I've realized that I love music. This is not a new revelation. It's part of who I am. I listen to pretty much anything, too. I've found some fun, new stuff (at least new to me) this summer. I only wish that I could do the CD shopping to keep up with my growing list!
Here's the ones I did end up adding and/or borrowing:
Keane, Hopes and Fears
Ben Harper, Both Sides of the Gun
Dashboard Confessional, Dusk and Summer
Franz Ferdinand (self titled)
Rascal Flatts, Me and My Gang
Carrie Underwood, Some Hearts
And here's the wish list...oh the wish list:
James Blunt, Back to Bedlam
Corinne Bailey Rae (self titled)
Franz Ferdinand, You could Have It So Much Better
Keane, Under The Iron Sea
Blue October, Foiled
Stabilo, Happiness and Disaster
Bedouin Soundclash, Sounding a Mosaic
Step It Up Soundtrack
Phantom of the Opera movie Soundtrack
John Mayer, Continuum
Vikki Beaching
Chantal Kreviazuk, Ghost Stories
Pirates of the Carribean, Dead Man's Chest Soundtrack
New CD's not released yet but on my radar:
Keith Urban
Dierks Bentley, Long Trip Alone
Chris Tomlin...releases Sept. 26...Yippee
See what I mean!? And I think I've forgotten a few...I've got a serious problem...plus, I'm all about suggestions and learning new stuff...I think this is when an iPod and iTunes would be a really good idea...
Thursday, August 31, 2006
Site of the Week
I know it's not the end of a week or anything but I'm willing to step out and name my site of the week today. I don't think I'll find anything to top it...at least not in my books (plus I know tomorrow will be a low internet usage day so I figure I'm pretty safe).
For all the music lovers out there, my pick is Clear Channel Music.
A close second on the list of favorite new finds is Red Flag Deals; a must bookmark for all frugal Canadians. Thanks Dayna!
For all the music lovers out there, my pick is Clear Channel Music.
A close second on the list of favorite new finds is Red Flag Deals; a must bookmark for all frugal Canadians. Thanks Dayna!
Site of the Week
I know it's not the end of a week or anything but I'm willing to step out and name my site of the week today. I don't think I'll find anything to top it...at least not in my books (plus I know tomorrow will be a low internet usage day so I figure I'm pretty safe).
For all the music lovers out there, my pick is Clear Channel Music.
A close second on the list of favorite new finds is Red Flag Deals; a must bookmark for all frugal Canadians. I thank Dayna for this one!
For all the music lovers out there, my pick is Clear Channel Music.
A close second on the list of favorite new finds is Red Flag Deals; a must bookmark for all frugal Canadians. I thank Dayna for this one!
Tuesday, August 29, 2006
Ha!
What I want to know is why he's eating wonder bread!? That stuff'll kill you...yes, I pay attention to the food I eat. I like to be healthy...wonder bread!?
Thursday, August 24, 2006
Just a wee bit of a hot button
Most people who know me, know that a large part of my journey in the last couple of years has been struggling through the issue of women in leadership and what the biblical role of women is. In my reading today, I stumbled upon Dan Kimball's post about a certain CNN broadcast earlier this week: "Church says Women Can't Teach Men" which was later raised to "Sunday School Teacher Dumped for Being Female" I couldn't help but posting a comment there. Anyway, I thought I'd let you have a crack at it, read his post and the comments and then run with our own!
Just noticed something...
...about the titles of my posts on faith and hope. Anyone else catch it? If you put them together, they read:
With faith there is hope.
I didn't even plan that!
With faith there is hope.
I didn't even plan that!
Want to know what's hot or what's not?
A couple ways to find out some of the hottest, most read websites on the net:
Reddit
Digg
Alexaholic (whatever that means!)
Digg
Alexaholic (whatever that means!)
Seth Godin website
So there's this marketing guy, Seth Godin, who has been described as an entrepreneur's entrepreneur. He provides people all over the world with insights not only into marketing but into how people think. Plus, he stays in tune with the heart beat of American, perhaps even global, culture today. How he does it, I don't know, but if he's willing to do the work, I'll tag along. Found out he has a website today. It's called Squidoo. With a name like that, how can it not be cool!?
With Faith
Check this out on the blog of Jim Martin
Faith does not come about through wishful thinking. Contentment does not happen by finally wishing for and receiving the right thing. No, I've learned that I make progress by taking small steps of faith.
And that's only one small quote from his post!
So we've had hope, now faith, love must be next, right? See what I mean about God knowing what I need to hear!
Faith does not come about through wishful thinking. Contentment does not happen by finally wishing for and receiving the right thing. No, I've learned that I make progress by taking small steps of faith.
And that's only one small quote from his post!
So we've had hope, now faith, love must be next, right? See what I mean about God knowing what I need to hear!
There is hope
It amazes me how God knows what we need in advance. On a day that has been nothing but discouraging, everything seems to keep directing me back to hope...true hope.
from Rebuilding the Real You
Hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts.
