To Whom it May Concern

To My Daughter

2011-12-12T11:44:00.006-05:00

Dearest Annabel,

You are the sweetest thing. You are so cute I can't stand it. You are kind and loving. What a joy you are. What remarkable proof of God's grace to us. You are a precious gift.

And that is what is keeping me from SELLING YOU TO THE CIRCUS.

They're hiring, you know.

You have so many key skills for the circus life. What a star of the show you'd be! The Strong Man has nothing on you. What superhuman strength you demonstrate every time I have to put you in your carseat though you DON'T WANT TO GOOOOO! (And how mightily you cling to said carseat when we finally arrive.) What an amazing feat of dexterity you show when I try to pry something sharp or breakable from your wee hands!

And forget acts like the Bearded Lady or the World's Tallest Man. I can see the sign now: "WORLD'S LOUDEST TODDLER!" That high-pitched shriek you emitted at the grocery store last week was a thing to behold. People will gather in amazement to see (and hear) you. Folks without kids won't be able to believe that such a sound could come from such a small person. Those with children will be unable to look away--much like with a carwreck--but will then sigh with relief and congratulate themselves that it's not their kid making that unholy noise.

Trapeze artists? Boring, compared to your ability to virtually disembowel your bedroom furnishings while you're supposed to be napping. The curtains torn from the window and strewn on the floor! The stuffed animals tossed about and looking like a psychedelic crime scene! The drawers of drawers (ha!) emptied and crammed in every nook and cranny of your room! And you, bouncing on the bed like the little monkey you are.

Yes, it's truly amazing how an entire three-ring circus can be housed in one small body.

Of course, you wouldn't be alone in your new circus life. Mommy and Daddy have become quite good at lion taming, you know. We would wear splendid outfits (machine washable) and top hats and use stickers and threats and pleadings and prayers ("Lord, help me not to PUT THIS CHILD IN A BOX and mail her to the zoo") to keep your ferocious self at bay. Audiences would ooh! and ahh! to see us dance around your flailing, kicking, screaming form. They would gasp in wonder at our ability to avoid being bitten or mauled by our little tigress. Crowds would gather from miles around to see you go from 0 to 60 and back again in mere minutes.

We would make a fortune. Come to think of it, maybe we should just invite people into our house to watch the antics. We can sell tickets at the door, which would save us the trouble of having to travel from city to city. "Hi diddly dee! It's the circus life for meeeeee!"

Oh, Annabel. What entertainment we have around this house, 7 nights a week.

Heaven help us,

Your adoring Ring Masters

To Our Children

2010-10-10T21:17:00.002-05:00

NOTE: No, I am NOT pregnant. So quit squealing and read on (mmm hmmm, Mom).

Dearest Little Bit,

It's been just over three years since we first learned of your existence, and it is just short of three years since we learned that meeting you in person was not to be. How hard that was! How we grieved. We miss you still, but this year for the month of October--Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Month--the grief is less sharp and our joy is less shaky. It would have been so amazing to see your chubby arms and legs, to play with your wee toes and fingers, even to fumble through clouds of exhaustion to change your diapers. I don't think we realized just how much we had lost until your sibling came along. The first Christmas that we hung your ornament on the tree, our arms were still so empty and aching. Yet it was a different type of ache when we looked at little Annabel and hung your tiny ornament from the tree two years later. Realizing what we had lost, that you should have been hovering over your baby sister, showing her the shiny tree that We Do Not Touch.

I think the Christmas before we had felt an unspoken guilt over our excitement at your sibling growing in my belly, the way you never could. Perhaps this year at Christmas we will feel yet another emotion as we watch Annabel's distinct personality continue to emerge. An awareness that Annabel is, and never could be, your replacement, but rather that she could have been a complement to you. It's that "could have been" that still stings--the cry of our hearts that things aren't the way that they're supposed to be, that primal realization that all is not right with the world.

Yet what precious joy you did bring us for those couple of months and what precious grace we received from those around us after we lost you. (Thank you, dear friends, for carrying us in prayer and tangibly helping us during that time!) I still marvel at how having to learn to let you go has made me a better mother for your sister as I strive daily to trust her to God's care. And what bittersweet joy I have found in being able to step through that place of continual healing to minister to others as the consequences of a fallen world wreak havoc on us all. Is it blasphemy or merely desperation to thank God that at least you were spared all that? Perhaps both... yet God is big enough to handle it all.

So on the 15th, we'll light a candle for you. Are you swinging on heaven's gates? Perhaps. Maybe you are just resting, waiting with all the saints for the triumphant return of Christ. Either way, we send our love to you and thank God for your precious little life.

Love, Mommy & Daddy

Dearest Annabel,

How you melt our hearts with all the sweet things you do! How much you crack us up at your antics--even the ones that showcase just how sinful man can be. What joy we've had over the past 16 months (Happy Birthday, darling) of getting to know you more. We ask God's blessings over your little life and are breathless with gratitude for your presence in our lives. Rest well, sweetheart--you have a full day tomorrow of playing and eating and testing our patience and melting our hearts all over again.

Love,

Mommoo and Daddoo

Precious Future Children,

Some of you are probably still that proverbial "twinkle in the eye," so we pray for God's providence in bringing you into our lives eventually. Perhaps some of you are already born, or will be born not with us, and adoption paperwork will bring you to us. If so, we pray now for your protection, your guidance, your childlike awareness of a good God. For all of you, we pray that God will continue to grow us in our parenting skills (poor guinea pig Annabel!) that we might be better equipped to help you grow and to soothe hurts and bring about healing where needed.

Perhaps you will come to us broken by the world, or with poor health, or perhaps, like wee Little Bit, we will know you for only a short time. We pray that will not be the case with any of you. Regardless, we ask God's blessing over your souls--that he has known since before the foundation of time--and rejoice to know that he loves you more than we ever could. And we believe in him for your lives and growth, and ask him to help our unbelief. So get ready, wee ones. You are going to have some kooky parents that love you wholeheartedly.

Much love,

Mom & Dad

And a note to the Father--thank you for making us your children, your heirs. Grant us the patience and the grace to show your love to our children and to point the way to you. And... thank you for the couple of hours each night between Annabel's bedtime and ours! It is awfully nice to talk as adults and not be preoccupied with what she's sticking in her mouth, what she's doing to the cat or what we can do to not go insane reading Brown Bear, Brown Bear for the millionth time...

Gratefully,

Two of Your Children

To Our New Home State

2010-09-27T16:50:00.004-05:00

Dear Mississippi,

Well, here we are, two months later. It's been a blur since we first saw that "WELCOME TO MISSISSIPPI" sign and realized that it was welcoming us as residents, not visitors. But I have to say that I really do like you, Mississippi, and I'm glad we're here. If it couldn't be Atlanta, GA, I'm glad it's you.

Love,

Those Crazy Yankees in Clinton

Dear Michael,

I love that you were our unofficial welcoming committee. I love that you came up with the abandon of a 10 year-old to tell us that you used to live here and that Jayden, who lives next door, is your best friend 'cause you've known each other "like forever." I love that you are white and Jayden is black and that's not an issue. I kept hearing about the brutal past of Mississippi--and I know it's true--but as you grow and learn about yourself and your state, I hope you see just how awesome your friendship is. How important and right it is, and how much it means to see two little boys judging each other not by the "color of their skin but by the content of their character" and pronouncing the other to be friend and brother. Love love love it. So come over and play in our yard anytime. Come visit and say hello to Annabel. And thanks for welcoming us in so many ways.

Love,

Those folks with the cute baby that live in your old house which is really different now, gosh, it's really nice and did you know about riding bikes and selling cookie dough and...

Dear Toni,

So you read my first post, eh? Hee hee hee--that's a reminder and a reality check that this thing is actually available to the world via the interwebs (and not just in my head). So I'm glad I told the truth in that first post, which is that Pentimento rocks and is a great "third place." You asked me how we're doing--that now we've been here awhile, what hasn't lived up to expectations, where is the bloom off the rose? Honestly, nowhere. (Except perhaps the worst of the summer weather.) We've been welcomed by and plugged into this community so much already and we love it. So thanks for asking, which is just proof of how great this place is. See you next week!

Much love,

The Bibliophiles in Huntcliff

Dear Redeemer Presbyterian,

Home. We're home. A vibrant, multi-ethnic community that has welcomed us with open arms. Amazing preaching. Unbelievable music. Great nursery. There is one problem, though. I tend to idolize churches. It's a bad habit of mine. So if you could not be quite so awesome, that would be great. No? Dang. Okay, then. God's grace is big enough to help me stay focused on him.

Thanks be to God,

Right side, 10th row back (we're creatures of habit)

Dear Walker's Drive-In, Sal & Mookie's, The Pizza Shack, Julep, etc.,

Yum yum yum. I see that it won't be much easier here to stay on budget with eating out. So much goodness for the taking. We look forward to discovering more local delights!

Thanks,

The couple who tips well because their cute baby throws food all over the floor.

Dear The Orange Peel,

Oh, consignment store goodness. I love my new dress--I feel so Julia Roberts at the racetrack in Pretty Woman in it. I think I need a matching hat. Perhaps next time I come in? And the name, I love the store name. Fondren is such a cool section of town. Thanks for being there.

Whoo hoo!

Dear Mississippi College, Jackson State, University Medical Center, etc.,

Well, here I am. Send me your poor, your tired, your over-educated masses. I'm ready to serve!

Thank you,

Chandra Crane

Campus Staff, Graduate & Faculty Ministries

InterVarsity Christian Fellowship/USA

Associate Staff, Christian Legal Society

Jackson Metro Area

Dear Dr. Crane,

Well, here we are. Big, roomy, clean apartment. A little more money to spare. Time to spend with each other. We've come a long way in the past couple of months, eh? How God has provided for us since I last wrote. Thanks for bringing us here. We love you and it's so so true that Home Is Where the Heart Is.

Love Always,

Chandra and your Borgleboo

Clinton, Mississippi (who knew?)

To the Bels

2010-06-29T21:41:00.002-05:00

Dearest Annabel,

I meant to write you while I was pregnant, but I was too busy talking to my belly and sleeping a lot. I meant to write you while you were a newborn, but I was too busy realizing I was in over my head and not sleeping much at all. I meant to write you on your 6 month birthday, but got distracted playing airplane with you. I meant to write you on your first birthday, but things were too nuts with your Daddoo's PhD and your birthday party.

So, I figure--heck, why not? I'll write you on your 12 month, 2 week, 5 day birthday. I did manage to peg the time, anyway. 9:41 pm--not something I'll ever forget, although the hours following sure were a blur!

So what do I want to say to my sweet daughter who is so adorable that you give me an ice cream headache of cuteness? My thoughts drift to your (long) upcoming teenage years... blergh. I have high hopes that we will have a good relationship, but I realize there are times you won't like your parents (and me especially!) very much. You'll be fairly sure that we're idiots and are only out to ruin your fun. When that happens, I hope a part of your hormone-riddled brain can process some important things:

1. We do love you, but we are idiots. It's true. You thought I was going to say that we're not idiots? It's only God's grace that helps us to parent you. However, we are less of idiots than you are, since we've seen more of life and made more mistakes. So we get to be in charge. Sorry. If you really can't stand us, maybe there's some other nice family out there who will take you in until you're 18?

2. Sarcasm can indeed be a love language. It's also a coping mechanism. It can also be a bit much... and it's a fine line between funny and harsh. Sorry. If you really can't stand the lovingly sarcastic environment, may I suggest that you watch an episode of "Leave It to Beaver?"

3. About us being out to ruin your fun--actually, we are. It's payback for the sleepless nights, the poo-splosions, no longer having a life, the drain on our finances and the unholy amount of soggy Cheerios I've had to pick up off the floor. Sorry. If it really makes you mad, hold out for when we get old and you can get your own payback by putting us in a low-rent nursing home.

4. For all that we can be no-fun, lame duck parents, I hope you've had some fun over the years. I see these years, where a funny face is all that it takes to crack you up, slipping away all-too-quickly and am both afraid and looking forward to the challenge of finding new ways to make you smile (after I've made you cry with my responsible disciplinary measures). I know we've said "no" a lot--perhaps more than we've said "yes." Sorry. If you can just hold on, soon you'll be all grown up and we can all have fun again squabbling over how you never call and we send noisy toys to the grandkids.

Hang on a second--there's sarcasm dripping down the computer screen and I need to clean it up. I'll be right back.

Okay, sweet Annabel--borgleboo, child of mine, preciousness, monkeybuns (and all the other ridiculous things I call you)--as it says in your Sandra Boynton book:

I love you and love you.

And love you and love you.

No matter how sarcastic I get, how hectic life is, or how aggravated you are with me, never doubt that.

Love,

Your Mommoo

To a my Newest Westside Find

2010-05-28T20:35:00.006-05:00

Dear Hankook Taqueria,

Well, now you've gone and done it. You've joined the ranks of Octane and Gato Bizco by being so delicious and fantastic that my head exploded. The Bulgogi taco... the sesame fries... the bibimbop...!

Why is this a problem, you ask? Well, sweet hole-in-the wall purveyor of Korean-fusion goodness, thanks to you, I'm going to have to stage a protest--a "live-in," if you will. I'm going to chain myself to a tree in Piedmont Park, and I AM NOT LEAVING. I will stay here in Atlanta, chained to that tree, so that I may enjoy your culinary offerings whenever I...

Crap. There appears to be a flaw in my plan. Namely, the whole "chained to a tree" part. Hm...

I've got it! Take two:

I'm going to chain myself to a tree on wheels (bwa ha!) And I AM NOT LEAVING. Yes, yes, that should solve the problem. Excellent. Rain or shine! In the most humid of summers and bitterest of winters, I will stay here in this city I love. No matter the weather...

Dang. There's still the whole "living under a tree" aspect. Hmm...

Are you interested in expanding your new empire and opening a location in Clinton, MS?

Love and Kimchee,
Me and my stomach.

To My Coworker

2010-05-01T12:03:00.005-05:00

Dear Future Staff at Emory,

(Whoever you are)

My loss is your gain, friend. I am so excited for you to receive this--is it too cocky to say?--inheritance of the fruit of my labor over the past 5+ years. I wish I could pass on all of the students and faculty I've had the privilege of working with, but many of them have gone on to bigger and better things. It's funny to realize that they don't all know each other, except through me. I often forget that some of them haven't overlapped with each other in their time at Emory--it just feels like one big family, to me.

It is my family, which is why it's hard to leave. These faculty and students are my co-laborers in seeing God's kingdom come (on earth as it is in heaven), as well as my accomplices in crime. We've prayed, eaten, laughed, studied, wept, eaten some more, and shared life with each other, and that leaves a mark that doesn't fade away. You are inheriting some great people.

So, fellow staff worker, as much as it will hurt (and perhaps be slightly weird) to think of things continuing after my departure, that is, of course, what I am praying and hoping for--and I expect a full report each year at our national staff conference. I want to rejoice with you about what spiritual breakthrough that such-and-such has had. I want to laugh uproariously about what you-know-who said. I want to weep with you--as I have wept with them--over the heartache in their lives and wait expectantly with you to see God's redemption. I want the bittersweet joy of hearing great things about the GFM work at Emory that I am not there to take part in.

These are my sheep, fellow staff worker, and so my first instinct is to say that you had better take good care of them (or else!). But I realize that attitude doesn't allow room for you to love and shepherd them as I have. That attitude doesn't let go of them, as I must; nor does it allow you to take on the primary role of staff worker/shepherd in their lives. I must not try to lead them by proxy through you. It's your turn now, to learn all about them, to become fiercely loyal to and protective of them.

It's also time for me to be reminded that things will look very different under your leadership. I have to remember that your care for these students and faculty will most likely not be as gregarious as mine, and that not only is that "okay," it's the way it should be. You have things to offer them that I don't, so I am grateful for them to receive those gifts and guidance from you.

I will throw a few tidbits of advice your way--take 'em or leave 'em:

1. Food, food & more food. But I think that goes without saying. I apologize for getting them spoiled to expect munchies!

2. You don't have to do your "office hours" at Octane in the Village... but please don't stoop to doing Starbucks. Blegth!

3. You can't avoid these topics during discussions: politics, evolution, vaccines, women in combat. But you can be prepared for some entertaining fireworks.

4. Did I mention food?

and finally,

5. Take the students and faculty up on their offers to help--not just with the campus work, but in life. They are a good bunch, and they love to serve.

Enjoy this wonderful, zany, unpredictable, fabulous group. Welcome to the family.

Much love,

Chandra Crane

(for now) Campus Staff Member, Emory University

Chapter Planting Cohort v. 2.0

bringer of snacks and the Word

To Our Home... for now

2010-03-27T18:32:00.002-05:00

Dear Atlanta,

We are going to miss you. Bwagh! It is going to be hard to leave. But we are determined to enjoy the time we have left here, and wanted to let our friends know what we've got going on in the coming months, both for purposes of prayer, as well as planning:

Mid-may: Chandra finishes the semester at Emory and prepares to set up for summer and then leave in June.

Late May or early June: Kennan finishes writing his dissertation and defends his PhD

June 12th: Annabel's First Birthday Party! More details to come.

Late June: we move to Clinton, MS

August 7th: we'll be back in town as Kennan walks at GT Graduation and we'll be having a party to celebrate that evening at (where else?) Octane Coffee

Okay, Atlanta. We've got just a few months left, but we know you won't disappoint. Bring it on!

Much love,

Those Crazy Cranes in Midtown

Ch, Kennan & AnNaBeL

To Our Coaches

2010-03-16T18:45:00.004-05:00

Dear Coach Hewitt,

I have to agree with the new Coke Zero (should I put a TM or somesuch in here so I don't get sued? Probably.) ads that proclaim "nothing but taste." Indeed, sir. You are a classy man. I'm sorry that we're such slacker fans--it's not that we don't love you or college basketball; it's that football is easier to keep track of due to the more consistent schedule (and fewer games overall). So we're not fairweather fans, just lazy ones.

Well, good luck at the Big Dance! We believe in you.

Love,

a Yellow Jacket family whose wee daughter is dressed in White & Gold

Dear Coach Johnson,

What do you mean it's not football season yet? Could you work on that? Oh, and can you bless our baby? Hat-tip to Sam for the priceless video. If only we were so cool.

We're excited for the upcoming season, when we will be coming back into town from MS on many a Saturday. And this, dear Coach, this is the year when we break the bowl game curse. We believe in you!

Love,

a Yellow Jacket family whose wee daughter cheers the Brave & Bold (or improves the ratio, either way!)

To Clinton, Mississippi

2010-02-28T18:49:00.005-05:00

Dear Clinton,

I'm sorry I dismissed you, in high urban snobbery, as being a suburb that we didn't want to live in. I'm sorry I thought Vicksburg, in all its urban chic, would be the place we'd want to live. (It isn't, and we don't.) Turns out Vicksburg is neither the bustling metropolis I had hoped for (ha!) nor is it even a comfortable suburb with all the amenities, but rather an aged woman snoozing on a front porch in widow's weeds while the floorboards decay around her.

Ah, yes--drama. Nothing like a day inside the car to increase my sense of hyperbole. But, I digress.

So, Clinton--I understand now why most of the lab folks like to call you home. Spookily enough, someone took our hometown, cloned it, doubled its size, and then plopped it down in Mississippi... and there you are. Possibly our future home for quite awhile. So it's time to roll up our sleeves, grab a rake & hoe, and get back to our roots.

Dear Clinton Visitor's Center,

What a first impression! You had friendly volunteers, fun crafts, interesting displays and local folks pickin' & grinnin' at one of the Olde Time Music Jam Sessions--bluegrass as it's meant to be! It will be hard to leave our home here in Atlanta, but if we move to Clinton, I know we can make a new home here.

Dear Clinton School District,

You group all your schools by age, not location--just like our hometown. I love that. I love that the kids are together all through their elementary and secondary years, and especially that there isn't a poor school on the other side of the tracks across from the rich school. Which all-too-often translates into a black school and a white school, when all's said and done. I love knowing that Annabel's classmates would come from a variety of backgrounds, ethnicities, socio-economic status, educational backgrounds, etc. (It may be too much to hope for more variety of political leanings, but we'll see.) Not utopia, and there are certainly cliques, but it's a great start.

And the High School colors are red, black & white? They're not the Rams (rather, the Arrows, so I'm curious what the mascot looks like!), but it's still a wild coincidence...

Dear cups (an espresso cafe'),

Hallelujah! There's hope! You're a chain, and your espresso machines are set to automatic, much to Kennan's disappointment. BUT--you well understand that THERE IS NO X IN ESPRESSO and I'll forgive your whipped cream cans for the fact that you do have high chairs (and I'm guessing, though I didn't check, a changing table in the bathroom). Even the best coffee shop in the world--still always first in our hearts--doesn't have that. Ahem.

So I could spend many a day enjoying your free wifi and quirky atmosphere. Meanwhile, Kennan has informed me that he's going to ask the baristas at Octane to teach him their ways... which will require, at some point, the purchase of an espresso machine that is not set to automatic. I've told him that is fine as long as I get my digital SLR and time with Kate & Bobbi Jo to learn the secrets of their ways. But I apologize for putting an innocent coffee shop in the middle of friendly marital negotiations.

We'll be back, little coffee shop! I hope you have frequent customer cards.

Dear Pentimento,

Fabulous! I love used book stores, and am quite enjoying my Greg Bear find, thank you. I love the story behind your name, the framed quotes scattered about the place, the squooshy arm chairs, and even the eerie cat curled up on one of those arm chairs (I suspected taxidermy, but was too afraid to ask).

Nice Owner Lady, it was so great to meet you and talk about books and churches and babies and art and towns (large & small) and all sorts of other good things. Thank you for your friendly manner and interest. And thank you for being yet another awesome example of racial reconciliation as it is clear that your cross-cultural friendship with the Nice Lady from Chicago is both real and deep. I hope I get to see you again soon and buy more books that I don't quite need!

Dear Newk's Express Cafe,

You're a fun little chain. Your chicken gumbo was fabulous, I thoroughly enjoyed the shrimp po'boy, and maybe someday I'll get up the nerve to order the pimento cheese sandwich. Maybe.

Dear Mississippi College,

You look nice. I hope I get to meet students and faculty on your hallowed grounds and really dig into their lives and be a help to them, even if just volunteering a few hours a week. I am impressed that although your sign proudly proclaims that you are "STILL UNDER BAPTIST CONTROL," you were the first co-ed college in America to grant degrees to women. "STILL UNDER BAPTIST CONTROL," really? That cracks me up. Back to our roots, indeed.

Dear Lily's Asian Emporium,

Awesome. If we move to Clinton, it's nice to know that we can still get our fish sauce and curry paste. And the fact that your Nice Owner Lady was born and raised in the Hunan Province, relocated to Clinton (culture shock!), then went to Singapore but decided to move back, says something about Clinton as a community.

Dear Dave Ramsey,

Yes, you were in Clinton, MS. You followed us there. And although you can be harsh and I don't necessarily agree with your political leanings (nor some of your theology), I do see that we don't need to run out and buy a house just because Kennan will finally have the decent salary he deserves. We will save up for a good down payment, dagnabbity. But the apartment complexes in Clinton have tested my resolve for sure. I guess the college students don't mind a little funk and there just aren't enough young professionals to warrant a higher level of apartments. Sigh.

Well, God will provide something that Annabel can crawl around in without being attacked by bugs or rodents too much and hopefully we'll get to know our neighbors.

