I’LL HAVE A BLOODY MARY, A STEAK SANDWICH AAAND A STEAK SANDWICH
Easier than writing lots of individual emailsNEW APPROACH TO THIS POST
Ok, so, let’s be honest…I dropped off the face of the earth when it comes to this blog.
Here a few reasons: time (lack of it), facebook is more convenient, I’m integrating Twitter.
(pause)
I don’t have a ton of time for this post, but I’m going to try something new… the rest of this post will be taken from my status updates on Facebook. If we’re friends on Facebook, then chances are ood that you’ve already seen these. Buuut, since my blog also serves as a ‘yearbook’ of some of my life, I’m using updates here to keep that concept going… facebook cuts off the ends of some (the older the posts get).
Here goes…
June 20 at 11:19am Sam Neylan the REAL-TORE, is pleased to announce the birth of Jacob Grayden Smith (6lbs, 12 oz), born at 9:59am. Total labor: 8hr & 6 minutes. 🙂 🙂 The meet/greet at Holy Cross will be available when Greg says so, so please wait for an update.
June 22 at 9:33am Sam Neylan the REAL-TORE, just watched this clip of people ‘paying it forward’. A friend of mine has a cousin in this piece. Wow. It’s so refreshing to see people’s kindness. http://tinyurl.com/mdjots
June 23 at 9:23am Sam Neylan the REAL-TORE, is not a Father, but wants to thank Gunner for his post about fatherhood… whoa… gonna go on a limb and say that maybe everyone should read it? You tell me. http://rawchristianity.wordpress.com/2009/06/21/i-am-a-father/
June 24 at 1:04pm Sam Neylan the REAL-TORE, has a LOCAL market update: a healthy inventory for SCV is between 2-3k homes for sale. As of this week, there are only 780 active listings in SCV (all price ranges). If you’ve been waiting for the ‘bottom’, I think we’re hovering dangerousl
June 24 at 5:36pm Sam Neylan the REAL-TORE just got HOOKED up!! 4 workers, 3 hours, $75=the cleanest her house house has EVER been! If you don’t mind the foreman singing 80s love songs like he means it, lots of cleaning fumes and the cleaning crew being 3 hours late, then she can
June 26 at 12:37am Sam Neylan the REAL-TORE, l-uuu-uu-uu-vs working at Keller Williams VIP Properties. (that’s right, Very Important People Properties’?). Even after an 18 hour work day, her KWVIP reflections yield love! She attended her 1st sales meeting… it opened with the ple
June 26 at 12:22pm Sam Neylan the REAL-TORE, STRONGLY suggests that you give your A/C a test run today…tomorrow is supposed to be blazing in SCV. Find out early if your AC needs service (hard to find repairmen on the weekend). 🙂
June 27 at 10:49pm Sam Neylan the REAL-TORE, just got back from 30 fantastic hours with the Harveys! Highlights include: 1 mini-van road trip with Z & T only (Yes please!!!), 1 Surprise retirement party for Grandpa Harvey (hilarious), 100s of laughs (mostly courtesy of Kristin, Ken,
June 29 at 9:58am Sam Neylan the REAL-TORE, was A-mazed by this ‘Living Photography’ (from the early 1900s, looong before pixel generating software). http://www.oddee.com/item_95004.aspx Google for the whole gallery and closer shots… amazing….
June 30 at 11:19am Sam Neylan the REAL-TORE, is glad to be able to answer your long asked question ‘What is Kent Dresdow doing these days?’. Feast, my friends… http://christusnostrumvita.wordpress.com/
July 1 at 10:33am Sam Neylan the REAL-TORE, would like a FB option that says ‘Sam Neylan acknowledges this’. The ‘Likes This’ thumbs up is somewhat limiting. Yes. A flat hand that says ‘Sam Neylan acknowledges this’ would be appropriately comparable to the real life head nod accompan
July 4 at 9:56am ·Sam Neylan the REAL-TORE, just went to Kevin Mather’s blog. He’s a Copperhill Community Church guy and a TMC grad who was cycling with a group of guys and was hit by a car and is in critical condition. Please visit his blog (for what happened and upda…tes), pray for him, comment if you feel inclined. He’s married too, so please pray for her too. http://kevinsrecovery.com/blog/
July 5 at 10:16pm Sam Neylan the REAL-TORE’s Sunday highlights: cool new communion style @church, lunch w/Wendy Simpson (love her!), Yogurberry, attended her 1st ever WNBA game at Staples with Holly & roomie A (FYI-the Sparks ladies foul alot), talking to Staples usher who will also
July 7 at 9:31am Sam Neylan the REAL-TORE, just had a FANTASTIC customer service experience (once she got to upper management)! Conclusion: all charges refunded on the credit card. And, bonus: her blood pressure never spiked and she did not sin in the process. 🙂 Baby steps.
July 9 at 1:19am Sam Neylan the REAL-TORE, has a new phase: ROBEKS.
July 9 at 9:01am Sam Neylan the REAL-TORE, passing on another well said post from Chuck Hooten. If you are one who likes music, who leads people through music in ANY capacity, who loves God, or who has wondered about those who do, this read is worth the 2-4 minutes. Thanx Chu…ck. http://chuckhooten.wordpress.com/2009/07/09/thoughts-on-a-commonly-used-phrase/
July 10 at 1:01am Sam Neylan the REAL-TORE is wondering if she mentioned how much she loves working at her new brokerage, Keller Williams VIP Properties? Oh. She did mention it? Huh. Ok, well, good to know.
July 11 at 3:16pm Sam Neylan the REAL-TORE, gives yet another reason why the Invisible Children are so cool. Saw this on their blog http://behindthescenes.invisiblechildren.com/post/138214152/i-want-it
July 11 at 4:57pm Sam Neylan the REAL-TORE, recounts a recent conversation with a colleague/rep trying to earn her business. REP: “Sam, do you believe in the law of attraction”. SAM: “No, I would not say that.” REP: “What would you say?” SAM: “I’d say I believe in God’s Sovereignty.
July 12 at 11:03pm Sam Neylan the REAL-TORE’s sabbath rest included: church, helping out a friend for fundraising for son’s MS event, a trip to AT&T with Jonathan (the best customer service rep ever), a pedicure, dinner sitting across from Cesar Millan (you know him and love him, more
July 13 at 8:47am Sam Neylan the REAL-TORE, is now taking your suggestions for your favorite iPhone apps. Specifically for Twitter, Bible, Real Estate, and any of your other favorites that you think Sam needs to have. Please include the app name and why you recommend it please! Br
July 13 at 3:22pm Sam Neylan the REAL-TORE, wants to remind you of the power of one…one who stays committed. Change: one person at a time … http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GA8z7f7a2Pk&feature=related
July 14 at 11:46pm · Sam Neylan the REAL-TORE, just saw a free screening of the movie FOOD, INC. in Pasadena, sponsored by Chipotle. Mostly a good movie (depending on your world view). Probably a movie that everyone should watch and at least discuss.
July 16 at 7:06pm Sam Neylan the REAL-TORE, can’t remember who was wanting the ant killer suggestions? Well, whoever your are, google this mixture: Borax, sugar, water. (ex mix 1 cup warm water with sugar and borax (tablespoons of each: just a little bit more sugar than borax). Pu
July 17 at 11:22am Sam Neylan the REAL-TORE, got a ‘Quotes’ app. Interesting. In flipping through some, it’s amazing how many great quotes are really just eloquently worded lies that perpetuate a Godless worldview. The app has become a game: to filter each quote through the grid of Sc
July 17 at 10:14pm Sam Neylan the REAL-TORE, had waaaay more fun working the registration table (at WDW) than she thought she would. Mostly because it was a mega reunion with SO many cool people that she hadn’t seen in years! Here’s to Saturday’s reg-table reunions (SRTR)!
July 20 at 9:58am Sam Neylan the REAL-TORE, wants to share this recent article about how Kevin’s church has made it known to the onlookers that they’re Christians by their love (for kevin). http://www.the-signal.com/news/article/15712/ And, thanx to Kevin’s chu…rch for using technology to help mobilize all the people who want to/do help during crisis and rehab! Way to not waste Kevin’s accident!
Sam Neylan the REAL-TORE, is listening to Pete Huttlinger’s album ‘Naked Pop’ …MAN he’s good! Check him out http://petehuttlinger.com/ or sample his stuff on iTunes. If you dig some of the best guitar finger work ever, then you’re going to want to be a part of thi
July 21 at 8:40am Sam Neylan the REAL-TORE, is inviting you (all 800 something FB friends) to vote for a burrito creation her friend Wendy created for Chipotle. Wendy and & Sam go way back… they were badminton partners in high school…that about says it all. Wendy is fu…n, hilarious, smart, creative, a mom, a wife and has one of THE best laughs… come on, won’t you give her a quick vote? http://mychipotle.com/#/view_submission/63085
July 22 at 8:35am Sam Neylan the REAL-TORE, just re-read Piper’s post on ‘Why I Tweet’. Whoever you are (and if you exist in this world with all the ever changing technology, which I think you do…if you’re reading this update then I know you do), I encourage you to read it. http://ow.ly/hIAw
July 22 at 5:17pm Sam Neylan the REAL-TORE, totally thinks the iPhone is like an In ‘n Out menu… all their goodness is not advertised on the front marquis. You have to know someone and get tipped off about a fantastic secret menu item that will change your life. Well, the REAL-TO
July 23 at 10:09pm Sam Neylan the REAL-TORE, invites all SCV residents to a garage sale at the Brocks on Saturday (7/25). START TIME 6:30am. GOAL: sell it all! Some items: couch, bedroom set, bakers rack, porch swing, household items (candles, dishes, linens, etc), books, baby crib
July 25 at 6:45pm Sam Neylan the REAL-TORE, would like to thank everyone for coming out to the garage sale today! HUGE success. AND, now a bonus ‘for sale’ item…a neighbor donated a collector’s item that will be sold on Ebay unless there are any takers prior. … Are you interested? A HUGE larger than life sized 3 dimensional Pixar Sulley. See link http://www.nnanime.com/events/0209pixar/029-PixarJDRF.jpg
July 27 at 8:21am Sam Neylan the REAL-TORE, is reminding all potential SCV buyers that the $8k tax credit is only available if you CLOSE escrow BY 12/1/09. As of today, there are only 707 ACTIVE listings on the market in SCV. Pending/Back up listings=1,026. Buy low, sell high. 🙂
July 27 at 6:24pm Sam Neylan the REAL-TORE, is wondering how she is JUST NOW hearing about this website!?!?! There’s a little something for everyone …. http://juststopandthink.com/index.php Thanx to Mike Butler for the website!
July 28 at 1:57pm Sam Neylan the REAL-TORE, is taking up Brad’s Sunday challenge to ATTEMPT to count our recent blessings. Scratching the surface: Docusign, mom (hilarious family, in general), iphone, Keller Williams, Holly, Dinks, Blue Mountain, clients/clients/clients, Horner’s Bib
July 29 at 12:20pm Sam Neylan the REAL-TORE, is gut laughing at this … especially if you know Holly . http://failblog.org/2009/07/22/weapon-choice-fail/
July 29 at 3:17pm Sam Neylan the REAL-TORE, usually politically lays low (on-line) cuz there are often too many uninformed & unnecessary opinions shared (hers included). HOWEVER, courtesy of Mike K, this made her laugh out loud http://www.slideshare.net/dpakman/first-pitch-breakdown-1781375
July 31 at 12:05am Sam Neylan the REAL-TORE, had to work so she didn’t get to watch the live SYTYCD results show which is why she DVR’d it…but alas, no need to DVR it since some FBers used their status as spoilers. Can’t we all agree that you have to wait till the next morning befo
July 31 at 6:52pm Sam Neylan the REAL-TORE, laughed HARD (really hard) at lunch when she heard the server repeat Holly’s order back to Holly, “So, ranch dressing, tossed in ranch, with ranch on the side? Is that right?”.
August 2 at 10:40pm Sam Neylan the REAL-TORE, is offering a refresher course on why ‘REAL-TORE’. It’s the proper way to pronounce my profession: REALTOR. There’s no ‘A’ in between REAL and TOR. So, for those who learn phonetically: REAL-TORE. oh, aaaaand, SHARK WEEK!!!!! 🙂
August 3 at 3:11pm Sam Neylan the REAL-TORE, has 4 things on her mind (well, really 438 things, but for brevity’s sake) let’s go with these: 1) the Harvey baby coming ‘any time now’ 2) SHARK week 3) paperwork and lots of it 4) where is her holy writ? Left it in a car after
August 4 at 1:22am Sam Neylan the REAL-TORE, is using Tuesday to celebrate the one year anniversary of Brad’s stroke…or as the Worship Team calls it his ‘Strokeaversary’. God’s incredibly good! Amazing to look back and reflect on all that God has done with Brad’s life and that pes
August 5 at 10:58am Sam Neylan the REAL-TORE, loves Stevie Wonder and loves blind people…so, why is this appropriate? Thanx again, Fail Blog. http://failblog.org/2009/08/02/braille-faille/
August 6 at 12:00am Sam Neylan the REAL-TORE, chooses ‘Great White Appetite’ as her favorite SHARK WEEK show so far. Mostly the opening sequence…unprovoked attack on the filming pontoon out at Guadalupe. Yes please.
August 6 at 10:23am Sam Neylan the REAL-TORE, is posting this link to those wondering how to take advantage of the $8k New Buyer tax credit. http://tinyurl.com/n35jsv
August 6 at 12:16pm Sam Neylan the REAL-TORE, is happy to have just learned that her 1st time buyers that closed escrow on 6/23/09 also mailed in their tax credit paperwork the same day (6/23/09) & they had their $8k tax credit check IN THEIR HANDS on 8/3/09! WOW!!! Regardle…ss of how you feel about the 8k source, it’s good to know that something is happening in a timely manner from a government agency! Congrats new homeowners!
August 7 at 11:05pm Sam Neylan the REAL-TORE, ‘s fall roommate had a change of life plans. So, Sam, now has a room for rent (ad on Craigslist or this link http://tinyurl.com/m4swjk )
August 10 at 9:33am Sam Neylan the REAL-TORE, is looking for connections for any Korean churches in the Hollywood/West Hollywood areas. Some clients will be relocating from Korea and want to find a Bible believing church in that general area. Any suggestions?
August 11 at 2:17pm Sam Neylan the REAL-TORE, proudly announces ‘Samantha Grace Harvey’, born at 1:17pm today 8/11/09!!! 8lbs 6 oz, 20 inches long, 11 days early. Healthy and good. Praise the LORD! Kristin wants a chessgeburger a pizza and a cache of sleep!!! Welcome to the world Samantha Grace!!!!
August 11 at 11:54pm Sam Neylan the REAL-TORE, just did this in the last 7 hours: drove to/from Hanford to meet Samantha Grace Harvey. She’s cute & cute! (It seems Zach will be differentiating the Sams as “Little Sam & Big Sam”). Grown up Sam made the trip… with Johnny Cash and his 4 cd set: The Legend. New favorite Cash song, ‘You Can’t Beat Jesus Christ’. Yes please!!!!
August 12 at 4:18pm Sam Neylan the REAL-TORE, had fun in real estate today! Bought a new property search/management product that we’re probably all going to love (lots of ‘P’s in that sentence)! Will reveal product later! ALSO, she confirmed what the ‘VIP stands for in ‘Keller Williams VIP Properties’: Value, Integrity, Probity! What’s probity, you ask? ‘Adherance to the highest principles and ideas’. and they mean it. Sam hearts KW!!!!!
August 13 at 8:31am Sam Neylan the REAL-TORE, who doesn’t love cats, had this happen to her 2 nights ago: It was dark out, was working on computer with the window open. Left the room. Whilst walking back to the desk, glanced out the window & saw the bold glistening eyes o…f the ‘dennis the menace’ neighborhood cat comfortably perched on the sill, nose to the screen contentedly watching (me) like he was on his own balcony. Sick. A voyeur cat.
August 15 at 12:00pm Sam Neylan the REAL-TORE, admits…it finally happened. Like the first ding on a brand new car, on Tuesday she dropped her iPhone for the 1st time. Well, now that’s out of the way. Check.
August 15 at 10:05pm Sam Neylan the REAL-TORE, about 30 painful minutes in, walked out of a movie tonight (& got her money back). If you’re not into being barraged with constant filth then you are going to want to avoid this particular movie. She was hoping that if she wa…ded through the initial muck, it would redeem itself. It didn’t. She went home & watched the ever worthy, FLETCH. It was like a reunion with a dear friend. It all worked out.
