Skinny Marinky Dinky Dink

I vividly recall the big orange bean bag on our den floor back in the 70’s. It was accompanied by the beautiful yellow and brown plaid couch, wood panel walls, and linoleum gold/cream floors. And we loved it….at the time! :) One of my fondest memories of the orange bean bag was “The Bean Bag Song.” I would curl up on the bean bag with my Dad and he would begin singing…… 

Skinny Marinky Dinky Dink, 

Skinny Marinky do. 

I love you. 

Skinny Marinky Dinky Dink, 

Skinny Marinky do. 

I love you. 

Oh, I love you in the morning, 

and I love you late at night. 

I love you in the evening, 

when the sun is shining bright, OHHHH…… (This is when Dad would pick you up, fall over with you on the bean bag, and begin tickling the living daylight out of you!)

Skinny Marinky Dinky Dink, 

Skinny Marinky do. 

I LOOOOVVVEEE YOU!

Chris and I became very much like Pavlov’s dog. We were conditioned to begin laughing before Dad even remotely got to the “tickle part.” We would beg and beg for him to take position on the bean bag for our daily dose of Skinny Marinky Dink. 

The Dean household was always filled with much laughter. Mom and Dad knew how to balance life’s seriousness with an abundance of laughter. Dad has always had lots of side hobbies, including mastering the art of repairing TVs (this was back in the day of channel knobs and picture tubes - when a layman could actually replace TV parts!!). In the early 80’s, Chris and I were called into Mom and Dad’s bedroom. Dad was very solemn in his announcement for the entire family to enter the bedroom. Upon gathering, Dad calmly set us down and said that we needed to have a family meeting about a serious matter. He informed us that there had been a death in the family. Mom, Chris, and I gasped as we braced ourselves for the terrible news that had just afflicted our family! Dad slowly pointed to the console TV that had lived in their bedroom since arriving in Clinton. He waved the white flag of surrender that he could not revive the old TV. So we were required to do what every normal family would do…….we held a funeral for the TV, including songs, reflective thoughts, and a proper eulogy. To this day, I think Mom might still hold a tad bit of grudge that Dad gave her a heart attack, but this is still a memory that we laugh about 35 years later.

Very few people are aware that Sam Dean has many other talents. He is a great cheerleader! When my best friend, Kristina Pearce Haury, and I would hold cheerleading practice sessions at the house, Dad would join in. He even created his own cheer:

B.O. Stinks

S-T-I-N-K-S

B.O. Stinks

And I might add….he developed some very nice motions with the words! To this day, Kristina and I laugh at this fond memory.

Sam Dean is also a nice dancer. My daughter, Mallory, is a competitive dancer. It is not an uncommon event for him to join her on the den dance floor. I will have to say that the 73 year old Baptist Rabbi has some good moves, and laughter fills the room when he breaks out in his version of a Baptist foot function!

With all that said, Sam Dean is the master of timing. He is acutely aware that there is a time and place for all things. Sam Dean has always been able to deliver a serious, thought-filled sermon that leaves one reflecting for an extended period of time.  However, he can also quickly turn on his silly side that leaves the company around him light headed and filled with laughter. 

Being a pastor can be very serious business. While there are certainly days filled with many happy events, these days are also coupled with sickness, brokenness, conflict, and worries. We will never know the full burden that Sam Dean carried worrying about his congregation, who he considered to be his best friends. But he taught each of us how to balance the seriousness of life’s burdens with an abundance of laughter. The key is knowing the timing of each.

A few years ago, life had sent me a series of challenges in which I was struggling. Late one night, Dad knew that I was working through a fairly tough situation. The phone rings. When I picked it up, I heard his gentle voice of wisdom singing….

Skinny Marinky Dinky Dink

Skinny Marinky Do.

I love you.

Skinny Marinky Dinky Dink

Skinny Marinky Do.

I love you.

Oh, I love you in the morning and I love you late at night.

I love you in the evening when the sun is shining bright…..OHHHHHHHHHH

Skinny Marinky Dinky Dink

Skinnhy Marinky Do.

I LOOOOOVVVVEEE YOU! 

We all have moments when we need a little “Skinny Marinky Dinky Dink” to see us through. Life is serious business. Dad taught me the place that humor has in making memories and the power that light hearted memories play in seeing us through difficult times. As Ecclesiastes 3 tells us, there is a time for everything. Let us not forget that there is a time to laugh! For laughter has the power to help us overcome the heavy burdens of life’s journey.