Romans 5:5
Hope is in the breath of the Holy Spirit. Hope is yours and mine to keep -
and to know we'll never be embarrassed by God for having hoped in His
grace!
To cling to hope is to cling to the Lord. Hope is born of the
certainty the Holy Spirit wants to instill in us - to know God already has the
situation in hand. The future is settled in His mind. And to hope is to embrace
the confidence that everything God has promised to be, already exists.
from Rebuilding the Real You
Wednesday, August 23, 2006
Head like a sieve
Sometimes I think it's funny...you know, when you walk into a room and stand there 'cause you forgot why you're there. I know you've done it. I'm totally not alone! Admit it. Here's the thing, though. I don't think it's funny anymore! My momma used to tell my little brother that if his head wasn't attached, he'd leave that behind too but honestly, I think that's a pretty apt phrase for me right now. Phone numbers. Forget it. Things to do. Forget it. Why'd I go into that room or what did I plan to do tonight? Forget it. Write it down. That's my new mantra. My previous love for sticky notes is being taken to a whole new level. I even had thoughts for a good post. Forgot them too! Gah. You get this instead. Sorry. My coworkers lovingly question what I'll be like when I'm older...or pregnant...yikes...I don't even want to think about it! I know there's some vitamins that help the remembering part of the brain...if only I could remember what they are....
Tuesday, August 22, 2006
Back to school
In honor of a college year that's approaching way too fast in the mind of this recruiter, here's a comic for y'all. Hope our students find more value from their classes than this!
My mom, my sister and a camera
And this is what you get. We had a great time on Sunday, giggling and taking pictures. Love you guys!
Wednesday, August 16, 2006
Word of the Day
Sometimes life is just awkward. What a great word! It conveys so many things and so, in honor of Seth Godin's post, my word of the day is going to be awkward. I'm going to stop now...'cause this is getting a wee bit awkward now isn't it?
Conviction in Fiction
"A great novel is a kind of conversion experience. We come away from it changed."
-Katherine Paterson
Well meaning adults often ask teenagers in junior high and high school, "Where do you want to be in 10 years? Where do you see yourself?" For a culture that gives its young an endless multitude of choices, this is not a bad question. Prompting young people to think about what they want to do in life and how to prepare for it is wise. But the question starts to lose meaning once you have set the course of your life. If you're 30, and you ask yourself where you would like to see yourself or what you would like to be doing in 10 years, the answer may be something pretty similar to what I am doing right now.We work our jobs, we build our relationships with family and friends. There should come a saturation point with salary and material possessions where hopefully we no longer dream of getting more and more. No matter what our age or where we are in life, perhaps a better question to begin asking ourselves would be, What kind of person do I want to be in 10 years?
I believe that reading stories can be the kind of transformative experience that makes us ask the important questions. Every once in a while, I have read a book that prompts me to stop and think about the person I am and the person I need to become. Recently reading The Memory of Old Jack by Wendell Berry was one of those transformative experiences.
His writing is beautiful, not on it's shimmering surface, but in the simplicity of the truth it illuminates. The stories he tells are often short on plot and long on character, giving lie to the idea that for a life to be interesting, it must be filled with intrigue and explosions, car chases and serial murderers. Old Jack is an old farmer, fully anchored in his community of family and neighbors, passing his old age lost in memories of his past. It's a rare and skillful storyteller who can compel us to look to our own hearts and character while engaging us deeply in the life of someone else. Old Jack's past and the mistakes he made brings to mind our future, our chance to live life to the fullest.I want to be the kind of person who buys less because I want less, satisfied with what I have. I want to be the kind of person who remains cheerful and flexible when my plans are thwarted, the kind of person who keeps a small leaf of hope alive when things go horribly wrong. I would like to find a way to serve God that honors the life of Christ. The kind of person who continually asks, What is the best way to live my life? What is right and how can I do it? How can I be happy as well as kind and good? How do I tell my story and the stories around me that need to be told?
The Mad Farmer tells us to "ask the questions that have no answers." Even if we never come to conclusive answers, I believe that there is worth in wrestling with the right questions, and I'm thankful for books that bring those questions before me with such grace and power.
by Kristen McCarty (Relevant Magazine)
Like the author of this article, I believe that good stories make us ask good questions, they invoke feeling and thought and emotion that might not otherwise have found their way into our day, they make us feel and think and grow, and through the reading of them we learn something about life and about ourselves that we didn't know before. Perhaps that's a tall order but I think it's possible. Obviously, I am an avid reader. I love to read a wide variety of things and am convinced that certain books are placed in my hands at certain times for a certain purpose. Do you ever have that feeling? You pick up a boreadd start to readc it buweightarrieexcitementht, no excitment and so you put it down, only to pick it up a month later and find that you are totally enthralled in what's between it's covers. Okay, maybe that's just me. I find that I learn in a whole new way when I'm reading. My challenge to myself several years ago while still on staff at Christian Publications was to read one book every two weeks, alternating between fiction and non-fiction. Recently, I've upped the anti a bit broadened my horizons, reading Christian and non-Christian work, classics, Oprah recommended pieces, Best seller list winners and award winners, even Harry Potter. At worst, you learn something about how the author thinks but more often than not, you get new glimpses into life, into culture, into yourself and, iwillingre really willng to look, to see how it all fits together.