August 17 at 1:34pm Sam Neylan the REAL-TORE, has an urgent request (thank you in advance). Ok, are you or do you know anyone who speaks Korean, knows the west hollywood-ish area & is honest and willing to help a family moving from Korea (translation, etc)? Sam has feelers o…ut, but nothing solid yet. This one is time sensitive. They want the daughter in school by end of August/beginning of September. Anyone? Anyone? Bueller? Thanks!!!!
August 18 at 1:28pm Sam Neylan the REAL-TORE, had a 1st today. Like in the movies. Pumped gas. While waiting for the gas, went in to buy a drink. Had to wait a LONG time cuz cashier was ‘changing shifts’, per the sign. After 7 minutes in line, went back to the car, go…t in & slowly started to drive away (thank God it was slow). Glanced out passenger mirror to clear the post & realized: still had gas nozzle in tank. 1st time. Check. Next.
August 20 at 2:19pm Sam Neylan the REAL-TORE, offers this: remember she told you about Kevin Mather? A cyclist from Copperhill Church that was hit 6.5 weeks ago http://kevinsrecovery.com/blog/ . Well, he & his wife are renting out their SVC condo while they go through rehabil…itation. Check out the CL posting… know anyone? http://losangeles.craigslist.org/sfv/apa/1330184633.html They could use a GREAT renter!
August 22 at 1:07pm Sam Neylan the REAL-TORE’s highlights from 3 days in Hanford: W-swimming w/Z for hours, Th-Mark’s enchilladas AND capturing the 1st pic of Z holding Sammy (like the Loch Ness), F-capturing the 1st pic of Kristin with her THREE children (note Z’s… resistance) AND only throwing up 8 times, S-kept the graham crackers down all night. Many Kudos to the Harveys for surviving! A great family who loves God and each other and others!
August 24 at 12:57am Sam Neylan the REAL-TORE, just saw this fantastic slide show of Samantha Grace …AND, a miracle of miracles, zach is holding her AND kissing her … people, you might want to witness history made http://www.fresephotography.com/sh809/
August 25 at 12:01am Sam Neylan the REAL-TORE, spent almost all day in real estate troubleshooting. Highlights: talking to the CAR attorney (California Association of Realtors), time with branch manager (Sam hearts Keller Williams!), GREAT clients, technology, contracts!
August 27 at 9:28am Sam Neylan the REAL-TORE, always has a zillion projects going. About 20 years ago, she started compiling an anthology of her favorite love songs (& a thesis as to why). It’s not finished (probably won’t ever be), but the other day she was thinking… about adding a song to it & she got to wondering what everyone else’s top selections were. What are your ALL time favorite love songs (any era, any genre)? And if you have time, why?
September 1 at 3:20am Sam Neylan the REAL-TORE just did this in the last 4 days: drove to/from the SF Bay Area, fun/gourmet food w/the Seelye’s, went to the SF Farmer’s market, attended a graveside memorial service for 2 family members, fun w/family (as usual! and a midnit…e jacuzzi debrief), Caspers 2x, saw the great white shark at the Monterey Bay Aquarium, took the coastal 1/101 route back to the LA fires!…oh & laughed a LOT with Holly!
Wed at 9:15am Sam Neylan the REAL-TORE’s mom sent this link http://tinyurl.com/m9gwpj and intro’d it by saying ‘the massachusetts “govt that doesn’t let crises go to waste” for purposes of stealing another liberty from its citizens.’ 🙂 S…am loves having a mom who knows what’s going on in the world…and cares about it…and gets involved.
September 4 Thu at 3:00am Sam Neylan the REAL-TORE, just synced and watched some of the footage from the memorial service last weekend. Some touching stuff. And, some VERY Royal Tenenbaum stuff. MAN, her family is funny (sometimes not meaning to be). She’s thankful to be able t…o be a part of it all and thankful to everyone who came and participated! ALSO, that iPhone takes some pretty outstanding video for being… a PHONE.
September 4 at 5:30pm Sam Neylan the REAL-TORE, just saw Tony Ks profile text and loved it: “Live every week like it’s Shark Week!”
9/4/09 Sam Neylan the REAL-TORE’s mom joined Facebook today. Game on, Mumsy!
9/5/09 Sam Neylan the REAL-TORE, has 2 friends (Rob & Sarah Ikegami) who are taking a month long Jet Blue adventure! She’s trying to find possible contacts for their itinerant cities: Seattle WA, Austin TX, Chicago, Boston, New Orleans, New York. Are you in…/near any of those places? Can they maybe sleep on your couch? Comment and let Sam know? Check out the Ikegami Month ‘O Travel blog http://www.robandsarahgo.blogspot.com
I MISS MY PERSONAL BLOG
I see that the last time I posted was on May 12th, 2009.
Huh.
Today is June 2oth, 2009.
My silence is not from a lack of blog worthy life happenings… nope, I just need a scribe instead of me writing it all down.
I guess there’s a season for everything…and this last season was the one with no time to blog, I suppose.
Well, I guess I will just do bullets… that seems to be my way in almost all things these days. So, in a stream of consciousness format, here goes:
-Bought an Expedit bookcase from ikea (on sale). I’d been wanting to buy it for a couple years and just hadn’t gotten to it. Half off got me to it.
-A cousin’s grad party in Merced. Fun to see family… and my mom! 🙂
-A few days up at the Seelye’s house. Rather, at the construction site. ALWAYS good to see them
-Got 3 deals into escrow (with a couple other clients who got out bid…still searching)
-Barely keeping up with blogs, but trying.
-Joined Twitter… am still feeling my way around, but can see the benefits already! And, a big thanx to Piper and that one mom and her blog. 🙂
-Have had communication (lunch/dinners/facebook, email) with peeps that I miss/dig: Lynda, Ona, Beth, the Chases, Joe, Amy, Kevin, Matt…
-Have taken my car in to the mechanic… a few times… not diggin that. Don’t want to get a new car, but am pondering…
-Coordinated another wedding (or maybe a couple, I can’t remember)
-Have read some good books about New Zealand… have some library charges for overdue books too … it’s a trade off
-My Subway phase firmly ended in April. Though, I now like Salt & Vinegar chips…which i never did before.
-An overnighter with the Harveys… ALWAYS a joy and a pleasure! I miss living together.
-Went to the AVID banquet and marveled as some of our very first ICUers ‘graduated’
-Took a drive after church for a sabbath rest and ended up in quiet and cool places. Mike is a good mellow travel buddy.
-Said goodbye to one of my Icelandic roomies. She’s off to start the next chapter of her life… we’ll miss her
-Got an extension for a speeding ticket…am going to try to get night court…for obvious reasons
-Blogging for ‘Don’t Waste My Cancer’ .wordpress.com
-Went to TMS’ graduation pomp/circumstance in support of daren… had lots of thoughts whilst on the GCC campus
-Got my hair cut/colored . . . didn’t love the end product, but don’t really care either. Too busy to care 🙂
-Said goodbye to a dear friend and worship team member, jeff l. We miss him so much. we sent him off with a ‘Carne Asada’ party. duh.
-Had to cancel a bank account because one of my checks was stolen out of a recipient’s mailbox. BIG drag. Lots of subsequent drama.
-Afternoon/night hangout with Becka and Heidi…SO much fun!!!!!!
-Went to a celebration BBQ for Sarah Jane’s b-day . . . and visited her in the hospital after the birth of her 2nd child 🙂
-Love seeing Peter and Heather M … and met their cool son!
-Talked to my birthday buddy, Kate Spansel! Even though i called the day after our birthdays, it was still so great!
-took part in a series of meetings to be reconciled with someone… God’s cool!
-My camera broke… big bummer for so very many reasons…
-Went to the San Diego Zoo for an afternoon, then dinner with Scott & Mike… mellow.. much needed calm
-LOTS of emails, paperwork, etc for work
-canceled LA Fitness membership… it would be better if i could hire someone to workout FOR me…
-Had my eyebrows done with Valeria … learned that her son has an incurable disease. 😦 much prayer for them to see the hand of God
-Have ‘seen’ lots of pay per view movies (aka: had them playing in the background whilst working): ones i remember are Marley & Me, the Great Outdoors, some Sundance flicks…oh, and saw ‘UP’ in the theatre
-Hung out here and there with the Powells and enjoyed Yogurberry a great deal
-Old school style…. spontaneous errand running with Ona! Like the old days!!
-Changed brokerages. LOVE my new brokerage!!!! Wish i had done it so long ago!!!! It was a lot of work ramping up to it and now have SO much to learn that Keller Williams VIP has to offer!
-Have switched my rings from one hand to the other and back again
-cool conversations with Brad and others…
-Work related cocktail parties
-welcomed David back to SCV!!
-Outdoor baptism! which was part of a 15 hour Worship Team day (including Planet Earth 🙂 )
-Shared the gospel with a beloved friend, again. I continue to pray!
-people watched at the mall (while david drew people). i was supposed to be reading. Turns out reading people is WAY more fun
-Enjoyed my living room for the 1st time in almost a year
-Been thinking alot about God and some specifics (too much to write here)
-started listening to music again (mostly while i’m in the shower)
-Went to LA at night with Mike so he could do some night shoots (photo, not firearm) and ended up at Cole’s … GREAT pastrami/swiss auju sandwhich
-LOTS of internet research for work and other quests based on ambition/obedience
-Have spotted my 1st black widow of the summer (in my home)…the killing spree is about to resume 🙂
-took a walk …it included 2 college campuses and lots of stairs…calves & quads mentioned it in the days that followed
-Lots of fun ‘designing’ back/forth with Heidi for all my updated marketing (with new brokerage logos etc)
-Welcomed the 1st baby to be born by a CURRENT worship team member: Jacob Smith (born to greg, our drummer). Now, Jacob is our mascot. 🙂 🙂 🙂
-got new sunglasses… I made my last ones last until the coating was peeling off in my hair (classy)
-and other stuff….
REALLY, PUBLIC JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL? REALLY? REALLY.
Ok, so, after a long day of teaching, usually teachers have to race for the bathroom.
Don’t get a lot of bathroom breaks when you’re teaching all day.
Last week, I taught at a local junior high school.
I went to the bathroom after school let out.
Just wanted a moment’s rest and relief.
(is this too personal?)
Whilst sitting there, I looked up and here is the scene that I saw…
-
- The scene from my vantage point (sitting).
-
- A close up of the ‘Reading Material’ offered in the grown up bathroom. Do I need to see this while I’m doing my business?
Really? Really.
Now, between you and me (and the world wide web), I think it’s a bit over the top to continue peddling the school’s philosophical propaganda during the ONLY time when teacher’s can actually take a breather and entertain thoughts of far away beach scenes or breathtaking snow capped mountains from a Swiss tram.
You’ll be interested to know that what I didn’t take a picture of was the new sign telling people how to wash their hands (in response to the Swine Flu …hoax..I mean, panic). Once again, mis-allocated time and money expenditures.
Sigh…
“It’s A Great Day For Learning”
JR HIGHERS KNOW JUST WHAT TO SAY
I taught at La Mesa Jr. High on Thursday
7th grade History.
sidenote: The material topic= Martin Luther’s role in the Reformation. (thanx, God)
THE EXCHANGE
ME-Ok, does anyone have any questions about anything AT ALL (which is code for ‘we can kill some time and get to know each other)?
Girl 1-How old are you?
ME-35
Girl 1 (genuine smile lights up her face as she innocently says)- That’s how old my mom is!
ME-Great. So I could be your mom (said as a quasi statement/question). huh.
Girl 1-When’s your birthday?
ME-end of may, I’ll be 36 in a couple weeks
Girl 1-My mom’s birthday is the end of May too!
ME-Great. So your mom and I are almost the EXACT same age. Mmmmm. (said with a fake smile… intended to get some laughs… it worked).
Girl 2-Do you have any kids?
ME-Nope. However, apparently you could all be my children. (class laughs).
We took a class poll. About 1/3 of the class had a mom or dad that was about 35 yrs old.
Game on
IN-N-OUT… I MEAN ‘IN-N-TRAPPED IN’
Sooo, this post is an ‘observational’ post, but could also be construed as complaining.
You make the call.
Ok, it was a long day today. Not bad, just long.
-Taught 7th grade cherubs. They were cool. However, it was my 1st time with this class and so I had to do my ‘smack down’ intro 5 times. . . which gets old.
-During my teaching day, in between classes, in my prep period, while the kids were doing indpendent work, I was texting, emailing, returning voicemails for business deals. I’m thankful that the technology exists to make it possible to do all that, but it does get mentally exhausting shifting from junior highers to adults to junior highers to adults (though, some of the adults act like jr highers 🙂 ).
After school, I…
-Hustled to meet a client to sign counter offers.
-Hustled to print off an addendum for another client and had them come to the office to sign.
-Hustled to scan/email all the paperwork to the various recipients
-Hustled to update all my office files
deep breath…
I was hungry so I went to In-n-Out to ‘grab a quick bite’.
I was hoping to grab some food and go to a quiet place and rock in the corner whilst huddled in the fetal position.
Here’s what happened instead
-Started in the drive through, but quickly deduced that it would be a tortoroulsy long wait
-Did some sweet manuevers to get into the main parking lot, parked and went inside
-Inside, there were only about 4 people in line ahead of me ….and I still waited almost 20 minutes for my food. It’s not so much the waiting that was draining. It was the observing all the people and behaviors and the predominant indifference almost every customer or, ‘guest’ as In-n-Out likes to call us, has for everyone else
-It was shockingly loud and the non-stop commotion was laughable…like an SNL skit (except i wasn’t really laughing)
-parents made zero effort to restrict their kids from yelling and/or shoving each other in the middle of the waiting area
-the counter guy is bellowing out order numbers as if his life depended on it and we were ALL 98% deaf
-people were cutting each other off at the drink machines and at the condiment counter
-I would say at least 48% of everyone in there (approx 45ppl total) had tattoos or chunky piercings or some combination … which tended to be the same people that had the attitude of overt disregard for all other humans
-Some people were loudly sharing their charged views of Ikea and had they should be banned for being one of the top users of wood: a natural resource blah blah blah
-I watched how people treated the counter girl who was taking orders. Here’s an idea, general public: know what you want BEFORE you get the counter, so she doesn’t have to wait and watch you while you stare at the menu and mumble order ideas…
It was so much chaotic stimulation, that though I had already paid, I came incredibly close to walking out and going hungry…the lack of noise sounded more appealing than any food that required I endure that…
It was like the commotion of a ‘Where’s Waldo’ poster, but I didn’t want to find Waldo.
I wanted to run. away.
I tried to smile and say thank you when they finally called my order for pickup.
ironically, my order was ‘ORDER NUMBER ONE!!!!’
-I pulled out of the parking lot and was instantly trapped behind a bus that pulled over and was blocking the road. The song on my stereo was “Give Me Jesus’ ... “When i come to die, Oh, When I come to die, oh, when i come to die, Give me Jesus…You can have all this world, just give me Jesus”.
DO YOU SEE WHAT I’M DEALING WITH IN REAL ESTATE?
Sooooo, I’ve been pretty busy lately. With lots of things, but definitley real estate.
I have long said that i should write a book (Office style) of the life and happenings of a competent agent. I’m not sure if it would be a drama or a comedy.
I have maaaaany entries for my ever growing tome (crazy/ridiculous/unbelievable things happen everyday in this business).
Though a mild incident, the following vignette is just one tiny example of the level of professionalism that I’m dealing with on a minute by minute basis these days (and one more reason why I will not reduce my commissions…I EARN my money). 🙂
*EXPLICIT MATERIAL. If you have any young children reading this with you, you should have them leave the room at this time
THE SCENE
-trying to preview homes for a client
-calling all of the listings to verify status, make appt with occupant, determine any other relevant info
-always seeking to be professional and friendly (cuz you should as a human) because you never know who you’re going to need to be negotiating with in the long run
THE CONVERSATION
-introductions etc
-ME: (calling on a 3/2 little tract quasi single family home in a copperhill neighborhood…standard…nothing unique) I see your listing says I need to give 24hr notice. Is it still occupied and do you still need 24hr notice
-THE OTHER AGENT (TOA): oh, that should be showing as pending
-ME: oh, huh. maybe I didn’t refresh the page. well, so it’s pending. congratulations!
-TOA: thanx! But, here’s what I’d like to do (said with a lot of salesy-ness), I’d like to take your name/number because I have another listing in the same tract that will be on the market tomorrow and it is G-OR-GEOUS . . . (blah blah blah…goes on and on and on about the features…is VERY flamboyant about the upgrades/colors/etc. and then says..) Let me put it to you this way…I never have an orgasm when I walk into a house. I had an orgasm when i walked into this house. okay? (his tone made me picture a stereotypical gay guy waving his hand in the air). I’m serious this is the most A-MAZING house you’ll ever see.
