Interestings

Interesting how more people vote for American Idol contestants than Congressional Representatives.

Interesting how you can have a homeless persons' makeshift hut on one side of the American river, and a manicured golf course on the other.

Interesting how Christmas music begins the second week of November, yet the actual meaning of Christmas is considered "politically incorrect."

Interesting how we vote to protect chicken's rights, while unborn children are legally murdered.

Interesting how So. Cali is home to palm trees and millionaires, and desperate illegal aliens dying in the desert.

Interesting how we live in the Land of the Free, yet "One Nation Under God" and the Bible are prohibited.

Interesting how we value the Freedom of Speech, yet thou shalt not speak against homosexuality on campus.

Interesting how we consider ourselves a "Christian" nation, yet our top Box Office hits are ones promoting violence, infidelity and immorality.

Interesting that we are "fired up" on Sunday morning, yet forget all about it once we pick up the comics.

Interesting that we worship a God of love, yet we find imperfections in those around us.

Interesting that we find peace in His forgiveness and grace, yet are too judgmental to extend that ourselves.

Interesting that we pray we can be a light, yet when we have the opportunity, are too ashamed or "busy" to shine.

Interesting.

Interesting that we find these examples troubling, yet we do nothing about them.

What are you going to do about it? What am I going to do about it? Simply finding it interesting will definitely not suffice.

Gotta be Somebody

This time, I wonder what it feels like

To find the one in this life

The one we all dream of

But dreams just arn't enough

So I'll be waiting for the real thing.

I'll know it by the feeling.

The moment when we're meeting

Will play out like a scene straight off the silvers creen

So I'll be holdin' my breath

Right up to the end

Until that moment when

I find the one that I'll spend forever with.

'Cause nobody wants to be the last one there.

'Cause everyone wants to feel like someone cares.
Someone to love with my life in their hands.
There's gotta be sombeody for me like that.

'Cause nobody wants to go it on their own
And everyone wants to know they're not alone.
Somebody else that feels the same somewhere
There's gotta be somebody for me out there.

You can't give up!
When you're looking for a diamond in the rough
Because you never know when it shows up
Make sure you're holdin' on
'Cause it could be the one, the one you're waiting for.

'Cause nobody wants to be the last one there.

'Cause everyone wants to feel like someone cares.

Someone to love with my life in their hands.

There's gotta be somebody for me like that.

'Cause nobody wants to go it on their own

And everyone wants to know they're not alone.

Somebody else that feels the same somewhere.

There's gotta be somebody for me out there.

The Joys of Dishwashing

I love washing dishes in the fall. Winter too. Over half of the year, this is my absolute favorite chore of all.

For 10 or 15 minutes, three times a day, I get to srub dishes while heavenly warm water swirls around my fingers and splashes my wrists. It's like "spa day" for the hands...three times a day! And when I'm finished, my hands are officially and delightfully warm.

I love doing the dishes when it's raining too.

There's something special about watching the rain pelt the soggy earth. Watching it fly sideways and patter against the window. There's something magical about listening to the howl of the wind and the creaking of our old house, seeing the whirling and swirling of the cold rain - all while my hands are submerged in whirling, swirling warmth and bubbles.

Good Things

Good things that happened this week:

• Discovered a new branch of debate theory
• My duo made Mrs. Wheeler cry
• Got an $80 tip
• Rocked out to Mendelssohn and Beethoven at choir rehearsal
• Experienced the excitement of new apologetics students
• Watched "Dancing with the Stars" - and loved it
• Discovered the miracle of communication
• Watched "The Diving Bell and the Butterfly" and had an attitude adjustment
• Found out about a trip-of-a-lifetime!
• Becamse the State Librarian for the Interpretation and Education Division
• Official guitar calluses
• Found three new all-time favorite songs

Good things that are going to happen this week:

• Finish blocking that awesome duo
• Work like crazy
• Research debate like crazy
• Go to a tournament and realize how much evidence I don't have
• Get to watch "Dancing with the Stars"
• PoliSci MIDTERM
• Get paid! Boo-yah!
• My archaeologist friend, John F. will be on National Geographic tomorrow featuring Captain Kidd's sunken shipwreck in the Dominican Republic. Can we say "super-cool"??
  

European Doors

I love doors. I really love doors.

And guess what. Europe is filled with beautiful, interesting, old doors. I thought I died and went to heaven....


Isn't it beautiful? Quietly tucked away in a back street of Galdar, Gran Canaria, I couldn't pass it by


A Spanish door to silent timelessness (okay, this one's a window...)

Ghent, Belgium - a northern Venice

My favorite doors in Brussels, Belgium

A splash of color in Metz, France

Cathedral doors in Metz, France

The gate to Hitler's Headquarters

Hitler's Chapel Door (inviting, huh?)

Rottenburg, Germany

Ansbach, Germany

Random Necessities

Clouds are magnetic.

All centipedes are alien spies.

Drinking fountains are the source of all evil and cause global warming.

If you fight the Force, it only get's stronger. It's not use, we're all gonna die.

Relative Relativity

According to boxing weight standards, I am a featherweight.
According to modeling standards, I am a heavyweight.

According to 1908, I am an old maid.
According to 2008, I am in the prime of life.

According to ARC standards, I am fluent.
According to actual Spaniards, I am definitely not.

According to some, I am a dreamer.
According to others, I am ambitious.

According to Google, I am the Religion In South Asia.
According to the Spanish Dictionary, I am Laughter.

According to the Census, I am Irish-German.
According to my lineage, I am Cuban.

According to some, I am scandalous.
According to some, I am conservative.

According to optometrists and the DMV, I am legally blind.
According to the blind, I can see.

According to certain debate ballots, I am victorious.
According to certain debate ballots, I am not.

According to many, I am morbidly strange.
According to Vicki, I am awesome.

There's a beauty in relativity. There's a freedom, a glorious independence from the judgements and labels of man. It all depends on the point of view.

According to God, I am His. And I am perfect.

By a Show of Hands

"Politicians often have clammy hands. They're always in thier officies!"

Hmmm, an interesting bit of insight from a dear friend last night at our debate "Topic Study".


Lord, may my hands never by clammy with unuse. May they be callused and worn with Your work. Blisters hurt, a lot, but they serve to toughen so that we may be an "approved workman", able to do the job (whatever it may be) effectively.



I want some spiritual blisters. Strech me. Mold me. Break me.



May my hands be very worn and very callused.