I don't have a CLUE where I saw this yesterday, but props to whoever had it. You set your ipod or WMP, or whatever it is you listen to music on to Shuffle, and bang out the first line of the first 25 songs that come out. Then you either 1) laugh at the collection of strange lyrics that come out, or 2) challenge your friends to a duel. Can you guess the songs, WITHOUT using google to figure out the artist and song?
And you know, I did this using my laptop, and I realized (again) as I did this that I really do not have a lot of my "secular" music ripped on there, for fear that it would "look bad" to have a bunch of secular music on the "church" laptop. How sad. BUT! later today, I'm buying my own laptop and I'll have ALL of my music on there! Yeah! On with the silly game!
1. My name is foreigner from a far away land, my feet are covered in earth...
2. Always when we fight, I try to make you laugh, until everything's forgotten, I know you hate that...
3. I don't expect too much from my poor old heart...
4. So what life's rough you should get over yourself like everyone else and enjoy like the boys and the girls...
5. Oh what I would do to have the kind of faith it takes to have the kind of faith it take to climb out of this boat...
6. Yo Man...Open up man...This girl just caught me....Sexy...I love her style man...She'll take my money...When I'm in need...Oh she's...
7. Open up the heaven, let your glory fall, open up your heart so we will know you...
8. There's a power in poverty that breaks the principalities and brings the powers down to their knees...
9. There's a cross on the side where a mother lost her son, how could she know that the morning he left...
10. As I look into the stars, I wonder at how far away they are, and how you hold them in your hands...
11. He beat the drums and lit the fire...
12. Tears all of the time, tears all of the time, don't be unkind...
13. Stealing moments just to be with you, though it's wrong it's hard just to tell the truth...
14. Up late last night, I tried to hide, something just ain't right, I can't deny...
15. Honey I know you've been a lonesome, why don't you phone some....
16. I've had to think of a way to think of a way to survive since you had to tell me it's over...
17. AJ It's been a long time since I've seen you last...
18. Is this a dream? If it is please don't wake me...
19. In union with the lamb, from condemnation free, the saints from everlasting were and shall forever be...
20. There are times when I look above and beyond there are times when I feel you around me baby...
21. Every now and then, I get a little lost, strings all get tangled, my wires all get crossed...
22. Waiting in the club lounge, I slot in so systematically, I wanna smash it to pieces...
23. City sidewalks, busy sidewalks dressed in holiday style...
24. It's like yesterday I didn't even know your name, now today you're always on my mind...
25. I hear a voice calling out, I hear in this wilderness where darkness has reigned for so long, ground is being taken...
Saturday, April 29, 2006
LIFE AIN'T ALWAYS BEAUTIFUL.
Sometimes, it sucks to be right. My mom lied the other day. Maybe "lied" is the wrong word. I just don't think she had it in her to tell me then. That's completely understandable.
Her cancer is back. She has two tumors in her "good breast" and her lymph nodes on that side are enlarged. So what does that make this? Recurrence number four? (Angie counts the courses of treaments in her head) Lumpectomy; Lumpectomy + Lymph nodes + Radiation; Mastectomy + Chemotherapy... and then this. If I remember what Dr. Ibrahim said last time, there was supposed to be only a 17% chance that it would come back...and that treatment should it come back this time would be surgery again, and very aggressive chemo. Fun stuff, eh?
I had the pleasure of calling almost our entire family and telling them, too. Mostly the response was the same. "Oh. Wow. Again? (Silenc) Wow." Or something sort of shocked like that. I'm kind of glad I didn't have to call Uncle Al - he's the softy in the family. I wouldn't want to have to tell him myself. Granny will tell him on Saturday sometime. But damn, enough with the cancer already...
Hey - on a good note, as more than one family member remarked...as least she's got a cute little noggin when it's bald! right?! <---- that exclamation point is colored with my Crayola "Sarcastic Black" crayon. It's the best one in the box for occasions like these. On that note...Please remember to pray for my mom... and I guess, while you do that, I'll remember that I'm a believer in Jesus Christ and that he has saved my mom three times before - what's one more, right?! <---- and THAT exclamation point is colored with one of those big FAT Crayola crayons called "Go suck an egg Satan, you can't have my mom yet you big dumb idiot, in the name of Jesus Yellow." It's not over till God says it over (and that IS my motto in this situation).
Please call me this afternoon or this evening.
Love you,
Mom
Sometimes, it sucks to be right. My mom lied the other day. Maybe "lied" is the wrong word. I just don't think she had it in her to tell me then. That's completely understandable.
Her cancer is back. She has two tumors in her "good breast" and her lymph nodes on that side are enlarged. So what does that make this? Recurrence number four? (Angie counts the courses of treaments in her head) Lumpectomy; Lumpectomy + Lymph nodes + Radiation; Mastectomy + Chemotherapy... and then this. If I remember what Dr. Ibrahim said last time, there was supposed to be only a 17% chance that it would come back...and that treatment should it come back this time would be surgery again, and very aggressive chemo. Fun stuff, eh?
I had the pleasure of calling almost our entire family and telling them, too. Mostly the response was the same. "Oh. Wow. Again? (Silenc) Wow." Or something sort of shocked like that. I'm kind of glad I didn't have to call Uncle Al - he's the softy in the family. I wouldn't want to have to tell him myself. Granny will tell him on Saturday sometime. But damn, enough with the cancer already...