-ME: (nonchalantly and rolling my eyes, silienlty sighing with complete disinterest) Huh. Ok, my number is _
-TOA: Great. I’ll call you.
🙂
Not one word of that was made up or exaggerated.
Welcome to my life.
Real estate is not for the fainthearted.
🙂
DAY 2- JUROR #6… RIP
Well, it was a good run.
Before arriving at the courthouse, I stopped by the library to drop off some books and pick up some new ones that had come in (from my special order). With 4 minutes to spare, I stood in line, chatted it up with the librarian who asked me about New Zealand (relating to the books I checked out), got the books, said hi to the hot dog stand couple (he tried to trick me that all the other jurors had been taken in), went through security and got there in the nick of time to just stand and wait. 🙂 It was 1:30pm. Our call time.
We waited in the hallway until 1:45pm. During the wait, Kind Kiwi (she’s smart and cool and funny) and I had a mini debrief of the jury selection process… which led to her telling me about her thoughts on my answers yesterday. And I quote her, ‘When you answered that science question, I was thinking to myself ‘Oh no, please don’t let this turn into an epistemological debate.’
🙂
So, that led into a mini discussion on organized religion, proof vs. faith, how do we determine who is an authority in deciphering the ‘facts’, and social deconstructionism. Not bad for a 15 minute wait. 🙂
Around 1:50pm we were led into the courtroom and after lots of legal mumbo jumbo the next 3 jurors were mildly grilled.
The last one (for that round) was APL (see previous post for key). I admit, I was chomping at the bit to know her story. It quickly came out that she was a retired LAPD officer (of 25 years) and her field of expertise was the EXACT same as the crime the accused was on trial for. We all started laughing with that ‘of course you were LAPD for 25 years in this EXACT field’ kind of way). When asked if she could be impartial, she quickly and boldly said ‘no’. The judge asked her 1 more question and dismissed her on the spot.
Amazing.
She was replaced and …within 10 minutes I was dismissed by the prosecution.
And that was that.
I went to the holding room where APL was being processed too.
We exchanged a few laughs and I told her that I’d been dying to know her line of work and she asked what my guesses had been. We yucked it up for a bit and then talked to another juror who had been dismissed. It was like a little private club. It was fun.
ANYway, on my way out I bought a hot dog and drink JUST so i could hang out with the Lebanese guy and his NY wife. We talked for a while and she and I are going to try to get together sometime soon. While she and I were talking, he came over and in a scolding/endearing manner just said, ‘We’re here EVERY day M-F. You need to come by and say hello at least once a week.’ 🙂 Oh, I will. I will. (it doesn’t hurt that the library is 50 ft away too). 🙂
So, goodbye, Juror #6. It was enriching to be you for a 1.5 days.
And, may I wish all the other jurors and participants of that trial a very clear and wise conclusion, as they listen and decide the accused’s immediate future.
Prescribed civil duty for the day… priceless!
DAY 1-JUROR #6 & HER THOUGHTS
Ok, though I rarely post these days, i MUST record some debrief thoughts about my 1st day in jury selection. 🙂 If ever I was in a sitcom/Office type show… it was yesterday (with the promise of more thrills to come today!)
I’ll break this down in categories and then comedy
MY THOUGHTS GOING IN TO IT
-I’ve already had to jack my schedule and lose income, so why not totally commit and have a GREAT time
-I will be ready and willing to meet people and observe and take everything in through the lens of the gospel and a split screen of Seinfeld
-I actually want to be selected, but I will totally honest in the questions asked of me
-Government system, county courthouse: GUARANTEED fun for me!
-Don’t Waste My Jury Duty!
THE GENERAL PROCESS
-show up for the 10:30am call time
-fill out some paperwork
-sit in a packed holding room with 50+/- other jurors (it’s awkwardly hushed like a library)
-wait for a LONG time: read all the literature that was on the chairs re: the process etc, make small talk with a few neighbors
-Around 11:10am, the courtaid gives a mono-tone FAQ presentation that is all the same info that I just read
-A few people deem it necessary to give their whole life story when asked ‘Will anyone need to postpone?’ (my sitcom ideas started to bubble)
-The courtaid then has us watch a government video about how great it is to be a juror and a reiteration of the rules I read and that the aid gave in her presentation. So, you get the info 3 times (at this point I was reading my book about New Zealand). It was like when you fly a lot and you don’t pay attention to the ‘inflate your vest, put oxygen on yourself and then children’ video.
-Earthquake drill when she said ‘this is a drill’. We all leaned over in out chairs and covered our heads. VERY effective in a jolter, I’m sure.
-Around 11:45am, she tells us we have a lunch break until 1:15pm (?).
-Roll call at 1:20pm
-Sit in the room at wait
-Around 3pm, we all are called into the court room with ‘the accused’, judge welcomes us, tells us the type of case it will be and the duration it’s expected to be after the jury is selected (5 days, excluding deliberations)
-18 juror ID#s are called up into the ‘jury box’ and it begins…
-All 18 of us have to answer a set of the same questions, then the judge reads the law and the courts’ expectations of us, then he pulls out a HUGE book and asks us all about 42 million questions…very arduous and VERY sitcom
-When the judge is done, we take a 15 minute break and come back and the lawyers begin: defense 1st & prosectution last
-They were strapped for time since we’re supposed to break at 4:30pm
-Lawyers/Judge took a ‘sdiebar’ in the hall and came back and dismissed 3 jurors. Those three were replaced with one of my ‘cast of characters’ lady (more to follow) and then we broke for the day, instructed to return at 1:30pm on Friday
They still need to get through about 30+ jurors today. And, since i’m already in the box, I will stay there (as juror #6) until I’m moved or dismissed …it’s kind of like being on stage for several hours at a time
MY CAST OF CHARACTERS (highlights only)
These are the impressions made upon me as my morning unfolded…
1) the slight framed, short haired, government hating, possibly a lesbian, woman who felt entitled to point out EVERY perceived or real deficiency in the process. she was reading a fat book called ‘the political brain’ and she had a long black ‘grim reaper/Matrix’ like coat . During some of the group Q/A time with the aid, she asked VERY accusatory (toward government failure) and loaded questions that were nonchalantly deflected by the courtaid (who is actually pretty cool and funny…and has heard it ALL before). What shall we call this 1st character? APL? (angry possible libertarian?… like an angry elf, but she’s not an elf). Her game is intelligence coupled with angry sarcasm. After a few interactions with her, i smiled to myself and thought ‘YES! My first cast member…she’s perfect.’ In a sense I was choosing my own ‘jury’. 🙂
2) The court aid: short, white haired, maybe mid 60s, slightly frumpy, cool as a cucumber, mono-toned, but kind. Slow moving, but knows her stuff. She did kind of remind me of a disheveled fairy god-mother on valuim. I think we’ll go with… court aid for her title.
3) A fair skinned, light haired, quick to smile, kind woman, maybe mid to late 30s. About 20 minutes after I got there and about 3 minutes before the FAQ presentation started, she noted the book I was reading about New Zealand and asked me ‘Are you going to New Zealand?’. Turns out she grew up in NZ! Immediately, I had a ton of questions which were promptly cut short by the FAQ presentation. I did withhold barraging her with questions until the end of the day. she was in the jury box with me in the 1st round of 18. She will be called the ‘Kind Kiwi’.
4) He was dressed professionally, had a shiny wedding ring on, dark skinned (maybe had heritage from India or the middle east), wore glasses. When asked if he needed to postpone, he said he was finishing up his masters and all assignments/presentations were due this next week. Later i asked what his masters was in: education/admin, turns out he’s a principal of a charter school. He was calmly communicative, but i would not say friendly. We swapped stories and philosophies of education for a bit. I assume that jury duty was a HUGE set back for him professionally and academically. He sat next to me in the juror box too … and we had some similar answers. I like him. He seems grounded and even and fair. I think I would like being a student under his direction. I’ll call him ‘the principal’.
5) Every group has this lady too … mini skirt, slightly overweight, low cut bejeweled hoodie, ugg boots, a little tooo tan, SUPER loud. When asked about postponement, we all had to hear a pretty extensive play by play about how she has to pick up her daughter from school etc. Throughout the whole day she loudly/giggly answered all rhetorical questions as if just she and the courtaid were the only people in the room. Oh, and she sat all the way in the back, I was about half way back, so I’m not joking about the loud. She reminded me of a character from Drop Dead Gorgeous. What shall I call her… mmmm… ‘Sissy’. I’m confident that someone in her life calls her Sissy … maybe a grandma, a sister, a daughter … but definitely sissy.
6) other people that have given roles: the judge (pretty great sense of humor), bailiff (when i asked what the instructions were to communicate some info to the judge, he said ‘I don’t know. I don’t even pay attention to any of this.’ 🙂 ), the attorneys (or are they lawyers?): defense attorney a man who is TOTALLY a character in my sitcom and the Prosecution is a woman and she’s stereotypical awesome.
BEST VERBAL EXCHANGE OF THE DAY
20 minutes after arriving, done with paperwork and just reading my book, sitting next to APL
APL to Courtaid: It’s really hot. Can we turn on the A/C
CA: sure. (she turns on a floor fan instead)
APL: is there a reason why you’re not using the A/C?
CA: oh, we are, it’s just that the thermostat is controlled down in the LA office
(I do everything I can to contain myself from showing the glee I have in anticipation of APL’s response)
APL: (rolling her eyes and bitingly muttering: that’s the moronic government for you)
CA: it’s like 20 degrees cooler down in LA, so they’re not going to change it there, it would be freezing in their offices
(Me smiling to myself… at that point i KNEW it was going to be a great day!)
HIGHGLIGHTS OF THE WHOLE DAY
-went to the library for lunch…read some books…researched and ordered some more books (which will be emailed to me when they’re ready for pick up), did some emails/texts … i HEART the local library!
-Leaving the library, I noticed someone who seemed really familiar. Couldn’t place her…she was with 2 kids, who started looking familiar …. eventually it clicked. She’s from church and she’s babysitting kids from my church, whose parents are my clients. THAT was a funny exchange too because child one was forlorn and crestfallen that the book he wanted was taken by another kid. Shoulders dropped, head hug low, crocodile tears … it was awesome and sad and a reminder at just how impacting life’s disappointments can be for a young one. I withheld the temptation to offer him a solution of ordering it through their on-line system and then giving them an email address where they can notify you that it’s in. I figured it might be lost on the moment 🙂
-On my way back into the courthouse, a drink sounded good. i stopped at the hot dog cart just outside the courthouse doors, manned by a married couple: he’s from Lebanon, she’s from NY. They were HILARIOUS! and I laughed and laughed and asked a zillion questions …they invited me to sit and have lunch with them (he told me that it was bad for my digestion to eat/drink at the same time and to stand whilst eating) … I felt like I was back in the middle east or NY … we talked about how they met 35 years ago, the fact that he’s been legally dead 13 times and the outer body experiences that went with a few of them (prompted by a comment I made about death is inevitable) . . . seriously, it made getting out of bed TOTALLY worth it. I can’t wait to go back today! I should bring them something. But they are ABSOLUTELY in my cast!
And, sidenote: yesterday proved, AGAIN, that I’ve NEVER met a middleeasterner or a NYer who could not tell a GREAT story! ALSO, the scene was reminiscent of something that anyone in my family would’ve done… I very much felt kindered to my sociable heritage.
OBSERVATIONS (in all seriousness)
-it’s an odd thing, this process…
-the accused sits there while we bare all, intended to determine if our life stories will affect a fair and impartial hearing of the evidence.
-it was weird that I know nothing of the accused and he (and 60+ other people) now know a lot about my value system, my opinions, my tendencies … it’s a bizarre peel back of yourself… in real life you let all that info gradually unfold and you get used to each other at each new phase. Not in jury duty…we all have only loaded canon balls of info about each other…like the cliff notes of a book… it was actually convicting to wonder if short yes/no or one phrase answers about myself would testify to God’s work in me or if it would be a reflection of the world and its’ values.
-people’s stories/experiences/situations… just a reminder that you never know what people have been through/are going through …I was reminded that I need to continue cultivating automatic compassion for all people all the time, cuz you JUST NEVER KNOW.
-I always thought that people didn’t want to do jury duty and would therefore ‘say anything’ to get out of it. HOWEVER, not the case. There’s a bizarre peer pressure to be appear unaffected by any testimony/info … meaning it was almost as if all our personal experiences/values (what shapes you) is easily cast aside for the benefit of this accused. To be honest with you, I didn’t believe most of the jurors answers. I think most were caving to that weird peer pressure to not seem ‘politically incorrect’ ie. ‘accept everyone all the time no matter what.’ I find it hiiighly unlikely that if I was having dinner with any of them that they would’ve given the same answers.
So, we shall see what happens.
I WANT to be a juror but I did feel compelled to tell the truth (which risked being dismissed).
2 of the biggies for me:
1) I want to know if the accused is a US citizen because that WILL affect my perspective…that didn’t seem to go over too well with the judge
2) when asked if I would have any difficulty hearing expert scientific evidence, I had to just disclose that I don’t believe every ‘scientific’ evidence that I hear. I got grilled on that one …..grilled right up until I had to actually give an example like creation/evolution …both being theories, however, in mainstream culture one presented as reliable fact, one presented as laughable fiction. I wonder if it will come up today. 🙂
and the biggest one is in my head …do I really subscribe to ‘ innocent until proven guilty’?
I know that, as sinners, we’re ALL guilty.
I know the US law states the opposite starting point.
So, I had some theological gymnastics going on yesterday in my brain, in addition to the onslaught of procedure and questioning.
Off to Day 2!
THE RANGE OF INTELLIGENCE WHILST SUBBING 4/14/09
I wish I had the time to blog about all the things that I want to… alas, this season of my life just isn’t allowing for it.
HOWEVER, the following 2 incidents and contrasts made me laugh and feel smart aaand stupid…
THE SETTING: Subbing at Valencia High. Honors pre-Calc and Italian 1
ITALIAN 1; class discussion time; discussion question: Has anything worth talking about happened in anyone’s life since I was here 2 months ago?’
GIRL: (sweet and church going): well, on Easter we went to the shelter
ME: cool. which one?
GIRL: the one in Castaic
ME: (scrolling in my brain for which homeless shelter is in castaic?) Wait, is this a shelter for humans or animals
GIRL: (asked with great sincerity) they sell humans there too?
(whole class shocked and laughing)
ME: (tilted head and looking at her) Ok, you just won quote of the day
GIRL: (still confused, amidst whole class laughing …and now applauding her for winning ‘quote of the day’) no really? do they sell humans?
ME: what’s amazing to me is that you think that selling humans is an acceptable activity?
GIRL: (you can see the wheels turning in her brain….and then the bashful look when she realized how off she was)
HONORS PRE-CALC: me walking around and discovering this on a student’s desk
VHS pre-calc student recreation
ME: Whoa. Is this a rubik’s cube on crack?
GUY: yeah. it’s a 7 sided by 7
ME: that freaks me out. have you ever solved it?
GUY: (dead serious) yeah. I’ve already solved it twice today
ON MY MIND (OR MY CALENDAR) 3/13/09
Again with the brief, bullet point update . . .
1) In the last 4 days have unintentionally bit the inside of my lip at least 9 times … it’s getting old…and the inside of my lip looks like hamburger…sick
2) wish that people (especially Christians) would stop using their Facebook status updates to complain…(especially about the new home page). Seriously people… note that the words reveal the heart.
3) Have subbed kind of a lot in the last few weeks… wish i had time to post the stories … a few times they’ve made me laugh out loud (for good and bad reasons)
4) Just learned that my ‘new’ roommate (she moved in in January) is actually 27 years old . . . this whole time i thought she was 20ish (though she is totally mature and now i can see that 27 makes sense). This just reinforces that I dig Icelanders!
5) Found a new show that i love (thanx Video On Demand), Kitchen Nightmares . . . I’ve actually learned alot about myself whilst watching the restaurant owners who have asked for help. As jennene put it ‘those shows are the redemption story’… failure, an expert comes in, the failing owner fights the expert, in the end the failing owner yields and is dumbfounded with how awesome the experts advice worked and is then So grateful to the expert and so ashamed of themselves . . . huh… sinner, savior, sacrifice, repentance, gratitude . . .
6) Have started sorting through all my financial records that i should’ve been doing in the last few months (in prep for tax drama). MAN, i wish I had taken the ‘slow and steady wins the race’ option on this project
7) Am about to close another escrow next week. Well, it’s never over until it’s over.