Dear Kennan Crane,

You were in Clinton, MS, and thus Annabel and I were, too. We love you, and we're proud of you, and since home is where the heart is, we'll make a home with you wherever we end up!

I still want my digital SLR out of your first paycheck.

Love,

(the future) Mrs. Dr. Kennan Crane

To Vicksburg, Mississippi

2010-02-26T17:11:00.004-05:00

(I know it's been literally years since I last wrote. But if we move to Vicksburg, I may have a heck of a lot more time on my hands to blog. Although not as much to blog about...)

Dear Burger Village,

Fabulous. So fun to see all the pictures with famous folks such as Frankie Valli and LL Cool J. The burger was indeed delicious and seeing a sweet old black man working alongside a young white woman does my heart good and gives me hope for race relations in this area. Maybe my (mixed couple) parents can come visit here without (too many) stares.

And as the kid at the counter said, $4.90 for a cheeseburger and fries is ridiculously cheap. Thank you, Burger Village--I'm glad you were my first impression of Vicksburg!

Dear Fredericks,

What a crazy small world. Seriously, Nice Owner Lady, your cousin owns George's in the Highlands? How fun is that. Thanks for appreciating Annabel's cuteness. When she is old enough to need shoes, if we're living here, we will indeed be back to shop your store. Although I know that seeing you will make me homesick for the ViHi area, at least for awhile. (sigh) And I doubt I'll ever be Southern enough to purchase a camo pillow dress! "Great for baby showers" indeed.

Dear Cinnamon Tree,

Well, I've found my Swoozies. I mean, you've got it all--Vera Bradley, Trumpette, even MudPie (not that I can really afford any of it...). Fun stuff. And THE BUNNY SLIPPERS. Oh, the Bunny Slippers. If we live here when Annabel's feet get big enough, we are soooo stocking up. And if a tragic accident ever happens to my feet and shrinks them to child's size 10/12, ohhhhh my. What a happy day that will be. Your 50% off selection rocks, and Annabel loves her new book. Maybe I can do Southern Preppy, after all. Katherine will be proud.

Dear Highway 61 Coffeehouse,

I know, I know--I'm a big city snob. I would have sneered at me, too, had the situation been reversed. I'm just in pre-emptory mourning for Octane, that's all. I had such high hopes for you when I saw the Batdorf & Bronson and Dancing Goats coffee signs. My heart skipped a beat when I saw the grinder and I got positively in a tizzy when I heard the classic CLACK CLACK CLACK that has often lulled Annabel to sleep. But then I asked about french pressed coffee and you asked me about whipped cream, and it all went down hill from there.

I know we won't find anything of Octane's caliber no matter where we end up, but COME ON. THERE IS NO X IN ESPRESSO! The words "french" and "press" put together shouldn't confuse you (I had mercy and didn't even inquire about Chemex). And what did you put in my mocha (sans whip) that made you call your coworker over to see before you handed it to me with an evil smile? I probably don't want to know.

Alright, this city slicker is headed back to Atlanta soon. But I might be back. And this time, I'll keep my mouth shut... but keep an eye out while you make my coffee, just in case.

Dear Biedenharn Candy Company and Museum of Coca Cola Memorabilia,

Well, the Coke Museum in Atlanta you are not. But at $3 for admission, as opposed to the exorbitant rates at the Coke Museum, hey--I'll take it! Oh, and thanks for letting me know NOT TO GO PAST THE COUNTERS UNTIL I'VE PAID ADMISSION. I might have missed the 15 signs. Southern Hospitality meets Capitalist Necessity.

Dear Salvation Army Thrift Store of Vicksburg,

Tragic. I think if we move here, my thrift store days are over. I mean, of course you're not as fabulous as Nearly New or even the SA Thrift Store near Tech. But dark and dingy are just not working for you. Neither are quiet and grumpy. At least I got to drop off the giveaway crap that's been in our trunk for quite awhile now! The patron saint of getting lost still appears to be with me.

Dear Emory University (Vicksburg campus) and ChristChurch Vicksburg,

Crap. Nevermind.

Okay, Vicksburg. It's been interesting. Your historic downtown reminds me of Galveston, but the rest of you reminds me of Clovis, NM (sadly, minus Joe's Boot Shop). Soooo... we'll see what God does. I trust in his providence for our family and hope that Kennan's interview went well today.

EDIT: I forgot to sign off! So...

Love,

The Snobby City Slicker in the beat up Toyota Corolla

To Our Friends and Politicians

2008-11-13T11:35:00.006-05:00

... not necessarily one and the same!

Dear Patricia,

Thanks for waiting patiently, friend. I've had your email in my inbox since February, but as you can see, I'm behind on many things in email-land and the blog-o-sphere. I really appreciated your comments (and was indeed convicted by some of them) and appreciate your friendship even more!

Much love,

Dear FBFs (Facebook Friends, ha ha ha!),

Thanks for your comments on my status. I appreciate you rising to my controversial bait :) and really appreciate everyone's thoughts on the matter. Yes, our two party system sucks, and I agree that I am not happy about the Democratic platform on the Freedom of Choice Act. It makes me very sad.

Having said that, the reason I voted for Obama in this election (aha! People have been trying to figure out for whom I voted) can be broken down into three main thoughts: 1. legislation does not necessarily equal change, 2. I don't believe that the Bible defines the "least of these" as only the unborn, and 3. I agree more with the overall Democratic party platform than I do with the overall Republican party platform. I'll explain more below.

Legislation does not necessarily equal change--

If Roe v. Wade were suddenly overturned, if Plan B (the "morning-after pill") were taken off the market, and if several other good things happened for the Pro-Life movement, would the abortion problem be solved? Would there be less abortions? Perhaps. But would these precious unborn children suddenly be given a chance for life? The problem of abortion doesn't stop once the mother decides not to/is unable to get an abortion. Even if the mother didn't seek out an illegal (and even more dangerous) abortion, what happens when the baby is born? Where is the Pro-Life movement once that child needs healthcare, housing, sustenance, etc.? Overturning Roe v. Wade would merely be the beginning of the "fight for life," not the end. It would be cruel and ignorant to create a "culture of life" and then pat ourselves on the backs and call it a day because we saved unborn children from death in the womb... not thinking about their certainty or quality of life once they left it.

And practically speaking, I didn't think McCain would be able to overturn Roe v. Wade. So even if that was the only thing I were to vote on, I feel my vote would have been wasted. It's not that I'm Pro-Choice (although I used to be), it's that I don't think there necessarily is a one-to-one correlation between my vote and little lives being saved. I think that with such a charged issue, there are other ways for me to celebrate and protect life.

I don't believe that the Bible defines the "least of these" as only the unborn--

In one of my earlier posts (hyperlinked above) about politics and religion, I mentioned the command to take care of the "least of these" (Matthew 25), as well instructions on what is "pure and faultless religion" (James 1). In context, these passages are about the hungry, the thirsty, the outcast, the imprisoned, widows, orphans, and those without basic needs (Patricia reminded me that that doesn't mean it isn't referring to the unborn--thank you, Patricia, for speaking that truth to me!). Where we as a church fall short, I feel that the Democratic platform addresses those issues more than the Republican platform does. Yes, we believers need to get our backsides in gear and not leave it up to the government. But I was raised to believe that some things need to happen at a national level for systemic change (i.e. "big government"). That is something that we may have to agree to disagree on. :) I say all this to say that my interpretation of the Bible is that abortion is only a part of what we are called to care about here on earth.

I agree more with the overall Democratic party platform than I do with the overall Republican party platform--

I pretty much made this point above, but let me just conclude with the thought that while Jesus was neither a Republican nor a Democrat, he did care about political systems and he did weep for Jerusalem's pitiful state. I feel that the things the Holy Spirit has called me to care about are better addressed by the Democratic platform (representing the poor and the middle-class), but I know a lot of you who have the same convictions and have been called to address these issues within a Republican framework. The point is not so much who we vote for, but that we vote and then go out and be a part of the change/reform we desire. Christ is making things right and new in the here and now, and he's using pitiful us to do it.

Thanks for listening, dear friends!

Love,

Your mouthy, opinionated, bleeding-heart Liberal FBF. :)

Dear President Bush,

One of your loyal supporters, Amy, reminded me that I haven't been very respectful of your office for the past 4 years (even though I voted for you then--which is another discussion entirely!). I apologize. Thank you for being our President. I haven't much agreed with you lately, but if I were in your shoes, I would have crawled under the bed and refused to come out long ago. I need to remember the pressure you're under and respect you for that. You aren't Jesus, but you are our President. I'm praying for you.

Respectfully,

A Concerned Citizen Who Voted for You.

Dear President-Elect Obama,

I'm excited that another barrier of race has been broken. I also appreciate a Democratic candidate who is willing to claim Christianity (don't get me started on John Kerry). I'm excited to see the change that will come during your term, and I have high hopes for our economy, foreign policy, and environmental stance. That said, your support of the Freedom of Choice Act makes me very, very sad. And it makes me sad that it doesn't bother you. Please reconsider. Please pray about it! I cast my vote for you not just because of your stance on issues, but also because I think you have what it takes to lead this country. You aren't Jesus, but you are our President. I'm praying for you.

Respectfully,

A Concerned Citizen Who Voted for You.

To Whom it May Concern

2008-06-24T22:19:00.000-05:00

Dear Reader,

I really enjoyed the letter writing format on the "Panera Girls" post. So I think I'll try to do that from now on. There is much to tell about from the past month or so (the promised MPJ show review is finally here!), and I think this medium will lend itself to my particular brand of quirkiness quite nicely.

I'm not sure what that last sentence was about, but it sounded good.
ish.

Thanks for reading, friends!
Love,
Ch

Dear Teenybopper Band that Opened for Matthew Perryman Jones,

I give you an A for effort. It certainly wasn't a boring show. It was just very... contrived. Your stage decorations were weird--the empty wall frames wrapped in colored icicle lights might have been clever, but the fact that you wore T-shirts that matched them was just too much. Not to mention that although the lead singer/keyboardist's red shirt was an exact match for the red thingie, the guitarist's green shirt was also a good match to the green thingie, and the drummer's yellow shirt matched nicely with the yellow thingie, the bassist's teal shirt was NOT a good match with the blue frame-light-thingie. If you're going to be cute, please be consistent!

And I admit, I liked your song the first time I heard it. The second time you played it (oh, was that supposed to be a new song? Really?), it was okay. By the fifth time you had played your song, though, I could have quite calmly beaten you with your super-cool Vans. Or scratched your face off with the lenses from your hipster glasses. Or smacked you with your nearly empty can of hair product. There is only so much dramatic chord-banging, meaningful pauses and angsty high notes that one person can take. Well, one person out of puberty, anyway.

You asked me to go to your MySpace page. Something about "Musical Parachutes." You also asked me to tell my friends about you. Although I won't be adding you as my TOP FRIEND on MySpace, I will tell my friends. It's the least I can do.

And what will I tell them? That if Ben Folds, Dave Matthews (minus the band), Jack Johnson, and Lars Ulrich all had an orgy... 9 months later, we would be able to RAWK OUT to your fabulous sounds. Congratulations, it's a... boy(band)!

Oh, and keep drinking tall cans of "Old Milwaukee" on stage. That is so clever, and shows all the teenage groupies that you are cool like that.

Yes. Cool. Like. That.

Thanks for the memories,
The married couple who laughed a lot at the table in house right.

Dear Matthew Perryman Jones,

An hour? That's all we got to hear from you? That, my friend, was NOT ENOUGH. And since there was another act coming on, I couldn't even holler for an encore. I was glad that Smith's Old Bar is here in Midtown, just down the road, but it's not my favorite venue. There's none of the intimacy of Eddie's Attic nor audience attentiveness of a church setting, but it was loud enough that I could shamelessly sing along for some of the songs. I certainly did behave myself during quieter numbers like "Meghan's Song." Speaking of your lovely wife Meghan, good for you for wearing your wedding ring on stage. It may have made playing your guitar a little more difficult, but we're proud of you for making that subtle little statement. Good for you and for your family.

It must be hard to leave your family so often, but we sure appreciate it. I don't remember your exact setlist (and I'm not sure how Team Redd always manages to remember the setlists of every show they see), but I do remember it was a great show, and all too short. It was great to see you with a full band! I especially dug the sounds on "Echoes of Eden" and "Waiting for the Light to Change."

Shame none of your shirts matched the decor, though.

Thanks for coming by to say hello to us. It's fun being your groupie. Maybe one of these days I'll be shameless and ask you to take a picture with us for my Facebook profile. After all, I did with NT Wright!

Much love,
The Atlanta transplants who always hope you'll do "Machine-gun Love."

Dearest Kennan,

You're my favorite person ever. I had so much fun at the MPJ show with you, celebrating our 7 year wedding anniversary a little early. Hard to believe it's been 7 years! I'd say that evening pretty much summed up our entire marriage: lots of laughter and fun, sweet times, and just a little squabbling. :)

Thanks for letting me be your number one groupie, dear.

Always your,
Ch

To the Girls in Panera

2008-06-20T13:34:00.005-05:00

Dear College Beauty Queens,

I can hear every word you say. I'm here, minding my own business, trying to get work done. And while I have accomplished a lot this afternoon, I must take a break now to tell you some things.

I don't care about your sex life. Really, no one else in this restaurant does. So if you could lower your voice a little, that would be great.

I also don't care about your new haircut, your problems with your boyfriends, or your most embarrassing moment. Seriously. I stopped reading Seventeen over a decade ago.

It's true that you're cute, skinny, and well dressed. Congratulations. If I had lots of money and time on my hands, I might look pretty fabulous, too. But let me tell you now, that without drastic measures, your looks will not last. After your metabolism slows down, your "freshman fifteen" catches up with you, and you deal with disappointments, a sedentary lifestyle, and pregnancies, your cute little backsides will enlarge. Even if you remain disciplined and go to the gym everyday, leaving your children with the nanny, some things are inevitable. I guess you'd better find a plastic surgeon that you like now.

And speaking of pregnancies and children, if you aren't supposed to tell anybody about Justin getting "that slut" pregnant, then why are you? I realize that someone ending up with a new life growing inside of them is a novelty and feels light-years away for you, but it isn't for everybody. I don't want to hear all the juicy details about someone getting to see a little fragile heartbeat because of an accident that they can't wait to move on from. While I agree that
she shouldn't be drinking caffeine and alcohol and she should be taking better care of herself, I don't think I'm bothered for the same reasons you are. I know you don't understand why this hurts me. I know it's just a weird thing that's interesting to talk about. I just wish you didn't talk so loudly.

And for all that I find you annoying, I have to say that I hope you don't ever understand. I hope that you will never have first hand knowledge of the sting that accompanies life after losing a child. But it would be nice if you understood what other people are going through because you're aware that they exist. And if I hear the movie Juno quoted one more time, I will scream. Right here in the middle of Panera.

It "ain't no etch-a-sketch," it's true. But just because you can't undo it (at least, not without a doctor's help and a lifetime of guilt), doesn't mean it isn't sometimes undone. As though it never happened, leaving just an empty space behind.

My tirade is done now, and I'll put in some headphones or something and get back to work. I just wanted to let you know. I wish someone had told me when I was 20. Because I'm sure I annoyed many an innocent restaurant patron with my drama, too.

Have fun in the Bahamas. I hear it's nice there. And I agree--you probably do look best in the black shorts. Happy first day of summer, girls.

Love,
The woman by the window with the laptop.

This post was brought to you by the letters C and O for "cranky" and "old"...
and the number 30.

Somehow, I got Old part II

2008-06-16T19:33:00.003-05:00

Three decades. Really? I do indeed feel old.

Mehhhh! When I was your age...

Happy Sacrifice Day

2008-06-16T11:12:00.001-05:00

I meant to post this yesterday, but I'm really behind on posting these days...

Finally, a video set to Mercy Me's "I Can Only Imagine" that isn't sappy or stupid. In fact, it's amazing. A true picture of a perfect father's love reflected by an earthly father.

Father's Day isn't easy for us this year. We are so grateful that my dad is healthy, and that Kennan's dad is on the road to a full recovery. Still, it's hard, knowing what we had and lost. It's hard to trust in our heavenly father, but we're determined to cling to grace.

The video really sums it up. Sacrifice. That was the point. Christ didn't just come to be good (and he was indeed perfect!) and then call it a day. God didn't just give his son to come hang out with us sinners and then move on. He made the sacrifice to let his son--part of the perfect, holy, triune God--come and make the ultimate sacrifice. Unlike with Abraham, there was no ram caught in the thorns to take the place of Isaac. Rather, we are Isaac, and Christ took our place. Willingly. In my book, the words "father" and "sacrifice" should be interchangeable, and I've seen that reflected in many men around me, Kennan foremost.

So, Happy Father's Day to our fathers, our friends who are and will be fathers, and those that have been like fathers to us. And Happy Sacrifice Day to all, for whom the greatest sacrifice was made.

I'll post about the MPJ concert, drive-in movies, Indelible Grace concert, etc. etc. (it's been a packed couple of weeks!) soon, I promise.

I Heart Hyperlinks...

2008-05-29T21:57:00.000-05:00

and parenthesis.

That is all.

Wise Words on Church Membership

2008-05-27T17:30:00.004-05:00

I love being in the PCA. After the mayhem of being in a congregationalist church for so long (WHY oh WHY does everyone need to vote on what color wallpaper should be in the ladies' room?), I have been quite happy--though I may not have always found it easy--to put myself under the authority of our church leaders and to seek the "peace and purity" of the church local and global.

I've become terribly brainwashed. I like being "reformed," (a neo-Calvinist, even--gasp!) I like having deacons and elders, and ones who answer to a presbytery. We own a copy of Hymns II, prefer the ESV over the NIV, and catch ourselves almost saying "Thanks be to God" when we visit our church back in NM. So there's your caveat. This article was written for a PCA audience, and as such, comes at the subject of church membership from a very specific angle. It does, however, address issues that plague a variety of churches with differing styles of government. And it's written by one of my favorite people. Walter left ChristChurch to plant a church on the Westside, which is so awesome. I heart a church planting (as opposed to mega-church) model... but that's another post.

I really liked the points he made about being stretched by church membership to bond with and love on people whom we don't have a natural link with. What else would I have in common with a 65 year old southern man but a common love for Jesus? And to be perfectly frank, why else would I choose to spend time with someone so different from me other than that Christ has asked it of me? I am reminded of my privilege and obligation to do so by our common membership in a local church body, and it helps that the local church body also has healthy structures and mechanisms to assist me in this pursuit. If left to my own motivations and devices, my natural instinct is not nearly so gracious or willing to take risks.

It's also a natural response to say, "what about caring for those outside of the church?" whether from thoughtful motives or a stubborn desire to disagree. I think that creates a false dichotomy because the two are not mutually exclusive. Rather, one flows naturally from the other. Being stretched in learning to love those that we don't naturally gravitate to results in developing good habits. And especially if this happens in the context of a healthy church that has a heart for service and outreach, loving the "least of these"--as Christ has called us to do--will be a natural result.

I also thought Walter's points about plugging into an imperfect church were well made. As Groucho Marx said, "I wouldn't want to be part of a club that would have me as a member!" I would add, though, to the statement "the reason a church may appear lacking in some area is because you aren’t yet a part of it!" that I'm glad our church isn't a "perfect fit." Otherwise, it is all too easy for me to turn it into an idol. God has helped me see what is non-negotiable and what isn't, and though I wish we had communion every Sunday (for example), there is no denying the communal heart for the city and the world.

In other thoughts, we got to see MPJ on Friday night, and it was lovely (as always). I'll try to write up a review soon. Get ready for his new album, Swallowing the Sea, due out in August! Whoo hoo!

Oh, and I'm not sure which items from my above PCA-isms list are actually PCA specific. Not only are we new to this denomination, but we also have an Anglican pastor and a Southern Baptist worship director...

Keeping the Faith

2008-05-12T06:38:00.005-05:00

Jesus didn't promise sunshine and kittehs. Following him means taking up one's cross daily, and in a sin-stricken world at that. Thankfully, there are companions along the way--family, friends, and websites.

What? Did I just say "websites"?

Oh, did I. The past year has been (as my good friend and coworker Tony would say) a "Praise the Lord/ Lord have Mercy" rollercoaster. Ups and downs. We've had the joy of sharing in celebrating a dear sister (both literally and in the family-of-Christ sense) marrying a wonderful brother. The pain of losing of losing our first child. The overwhelming, chance-of-a-lifetime, wonderful trip to Asia to celebrate the Hwangs' wedding once again, to attend another wedding, and to finally meet up with my birth family. The struggles and frustrations and joys and pressures of our jobs and school. The fear of wondering if Dad Garrett had prostate cancer (he doesn't) and the fear of finding out that Dad Crane was in need of a heart transplant (keep reading). Sharing with so many the joys of marriages and births and careers and adoptions and graduations, and sharing with far too many the grief of deaths and illness and depression and abuse and theological despair.

Through it all, we've clung to our faith in Christ Jesus. How, you ask? (Let's pretend you did ask, okay?)

As I said, through websites. Okay, the primary (and easy) answer, is "by grace." By the gracious, constant presence and protection of the triune God. By community and sharing and crying and counseling and medicines (shocking!) and prayer and reading of the Word (sigh... far too little on those last two!) and pursuing spiritual disciplines and sheer stubborn God-given determination.

How else would we have gotten through the past couple of weeks, in which we traveled to four different cities (Denver/Colorado Springs, Raleigh-Durham, DC, and Houston/Galveston); celebrated/mourned on Mother's Day, pushed through what would have been the due date, attended a conference, freaked out/rejoiced in a donor heart becoming available for Dad Crane, celebrated/freaked out about the graduation (and thus departure) of so many fabulous students, and celebrated Mom Garrett's birthday, all in the same two days?

How? (Sorry, I'm getting there!) By a (growing) understanding of our sinfulness and God's holiness, a desire to see redemption...

... and a weird sense of humor. So I present, for your reading/clicking pleasure, sites that help me examine my faith, laugh at my failings, and praise God for loving us all anyway:

The character who does Bible scenes out of Legos (you have to see it to believe it!) appears not to be a Christian, but in some ways, I'd say he appreciates the Bible more than a lot of Christians I know (probably me included). He does have something of an agenda, though, which is evident in some of his interpretations of the passages. And there's some non-G rated stuff... but that's the Bible for you!

I mentioned the classic, sacrelicious Lark News in a previous post. My new, fabulous find (thanks to Tim and others for showing me the way) is all about Stuff Christians Like. Whoo hoo hoo hoo hoo! Wait. I do that. And that. Oh, and I do that, too! Ouch.

I've also stumbled upon the Wittenburg Door. Yes, they know they spelled it wrong. (No, I didn't know.) It's similar to Lark News, so when I find that I haven't procrastinated quite enough for the day, I head there. Particularly fabulous was the... interview... with NT Wright. (And no, I'm not quite sure if the entire thing is made up or not! Sheesh. Must I admit all my ignorance, all in one post? What will I do in further posts? Make sense?)

I also mentioned Snopes in that previous post. Specifically, if I need to feel superior about how intelligent I am (mostly after I go to the other websites and find that I don't get most of the jokes), I visit the Religion page, or the Glurge Gallery.

There are also several good sites (with less satire, more theological discussions, but still a sense of humor) that Team Redd could no doubt direct you to, that I've visited from time to time. When I really want to stretch myself, though, I go to a website for the "satirical church service for the thinking masses." It's basically a comedy routine that mocks the Western Evangelical church stereotype. These folks are not Christians, and I doubt they've ever met a Christian they liked, much less respected. While I could probably never attend a "service" (show), because even my irreverent self would probably get offended and "prove" their point that Christians are fun-haters, the website sure makes me think. About what I take for granted, what I practice and preach, and where I get distracted from Jesus and focus too much on me and "my" church.