-Katherine Paterson
Well meaning adults often ask teenagers in junior high and high school, "Where do you want to be in 10 years? Where do you see yourself?" For a culture that gives its young an endless multitude of choices, this is not a bad question. Prompting young people to think about what they want to do in life and how to prepare for it is wise. But the question starts to lose meaning once you have set the course of your life. If you're 30, and you ask yourself where you would like to see yourself or what you would like to be doing in 10 years, the answer may be something pretty similar to what I am doing right now.We work our jobs, we build our relationships with family and friends. There should come a saturation point with salary and material possessions where hopefully we no longer dream of getting more and more. No matter what our age or where we are in life, perhaps a better question to begin asking ourselves would be, What kind of person do I want to be in 10 years?
I believe that reading stories can be the kind of transformative experience that makes us ask the important questions. Every once in a while, I have read a book that prompts me to stop and think about the person I am and the person I need to become. Recently reading The Memory of Old Jack by Wendell Berry was one of those transformative experiences.
His writing is beautiful, not on it's shimmering surface, but in the simplicity of the truth it illuminates. The stories he tells are often short on plot and long on character, giving lie to the idea that for a life to be interesting, it must be filled with intrigue and explosions, car chases and serial murderers. Old Jack is an old farmer, fully anchored in his community of family and neighbors, passing his old age lost in memories of his past. It's a rare and skillful storyteller who can compel us to look to our own hearts and character while engaging us deeply in the life of someone else. Old Jack's past and the mistakes he made brings to mind our future, our chance to live life to the fullest.I want to be the kind of person who buys less because I want less, satisfied with what I have. I want to be the kind of person who remains cheerful and flexible when my plans are thwarted, the kind of person who keeps a small leaf of hope alive when things go horribly wrong. I would like to find a way to serve God that honors the life of Christ. The kind of person who continually asks, What is the best way to live my life? What is right and how can I do it? How can I be happy as well as kind and good? How do I tell my story and the stories around me that need to be told?
The Mad Farmer tells us to "ask the questions that have no answers." Even if we never come to conclusive answers, I believe that there is worth in wrestling with the right questions, and I'm thankful for books that bring those questions before me with such grace and power.
by Kristen McCarty (Relevant Magazine)
Like the author of this article, I believe that good stories make us ask good questions, they invoke feeling and thought and emotion that might not otherwise have found their way into our day, they make us feel and think and grow, and through the reading of them we learn something about life and about ourselves that we didn't know before. Perhaps that's a tall order but I think it's possible. Obviously, I am an avid reader. I love to read a wide variety of things and am convinced that certain books are placed in my hands at certain times for a certain purpose. Do you ever have that feeling? You pick up a boreadd start to readc it buweightarrieexcitementht, no excitment and so you put it down, only to pick it up a month later and find that you are totally enthralled in what's between it's covers. Okay, maybe that's just me. I find that I learn in a whole new way when I'm reading. My challenge to myself several years ago while still on staff at Christian Publications was to read one book every two weeks, alternating between fiction and non-fiction. Recently, I've upped the anti a bit broadened my horizons, reading Christian and non-Christian work, classics, Oprah recommended pieces, Best seller list winners and award winners, even Harry Potter. At worst, you learn something about how the author thinks but more often than not, you get new glimpses into life, into culture, into yourself and, iwillingre really willng to look, to see how it all fits together.
Saturday, August 12, 2006
RECIPE: FRESH BERRY CLAFOUTI
Yields: 6-8 servings
½ Tbsp Butter
1 Cup Milk
¼ Cup Heavy Cream
¼ Cup Sugar
3 Eggs
1 Tbsp Vanilla
2/3 Cup Flour
1/8 tsp Salt
2 Pints Fresh Local Berries (any in season berries will do)
Preheat oven to 350.Using the butter, grease the dish or individual dishes then fill the containers with the fruit. In a bowl, combine the milk, cream, sugar, eggs, vanilla, salt & flour. Beat with an electric mixer until the mixture is foamy, about 5 minutes. Pour mixture over berries. Place in the oven and bake until puffed and brown and a knife inserted into the center comes out clean, about 30 minutes. Dust with powdered sugar and serve warm!
Recipe courtesy of Judy Wood Catering and the Cookbook Co.
½ Tbsp Butter
1 Cup Milk
¼ Cup Heavy Cream
¼ Cup Sugar
3 Eggs
1 Tbsp Vanilla
2/3 Cup Flour
1/8 tsp Salt
2 Pints Fresh Local Berries (any in season berries will do)
Preheat oven to 350.Using the butter, grease the dish or individual dishes then fill the containers with the fruit. In a bowl, combine the milk, cream, sugar, eggs, vanilla, salt & flour. Beat with an electric mixer until the mixture is foamy, about 5 minutes. Pour mixture over berries. Place in the oven and bake until puffed and brown and a knife inserted into the center comes out clean, about 30 minutes. Dust with powdered sugar and serve warm!