8) My tooth hurts again…. I’m pretty sure I’m going to have to deal with it soon
9) Jennene still has cancer, but is over 2/3 done with chemo! And, we’ve got a good system going for this ‘Cancer Season’.
10) Was a part of Adam & Megan’s wedding reception last weekend. Always amazed at how willing the body of Christ is to just shut up and joyfully work hard to achieve other people’s worthwhile goals!
11) Eric Margrave has made me laugh a lot in the last few weeks!
12) Finally, plowed into my burgeoning GoogleReader posts (300+) … now down to under 60 (well, not counting the starred items 🙂 )
13) Am wanting to travel (international, but it will be a while, unless someone wants to throw down some sweet moolah)
14) Had dinner with Stonefire ith a former RA the other night. So fun and refreshing
15) Got to talk to one of my cousins the other night … she’s so great and amazing and delightful!
16) Have been reading lots of real estate stuff (career development)
17) Have a huge To-Do list that never seems to get smaller … don’t we all 🙂
WORD VERIFICATION ‘WINNER OF THE DAY’
I commented on Melissa Burns’ photo blog.
In order to submit the comment, I had to type in the word verification.
The word to verify was (drum roll) . . . ‘SUPBOO’.
(insert Seinfeld blank stare with slight smirk, famous bass line, audience laugh/clap)
Welcome to my life.
ARE THE GERMANS STEALING FROM ME?
So, I got an email notification from my bank that one of my accounts was below the specified balance. . . Which is weird because I only use that particular account for certain debit bills. So, I logged on to see what was up. To my surprise I saw 2 transactions that were unfamiliar. I cliked on the history and one was a ‘Foreign transaction Fee’ and one was for a name that i’d never heard of, nor can I pronounce.
After the rat maze of voicemail with my bank, I FINALLY got a live person and was promptly transferred 3 times (having to repeat my name, acct #, birthday, last 5 of my SSN, and the purpose for my call EVERY time. Now, isn’t that why we have computers? To avoid unnecessary duplication and time wasting?)
Through my detective work at each level of transfer, I learned that the foreign transaction fee (#1) was affiliated with the unrecognizable fee (#2). Fee #2 is a foreign ferry transport company. Huh. I’m pretty sure that I was in SCV at a birthday party for a 2 year old when that fee was charged. As far as I remember, that party was NOT in Germany.
After the claims agent was pretty unhelpful except for reading her scripts and treating me like I’m a moron, she did offer one helpful piece of advice: google the name of the transaction company. While I did that, my bank will be MAILING me paperwork in the next FIVE days, I’ll have TEN days to return it, and then they will look into the dispute. What google found in FOUR seconds was that the unauthorized debit to my acct was made by THIS German subway company.
Really, Germany?
Really guys?
is your legacy of robbing millions of innocent people of their lives during the war, through cruelty and inhumanity, not enough?
Now you want my wee bank account?
Game on.
STUFF 2/16/09
It’s been a long time since I’ve done a worthy update…and will continue to be a long time, as this won’t be worthy. This is a shorty…
I can barely remember what my name is let alone remember what I’ve been up to the last few weeks, but I will give it a whirl.
-Have subbed high school and have had some GREAT class discussions ranging from Valentine’s plans to theistic evolution to predestination to world travel to robotic inventions to Octomom to politics… and I have those same students again this week! 🙂 I love them.
-Have learned more and more about technology as a result of real estate and cancer. 🙂 Who knew!
-Have been negotiating deals for clients and love the litigious state of California more than ever…who doesn’t LOVE tedious paperwork?
-Have been to more medical facilities than usual and hung out in oncology
-Have been duly noting the drying up of the ‘creative juices’ well when it comes to catchy titles for Jennene’s cancer blog posts
-Have been incredibly thankful for the body of Christ and the Worship team
-Have had lots more time with Jennene then maybe any other time in our almost 20year friendship! Thanx, cancer.
-Went diving at Catalina this last weekend. Loved that whilst standing on shore and putting on my wetsuit about to get into the ocean, I could look across the water at the snow capped San Gabriel mountains. Come on! California is awesome!
-Have been thankful for my roommates and LOVE the fact that there are foreign languages spoken in my home. I love walking up the stairs and hearing Icelandic conversations wafting in the background!!!!
-Have gotten to meet for lunch/dinner with some people I’ve been meaning to for a while
-Attended the anual Arts in The One World conference at Cal-Arts in January. Met cool people and learned/saw amazingly cool/heartbreaking things.
-Have had some great ‘catch up’ phone calls with old friends
-Have spent more money on my car (that whole ‘seat belt law’ thing)
-Have been really thankful for lots of things, in general
-Have consistently been 200+ posts behind on my googlereader
-Have learned 2 new songs for Worship team that I like. Thanx, Chuck Hooten for one of them.
-Have seen a couple of movies (cancer down time and other). Sidenote: I want a dad or a husband like the main character in TAKEN. One of the best movies I’ve seen in a while!
-Have been pondering, again, my role in the abolition of human traffiking and how to show the gospel in rescue/justice
-Have been really really tired, but stoked about Heaven (capitalized. it’s a proper noun).
Aaaand now I’d like to go to bed.
THAT’S how tired I am…it’s only 10:15pm and i want to go to bed already.
🙂
EVERY KISS BEGINS WITH ‘KAY’
OK, if you know me, you’re probably familiar with my acronym habit (AH).
You say a phrase, but I see/hear it in an acronym.
Maybe i’m savant.
Maybe not.
Probably not.
I know I’m not.
ANYway…
For someone who thinks in terms of acronyms, you’d assume that initials would be pretty 2nd nature for me.
Nope.
Apparently not.
Here’s just how ridiculous I am….
So, for YEARS, i’ve heard the jingle from Kay jeweler, ‘Every kiss begins with Kay’.
Oh, that’s sweet. he give her jewelry. She melts. She kisses him. He thanks ‘Kay’.
Beyond that, never gave it a 2nd thought.
Tonight, for the first time ever, I realized that it was a double meaning: a physical kiss begins with the letter ‘K’ as well as jewelry from Kay being the catalyst for a thankful/romantic kiss.
Really?
really.
Wow.
I discovered all this whilst on J&E’s couch (all of us having sung the phrase about 2,000 times tonight).
I guess it was kind of like an Oprah ‘Ah-Ha’ moment (but not at all).
E&J were shocked that I had never seen it in the 2nd meaning.
That’s me, full of surprises.
🙂
Happy Valentine’s Day.
May all your kisses begin with ‘K’ or ‘Kay’.
A MUSING IN THIS DIGITAL AGE
I was on Facebook the other day and saw various friend’s pictures and I laughed at something that I’ve noticed for a long time in people pictures…. in ‘group’ pics when people lean over so as to be in the frame…and usually the frame has many feet margin. I’ve always thought it was funny (I do it. and I’m sure you do too).
Any ideas as to why we do that?
Why don’t we just sit straight up, like we do in real life?
That’s all.
VACANT HOMES & MY LOCAL SHERIFF
I just got this email (from a real estate publication). It’s a sign of the times. And, I’m thankful that my local law enforcement agency is doing their part.
Hey, criminals…get jobs and pay your own rent.
“SCV Sheriff’s Launch Vacant House Check Program
During these challenging economic times and the downturn in the housing and real estate markets we may see an increase in the number of vacant houses and other structures throughout the Santa Clarita Valley. If not maintained, secured, and frequently checked, some of these vacant structures can become a haven for those intent on wrong doing. These vacant properties can lead to incidents of trespassing, vandalism, unlawful parties or gatherings, arson, drug use, and other illegal or nuisance related activities that can further reduce property values and challenge the peace, serenity, and safety of our neighborhoods.
As part of our forward-thinking approach towards best protecting our community, the Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff Station’s Crime Prevention Unit, in direct partnership with the City of Santa Clarita and County of Los Angeles, has developed and launched a new “Vacant House Check” program. Although we also want property owners and agents to pay extra attention to these types of properties, the new program puts in place a system where deputies, volunteers on patrol, reserve deputies, and other station staff members can work directly with them. The personnel will randomly check vacant properties including houses, condominiums, businesses, or other structures, submitted by you throughout the Santa Clarita Valley.
If you are aware of a vacant or abandoned structure in your neighborhood or business community that appears to be run-down or attracting a criminal element, simply fill out the form at the following link: www.scvsheriff.com/vacanthouse/. Provide as much information as you can about the property and they will check it out. Working together during challenging times we can make a difference.”
HOLDING LEADERS ACCOUNTABLE
So, my friend Jeff sent me this link and I think it will be one that I check every so often.
A group of people decided that they would track the campaign claims of whoever was elected as President.
Well, now we have the elected President and they have the site up.
CLICK HERE to follow the claims over the next 4 years.
AND, before anyone rushes to vehement judgement, it is a good opportunity for all of us to take a moment and notice what comes out of our mouths. What if someone (in addition to God) was keeping track of everything you said or everything I said?
Hmmm.
DON’T UNDERSTAND THE GAZA DRAMA? READ THIS.
Once again, Todd Bolen posts a read well worth your time.
It’s a letter written from an Israeli soldier to the owners of the home he occupied when they invaded Gaza.
It’s titled ‘I Was The Soldier Who Slept In Your Home’
I wish all Americans, especially the younger generations (45 and younger) could all visit countries that have to constantly fight for their security and freedom (like in Israel). THIS letter might help people see that security and freedom really do cost something and that most war is necessary it’s not usually a result of hate-filled crazed lunatics who just like to shoot guns.
It is often a result of defending the ACTUAL life of the people of that land.
(I recommend clicking through to read the whole letter)
Oh, don’t get me started on recent national defense policy in the U.S. 🙂
BLOGS THAT I FOLLOW (FOR BETTER OR WORSE) & SOME NEWBIES
Ok, so I started this post about 2 months ago.
I waited to finish and post it because I wanted to make sure that I really meant it.
Below are some of the blogs that I subscribe to and other sites that I recommend.
I also subscribe to lots of friends’ blogs, but other than 1 exception, I kept this post strictly related to ‘resource blogs’.
DAILY READS
1. Challies.com
http://www.challies.com/
He’s my favorite. Fair book reviews, convicting thoughts, faith building exercises. He also has another site called Discerning Reader. My favorite of Challies is ‘A La Cart’
2. Stand To Reason
http://www.str.org/site/PageServer?pagename=blog_iframe
Logical arguments and angles to engage the world in truth conversations.
3. Justin Taylor, Between Two Worlds
http://theologica.blogspot.com/
Tons of resource info. I find that he posts too frequently and it overwhelms me, but usually pretty great stuff
4. Piper, Desiring God
http://www.desiringgod.org/Blog/
Speaks for itself. However, I really love the ‘short/sweet’ theme that this blog adheres to.
5. Straight Up James McDonald
http://blog.harvestbiblefellowship.org/
This a pastor blog and I just like him. I usually agree, but more than anything, i usually chuckle AND learn something.
6. The Rabbit Room
http://www.rabbitroom.com/
Awesome site for artists, musicians, writers, etc to connect and be challenged to use it for the Glory of God.
7. Gospel Reminders
http://gospelreminders.com/
Just started subscribing to this last month…and have never regretted it. It’s like a daily ‘post-it’ of weighty reminders of the Gospel. If you find value in ‘preach the gospel to yourself daily’, then add this guy to your feed.
8. Girl Talk
http://girltalk.blogs.com/
I like this about 70% of the time. GREAT words of wisdom and principle from rooted women of faith. The other 30% is still valuable, but not as engaging for me.
9. Radical Womanhood
http://solofemininity.blogs.com/
Dig this site. This lady seems to have her finger on the pulse of the church as it relates to thinking women.
10. OwlHaven
http://www.owlhaven.net/
A mom of lots of kids, who loves the LORD, loves her husband, loves her kids (some of them adopted) and is just funny and ‘normal’
11. Cake wrecks
http://cakewrecks.blogspot.com/
One of my absolute favorite sites that I can’t wait to check everyday. A cake designer who gives commentary on ‘cakes gone bad’. Her commentary is hilarious!
12. Todd Bolen
http://www.toddbolen.com/
Here’s my one exception of ‘friend’ site… Todd usually always has a montage of worthy data.
13. Behind The Scenes: Invisible Children
http://behindthescenes.invisiblechildren.com/
This blog is the ‘funny, behind the scenes’ blog of IC. They have a ‘front of the house’ blog too, but I like this one more.
SOME RECENT FINDS
Fail
http://failblog.org/
Recommended by some friends, pretty hilarious, posts about failure ideas implemented in public. Sometimes you’re embarrased to be laughing, but….
Every Monday Matters
http://everymondaymatters.com/the-book/
A site to get the ‘how can I serve’ juices flowing
A site of people from all walks of life sharing their story of salvation
Abortion Changes You
http://abortionchangesyou.com/
A site of care and understanding for people involved in abortion (the mom, the dad, the siblings, the grandparents, the aunts/uncles, etc)
THE UNTAMED CHAPEL SCRATCH (HENCE, ‘PAMIC’)
Sooo, if you went to TMC (or any other institution where the student body met regularly) you might remember the oft mocked ‘Chapel Scratch’ which is when girls (usually) play with the hair of and/or rub the back/neck of the guy OR girl sitting next to them.
(role your eyes and make that ‘uugghh’ sound now)
Ok, I give room for ‘youthful ways’, but apparently when people do not abandon the ways of their youth, those ways compound…and then the rest of us get to feel all the more uncomfortable in church (ahhhh, just like we used to when we were in chapel).
I read THIS article which was written in jest (kind of), but I almost wholeheartedly agree.
It left me with a ‘FINALLY! Finally, someone is saying it ‘out loud’ (or at least in larger arenas than over the orange caf trays where we used to sit and eat and make fun of people who grossed us out in chapel).
Here’s the article, in case that extra click is a bit more commitment than you’re willing to make.
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On Massage in Church
A few years ago, I was in the U.K. and a pastor there was explaining some of the cultural differences between British and American Christianity. The “church massage” was a key point. When his team of pastors first attended an American pastors conference and encountered the numerous couples stroking and patting each other during sermons, they were shocked. It read as much more than affection in their eyes and culture. Some were so distracted by this behavior that they had to leave the room.
I’m not British but I have to agree. I don’t view it as a precursor to anything (as they did), but I do find it highly distracting. Especially in winter when scalp massages send flakes a-flying. Blech. That’s why I am a supporter of the new movement, PAMIC. And I’m rallying the troops here after encountering this witty take on People Against Massage in Church on Prodigal Jon’s blog, Stuff Christians Like:
I therefore always thought I was the only one that didn’t like the “during church massage.” But on my blog, when I briefly mentioned a lady I’ve seen at church that rubs her husband’s neck during service, a number of people commented. Suddenly, I was awash with an ocean of hope. Although I have mentioned this issue before, this time I was filled with the sense that I am not alone. I am not that weird. Perhaps, I thought to myself, I can join an underground resistance dedicated to the elimination of the “during church massage.”
And the more I thought about that idea, the more I realized that every underground cause needs a manifesto. Some brief document that lays out our thoughts about the terror we so valiantly struggle against. I googled the name of the organization I wanted to join and didn’t get any good results. So I knew it had to be me. I had to make the first move in this battle. And thus this essay was born.
1. The difference between a pat and a massage.
We recognize and respect the need to pat someone on the back. Sometimes, it’s good to say “Hi” or “Good job” or “Your chair is currently resting on my big toe” with a small tap on the back. We support that. But when you pat more than four times and then linger, you have now crossed into massage territory my friend. And you’re about to find yourself on the other end of a “PAMIC Attack.”
2. Circles are great for cheerios, not church.
We recognize and respect the need to lay a hand on someone as you say hello or want to show your spouse support during a prayer. But when you start rubbing in a circle, a square or any other geometrical shape, you are now giving a massage. That’s not a big deal right? Wrong. Your rotating hand is creating what we call a “circle of distraction.” People around you will not be able to focus on the sermon as they instead become hypnotized by watching you. God hates that. It’s in Numbers or Exodus I think.
3. There are consequences if you try to massage us.
The members of PAMIC are attractive and funny and Godly and often smell very nice. Please don’t get confused by those four things and think it’s OK to ever give us a back or neck rub during church. If you do, we can’t be held responsible if you suddenly find yourself in some sort of karate arm bar lock, a sleeper hold or at the bottom of a wicked leg drop.