And when I really need to get back to basics, I go here. Because I'm oh-so-pious... and a little bit of a tech geek.

Praise the Lord... Lord have Mercy!

Happy Mother's Day

2008-05-11T00:03:00.003-05:00

Sigh.

My love to Sam and his family on a difficult day. Our prayers go with you.

My thanks to the women who have nurtured and loved me over the years.

My gratitude to those that have walked this difficult path before me, who have taught me the meaning of gracious strength.

My thanks to those that have loved on our little family over the past months, who rejoice when we rejoice and mourn as we mourn.

My love to my husband for walking this path with me.

We cling to grace and the hope that comes with Christ's resurrection, my friends. This alone sustains us.

Oh, and Pretzel the Bear says hello.

Somehow, I got Old

2008-05-08T11:01:00.003-05:00

I may have a Facebook account, but that doesn't negate the fact that I'm old. Plus, I use it for work, which definitely cancels out any cool, young, hipness that I might like to ascribe to myself. Plus, I just used the phrase, "ascribe to myself."

While I'm typing this post, I also have to remember that it will automatically upload to my Facebook page, which is where this all started, anyway. But, I digress. Or more aptly, I regress. Maturity not withstanding.

Anyway.

Kennan always asks me why I click on things that are just going to piss me off when I read them. I don't know. It's like watching a car wreck. I just can't stop myself. So I stumbled upon a group (several, actually) devoted to someone that is not my... favorite... person ever. It was a flashback to my previous frustrations with differences in worship styles.

But this is not a post primarily about my forgiveness and anger issues. Although maybe it should be. This is a post about how old and crochety I am.

"Mehhhh! When I was yerrr age, I had to walk six miles in the snoooow, uphill both waays, jest to get to cherrrch! Mehhhh..." Yup, I'm a fun-hater. Check out the contrast to my grumpy old ways in this comment describing why folks are so fond of said individual:

"Crowd surfing? How many worship leaders do that?"

What? We won't even go into the theological issues. And yes, there was a time when I RAWKED OUT to Christian ska, hardcore, punk, etc. at concerts. I was "in the crowd, all a skankin' and a swimmin'..." (and if you get that reference, you're old, too!). But now, I'm old. I can't even stand up for the entire service because I have bad knees, much less dance. I no longer like music that's loud enough to make windows rattle. I can't stay at church past 9 PM without needing an injection of caffeine. Sitting on hard wooden pews makes my bum ache.

Suffice it to say, I'm OLD now and honestly not too upset about it. Time to take a nap before my 4 PM dinner. Mehhhh!

How to be Difficult...

2008-05-04T16:31:00.008-05:00

... it's worked for me, anyway!

Organize furniture so it is NOT feng shui.

Shoot the cats with the spray bottle.

Not answer the cell phone.

Curse.

Pick fights with Georgia fans.

Change the lyrics to praise songs that are theologically questionable. Sing loudly.

Multi-task.

Continue drinking from a Nalgene bottle.

Hit the snooze button. Several times.

Run 5-15 minutes late. For EVERYTHING.

Talk incessantly about things like ICHC, Stargate, and the cats.

Start reading 5 books at once but never finish any of them.

Take 5 big, heavy books on a trip. Read none of them.

Get weird urges to vacuum at 3 AM.

Support Obama just to spite Clinton.

Keep a blog. Pout if no one reads it. Repeat.

Guilty Pleasures

2008-04-23T00:41:00.004-05:00

When I'm procrastinating, here are some of my favorite sites to go to, other than the obvious Facebook and Wikipedia options:

(Thanks to Kennan, Gaines, Jason, Kara, Tammy, and the gmail running banners)

T-shirt Mayhem.

Sheer Failure Brilliance (Kennan, I wrote that pun just for you)

So Wrong but so True!

Also hits a little Too Close to Home...

Safer than YouTube

Kind of Lame, but I dig the Mean Kitty stuff...

Stuff + Cats = Awesome. (The ones of just "cute cats" are lame, though)

Our life in Grad School...

Debunking Urban Myths and all of Great-Aunt Edna's emails!

Yes, I checked Snopes on this one--it Really Does Help Breast Cancer Research! (as well as the other causes)

No guarantees on the ratings. Most are G to PG-ish. Enjoy!

Shiny and New

2008-04-10T00:13:00.000-05:00

I've updated the look of our blog, and Kennan & I both really dig it. Pretty exciting.

In other changes, I just now figured out that the VenerableLauraStu is no longer. Sad. But NegusBoy now rocks the house with both Negii.

Oh, and a shout-out and love to Sarah-belle, on whose blog (now listed on our links :) I first saw the poll. Now that's a fun feature. Vote up, folks! The cats await news of who they must get rid of next.

Insult to Injury

2008-04-09T20:30:00.003-05:00

May 12th will not be an easy day for us. We were ready to celebrate my Mom's birthday on that day with the due date of our first child. Now we will celebrate her birthday with a definite bittersweetness. It's also the day after Mother's Day, which I imagine will not be easy, either. And, May 12th is Emory's graduation, where several of my favorite students will be closing the grad school chapter of their lives and moving on to what God has next for them. They will be sorely missed. We will be in DC for a conference that Kennan is presenting at, which is exciting (and I'm actually glad to be out of town and away from subtle reminders of what we've lost), but it will still be a rough time.

Now, to add ridiculous insult to genuine injury, I have discovered that the postal rates are increasing on May 12th! AGAIN. So now we face the dilemma, once more, of whether to buy a bunch of "Forever" stamps or not. At this rate (pun intended), it may well be worth it.

Anyone else in? We can stand in line for hours at the Post Office, dress up like postal characters, blog and talk and read and think and basically obsess about what will happen next...

Sorry. I was having a flashback to an obsession from last year... I have to say, reading that post again (and a few others around it) was rather cathartic and encouraging (especially the comments sections). I should do that more often.

No, Really.

2008-04-01T20:21:00.005-05:00

I voted for Ron Paul in the Primaries.

I can eat an entire jar of pickles in one sitting.

I love small dogs that bark a lot.

My favorite colors are red and black.

I wish I lived in Texas.

I know all the words to "Enter Sandman."

My secret ambition is to meet Janet Reno.

I've decided to become a nun.

I once caught a fish this big...

I think David Hasselhoff is hot.

My cat likes to eat peanut butter.

My favorite magazine is Star.

I've been calm and obedient since 1978.

Yes, Happy April Fools' Day! You decide which ones are true.

Texass!

2008-03-31T17:12:00.004-05:00

Well, we're back from our exile to Texas (with a short time of refuge in New Mexico). It's been a very stressful couple of weeks, and we are so grateful to all for the prayers and well-wishes. I have to say that although I'm still not the biggest fan of Texas, Galveston did grow on me. Either way, it's good to be home in Atlanta, where our license plates are in-state and we understand the local customs.

We've all been very impressed by and grateful for the level of care at UT Medical Branch in Galveston. The doctors and nurses have been fantastic, both in their care of Kennan's dad, as well as in tolerating all of us crowding into his hospital room to visit, play cards, etc. For updates on Charlie: www.caringbridge.org/visit/CharlieCrane.

The soundbite from Miss Congeniality ran often through my head during our sojourn in the Lone Star state: "Texass! Washington, nice apples... O-HI-oooo..." It is, indeed, a-hole 'nother state (no, that is not a typo), with quirks--and I'll admit, a charm--all its own.

Random thoughts while driving down the road in Texas:

State troopers are like trolls; they like to hide under bridges... Texas never ends... 3 bottles of Coke, 1 bag of gummy orange slices and 1 bag of m&m's will keep a person awake enough to drive... Bon Jovi on the stereo helps, too... did I mention Texas never ends?... there is a certain beauty to Texas... for the first 100 miles, anyway... boots and porn are the top sellers in Texas, if the billboards are any indication... family is worth the drive through Texas... if you get too into the music, you end up swerving into other lanes... Texas drivers are grumpy... seriously, TEXAS NEVER ENDS... when driving an automatic transmission minivan which has been loaded to the gills, it's good to remember that it's not an empty stickshift compact car... passengers get grumpy, too... if you think that the roads are crazy, try hanging out with some of the characters at fast-food joints along the way... gas prices are unholy, these days, everywhere... make fun of New Mexico and I'll scorn you, make fun of Texas and they'll just shoot you... and by the way, Texas never ends.

Okay, Texas does end. In the case of Interstate 45, it ends in Galveston (or the ocean, but we stopped just short of that), and is not after all such a bad place. Now I'm off to shoot squirrels, yep! Y'all come back now, ya hear?

How Would Jesus Vote?

2008-02-25T11:24:00.003-05:00

I've stolen the title of this post from this article, not for the stereotypical reasons (I think WWJD? bracelets are atrocious), but rather because it can be a thought-provoking question. What parameters should I, as an Evangelical Democrat (gasp!), use in deciding for whom to cast my vote? While Jesus of Nazareth didn't overthrow the political powers the way that the Jews were hoping for, he did indeed have an opinion about Caesar's rule and the Apostle Paul gives clear instructions about praying for and respecting our political leaders (of any and every political party--don't get me started on churches who only pray for the presidents who are Republicans).

I hate the dichotomy that has emerged between a right-wing approach to controlling the voting bloc and bringing pressure to bear on political entities--all in the name of "Jeee-zuss!" (the way televangelists pronounce the name of my savior makes me shudder), and the left-wing approach of a somewhat necessary but still inexcusable withdrawal from, and lack of engagement with, religion and politics. It's frustrating to find that my party doesn't at all represent me in matters of faith and that the opposing party doesn't really mesh with my views on issues of justice and the environment. When is it, exactly, that we Christians all forgot about Genesis and our call to care for the earth and its creatures, and decided that to be a Christian requires a certain apathy and a willingness to watch the earth self-destruct? When did we lose sight of Jesus' call to care for "the least of these" and the proclamation that "pure and faultless" religion was to "look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world" (James 1:27)?

Maybe if we, the Church catholic, spent less time arguing (note: discussing matters of theology and orthodoxy is valuable, arguing over them is not) about hot topics and denominational issues, and more time being not "polluted" by the world but rather helping to redeem it--the two should be intertwined--there wouldn't need to be social programs that your average angry conservative so reviles. Perhaps if we voted on issues thoughtfully--not just because someone presses one of our buttons on issues of abortion, gay rights, the environment, etc.--there might be a higher standard set and met by political candidates. Although that may be wishful thinking!

Of course I'm going to have to vote for someone who I don't agree wholeheartedly on every topic. Jesus isn't running for president, because that isn't his way. But it's nice when I actually have more choices (and our two-party system is another discussion entirely) than Stupid vs. Evil. I'm glad that the Democratic party is starting to realize once more that we Christian Liberals (which is rather a different thing than a liberal Christian) actually exist!

Just because I believe that Christ will one day return to reign over the new heavens & the new earth doesn't mean I shouldn't care about the earth and its issues now. Rather than being two mutually exclusive viewpoints, they go hand-in-hand. Part of Christ's eventual return and redemption of all things is the work that he has started--in His church--and we are foolish to miss out on his call to be good stewards now. Man can't ever set things perfectly straight (sorry, modernism), but we can and should be a part of God making all things new.

Contrasts

2008-02-09T17:47:00.000-05:00

I'm attempting a deep, meaningful, artistically chiasmistic post, so bear with me. Hee hee hee.

Chinese New Year:
a new beginning
enjoying dumplings and red envelopes
a time of well-wishing
a hopeful reprieve from bad luck and
death... Lent
the suffering and death of a King
a season of repentance
giving up good things with joy
a new creation:
Easter.

Happy Year of the Rat, friends! May the next >40 days bring you and yours a season of deep reflection and the true hope of being buried and resurrected with Christ Jesus our Lord.

Where to Start?

2008-01-28T22:03:00.000-05:00

Aw, shucks. Sam linked us off his blog, and here I haven't posted in months. Let's not discuss how long it's been since Kennan posted.

So I now return, with gusto, in the name of international friendships and recycling!

If you are expecting anything epic (either in meaningfulness or length), this post may disappoint you.

If, however, you are expecting a bit of rambling of what our life has been like for the past several months, here it is... in no particular order... the good, the bad & the ugly:

we've finally started recycling, and I'm pretty excited about it... Kennan has become as addicted to Facebook (the applications, mostly) as I am... we got to leave the good ol' US of A for the first time ever, traveling to both Taiwan and Thailand to go to two weddings and to meet my Thai family... we lost our first child to a miscarriage in November, and though we're sad, are healing... the groups at Emory and Tech are doing well, and I'm still loving my job... GT lost to Fresno State in the bowl game (AGAIN) and I'm disgusted with my team (but pessimistically hopeful for next fall)... we got the complete series of Stargate SG1 for Christmas and it's fabulous... I've been using the word "fabulous" a lot lately, and I'm not sure why... our cats are as bad and as cute as ever... our unbelievable friends threw a surprise party (happy b-day Kennan/condolences/bon voyage) for us before we left for Asia, and I have never before felt so loved or humbled... seeing the Taipei 101 "explode" with fireworks on New Year's eve was fun, but a little freaky... I'm finally reading "Mere Christianity" by C.S. Lewis, and it's excellent... I continue to be amazed by how God loves us even when we're angry at him... Aaron and Becky are engaged, and that's super exciting!... I'm pleasantly surprised by the array of choices in the presidential election thus far... 99.7 is now Q100 and 100.5 is now a rock station with some of the old 99x peeps, and it's confusing... it snowed in Atlanta the day we got home from being in 95+ degree weather in Thailand... our apartment flooded while we were gone, and the Hwangs and the Mustains saved the day!... I turn 30 this year and am a little freaked out by that... Paul and Sarah are eagerly awaiting the sprouting of The Bean and (I'm excited that) I'm excited for them... Pretzel the Bear is now a world traveler... it was great to see family at Christmastime and I don't know where 2007 went... we slept from 9:30 pm Tues. to 6 pm Wed. when we got home from Asia... we're doing much better about our sleep schedule now and it's 10:30 so I'm going to say goodnight!

Two-win Saturday!

2007-09-08T20:47:00.000-05:00

Okay, Sam, you asked for some trash talk, so here it is.

Georgia Tech ROLLED over poor Samford today 69-14, AND Georgia lost to South Carolina at home. Whoo hoooooooooooooooooooo!

Go Jackets! Go Taylor Bennett (8 of 9 for 85 yards with no INT... he might have had more yards if he had played more than just the first quarter)! Go John Bond (new Offensive Coordinator, his boys racked up 399 rushing yards to Samford's 84)! Go Tashard Choice & Chan Gailey (Deuce-Deuce had 110 yards and 2 touchdowns in the first quarter before gracefully bowing out to let Coach Gailey put in the younger guys...he had the same number of players hit the field as T-Money had yards on one of his TD runs--73!)! Go special teams--that are no longer "short bus" special this year (lovely punts by Durant Brooks, as usual, plus some fumble recoveries that rocked the house)! Go Big D (strong and solid as always, even the fourth string boys)!

Go Gamecocks! Go Steve Spurrier!

And Go Matthew Stafford for throwing the interception that ended any chance of U(sic)GA victory in the last minute of the game! Heh heh heh.

Whoo hoo! I love college football season! It's been a fantastic day in the Crane house with a 2-Win Saturday, as well as a great event over at Emory this evening with the Grad Fellowship. I will sleep well tonight!

Robert

2007-09-04T09:45:00.001-05:00

I have "office" hours in the Panera Bread in Emory Village now, which is fun. It gets me out of the house, there's a cozy little nook where I can hole up and get work done (and people watch ;) using the free wireless, and there's Robert.

In the middle of College FB Season (so impatient for the rankings to come out!), ministry life (so far, so good), friends & their families going through heartache (we're praying for you, Negii!), and the day-to-day of life, there's always Robert.

Robert is the employee at Panera that won them an award from the Bobby Dodd Institute (a fantastic organization, by the way). Robert is "mentally handicapped," or whatever the PC term of the moment is, and yet is such a wonderful example of the "least of these" that have so much to teach the rest of us.

Robert limps around Panera, picking up plates and spreading cheer wherever he goes. Everyone knows Robert, and not just because he wears a nametag. Everyone knows Robert because you get the feeling that Robert knows you, and likes you anyway. Somehow, with his limited perspective, Robert manages to see others with the eyes of Jesus in a special way.

I love watching Robert. I dare you to be rude to him (half the restaurant would "escort" you out if you did!), or to not be encouraged by him when he comes over to sweep up some crumbs or take your trash away for you. Notice I didn't say "cheered up by him," although he certainly does bring a smile to my face, because I think Robert defies the stereotype (and bad theology) that the solution to a problem is being "cheered up." Like Job's friends, before they lost their minds and started preaching, I truly believe that Robert would weep with a person as readily as he would laugh with them. I'm obviously making some assumptions here, but from my observations, Robert gets what a lot of us don't: be in the moment. Not in a Nike, Sprite, corporate feel-good, me-me-me way, but in the true Biblical sense. Instead of always worrying and fretting about what isn't and about what could be, Robert goes about his day, trying to do good work and to show people kindness. And ironically, because he just focuses on one task at a time, Robert embodies what could be for all of us.

Maybe I'm just feeling a bit sappy because I'm sleepy, but this is what I think of when I see Robert. True, childlike joy that lives in the moment and enjoys good work and people. Oh, Lord, make me more like your son Robert! Make me more like the Son that you gave up for your people and that I see reflected in the eyes of Robert.

Out of the Woodwork

2007-08-28T09:02:00.001-05:00

Well, if anything can get me out of a non-posting slump, College Football Season is it! Whoo hoo! Just 5 days, 5 hours & 27 minutes until kick-off for the season opener at Notre Dame. I'll just pause a second and let that sink in.

Ah...

Yes, there is much excitement in the Crane household. I'm excited because the season is about to start, Kennan is excited because that means I'll stop asking him, "Is it Football Season yet???" in my most annoying voice, and the cats are excited because they have toys to ignore and behinds to lick. All is well in the universe...

Except that I'm a bit annoyed because what with the Michael Vick controversy, I haven't heard them "talk Tech" YET on 790 (The Zone). It's getting a bit annoying. I mean, we're playing Notre Dame, people. I could even understand if we were, like Virginia Tech, playing East Carolina (slackers), but we're playing Notre Dame, for crying out loud! I know they're wildly overrated (time and again), but come on! A little coverage would be nice.

So what does everybody think? Are we going to bring home the W? Are we going to see Charlie Weis get all purple in the face watching his offensive line crumple against our mighty D? Will T. Choice be able to charge down the field into the end-zone like usual? Will Travis keep his aim true, and will the mighty Durant Brooks keep dropping 'em inside the 20 like it's nothing? And will all our hopes and plans come to fruition in the charming duo of Taylor Bennett & James Johnson? (Or, will Calvin Booker or one of the other QB hopefuls sneak in and seal the deal?)

And will I forgive Kirk Herbstreit for leaving Tashard off the "Best Running Backs" Herbies list, since he did include Tenuta on the "Favorite Defensive Minds--Ruthless Aggression" list? Hm...

A Great Post

2007-06-18T12:06:00.001-05:00

As many of you know, Chandra is on full time staff with Intervarsity Christian Fellowship's Graduate and Faculty Ministries. One of the greatest joys in this for both Chandra and myself is the great group of people that she has for coworkers. A group of Christ-centered, well-educated, fun-loving people is of inestimable value in our society. But I digress. One of her coworkers at Vanderbilt, Jason Ingalls, has written a really good blog on "Relevance" that I found particularly helpful. Enjoy.

Feeling Controversial

2007-05-21T22:30:00.000-05:00

Kennan posed an interesting question.

If there were Conjoined (i.e. "Siamese") Twins, and one got annoyed, bored, felt threatened by, etc. the other, would it be ethical for the stronger twin, if the possibility of being safely separated in nine months existed, to kill the other?

I'm not saying it's that simple, nor do I advocate the mindless and shameless hate of those who are pro-choice, but looking at the abortion issue in that context does put an interesting spin on things.

Some folks might put an emphasis on the word "spin." I don't deny that there's a powerful political machine backing the pro-life agenda. There's also a powerful political machine backing the pro-choice agenda.

And the point is, that in the meantime, scared young girls, jaded older women, terminally ill mothers and innocent babies all get caught up in the cogs of those machines, and spat out like so much refuse. There isn't an easy answer. I dare anyone who is pro-life to tell a 14 year-old who's made a mistake, or a woman who's been raped, that it's a simple matter. And I dare anyone who is pro-choice to tell a mother (or a father, for that matter) who's lost a child to abortion (or miscarriage) that it was just a fetus, or to look at a 3D sonogram, and say it's just a matter of choice.

I guess the problem is that those dares are all-too-often taken, when we care more about a political agenda than about a person. When we care more about power and votes and religion, than about life.

So how do I/how will I vote on matters of abortion? While it's perhaps none of your business how I vote, I guess it's very much others' business what I think. Is that an answer? Not really. But as I've stated, there is no simple answer...

Shepherds or CEOs

2007-05-02T13:15:00.001-05:00

A good friend sent me a link to this post.

I was just going to reply to him with my thoughts, but I figured I might as well put my thoughts out there for anybody who cares to read them, so here goes:

Interesting stuff. I think she does a really great job of identifying some of the issues surrounding churches that rely on the personalities of their pastors to rule the church. This type of autocracy is certainly against the idea of shepherding, but I don't know that her solution is in line with scripture either.

It seems that a total leveling of the playing field in a "cooperative model" also denies the theme of shepherding. I don't know any of you well enough to know your roots, but mine are in the country. I spent weeks each summer on my grandparents' farm. One lesson I learned: farm animals are stupid. They do have "their own ideas of what, where, and when they want to eat," but I don't know that this is something that is encouraged by scripture. The oft-quoted and oft-abused 23rd Psalm alludes to this. "He makes me lie down in green pastures. / He leads me beside still waters. (emphasis added)" These verbs don't necessarily imply cooperation on the part of the sheep.

I would put forth a middle road between autocracy and complete cooperation - a model that I believe to be Biblical (although not dogmatically so). I think the roles of elders and deacons put forth in the later part of the New Testament provide a standard for leadership that is neither completely democratic nor dictatorial. Instead they are a group of people who are responsible for the physical and spiritual provision for and guidance of the local church congregation. These leaders are then responsible to each other and the congregation at large. I personally prefer a system in which they are also accountable to some larger body of congregation leaders within a denomination or cooperative of churches.

When implemented well, such a system allows for individual empowerment of congregation members because there is much more direct connection to those in leadership. These leaders should be chosen based on their humility and service to the church. They exist not to rule from the top, but to serve from the bottom. This leads to a natural connection with the congregation and surrounding community that makes them uniquely equipped to shape the vision of the church.

I know my views are probably uniquely biased by the last year I have spent in the PCA, but being raised in a congregational style of church government prior to that, I have seen a bit on both sides of the aisle. Let me know what you think and how your experience and interpretation of scripture have shaped your view of church government.

Google Reader and Other Adventures in Cyberspace

2007-03-25T14:36:00.001-05:00

So if you're like me, keeping up with people's blogs can be tough to remember. I may be the only person in the stone age of just typing in various URLs as they come to mind, but all of that has changed recently. Thanks to my good friend Ben, the Google evangelist, I have found the wonder that is Google Reader.

