it IS possible

So I discovered today that a friend of mine actually has fallen off the chairlift at a ski hill...and yes, it was waaaay up in the air.

eep.

a true Canadian Christmas

THE solar house - the thing on the right is the solar panel









white and green





















global warming? not here!















this picture reminds me of Winnie the Pooh - don't know why











but the sun still shines
















the animals in the live nativity didn't appreciate
me taking pictures of them...















the only true Canadian mode of transportation - showshoes! who needs one of them car things anyway?

Presenting The One, The ONLY...

...cleaning machine that actually works!

I tried the broom
I tried the mop
I tried the dishcloth on the floor
I tried the swiffer sweeper
I tried the swiffer wet jet


But none of them can compare to the One, The Only...

Toothbrush 2000 (model XLS)! It not only cleans those hard to reach places in your pot lids, but also gets that rubbed-in grime on your lino. It takes old pee stains off the baseboards (yes, the previous tenants were of the male variety). It cleans those hard-to-reach crevaces wherever there is a crevace that is hard to reach! And wonder of all wonders, you can also use it to brush your teeth (although having 2 separate toothbruth 2000s is highly recommended).


FINE PRINT: THIS MODEL IS NOT RECOMMENDED FOR ORAL USE.

Part II

After inspecting the teens in stubborn silence, Mother invited them in. But underlying her welcoming words lay the disposition of a surprised snake, ready to strike.

The teens walked through the house to the kitchen. The smell of warm baking met their noses as they sat at the table. Would you care for some hot cocoa, asked Mother. Yes please, if it's not an inconvenience, they replied. Oh, no inconvenience at all, was her response, although her voice was high-pitched from strain.

The kitchen was quiet except for the clattering of mugs and spoons being brought out of their dark homes. Father looked at daughter, daughter looked at brother, brother watched all with patient indifference. No one looked at the Other. Mortified at the silence his presence seemed to have brough on the family, he watched the daughter's hands as she tugged at her hair.

Suddenly, her Father broke the silence.

"So...how were your exams?"

His daughter's face smiled with relief at this normal question, and her mouth unleashed a chipper soliloquy worthy of a great actress. And indeed she did act, for her words seemed hollow and senseless to her. As her lips moved, her thoughts were elsewhere, until she suddenly fell silent mid-sentence.

Her Father looked at her expectantly and asked another question. She saw his lips move but didn't hear his words, for the words in her head were far louder and insisted on being heard. He repeated the question, triggering the offensive snake in his wife to strike.

"Can't you see that she's thinking? For God's sake Father, leave her alone for once. Why do you have to shove your expectations on all of us?"

Her husband's face tensed and his eyes narrowed. His voice had heavy overtones of sarcasm, as if he knew exactly where to push his wife.

"MY expectations Mother? I'd say that's the pot calling the kettle black, dear."

"Why can't you just keep your loud mouth shut darling, and let us live in peace for once!" She let out a short scream of intense frustration and rushed upstairs, leaving the water kettle whistling its high, mono-pitched tune.

Those left in the kitchen stared at the spot where Mother had been standing. He daughter got up to pour the hot water. Her son lifted his right shoulder in a shrug, as if the other shoulder couldn't even bother anymore. It had shrugged off too many harsh words, and had now learned that it was best to stay in place to protect the heart. His shield of indifference was impenetrable, or so it seemed to his sister. She had been away too long, forgetting what home was like. She sat back down at the quiet table and joined the men in suddenly caring deeply which way the grain of the wood went.

"Your cocoa is getting cold." The young man stared unblinkingly at her cup as he broke the silence. She gave him a smile, but one that was as similar to her regular joyful visage as the dark side of the moon is to the brightest summer afternoon. He mentally whipped himself for having suggested they come here.

Her Father watched his face. Obviously this kid didn't realize that the cold war was not yet over in this household. he prayed that this might be the Christmas that hope arrived. It would take the Mighty hand of an outsider, but mabye this year it would happen and they would have some lasting peace. Peace. What he wouldn't give for just a moment of true peace. True, he hadn't exactly been the model of a patient and loving husband, but who could be? Not after marrying a witch.