4. Don’t confuse not loving in church massages with not loving life, Jesus, our spouses etc.
You will assume, based on our plans to rid all churches, in all countries of “during church massages,” that we are not loving people. That perhaps you are rubbing someone’s neck as an act of worship or praise or affection. And that members of PAMIC are not into any of those things. That is adorable. It’s possible we held hands with our spouses as we walked into church. We might give back rubs at home. We could be amazing “snugglers” but when it comes to touching folks at church, we follow the Bible. And there’s not a single example of someone in the Bible giving someone else a neck or back rub while Jesus taught. I dare you to find me a verse that show someone massaging someone else while they listened to the Sermon on the Mount for instance.
Is this extreme? Perhaps, but few great revolutions started quietly. We will not go peacefully. We will march and protest and launch thousands of PAMIC Attacks. (A PAMIC Attack by the way is when you squirt someone that is trying to start a during church massage with a squirt gun full of vinegar. Or what we call at our house, “sass juice.”)
Non-massagers of the world unite!
Enjoy your weekend and may you sit still in church. 😉
____________________________________________________________________
credit: Radical Womanhood
MY NEW FAVORITE PICTURES OF GREG
I recently posted a picture of our drummer Greg in his horrifyingly offensive orange sweatshirt.
well, Greg’s birthday was Friday.
From the genius idea of David, David and i went to 99 cent store and spent $20 on orange … well, shenanigans.
Then David proceeded to make Greg a fantastic birthday card commemorating Greg’s ‘love’ (ie obsession) with orange.
The worship team presented this bag-o-orange to Greg at the Indian restaurant where we ate in Canoga park for Greg’s birthday (really, it was for Jennene’s b-day). It was fitting, as Greg’s hates Indian food…well, not just Indian food.
We love Greg very much (even though he hates Indian food and scars our retinas with his glowing neon clothes) and we’re SO thankful to all that he brings to the table!
So, please enjoy a few of my new favorites.
-
- Greg’s likeness.
-
- Canoga Park’s sister restaurant to Valencia’s ‘Karma’.
-
- Halfway through the bag-o-orange.
-
- Worship Team (missing: Mike K.)
-
- Perfect, as Greg is expecting his first child this year. AND, Greg’s a HUGE sports fan. (nuh-uh)
50 MILLION AMERICANS KILLED-MORE TO COME…
I really appreciate visual aides when trying to wrap my mind around massive concepts that involve numbers.
A church in Mississippi has created a visual aid to help people … one penny for every human life that’s been aborted since the Roe v. Wade decision in 1973 (which is approximately 50 million innocent children)…
Mississippi Memorial '50 Million Pennies'
50 million lives … gone. And that does not include the living lives devastated and left behind after abortion.
And there are many more to come.
Now that Obama is president, I am willingly supportive of him as the man that God has ordained to be our president.
But, when I had a say, here is why I did not vote for him.
I am confident that I will give an account as to how I used my freedoms in this life.
One freedom is my vote and I could not reconcile using that vote to further the power of someone who not only does not protect innocent human life (created by God and in His image), but one who is the most aggressive pro-abortion legislator that we’ve seen yet.
I’m sure Obama is a nice guy and I do look forward to living through his presidency (for historical reasons, more than policy). But, respectfully said, when I sleep at night, I feel really good that I did not cast my vote for a man that will use his presidency to actively and purposefully increase the number of pennies that will go into that display in Mississippi.
God is merciful and forgiving.
We all have many sincere blind spots and issues to work on. However, I hope that those of us who claim salvation in Christ are always seeking to find/correct our blindspots/issues/sins, according to God’s word and through the gracious leading of the Holy Spirit. I hope that mainstream media and trend does not dictate ‘right’ and ‘wrong’ for us. I hope that we can see through the smoke and mirrors and that God gives us wisdom and courage, beyond measure, to see and do what pleases Him…and Him only.
Proverbs 6: 16-22
There are six things which the LORD hates,
Yes, seven which are an abomination to Him:
Haughty eyes, a lying tongue,
And hands that shed innocent blood,
A heart that devises wicked plans,
Feet that run rapidly to evil,
false witness who utters lies,
And one who spreads strife among brothers.
My son, observe the commandment of your father
And do not forsake the teaching of your mother;
Bind them continually on your heart;
Tie them around your neck.
When you walk about, they will guide you;
Proverbs 24:10-12:
If you faint in the day of adversity,
your strength is small.
Rescue those who are being taken away to death;
hold back those who are stumbling to the slaughter.
If you say, “Behold, we did not know this,”
does not he who weighs the heart perceive it?
Does not he who keeps watch over your soul know it,
and will he not repay man according to his work?
50 Million Pennies (2)
ALWAYS HAVE TIME TO BE ‘GUTTED’
I have a friend from New Zealand. Talking to him is always an adventure in cultural education cuz half of the expressions he uses are common to his part of the world (where i don’t live). I am constantly asking him to repeat it/explain it. One such word/phrase is ‘gutted’. A context exmaple, ‘That conversation left me gutted’ (ie. deeply affected, usually in the sad/impacting sense).
Sooo, I have lots that i’ve wanted to blog about, but frankly don’t have the time. I’d like to write about my trip to Colorado, I’d like to write about certain people that have blown my mind during all this cancer stuff, I’d like to write about what I’ve been personally learning over the last month or so, I’d like to share some of the hilarious things that have gone on, I’d love to write ideas about the next few months…but, no time to post anything of detail/length.
HOWEVER, today, I read a blurb blog that i subscribe to and well, I was ‘gutted’. I may not have time to write posts, but I sure have time to be read into conviction… guilty on almost all counts.
“People do not drift toward holiness. Apart from grace-driven effort, people do not gravitate toward godliness, prayer, obedience to Scripture, faith, and delight in the Lord. We drift toward compromise and call it tolerance; we drift toward disobedience and call it freedom; we drift toward superstition and call it faith. We cherish the indiscipline of lost self-control and call it relaxation; we slouch toward prayerlessness and delude ourselves into thinking we have escaped legalism; we slide toward godlessness and convince ourselves we have been liberated.”
-Donalr Arthur (D.A.) Carson
PORN INDUSTRY SEEKS FEDERAL BAILOUT. REALLY?
Apparently, per Larry Flint, the American people can live without cars during this economic slump, but not without sex. Huh. (and he became the authority on Americans physiological ‘needs’, when?)
I can’t make this stuff up, people.
It’s been a while since a headline earned the ‘Ridiculous Headline’ category.
Read it for yourself.
When i read the article, over 350 people had commented.
HUNTER SAFETY ON WORSHIP TEAM…
…cuz you never know when you might be mistaken for prey.
Soooo, I love our worship team at Church of the Canyons. They really are family to me.
We are a diverse group of personalities, skills, interests, desires, callings, joys, sorrows…
Since the end of August, we’ve had a series of life-altering events happening to many members of our team, which in turn feels like it’s happening to each of us (as with family):
-our leader had a stroke aug 24th (?), all semester the worship team drew together to stay afloat and still lead the congregation in worship,
-our drummer announced that his wife is pregnant (she had breast cancer and defeated it, so it was an extra joyous occasion),
-our leader is almost fully recovered and in december was hired on as Worship Pastor (a lifelong dream realized),
-one of our singers was diagnosed with breast cancer on dec 15th and was in chemo 13 days later ( is still in the process),
-one of our percussionists dad died unexpectedly on december 19th,
-one of our tech guys got married on 1/1/09, 2 of our other members traveled across the globe to attend the wedding…
It’s been a wild ride this semester.
And, I’m so thankful for all of it.
God has shown Himself all the more faithful, kind, loving, longsuffering,
While i could go on, the point of this post is to share some of the moments that bring me great joy… as i laugh/cry/pray/work/fight/confess/lead/follow/worship with this group of people…
here’s one that happened at rehearsal tonight (Tuesday)…
-Greg loves hunter safety orange…on purpose.
-He continues to seek out and purchase items in this color…even when his house burned down last year (and in it all the orange contents), he replaced the orange items
-he showed up tonight with a new sweatshirt
-may I share, in total honesty, that the reflection of the orange was on his face; it was too bright to look at him and it hurt our eyes; we did not want to even look in his direction
-we begged him to take it off
-Greg has a keen wit and a very dry sense of humor (that I dearly love) and he refused (with a cheshire cat smirk)
Your eyes will burn if you look directly at it.
Come on…this group is awesome!
APPLE ‘KEYBOARD-LESS’ LAPTOP
hahahahahahah
Those of us who respect Apple, but are not in love with Apple the way die-hard Mac users are, will find this HILARIOUS. We appreciate Apple products and we appreciate the intuition, but sometimes…well, come on…
CLICK HERE TO SEE THE NEW KEYBOARD-LESS LAPTOP BY APPLE*
(*-If you’re one of those types that can’t tell a spoof from the real thing and then you sincerely and innocently forward the spoof to everyone you know, thinking that it’s real…let me save you the hassle…this is a spoof 🙂 ).
A SON’S EULOGY FOR HIS FATHER
As I mentioned in the last post, my friend’s dad died and his memorial was on 1/2/09. I had the distinct and convicting pleasure of attending JT’s memorial service in Colorado.
Hands down, the best part of the whole service was the eulogy that my friend, David, gave to honor his father. You can read it on David’s blog (complete with 2 very tender pictures of a father/son relationship).
As you read it, you will sense that it is an intensely strong piece, filled with imagery and heart. However, please believe me, that to hear a son share it in front of 250-300 people who knew and loved his father was even more intense and winsome. David’s tone, demeanor, smiles, tears, pauses, ad-libs … all contributed to an authentic insight into joy and honor in the midst of grief.
He did a superbly complete job and did it with great humility and care. Every person there was captivated with what David said. His dad, JT, and his dad’s life were surely honored on Friday.
DEATH IS THE MOST TRUTHFUL PART OF LIFE
last year, my friend Scott accused me of enjoying funerals.
🙂
some friends know you all too well, eh?
Well, I just attended another memorial service yesterday (in colorado). It was for the father of one of my friends (and my friend is on our worship team too).
Scott’s right, i really do like funerals…
I suppose, after many many funerals under my belt, I’ve finally figured out why I like them. I think, regardless of who died and how they lived, that death is the most truthful part of life. If you know me, you know that I prefer truth and authenticity far more than I enjoy relativism and surface. Soooo, perhaps, death bodes well with me because it’s the absolute known in life.
Yes, my biblical beliefs undergird my lack of fear about ‘after death’, but even before i was a follower of Christ, death was not alarming to me. Rather is was somewhat reassuring.
So, now, after my 27th funeral/memorial service, I am once again digesting all that i saw, all that I heard, all that I ached for, all that I smiled at, all that i participated in, all the people I met, all that I wondered, all that I hoped for, all that i prayed for, all that I was challenged by, all that i cried for, all that God taught or is in the process of teaching… ultimately, experiencing the process of death is good for me. it’s good for my soul.
I have more thoughts. I have more musings. But, it’s late and I think I just want to get into bed and as i lay there I just want to continue reflecting on JT’s life: the life he led, the life he modeled, the legacy left behind, how best to empathize with and serve his grieving son, my friend. I also want to continue to just sit before the LORD and try to hear that still small voice.
While death is truthful, sometimes it’s hard to know what to do with the truth… and listening to God, trusting God, mourning with God…it leads to feeling/knowing His love.
Oh, truth in love.
Hmmmmm.
I’m sure there’s a gospel application in there…but keystroke-less pondering beckons and then sleep.
I JUST GOT SPANKED BY WORDPRESS. WELL HAPPY NEW YEAR TO YOU TOO!
ahahahahah
I can already tell that I’m off to a great year of blogging!
Here’s the background to the tip off :
-I was commenting on a friends blog. The first comment of ’09, mind you.
-I accidentally hit ‘submit’ before I had finished
-I wrote another comment with the ending to my prematurely posted comment; it was only 2 words, then I hit submit (for comment #2)
-Then I received this message ‘You are posting comments too quickly. Slow down.’
-Rrrrrr
-Seriously, WordPress, is that how it’s gonna be for 2009?
When’s the last time your were reprimanded by WordPress?
UH-OH, I THINK I HAVE A NEW FAVORITE
Gospel Reminders
Tim Challies says about it…
“Here is a new site that offers “Christ-Centered Quotes for the Renewing of Your Mind.” “The aim of Gospel Reminders is to provide daily, Christ-centered quotes from throughout Christian history which stir you to continually renew your mind for the glory of God.” ”
Yes, please.
I cruised around and was totally encouraged and challenged and loved that they were short, powerful zingers that you could chew on all day (and longer).
And, a hearty thank you to GoogleReader… Thank you GoogleReader, for being a tool to help me keep my mind focused on Christ. 🙂 You’re sweet.
A LEADER IS OFT TIMES A READER
Soooo, as you know, I’ve been getting back in the reading saddle.
I have a big list (always) and little time.
BUT, I do have more time than the President of the United States and somehow he managed to run the most powerful country in the world (through 9/11 fallout, controversial war, a ‘recession’, immense criticism and scrutiny, a bajillion meetings scheduled down to the minute, married off a daughter, etc.) AND read 186 books in the past 3 years. I think I read 10-15ish. Wow. I’m lame.
Here’s an article about the reading competition between old friends President George Bush and Karl Roves.
I am cheerfully warmed by President Bush’s spirit and kindness and have always loved the fact that, though people are unspeakably rude and malicious to him, he still continues with a smile, to do soul/mind enriching things… he seems to turn away from the option of bitterness. And, I love that one way is to read…even in friendly competition.
Just my impression. 🙂
JENNENE MEETS CHEMO TODAY
Just a little reminder, that my best friend Jennene will be taking her first hit of chemo on Monday at 9am. CLICK HERE to read Sunday’s recap and Monday’s chemo schedule. 🙂
REST? WHAT REST?
ok, sooo, the last couple of weeks have been pretty non-stop. If you read this blog then you know that 2 weeks ago (the week before Christmas) was a week of extreme highs and lows. This last week was filled other kinds of highs and lows and next week is sure to be filled with more highs and lows…we’re humans…thus highs and lows.
BRIEF RECAP
-was still sick enough all weekend.
-Had lunch w/Ona on Saturday 🙂
-Sunday, went to church for the ‘Candle Light Service’
-helped Adam Powell move all of his belongings to his new place where he & his new bride will reside upon their return from Thailand 🙂
-went with J&E and Gail down to Glendale for a family night at Steve & Debra’s…though the flat tire on the way down made for more adventure than expected. Driving 50mph on LA freeways is AWESOME!
-On Monday, drove up to Hanford for some sweet love at the Harveys; filled with uniform, food, laughing, conversation, sickness, lively rounds of nerDs, hilarious Zach moments, Jennene’s blog updates, cool Christmas Eve Eve service :), food, laughing, tech issues, conversation, uniform…
-Drove home early on Christmas morn, showered, made my over to the Brocks for Christmas brunch, which was FANTASTIC! Great company too…J&E, Jason & Steph, Mike, Gail (Js mom), Luke, Brad, Nadine. Hilarious range of conversation topics too. And, really great to get more than 2 minutes on Sunday am with the Beals! 🙂
-Spent the rest of the day in uniform at the Brocks with Mike (the Brocks went on to another family party); watching movies, reading dive magazines, planning dive destination trips and eating leftovers. Honestly, does it get any better?
-Friday worked in the morning and then ran down to Huntington Beach on an errand and in the process met the nicest people in the world (aunt/uncle of one David Wolter), then dinner near LAX, then dropped Mike off for his trip to Thailand (for AP’s wedding and sweet sweet diving).
-Today…working, planning, communicating….booked flights to/from Denver for a funeral next Friday…I leave on Wednesday New Years Eve…Jennene starts chemo on Monday…life just keeps on rolling…
FACEBOOK FOR GOOD OR FACEBOOK FOR EVIL
Soo, I’ve had this article open in a tab for a while, in hopes of reading it.
Turns out, it’s a pretty good article. It’s called ‘Redeeming Social Life OnLine’
Here’s an excerpt
“Like most other new things, Christians tend to either embrace Facebook uncritically, or retreat from it and condemn its use. Embracing technology uncritically—the “bear hug,” as I call it—means using a technology without thinking through its impact on yourself and others.
The “cold shoulder”—ignoring/retreating from/condemning a technology—is often driven by misguided fears and shallow biblical interpretation. While the problems with embracing uncritically are more easily discerned, giving a technology like Facebook the cold shoulder also has its problems. . . ”
CLICK HERE for the whole article (which includes 9 ways to NOT use facebook and 6 ways TO use facebook. 🙂 )
Thoughts?
INFOBESCITY
Soo, I got this post from Tim Challies’s blog. I literally copy/pasted it.
I love Challies.com because he is a fair reviewer. He’s discerning and is able to winnow through the glut of info and offer very relevant and intellectually and spiritually useful/engaging/nourishing food for thought. This post, entitled THINGS VAGUELY UNDERSTOOD, is somewhat exposing.