If you are one of those people who is a little behind the curve when it comes to cool new e-gadgets, you may be asking, "What the heck is Google Reader?" If you are already with the program, skip ahead to the next paragraph. Google Reader allows you to view the new posts on several blogs, news sources, etc. simultaneously in one window. It describes itself as being like an email inbox for the webpages you frequent. All you have to do (after logging in with your Google account username and password) is click "Add Subscription" and type in the URLs of your favorite blogs and news sources (I have been told these are RSS feeds, but honestly I don't know what the crap that means yet). You now have access to all of your favorite updated web content in one convenient place.

My next internet-related revelation came via a blog to which I have been recently introduced - CashMoneyJesus. The blog is interesting as a whole because it evaluates issues of faith and money. These are questions that bear asking loudly and often. Most recently, it has introduced me to the wonders of AdBlock Plus. This add-on for Mozilla Firefox (if you are still using Internet Explorer, come to the light) blocks the downloading of advertising material in many webpages. It's great. For example, when I recently visited www.nytimes.com, my ABP showed that it was blocking 27 of 97 items on the page. That's more than 1/4 of the webpage that was advertisements! Yuck.

Well, that's all the enlightenment I have to offer for now. Hopefully some of you (whoever you are) will find this stuff helpful as I have. Have a good day and Godspeed as you embark on your own Adventures in Cyberspace.

WAUGH!

2007-03-14T22:21:00.000-05:00

I was goofing off on MySpace (mistake #1, many of you might say). I came across a comment someone had left for a friend. It had bubble wrap to pop. I started popping. THEN, all of a sudden, this horrible, scary horror-movie face popped up on the screen, screaming! Waugh! I screamed (which added to the chaos) and am just so thankful that it's not 3 AM in the morning and glad that Kennan is still up to help me calm down.

What a dirty, low-down trick. If I ever get my hands on that person...

Anyway, WAUGH! not only describes that little shockeroo, but also life as of late.

Good WAUGH, bad WAUGH (exhausted WAUGH, too-much-sugar WAUGH, you name it)...

Good WAUGH: my inbox is down to 381 (since getting the number up from 666 to 777 seemed a daunting task, I opted to go down, instead)... Kennan passed his 2nd round of his written quals (next stop, oral quals and then 4 more years of grad school)... Easter choir practice started again (exciting, but time consuming)... more and more friends having birthdays, graduating, getting married, getting pregnant, having kids, etc. etc. (makes me feel old)... the groups at Tech and Emory continue to grow, as well as finding other discipline-specific groups to work with (great, but the nagging question is: Am I up to it?)... we got to go to the Chicago area for the annual GFM Staff Conference (so great, but rather overwhelming and exhausting-I need a vacation now!)... my awesome supervisor was in town (are you reading this, DP?)... Spring is finally here (but I know THE POLLEN is on its way!)... GT is going dancing (but will probably lose in the first or second round)...

Bad WAUGH: seeing friends lose children, marriages, parents, jobs, etc. (SO hard!)... realizing how badly I've fallen out of touch with so many friends from P-ville/college days (how do the years fly by so quickly?)... we tried to go to the Christmas Choir Reunion Party but got hopelessly lost in frickin' Sandy Springs (please don't try to tell me the suburbs are easier to get around than Midtown!)... The aforementioned evil popup (my heart is still beating so fast!)... seeing good friends struggle with budget/fundraising issues (why, O Lord, have you been so gracious to me?)... talking with a mentally-ill homeless man about Jesus (he seemed to be getting it, but then he started talking about how the sun used to be a man until he ascended and that someday we'll all have to pass through the sun to be purified)... our sleep schedule is a disaster (it's almost midnight and we're both still wide-awake)... one of the cats horked a hairball all over the dining room table (ew! ew! ew!)...

And how is everyone else? Any WAUGHs to share?

Heaven Help Us

2007-02-26T14:59:00.000-05:00

My inbox reached 666 this weekend. It's alarming for many reasons. Pray for my email account, people!!!

The Year of the Barf

2007-02-23T19:47:00.000-05:00

The (Chinese) New Year started with a bang for me this year. Given that my sister-in-law will be marrying a wonderful Taiwanese friend in just a few short months, I've enjoyed learning more about the Chinese culture lately. To celebrate the new year, we went to Little Szechuan (oh, the sesame chicken! We were out of it so fast!) with our Thursday night small group and Canton House (oh, the sesame balls! I could not believe they were out of them!) when the mom-in-law was in town for wahdding plahnning. Our good friends Matt & Cheryl (and Becky! :) also shared with us some tickets to New Tang Dynasty Television's Chinese New Year Spectacular, which was both beautiful and a lot of fun. I enjoyed sitting next to Cheryl, who is also Taiwanese, as she could translate some for me and explain some of the customs. Good times with family & friends. Xin Nein Kuai Le! Happy New Year!

Unfortunately (as you might guess from the title), the Year of the Pig went downhill from there. The stomach flu descended on me that night and fun times at the Crane house ensued. There's nothing like a little projectile vomit (among other things, ew) to liven up your new year. I haven't been that sick in years. Being in bed all day for 3 days did provide a good time to (re)connect with my own Asian heritage, though. Between bouts of nausea and being passed out like a rock, I re-read Mai Pen Rai Means Nevermind (An American Housewife's Honest Love Affair with the Irrepressible People of Thailand) by Carol Hollinger, a very witty and downright hilarious book that made me yearn all the more to visit Thailand. Although... I identified all-too-well with her skirmishes with "amoebic" (dysentery) and am not sure I could be quite as laissez faire she was about the local water and crops. It does make sense that if you're going to be somewhere for an extended period of time, you might as well get the misery over with and acclimate as soon as possible so you can actually enjoy the culture. I would certainly not want to be the obnoxious, mincing American, scurrying around worrying over disease and pestilence. Perhaps when we go (someday!) I will enjoy the trip like I would while camping. I naturally relax when we go camping, and will tromp through all sorts of spider-infested areas and eat Lord-knows-what that fell Lord-knows-where with cheerful aplomb. Here's hoping.

Anyway, I'm all but back to normal and glad to be back in the swing of things. Happy Year of the Pig, everybody!

Entitlement

2007-02-14T14:56:00.000-05:00

Or, Why I Deserve to Act Like an Only Child and Throw Tantrums as an Adult

Well, it's Valentine's Day. A day of love and charity. A day of peace, goodwill and affection toward our fellow men.

A day for a nasty confrontation in a chapel.

Thankfully, I was not the recipient of the drama this time, merely an observer. I'm on campus today at Emory (yay!) getting some work done in Brooks Commons, the lounge area in Cannon Chapel. I like people watching, and it's always interesting when you get to interact with a perfect stranger in a nice way, as a comrade with shared experiences. So I enjoyed chatting with one woman who was on the phone fighting with a DeKalb County school. It sounded as though someone had stolen her son's cafeteria code and was using it during another lunch hour to charge their own lunches. I mentioned that I used to teach in DeKalb, empathized with her situation, and we shared some good ol' fashioned emnity towards the evil entity that is DeKalb County schools. A moment of mutual kindness and generosity.

Then another man was on the phone, this time fighting with someone about his W-2 forms. They gave him a complicated list of instructions, and he had no pen. So I loaned him one quite happily, we abused the govermental machine that is the IRS, and he went back to his conversation.

But then entitlement crept in. And I find the first woman's conversation quite ironic, given that the one of the places I have encountered entitlement the most was in the classroom. May I suggest that if you are planning on teaching in a school where you are the minority ethnicity, find a picture of you with friends, family, etc. that are of the majority ethnicity, frame it, and put it on your desk first thing. Don't worry about a stapler, tape, pencils, or a computer until you have that picture up there. There was many a day when an irate parent tried to cry "Racism!" but was stopped short by seeing my family portrait. But I digress.

The aforementioned gentleman was one ethnicity, and the aforementioned lady was another. But more importantly, the third person who entered the scene was not the same ethnicity as that gentleman. We'll call him Clueless Man, and her, Cranky Lady. You can see where this is headed.

Clueless man was still on his phone, and speaking rather loudly. I ignored it. After the Figo incident, I am far from eager to harrass perfect strangers. But Cranky Lady had had enough of the interruption to her studying, and she asked him to either get off the phone or leave. She lectured. She ranted. And when he finally said, "Fine, I'll go!" and started to storm out, it was really just beginning. The person on the other end of the line (not his previous phone call) must have asked what was going on, because he said, "I just pissed off some lady for being on the phone, so I'm going outside!" She took the bait. Henceforth issued a shouting match that could very well have been enacted in my third-grade classroom:

CL: Well, you're rude!

CM: I'm not rude!

CL: Yes, you are! You don't even belong here! This is for the students!

CM: I'm an alum!

CL: I don't care! You're rude!

CM: Fine! Goodbye!

I didn't know whether to laugh or put them in time out.

The thing that gets me is the sense of entitlement. On both sides, I suppose, but "she started it." The idea that I deserve the room to be at my level of auditory comfort, and if I am inconvenienced or uncomfortable in any way, it is YOUR responsibility to change that, AND I don't have to be nice about it, because the world owes me.

It makes my head explode. Clueless Man seemed nice enough, just ignorant. Cranky Lady could have asked him nicely to lower his volume or to go outside. But that was just too much effort to be expected. Because it's difficult to confront someone nicely, but very self-gratifying to berate a perfect stranger.

Now why did I mention ethnicities? Because 30 seconds after the show ended and the curtain came down, another lady entered, talking loudly on her cell phone. She only talked about 2 minutes and then hung up, and so I suppose that would mostly account for Cranky Lady not jumping on her case, too. But I found it frustratingly interesting that this new person happened to be of the same ethnicity as Cranky Lady. It felt too familiar to similar situations I've seen or been in.

And Clueless Man certainly could have been more gracious and held his tongue. But he didn't; and to be truthful, I probably wouldn't have, either. Although, in the case of the Figo incident, I was too shocked to be rude. Oh, may I be shocked into kindness more often!

When, oh when will we all realize that we are all made in God's image? You certainly don't have to be a professing, "evangelical" Christian to be here at the Candler School of Theology, but it's a reasonable assumption that if you're here, you espouse some system of beliefs that says, "Play nice with others." Especially on consumeristic, bastardized national holidays that are supposed to be about love and kindness.

Well, Happy Valentine's Day. Call your mom, hug your kids, kiss your spouse, and be nice to a stranger.

Bugs, Rugs, and Thugs with Bombs

2007-02-13T10:42:00.000-05:00

I am entirely too fond of that title.

So I had a good dose of NPR this morning. Morning Edition. Sad to say, we're so lazy we don't usually catch it, but I had an appointment, so there I was, sitting in traffic, listening to NPR and feeling all grown up. Har har har.

One of the news stories was about the color red. It was a Valentine's Day thing, I guess. I thought it was interesting to hear about the secrecy that surrounded the making of red dye before synthetic dyes were invented. I usually think of the color purple (not the book) as the color of royalty, but apparently the Sun King himself, Louis XVI, was very fond of red (among other creepy obsessions) and brought it quite into vogue in his days. He had very shapely legs, apparently, and liked to show them off in tight pants, hose, and high-heeled red shoes. Yikes. Do you think Baton Bob is a descendant?

But anyway, the secrecy. The dye came from a cactus-dwelling bug found mostly in Mexico. The workers there would harvest the bugs, dry them out, and then ship them to Europe, where the folks couldn't figure out what the little dried up pod-things (not the sci-fi monsters) were. Plant, animal, mineral? The Mexicans worked hard to keep it a secret so that the Europeans wouldn't come pillaging their way through and take over. Smart.

The interviewer was at a museum looking at some rugs from that era that were basically crushed red velvet, which she commented looked too nice to step on. I find an ironic symbolism in the mental picture of Louis-boy stepping on his crushed red velvet as calmly as he stepped on the crushed red (bloody and broken) peasants. It makes me want to see Les Mis again (although I think I'm way off on time periods, here).

I also listened with interest to an interview from someone on the security council about the state of North Korea's disarmament (is that a word?). Somebody remind me again why we're allowed to have nukes, but everyone else is supposed to disarm? Right, right... because we're benevolent peace-keepers, not invading war-mongerers.

See what a few minutes of NPR will do to a person?
hee hee hee

Harry Potter is Evil

2007-02-09T15:06:00.000-05:00

No, I haven't lost my mind and joined the ranks of Harry Haters---especially not the woman in Gwinnett County! I still feel that it is not a problem for a Christian to read Harry Potter, provided that the occult is not a stumbling block for him or her. And I loved a comment I read on one of the many HP-themed sites when someone said that there are far more dangerous books at a Christian bookstore... hoo hoo hoo! Take that, Jabez!

But perhaps a more accurate title might be, "My Obsession with Harry Potter is Evil." I can't stop. I've read an unholy amount of theories, prognostications, and random silliness since the title and release date of Book 7 has been announced. My problem is not with the content of the books, but rather that I've become obsessed (almost to the point of possession) with all things Harry Potter. My poor husband is at his wits' end with my endless chattering about invisibility cloaks and horcruxes and scars and spells and time turners and... and... and...

Football season ended, with its usual tinny implosion, and I found myself another idol to fill the void. Why, oh why, do I do this? Where is my passion for Christ? For graduate students? For InterVarsity Press (yet another addiction, but not as time-consuming)? Why is it that I don't lose track of time and spend hours looking at websites about the plight of people in Africa, the Middle East, etc.? I made a rule about Harry Potter rumor-mongering only on the weekends. I broke it. It seems the harder I try to stop obsessing, the worse it gets. Like those stupid finger traps or a raccoon with its grubby little paw stuck in a trap, unwilling to let go of the prize to get away free.

Someone once told me that I should be willing to be as free during corporate worship as I am at a football game. I disagree. At Tech games, I'm loud, obnoxiously spirited, and concerned mainly with my own entertainment. Perhaps I'm too bogged down in "outdated traditions" (sorry about getting that sarcasm on your computer screen) but I think there is more to corporate worship than that. Or at least there should be.

So that begs the question, should I be as obsessed with God as I tend to get with GT football, HP, etc. etc.? I think not. There is no discipline, no control, no goal except to entertain myself. When I am getting too wrapped up in the world of Harry Potter, I am living rather vicariously through the characters. I am escaping from the real world, and I get rather feverish and frantic to know more, theorize more, read more. That is not what a life lived for and through God should look like. When I am getting wrapped up in God's word and his gracious and eternal plan (getting "too" wrapped up is not possible!), I am not escaping or living vicariously. I am instead living the life I was meant to live, and I am neither feverish nor frantic. Instead, I am hungry to know more, dream more, read more. I can tell the difference. Sometimes I just let myself ignore what I know to be true.

There is a distinctiveness to being engaged, excited and enthused about what God is doing here on earth as he is in heaven. Not a frenetic scrambling to please a merciless, lazy, whimsical god, but a life lived in energized obedience to a dying daily to self, with the help of a merciful, active, unchanging God.

I'm going to go read my Bible. It may not be as "fun" as other things I could do, but God has been gracious to give me the desire to do so, and it seems a shame to waste it.

The Mystery of Salvation

2007-02-08T22:52:00.000-05:00

That title doesn't do my thoughts justice, but I'm not sure that any title could. I stumbled upon a deep theological discussion on the Boar's Head Tavern site about not just the innerrancy of scripture, but also about a strange cross-section of the Christian subculture that apparently has managed to resurrect for themselves a golden calf made of King James Bibles. In a metaphorical sense, of course. Although, the gold leaf would work nicely... hmmm...

I'm not sure quite what to think about the issue. While I agree that the Bible is not a magical portkey to Happy Salvation Land (just touch it at the prescribed time and poof! you arrive at your destination), there is a power inherent in the holy scripture of God, is there not? While the Bible alone does not save, and God alone does, he has chosen to use the medium of his son, the word made flesh among us, to provide that salvation, and the primary method of communication of that fact is indeed through the Bible. Right? (My head is spinning...)

As if that wasn't enough to get my noggin all in a tizzy, I then continued my way through the pub (in search of the billards tables, but I was alas! waylaid) and came across a discussion of Ted Haggard. I've mentioned my feelings on the matter before. In a previous post, I started out judging (not the pastor, but those that would judge him), and as usually happens, ended up with a nasty close-up of my own sin, judgements and self-righteous behavior. In reading some of the thoughts of the denizens of the Boar's Head, I found myself once again quick to judge... but then I clicked on this link and now I'm really feeling flummoxed.

Haggard's words in November 2003. It's almost creepy, really. A bit of irony, of foreshadowing, perhaps a subconscious plea for help? What really got me to thinking, though, was his mention of Martin Luther's "[lament] at the end of his life that he might not be justified." (Anyone have any insight into this? Was Haggard presenting this idea out of context?) Haggard warns us all, and for good reason, that we must "ensure that we are not the whitewashed tombs and snakes of our day." But I find some of his reasoning troubling. He gives the very Biblical warnings that we are to be known as Christians by our love, that our actions are important. But he seems to make the claim that if we are not loving, if we are not taking care of the least of these, and if we are doing that which we do not want to do, then it is a warning sign that our salvation may not be secure. Maybe no one else got that idea from his article, but it unnerved me.

Is it not better to rely on God's sovereign power and gracious choice of us, while we were yet still enemies, as the binding seal and sign of our salvation? Okay, I may be getting out of line here, but it is indeed a very short jump from, "Good fruit is a sign of salvation" to "Salvation through works." I just don't like relying on my fallible actions to reassure me that Christ has chosen and redeemed me. I find it very comforting that no matter how badly I screw up (daily!), God is with me and will not forsake me. Is it perhaps the difference between our own assurance of our salvation and what bears testimony to others? I think I may better understand the urges that would prompt a person to tear out the book of James. Speaking of blasphemy. And redemption.

Okay, if I've been wildly heretical here, tell me! In the mean time, I'm off to sacrifice goats. (What a smartass ending to a rather heartfelt post!)

Oh, Google will be the Happy Death of Me!

2007-02-05T16:56:00.001-05:00

I love my gmail account... but between the chat feature and the personalized, tantalizing links all over the place, it's a wonder I get anything done.

This one made me laugh. It sounds dirty, and the pictures are even worse, but apparently, it's quite legitimate.

www.bananaguard.com

This one made me aggravated. Why, oh why, do we let angry atheists distract us from Jesus? Apologetics is important and valuable, but at the end of the day, being right doesn't bring peace. Someone did make the valuable point that evolution is as much a leap of faith as is creationism, but that got bogged down in ad hom attacks and out-of-context Bible verses vs. scientific jargon. Good times.

Lord help us.

And there's always Endgaget links... this one features some of the geekier Superbowl commercials. GM's Lonely Robot was my favorite, followed by Sprint's Connectile Dysfunction.

The Bears let me down!

While the Bears performance was less than stellar, Bud Light came through in spades!

The King Crab one was my favorite.

Unbelievable!

2007-02-02T20:05:00.000-05:00

We went to dinner at Figo (soooo yummy, but I couldn't really taste it tonight) to celebrate the birthday of our friend Ken (Happy Birthday, Ken!). Unfortunately, I had some wretched woman yell at me. Well, not yell, exactly, but...

*doo-doo-doo! doo-doo-doo! doo-doo-doo!*
(insert flashback scene here)

We arrived a few minutes after the other folks, so there was a party of 4 or 5 people in between us and the rest of our group. Figo wanted us to all be on the same order, though, since we were sitting together, so our friend gestured us forward. The hostess/cashier smiled at the lady in line and then turned to us; I said, "Sorry, they want us all on the same ticket" to the lady in line and then ordered. I stepped aside to let Kennan order, and THEN---

one of the women walked up to me and said, in a very guilt-inducing, know-it-all, Umbridge-ish voice, "I just wanted to let you know that I know what you did and I think it's very rude and I hope you're happy with yourself. Hmph!" I was a little shocked, but I said, "Oh no, I'm sorry; they wanted us all together." To which she replied, sarcastically, "Oh, I'm sure they did!"

That doesn't really do it justice; she was unbelievably rude, and at that point my head started to boil. I had to walk away before I punched her. She was such a snot that even Kennan got mad, which is a really rare event. And of course they were seated at the table next to ours... I sat strategically, with my back to them, so my head wouldn't explode!

The good news is, I didn't get in a fist fight and get kicked out in Bluth family style... the bad news is, I'm still mad, and now have a headache. All the times I've been "wronged" (or thought I had been) in public, I'll admit I've had some rude daydreams about all the things I wanted to say or do, but... even I (and I'm a mess) have never done anything like that! To actually walk up to a stranger and say that! I think they were from the north. Yankees.

Yes, lots has happened since I last posted... Urbana was great, Kennan passed the first 2 of his PhD qualifying exams and is now studying for the 3rd, Christy & Gordon got engaged and we set up an office for me in a corner of the dining room... but the HOOCH-LADY AT FIGO is unfortunately all that I can think about right now. Hopefully, this post will prove cathartic and I can get over it. I ask you, though, would any of YOU ever say that to someone? Patricia, I don't think even you would.

Ooh! Ooh! Ooh! I haven't been that mad since "Sharon's Picks!"

eh

2007-01-12T10:44:00.000-05:00

Lots to share, but not much motivation to do so. I figured I'd better break the silence, though.

Thought for today: I think it's well worth the $20 fee to have the vet clean the cats' teeth. The last time I tried, Newton clawed up my torso and Cider bit through the little finger cover/toothbrush thingie.

Good times. Happy New Year, everybody!

By the Numbers

2006-12-13T17:23:00.000-05:00

23---number, in pounds, of turkey that we cooked on Thanksgiving day
3---number of turkeys that we cooked Thanksgiving week
2---number of days after Thanksgiving that I moaned & groaned about eating too much

6---number of years that we have lost to Georgia IN A ROW
4---number of times the football team has broken my heart this season (hey, it's an improvement!)
1,367---number of times I screamed at the TV during the U(sic)GA game and the ACC championship
29, 9 & 2---number, in order, of attempts, completions and interceptions that Reggie had against Wake Forest
0---number of touchdowns by either team in the championship game (WTP... what the poo?!?)

182---number, in dog years, that Kennan has been on the planet
10---number of human years that I've gotten to celebrate Kennan's birthday with him :)

2---number of years that I have gotten to go to the Andrew Peterson Behold the Lamb show at the Ryman
6---number of people that we fit into 5 spaces so that we could all sit together at the show
482---number of chills that went up my spine because of the haunting beauty of the show
17---number of times I was spooked out by the similiarities between our friends Robert & Charissa and Team Redd

80---number of people stuffed into a townhouse for the church Christmas party
2---number of times that our associate pastor stole from us during the white elephant exchange
19---number of times I had to escape from the crowd into the "introverts' room" in the office

344---number of quilt squares I've cut out in the past 2 weeks
16---number left to go!
8,463---number of craftsy projects that I've started in my life
9---number, in percentage points, that I've finished

19---number of students involved with the grad group at GT (woot!)
17---number of students involved with the grad group at Emory (double woot!)
3---number of months I procrastinated on filling out my Fall Field Report for InterVarsity
12---number of minutes it actually took me to finish the thing

26---number of minutes I've managed to procrastinate on other work by writing this post!

Christmas is Coming! (the goose is getting fat)

2006-11-29T14:11:00.000-05:00

It's not a literary masterpiece, and it arrived in my mailbox in the form of a forward, which drives me NUTS... but for all that, it's thought-provoking and a good reminder that no matter what you think about the war, there are men & women in Iraq risking (and all too often, losing) their lives... on both sides... but that's another post for another day...