Mother lay facedown amongst the pillows on the bed she had shared for 22 years. Why did he have to be so insufferably perfect to everyone except her? She knew she often nagged like a leaky faucet, and sometimes she turned the full blast of her scorching anger straight onto her husband. But he should expect that with his attitude. He even seemed to not care that their precious baby gift had brough home a boy. And what kind of accent was it that he had? Not that she was a racist, but her little girl deserved the best.

Realizing that her re-entrance into their lives was causing an extra onslaught of anger between her parents, their daughter felt intense pain, burning deep into her belly. They were crushing each other, and she had made the situation worse. Without thinking, she allowed an abbreviated gasp of pain to leave her lungs. But this was no ordinary empathy pain. It felt like red hot knives were piercing her abdomen.

All male eyes at the table looked ather in concern, eyes that narrowed in tandem as the pink in her cheeks made a hasty exit. She shook her head slowly, blinking quickly, gripping her mug of cocoa.

You heavens above, rain down righteousness;
let the clouds shower it down.
Let the earth open wide,
let salvation spring up,
let righteousness grow with it;
I, the LORD, have created it.

- spoken through Isaiah the prophet

PART I

Smoke puffs drifted idly from the chimney, giving the impression of a haven of peace amongst the suburban sprawl. But the impression was a false one, for there was only a facade of peace in this household. As the sky reluctantly released its dancing crystalline treasures, the family was reluctantly admitting two travel weary teenagers into their cozy home.

Mother scowled relentlessly at the young man as he tentatively stepped over the threshold. What right did he have to accompany her daughter to their family Christmas celebrations? He stared back at her, with emotions a mixture of belligerence and terror. What kind of person was she?

Father eyed his daughter as she awkwardly stepped out of her shoes, unwilling to let go of the young man’s hand. What was their relationship? She had always been a quiet child, albeit with a hint of stubbornness underlying her sweetness. Avoiding his eyes, she chose instead to look around at the familiar furnishings and festive decorations. It looked like home to her, yet it felt strangely cold. What had changed? A nervous shiver began at the bottom of her spine and moved up her body, embracing her in its chill. Her hand clasped his more tightly as she struggled to keep her fear from showing through her trembling limbs. Her other hand went into her jacket pocket, as if by habit.

anomalies

Yes, this is a tomato...from my garden...it's a bit mutated.

















Remember Gary Larson's Far Side cartoons? I'm sure there was one somewhere about a guy looking at a cow and seeing it all carved up into different pieces of meat. So this is my version of that - a steak that is practically moo-ing still! And yes, if you push the nose, it does moo.














mmm, pretty fog.

the pursuing

It dances dryly in the wind, its sun-dried edges slowly cracking. Slowly swirling on a sullen breeze, the leaf has little life of its own. But in an instant, the air becomes alive, crackling with life. Another golden leaf rises up in the wind to create a teasing partner in the airborne tango. It flits away, whirling and spiralling until the other becomes dizzy with excitement. Taking advantage of a momentary rallentando in the breeze, it returns the favor by pursuing its teasing partner, almost catching up. But the gentle wind causes them to twist and roll, and it encircles them as the pursuer tries unceasingly to be united with that which it cannot catch. Around and around and upwards they spin, the pursued staying just out of reach of the pursuer. Close enough to taste and see, but far enough to be mysterious and exciting.