“Earlier this year John Naish, a British journalist, released a book titled Enough (which does not seem to be widely available in the United States). He subtitled the book, “Breaking free from the world of more.” He uses the book to encourage people to stop when they have enough–enough stuff, enough food, enough work, enough information. There were parts of the book I thought were much better than others; one part I thoroughly enjoyed was his discussion about information and the incredible volume of information we are exposed to today. In one part of this chapter he writes about his approach to tackling information overload. I thought I’d share that with you.
It involves fighting–and here’s my own new word–infobesity, by restricting one’s data diet. There are compelling reasons. The glut of information is not only causing stress and confusion; it also makes us do irrational things such as ignore crucial health information. The British Government’s latest survey on our food-buying patterns shows that while we are given more information than ever about healthy eating, our consumption of fresh food has fallen. This is partly because we are too busy getting and spending to enjoy the simple pleasures of cooking. But Catherine Collins, of the British Dietetic Association, says that info-overload is often to blame for this food-choice paradox: “We are so informed that we can’t be bothered.” That’s a fantastic slogan for the twenty-first century. We are so wired to gather information that often we no longer do anything useful with it. Instead of pausing to sift our intake for relevance and quality, the daily diet of prurient, profound, confusing and conflict information gets chucked on to a mental ash-heap of things vaguely comprehended. Then we rush to try to make sense of it all…by getting more.
As I read this, I thought of the Golden Labrador Retriever (i.e. Golden Lab), that ridiculous (but family-friendly) breed of dog that has a far bigger stomach than brain. The Lab, or at least the Labs I’ve known, cannot be trusted around food. They will eat until they are sick, throw up, and eat some more. Indefinitely. Some dogs have more common sense; they will eat for a while and save a portion of their food for another time. Not so the Lab. It will eat, and eat, and eat.
I do wonder if we are this way with information today–we eat and eat and eat, never pausing to digest, rarely showing any sensible moderation.”
HE GIVES & TAKES
It’s been an interesting week.
It’s been filled with joys and sorrow.
Seems like you can’t know one very well without knowing the other.
Joy is sweeter when you know sorrows.
And sorrows are endurable when you know joys.
This week
-My best friend was diagnosed with cancer
-Other friends prepare for their exciting and beautiful wedding that is next week
-Another friend’s young dad just died unexpectedly this afternoon (12/19/08)
-Another friend will wed her love tomorrow
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Job seems to be the guy whose story we all turn to when it all seems too weighty… so, I do again…
” ‘He said,
“Naked I came from my mother’s womb,
And naked I shall return there
The LORD gave and the LORD has taken away.
Blessed be the name of the LORD.”
Through all this Job did not sin nor did he blame God.’ ”
When Job’s wife had had enough of the adversity, she appealed to Job…here’s how it went…
” ‘Then his wife said to him, “Do you still hold fast your integrity? Curse God and die!”
But he said to her, “You speak as one of the foolish women speaks. Shall we indeed accept good from God and not accept adversity?” In all this, Job did not sin with his lips.’ ”
Job eventually questions God. God brings down the smack down. Job shudders and responds with…
” ‘Then Job answered the LORD and said,
“I know that You can do all things,
And that no purpose of Yours can be thwarted.
‘Who is this that hides counsel without knowledge?’
“Therefore I have declared that which I did not understand,
Things too wonderful for me, which I did not know.”
‘Hear, now, and I will speak;
I will ask You, and You instruct me.’
“I have heard of You by the hearing of the ear;
But now my eye sees You;
Therefore I retract, And I repent in dust and ashes.”‘ “
JENNENE’S ONCOLOGY APPT
Just a reminder that if you’d like updates on Jennene, please click on over to (and subscribe to) http://www.DontWasteMyCancer.wordpress.com
🙂
For the post specifically about OncologyAppt #1 click here
THE WORLD HATES OBEYING GOD=HATE THE CHURCH
A friend of mine is one of the pastors of this church. A woman refuses to stop sleeping with her boyfriend. The church is at the final stages of church discipline and plan on bringing it before the congregation this Sunday. Instead of repenting, she took it to the media. The church is now facing potential threats & violence… for loving her by obeying Scripture.
Just remember that (1 Corinthians 1:18 ) …”For the word of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.”
Please pray for her, for the church, for the media, for the viewers/readers (please note the comments by readers). Not sure if this qualifies for persecution, but either way it’s an opportunity for followers of Christ to stand up for God and His wisdom and His church and His love for sinners through the doctrines of hell/heaven (practiced through discipline/grace/restoration . . . the gospel).
UPDATE
Here’s a post link with more data
http://theologica.blogspot.com/2008/12/church-discipline-in-news.html
WHILE IT’S NO CANCER…
Sooo, as noted in the previous post, Jennene has cancer. And, while that’s going to bring about some new ways of doing things, in the meantime the rest of the world and it’s goings on never seem to slow up.
Here’s an example… I’ve been sick since the night before Thanksgiving. Including Thanksgiving Day, I was in bed for a solid week. Then I had about 5 days of a reprieve during which time I taught at a junior high and a high school…germs never linger in those stomping grounds and they never go after weakened immune systems. And then I was/am in bed again. So, today, in fact, right this moment, marks my 3 week anniversary of having this bronchitus/flu plague that many people have had this season. One way that I’m celebrating is by staying in bed as much as possible.
Another,’ in honor of my 3 week anniversary’ celebration, and at the advice of 2 people, I went out and bought myself a ‘Neti Pot’.
Google it and then enjoy the Youtube videos demonstrating its’ use. Then find the guy that deviates from the healing saline solution and ventures to the coffee & wine (warning: he does swear at the end). For more entertainment, find the guy who does homeopathic remedies ‘white trash’ style (also swears). Wow.
In reality, when you get past the fact that you’re shoving a tea pot spout up your nose, it’s actually an amazingly relieving process…like a hot tub experience for your nasal pasages (and I didn’t swear).
In the last 3 weeks, I have
-spent more time in uniform than not
-coughed so hard that I’m pretty sure I have bruised/injured a rib on my right side (should I start Ace bandaging now)
-not had to feign ‘being awakened’ when i answer the phone 🙂
-had more non-doctors give me their unsolicited expert ‘diagnosis’ than is appropriate …even my bank teller had a few ‘you need to’ action items after hearing my cough. 🙂
-grown somewhat immune to codeine cough syrup
-felt like someone packed my nasal pasage with wet cement
-have sneezed so violently, I think I’m joking (but I’m not)
-have wondered if someone boxed my ears while I was sleeping
-started coughing almost everytime I start talking…hmmm…maybe there’s a correlation…and an exhortation 🙂
-woken up with a raging headache 70% of the time
-refined my ‘Harvey Fierstein’ voice impressions
-been really stoked my branding color is green, cuz I’ve been coughing up LOTS of it
-my eyes burning like little infernos; impairing my vision from time to time
-have dragged myself out of bed only for the ‘essentials’ (church Christmas service/rehearsals, RA Elf reunion party (!), client tasks cuz some agents still fax (?!?!?), finally turning the heater on today…1st time this winter, email/facebook, best friend’s post cancer diagnosis dinner, neti pot purchase and usage, the occasional shower, etc.)
-debated if I’m faking it or not; I always think I’m faking it. But, once I am better, the difference is so vast, that I realize I wasn’t faking it.
Have you experienced anything similar? If so, what are your remedies? What’s your expert opinion?
HELLO CANCER, WELCOME BACK
Ok, I have known many people, young/old, who have endured the embroiled battle with cancer. I have learned a lot, I have wondered a lot, I have not always known what to do (alot), but despite me (the friend) or them (the patient), I have seen God remain faithful.
After a week-ish of waiting (and me trying not to nag by asking for an update every 30 seconds), my friend of almost 20 years received the call from the doc. Yep, say hello to your new traveling companion, cancer.
She will know more on Friday (12/19) when she goes to meet with ‘her oncologist’. It’s weird that at 34 she’s going to have her own oncologist. We went to high school together and we’ve been in ministry together since we were 18/19 (even before I was a Christian). In some senses, we’ve grown up together…mostly spiritually, I would say. But, we have shared in many of life’s markers. We did attend the same high school, we attended the same college group at church, we ended up at the same college in LA, we sang our faces off with each other at a million different venues, we cut a 1st CD years ago and have another one currently ‘in production’, I stood in her wedding as maid of honor, we have traveled the world through different ministries, I’ve taught her classes in her absence, we’ve run ICU together, we’ve endured times of intense sanctification and times of total joy (particularly when she busts out her accents…I am on the floor in an instant), we’ve had countless hours of conversation (sharing counsel, rebuke, encouragement, etc), I love her husband and feel like he’s become one of my greatest friends too, I bought and sold their last 3 houses, we’re a part of each other’s families (the Driscolls LOVE her)… I have learned a lot from her and we would both say that it’s the most bizarre and hilarious pairing from the LORD. And, now, here we are in our friendship…at another life marker, welcoming an oncologist into the fold.
Here’s the thing about her though, she is almost unphased by having cancer. That’s not to say she’s unaware. Quite the opposite. She is rational, logical, well read, supported…all those good things. But moreover than any of those faculties, she trusts God. Always has. This ‘tragedy’ is really just another circumstance that the LORD is allowing her for His glory and her good…by her own mouth. I have watched her over the last 20 years. She has faithfully & quietly pursued God and pursued His will. She’s not ‘kicking it in gear’ now that there’s a ‘crisis’. In fact, her response is exactly what I would’ve expected it to be..because I know her humble and trusting walk with the LORD.
She doesn’t LOVE to be the center of attention, but cancer will force her there. I think what everyone will see as the microscope is on her is ‘Christ in me is to live. To die is to gain.’ She has no interest in taking any praise from Him, but rather giving it all to Him. The cancer patient gets to say whatever they want…how cool is it that she speaks His name? How stoked am I that this person is my best friend and that I get to continue learning from her and from God through her during this cancer era? I hope that when my time comes for the next big era (and it’s coming, they always are), that I will be like her… slow and steady… full of faith… as she is like Christ…
Below is the email she sent out to family/friends…(used with her permission of course)
____________________________________
Hello everyone!
To those who knew I was getting tests done, thank you for praying. For those who didn’t, I didn’t want to alarm you until I knew what was going on, so, sorry about this being a shock. Here’s the deal — I found a lump, got it tested, and it is cancerous. My doctor wants to shrink it first and then do a lumpectomy.
I don’t know much about any of it, but I have a Friday appointment with an oncologist through Kaiser who will walk me & Eric through the treatment options. So any questions you may have, I won’t know the answers till Friday! 🙂 The type of cancer is not the worst kind, but is a common form (which my mom also had), ductal cancer. (http://www.networkofstrength.org/information/diagnosis/types/dcis.php – thanks Sam for the link).
How I’m doing — well, I am okay. I’ve had a chance to think through the ramifications, and it’s a part of life — it’s just the next thing that needs to be dealt with, in my way of thinking. Even more, God has ordered my steps and I know I’ll be fine. I know it will bring changes and painful things and maybe people looking at me differently, but I’m glad to have the hope that God is sovereignly in control and cares about all I go through as he brings it about in my life. I’m even thankful and looking forward to some aspects.
One thing I hope people can understand is that I am not very emotional/worried about this (as of now) and I still want things to be normal and not awkward and morose — I still want to have fun with all of you and talk about normal things — so please don’t feel like this has to be the focus or monopolize our conversations. In fact, I’m not really even comfortable talking much about myself in general, so….should be interesting. ha ha 🙂 So please don’t feel awkward or worry about what to say. I’m still the same person (i.e. Jennene, not freaky cancer victim). I’m happy to hear that you’re praying for me, but besides that, you don’t have to say much! 🙂 Oh, and this week I happen to be finishing the semester with grading and finals, so if you write me back, please don’t be hurt if I don’t get back to you right away!
By the way, feel free to forward this on to others, if you would like. I will post updates on my facebook page. If you don’t have a facebook page, get one!! (if you want)
Love you all,
Jennene
P.S.Eric shared this with me a long time ago, and he shared it with me again today after hearing about the diagnosis, so I thought I’d include this link also so you all can know how to pray for me and encourage me!
10 thought-provoking points by Piper to remind ourselves of:
http://www.desiringgod.org/ResourceLibrary/TasteAndSee/ByDate/2006/1776_Dont_Waste_Your_Cancer/
I copied the main points and verses below too:
Don’t Waste Your Cancer
Download: By John Piper February 15, 2006
I write this on the eve of prostate surgery. I believe in God’s power to heal-by miracle and by medicine. I believe it is right and good to pray for both kinds of healing. Cancer is not wasted when it is healed by God. He gets the glory and that is why cancer exists. So not to pray for healing may waste your cancer. But healing is not God’s plan for everyone. And there are many other ways to waste your cancer. I am praying for myself and for you that we will not waste this pain.
1. You will waste your cancer if you do not believe it is designed for you by God. “They . . . comforted him for all the evil that the Lord had brought upon him” (Job 42:11).
2. You will waste your cancer if you believe it is a curse and not a gift.
“There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus” (Romans 8:1).”Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us” (Galatians 3:13).”There is no enchantment against Jacob, no divination against Israel” (Numbers 23:23). “The Lord God is a sun and shield; the Lord bestows favor and honor. No good thing does he withhold from those who walk uprightly” (Psalm 84:11).
3. You will waste your cancer if you seek comfort from your odds rather than from God. Some count their chariots (percentages of survival) and some count their horses (side effects of treatment), but we trust in the name of the Lord our God (Psalm 20:7) 2 Corinthians 1:9, “We felt that we had received the sentence of death. But that was to make us rely not on ourselves but on God who raises the dead.”
4. You will waste your cancer if you refuse to think about death.
Ecclesiastes 7:2 says, “It is better to go to the house of mourning [a funeral] than to go to the house of feasting, for this is the end of all mankind, and the living will lay it to heart.” Psalm 90:12 says, “Teach us to number our days that we may get a heart of wisdom.” Christ has defeated this last enemy: 1 Corinthians 15.
5. You will waste your cancer if you think that “beating” cancer means staying alive rather than cherishing Christ.
“I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord.” And to know that therefore, “To live is Christ, and to die is gain” (Philippians 3:8; 1:21).
6. You will waste your cancer if you spend too much time reading about cancer and not enough time reading about God. “Let us know; let us press on to know the Lord” (Hosea 6:3). Daniel 11:32, “The people who know their God shall stand firm and take action.” “His delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night. He is like a tree planted by streams of water that yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither. In all that he does, he prospers” (Psalm 1:2).
7. You will waste your cancer if you let it drive you into solitude instead of deepen your relationships with manifest affection. “He has been longing for you all and has been distressed because you heard that he was ill” (Philippians 2:26-27).
8. You will waste your cancer if you grieve as those who have no hope. “We do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about those who are asleep, that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope” (1 Thessalonians 4:13). “We would rather be away from the body and at home with the Lord” (2 Corinthians 5:8). You follow in the image of “a man of sorrows, acquainted with grief.” (Isaiah 53) But this Jesus chose his cross willingly “for the joy set before him.” (Philippians) “My joy will be in you, and your joy will be made full. Your grief will be turned to joy. No one will take your joy way from you. Ask, and you will receive, so that your joy will be made full. These things I speak in the world, so that they may have my joy made full in themselves” (selection from John 15-17).
9. You will waste your cancer if you treat sin as casually as before. “What does it profit a man if he gains the whole world and loses or forfeits himself?” (Luke 9:25). “For your name’s sake, O Lord, pardon my iniquity, for it is very great. Who is the man who fears the Lord? He will instruct him in the way he should choose” (Psalm 25).
10. You will waste your cancer if you fail to use it as a means of witness to the truth and glory of Christ. “They will lay their hands on you and persecute you, delivering you up to the synagogues and prisons, and you will be brought before kings and governors for my name’s sake. This will be your opportunity to bear witness” (Luke 21:12 -13). So it is with cancer.
Remember you are not left alone. You will have the help you need. “My God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:19).
Pastor John
Christ be with me,
Christ within me,
Christ behind me,
Christ before me,
Christ beside me,
Christ to win me,
Christ to comfort and restore me,
Christ beneath me,
Christ above me,
Christ in quiet,
Christ in danger,
Christ in hearts of all that love me,
Christ in mouth of friend and stranger
(from “I bind unto myself the name”).
KID NAMES
I have several friends who are ‘with child’ and inevitably this question is asked, ‘So, have you guys thought of names yet?’
As is the trend, people are keeping it a secret, but taking submissions.