Recipe courtesy of Judy Wood Catering and the Cookbook Co.
A new delacacy
I've found a new treat today (thanks Sean and Cheryl!) and it's not chocolate!!! We went to the Curry Barracks Farmers' market, a melange of colors, smells, sights, tastes and sounds, and bought our fresh fruit and vegetables for the day. One of the treats we found was fresh figs. I'd had some in Denver and they were terrible but, trusting the recommendation of my friends, I tried them and am I ever glad I did!!! Seriously, there's a reason that figs are the delecacy of royalty around the world. They're so good...and I think they might even be good for me.Then we went through some of the trendier parts of town, looking at used books, antiquest, and finding new places for good food and fun. What a day!
Try some figs, you'll like them...really!
Friday, August 11, 2006
Thursday, August 10, 2006
Homecoming
Today I write with mixed feelings, in memory of a wonderful man, friend, husband, father, and grandfather. (Uncle) Art Breitkreutz passed away this morning, in his home, after a short yet painful battle with pancreatic cancer. He would have been 57 this coming Saturday. There's so much to say and so many good memories of our time with him and so he will be missed by all of us. It's hard to think of life without someone who has been there forever. I will be remembering his wife, my dear Aunty Gudrun, and his kids, Kevin (his wife, Ruth, and their 3 kids) and Sheila (her husband, Trent) as they will miss him most. I think of my mom and dad, too, who are missing one of their closest and dearest friends, a man who has been like an uncle to me. And yet I rejoice because he is home. Jesus welcomed him home this morning with open arms. As Uncle Art told my mom and dad, "we've done so much together but this time I'm going on ahead. I'll meet you there."
I love you, Uncle Art. See you at home.
I love you, Uncle Art. See you at home.
Hockey Schedule
I know some people are thinking that the hockey season just ended - finally - but as for me, I'm looking forward to next year. The 2006-07 schedule for the blue and gold has just been release...you know who I mean.
Wednesday, August 09, 2006
A prayer request
My roomie and her family need a little prayer. I wouldn't normally post their "stuff" but they have so I'll just link you to one of them and you can go from there. Really, details aren't important but prayer is. Just remember them and their fam. Thanks a bunch.
Hong Kong Harm: Pondering.
Hong Kong Harm: Pondering.
Flash movie files
of Tiny Plaid Ninjas...seriously. If you need a chuckle, check them out!
Thanks to John and Ang for posting them!
Thanks to John and Ang for posting them!
Tuesday, August 08, 2006
Why mankind is so hard to understand...
Maybe in order to understand mankind, we have to look at the word itself: "Mankind". Basically, it's made up of two separate words - "mank" and "ind". What do these words mean ? It's a mystery, and that's why so is mankind.
Jack Handy
Jack Handy
On Drycleaning
I've been told that blogs are typically a place to rant. So far I think I've done pretty good at keeping from spewing negativity but I think I'm at the place where I need a moment. Here's why: the exhorbiant cost for drycleaning absolutely kills me! Here's the deal. I took in 3 dress. Sure they were nice dresses but they weren't that dirty or anything. What would you do in a dress to get it that dirty?! I know it's not the same as taking a pair of pants in but I was thinking maybe $30. You know, $10/dress. Seems like a fair assumption, right?
Nope.
Wrong.
I go to pick them up and, after hunting all through the shop for them, which concidentally didn't leave me feeling very confident, the cute little lady comes to the cash register and announces, in her perky little voice, that it would come to $65.00. Are you kidding me? (yes, I really asked that!). She informed me that they'd given me a 10% discount!!! That was kind of them, wasn't it?! Without that "discount" it would have been over $70 to dryclean 3 dresses. Now here's the thing, if I could have washed them on my own I would but I can't. It's those satin bridesmaids dresses that will get you everytime. So other than letting them go without ever washing them, what other options do I have? Seriously, though, what the heck costs $70 + about cleaning those things!? Soap? Electricity...for a month!? They didn't even put them each in their own individual plastic bags...although they did each get their own hanger! I don't understand! If someone could explain to me the deep dark underbelly of the drycleaning world and why the heck it costs so much, I'd be happy.
And just in case you're wondering, I didn't cause a scene in the shop. I politely paid for my bill with my trusty visa card and took my dresses home...and I only grumbled in the car for half the drive! Arg!
Nope.
Wrong.