A Different Christmas Poem
(the email forward gave credit to Jeff Giles, but snopes says it was actually written by Michael Marks)

The embers glowed softly, and in their dim light,
I gazed round the room and I cherished the sight.
My wife was asleep, her head on my chest,
My daughter beside me, angelic in rest.
Outside the snow fell, a blanket of white,
Transforming the yard to a winter delight.
The sparkling lights in the tree I believe,
Completed the magic that was Christmas Eve.
My eyelids were heavy, my breathing was deep,
Secure and surrounded by love I would sleep.
In perfect contentment, or so it would seem,
So I slumbered, perhaps I started to dream.

The sound wasn't loud, and it wasn't too near,
But I opened my eyes when it tickled my ear.
Perhaps just a cough, I didn't quite know, Then the
sure sound of footsteps outside in the snow.
My soul gave a tremble, I struggled to hear,
And I crept to the door just to see who was near.
Standing out in the cold and the dark of the night,
A lone figure stood, his face weary and tight.

A soldier, I puzzled, some twenty years old,
Perhaps a Marine, huddled here in the cold.
Alone in the dark, he looked up and smiled,
Standing watch over me, and my wife and my child.
"What are you doing?" I asked without fear,
"Come in this moment, it's freezing out here!
Put down your pack, brush the snow from your sleeve,
You should be at home on a cold Christmas Eve!

For barely a moment I saw his eyes shift,
Away from the cold and the snow blown in drifts..
To the window that danced with a warm fire's light
Then he sighed and he said "Its really all right,
I'm out here by choice. I'm here every night.
It's my duty to stand at the front of the line,
That separates you from the darkest of times.
No one had to ask or beg or implore me,
I'm proud to stand here like my fathers before me.
My Gramps died at 'Pearl on a day in December,"
Then he sighed, "That's a Christmas 'Gram always remembers.
My dad stood his watch in the jungles of 'Nam',
And now it is my turn and so, here I am.
I've not seen my own son in more than a while,
But my wife sends me pictures, he's sure got her smile."

Then he bent and he carefully pulled from his bag,
The red, white, and blue... an American flag.
I can live through the cold and the being alone,
Away from my family, my house and my home.
I can stand at my post through the rain and the sleet,
I can sleep in a foxhole with little to eat.
I can carry the weight of killing another,
Or lay down my life with my sister and brother..
Who stand at the front against any and all,
To ensure for all time that this flag will not fall."

"So go back inside," he said, "harbor no fright,
Your family is waiting and I'll be all right."
"But isn't there something I can do, at the least,
"Give you money," I asked, "or prepare you a feast?
It seems all too little for all that you've done,
For being away from your wife and your son."
Then his eye welled a tear that held no regret,
"Just tell us you love us, and never forget.
To fight for our rights back at home while we're gone,
To stand your own watch, no matter how long.
For when we come home, either standing or dead,
To know you remember we fought and we bled.
Is payment enough, and with that we will trust,
That we mattered to you as you mattered to us."

Did anybody else watch CSI: Miami on Monday night? It had a lot of interesting things to say about recruiting, about civilians, about Iraq, and about family. It just makes me glad to think that our soldiers won't be abandoned and reviled in the way that troops coming home from Vietnam were... even if it's not a matter of right & wrong, but rather what's "hot" and what's not. If Hollywood wants to make supporting the troops fashionable, more power to 'em.

My Mind's Mediocre Malaise

2006-11-28T13:29:00.000-05:00

To state the obvious, it's been a while since I've posted. What have I been doing, you might ask. Nothing much. Trying to study for an exam that I'm not even sure I want to pass. Whew. How do you decide what to do with your life? I enjoy engineering. I enjoy teaching people. I enjoy doing research. I think I'm at least passable at all three. Does that mean I should get a Ph.D.? I look around and the majority of people I see with Ph.D.'s seem to be so specialized that they can win acclaim and honor from the academy but may not be able to tie their own shoes. I hate impracticality. The idea of calling seems to just complicate matters more. As a Christian, I desire for my work to be redemptive to this world and its inhabitants. I want to wisely use the gifts I've been given to accomplish those goals. Sometimes it seems like a far jump from the pad of engineering graph paper in front of me to something that grandiose.

My general funk is probably not improved by the fact that iTunes has come across Chandra's collection of angsty chick rock. Anyway, I don't know if these musings are worthy of the "Publish Post" button, but I think I'll hit it anyway. Hope I didn't harsh your mellow.

They'll Break Your Heart...

2006-11-26T17:29:00.000-05:00

Sigh.

At least Notre Dame got a well-deserved beat down. And we're still on our way to Jacksonville. To play Wake Forest. Wake Forest?!?

I hope Georgia's star freshman QB implodes the way ours did. So sad.

Such is the life of a Yellow Jacket fan.

All Things Football

2006-11-20T14:05:00.000-05:00

Sigh. Football season is drawing to a close. And while this means that the most exciting games are coming up (and that Christmas is on its way!), it's still a bummer. Saturday was the last home game, which we won quite handily. We're on our way to Jacksonville, and hopefully (the critics are liking our chances) the Orangey-Floridian theme will continue. We might just play a BCS bowl for the first time in (I do believe) 16 years. The pundits are putting us up against Louisville. Not sure how I feel about that... it's a nice neutral opponent, but I sure would love another crack at Brady Quinn and the stupid Irish. Would we get our butts kicked? I don't think that's a certainty at all. We did excellently in the season opener (that seems so far away now!), and Notre Dame's 10-1 record is a bit misleading. Michigan beat the snot out of them, Michigan State nearly pulled off the upset, and their wins over 1-10 Stanford, 2-9 North Carolina, and 3-8 Army aren't that impressive. Which is not to say that we haven't had our share of small teams to thump (winless Duke and AA Samford certainly come to mind, not to mention that we didn't do too well against UNC), but NOTRE DAME ISN'T OHIO STATE, PEOPLE! OSU has also had their share of games this season against sub-par teams, but in each game, they have resoundingly THUMPED the competition.

I'm willing to say it: this season, Notre Dame has been as inconsistent as we are. Bah. Jerks. KaMichael Hall would eat Brady Quinn for lunch. Ooooooh, the hype around Notre Dame and their BCS #5 ranking makes me unreasonably angry. Moving on.

On Friday, we had the weird but fun experience of North Georgia High School football. We went with our friend Lacey to Blue Ridge to see her hubby Michael filming the game. It was like being home again, except a little more "Deliverance" and a little less "Hee-Haw." It felt weird cheering for the all-white Fannin County Rebels against the predominantly black Manchester (who won, by the way). I found it amusing that Fannin County had nicer uniforms, a nicer band, were bigger, etc. etc. than Manchester, but still weren't that good. Before anyone blasts me for knocking North Georgia, High School football, or the South in general, let me just say that I enjoyed it, I wasn't particularly offended, and it was fun to see folks enjoying themselves and not worrying about traffic, building codes, or pollution. The two things that freaked me out the most were: 1) UGA paraphenalia EVERYWHERE, and 2) how much it felt just like our home stadium back in rural New Mexico. Badly bleached hair, tons of eye makeup... no smell of cows, though. I'll count my blessings. Mooooooo.

Well, in just a little while, football season will be over, and I'll find something else to obsess over. Because I'm not talking football during the off-season. Certainly not discussing Calvin Johnson. Especially not during the NFL Draft.

CALVIN, DON'T LEAVE US!!! auuuuuughhhhhhh

Cheater, Cheater, Pumpkin-eater

2006-11-13T11:31:00.000-05:00

I'm stealing Laura's idea/last Sunday's Bible study icebreaker question...

In the fall, I love the

sight of the crowd at Bobby Dodd stadium as the players run onto the field...

smell of nutmeg and eggnog...

sound of AP's "Behold the Lamb" cd...

taste of pumpkin pie and cranberry sauce and stuffing and leftover turkey sandwiches and... and... and...

feel of crunching through piles of leaves on a walk with my best friend...

So what have the Cranes been up to? Our friend Katherine got us amazing seats at the Miami game: 5th row up, right above the players' tunnel. Whoo hoo! She caught #6 Pat Clark's glove (I was so jealous!) after the game. It's a disturbing sign of my personality that I coveted a sweaty glove...

Choir practice has started up and we're having a blast. I had a slight panic attack last night when I thought that the finale for The Amazing Race was the same night as the Christmas Celebration, but it's a week earlier; so everything's okay. Priorities, people!

What I do love about Choir practice is that the emphasis is on speaking (or singing) the gospel, not on having a performance. It helps me not be so prideful about my singing abilities. It's a good reminder that whatever gifts God has given to a person, he does so that he might be glorified.

We helped to host a baby shower for Team Redd & the Frazers... that was a lot of fun! It was no typical shower, mind you! We watched the game (we didn't play very well, but at least we won; and that means we're on our way to Jacksonville for the ACC Championship!), had a finger football tournament, and ate large amounts of meat, in addition to the usual present-opening, cutesy-cake-eating, girly-squealing good time you might expect to see at a baby shower.

And in case you were wondering, there are few things more wrong, yet more entertaining, than putting a crumpled up ball of masking tape on your cat's back, right between the shoulder blades where he can't really reach. I'm such a mean pet parent.

The Battle Continues...

2006-11-02T23:02:00.000-05:00

So apparently yet another high-profile pastor has landed in the center of controversy. Do I think the pastor did solicit sex from a male prostitute? I don't know. I'd like to belive not, especially since he is so adamantly denying it. And of course I hurt to think of someone living such a double-life and undoubtedly hating himself somewhere deep inside.

I have to wonder, though... if he is struggling with this, and if he had or did own up to it, what would be the Evangelical community's response?

It's a tough question. Even tougher is the question of how much has our current religious system in the Western church made it difficult for someone in a high position of authority to resist temptation and have a circle of accountability partners? There seems to be such an emphasis on having your crap all together. No one wants to be led by someone who struggles with these things.

At one of his shows, Matthew Perryman Jones once said that we minister to people out of our brokenness (or something to that effect). Whatever else I may think about the edgy style of Mars Hill Church, I LOVE that Mark Driscoll is so vulnerable with his congregation. Here's my controversial statement of the week:

Churches should be somewhere where someone who is struggling with pornography, homosexuality, transgendered issues, abortion issues, and all those other "shocking" things, can find healing and hope for redemption.

How that is played out varies from church to church and community to community, but if we as a church body are not providing resources for all of us to dig out our sins and junk and hurts, then that's a problem. No one should have to suffer in silence. Ever. Least of all the men and women who have taken on the daunting task of leading Jesus' sheep full-time.

Praise God for his never-failing mercy and grace. May he protect us all from ourselves.

Fortnight in Review

2006-10-31T23:56:00.000-05:00

Over the past several weeks, I have had or at least overheard a number of interesting discussions/arguments. To wit:

college football vs. pro (college, all the way)

Calvinism vs. Armenianism (Happy Reformation Day!)

celebrating Halloween vs. not (pass the candy, please)

church planting model vs. church growth model (megachurches freak me out)

redemption of the entire earth theology vs. redemption of souls theology (for lack of better terminology; and as for my stance on this issue, let's just say that I've been accused of being a "neo-Calvinist," whatever that means)

Georgia Tech vs. U(sic)GA (not even a contest)

cats vs. dogs (actually, we like both... but when you live in 650 sq. ft...)

PCs vs. Macs (I'm quite happy with my Dell, but the pro-Mac commercials do make me laugh)

small house/small commute vs. big house/big commute (see "cats vs. dogs")

Daylight Saving Time vs. Arizona (not sure I really have an opinion on this one... it does bother me that AZ also doesn't celebrate MLK Day)

bunny ears vs. cable (we watch way too much TV as is!)

Team Trivia vs.... well, okay... versus nothing. I just wanted to mention that we got first place tonight! WHOO HOO!

Palestine vs. Israel (do NOT get me started on this... let's just say I listen to NPR)

Episcopal/Presbyterian church government vs. congregational church government (all in favor of not voting on every little thing, say AYE)

T-Mobile vs. Cingular (Cingular has rollover mins. but you sure do pay for them)

Skittles vs. Starburst (I like that Skittles are both crunchy and chewy)

Theism vs. Secular Humanism (sheesh... whether or not we descended from monkeys, some people sure do still act like apes, and on both sides of the argument)

Greek (fraternities & sororities) vs. non-Greeks (okay, so I'm not Greek and not the greatest fan of the system, but I've had my stereotypes challenged, and that's a good thing)

Yup, it's been an interesting couple of weeks indeed! I love having diverse friends, even when it makes life confusing and/or aggravating. So has anyone else had any good discussions that they'd like to share?

Tech had a Bye-week on Saturday

2006-10-16T15:23:00.000-05:00

... and yet we still had a W for the day. Vandy beat Georgia. At home. Hoo hoo hoo hoo hooooo!

Sadly, we are no longer ranked above them in the Top 25... BECAUSE THEY'RE NO LONGER IN THE TOP 25! Beautiful, just beautiful!

Saturday was a weird day for college football. A lot of upsets, and a lot of near-upsets. Poor Ole Miss. I was really pulling for them against 'Bama. (Sorry, Sam... and what would you have done if BenJarvus Green-Ellis had gotten the best of your beloved Tide?) They were soooo close. College football is weird, because although they lost to Georgia back in Week 5, Ole Miss did beat Vandy (one of their 2 wins, sadly). I've been told that soccer (excuse me, my international friends... football) is even crazier for upsets, but Week 7 definitely gives it a run for its money. I was pulling for Arizona State to get the upset over USC, too... more than anything because it would have wreaked havoc with the BCS (Bowl Championship Suckiness). But that's another discussion for another day!

Saturday was also a lovely chance for Miami to prove their thugishness. Not only did they get into a brawl with little FIU, but one of their alums who was calling the game was happy to see the brawl. Good grief. I talk a lot of smack, especially where Georgia is concerned, but I wouldn't be happy to see a brawl at the Tech-Georgia game. Making fun of slack-jawed yokels is one thing, but taking your helmet off and using it as a weapon is quite another. And while it's true that FIU apparently started the brawl, and that one FIU player was taking swings at players with his crutches, Miami was already beating them on the scoreboard. Did they really have to let it get physical? Well, they're Miami, so... yes, yes they did. It's not like this type of behavior is new for them.

It's a shame that the suspensions are only for one game. It would have been nice to have that going on our side for Homecoming... but at least poor Duke will have a chance this Saturday... tee hee... snrrkkk... hoo hoo... AHEM. Sorry.

The funniest thing to come out of the drama was Coker being asked during a press conference if he has control of the team. He was not amused by the question, but I sure am!

Okay, Clemson, here we come! It might just be the ACC Championship Game preview...

A Dilemma

2006-10-07T23:59:00.000-05:00

To wear gold & white tomorrow, or to wear orange & white tomorrow...

That is the question.

It's not Easy Bein' Green...

2006-10-07T13:47:00.000-05:00

So I took this quiz that I found on Laura's brother's blog. It's a quiz that measures one's ecological "footprint," that is, how much you make your mark on the earth. The news is not good, folks. I apparently take up 20 acres (and while that's less than the American average of 24, it's still not pretty) and if everyone lived like me, we would need 4.5 planets.

4.5 planets.

Now, I will say 2 things about this quiz: 1) it has an agenda, and as such, 2) it is written with quite a bias. The two of us live in 650 square feet and have one car, a Honda Civic. Yet the choices on the question about square footage were: 500 square feet or smaller, 500 to 1000, 1000 to 1500, 1500 to 1900 square feet, 1900 or 2500, or 2500 or larger. Well, dang. I had to check option 2. I want credit for those 350 square feet in the world that we're not taking up! I'm only halfway joking.

I also was disgruntled at the question about flying: how many hours per year? 100, 25, 10 or 3 hours, or never fly. Well, heck. Would 3 hours a week add up to the one or two times (at most) that I fly a year? I refuse to do math if it's not absolutely necessary! I chose "never fly."

Kennan commented on the question about generating waste. The question was "compared to people in your neighborhood, how much waste do you generate?" and the choices were: much less, about the same, or much more. Hey! What happened to slightly less and slightly more? I won't tell you what I had to check.

After taking the quiz, it's a little startling to see that although we are "living small" right now, we're still apparently a fairly large boil on the planet's butt. Here I thought I was not-so-bad, especially compared to others.

But again, where's the credit for other stuff? For having a Compassion child or supporting ecological causes or RECYCLING? I can't believe that wasn't even on there. I guess it was part of the "waste generated" question, but what if you live among either extreme of conservationists? You could either come out looking good, because your neighbors are all dumping toxic sludge into the 'Hooch or looking really bad, just because you don't have pigs in the backyard to eat your scraps. And what about water conservation?!? Arrrrghhh!

I think the real question is, where are a person's priorities? Even if I could juryrig the test to give me a much better score, and even though I try to not let the water run, turn lights off when I leave the room, etc., I'm still pretty preoccupied with my own comfort. The most motivation I have to conserve things is to keep the bills down. (Ooh! That's another one! What about on-line bill pay, which cuts down on paper used and gas used to deliver the mail?) I really don't have the motivation to help take care of the earth. And that, my friends, is a problem.

Because we're supposed to take care of the earth. When God said, "Fill the earth and subdue it," I don't think he was saying to fill it with trash. So the question is, as it is in everything else, am I willing to sacrifice my comfort to do what the Lord asks of me? Am I willing to get off my butt and walk to Tech for Bible study, which requires starting out earlier and possibly arriving a bit sweaty or cold? Am I willing to also time things so that I can take the shuttle to Emory as opposed to driving over there? Am I willing to try to find space in our already tiny kitchen for recycling containers? And am I willing to "live small" forever? I want a house someday. I sometimes wish we had another vehicle. And if we had more money to buy more of the things I would like (which all seem to come double shrink-wrapped in one of those obnoxious hard plastic cases that it takes a machete' wielding ninja to hack through), we'd generate even more waste!

I know people who live in nice, fairly large houses, who have 2 vehicles, etc. etc. who really do care for the earth. They recycle. They carpool. They have at least one Compassion child. They have room to compost in their nice backyard, where they grow veggies. I think one of the things that the mentality behind the quiz doesn't take into account is, if Kennan & I were to move into a hut in poverty-stricken Bolivia and live, as the people there must, on rice & beans, that wouldn't actually help the problem! Not to mention that we'd have to put a higher score on our flight habits.

It's not how much you have, it's what you do with it. Yes, we need to do better. Yes, we can make more sacrificies both for the conservation of the earth and for the care of her people. But for some unknown reason, God has put us here in the land of opportunity to make wise choices. We have the chance to make decent money, which can then be given to various worthy charities. We have the opportunity to affect public policy that affects how many layers of wrapping you can put on a single item (for crying out loud!).

The point is not to live simply, but to live well, and with purpose.

Is that Allowed?

2006-10-06T13:44:00.000-05:00

The other day in the Flag Building, I saw a kid wearing a yarmulke
with Buzz on it. I thought all of you should know.

Talk about chutzpah!

What a Day!

2006-09-30T21:18:00.000-05:00

Days don't get much better than today. This morning, we had a retreat for the graduate fellowship groups at Emory, Tech, and (boooo) Georgia. Pete Bocchino was a fantastic, engaging, humble speaker who actually said "Apologetics is all about relationships." Sadly, you don't often hear that out of many of the spooky-brilliant minds that study the Bible and come up with amazing insight. At the end of his session, I felt better equipped to share the gospel of Christ with love and humility, as opposed to just gaining a lot of knowledge to throw at people. Good apologetics (silly sounding term, but apparently it's from the original Greek apologia, to defend a position against an attack) is gaining knowledge about God so that we can glorify him by sharing that knowledge in love. So there, rude people. PPPLLLLLBBBBTTTHHH! Take that.

After we left the retreat, we headed up to Taco Mac to watch the game. No, no, make that THE GAME. We beat no. 10/11 Virginia Tech in Blacksburg (scary scary stadium) 38-27. We in the Crane household are still in a little bit of shock. And we also have very sore throats from screaming, hooting & hollering so much. GOOOOOOO JACKETS! Holy poop. I don't know if I'll be able to sleep for a week! What a sweet, sweet victory for so many reasons!

And then we went to a benefit event for Mamelodi Township, South Africa. For just $10 a head, we got to eat ridiculous amounts of pig, sides & peach cobbler. We got to hear some really awesome Gospel/Blues singers. We got to laugh with friends and also be moved to tears by the pictures & stories of the people, and especially the children, of Mamelodi. Sitting next to my laptop are two beautiful soapstone carvings that we bought from African Leadership Development, a fantastic ministry that works to come "alongside and help fan into flame the gifts already there... [to find] 'African solutions for African problems.' " One carving is a little hippo that makes me smile because Kennan picked out the one that is yawning, and you can see its little teeth. The other is a family (mother, father & child) all holding hands. I rejoice that somewhere in Africa the life of a family will be improved because... I got to enjoy myself with friends. How wonderfully ridiculous is that?

Today we got to be educated, humbled, & uplifted; we got to cheer our team to a crazy victory; we got to celebrate with friends and family for a good cause. Today was indeed a glimpse of heaven! :)

Altruistic Update

2006-09-25T21:01:00.000-05:00

I finally got some information on Redeemer's food kitchen, so hopefully I can start volunteering there soon. For being a volunteer thing, it sure is hard to find out how to help. Maybe it's their version of a background check, only cheaper.

Today I went with some of the ladies from ChristChurch to volunteer at a really cool thrift store. We sorted donations all morning. There were some very interesting items of clothing. My favorite was a black sweatshirt with multi-colored ruffles all over it. It made me want to salsa dance. Either that, or run screaming into the night.

Funny anecdote that I know some of you will especially appreciate... one of the women asked us for advice because she was worried about her daughter, and two of us were closer to college age. I was prepared for failing classes, partying, bad-influence boyfriend...

Instead, the aforementioned daughter drove up to Huntsville last night to see Nickelcreek (sooooo jealous!) and drove back in the same night.

IIIIIEEEEEEEEEE!!! GASP!

I tried to keep a straight face but ended up laughing. I looked at the other "girl," and we just cracked up. I told the concerned mother that I was no help because we still do things like that (although not often, mind you), and if I had been in Atlanta back in the day, I certainly would have joined in the touring madness with the gang.

The offending party's mom explained that she just worried about her driving so late at night. We agreed that if she were driving by herself, instead of with other people & other cars, it would be a problem, but since she was carpooling/caravanning, it was pretty safe.

I think it's sweet that the mom was concerned. Involved parents rock, even when they may not quite understand. I'll take that over lazy, negligent parents, any day!

Ranked Again at Last!

2006-09-25T20:26:00.000-05:00

Dinner tonight at Figo was good (I channeled Allison and got the crab ravioli with funghi sauce), but the hearing the news that we are once again in the Top 25 was even better! Whoo hoo! GO JACKETS!

And, the news gets even better. According to SI.com:

"Virginia Tech defensive end Chris Ellis and split end Josh Morgan have been suspended for violating team rules and will miss the game Saturday against No. 24 Georgia Tech.

Coach Frank Beamer made the announcement on Monday.

Ellis is one of the No. 11 Hokies (4-0) most disruptive defensive linemen, recording 12 tackles this year, including one sack.

Morgan is Tech's second-leading receiver, with 10 catches for 161 yards and two touchdowns. He blocked two punts, including one for a safety in the Hokies' 29-13 victory over Cincinnati on Saturday."