Who knew that CakeWrecks would be the source of the most bizarre and UN-acceptable names I have EVER heard of for children? But, humanity never ceases to amaze… I wonder if any of my friends will consider these 2 names… You know how families have favorite movies? I wonder if this family gathers round to cozy up with a blanket and the collector’s edition of American History X.
I haven’t been able to use the categories ‘creepy’ and ‘ridiculous headlines’ in a long time. Thanx, CakeWrecks!
BONUS THOUGHT
AND, I just thought of subbing for the classes that these kids are in and having to take roll by calling out their names! Oh, MAN, I wish it could be!
2008 IN BOOK REVIEW
Soooooo, when you’re in college you think, “When I’m done with college (or my college culture job) I’ll do so much ‘free reading’ ”.
Huh.
Well, I am here to say that I’ve been out of that environment for 4 years now and have done very little of that ‘extra curricular’ reading I’d always longed for. 🙂
So, in an effort to be slightly less-lame, though not having a TON of time, I have tried harder in 2008 to do some reading.
I am only posting this as a form of accountability and iron on iron. I am in NO way saying that I am proud of the number of books that I’ve read (or rather, not read).
I’ll break it down by categories: books I finished, books I’m currently reading, books that are on the ‘to read’ list and your welcomed recommendations. This list assumes the Bible. 🙂
BOOKS I FINISHED
1. Under The Banner of Heaven by Jon Krakauer
2. Mistaken Identity by Van Ryn, Cerak, Tabb
3. Beyond the Band of Brothers by Major Dick Winters
4. Stories In His Own Hand by Ronald Reagan
5. The Road of Lost Innocence by Somaly Mam
6. Open Water Diving Manual by PADI
7. Girl Soldier by Faith J.H. McDonnell & Grace Akallo
BOOKS I’M CURRENTLY READING
1. Do Hard Things by Alex & Brett Harris
2. The Last of the Just by Andre Schwarz-Bart
3. The Cross Centered Life by CJ Mahaney
4. The Millionaire Real Estate Agent by Gary Keller
5. Unpacking Forgiveness by Chris Braun
6. A Faith Worth Sharing by C. John Miller (aka ‘Jack’)
BOOKS ON THE ‘TO READ’ LIST 🙂 (in no particular order)
1. Why We’re Not Emergent By Two Guys Who Should Be by DeYoung & Kluck
2. Relationships-A Mess Worth Making by Paul Tripp
3. Into Thin Air by John Krakuer
4. Respectable Sins by Jerry Bridges
5. When Sinners Say I Do by Dave Harvey
6. PeaceMaker by Ken Sande (this would be a re-read)
7. Chinatown’s Angry Angel: The Story of Donaldina Cameron
8. The Good News About Injustice by Gary Haugen
9. The Prodigal God by Tim Keller
10. The Four Loves by C.S. Lewis
11. Escape by Carolyn Jessup
12. Awearness by Kenneth Cole
BOOKS THAT YOU RECOMMEND (and Why)…
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
etc.
So, here’s to looking back on 2008 and looking forward to 2009, from a literary perspective, of course.
MY 7th & 8th GRADERS FROM MON/TUES
As usual, I love these guys…
On Monday & Tuesday, I subbed at La Mesa Junior High for ‘Resource’ kids which basically means ‘not as smart or as disciplined as the other kids, but we cover it up with labels like ‘ADD’ etc. and then throw more tax dollars at it.’ While some of the kids really do need extra help, the majority of the drama comes from issues of discipline and focus and self control.
Soooo, I had them for 2 days. In addition to the discipline paragraph that I use for individual discipline, we also had a class behavior competition going: all classes competing against each other over the course of the 2 days. Stars represent good behavior, checks represent bad.
TWO AMAZING THINGS HAPPENED
1) Over the course of the 2 days, the class grid only had STARS…NO checks!!! In my 4 years of subbing, Stars only had NEVER happened.
2) Day one had many paragraphs (testing the boundaries), day two had none!
These kids really worked hard! They reminded each other to do their class work, learn and to behave themselves! They were polite. They were willing to serve each other. They really got the ‘Teamwork’ concept.
Awww, tear.
PS-Each class period, I try to dedicate a certain amount of time and let them ask me ‘any questions about anything at all’. On Tuesday, the kid who gets in trouble the most asked me ‘What’s the meaning of life?’. 🙂 I confirmed that he really wanted to hear my answer. He confirmed. 🙂
I said that the meaning of life is to fear God and keep His commandments as that is the whole duty of man. To my delight, 2 other students chimed in and their comments led to a discussion of the Bible, the Trinity, Jesus dying on the cross…before I knew it they were well down the path of sharing the gospel (without knowing it). 🙂 I love when they innocently say ‘Miss Neylan, doesn’t the Bible say…’ and we get to talk about what that ‘piece of literature’ says. 🙂
UPDATE:
Also, some of them had time to do my staple assignment of 10-things-about-me-that-miss-neylan-might-find-interesting2 …as you read it, maybe their spelling, grammar AND content will remind you to pray for America’s youth, will remind you to pray for America’s teachers, and will remind you that what fills their time, thoughts, dreams is incredibly worldy and void of almost all things related to God…the One who provides salvation, hope, love, forgiveness, joy, contentment…
(if the doc doesn’t work, will someone please let me know via a comment?)
CREATIVE OUTREACH
Whoa…I just read this post about a church that has a ministry called ‘Midnight Outreach’ … the opening line of the post is ‘The first time I walked into a strip club, I knew I was doing the right thing’…
I love that some churches are really willing to meet people where they are and to extend themselves to show the love of Christ. Accounts like this one are encouraging and inspiring… how can i engage in my own community more? How can I be more attentive to seeking and pursuing opportunities rather than letting them come to me?
If you have ideas about ministry efforts or you are involved in some creative ministries or whatever, I’d love to hear them. Thanx!
CHRISTMAS RECOMMENDATION
_________________________________________________________________________
The following post is a copy/paste from a college friend (and his wife), Dan & Karina Franklin. They have been doing their homework and have just posted a full endorsement of their support for Advent Conspiracy (I posted about it a few weeks ago). For those of you who commented to me and have talked to me about your thoughts, I though you might enjoy his thoughts.
“So, I know that many of you have heard of Advent Conspiracy, but I would guess that some of you have not. Advent Conspiracy is a movement amongst churches in the U.S. to enter into the true Christmas story instead of getting caught in the consumerism and commercialism that dominates Christmas in our culture. The concept is simple:
1. Worship Fully. Put the focus on Jesus, instead of on presents, decorations, and the normal Christmas stress.
2. Spend Less. Reject the consumerism. When it comes down to it, most presents that we give to one another do not have lasting impact on God’s kingdom. So, don’t get caught in it.
3. Give More. Give relationally instead of simply financially. Find creative (and inexpensive) ways to give of yourself, just as Jesus did.
4. Love All. Give what would have been spent on gifts to those who are most needy and marginalized. This could include both people overseas and people in the local community.
2 Corinthians 8:9 says this:
This is the Christmas story. Christ was rich, but He became poor for our sakes. We are invited to enter into this story.
Karina and I are excited to more intentionally enter into this story this year with our family and our church. We are excited to be stretched and challenged. We are excited about being more purposeful in doing Christmas in such a way that it reflects the true Christmas story to Matt and Jack. And we are excited to spend less so that we can give to those who are truly in need. So that we can follow Christ so that we could become poor, so that others through our poverty might become rich.
Check out www.adventconspiracy.org if you are interested in info on Advent Conspiracy. There are great videos and resources there.”
HA! I LOVE PIPER’S WILLINGNESS
I love Piper’s willingness to engage the world…and to do it through many mediums…this one happens to be art. 🙂
I ordered Desiring God’s new winter catalog...and in the spirit of ‘Don’t Waste Your _____’, their new catalog is not just for offering spiritual resources for sale. It’s also an artbook designed to be torn out and given away, one page at a time, with the intention of drawing attention to God and drawing people to Him. Talk about not wasting your catalog!
Watch this low budge, Invisible Children style video and see ways to use this catalog for more…
So creative and resourceful! I’m so thankful that these Christians have used their art to help further God’s glory!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wyfGa6fwdHY
Oh, and my catalog came in the mail and it’s super cool!
Here’s to sharing Him with the world!
SOME OBSERVATIONS
-I am SO glad that I did not chose to drive home on Sunday. Thanksgiving traffic looked uncool.
-I am incredibly stoked that codine cough syrup was invented. So stoked.
-Planned Parenthood is outrageous for offering Gift Cards for this Christmas season’s abortions! The irony of a teenager enduring social scorn in order to bring baby Jesus into the world…to save it. And then 3,700 innocent babies are murdered daily in the US (not to mention the rest of the world), mostly due to their inconvenience to the mother/father.
-Everyone needs an AP in their life: good friend, good tech, good iron on iron
-Fingerprint scan security is awesome on my new laptop
-Sovereignty is a comforting thing
-Seriously, I love facebook. Oh, and Doug Bookman joined in September.
-It’s cool to accept God’s will rather than demand your own; He’s always right
-I love when cool people get engaged, like Lindsey Konecko and Jim Cosley 🙂
-I want desperately to obey God…it’s hard, but worth it
-I am pretty sure that I am never breaking my Thanksgiving tradition ever again; it wasn’t totally worth it
-I love my family, crazy and all!!!!
-Christina Seelye is truly one of the best cooks I’ve ever dined under, ever
-Everyone should watch Band of Brothers once a year
-Really? a 33-year old man was trampled to death at Wal-Mart on Black Friday? And 2 guys got in a shoot out at Wal-MArt in Palm desert on Black friday? Is crap on sale worth life? Advent Conspiracy all the way.
-Marrying the church versus dating the church… commitment…Christ showed it to us…why don’t we show it to Him as His bride?
-Our ICU club still wants all the books that you want to purge yourself of… 🙂
aaand scene…
FACEBOOK POLITICS
Here’s one of those topics….
Facebook was a hotbed for political ridiculousness. I mean, seriously.
Don’t get me started (about ‘both’ sides). Let me just say that nations have risen and fallen through the course of history and the US is simply one of those nations. God is still God regardless of who rules.
FACEBOOK…
I love it when people lay low and then come in for a smart, witty, appropriate, hilarious zinger in the midst of chaos. While status updates (and threads that follow) are oft abused (especially during an election season), here is one that made me laugh out loud. So without further delay and with eternity as the backdrop…I give you the winner from Steve Clune’s friend…
STATUS UPDATE
In Los Angeles we voted on 17 props. SEVENTEEN! That means to me that our highly paid elected leaders are NOT doing the job that they are paid to do. Many of these props did not need to go to the ballot.
FRIEND’S COMMENTS
As far as the irony, goes, the big winners are veteran chickens who take public transportation to children’s hospitals to have abortions without telling the rooster.
However, I guess the gay chickens are on their own.
HEMPZ, THE DEPRESSION & THE AROMA OF JESUS
ok, so, follow me on this one…this post has several seperate thoughts that will converge (I hope).
FIRST THOUGHT
I am really really sensitve to perfumes and colognes (I wish that most people would not wear them). Truly. You know, the guy’s cologne that after one quick hug, it’s on you for the rest of the day. Bleh. Or, how about the woman at church that has used such a strong brand that you can barely breath? Yeah, all of it is not my favorite. Due to my sensitivity, IF I wear a fragrance (which I use the term loosely), I only wear HEMPZ Pure herbal extract moisterizer: I love the smell and I love the way it feels. The problem with this particular brand/fragrance is that it costs $22.50 for 18oz. I don’t use lotion alot. ANYway, I was pondering this ‘state’ in my life (the state of wishing that people wouldn’t wear perfume/cologne) and I started taking an inventory of the worship team (a group that I meet with at least 2x a week). To my delight and gratitude, I realized how fortunate I am (and have been for almost a decade) that no one on our team really wears ANY fragrances. So, every Sunday at 7am and every Tuesday at 7pm, we find other things to notice and laugh about about each other. 🙂
SECOND THOUGHT
You know how we label people?
Well, how about the label that we give frugal people…if you use a rubber spatula to get the very last wipe out of the mayonnaise jar then you ‘must have lived through the depression’? You know, stuff like that.
I was pondering this today, as I have been nursing the last of my $22.50 bottle of moisturizer (that I’ve had for 7+ months), making sure to get every last drop in the bottle before I open the new replacement bottle. I was thinking about how my patterns have changed over the years: some good, some bad. One good one is that I really do use most things until they’re GONE (with the exception of food…soemtimes, you just need to throw it away). When did this start? I’m not sure, but i do remember one of my college jobs was working for a millionare woman who had no concept of money management (nor did she teach any to her spoiled kids) and the amount of true waste and surplus that I witnessed (as i was barely getting myself through college) was profound to me. Fast forward to today, I think through the increase in my involvement with justice based work, I have had the opportunity to be exposed to true destitution. As a result, ‘wasting’ is hard for me to do with a clear conscience (I need only to picture a 6 yr old sex slave who is starved almost to death or the 9 year old Ugandan boy who was forced, by the LRA, to kill his own brother, escaped and now tries to make it on his own in a war-torn country…and the list goes on). I guess using moisterizer is a luxury that millions of people can’t afford…so, I scrape every last tiny dallop out of the bottle..not just for my wallet, but as a reminder of all those who have need.
THIRD THOUGHT
My pastor knocked it out of the park yesterday. He said a lot, I appreciated a lot, but one main thing sticks out to me…how do i represent Christ to unbelievers in my daily encounters?…he used the illustration of 2 Cor 2:14
“But thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and manifests through us the sweet aroma of the knowledge of Him in every place.”
After people have been with me, are they left with a
1) pleasing fragrance (like my Hempz lotion)? or
2) a faint foul odor? (like when you walk into a house that cooked fish the night before) or
3) a raging, gagging stench (insert the worst stench you’ve experienced…my EMT fire fighting friends say that anything GI related is horrendous)?
CONVERGING THOUGHT?
the way I love the smell of my Hempz lotion (and nurse it and won’t waste it)…is that the same way that people respond to me because they perceive Christ in me because of my actions/words/tone/vibe/love/compassion/etc? (I doubt it) OR, do I leave the smell like all the colognes and perfumes that gag me and that i can’t stand? (probably)
I’m leaving out lots of sermon points, but 2 application points that he made that were SO convicting were (remember, this is about fragrance of Christ to unbelievers)
1) “How ya smelling these days?”
2) “Love them till they ask you ‘why?’ “
(dagger in my heart).
HUMAN TRAFFICKING IS REAL.
Human slavery is alive and well in 2008.
27 million innocent human beings are enslaved…at this very moment.
A few weeks ago I saw this movie with Jennene and Eric and we absolutely think everyone should see it.
It was a limited release at the time and sadly we saw it on the last day it was showing. So, while we wanted to recommend it to everyone (you), we had nowhere to send you to see it. Well, the film makers somehow managed to get another release! EVERYONE should see this (and see how the world responds to human slavery) Click here for listings near you.. For those of you ‘local’, it will be in LA & Pasadena Nov 14-20th.
*Please do whatever you have to do to see this movie.
Human trafficking is not something that’s just happening somewhere ‘out there’…it’s the fastest growing commerce product worldwide, which includes the U.S.
I’ve talked to several people who have said, ‘I’m ashamed. I had no idea that was happening in the world and specifically the U.S.’
So, while the ecomony is a big deal and the recent elections were a big deal, the bigger deal is the massive amounts of genuine injustice going on in our world, often under our noses, and oft times even unknowingly financed by us.
Check it out…be in the know…hear the call…be the response.
http://www.CALLandRESPONSE.com/home.html
*Note: this is not a ‘Christian’ movie, but it is remarkable how some non-Christians respond to this genuine on-going crisis with compassion and action.
If you’re a Christian, have you thought through your biblical responsibility to the innocent and exploited? To the innocent and expolited that are being enslaved, tortured, abused, sold, prostituted, exploited…with no rescue in sight? If you have thought about it, would you like to share your thoughts, efforts, hopes, experiences?
It’s a big deal and we’re all on the same team: Team Human.
Some of our team mates are in desperate need: Of physical and spiritual rescue.
DON’T WANT TO BE A PART OF THE $450 BILLION U.S. CHRISTMAS?
Well, then read on… 🙂
So, I have posted about Advent Conspiracy and I hope you had a chance (and an interest) to read about it. If you want to check in on Dan Franklin’s blog, he’s giving updates as he and his family are formally participating.
