on Sanibel Island: A simple, quiet Christmas Eve service on the beach. However, as young parents, to guarantee “simple and quiet” required a LOT of preparation. I’m big into preparation. In fact, I’m oftenContinue reading “Fair Maiden quietly spit up her Cheerios during the choir’s special song.”

My brother would make irreverent motions and farting sounds during the best Christmas songs.

Back in THE DAY, kids of all ages and abilities were forced to be part of the church Christmas pageant. Even if the kid could neither sing nor act, or was in the habit of wetting him or herself in public, he or she was still part of the pageant. And, of course, being partContinue reading “My brother would make irreverent motions and farting sounds during the best Christmas songs.”

Accounting for kids at Christmas time.

I met this random lady out walking yesterday and we had a brief conversation. “What do you do for work?” “I work at T–s ‘R Us [store name edited for anonymity]” she said. “Well thanks for what you do for kids,” I responded. “I do accounting there. But when I’m all done each day IContinue reading “Accounting for kids at Christmas time.”

Two of them were knocked down on top of me, wedging me deep into the snow. King of the Mountain.

School cancellations for snow days seldom happened in northeast South Dakota in the 1960s. It wasn’t a full day, but actually more like an hour early dismissal. My three older brothers and I hiked the one-mile trek home in hip-deep snow. Us Roso boys were all about danger and peril so at a time whenContinue reading “Two of them were knocked down on top of me, wedging me deep into the snow. King of the Mountain.”

Making room. Why Grandma’s visits were never a pain.

Grandma would come and visit every couple of years or so when I was a kid. . . . One day we all packed in the car and drove to the small regional airport and watched Grandma climb out of the plane onto the tarmac. There she was in with red hair sticking out ofContinue reading “Making room. Why Grandma’s visits were never a pain.”