I go to pick them up and, after hunting all through the shop for them, which concidentally didn't leave me feeling very confident, the cute little lady comes to the cash register and announces, in her perky little voice, that it would come to $65.00. Are you kidding me? (yes, I really asked that!). She informed me that they'd given me a 10% discount!!! That was kind of them, wasn't it?! Without that "discount" it would have been over $70 to dryclean 3 dresses. Now here's the thing, if I could have washed them on my own I would but I can't. It's those satin bridesmaids dresses that will get you everytime. So other than letting them go without ever washing them, what other options do I have? Seriously, though, what the heck costs $70 + about cleaning those things!? Soap? Electricity...for a month!? They didn't even put them each in their own individual plastic bags...although they did each get their own hanger! I don't understand! If someone could explain to me the deep dark underbelly of the drycleaning world and why the heck it costs so much, I'd be happy.
And just in case you're wondering, I didn't cause a scene in the shop. I politely paid for my bill with my trusty visa card and took my dresses home...and I only grumbled in the car for half the drive! Arg!
Dixie Who?!
While I will happily confess to enjoying the music of the Dixie Chicks, I can't say that their stance against Bush was brilliant for their career (not saying I agree or disagree 'cause that's a whole different issue. Bush isn't my favorite character either). Apparently, according to this BBC article and others, they've had to cancel shows on their upcoming tour because of poor ticket sales. Should have kept to singing, ladies.
A Quiet Weekend
Another long weekend has come and gone. I don't know that I'd say that I feel totally refreshed (I think I need more than 3 days to accomplish that after the hectic pace of July) but I sure am thankful for those 3 days. It felt so good to sit outside on warm afternoons and/or evenings and have food and conversation with good friends - my friends, my own age, not work related. It was fantastic to be able to catch up. I felt a little bit grown up too :) There were also Ikea trips - yes, trips - a great church service even if Steve's sermon did get a little close to home, Willy Wonka, Starbucks trips and a chance to read...finally...all the good things in life...or at least a lot of them. I've missed my books in all the madness. Silly, huh? I'm still reading the Poisonwood Bible. And that's not because it's bad, just because I haven't' had a lot of time. Then, this morning, I found a relevant article highlighting some summer reads. Oh to have time to plow through some summer reads...I need a holiday!
Friday, August 04, 2006
God created and it was good
I've been thinking a lot about creation lately. Maybe it's the trip to the Denver Zoo I recently took - only God is creative enough to come up with some of those animals. Perhaps it's summertime 
that does it. It could be the longer commute and the chance to observe the mountains from a distance for a little longer each day. Then there's the hailstorms and...oh, so much to see and He made it all! Anyway, all that preamble is just so that I could post this 
quote that I found this morning!If we valued the works of nature as much as the works and deeds of people, we would all be richer by far. Any ancient forest, polar bear or species of snake is more complex and
improbable than WiFi, the Mona Lisa or landing a man on the moon. What price would you pay to keep such treasures? -- Jenny DaltryHerpetologist and National Geographic Emerging Explorer.
Do we really value creation? What price would we pay? As Christians, what is our role in caring for God's creating, in stewarding it as God intended before the fall? I confess, I'm not much of an environmentalist in the 'treehugger' sense of the word but I know there are things that I could do. What were those 3 R's they talked about in elementary school? Oh ya, reduce, reuse, recyle and recover. Wait. That's 4. See what I mean!? As communities of Christians, how do we protect what God has given us? What steps do we need to take? Where do we take a stand?
Any thoughts?
These are some pics I've taken over the summer...Who but God could have thought up the anteater, I mean, really?! Oooo and check out the monkey's moustache!
Thursday, August 03, 2006
The Impatient Evangelist
One of my roles as a part of Journey, our church plant, is to continually wave the banner for servant evangelism. God has a funny way of getting us to look at the things He wants us to see, I think! I've felt "trapped" in an all to "Christian bubble" for far too long and, as I long to see His Kingdom on earth increase, am looking for ways to extend my influence and better understand evangelism. So now, I'm the one to be encouraging evangelism at Journey and here I am learning myself. Funny, huh!? And yet altogether right as God is teaching me. I've been hunting for articles and such to read and get different opinions. Today an interesting one called "The impatient Evangelist" from Focus on the Family dropped into my inbox. It's a good read to get started on. I'm hoping my Journey family will read it too and let me know what they think. I appreciate feedback (hint, hint).
Wednesday, August 02, 2006
Funny letter from a farm kid
FROM A SASKATCHEWAN FARM KID,NOW AT SAN DIEGO MARINE CORPS RECRUIT DEPOT.
Dear Ma and Pa:
I am well. Hope you are.