HOWEVER, if what I just said was too much for you to deal with, here’s a quick GREAT resource for gift ideas this season that are meaningful, experience based, and not expensive!!!! It’s a sister website to Advent Conspiracy called RETHINKING CHRISTMAS. There are some fantastic ideas that are relation based alternatives to the $450 billion dollars that Americans (alone) spend on Christmas every year. There are a bunch of diverse ideas submitted by people just like you and me. Here are 3 examples (note: obviously any/all of the ideas can be modified to the specific intention/creativity of the giver :)…and these might be cool things for your kids to do as givers of gifts too)…
“WHAT I SEE IN YOU” Ornament
submitted by laurabeefatka on Fri, 11/07/08; DIY Under $10 Beginner
One Christmas growing up, my mom presented each of us three kids with a special ornament. Each one represented an aspect of our God-given character.
Laura: Star-shaped ornament, representing my ability to reflect the light of God to those around me
Emily: Heart-shaped ornament, representing her tender and giving heart
Brian: Shepherd ornament, representing his ability to guide and shepherd people
I don’t remember many of the gifts given at Christmas, but I sure remember this one!
THE BELATED THANK YOU LETTER
Submitted by kw on Mon, 10/13/2008 – 08:52. DIY Free Beginner
For each of your relatives, recall a memory with them from your youth in which you never said thank you. Each letter can be unique, or can simply be started with “I remember when I was younger” and then proceed to write down as much about that memory as you can. At the end of the description, simply thank them. I would often say something to the effect of “Even though I never properly thanked you, I was very thankful for the way you [fill in blank here] – Thank You.”
I know it sounds simple, but you’ll be amazed at how powerful a belated thank you letter can be.
GRANDMA’S BEST RECIPE
Submitted by suckerfish85 on Tue, 11/11/2008 – 04:50. Giving Time Under $10 Beginner
I asked my Grandma not to buy me any presents for Christmas. Instead, she is going to show me how she makes chocolate chip zucchini bread. It was always my favorite snack when she came to visit and did her baking, and now I will be able to make it and share it with others.
I absolutely (always) love the concept of downplaying store bought, simply because, generally speaking, I think more than any gift card or piece of clothing, what people ultimately really want is to be connected with people…not stuff. I dare say, for those of you who are followers of Christ, that what people should really be experiencing through you (us) is Jesus. I think one of the most obvious and significant ways that people see Jesus through us is in our connectedness with humanity. It all matters. Each person matters. Relationships matter. Kindness matters. Sacrifice matters. Compassion matters. Caring matters. Truth in love matters. Faithfulness matters. Curiosity matters. Follow through matters. Confession matters. Creativity matters. Patience matters. Joy matters. The way Jesus did it matters. It matters because that’s the way He did it. *
🙂
Soooooooo, think about it…maybe this Christmas will be different in giving habits, not just ‘because of the economy’, but because people matter…so much so that Jesus Christ gave His life for people, not a gift card.
*sidenote: I am also aware that provision matters and that sometimes giving monetarily/materially IS another way to show Christ to people. And if you have the opportunity, then by all means follow the Spirit and give accordingly, in obedience. This post was moreso primarily to offer options to the ‘stereotypical’ habits of Americans around ‘the holidays’.
YOU KNOW IT’S FALL WHEN…
I bust out the ol ‘black on the outisde, cheatah on the inside’ slippers, given to me about 5 years ago by one Erin (Johnston) Klang. I wear them when it’s time to truly welcome winter: when the nights are to-the-bone-cold around 5pm. THAT’s when I know it’s time. Tonight…it was time. They’re on my dogs as I type.
I am somewhat grieved by the reality that this may be their last winter (evidenced by stuffing coming out the torn seams). I hope not.
For many reasons, they are deeply sentimental… for starters, they are the iconic finishing touch to ‘the uniform’. You know, the outfit that you unconsciously strip for and suit up in once you get home and just want to be comfortable. Moreover, the slippers are an essential factor when I travel to Walnut Creek, Hanford, Washington…or wherever I go that will only feel like ‘home’ once I get the uniform on. I will be sad if I do not have them as travel mates next year. Oh, AND, the indentations have been perfectly crafted and honed. When my cold feet slide in, they feel like they’re in a 2nd skin.
-sigh-
Well, I suppose I will have to cherish them all the more this winter season.
who knows what I’m talking about?…mostly cuz you have something similiar?
🙂
OK, I WASN’T GOING TO SAY ANYTHING, BUUUT…
I had the thought myself as I watched the acceptance speech. I shoved my thought deep into my private mental ‘SNL’ skit closet and scolded myself for not ‘taking this seriously’. I was taking it seriously and I DID take it all seriously. But I kept quiet about this ‘other’, maybe ‘not so serious’ thing. I stayed quiet for 2 whole days! 🙂
I was reading this article today and wanted to yell out to everyone I knew ‘i KNOW, seriously, right?!’, but I did not do that. Instead, I just quietly and, in solitude, enjoyed the moment by myself. But, it was when I read the reader’s comment that said this, ‘My wife and I both thought Mrs. Obama’s dress looked like a black widow spider…’ that i just could not keep it to myself anymore.
If you’re a regular reader, you know my love/hate relationship with the black widow spider. And, you know that I watch Project Runway. When I saw Mrs. Obama on stage for the 1st time on Tuesday night, all I could picture was Heidi Klum, Nina Garcia and Michael Kors with their little note cards sitting in their little director’s chairs: Heidi with the big eyes of shock, Michael Kors with that snarky smirk on his face and Nina Garcia looking unimpressed and disinterested. Of course, Tim Gunn had already told the designer to ‘make it work’, but obviously the designer ‘didn’t care what the judges would think’.
It made me laugh when the cast made their way into my fictitious SNL skit and ‘judged’ that dress.
I type this as I am about to slip into sweats that should’ve been thrown away 3 years ago and then I will do some work on my computer. What I won’t be doing is having 50 million cameras on me as I am supporting my husband as he runs the most powerful nation in the world and I won’t be raising my children in the harsh and critical public eye (as evidenced by my own post)…so, who am I to talk about some dress?
But, it really did look like a black widow dress. And I FULLY expect to see that dress in an SNL skit soon.
TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 5th, 2008: HIGHLIGHTS
On a day that was advertised to be charged with historical intensity and discord, I experienced many blogable vignettes, both pleasant and unpleasant. You decide which is which.
As is my bullet point style…
-The voting poll that was 50 ft from my house had voters screaming, at 7am, ‘Go Obama!’. Not annoying at all, since I was still debating if I should hit snooze one more time. By 7:45, I drove by the line that was out the door, into the street…and in the rain. Soooo, since I had to be at school by 8:15am, I knew I’d have to find another poll sometime during the day to cast my vote.
-I taught for the 2nd day in an 8th grade Science class. I used my prep period to attempt to get voting done in that 50 minute time frame (including driving, lines, actually voting, driving back, signing back in to school, being ready at the door for students greetings). The poll location that was closest to the school was at Friendly Valley’s Retirement Rec center. Here’s why voting there was my new favorite
1. There were American flags everywhere!
2. I shut my car door, went and voted, and was back in my car in 10 minutes
3. During the experience, I spoke with three different poll workers and ALL of them were pleasant. Whilst doing some paperwork, I chatted with the older gentlemen assigned to me. This was his 5th presidential election for which he’s worked the polls. Twenty years…20 years!!! Wow. I asked him questions and felt like I might want to volunteer here next time around…I bet I could learn a lot about our U.S. history by hanging out with people who have fought in it.
4. The room was filled with war veterans. There’s something inspiring and gut-wrenching about voting in a room full of people who fought and sacrificed to preserve my freedom and privilege to vote.
5. I left teary-eyed…I love the democratic process. I was overwhelmed with the ease of casting my vote and being heard…I flashed on other countries where people can’t vote or have fear of death if they turn out to polls. It’s good to be an American…oh, and I want to vote at Friendly Valley for every election!
-During the school day, I had yet another encounter with the liberal agenda in the public school system. That’s a whole other post. Let’s just say this snipet epitomizes it all…
Admin: ‘As educators, even if kids ask us specific questions, we don’t give our opinions.’
Me: ‘Huh. As educators, shouldn’t we be giving them information on the issues about which they’re asking?’
Admin: (lumberg style), ‘yeeaaah, I know what you mean, but even if they ask, we as educators shouldn’t give our own opinion. It’s actually a rule.’
Me: ‘A rule? Really? Hmmm, where is that rule located cuz I’m going to need to see that in writing, please’.
Admin: ‘Well, it’s not really a written rule. It’s more like an implied rule.’
Me: (nodding my head in an ‘oh, really’ kind of way), ‘Ohhh, implied. ok.’
(rolling my eyes in my heart, keeping my temper controlled, asking the LORD to give me an eternal perspective and mentally muttering, ‘yeah, we as educators don’t give opions unless we have liberal opinions and then that unwritten rule never existed and we go on to say whatever we want’).
-Went to the always-packed IN-and-Out for a quick dinner. I walked in and it felt like a Stephen King movie…only the workers, 2 customers, and the endless stark whiteness. Insert eery music. I asked a worker why it was so desolate. He smiled and said, ‘Election day. Everyone is standing in line voting.’ 🙂
-Around 6pm, I was at the cashier counter of a dept store and the female cashier (about 50 years old) asked if I’d voted yet…here’s how it went…
ME: I sure did. I was in and out in 10 minutes. It was great. Have you voted yet?
CASHIER: Not yet. But now I think I might be changing my mind
ME: Changing your mind? About who to vote for or whether or not to actually vote?
CASHIER: Whether or not to vote.
ME: What? Why?
CASHIER: (somewhat whiny, but smiling) I’m tired. Why? Do you think I should?
ME: Absolutley I think you should vote.
CASHIER: Why?
ME: Because it’s a privilege to vote and your vote matters. Think of all the countries in the world that don’t have a voting process or where women aren’t allowed to vote. Please go vote. You can sleep later. you can only vote once every four years. Please. Really. Go vote.
CASHIER: (smiling) You’re right. Ok, you’ve convinced me. I will go vote.
I hope she did.
-At rehearsal, we were about to do our last song when our sound guy interrupted saying, ‘This just in: per CNN, our new president elect has been named: Obama.’ Our whole team was silent for a few moments. We said a few things about God’s will and then started our song. (I remember where I was when Clinton was elected and I remember feeling despair and being dumbfounded with Americans. Fortunately, this time I am at a different spot spiritually and I welcome His will, through Obama’s presidential election.) As the music started for the song, I thought, ‘Here’s another moment in time that I won’t ever forget. Where i was and what i was doing when I learned that Obie had been elected.’ And then we sang ‘Heart of Worship’. It was cool to find out major political news in the midst of worshipping the LORD…God is huge, man is small. Man makes his plans, God directs his path. Here’s to God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit…and here’s to humbly yielding to to all three of them.
Today, a friend of mine who was born in/lives in another country, sent me an email asking my reaction to the Obama result. I didn’t have time to fully respond, but I did say that ‘eternity is still as sweet a hope today as it was yesterday’. As I was driving to an appt. I realized that I hadn’t said why…I think I might’ve forgotten why…so, i answered it to myself out loud in the car…
It’s still as sweet a hope not because of anything political, but rather because of Jesus. The central issue is still the gospel. Always has been and always will be. It’s quieting to think that all this political hoopla (yeah, I said hoopla, Kristin) pales in comparison to the praise that Jesus deserves and will eventually get.
SUBBING & ITS’ LOCAL CELEBRITY
So, I stopped by a local shop to grab a bite…there were 4 highschoolers behind the counter..all doing various tasks (ie. 1 working, 1 talking on the phone, 1 standing there, 1 wandering around).
Towards the completion of my order, I asked the one on the phone if he went to Valencia High School.
He looked at me and said, ‘yah’. I asked if he was in soandso’s class. He said ‘yah’.
The girl actually working said to him, ‘Yeah, she subs at Valencia.’ He looked at me, I looked at him…I smiled…he stared at me while he scrolled through his memory bank. Then a huge smile crossed his face and he yelled, ‘Oh yeah!’ I totally remember you. We all liked you.’…we strolled down memory lane. They asked when I was teaching at VHS again and I said on Monday for Margrave and they both said, “Awww, she’s cool.”
Then the 3rd worker joined in with, ‘Did you ever sub for Mr. Harvey at West Ranch? Don’t you ask a lot of questions…I mean, you let us ask you whatever questions we want?’ . . . we all laughed over a few stories. We asked the 4th girl if she’d ever been in my class…no.
75% is pretty good for one night.
TOPICS I’D LIKE TO COVER
I have a list of blog topics tumbling around…here are a few of the current topics on which I’d like to do posts…
1. The winners of Christmas cards from LAST year (?) (sorry sorry sorry, for the delay 🙂 )
Here’s the ORIGNAL POST that started all the fervor.
2. An endorsement of a reliable IT guy (that’s not Adam Powell…he’s slammed these days: school, church, fiance :), upcoming wedding).
3. My recent trip to Beaumont for a 3 day get-away to Gramma & Papa Harvey’s house
4. An encouragement to everyone to hurry and vote for the Pumpkin Carving Title over on The Flower Blog …some of them are FANTASTIC! and the polls close on Sunday 11/2.
5. U.S. Presidential+ voting and our responsibility to vote whilst living in a country that allows us a voice
6. Recent thoughts on abortion; words of wisdom from my mom; a video of a testimony from saline solution abortion survivor…
7. Almost ready to give a book review
8. Other stuff…
SOME ACTIVISTS ARE SWEET FOR TRYING
My friend recently drove by a street corner filled with ‘No on Prop 8’ supporters.
Before I tell you what she saw, let me just say this…Regardless of which side of the issue you’re on…stupid is as stupid does….and here is an example of it… as advertised on a poster, held by a ‘no on 8’ woman. In painstakingly colored rainbow lettering, “If the fetus you are protecting turned out to be gay, would you still want to abort it?”
What?
Ok, this ‘No on Prop 8’ activist seems to not know her political issues or how to effectively stick it to the opposition. I’m sure she has other strengths. In the meantime, she might want to brush up on relevant terminology…AND, while she’s at it, might want to brush up on the actual issue. Cuz, yeeeah, this pithy counterproductive ‘zinger’ did not land…well, it landed, but it landed in the ‘stupid is as stupid does’ bin.
KIDS ASK THE DARNDEST THINGS
SO, today I “taught” 8th grade math at Placerita junior high.
In compliance with my class policy “when I ask ‘does anyone have any questions about anything at all?’, you can ask me anything you want…that’s appropriate for the classroom of course”, I fielded lots of questions from 5 classes…here are a few highlights…and it gives you an insight as to how many different levels of maturity that a teacher is dealing with in a classroom…everyday. (as an example: I had one boy run into class about 20 minutes late…he thought it was Thursday, all day, and had been sitting in the wrong class for the 1st 20 minutes of class. he has other strengths.)
-Who are you voting for?
-What will you dress up as for Halloween?
-Do you like pop tarts?
-What does religion have to do with politics?
-What’s your favorite candy?
-What’s your favorite amusement park ride?
-What do you fear the most?
-Chocolate of vanilla ice cream?
-Are you voting yes or no on Prop 8?
You can imagine which questions generated better class discussions than others. 🙂
MARK OF THE BEAST; FACEBOOK STYLE
I just happened to notice that i currently have 666 friends on Facebook.
I hope someone wants to add me as a friend soon (though, I guess I could respond to those ‘friend suggestions’ that are in my box).
Why write a post about it? The same reason that I put a picture of my car odometer at 100,000. It’s just numerically momentous.
A SABBATH REST…
Hello www readers….
Today was a great day….here are some highlights
BACKGROUND
Our Worship Team only gets a few Sundays off every year…today was one of those days. Sooo, some of our Worship Team members: Jeff, Adam, Jennene and myself (accompanied by Jessi Gates and my roommate, Andrea) ventured our on the following field trip…
HIGHLIGHTS
1. Breakfast & Coffee at Noah’s Bagels….ie. meeting place for our excursion
2. 10am church service at Hollywood Church, pastored by Chris Barksdale (husband of mine & Jennene’s college roommate, Sarah), and attended by my great friends, the Ikegamis (well, they don’t just attend, they’re actually really involved too). It’s rare that I get to visit other churches and it was awesome for lots of reasons…but more later (maybe).
3. Lunch at Roscoes Chicken and Waffles (see pics on Sikegami’s blog).
4. Was incredibly pleasantly surprised at the movie we saw at the Arclight ….fantastic… Changeling.
5. Hollywood activist and I discussing prop 8…more later (maybe)
6. Drive home debrief of the day…
7. Dinner, dessert…now watching 30Rock
🙂
A great Sabbath…
I’LL HAVE A BLOODY MARY, A STEAK SANDWICH AAAND A STEAK SANDWICH 