"We are strangely rewarded: we feel gratitude and love, humility and wonder, reverence and awe, adventure and homecoming. We shout hallelujah, and we weep tears of joy. So we pursue it all the more until the end when we find it has been pursuing us and we are caught up into the Pursuer we have so long pursued." (Brian McLaren, a Generous Orthodoxy)

apparently it's autumn now

i wish autumn was way longer. it always goes by way too fast.

a novel situation

I had a new experience today. Someone told me that she was "completely in shock and upset" to discover that she had been assigned to the Bible study group I'm leading. The reason cited was that I talk too fast. I know it sounds funny, but she was stark raving serious. It was odd being on the receiving end of someone's dislike. I'm not so naive to think that no one has even disliked me before, but I've never had anyone be so hostile and so completely serious. She was quite blatant about the fact that if there was another place to do Bible study on the same day, she'd be all over it. The funny thing is, the topic of our Bible study for the next 6 weeks is "Celebrating Grace" - it's a church-wide topic. What does it mean to extend grace? Do we quietly accept when people are rude to us...or it that just being a doormat? Do we stand up for ourselves and not let people talk to us that way...or is that being un-grace-ful?

The long and short of it is that today I made a discovery: I dislike being disliked.

rant shmant

Why are single men such dinks sometimes? Why is it that you can meet them and be having a perfectly normal time with them, treating them like you treat everyone else, but as soon as they find out you're married, suddenly they won't even give you the time of day anymore?

??!

My high school english teacher always said that single people of the opposite sex can't be "just friends". We all thought she was touched in the head. Apparently single people can't be friends with married people of the opposite sex either. Why is that? Can someone please explain this phenomenon to me? It's really frustrating because there seems to be a very large segment of the population with whom I'm not allowed to be friends.

some of the more interesting things i've seen this summer...

a nap.




















a kayak. without water.












a cocoon.
















a swing.














a stick.

a sign.

the colors of summer

busy beavers

So I spent an hour yesterday helping deconstruct a beaver dam. And before anyone calls the animal rights people on me, let me tell you that the most recent dam on my in-laws property has caused the nearby farmer's fields to flood, jeapardizing their livelihoods. Anyway, digging around in the sticks and mud was VERY gratifying to a city kid like me. Last week they had someone from the country come out to actually blow a hole in the middle of it with dynamite, and since then they had built it back up high enough to hold the water in again. So if anyone says they've been "as busy as a beaver", I might have reason to doubt. The beavers in that pond have a severe case of workaholism that would be next to impossible to mimic. Unless of course your house was going underwater...or in their case, coming out from underwater. :)

night fright

There was an inky darkness all around me, except for the exceptionally frequent flashes of lightning. The house was alive with the sounds of crashing rain and angry thunder. And I woke up in a strange place. On a couch. In a home that is not my own. I didn't know where Jon had gone, or even if he was still in the house. So I tried to make my way to the bedroom in the corner, hoping he would answer my whispering, plaintive cries. Where was the doorway? It seemed to have shifted in the night. I couldn't find it. The rain crashed harder on the steel roof. Then as the lightning lit up my surroundings again, I suddenly found myself facing a ghostly pale visage, staring at me with open mouth. I yelped fearfully as my heart found itself racing to get away from the strange apparition. But then I realized where I was. Just outside the door, staring in the mirror.

It took many minutes for my heart to slow back down to a healthy rate.

the making of a monster

Mr. and Mrs. Spongeinstein work feverishly, all day and throughout the night, to bring life to their monster.








Mr. Spongeinstein struggles to keep the monster's brain from overheating. He is, however, causing a bit of a dry skin problem.










At last, the monster is born! And his name? Spongeinstein...Spongebob for short. Mwahahahahhahahahahahaha

BEWARE THE SPONGE.

why i like moving

We're moving! There are many reasons to celebrate this momentous occassion. In contrast to popular theories, I actually ENJOY moving. Then again, I've never had to move a whole houseful of stuff. So here is why I like moving:

1. I get to rediscover old treasures...and promptly pack them back into a box to find the next time I move.
2. I finally get to get rid of my Bible college clothes...why did I wear that again?
3. I get to live in a messy house and not feel guilty about it.
4. All my breakable stuff is safely packed away where I can't break it.
5. I might finally get a new picture for my driver's license!
6. I get to laugh at the government all over again as it takes them another year and a half to figure out who I am and where I live...don't they communicate?
7. I get to redecorate.
8. Most of my 150 books are packed away so I can't start any more new ones before finishing the old ones. I think I've been working on one of them for almost a year. That's a new record for me.
9. I get to find fun stuff hiding in the couch and under the bed. Oh that's where I put that!
10. My new house will be perfectly clean...for about 10 minutes.