Tell Brother Walt and Brother Elmer the Marine Corps beats working for old man Minch by a mile.Tell them to join up quick before maybe all of the places are filled.I was restless at first because you got to stay in bed till nearly 6 a.m., but am getting so I like to sleep late.Tell Walt and Elmer all you do before breakfast is smooth your cot and shine some things. No hogs to slop, feed to pitch, mash to mix, wood to split, fire to lay.Men got to shave but it is not so bad, there's warm water.Breakfast is strong on trimmings like fruit juice, cereal, eggs, bacon, etc, but kind of weak on chops, potatoes, ham, steak, fried eggplant, pie and other regular food, but tell Walt and Elmer you can always sit by the two city boys that live on coffee. Their food plus yours holds you till noon when you get fed again.It's no wonder these city boys can't walk much. We go on "route marches", which the platoon sergeant says are long walks to harden us. If he thinks so, it's not my place to tell him different. A "route march" is about as far as to our mailbox at home.Then the city guys get sore feet and we all ride back in trucks. The country is nice but awful flat.The sergeant is like a school teacher. He nags a lot.The Capt. is like the school board. Majors and colonels just ride around and frown. They don't bother you none.This next will kill Walt and Elmer with laughing. I keep getting medals for shooting. I don't know why. The bulls-eye is near as big as a chipmunk head and don't move, and it ain't shooting at you like the Higgett boys at home. All you got to do is lie there all comfortable and hit it You don't even load your own cartridges. They come in boxes.Then we have what they call hand-to hand combat training.You get to wrestle with them city boys. I have to be real careful though, they break real easy. It ain't like fighting with that ole bull at home. I'm about the best they got in this except for that Tug Jordan from over in Silver Lake. I only beat him once. He joined up the same time as me, but I'm only 5'6" and 130 pounds, and he's 6'8" and weighs near 300 pounds dry.Be sure to tell Walt and Elmer to hurry and join before other fellers get onto this setup and come stampeding in.
Your loving daughter,
Gail.
Dear Ma and Pa:
I am well. Hope you are.
Tell Brother Walt and Brother Elmer the Marine Corps beats working for old man Minch by a mile.Tell them to join up quick before maybe all of the places are filled.I was restless at first because you got to stay in bed till nearly 6 a.m., but am getting so I like to sleep late.Tell Walt and Elmer all you do before breakfast is smooth your cot and shine some things. No hogs to slop, feed to pitch, mash to mix, wood to split, fire to lay.Men got to shave but it is not so bad, there's warm water.Breakfast is strong on trimmings like fruit juice, cereal, eggs, bacon, etc, but kind of weak on chops, potatoes, ham, steak, fried eggplant, pie and other regular food, but tell Walt and Elmer you can always sit by the two city boys that live on coffee. Their food plus yours holds you till noon when you get fed again.It's no wonder these city boys can't walk much. We go on "route marches", which the platoon sergeant says are long walks to harden us. If he thinks so, it's not my place to tell him different. A "route march" is about as far as to our mailbox at home.Then the city guys get sore feet and we all ride back in trucks. The country is nice but awful flat.The sergeant is like a school teacher. He nags a lot.The Capt. is like the school board. Majors and colonels just ride around and frown. They don't bother you none.This next will kill Walt and Elmer with laughing. I keep getting medals for shooting. I don't know why. The bulls-eye is near as big as a chipmunk head and don't move, and it ain't shooting at you like the Higgett boys at home. All you got to do is lie there all comfortable and hit it You don't even load your own cartridges. They come in boxes.Then we have what they call hand-to hand combat training.You get to wrestle with them city boys. I have to be real careful though, they break real easy. It ain't like fighting with that ole bull at home. I'm about the best they got in this except for that Tug Jordan from over in Silver Lake. I only beat him once. He joined up the same time as me, but I'm only 5'6" and 130 pounds, and he's 6'8" and weighs near 300 pounds dry.Be sure to tell Walt and Elmer to hurry and join before other fellers get onto this setup and come stampeding in.
Your loving daughter,
Gail.
Thinkers on Spiritual Formation
Thanks to Tim, I ran into a website featuring podcasts of some of "the" guys on spiritual formation and development (other than Jesus of course), including one of my personal favorites, Euguene Peterson. Listen to them at ALLELON - Radio Allelon
What makes art Christian?
As someone passionate about the arts and about living a life of faith, this is a question that's come up often for me. Check out this relevant article on the issue.
Tuesday, August 01, 2006
New tunes...
Found a new artist today (at least I think he's new). Ben Lee. The song I've been listening to is "Begin."
July - A complete summary in one wee little post
So, while I have posted a bit in the last month, I must confess that I feel like I have been a little absent - or at least absent minded - and have missed so much. It's amazing to me, now that we're in August, to think of how fast July seemed to fly by and yet how much was fit into it. Things at the beginning of the month feel soooo long ago! Thousands of km's on my car, several plane rides, a move, an opera, only 4 days in the office and not much sleep later and you've basically got my month of July in a nutshell!
So, to make it fun, I've decided to work backwards through the month...here we go....
Today I made my first commute from my new home! Not too bad. 30 minutes and only a few slow places (I can make it in 20 minutes when it's not rush hour). We're in and getting ourselves settled pretty quickly. There's only a few boxes left as long as you don't look in my room. There's sheets on my bed - what more do I need? The move went well - 4 hours to get everything loaded and unloaded. Thanks so much to a great moving crew! Love you all!!!