Oh man, oh man, oh man! There's so much to love in that one little article! 2 of their top players have been suspended... we're mentioned as "No. 24 Georgia Tech" (damn skippy!)... they only beat Cincinnati 29-13 instead of shutting them out...

I've never been a fan of winning just because the other team is injured, having an off week, or just plain bad. Everyone would rather win just because your team kicks crazy tail. But, I do think we are a strong little team. We have the (as Kennan puts it) "Human Highlight Reel," Calvin Johnson, our D is awesome, and we have a lot of spirit. A perfect example of how much both Calvin and our defense rock is that Calvin's career-best 165 yards receiving against UVA Thursday night was just one yard shy of Virginia's offensive yardage for the entire game. Hoo hoo!

So I won't complain if a win over VT comes at least partially because they aren't at 100%. A "W" is a "W", folks. Here's hoping we have one more to record after this Saturday. The only thing that could make a win over Virginia Tech at Blacksburg even better is if Lee Corso's car were to catch on fire again. Anybody willing to be my alibi?

The Mayor Goes to China

2006-09-20T22:36:00.000-05:00

Yet another fledgling post, originally from 8/16/06 (at 5:36 AM). It would have been funnier had I posted it while the trip was actually going on, but here goes, anyway...

So much for international relations. Not only have they sent our gangsta mayor to represent us, check out the last "delegate" on the list.

China Trip Attendees:
City of Atlanta
Metro Atlanta Chamber of Chamber
Georgia State Senate
Atlanta City Council
Troutman Sanders, LLP
Georgia Power Company
Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport
SunTrust Bank
National Association of Chinese Americans
Delta Air Lines
Atlanta Regional Commission
Kennesaw State University
TVS & Associates
Womble Carlyle Sandridge &amp; Rice
Reece & Associates
University of Georgia

Dear Lord. How did they fit all the livestock on the plane? Or did they not allow delegates to bring spouses?

Ouch. Mean, I know. But it's football season, and I'm ready for Thanksgiving weekend. Bring it on, bulldogs! STING 'EM!

Well, Holy Poop

2006-09-20T21:50:00.000-05:00

An old website that was a source of some pain & aggravation is no longer. Restaurant recommendations (from someone nobody had ever met) to way-too trendy, expensive, and sketchy places are no more. The directions won't land you in outer Mongolia.

For those of you who know what I'm talking about, check out the new site. It's really not half bad. I'm still so grateful that we've moved on, but...

I'm glad for them, and I'm glad that I'm glad! God is good and is in the business of renewing everything. Even bizarre websites and grumpy bloggers.

Woot!

EE-YAR I'm a Pirate! II

2006-09-14T13:04:00.000-05:00

This time, the title actually has to do with the post. Waitresses everywhere (or at least at Jason's Deli, Slopes, Taco Mac, etc.), breathe a sigh of relief.

National Talk Like a Pirate Day does not fall on a Monday this year. So there will be less (because I know they'll still do it) of calling you a "saucy wench" and "yarrr... bring me a refill" going on this Monday. National TLaP Day isn't until Tuesday.

I guess it could be worse. They would never, ever make a grab at your backside, they're actually pretty respectful, and good about leaving enough money for the tip. Maybe it would be good for all of us to let the pirate inside come out and play more often.

However, Pirate Pick-up Lines do not work, and spending all your time on the English-to-Pirate translator is not the best way to woo us, mateys. Even if we be saucy. Arrr!

Buzz-tastic

2006-09-13T15:00:00.000-05:00

Check out these two awesome Buzz creations:

Lego My Buzz

Itty-Bitty Buzz

And I thought my toenails were cool. GO JACKETS!

Happy Thoughts

2006-09-07T22:35:00.000-05:00

Registering a 10 on my wrong-but-funny-o-meter right now:

Being reminded of the time Lee Corso's car was struck by lightning back in the day

Shrink-wrapped vehicles

Your mom

Your face

Your mom's face

Several memorable scenes from Talledega Nights...
"Dear Baby Jesus..."
"Dad, you made that grace your..."
"Hi. I'm Susan. I painted the car. We had..."
"If you don't chew Big Red, then..."
all of Cal Naughton, Jr.'s deep theological thoughts...
and of course, the Eleanor Roosevelt "quote."

just about anything on Lark News (they're so hilarious, I'll even forgive them for mocking InterVarsity Press), but especially...
the ads for WORSHIPERS GONE WILD (Vol. 2) and the THE (all Christian) PEARL JAM SOUND-ALIKE FESTIVAL ("Just like Eddie... only Vedder")
the poignant commentary on modern evangelical worship trends
and the Best-Selling End Times Books list:
1. Unauthorized Biography of Tim LaHaye, by Kitty Kelley
2. The Act of Marriage: End Times version, by Tim and Beverly LaHaye
3. Cooking with Tim LaHaye
4. Jabez and the End Times, by Bruce Wilkinson and Tim LaHaye
5. My Plans for World Domination, by Tim LaHaye

also, check out this Christianity Today article that describes some of the responses that the Bob the Tomato "We're Bigger than Jesus" story garnered.

Good stuff. Sacrelicious, indeed.

Freaking-out Friday

2006-09-01T13:23:00.000-05:00

Right about now, I would do several wrong and illegal things to get tickets. I'm in a bad place right now! I need to snap out of this! It's just football!

whimper...

If anyone needs a kidney, I've got a spare one. Kennan couldn't ever use it; he'd need Christy's genetic match, anyway. Will Donate Major Organs for Tickets. Will Sell Grandmother Up the River for Tickets. Will Eat Disgusting Things on National Television for Tickets. There's not much I wouldn't do, short of outright blasphemy & breaking my marital vows. Not too many sacred cows in this house right now. Will Sell Cats for Tickets. Hm. Nevermind that last one. That would be a true Ransom of Red Chief. How about Will Not Bring Cats to Your Home for Tickets?

I get the feeling that tomorrow will be Scary-desperate Saturday, followed by Sad, Sad Sunday. Even if we do win, I'll probably still be moping, maybe all the more because we didn't get to be there for a huge upset.

That should be followed by Moving-on Monday, though... much to the relief of those around me.

Go Jackettttssss... whimper... sigh...

Pitiful, just pitiful.

Throw-a-Fit Thursday

2006-08-31T14:28:00.000-05:00

Registering a 10 on my suck-o-meter scale right now:

Fraternities who take up all the student tickets so that they can dress up, get drunk, turn around not facing the field and talk to their "brothers" the entire game.

Mosquitoes.

Cat poop.

The IRS.

Shirley Franklin and her Pothole Posse.

Brady Quinn and his creepy, soccer-mom-on-crack mother.

People who drive 55 mph in the fast lane, then SPEED UP as you're trying to pass their worthless, out-of-state butts.

Overly negative people.

It's Only a Re-run if You've Seen it Before

2006-08-16T05:30:00.000-05:00

NOTE: I've decided to tackle some of those proliferous Drafts that haunt our blog... original "airdate" 11:40 AM Mar. 13, 2006... fly, little posting, fly!

I was just reading some of Andrew Peterson's earliest posts on his website. Because when you procrastinate by reading deep, meaningful journal entries that talk about God, it's spiritual.

Right.

I was intrigued by some posts of his that discuss the problem of poverty and what we as wealthy (if you own a microwave, you're in the top 10% of the world's income earners) Americans can and should do about it. I also appreciated that he shared some of his more selfish thoughts (there's no ice for my coke and every sort of dressing for my salad but Ranch!) and how God got his attention through his self-centeredness. And what I really love is that Andrew does something about it. He doesn't merely think about the plight of starving children the world over, feel bad for 5 minutes, then move on with his day. I was delighted to discover at his annual Christmas show in Nashville that all proceeds went to Compassion International. They took in a lot of money that could have been a house payment, some gifts for the kids, etc., and instead sent the lot of it to truly make a difference in the world. I love that.

So what am I going to do about it? Buy his cd's, attend any and all shows possible, check his website often... oh. Right. What am I going to do about poverty, not what am I going to do about AP being both a fantastic artist and a darn nice person. Heh heh heh. Oops.

I had plans this summer (don't we all) to volunteer at a soup kitchen down the way. Helping out at a soup kitchen has become almost passe, but that doesn't mean they don't need workers still, and it's a good place to start. Here's my deadline: by next Wednesday, I will have contacted the church to find out how to start volunteering there. Hold me to it, faithful readers! All 4 of you.

A Day in the Life

2006-08-16T04:06:00.000-05:00

So behind in posting! I've had all sorts of brilliant ideas that never came to fruition. Seems I've gotten lazy these days...

So here's a little bit of mental potpourri:

The trip went well but I'm glad to be back home... it's amazing what a car can smell like after 3 days of driving... our alarm clock radio woke us up the other morning to the lovely news that our friends in District 4 have finally regained consciousness and voted Cynthia McKinney OUT... I found out that one of my IV coworkers is on the front of Jill Phillips' newest album (3rd from the bottom left, with one arm raised)... Lime & Thai Chile Peanuts from Trader Joe's are tasty, but do not burp up well (ew)... no matter how old you get, you're always their "baby," and as time goes on and sweet little old ladies shrink, they accuse you of growing... I went through some of my old stuff at my parents' house and found my Headstart (Pre-K) diploma and cardboard mortarboard & tassel; I think I'll put that on my resume... the old adage (cliche) "You can't go home again" is shockingly accurate when you go from being Southern Baptist to Presbyterian... Tennessee is lovely country, but ain't nothin' in comparison with fair New Mexico, especially Los Alamos... apparently all good Presbyterians own pipes (Sam, you bad influence, you)... Nashville needs to pick up and move a little closer to Atlanta, so that I can go to things like the no cover charge, multi-Square Peg concerts being held on Tuesday nights... second cousins grow up really fast... it never fails, if you don't pack a book on a trip, you want to read, but if you bring an entire honking box, you find other things to do... no matter what was in the box, cats will brave all manner of odds to sit in the thing... cats, at least our cats, have perfected the art of looking both innocent and insolent at the same time... MySpace is taking over the world and that scares me... dinner tastes better when shared with friends... if anyone actually read all this, not only are you a loyal friend, but you have entirely too much spare time on your hands...

Yesterday was a marvelous day of "lasts": my last day selling shiny things at Pier 1 and Mom's last chemotherapy treatment. Whoo hoo! That's not mental potpourri, folks, that's news.

The Uber-Trip Continues!

2006-07-30T19:38:00.000-05:00

Well, we finally made it to New Mexico, and all in one piece. Along the way, we saw a multitude of entertaining roadsigns.

My favorites:

In Nowheresville, TN, a political yard sign asking folks to vote for Mr. Suchandsuch for the City Council because he's a "real nice guy." (or some words to that effect)

In Oklahoma City, a billboard for a local farmer's market... with a woman holding two rather large watermelons in front of her person, and a caption that read, "Hey! Nice Melons!"
Wow.

And of course, our hometown billboard: "Welcome to Portales! A town of 12,000 Friendly People... and 3 or 4 Old Grouches."
It's good to be home.

We've also seen some good bumper stickers. The one that takes the cake:

in large letters: "RUN, HILARY, RUN!"
in small letters: "Democrats, stick on back bumper. Republicans, stick on the front."

Who says politics has to be boring?

Wearing Pink

2006-07-22T22:26:00.000-05:00

I've never really liked the color pink. As a child, I did go through a purple phase, but eventually settled on blue & yellow. Foreshadowing of my eventual Yellow Jacket allegiance.

But I've never liked red (To Hell With Georgia!) and never, ever liked pink. I'm a tomboy, and pink is girly. Pink is wimpy. Pink is... my favorite crayon... pink when I turn out the lights... pink is... like red but not quite...

So imagine my surprise tonight to find myself wearing pink, proudly, sitting in a room full of girls and actually enjoying myself.

Tonight two friends had a Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation fundraiser: a "Boob-be-que." It was a hoot! Shish-ka-boobs and pink lemonade and a "bra & panty" cake done up in pink frosting. A very funny way to raise money and awareness for a very heartbreaking subject. I bawled like a baby when we watched a video about the 3-Day Walk. One of the women on the video said she was walking in memory of her mother, and I just lost it. But Mom is doing well, and only has 2 chemo sessions left. Praise God!

After the Boob-be-que, I zoomed across town to a bridal shower. My automatic reflex is to say, "ugh." I don't do well in large groups of women, and if there's a baby or an upcoming wedding, forget it. But I'm getting over that, and tonight was sweet. The guest of honor is fun, quirky, very feminine, but also very down-to-earth. I was reflecting as headed home from all this estrogen madness about how I had fun in spite of myself. At both events, I was surrounded by women that I respect and admire. Women who teach, who are going to graduate school & medical school, who are mothers and wives, who work in engineering, who work at home, who are clever and witty, who are loyal and fun. They all have such unique qualities.

I've learned to wear pink because of my sister-in-law. She has taught me so much about listening to others, about caring for others. Seeing her helps to remind me that being quiet doesn't mean being weak. When I think of pink now, I think fondly of the many wonderful women in my life. I think of our friends that are walking the 3-Day this October. Both nurses, who can tell gory stories with the best of 'em at the dinner table. Both beautiful women who love babies, who love girly movies, who love to sing and dance and live boisterous, joyful lives. I think of my South'n belle friends. Strong, stubborn, loyal creatures who won't quit and love art and music and babies as much as they love college football and camping. Pink makes me think of their heritage and their determination. Steel Magnolias, indeed.

So, I wear pink now. How odd. I feel like I'm finally figuring out how to be the woman God designed me to be, and it's not how I ever thought it would look. Who could ever have imagined me wearing pink or loving football? I love GT football, and one of the people that has taught me the most about being a Tech fan is a woman. I admire her very much because of her passion. She is passionate not only about tomboy-ish things, but also about her children, her husband, her home. She is passionate about Jesus. She is passionate about supporting the fight against breast cancer, having walked the 3-Day a couple of years back. How amazing it has been for me to see her example.

It was so great tonight to see a friend that I haven't seen since the birth of her charming little boy. I looked at the new mother, proud and beautiful... and tired. She's a tiny thing, and yet I'm amazed at her stature. She's teaching college courses and taking care of a new baby. Wow. I also was blessed by seeing some other friends tonight that I haven't seen in quite awhile. Mothers, nurses, engineers, businesswomen. Poets, artists, skilled pianists. Women who like "chick flicks" and women who like action movies. Some quiet, some loud, all characters. What an amazing, diverse, multiracial sisterhood I am a part of! What friends God has gifted me with. I think I understand a little better about the appeal of sororities now.

So, although most of my wardrobe remains blue, yellow, and old gold & white, I'd have to say that in some ways, pink is my favorite color.

Eating Books

2006-07-16T23:10:00.000-05:00

I can't help it. Christy says I eat books and spit out the spine. (Well, heck. Why would you want to eat the spine? Of course I spit it out.)

I stayed up until 6 am the other night snacking on a particularly tasty book. I was so tired the next day (or later that day, I guess), that I really paid for it... but I haven't done that in a long time, and I really enjoyed myself. It was a "Bourne Identity" meets "Raiders of the Lost Ark"/"National Treasure"/Illuminati & Knights Templar conspiracies kind of plot--very suspenseful. Which makes reading it in the wee hours, when the house and neighborhood are eerily quiet, really ideal.

I know Team Redd can empathize with me on this! :) We all have our vices, and reading is definitely one of mine. When I polished off the book, though, I had to ask myself: could I stay awake all night reading the Bible? Would I be that intrigued? It's an interesting question that leads to even more interesting questions, which I will ponder indepth in a later post.

Not only do I like to eat books, I also like to eat hot dogs... although maybe not anymore. After clicking on Gaines' post about the ridiculous 911 call in Oregon (drat. somebody tell me how to figure out the address for a specific post so I can link these things...), I played around on the CNN website and came across a video for a hot dog prank (type it into the CNN search engine; it's worth it!) played by two sisters for over 50 years. Picture two little old ladies in their eighties mailing a mummified hot dog back and forth to each other. Disgusting, but hilarious!

It was a poor segue, but I had to mention the hot dog ladies. I hope I'm that fun when I'm old.

EE-YAR I'm a Pirate!

2006-07-07T05:19:00.000-05:00

No, the title has absolutely nothing to do with the post. There's no deep meaning here. It was just in my head.

More entertaining things that I have brought back from my travels... from Madison, WI:

a delphinum plant to replace the oft-mourned cilantro
about 8,000 InterVarsity Press books... each day, there was a free book o' the day--whoo hoo!
flip-flop air fresheners, brownies, root beer, t-shirts, and mugs as souvenirs
bratwurst (soooo yummy)
cheese (also good)

Thank God for expandable luggage and styrofoam coolers.

and from Centennial Olympic Park on the 4th of July:

soggy, soggy clothes

Yup, it rained on us. How rude. It was also depressing to hear them set the fireworks off on the 5th of July. But other than getting soaked, the 4th was good. We had some friends over, and we grilled out. (We grilled hamburgers & hot dogs, not our friends). Those friends included some new folks that I met at my part-time job and just randomly invited over. What a hoot. Their 3rd day in Atlanta, they get invited over to someone's house that they don't know and bond with a bunch of strangers by getting drenched in the rain. (If you wear a GT shirt around me, I'll feel that we have a true connection and I may try to become your friend. Just a warning.) We also pranked one of our friends who is an avid carnivore by telling him that all the dogs and such were tofu. I can tell the caliber of someone by whether or not they are willing to tease a person they just met. Good stuff.

In addition to making new friends, it's been a week down memory lane. On Sunday, we were standing around talking before the service, when in walks someone I haven't seen in 11 years, since he graduated from High School the class before mine. I definitely did a double-take! What are the odds? I know it's dangerous to go to our hometown WalMart, because you're bound to see someone there. But here in Atlanta, I certainly don't expect to bump into folks from New Mexico. Weird.

And then there's MySpace. I expect to see old friends there, but it's still strange to find out they have indeed aged the same amount of years that I have, instead of being in stasis. When did I get old? Don't answer that.

While we're asking questions (I love non-sequitors), here's an interesting article about the evolution of dictionaries. I had no idea that the word "nice" used to be negative... and to think of all the people that I have called nice! It's also interesting to hear that the Scrabble dictionary no longer contains offensive slurs. I applaud that. Although, the quote from the Anti-Defamation League (who the heck is that? I'm afraid to click the link!) was amusing. While there is indeed "no room on the board for prejudice," sometimes all you have is two C's, two R's, an A, a K and an E.

And here's another question: If you addecimate regularly & give traboccantly, are a sacricolist, and aren't paterophobic, does that make up for being an agonyclite? Hmmm... My favorite word in the Phrontistery's collection of lost words was flosculation. The entire site was pretty cool, actually. Although the phrase "International House of Loghorrea" makes me feel a little nauseated.

I love being a nerd.

In Case of Water Landing...

2006-06-30T10:20:00.000-05:00

I've never really flown over a large body of water before, so I don't usually pay attention to the "in case of water landing" instructions. But as I looked down at the enormity of Lake Michigan below, I was thinking, "Crap! I should have paid attention! Umm... something about a seat cushion and a floatation device..."

Luckily, we didn't crash into the lake so it was all a moot point. Still, I paid better attention on the return flight. Just in case.

It was a good trip, and a very nice flight! Midwest Airlines not only has large, leather recliners throughout the entire cabin, but they serve fresh, baked-on-board, warm chocolate chip cookies. Man oh man. I burned my lip on one of the cookies, but it was so worth it!

Leaving the airport, we saw a girl wheeling a large suitcase along... on the front of which was crouched a small boy, having the time of his life. What a funny sight! With his dark green tie-dye shirt, he really did look like a little tree frog.

For today's time wasting options, try this blog, which has several bizarre and amusing things to click on. My favorites: the Amityville Toaster, the Sad Chicken video, and Where the Hell is Matt?

God Bless Al Gore for inventing the internet.

"Player Haters"

2006-06-22T13:20:00.000-05:00

Ah, Cable. I may have to just unplug the stupid TV, if I'm going to get any work done here at all. Oh, well. I got to see Jon Stewart's commentary on the recent Congressional hearings on videogames, and it was a scream. His tagline: "Seriously, the House of Representatives is filled with insane jackasses."

In response to claims that the "M" for "Mature" is too vague (and, as he pointed out, entirely inappropriate to video gamers, ha ha ha), he suggested "D" for "Dropout," "W" for Wastoid," and "CMB" for "Child in Man's Body." Oooooh hooo! That hits close to home for some of us, eh?

Stewart's commentary on Rep. Joseph Pitts (R-Penn.)'s horrifyingly racist babblings was nothing short of genius, and is what led to the brilliant tagline above. It's a shame that the last part of the segment didn't make the webclip. Seeing his colleague, a "PlayStationologist," reporting Live on location from San Andreas... things blowing up in the background, her comments on how the residents of San Andreas felt about the Congressional hearings...

Sheer genius.

I was also amused to read a CNN article about the intelligence of "Daily Show" viewers. Apparently, you really can learn something from watching Comedy Central!

EDIT: You can indeed get the full segment on YouTube. Sweet!

Holy Crap!

2006-06-20T22:00:00.000-05:00

(I like to say Holy Crap. If you don't know what I mean, you really need to go to Homestar Runner...)

Holy Crap it's been forever since I posted! And I don't really have that much to say (do I ever?) except hello from Wisconsin, land of cows and cheese. Moo, indeed.

I think I'll sum up the events of the last month in the fun things I've collected. From New Mexico, I brought back:

1 bag of Valencia peanuts
2 peanut patties (one of which Kennan ate when I wasn't looking)
3 jars of salsa
1 jar of green chile sauce
6 cans of green chiles
a "spoonula" (Wal-Mart has the weirdest kitchen gadgets)...

even though it was Mother's Day and my Mom's birthday, so I had to take a lot of presents with me from Atlanta to New Mexico, I still came home with way more than would fit in my suitcase. Go figure.

Upon my return home, I had my first run-in with a celebrity! John de Lancie came into work, and I was the only one who recognized him as "Q" of Star Trek: The Next Generation fame. Sometimes being a nerd does pay off. From that meeting, I brought home:

a wild story
an invitation to the opera, Tosca, that de Lancie was in town directing
his signature on my program

It was awesome to meet him and accept his invitation to sit at the tech table, 4 seats down from him, in the best seats we'll ever get to have for the opera. It was a beautiful show and we had a fun date night!

We also celebrated our 5 year anniversary at the beginning of the month. Whoo hoo! From that celebration, I got:

a new palm! which is why I can even remember where I've been for the past month
a great trip to Nashville with my best friend
fun times with Chris & Kara
the yummiest candle ever---pineapple, mandarin & ginger

The following couple of weeks flew by in a blur of work, friends, family and our cats. Then came a national holiday here in ChandraLand: my birthday! From that day, I took home:

a belly full of ice cream from the Vermonster we got at Ben & Jerry's and a hamburger & fries from the Fudd
the buckety-tub thing from the Vermonster, which is large enough that I think we'll use it as a spare bedroom
fun memories from seeing several of my favorite people all getting to meet each other/enjoy each other's company
sweet and/or funny cards, beautiful flowers, and a new piece of Tech decor that is the COOLEST THING EVER
Derek, Sandra & MPJ tunes all still floating through my mind from the concert
Derek, Sandra & MPJ tunes for our computer (I'm listening to Throwing Punches in the Dark right now, and it's mah-velous!)
a wireless mouse for my laptop, Football for Dummies (gotta brush up---it's less than 80 days until football season starts!), 2 of my favorite Star Trek novels that I've already devoured (burp. spit out book spine. repeat.), a new puzzle, etc. etc. Lots of good loot.