But I'm still sad to leave this place. Sniff sniff.

perfect solutions to your every problem

I think I'm a klutz. let's see...I fell off my bike before even getting on; I trip on every staircase I attempt to walk up; if it's spillable and I'm holding it, I'll drop it...but I discovered some excellent home remedies for a few of my more common problems. Let me share them with you.

1. If you are choking on an ice cube, don't panic. Simply pour a cup of boiling water down your throat and presto. The blockage will be almost instantly removed.
2. Clumsy? Avoid cutting yourself while slicing vegetables by getting someone else to hold them while you chop away.
3. For high blood pressure sufferers: simply cut yourself and bleed for a few minutes, thus reducing the pressure in your veins. Remember to use a timer.
4. A mouse trap, placed on top of your alarm clock, will prevent you from rolling over and going back to sleep after you hit the snooze button.
5. If you have a bad cough, take a large dose of laxatives, then you will be afraid to cough.

And finally, if I could give you one piece of advice that has done me well through all my years, it is this:

Never pass up an opportunity to go to the bathroom.

summary of hamlet

went to see hamlet tonight. here is my official synopsis.

1. king's brother kills king
2. king's spirit comes back to haunt his son
3. son pretends to be mad
4. son kills friend's dad
5. friend gets mad
6. friend's sister goes mad
7. friend's sister kills herself
8. king kills queen
9. son kills king
10. son kills friend
11. friend kills son

everyone is happy. and dead.

how uplifting.

grace

“But will God really dwell on earth with men?” – 2 Chronicles 6:18a (NIV)

When Solomon’s majestic temple was finally built, it seems as though he started to second-guess the validity of the concept of a “temple”. Indeed, it was supposed to be God’s dwelling place. But why would a God who cannot be contained by the highest heavens allow himself to be constrained by the limits of a temple? To call it his resting place?

Although it seems to be nothing short of a miracle that God would choose the temple as the place to put his Name, at least it was a place that, for most of its history, was a place devoted to God. The greater miracle is announced by Paul in 1 Corinthians 3:16. “Don't you know that you yourselves are God's temple and that God's Spirit lives in you?” Our hearts, with all their stray thoughts and dark corners, are God’s chosen place to dwell. What makes him choose to inhabit such an inhospitable place?

Solomon doesn’t answer this question in his prayer, nor is it logically answered anywhere in the Bible. In fact, it is one of the great mysteries that an infinite God should choose to inhabit the hearts of finite beings, dusty from their constant desire to roll in the dirt of life. The only plausible reason is that “the Lord is gracious and compassionate.” His compassion is overwhelming, and when we accept it, his grace pervades our being as he chooses to dwell in us.

I have heard people often complain about the lack of miracles in today’s world. But how amazing is it that God really does choose to dwell on earth with us? Because of his grace and compassion, Him who the highest heavens cannot contain chooses to dwell in you.

why we are descended from beetles

Did you know that all animals are descended from the same ancestor? It's true! We know this because we all have toenails. Think about it. Beetles have outerparts that are made out of toenails. Horses have feet made out of toenails. Cats have claws made out of toenails, and even I, a lowly human, have toenails...on my toes. And to think that some idiots think we all came from a monkey ancestor. Obviously, we all came from an ancestral toenail. A large, yellowing chitonous piece of tissue that was ever growing and ever needed trimming, which it accomplished by scraping its lower parts along the rocky floor of the earth. Science has also determined that it probably also had an iffy smell exuding from its underparts, which served to attract toenails of the less yellowing and thick variety so as to propogate the species.

Genius. Pure genius. We are ever indebted to the toenail. And the beetle.

All power to the beetle.

You Are a Chocolate Chip Cookie

Traditional and conservative, most people find you comforting. You're friendly and easy to get to know. This makes you very popular - without even trying!

What Kind of Cookie Are You?