OOOOO...and the Phantom. That was Sunday afternoon. It was incredible. I sat through the whole thing with goosebumps - right from the minute they raised the chandelier. It was amazing to see it all live. Our seats were pretty good too - the only thing that would have made them better would have been to be closer to see the faces better! I couldn't believe how well they did with things like the set changes (seamless, completely part of the production), lighting and costumes. And the voices! One day I want to sing like that!!! I could really get used to going to the theatre. As I was waiting for the the Phantom to start, I was thinking of another production I went to - Handel's Messiah. I think that's still my top favorite although I think part of that was the context...and the front row seats. Phantom will be a close second!
Baby Peterson finally got a name...Seth Isaac. Isn't that great!? Can't wait to meet the little bundle in person!
Okay, then conference in Denver. I think I basically gave the rundown on that, haven't I?
Coke Blak - check.
Shopping - check.
Bath and Body works for sure - check.
Did I mention the cow parade? If it wasn't enough that my first 'yehaw' of July came in Denver (Yup, missed the Stampede completely), now there's a cow parade almost identical to the one in Calgary a couple years ago. Pictures included somewhere.
And the Denver Zoo - Saturday Dayna and I had a little bit of extra time on our hands before we caught our plane home. Apparently its the 4th biggest zoo in the states. Funny thing is, now I've been to two of the four biggest zoos in the states but still haven't been to the Calgary zoo to check out the animals and I've lived here for almost 10 years!!! Crazy. I can turn pretty much anything into a spiritual discussion, too. Dayna and I got talking about how creative God is and what a sense of humor he has. Have you seen some of those critters? The anteater, for example? Seriously, cartoon creatures aren't even that creative. My favorite will always be the monkeys. I could have spent all day just watching them. There was one creepy one though. He looked just like the skeleton monkey off pirates of the Caribbean.
Conference - inspiring, encouraging and frustrating all at the same time. I think we got that in an earlier post though so I'll spare you the reading time. Put it into perspective. I'm still thinking through some of the stuff I've learned and trying to figure out how to put it into my context at ABC. One of my sessions was on strengths and talents (so good!!). The facilitator asked us to find a time when we felt the most alive in our jobs. I'd have to say that leads me right into the next thing to share - the first two weeks of July at camp...talk about a seguay!
The first week of camp was at Pine Lake's Sr. High camp while the second was at DVM teen camp out by Lumby, BC. Let's start with Pine Lake. First, what a great bunch of campers...and of course, my cabin was the best of them all! Love those girls soooo much! We focused on times or seasons of our lives, Ecclesiastes 3 as our reference. To add emphasis to the idea of time, we switched to a 20 hour clock. It's not a hard concept. Instead of 24 hours in a day, you have 20. Up for 14, sleep for 6 (if you're lucky). Basically, we started at midnight on the day we got there by going to bed, got up at 6, were up for 14 hours doing our day and then went to bed at 8. Up at two, live the day, to bed at 4..and so on. If you're doing the math, you've realized that we ended up sleeping during the day and being awake during the night...my internal clock was so confused! The kids all played along pretty well but we were all exhausted. I may have to post a list of some of the stupid things we said in our very tired state of minds. Yes, we started writing them down 'cause there were just so many! Hey, we were exhausted! Pictures on my online album...check them out!
And then there was Lumby. Love Lumby. It's a totally different bunch of kids...and each one of them is so special. I could write forever but, seeing that I pretty much have already, I'll keep it relatively brief. Paintball on the paintball course-I didn't go 'cause of the whole bruising fiasco (another story) and, well, I've never gone before. I wasn't sure I wanted to embarrass myself completely at camp. Pranks ran wild. No sleep. Good food. Great speakers - way to go, Jeff and Dave. Swimming in the lake. Mountain nights. Did I mention great campers? Big water fight - love the trust game (again, check out the pictures!). Good idea, Will! Love the Youth Alive team. Realized how much I miss having students around the college. Night prayer walk - dark and slippery but really, really good. Great campers - inspiring really. Being surprised by the simple lessons God teaches through unlikely people. Giggles with the girls in my cabin - that's for you Kayley - mostly at the expense of Christine although she loved it. Singing doing dishes. Worship times together. Sitting around and asking questions..."if you could be a...." Going Greek. Oh the memories. Again, pictures to check out on my album. Check them out. Plus, I should probably post our award winners later 'cause they're all full of memories too.
Anyway, my best two, most EXHAUSTING weeks of my work year. I keep trying to figure out why I love it so much, which of my strengths it uses more than the rest of my work year, how I could bring more of that into my every day and, well, what it all means. For now, I love camp - I miss being away from home but, hey, look at all the stories I have to share!
So that's the major events. Of course there's still things like softball games, visits with good friends - welcome home, Katie, awkward moments 'cause I can find those pretty much everywhere, yummy fruit from the Okanagan Valley....
So, to make it fun, I've decided to work backwards through the month...here we go....
Today I made my first commute from my new home! Not too bad. 30 minutes and only a few slow places (I can make it in 20 minutes when it's not rush hour). We're in and getting ourselves settled pretty quickly. There's only a few boxes left as long as you don't look in my room. There's sheets on my bed - what more do I need? The move went well - 4 hours to get everything loaded and unloaded. Thanks so much to a great moving crew! Love you all!!!