... and, most importantly, a sense of immense gratitude and joy at the friends and family God has given me. I was so overwhelmed with joy Saturday night that I couldn't really sleep. (I'm sure an unholy amount of sugar and excitement didn't help, either...) I love gifts, it's true, but not just because I'm a materialistic mess. I felt so loved and appreciated that people would spend money, time & effort to show me that they care. I couldn't get over the number of people who drove quite a distance to be a part of my little celebration. I was humbled to have people give me generous hugs and sweet birthday wishes, even when I can be so snarly and stressed out, all too often.

And as I was lying in bed that night, listening to Kennan snooze happily beside me, I was in awe that part of my worship unto the Lord is to love these people, these good gifts, these memories that God has given me. What joy I have in knowing that enjoying these gifts is part of enjoying God. What a God we have to create us in His image and give us the ability to love and care for each other.

It's been a great month. Heck, it's been a great 28 years!

Little by Little Things

2006-05-15T02:15:00.000-05:00

Hola! Saludos de Nuevo Mexico, la Tierra del Enchantment.

Hello! Greetings from New Mexico, the Land of Enchantment. It's been good to be home. Even though Atlanta is now our home, this will always be home, too. It's a muy bonito place, in a very stark way. And it's so, so good to be with family. For those of you who haven't had the privilege of visiting these tierras hermosas, especially our little farming town, here's a primer. Some things that have made me smile:

Discovering that on Saturday, the temperature was actually an unholy 91 degrees Farenheit (sorry, Sam---I don't do degrees Celsius) but I had no idea because there was a brisk breeze and very little humidity...

Eating green chile, and lots of it...

Seeing the sky, and not just a green canopy overhead...

Meeting up with old friends at the (nice, clean!) Wal-Mart, the social hub of the county...

Did I mention eating a lot of green chile?

Waving at people on the road and not having to worry about scaring or offending them (you just wave at everyone because that's what you do!)...

Watching Food TV at my in-laws (okay, that's not unique to New Mexico by any stretch, but it is a perk of coming home since we don't have cable at home, in an effort to actually leave our sofa at times)...

My own rusty attempts at Spanish. I grew up here and still can't speak the language very well. Muy embarazoso!

Seeing the random small-townisms: "Taco Box, taco 'bout good, full of Boxpitality" and "RC Feed & Supply, Bridal Registry Inside..."

Getting about 80 hugs from the sweetest group elderly folks you will ever meet (I think I missed the first half of the worship service trying to get them all in)...

The homegrown newspaper, with interviews with local school children and typos galore...

Buying 3 jars of real, fresh, New Mexican salsa from our favorite restaurant, to bring home and promptly devour...

I could go on and on! It's been a fantastic week, and I'm grateful to be here. But it will also be nice to be back home tomorrow. There are little things there, too, that make me smile:

Having our entire Square Peg Artists collection at my fingertips on our computer (iPod for Christmas? I wouldn't complain)... Listening to Scarce and Appendix A doesn't get old, per se, but I miss Miracle of Forgetting and Love and Thunder, among others...

Getting to promote the Square Pegs at work whenever I can---last week I got to write down some websites for a lady that really liked Jars of Clay but had never heard of Caedmon's Call or any of the Andys (gasp!)...

Watching our plants grow as we count down to eating city bred tomatoes (mmmm, love that acid rain!)

Spending time with our awesome friends who generously hooked me up with plane tickets to see my Mom for Mother's Day, who pooled their resources to help my parents through a rough financial time, who love the Lord immensely, and who are the best, most refreshing kind of crazy, to boot...

Harrassing our crazy cats, who love every minute of it...

Watching the little countdown clock on my desktop that is counting down until football season starts...

Reading aloud, with all the voices, to Kennan after a hard day of work...

Hearing the Word of God preached in a British accent, with that dry British humor...

Knowing that I'm home! ...but I guess that's true wherever I am. How blessed am I.

Las Gracias esten al Dios! Thanks be to God!

Home Improvement

2006-05-08T22:37:00.000-05:00

Our gate has been broken for awhile now. We called and asked about getting it fixed recently, and our landlord said he'd send the handyman in the next couple of weeks. Okay. Sounds good.

Tonight, we heard a neighbor's truck start up, back up, and then we heard a loud CRACK! Oh my.

We opened the front door. I was expecting to see a truck sticking out of the side of the apartment... it wouldn't be the first time, actually. (The last time a truck crashed into my house, I was in High School and it made front page news in our little town.)

When we stepped outside, the neighbor's truck was back in its spot, but we heard the neighbor dropping rather vehement F-bombs. "Yup, I'd say he did back into something," I said to Kennan.

The neighbor, who moved in a couple of weeks ago and we hadn't yet met, came running over, apologizing and cursing profusely. I was hard pressed not to laugh, just because the entire thing seemed rather surreal. I was also grateful that it wasn't me for once! Our neighbor, though, was hopping up and down and was very upset. Apparently, he was in a hurry. And I have to admit that it is a tight squeeze, especially for a large truck.

Kennan examined the gate, and found a medium-sized split in the wood. No biggie. It was easy enough for Kennan to snap it back into place. We chatted with the neighbor a second, asked if he was okay, and helped him back out without hitting anything. Then we discovered a most amazing thing.

Our gate is fixed.

Completely fixed. It doesn't sag anymore, it latches, and it looks just fine.

What a scream! If only all home improvement were so easy.

On a related note, our tomatoes and catnip are flourishing. Yay! I think we'll have to buy a trellis soon. Sadly, our cilantro (NOT for salsa, just for Indian Dal lentils, thank you very much) is being munched upon by some wretched little creature-bug type of thing. I mourn for thee, cilantro! You were so bright, so green, so healthy! Rest in Peace, dear cilantro. Maybe we'll have better luck next time.

Maybe if we get the neighbors to come stomp on the plant, it would miraculously kill the bugs and reanimate the cilantro. Hmmmm...

Not Stupid, Nor Do They Smell Like Poo

2006-05-03T14:15:00.000-05:00

I found this on snopes.com. I have a sudden urge to visit Northern Idaho.

Politics and Religion (oh, my)

2006-05-01T09:22:00.000-05:00

Sam the Brit has asked for my opinion on Cynthia McKinney. Oh, dear. What can I put that won't get me into trouble? What to say about her reckless behavior with both her fists and the people's finances? Or about her love of conspiracy theories and randomly inappropriate questions asked in formal settings? She sure seems fond of accusing people of murder, first accusing Pres. Bush after the Sept. 11th attacks (although I can't find proof that she did, and I did find some websites claiming she never said any such thing... 11 Alive News does make reference to it, and it's ridulous enough that I believe it) and then more recently sparring with FEMA folks over the Hurricane Katrina devastation.

Now, I don't much like Dub-ya (lesser of two evils, I tell you) and I think FEMA did make some mistakes, as well. But my disgruntlement with Cynthia McKinney can be summed up in two words: "ghetto-fabulous." I blame Shirley Franklin, our bling-blingin' mayor. Since when did Tupac become someone to quote as a wise sage of the ages? GRRGHHH. After the incident with the Capitol Hill police officer, Rep. McKinney said that some things never change (referring to racism and prejudice), as "Tupac said." Oh, great. Let's combat the stereotype of a lesser-than black person by being ignorant. It drives me crazy that the Hip Hop culture has become such a revered thing in Atlanta---excuse me, the ATL. Yo.

When intelligent folks (black, white and every shade between) hold up as role models the thugs that like to "slap their ho's" and "smack their bitches," I just don't get it. Yes, there is something special and unique in the Hip Hop culture. No, I don't think a "young brother" should have to be "white" to succeed in the world. But why is it that while a Latino might be able to find the good parts of a rich heritage and blend them into the boring, white bread majority, the usual African-American response is to take the very worst parts of the culture and strap them on like weapons?

Shirley Franklin has made our city into "the ATL" and it drives me nuts. When I was teaching in South DeKalb, at a primarily (okay, all) black school, it was a battle to get the kids to want to learn about Rosa Parks and Martin Luther King. They wanted to hear about Usher and Lil' Kim. African culture was only interesting to them as it applied to what their favorite celebrities were wearing or decorating their million-dollar homes with. I know that other cultures glorify violence, promiscuous sex and drugs, too. I'm aware that I'm speaking in generalities and stereotypes. But it hurt so much to look at an eager, shining face and see there all the promise and possibility of a young life, being stunted by the belief that her highest achievement would be to slink around in the background of a "Yo! MTV Raps" prime-time video. That is why Cynthia McKinney hacks me off, because even though she has made her way in the world of politics, she endorses a style of living that doesn't really appreciate her achievements, except as they further that life style. The large number of successful, graceful, proud black women fades into the background in the spotlight of her antics.

So there you have it, my friend. My political thoughts for the year. I try to stay away because politics in general aggravate me. I think they're all crazy and crooked, just to varying degrees and in their own special ways.

As for religion, I'll delve into controversial subjects therein with much more regularity. While thinking about the importance of Sola Gratia, Sola Fide, and Sola Scriptura, I came across this website, which has really gotten me to thinking. One of the nice things about Reformed theology is that you don't necessarily have to ascribe to every single intricate detail to still be worshiping God in Spirit and in Truth. Unless you're a hyper-Calvinist, in which case not many of us may make it to heaven, anyway, and can we really know for sure until we get there?

I enjoyed reading the website, written by a former obsessive Calvinist who has now converted to Catholicism. I thought he had a lot of good things to say about the battles (both theological and more practical) between Catholics and Protestants. I'm still working out where I stand on certain Reformed theology, and I don't strictly adhere to the basic TULIP model. And the title alone, "Snipping Calvin's Tulip," was good for a chuckle.

At the end of the article, though, I found myself disgruntled by the author's exhortations to pray for "our Calvinistic friends." He says that "Only God can change minds and warm hearts" (ironic, I thought... perhaps he has not rid the lies of Calvin from his soul so thoroughly as he thought) and extends a genuine heart of love for us Protestant folks. It's nice, but it embodies what so many believers, from all denominations alike, get caught up in: trying to convert people to a specific denomination. Instead of reaching out to those not part of God's Holy catholic Church (little c) and loving the world as did Christ, we get caught up in petty squabbles about non-essential matters. It's a brilliant strategy of Satan's and it works quite well.

I'm reminded of Andy Gullahorn's song, "If I Were" where he says:

"No, I'm not the devil but if I was, I'd take God's people and split them up/ to keep their minds off who they're called to be. So they're no longer fighting over living or dead/ it's is it the body or just bread/ while all the unfed die hungry on the street."
copyright 2001 and don't even think about stealing lyrics, etc... visit his website, because I for one don't want him & Jill & the kids to have to live under a bridge and eat grubs from under a rock because they can't afford to make house payments (his joke, not mine). Buy a cd---it's really good!

Wow. I think that sums it up. So there's my controversial religious thought for the day. With more to follow, I'm sure!

Weekend in Review

2006-04-30T20:56:00.000-05:00

What a great weekend we had! The highlights:

A really good time of talking and prayer with Kennan on the drive up to Charlotte, NC... much needed after a pretty lousy week. We've also been re-reading the Anne of Green Gables series together, so that made the drive go quickly.
A fantastic time getting to see our friend THE LARRYNATOR, who does an impression of Animal (from the Muppets) like no other
Getting to see the Andrew Peterson show in Chapel Hill. Highlights from that---

getting to see not only AP but also his multi-talented and zany tour partner, Ben Shive, who played the Super Mario Bros. sound track on the piano (including secret levels and getting the star at the end of the level!) just for grins
hearing a new song (which was quite nice) and seeing the amazing, healthy, brotherly love between AP and Ben as evidenced by the encouraging smile that Ben gave Andy when he was nervous
also getting to see their new partner in (touring) crime, Andy Gullahorn, who brought the house down with "Green Hills Mall"
getting a copy of AP's newest CD, Appendix A: Bootlegs & B-Sides and splurging to get Andy Gullahorn's Room to Breathe
hearing a barbershop quartet (okay, trio) version of "Matthew's Begats" from Behold the Lamb of God
chatting with Andrew after the show, and getting to hear him say "I eat snot" in Swedish
while waiting to see AP, meeting a new friend (hi Angie!), who will be moving to our neck of the woods soon...
EDIT--I forgot this one: When Andrew was leading us in singing along with "Let There Be Light," he said something along the lines of, "I'll sing, 'Let there be light' and then you sing... [big, dramatic pause, and I'm expecting him to say, "Liiiighhhttt..." because that's how it goes, but instead he says...] icckkyy-icckkyy-eyyyyyeeee!"(or something to that effect.) It was very tribal sounding, and the looks on the faces of folks who were trying to see if he was joking or not were too funny.

Touring downtown Charlotte with Larry, imagining that the kitchen of the restaurant we ate in was run by the Swedish Chef (bork bork!)
Another good drive back from Charlotte, with more "irrepressible Anne", and coming home with my best friend to our insane cats
A great, challenging sermon at ChristChurch this morning
Watching Muffin Films with Gordon & Christy tonight after work
Signing off of blogspot in just a minute to read some more with Kennan!

What a great weekend.

Brillant!

2006-04-28T08:35:00.000-05:00

Thanks to Team Redd, I've just found out that our offensive coordinator, Patrick Nix, will now be calling the plays. Hallelujah! No more Chan Gailey on the sidelines getting all purple in the face and making silly decisions. I won't bash Gailey overmuch, because a good friend reminded me that he has feelings, too, unlike Mike Kryschsdkeg (too tired/lazy to look up how to spell it), Duke's Men's BB head coach, who is evil.

But I must say, that I haven't agreed with several key calls over the past season (Reggie throwing towards Calvin in the end zone at the end of the NC State game, instead of giving the ball to PJ and letting him drag the defensive line into the end zone with him... SIGH... that image still haunts me) and so it's a nice addition to a fresh start on a new season... that will begin in exactly 126 days. Yippee! I've installed a countdown clock on my desktop, and it's tantalizing me. Driving past Bobby Dodd Stadium on North Ave is too much. I see hot dogs in the grocery store and I can't handle the suspense.

HOW LONG UNTIL FOOTBALL SEASON STARTS?!?

Oh. Right. 126 days, 14 hours, 8 minutes and 36 seconds.

sigh.

Peace Be With You

2006-04-16T20:34:00.000-05:00

He is Risen, my belly is full of peach cobbler ala mode (for the second time today), and all is well. It's been a fantastic day, starting with a sunrise service in a beautiful sanctuary and Hot Krispy Kremes afterward with good friends. That was followed by some cooking, a late morning service, and a ham (it's great to be freed from the Law), green bean casserole & scalloped potato lunch, with more good friends. Then I had a long, deep nap on the couch (I'm told I was snoring), and woke to an interesting conversation between Kennan and our good friend Aaron about vectors (don't laugh!) and acceleration, which transitioned to discussing our faith in light of today's celebration of the Resurrection, the new release of the "Gospel" of Judas (bah), and human nature. Follow that up with dinner, more cobbler, and some calls to family and friends, and life doesn't get much better than that.

Life has been crazy lately (hence my ridiculous absence from our blog!), but good. I've been working a lot of hours at my part-time job, and Kennan is still chugging away at his PhD in concrete. The cats are as crazy as ever, and shedding to boot. Spring in Atlanta has finally sprung, and we're in that peaceful two weeks where it's still not too humid (by Georgia standards, anyway), the mosquitoes are not yet out in force, and the A/C is still not really necessary.

I'm trying to not fret about the coming summer months... my mother is fairly certain that I'll catch West Nile disease one of these summers, and I'm not looking forward to having my forehead dotted with mosquito bite bumps. The mosquitoes in Georgia are mean. I'm fairly certain they have organized labor unions. While we were cleaning out the patio yesterday I found lots of small round things that most people would claim are acorn caps, but I know better. They're little hard hats, and I'm keeping an eye out for tiny picket signs hidden in the bushes bearing slogans like, "Hell No, We Won't Go!" and "Insects Are People, Too!" in Mosquitoese.

Oh, you scoff now... but wait until they start getting into politics. See, they've already invaded our advertizing (look carefully at TV commercials and you'll see them), they're working their way into the business world (those smudges that you thought were caused by a toner problem with the copier? Mosquito Mob hits), and once they control the House and the Senate...

But for today, it's Springtime in Atlanta, the pollen count isn't too high (more on that conspiracy later), and the results from my Mom's lymph node surgery came back negative---a huge victory in her fight with breast cancer.

Jesus is Risen, my faith is not in vain, and I'm surrounded by loved ones and creature comforts. And on the days when doubt assails me, I feel bereft and alone, and not very comforable, I trust that He is with me still.

Peace be with you... and also with you!
Amen.

Mass Hysteria

2006-04-01T09:09:00.000-05:00

Aliens Have Landed and Signed Record Deal with DeathRow Records! Talking Goat Astounds Media with Endtime Prophecies! Woman Gives Birth to Twin Frogs! There's a spider on your shirt. New Miracle Pickle Face Lotion Brings Back Woman from the Dead! Your shoe is untied. Bigfoot Joins Army! Loch Ness Monster Mediates Peace between Angry Mob and Michael Jackson! There's a booger in your nose. Tabloid Accidentally Reports True Story!

Happy April Fools' Day with love from us & the Enquirer.

Controversial Thoughts

2006-03-29T00:42:00.000-05:00

I'm sitting here feeling weepy and tired, and I should just go to bed. I shouldn't have gotten on the computer to begin with, since the muffins finished baking quite awhile ago and I have a sweet, snoozing husband from whom it will take at least 5 minutes to wrestle away my half of the covers.

But I checked email (I think I had vague intentions of getting work done), which then lead to checking MySpace messages, which lead to reading up on old friends, some of whom I haven't seen in years. I'm teary-eyed because I just finished reading one blog entry about getting dumped. It was beautiful, sad, articulate and vulnerable. And it was written by a gay man, which makes me wince. I'm not comfortable with homosexuality. So my tears are both for him and for me.

When did I stop remembering that our LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgendered) friends have feelings? I think I've been laboring under a false assumption that stems both from my prejudices as well as the flamboyant gay culture. So much of the airs & attitudes of a stereotypical gay man are so far from real feelings. They're exaggerated, over-the-top; a well rehearsed musical production.

But to be so poignantly reminded that it hurts to lose someone you love, even though (I won't pull punches here) I don't think it's a healthly sort of love...

I feel disgusted with myself to realize that in holding fast to my religious beliefs about one thing, I've in so many ways missed the larger picture. I won't condone or accept homosexuality as a healthy lifestyle, and I don't think God does, either. If that makes me intolerant, then so be it. But, somewhere along the way between when I first discovered the saving love of Christ and where I am now, I've let being intolerant translate into being unloving. Some would argue that they are one in the same, but I'm not getting swept up into that discussion just yet. I can't lose this thought, because it's too important:

Love and intolerance can co-exist.

It looks ridiculous, and it sounds even worse. But I truly believe that love is a choice, an action, a decision. For some circumstances and with some people, that choice comes more easily. With my husband and my family, I can't help but feel love for them. But how often do I choose to actively love them, with Christ's love? It's tough to overcome my selfish nature and think of them first. And if it's hard to actively love them, it's damn near impossible to love those that irk me, that don't share my beliefs, convictions and values, that find me intolerant, that make me uncomfortable.

But even if it's true that love is a choice we make to verify the emotion we feel, where on earth would intolerance come in? Shouldn't we love people the way they are? Who are we to say what is best for them?

Well, now we've come down to it, haven't we. Judging. Being judgemental. Who am I to say that homosexual love isn't healthy? It's a shocking, hate-filled statement, especially in this day and age. But where do we draw the line? The Bible, this crazy, radical, controversial book that I cling to, has verses that I interpret to say that lots of actions aren't pleasing to God. Homosexuality is one of them. But so is not loving your neighbor, and in fact, when Jesus was asked to distill the commandments down, loving God (with all your heart, soul, mind and strength) and loving your neighbor as yourself made the cut. When Jesus answered, he never mentioned sexual orientation, political beliefs, views on communion and baptism, or eating habits (just to name a few of the many controversies that tear people apart).

Those two things, loving God and loving others, are the guiding principles by which I must apply everything else that Jesus said. And while I've tried to love and honor God by striving to uphold holy standards, I've forgotten to love my neighbor. All the way from the next-door neighbors here in Atlanta, to people that I once knew, now on the other side of the country. Somehow, it's fairly easy to find a "neighbor" in India that I can love, financially support and pray for. But I've missed people in the middle. NIMBY (not in my backyard) takes on a whole new and ugly meaning.

So where does that leave me? How can I be both loving and intolerant? The phrase "love the sinner but hate the sin" pops into my mind, but it seems indifferent and cruel, as though our sins aren't a part of us. We are born into this fallen world, and we live with the scars of our choices. It's an especially vile phrase when I stop to think that LGBT folks see their sexual orientation as their identity, not as a problem. And again, who am I to say differently?

If anyone is still with me at this point, and hasn't already hit the comment button to either: 1) blast me for my hate-speech, or 2) criticize me for my lack of Biblical knowledge, then I beg you to stick with me for just a few sentences longer (after which, you are of course welcome to have at it. I won't even turn on the comment moderation).

What I would like to say is this---I'm sorry. I'm sorry for all the times I've judged you (even if I don't really know you, and perhaps all the more because I don't) and others for lifestyle, behavior, choices, decisions, etc. But beyond my prejudice is a love for people that wants them to know the peace of Jesus I've found. Yes, it sounds preachy and churchy even in my ears. Sorry. But I can't think of any other way to put it. The point is not whether you're gay or straight, Republican or Democrat, Catholic or Protestant, a vegetarian or a carnivore. (har har.)

The point is, I believe in the Messiah, Jesus of Nazareth, who came to earth fully human & fully divine, who lived a holy life, was crucified, died and was raised to life by God the Father. I love Him. I cling to Him and His words and promises. And what He taught, that I so often forget, is that it's not my job to judge or condemn. We've all got problems with anger, with hate, with loneliness & despair, with that haunting feeling in the middle of the night that we can't do this thing called life on our own.

It is my job to proclaim (with boldness---ack!) that God is here, He's active and present, and He wants us to know Him. I believe what the Bible says because I can't help it. The Bible often makes me uncomfortable. I don't like some of what I read. I don't get this God who seems loving one minute and cruel the next. But I trust that He's real... and believing in a God that challenges me and makes life challenging is so much better than the alternative. God isn't "easy" to love, but the alternative is to love a big, fat Nothing.

At an AIDS awareness/benefit concert we went to in Chattanooga I was privileged to hear the story of one couple who cared for their gay son for 15 months while he grew weaker and weaker. They're Southern Baptists. Wow. I don't know what they said to him. I don't know what conversations they might have had with him. But I do know that they loved him. They chose to come down to Atlanta from Chattanooga and care for their dying son. They chose to be involved in his life, to get to know his gay friends. They chose to not get so caught up in saying "Thou shalt not" and chose instead to focus on saying, "We love you."

Why do I cry for an old friend whose boyfriend dumped him? Because he's hurting. Because I want more for him. Because I haven't been there for him, and wouldn't know what to do if I tried. I don't want to argue about right and wrong. I want to love my friend, in word, thought & deed. Perhaps if we as Christians spent more time talking about Jesus, and less about people and their problems, our love would be less often just an emotion.