I never really thought of myself as traditional and conservative, but if it gives me free license to eat muchos cookies, to heck with it. Skirts, long hair, and Bush it is! (sorry Monst. R, you've been replaced)

too late

I think I finally hit high school...about 6 years after the fact. Is it weird that I suddenly have this strong desire to get my nose pierced? Not sure if it's a good idea though - I have my ears pierced and they always get infected even with "special" earings. Also not sure if the church would approve...which ordinarily wouldn't bother me except that they give me my paycheck...

a little heretical

I'm pleased to introduce you to Monst R. Cookie, the bane of my existence. Although I have to admit the vitamin quantity in M&Ms just may surprise you, the truth is that the M&M company has it out for me. They want my sole business. No carrots allowed. What would I do without Monst R. Cookie? I would probably pine away, wasting every day in agony for want of my addictive lover. The M&M company has special access to my brain via the waves that exude from my cookie-fed mind, and thus realizes that without Monst R. Cookie, I am nothing.

If I eat with the tongues of men and angels, but have not Monst R. Cookie, it is only an empty crunch or a painful mouthful. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains of cookies, but have not Monst R., I am nothing. If I give all the cookies I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the heat of the oven, but have not Monst R., I gain nothing.

Monst R. is patient, and kind. He does not envy when I turn to other cookies, he does not boast of his delightful taste, and he is not proud. He is not rude, he is not self-seeking (after all, he does prefer to be destroyed by my hungry, cavernous mouth), he is not easily angered, he keeps no record of wrongs. My Monst R. Cookie does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. He always protects the sweetness, always trusts that I'll be hungry, always hopes that the oven is on, and always perseveres (especially when I'm on a diet).

And now these three remain: cake, tarts, and Monst R. Cookie. But the greatest of these is my Monst R.

in answer to your question...

I actually never realized there WAS a difference until I went to the conference!

When you sponsor a child through Compassion, the money goes toward directly benefitting your child - it goes toward funding the child development centre that each sponsored child attends every day after school. Each centre is run by a local church. There they get tutoring, training in skills (like sewing, carpentry...), medical attention, food (if they need it), spiritual training, and above all, a safe place to be! In some other child sponsorship programs (like World Vision), most of your money goes toward community development projects like drilling wells and building schools. That definitely can have a positive impact on the kids, but there's no guarantee that that project will benefit your sponsor child! So it's a great program, but "child sponsorship" is a bit of a misnomer. And just in case you're wondering, Compassion does have community development programs too, they just come out of another fund. Basically, "Compassion's focus is children, so we use child sponsorship funds directly for the growth and development of children and guarantee that every child will hear the Gospel." (I ripped that off the website :) Does that answer your question?

We have sponsor kids through both programs, so I'm not against World Vision, I just think that more of my "child sponsorship" dollars are making it to my child through Compassion.

oh, one more thing. Compassion focuses more on the Christian sector as sponsors because they want each sponsor to be a missionary to their child - to pray for the kid, write letters, and encourage. World Vision has a broader focus, which is cool too because it accomplishes other purposes. I'm just biased :)

compassion

The more I learn about Compassion Canada, the more I love the organization! If you've ever been thinking about sponsoring a child, Compassion Canada is definitely better than World Vision (oops, did I just write that out loud?). In my humble opinion. I was at a Compassion conference this weekend and learned...everything! So go ahead...ask me a question...I dare you...

boo. Did you know that Elvis really IS dead? Boy, that shatters a lot of dreams. I guess I'll have to move in at heartbreak hotel.

sheesh

Sheesh, when did time start going so fast?
Good grief, now I sound like a 65 year old grandmother..."time flies dear, and it goes faster the older you get." I believe it though. I've spent the last week being inundated with information about the church, the job, the kids, the volunteers...last night I was sure I was going to explode. That would have been lovely. But instead, I now feel "centered" again, and I need some help! So to anyone who's reading this, what would be a good, original topic for a short devotional on grace? Any genius ideas are welcome...non-genius ideas need not apply...just kidding. ;)
I'll take anything. I already did one on Samson, which was about as random as I could think of.