OOOOO...and the Phantom. That was Sunday afternoon. It was incredible. I sat through the whole thing with goosebumps - right from the minute they raised the chandelier. It was amazing to see it all live. Our seats were pretty good too - the only thing that would have made them better would have been to be closer to see the faces better! I couldn't believe how well they did with things like the set changes (seamless, completely part of the production), lighting and costumes. And the voices! One day I want to sing like that!!! I could really get used to going to the theatre. As I was waiting for the the Phantom to start, I was thinking of another production I went to - Handel's Messiah. I think that's still my top favorite although I think part of that was the context...and the front row seats. Phantom will be a close second!
Baby Peterson finally got a name...Seth Isaac. Isn't that great!? Can't wait to meet the little bundle in person!
Okay, then conference in Denver. I think I basically gave the rundown on that, haven't I?
Coke Blak - check.
Shopping - check.
Bath and Body works for sure - check.
Did I mention the cow parade? If it wasn't enough that my first 'yehaw' of July came in Denver (Yup, missed the Stampede completely), now there's a cow parade almost identical to the one in Calgary a couple years ago. Pictures included somewhere.
And the Denver Zoo - Saturday Dayna and I had a little bit of extra time on our hands before we caught our plane home. Apparently its the 4th biggest zoo in the states. Funny thing is, now I've been to two of the four biggest zoos in the states but still haven't been to the Calgary zoo to check out the animals and I've lived here for almost 10 years!!! Crazy. I can turn pretty much anything into a spiritual discussion, too. Dayna and I got talking about how creative God is and what a sense of humor he has. Have you seen some of those critters? The anteater, for example? Seriously, cartoon creatures aren't even that creative. My favorite will always be the monkeys. I could have spent all day just watching them. There was one creepy one though. He looked just like the skeleton monkey off pirates of the Caribbean.
Conference - inspiring, encouraging and frustrating all at the same time. I think we got that in an earlier post though so I'll spare you the reading time. Put it into perspective. I'm still thinking through some of the stuff I've learned and trying to figure out how to put it into my context at ABC. One of my sessions was on strengths and talents (so good!!). The facilitator asked us to find a time when we felt the most alive in our jobs. I'd have to say that leads me right into the next thing to share - the first two weeks of July at camp...talk about a seguay!
The first week of camp was at Pine Lake's Sr. High camp while the second was at DVM teen camp out by Lumby, BC. Let's start with Pine Lake. First, what a great bunch of campers...and of course, my cabin was the best of them all! Love those girls soooo much! We focused on times or seasons of our lives, Ecclesiastes 3 as our reference. To add emphasis to the idea of time, we switched to a 20 hour clock. It's not a hard concept. Instead of 24 hours in a day, you have 20. Up for 14, sleep for 6 (if you're lucky). Basically, we started at midnight on the day we got there by going to bed, got up at 6, were up for 14 hours doing our day and then went to bed at 8. Up at two, live the day, to bed at 4..and so on. If you're doing the math, you've realized that we ended up sleeping during the day and being awake during the night...my internal clock was so confused! The kids all played along pretty well but we were all exhausted. I may have to post a list of some of the stupid things we said in our very tired state of minds. Yes, we started writing them down 'cause there were just so many! Hey, we were exhausted! Pictures on my online album...check them out!
And then there was Lumby. Love Lumby. It's a totally different bunch of kids...and each one of them is so special. I could write forever but, seeing that I pretty much have already, I'll keep it relatively brief. Paintball on the paintball course-I didn't go 'cause of the whole bruising fiasco (another story) and, well, I've never gone before. I wasn't sure I wanted to embarrass myself completely at camp. Pranks ran wild. No sleep. Good food. Great speakers - way to go, Jeff and Dave. Swimming in the lake. Mountain nights. Did I mention great campers? Big water fight - love the trust game (again, check out the pictures!). Good idea, Will! Love the Youth Alive team. Realized how much I miss having students around the college. Night prayer walk - dark and slippery but really, really good. Great campers - inspiring really. Being surprised by the simple lessons God teaches through unlikely people. Giggles with the girls in my cabin - that's for you Kayley - mostly at the expense of Christine although she loved it. Singing doing dishes. Worship times together. Sitting around and asking questions..."if you could be a...." Going Greek. Oh the memories. Again, pictures to check out on my album. Check them out. Plus, I should probably post our award winners later 'cause they're all full of memories too.
Anyway, my best two, most EXHAUSTING weeks of my work year. I keep trying to figure out why I love it so much, which of my strengths it uses more than the rest of my work year, how I could bring more of that into my every day and, well, what it all means. For now, I love camp - I miss being away from home but, hey, look at all the stories I have to share!
So that's the major events. Of course there's still things like softball games, visits with good friends - welcome home, Katie, awkward moments 'cause I can find those pretty much everywhere, yummy fruit from the Okanagan Valley....
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