To wrap this up, I'll use a concept (i.e. cop-out) from one of my favorite artists regarding where I get my ideas from:

"...because i can't afford to pay/ for most of what i say/ so it's a lucky thing/ that the truth's public domain... and i am like a mockingbird/ i've got no new song to sing/ and I am like an amplifier/ i just tell you what i've heard/ oh, i'm like a mockingbird..."

copyright 2005 Derek Webb... and no, I don't know what his thoughts on homosexuality are, but I do know that he loves people actively, so that's good enough for me!

I hope I haven't hurt anyone with my controversial thoughts. I hope you can accept my apology. And I hope and pray that God will grant me the grace to learn more each day about how best to love Him and others. Amen.

A Trip Down Memory Lane

2006-03-22T00:18:00.000-05:00

Hello from Chicago!

InterVarsity training is going super and I'm learning a lot. Including the existence of a fantastic website which hosts the "WayBackMachine," a spooky, hilarious bit of technology.

I was discussing with one of my new friends (Hi, Jason!) how blogs are international, and there for all to see. He mentioned that they are also there for all eternity. Strange concept, given the fluid nature of the internet. He pontificated. No, as he has now pointed out to me, my artistic license goes too far. Fine then. He SAID (bor-ing) that this fantastic machine can show all the variations of any given website, from beginning to end.

I typed in our old church website. Sigh. Oh, its humble beginnings. From 4 pages beginning on March 2, 2001; to 10 pages; then 11; then back to 4 on its final day of March 6, 2005. Those four years of the website (almost to the day) are nothing compared to almost 100 years of the church's rich history. It makes me sad. It's a bit like a funeral service, I guess. I have to grieve and move on. But like pictures on a fireplace mantel of a departed loved one, it's sweet to know I can still see the old website in all its glory (har har).

I guess the challenge is to realize that was then, and this is now. The fact that the website is now gone from all but a little electronic time machine is a poignant reminder that there's no point in trying to dig up and give CPR to the old church. It's painful to look at a picture and say goodbye, but it's both painful and gross to try to exhume the body. I have to celebrate what was and move on in good faith of what God is doing now, and what He will do in the future.

Kennan says I am alarmingly transparent on this blog. I suppose he's right, but I can't seem to help myself. But oh, the drafts that will never get posted! I do have some sense of shame, after all. And yes, I tend to take some amount of artistic license but I'm trying to curb that. As I was saying during my tea with Queen Elizabeth just the other day, "Now Liz, there's no point in making crap up. Life is far too interesting to mess it all up by being overimaginative."

She chuckled heartily at my boundless wit and offered me another crumpet. As do most of the famous folks I spend time with!

A Little Irish Poetry

2006-03-17T15:57:00.000-05:00

Since my freshman poetry class at Emory, I have been a huge fan of Seamus Heaney. Not only does this Nobel Laureate have a beautiful way of concisely conveying the most profound emotions without the baggage of sentimentality, he deftly captures the historical, political and social complexity of Ireland. Often he employs the bog as a metaphor for Irish history ancient and recent. In this metaphor, the bog is a palimpcest that contains marks of each distinct era of Irishness layered in its depths. (note: As a background for the following poem, it is of interest to know that several Catholic girls were tarred and chained to railings in public places as punishment for dating British soldiers.)

Punishment

I can feel the tug
of the halter at the nape
of her neck, the wind
on her naked front.

It blows her nipples
to amber beads,
it shakes the frail rigging
of her ribs.

I can see her drowned
body in the bog,
the weighing stone,
the floating rods and boughs.

Under which at first
she was a barked sapling
that is dug up
oak-bone, brain-firkin:

her shaved head
like a stubble of black corn,
her blindfold a soiled bandage,
her noose a ring

to store
the memories of love.
Little adultress,
before they punished you

you were flaxen-haired,
undernourished, and your
tar-black face was beautiful.
My poor scapegoat,

I almost love you
but would have cast, I know,
the stones of silence.
I am the artful voyeur

of your brain's exposed
and darkened combs,
your muscles' webbing
and all your numbered bones:

I who have stood dumb
when your betraying sisters,
cauled in tar,
wept by the railings,

who would connive
in civilized outrage
yet understand the exact
and tribal, intimate revenge.

Seamus Heaney

This and other Heaney poems can be found at Poemhunter.com .

Not Just an Excuse to Drink Guinness

2006-03-16T01:39:00.001-05:00

First of all, why would anyone need an excuse? It's just great beer! Enjoy your Guinness responsibly, but here's a bit of St. Patrick's Day that often goes unnoticed. I ran across this as part of a worship song. The whole text and a very interesting history article on St. Patrick can be found here. I'll leave you all with the excerpt I enjoyed the most:

from "St. Patrick's Breast-Plate"

Christ with me, Christ before me,
Christ behind me, Christ within me,
Christ beneath me, Christ above me,
Christ at my right, Christ at my left,
. . .
Christ in the heart of everyone who thinks of me,
Christ in the mouth of everyone who speaks to me,
Christ in every eye that sees me,
Christ in every ear that hears me.

Amen.

Crouching Eye, Leaping Eyebrow

2006-03-15T23:39:00.000-05:00

I can't believe I actually have a post to go with this title! This post is dedicated to our friends Chris & Susan, who came up with that silly phrase amongst much laughter. I figured I'd have to really str-e-t-c-h to make it fit, but...

There is nothing like the shock of an 8 pound, furry missle flying past your head at 7:30 am. This morning, when the alarm went off, it apparently scared Cider, who, as Kennan himself put it, "springboarded off my [Kennan's] face." I'm laughing as I type this, not because I'm heartless, but because it's funny in retrospect. At the time it was pretty startling.

So Kennan now has a long, magenta scratch across his face, starting under his left eye and ending somewhere in his eyebrow. Hence the title. The good news is, it didn't seem to damage the eye permanently, Kennan got to sleep in (to "let it heal," he told me), and I have to say my husband looks pretty hot with pink eyeliner! A bit lopsided, though.

Maybe Newton can finish the job tomorrow morning.
Maybe not.

I'm Supposed to be...

2006-03-08T11:58:00.000-05:00

Scooping the cat box. Ugh.

Gaines's post on the McPassion got me to thinking. I'm fairly certain that McDonald's is the Anti-Christ. But Celine Deon is a close runner-up. And there's always the Postal Service...

Soooo...

I'm curious. Who does everyone else think the Anti-Christ is? And you're not allowed to pick the Pope, China, Dub-ya or Kerry.

That would be too easy.

Weird and Wired

2006-03-06T17:05:00.000-05:00

I was amused to read this article for Wired News discussing a new invention for authors to sign books from afar. Apparently, the author in question, Margaret Atwood, invented a pen that she can manipulate at home, which will then send the data to "two spindly metal arms clutching a pen" that will reproduce her signature and words of wisdom and compassion.

Dear Reader,

Thank you for standing in line for 2 hours to see these spindly metal arms clutching a pen. I also appreciate your devotion to my books and your willingness to pay $25.00 to have them in hardback. I will think of you the entire time I am touring Europe in extravant style.

Love,
The Author

That's what I would sign, anyway, if I were a famous author! Or a famous athlete, as the invention is already signing hockey sticks, and the company is working on basketballs.

Dear Sports Fan,

It's cool that you are shelling out 75 bucks to see me act like the big, nasty NBA star that I am. I also appreciate that you bought my jersey for an ungodly amount of money, and you're definitely a bad-ass for leaving the tags on so that everyone can see it's not a fake. Enjoy this personally signed, licensed basketball--I'm off to make sure that my size 19, $600 sneakers are polished and ready for the game.

Love,
A. Thug

Hee hee hee. It's not that the invention itself is so ridiculous (and I guess it comes with a video uplink so the author can tell people hello), it's just the idea of the applications, that people will no doubt come up with for it, that makes me laugh.

It sure would make the idea of an electronic signature a little less silly, though.

Love,
Me

Never Tickle Sleeping Dragons

2006-03-02T13:06:00.000-05:00

For Valentine's Day, copies of "Fantastic Beasts & Where to Find Them" and "Quiddich Through the Ages" were brought by owl post to our house. They are not only very good reference books, they're hilarious.

In Dumbledore's forward to "Fantastic Beasts," he assures the muggle population that the creatures depicted in the book are merely imaginary... and then for the Wizarding world's benefit, declares:

Draco dormiens nunquam titillandus.

Kennan and I remembered that Draco is "dragon" or "serpent" (a definite commentary on the character of the same name) and properly guessed that dormiens would be something about sleeping (from the word "dormant"). I found nunquam after a bit of internet searching, but titillandus took quite a while to discover. It's funny to imagine serious looking ancient Romans, in togas, having conversations that would involve use of the word "tickle." Ah, the way we've romanticized the past.

I also came across something else Latin and bizarre while looking for the aforementioned Valentine's Day present. "Harrius Potter et Philosophi Lapis"--- a complete Latin translation of the first book. It's wild. You can also get it in Ancient Greek. I've been wanting to learn Greek for awhile now, to be able to read the New Testament in the original Greek (and I guess I need to learn Hebrew, too). So here's just one more, though not as important, reason to do so!

The things you can find on the internet these days. What's next? Random people writing about their lives for the world to read? Surely not. As Margaret Thatcher once said long ago, regarding the possibility of a female Prime Minister (paraphrased): "It will never happen in my lifetime."

Nunquam narro nunquam.
Never say never!

The Emerging Church, second installment

2006-02-27T10:42:00.000-05:00

Don Miller has summed up my mistrust of the Emerging church movement in just one paragraph. One paragraph. Blue Like Jazz is brilliant--and I say this not only to fulfill the copyright limitations (this is my review), but also because I really think it's true. Donald Miller's work is full of "zingers;" that is, powerful statements that bring about not just emotion (extreme amusement, conviction, shock, etc.) but also cause the reader to think. In talking about discussing the "postmodern church" (whatever that is, and honestly, I don't think it's possible, but that's another post entirely) with one of his friends, Don Miller addresses the idea of being "culturally relevant:"

"I don't think any church has ever been relevant to culture, to the human struggle, unless it believed in Jesus and the power of His gospel. If the supposed new church believes in trendy music and cool Web pages, then it is not relevant to culture either. It is just another tool of Satan to get people to be passionate about nothing." (emphasis added)

Wow. "Passionate about nothing." That really sums it all up. It's sad to see folks that are intelligent, articulate people turn into Emot-ombies (hee hee-I just made that up): a group of believers that become mindless zombies--who are yet curiously animated because they are so caught up in the emotion of it all. It's quite a paradox, and it makes me sad. The whole world is passionate about nothing, quite a bit of ever-changing, flashy, amazing nothing. That nothing comes in different packages (sex, power, money, etc.), but it all comes back to a quick-fix to fill the emptiness inside. A church that is obsessed with being "hip" and "with it" just offers one more flashy package, wrapped up in a pretty gift bag of self-centeredness. With a big fat destructive-behavior bow. But now I think I've carried this analogy too far. Oh, well.

Instead of rejecting the old-school, modernist, 1960's look (I didn't like the carpet, either, but that's just not the point!), how about we reject the world instead? No, not the people, but the false values of pride, selfishness, individualism, etc. that Jesus rejected. Jesus never got on to the Pharisees by condemning their obedience to the Law. He was angry because of their obsession with the Law, and their rejection of the One who could fulfill the Law. Likewise, I don't think His frustration of a more traditional church would be with rituals, but rather with instances of relying on those traditions, clinging to those rituals, and forgetting what they forshadow. It is imperative that we focus on Christ, and embrace the tools (such as communion) He has given us as ways to remember Him, not as ways to access Him. The answer to moving a church out of a rut is not moving out the hymnals. It is in returning the focus to Christ and His mission and methods. Christ came to love and to heal, and He chose to build up, love, and teach His disciples to do so.

It seems that too many people want to bring in new, shiny ideas and methods and call it good enough. Why reject the old merely for the sake of the new? That's not what Jesus did. He showed the good Law of God perfected in His person. He taught that the Law no longer condemned the believer, not because it was bad or worthless, but because it was fulfilled. Obviously, the analogy breaks down pretty quickly, but my point remains that just because a church sings hymns or doesn't dim the lights for worship doesn't mean that it's a bad, outdated, or useless church. And just because a church has rockin' praise choruses and several flavors of coffee to offer doesn't mean that it's better equipped to fulfill the Great Comission.

It's sad that so many people no longer appreciate the feel of holding a hymnal while worshiping the Lord. There is something so beautiful and sacred (oh! heaven forbid!) about holding a book full of songs (that the saints of old wrote and sung) and knowing that someone of the previous generation of believers (who built the very church one is standing in) held that very same book before. And before anyone even starts about how "the church is not a building; it's a group of people, blah, blah, blah..." I know that, and when I say that they built the church, I mean it. The very people that chose red carpet and pink stained glass windows were the ones that put up the timbers and brought in the people with love and kindness.

That is the answer: bring in people with love and kindness. Sure, offer coffee, update the look, whatever. But those things should be mere icing on the cake. If, at the end of the service, all that people are left with is the sludge at the bottom of their cup, that's just as bad as if they only heard a bunch of meaningless "thees" & "thous."

Breaking the Silence (again), literally!

2006-02-25T22:45:00.000-05:00

Thanks to Team Redd, I have been inspired quite a few times now! I love it when I don't have to think. Here's my leg of the musical baton race, finally completed:

Amount of music on your computer?
9.79 GB! iTunes rocks.

Currently listening to?
Besides the music in my head? The second Indelible Grace cd

Five songs that mean a lot to you?
Wow. This is tough!
Ummm...

"Just As I Am" by Andrew Peterson (see a previous post to find out why)

"It is Well" (that's a hymn, so I'm going to cheat and do another one)

"Crush" by Dave Matthews Band (I listened to this a lot when Kennan was in Atlanta and I was still back in NM during our engagement)

"China" by Tori Amos (hey, a girl's gotta have some angst in her formative years, and I choreographed a dance to it in college, so that's a sweet memory)

"Sweep Me Away" by Matthew Perryman Jones (Matthew Perryman Jones really "hits me where I live")

"Spare Change" by Eric Peters (it's even better live!)

Top five albums?
MPJ, Nowhere Else But Here

Indelible Grace Music, Indelible Grace II

Andrew Peterson, Behold the Lamb of God

Randall Goodgame, War and Peace

Pearl Jam, Vs. (I can hear Gaines shuddering from here)

Last album bought?
Eric Peters' new release, Scarce. It should be here sometime next week or so. Whoo hoo!

Recent discoveries?
I have recently discovered the quirky and talented Mr. Eric Peters (and I've also discovered the fact that I'm rapidly approaching middle age, but we won't discuss that...)

I guess I can pass the baton on to Patricia, since she followed directions last time (well, as much as she ever does, ha ha) and Daniel, because he's the last friend to nag me about not posting more often.

NINJANEERS!

2006-02-09T23:23:00.000-05:00

Our friend Daniel just informed me that I'm married to a "Georgia Tech Ninjaneer."

Definition: n. (nin-juh-neer') A totally sweet engineer.

That's awesome. I can't top that, so I'll leave it there!

hee hee

Four Things... to break the silence, finally!

2006-01-31T11:17:00.000-05:00

I've been tagged... and then nagged. hee hee

Four Jobs I've had:
disgruntled slinger of hamburgers and burritos (they don't call it "fast" food for nothin'!)
babysitter for 3 year-olds (at a daycare center)
babysitter for 3rd graders (as an elementary school teacher)
gruntled slinger of shiny things (ah, retail)

Four Movies I could watch over and over (series is one entry):
Aladdin "Can I call you 'Al'? Or maybe just 'Din'?"
The Princess Bride "Anybody want a peanut?"
Father of the Bride "Thees ees what I sugjoost..."
Clue "This is war, Peacock! Casualties are inevitable! You can't make an omelette without breaking some eggs, every cook will tell you that!".... "But look what happened to the cook! Gack!"

Four Books I could read over and over again (a series is one entry, blah blah blah):
The Bible (I put this not to be a holier-than-thou jerk, but because I've just discovered the fun of reading the gospels out loud, giving the characters voices, using sound effects if needed, etc. It's sacrelicious.)
Where the Red Fern Grows (If I need a good cry)
The President's Daughter (Juvenile, but interesting)
Q-in-Law (Yes, it's a Star Trek book... yes, I'm a nerd... yes, I'm okay with that)

Four Places I have lived:
Portales, New Mexico
Atlanta, Georgia
Los Alamos, New Mexico
with your mom

Four TV shows I watch:
Well, we honestly don't watch much, but if we do...
Numbers
Threshold (which got cancelled, grrr!)
Yes, Dear
The Simpsons

Four Places I have been on vacation:
Ruidoso, New Mexico
Seattle, Washington
Washington, DC
your mom's house

Four Websites I visit daily:
www.gmail.com
www.hotmail.com
www.google.com
www.yourmom.com (which, alarmingly enough, probably does exist)

Four Favorite foods:

ice cream, pretty much any flavor

Thai food and Chinese dumplings

most things at Cracker Barrel

green chile

Four Places I’d like to be right now:

Seattle, on a second honeymoon

New Mexico, eating green chile

Thailand, meeting my birth-family

a craft supply store, with a gift certificate for a million dollars

Four Bloggers I’m tagging:

Have Jamil & Patricia been tagged (that counts as two)?

If Sarah or Amin ever stop by here again, then that’s my other two…

Four Things

2006-01-26T14:42:00.000-05:00

I guess I'm tagged. Here goes nothing

Four jobs I've had:
Jack-of-all-Trades at a Lutheran Mission
Theology School Library Assistant
ENRON summer help (not a joke)
Research Assistant Studying Ultra-High Performance Concrete

Four movies I could watch over and over (series is one entry):
UHF
So I Married An Axe Murderer
The Lord of the Rings (all three extended versions)
The Princess Bride

Four books I could read over and over (Again, a whole series counts as one, excluding the Bible):
C.S. Lewis's Chronicles of Narnia ( all 7)
Susan Cooper's The Dark Is Rising (all 5)
Lloyd Alexander's The Chronicles of Prydain (all 5)
J.R.R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings (all 3)

Four places I have lived:
McIntosh, SD
Portales, NM
Atlanta, GA
Los Alamos, NM (my toenails still glow in the dark)

Four TV shows I watch:
Nope

Four places I have been on vacation:
Seattle, WA (Chandra and my honeymoon)
Washington, D.C.
Hiawassee, GA
Disney World

Four websites I visit daily:
www.nytimes.com
www.google.com
I guess that's about it.

Four favorite foods:
Sushi
Thai food
Steak
Lebanese food

Four places I'd like to be right now:
Walking across a graduation stage
The Jemez Mountains of NM
New York City
Europe

Four bloggers I'm tagging:
I don't think I know four bloggers who haven't already been tagged.

fOOtbaLL!

2006-01-06T12:52:00.000-05:00

Well my Christmas list didn't exactly get answered. As our friend Tim says, it's a shame we didn't get a bowl bid this year. I deny all knowledge that GT ever went to the Emerald Bowl. Didn't happen.

And as for Athens, GA, I hear rumor that it still exists. Bah. But, our cats have gotten nicer, which is the one item on the list that I would have thought the least likely. Right now, Cider is perched on my knee, purring, and Newton is perched on a shelf nearby, showing off. I think they're plotting something nefarious. Oh, well. We'll enjoy it while it lasts!

And I got some sleep, although that doesn't seem to have mellowed my bizarre sense of humor much. More fun for you!

So now the college football season is officially over. Sigh. But the national championship game was a doozy! A last minute comeback by Texas to win it all. It was lovely, because I was cheering for Texas, and I really needed to see a team that I was cheering for win. With just over a minute left and USC ahead, I could have switched sides (and I did seriously consider it; I'll admit it), but I didn't... and it paid off. Hook 'em Horns!

The funniest part was one of the interviews afterward. This rotten hussy of a sports reporter was asking Matt Leinart (USC's QB) some questions that basically came to, "So, you poor schmuck, what does it feel like to finally lose?" The poor guy was trying to to be nice, but still stand up for his team and get away from her. Maybe she realized, or maybe the boys upstairs were buzzing her earpiece and telling her to be nice, but for whatever reason, she decided to wrap up her interview by saying, "Good game and nice try anyway." But, instead of saying "Matt," she called him "Vince", which is the name of Texas' QB. Wow. That's insult to injury.

I also had a funny email from our friend Kianoush that had this link to an article about football in it. Apparently, European football is more exciting because of the upset factor. Basically, the underdog is more likely to be able to pull off a win in soccer than in American football. It's more exciting because you never know what will happen.

While that may be true for the majority of teams, they obviously didn't take Georgia Tech into account! Hee hee hee (sigh)... we never know which team will show up: the one that beat Miami and Auburn, or the one that lost to NC State and Virginia Tech. (Again, I disavow all knowledge of us being in a bowl game.) Yup, GT football sure is exciting, but it can be painful, too. And that's what my unbiased, well-documented research has revealed.

Happy RamaHannuKwansMas

2005-12-27T03:37:00.000-05:00

hee hee hee hee. My friend Jennifer used that phrase the other day and it really (as my mother would say) tickled me. So! Merry Christmas to our friends and family that read our blog! Sorry to have been away for so long (I'm sure you're all broken up about it, seeing as how everyone else is also miserably busy right before Christmas, and judging by the lack of comments to our blog as of late), especially after ending on such a negative note. I'm still wondering if anyone has anything to share on that topic...

I've published the "Reason for the Season" post even though I started it on the 7th of December, the link to the Washington Post article doesn't even work anymore, and I wasn't entirely coherent when I wrote it. Our list of posts is starting to get cluttered with stupid drafts so I figured I'd give that post a go anyway, just to be able to cross one more thing off the list. Sorry if it doesn't make much sense... it's more stream-of-conscienceness than usual... perhaps even "puddle-of-conscienceness," as Kennan likes to say. Feel free to hack it to bits, at least mentally, if not also by commenting . I'll probably agree more with you than I will with me, anyway.

I think I'll take a cue from Gaines and do a quick update now and then expound and expand more later. Things have been good, and I'm glad not only to be home with family, but also glad to not be in the car anymore! The 22 hour trip home to New Mexico is a doozy. And Texas NEVER ENDS. Bleghthh.

We saw Narnia before we left Atlanta and I cried quite heartily. I hurt for Jesus, and was so grateful, in a way that I think I may never have felt before. Allegory is a powerful thing, and even the dank basement of Hollywood cannot dim the power of the gospel that shines through C.S. Lewis' story.

I've also starting working retail. I'm grateful for the money... and I like my coworkers... but boy is the stuff shiny and rather overpriced. There are only so many times that you can gush about a sparkly Christmas tree ornament or a be-jeweled cheese knife before you start to doubt your sanity. There will defintely be more of My Life as a Salesperson later!

Christmas was nice, and the weather here is goofy. I'm not complaining, but there is something rather odd about 70 degree weather on Christmas day. Caroling the night before helped, and it did get chilly Christmas Eve, but by late Christmas morning, the weather had returned to being ridiculously and wonderfully warm. I enjoyed taking the tramway up to Sandia Peak today and hiking in the snow. Wow, was it cold up on the summit! The winds at 10,000 feet will definitely make a body grateful for the warm weather below.

It was also fun to relive memories since that is where the best boyfriend ever became the best fiancee ever, who is now, 5 1/2 years later, the best husband ever (for just over 4 1/2 years now). That story is pretty funny and sweet and is definitely a post all its own!

It's 3:30 am. Good grief! Despite the fact that everyone else was able to crash out as soon as we got home, I couldn't sleep... I'm feeling pretty sleepy now, though. It just hit me. So I think I'll say goodnight and have a very Merry New Year!