...just a random photo. although if someone can come up with a connection between it and grace, i'd be eternally obliged!

BLUE

It really is mostly blue - there are just patches that show up better...














see? I did it!

THE TALE OF THE OAK - a short story by Christie

Once upon a time there was a block of wood. The wood's name was Oak. Now Oak was a very beautiful piece of wood, so a girl decided that it would make a very nice pen. So...she chopped it in half with a really noisy saw. It make Oak cry to feel his tendons hacked in two, but what could he do?








Poor Oak felt really cut down to size after that process...and then came the drill. Then he felt as though his heart was being pushed right out of his body. And then, to make matters much worse, the girl laughed at him and used him as a joke. Poor Oak.









But then came the part that Oak hadn't anticipated. He was cruelly put upon a lathe and...whittled? He was chipped and chopped, but slowly he noticed his rough edges coming off. His corners were smooth. He still had bumps and bruises, because, after all, he was Oak. But they were becoming less significant...almost beautiful. But no, what good could come out of this process? It hurt too much.











And then came the part that shocked Oak the most. Whereas before, he had been an ordinary piece of wood in a box, now people were oohing and ahhing at him. They said his curves were magnificent, that his grain was lovely, and that his skin was so smooth. What had happened?










The girl had taken Oak and turned him into something beautiful. Something useful. It had hurt in many ways, but now he was something special.




Hooray for Oak.

psalm 93

The darkness shakes in anticipation. Forbidding waters churn, delighting in the chaos they create. Frothy, expectant peaks rise up out of the shadows. At their base, the smooth, yawning mouth of floodwaters opens up to receive its greatest prize. Life.

Death awaits.

But there is another. It stalks the midnight waters, riding a chariot that blazes with the promise of life. It stalls chaos in its stead. Pallid peaks cower in terror. The cavernous mouth is forced shut. It unleashes its power over the seas. Mightier than the roar of the great waters, Its thundering voice orders the deep into submission. There is no option.

Life prevails.

It is GOD.

a word from the un-wise

If your doctor tells you to lay on your back all day, don't do it in the sun on the hottest day of spring.
Take note.
Learn from my mistakes.

*ouch*

you know you're a redneck when...

you're of the younger female variety and you drive a massive truck...and you fit right in!

a story?

I was hungry. I had thrown my bus money in my pocket in the morning, but forgotten my purse at home. I guess it knew what kind of day I was going to have and didn't want to participate. It was only after I got off the bus that I realized I had no money, no phone, and no food. What was I to do? I sat down on a concrete bench and mulled over my predicament. I felt like I had rocks jostling in my stomach, and my tongue was thick with thirst. Maybe...maybe...if I asked someone for some money, they would take pity on me. So I asked. Unfortunately, I had put on my grungy clothes today. I asked a proffesor-ly looking woman for a couple bucks. Her eyes flickered over me, but she didn't miss a step in her hurry to get to a more important person than me. I asked a university student. He turned out his pockets halfway, shook his head and shrugged in apology. A little later on, I saw him come out of Macs with a slurpee in hand. With my sense of humanity slowly dying inside me, I asked an old woman, a teenager, and another university student, all to no avail. They either gave me a querying look and kept walking, or just turned the other way. By now I was running on an empty tank. Physically. Emotionally. Spiritually. Can people really be that calloused toward another human being? Are our lives really that important that we can't stop to give a hungry person 2 bucks for a sandwich or a bus ride home? Finally, in the midst of the endless mess of people walking by me without a glance, I spotted an elderly man with a walker. He looked like he might at least be walking slow enough that he couldn't politely ignore me if I asked him for a couple bucks. I asked. He shuffled my way. He stopped and looked at me in the eyes, and introduced himself as Albert. He shook my hand and offered to take me to Subway.

My humanity was restored by the touch of a wrinkled hand and a kind gesture from someone who probably received less kindness and patience on a regular basis than me.

So tell me, why is it that we feel justified in walking right by people who ask for help? Why is it that it took a little old man on welfare to buy me a simple lunch?

Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. - Jesus Christ


















Always be clothed in white, and always anoint your head with oil. - King Solomon

















He restores my soul.














God is bigger than the boogieman. - Jr. Asparagus
(He's also bigger than a buffalo...)

btw

how does one best go about dying one's hair a noticeable blue?

spanish classes and cafeteria food

Hola! Me llamo Christie y soy de Alberta. Mucho gusto. ¿Cómo está usted? Español es muy dificil! The first person to translate this properly wins a prize.

Do you ever feel like yesterday's cafeteria food? Someone finds you interesting for a day, but after that, you're overrated and smelly, not even worthy of being thrown in the trash...I felt like that last week. Do you ever feel like someone thinks you're denser than a wet sponge? Someone stops communicating with you and thinks you won't notice. Do you ever feel like love (not romantic love, just love in general) causes a lot more pain than joy? It seems like when we love people, we also hurt. The more we love, the more we open ourselves up for pain.

It makes me wonder how God feels. If he by his very nature, is "Love," then he must also feel more pain than any human can ever feel. If I feel hurt by people not communicating with me, how much more pain does he feel? He loves us more than we can ever imagine, yet we constantly ignore him and think he won't notice. Aye, there's the rub. We think God is denser than a wet sponge. I think, "ah, I'll pray tomorrow. I'm not in the mood today. God won't mind. He probably won't even notice. Lot's of other people prayed today." But then I think of how shafted I feel when someone puts me off like that. Can God even feel pain? He must. The prophetic books are filled with God crying out to his people, "why do you keep choosing death? All you have to do is TURN TO ME and I will give you life!" That's a rather loose translation of something in Ezekiel. :) But the point is there. God loves us and wants to be with us. Obviously we don't really value a relationship with him, otherwise we wouldn't act like he's a dufus.

Do I act as if God is as dense as a wet sponge?

am i anxious?

Jon just asked me if I am nervous. Right now the woman from my potential job is on her way home to call me. Am I anxious? To be honest, not terribly. I'm excited, but not worried. Someway, somehow, I got to the point where anxiousness became a moot point and trust became paramount. How did it happen? At this moment, I can visualize my life going on two different paths, and me loving them both. Why? Because "the LORD will fulfill his purpose for me." Psalm 138 tells me that. The phone is ringing.

And now, half an hour later, I have been un-officially offered the Children's Ministry Director position! It's pretty incredible to know that this church feels like I would do right by them, that they have confidence in me, even though they don't know me well. AHHHHHH!! A little bit of anxiousness is now trying to get its cold tentacles into my heart. What if I can't get along with the people? What if baptism turns out to be a bigger issue than I thought? What if I can't do it? What if what if what if...but it's too easy to be strangled with 'what if's. I am reminded of a verse I memorized years ago..."do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, through prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." (Philippians 4:6, 7) It's the verse that everyone quotes for seemingly every situation, but I think that's going to be my life-verse for the next little while.

superman-style

Why is it that life changes faster than a speeding bullet?

Last week, I was totally prepared to leave my job and move to a comfortable one from the same denomination on the other side of town. This week I'm hopefully preparing to be a Children's Ministry Director in a church from a different denomination in a different town.
Last week I was thinking how nice our home was, and how I hoped to be here for many more moons. This week, the time has come to think about moving out.
Last week I was frustrated with all the decisions I had to make. This week I'm pumped.
Last week I had no new clothes. This week I do.
Last week I was messy. This week I am clean.
Last week I was bored and lazy. This week I feel driven.
Last week, I was a dummy in the car. This week, I could win a driving award.
Last week, life was complicated. This week, it's even more complicated.
Hm.
I like speeding bullets. They make the story of my life actually pique my interest.

Eyeball ruminations

Did you know that it really is possible to sneeze your eyeballs right out of your head? Check out the most fascinating article I've read in ages. At 12:30 am it strikes me as particularly hilarious. :)

a prairie sunset

where else but the prairies can you find a sunset quite like this?

signs of spring, as seen around my place