Hey - on a good note, as more than one family member remarked...as least she's got a cute little noggin when it's bald! right?! <---- that exclamation point is colored with my Crayola "Sarcastic Black" crayon. It's the best one in the box for occasions like these. On that note...Please remember to pray for my mom... and I guess, while you do that, I'll remember that I'm a believer in Jesus Christ and that he has saved my mom three times before - what's one more, right?! <---- and THAT exclamation point is colored with one of those big FAT Crayola crayons called "Go suck an egg Satan, you can't have my mom yet you big dumb idiot, in the name of Jesus Yellow." It's not over till God says it over (and that IS my motto in this situation).
Friday, April 28, 2006
UHHH... THE SEA MONKEYS HAVE MY MONEY... AND YES, I'M A NATURAL BLUE...
haha...I'm in my office, cleaning it out and cleaning it up, and at the same time, having random conversations with the various people who are popping in and out, and online. So, random conversation #1: I just got invited to judge an apologetics debate for the Christian Communicators of Ohio at Cedarville University in a few weeks.
Awesome! Granted, so did everyone on staff, and they need 200 judges, so they're probably asking every Christian with a brain they can think of...but still. Cool.
Random Find #1: I just found a note that a kind woman woman gave me shortly after I got here, handwritten on a hand drawn card. It reads, "I met you at church yesterday. Anyway, last night "husband" and I went to see Spidermand for the 2nd time and while watching the movie with Kirsten Dunst in it, it occured to me how much you remind me of her, and that includes the voice! Thanks for talking with me. I'm glad you're a part of the church staff." Grove City Vineyard - you rock.
Random Recieved Photo Online #1: And who would have thought that they have amusement parks in certain middle eastern countries where terrorists are plotting to blow up my boyfriend's house? Do you think they'll be able to figure out where he lives from this picture?? ;-) Everyone - if you want to see the picture referenced in the post below that Robert made me delete AND you're NOT a terrorist, email me and I'll send it to you.). In the meantime, enjoy this picture of Robert and his teammate at the amusement park in their town that was taken this morning:
(teammate on the left, Robert Meeker on the right)
haha...I'm in my office, cleaning it out and cleaning it up, and at the same time, having random conversations with the various people who are popping in and out, and online. So, random conversation #1: I just got invited to judge an apologetics debate for the Christian Communicators of Ohio at Cedarville University in a few weeks.
Awesome! Granted, so did everyone on staff, and they need 200 judges, so they're probably asking every Christian with a brain they can think of...but still. Cool.
Random Find #1: I just found a note that a kind woman woman gave me shortly after I got here, handwritten on a hand drawn card. It reads, "I met you at church yesterday. Anyway, last night "husband" and I went to see Spidermand for the 2nd time and while watching the movie with Kirsten Dunst in it, it occured to me how much you remind me of her, and that includes the voice! Thanks for talking with me. I'm glad you're a part of the church staff." Grove City Vineyard - you rock.
Random Recieved Photo Online #1: And who would have thought that they have amusement parks in certain middle eastern countries where terrorists are plotting to blow up my boyfriend's house? Do you think they'll be able to figure out where he lives from this picture?? ;-) Everyone - if you want to see the picture referenced in the post below that Robert made me delete AND you're NOT a terrorist, email me and I'll send it to you.). In the meantime, enjoy this picture of Robert and his teammate at the amusement park in their town that was taken this morning:
(teammate on the left, Robert Meeker on the right)
Edit to Overnight Hospital Stays
Well, I've thought about it, and this probably isn't true. I've likely been in the hospital overnight on at least three occasions.
When I was born, my digestive tract wasn't fully developed, and so my mom tells me that I was in and out of the hospital sick a lot then. And, I used to stop breathing when I was a baby, a lot. Maybe they'd call it SIDS now, but she'd come in and I'd just be blue, or she'd be holding me and realize that I'd stopped breathing OUT a few breaths ago...and so there was some testing involved with that. Possibly I was held overnight for some of that??
Once when I was three and was bitten by a german shepherd/collie mix in the face, right over my right eye and temple. It took about 19 stitches to close it up, and really did just about take off that part of my face. It's WHY my eyebrow doesn't grow properly over there, and also why my face does express properly over there. AND, for all of you people who come up to me and try to wipe off the "dirt on my face," it's not DIRT. It's a two inch scar and it's not ever coming off, so please don't do that. Also, I was bitten again on the other side of my face, only lower, the summer before my 8th grade year but a little mutt. Those scars are much smaller, but resemble acne scars. No overnight stays for that - just a quick trip to the ER.
And then a third time, my dad was riding me on the handle bars of his bike, and my foot got caught in the spokes. It went all the way around, past the bars that hold the wheel onto the frame of the bike, and both broke part of my ankle and chipped some bone on that round part of my ankle that stick out a bit and rotates?! I went flying and so did the bike. Mental note, dads: Don't ride your kids on the handle bars. AND! don't be a dumb butt and cut the cast off weeks early just because your little girl daughter is complaining that it itches, because if you do, you can count on the fact that the bone probably isn't going to heal properly, and that every time she hits her ankle on something for the rest of her life, she's going to want to SCREAM in pain. Dad was high most of the time, have I ever mentioned that? So, that was another trip...but I'm not sure if that was an overnight stay or not, but it could have been.
Well, I've thought about it, and this probably isn't true. I've likely been in the hospital overnight on at least three occasions.
When I was born, my digestive tract wasn't fully developed, and so my mom tells me that I was in and out of the hospital sick a lot then. And, I used to stop breathing when I was a baby, a lot. Maybe they'd call it SIDS now, but she'd come in and I'd just be blue, or she'd be holding me and realize that I'd stopped breathing OUT a few breaths ago...and so there was some testing involved with that. Possibly I was held overnight for some of that??
Once when I was three and was bitten by a german shepherd/collie mix in the face, right over my right eye and temple. It took about 19 stitches to close it up, and really did just about take off that part of my face. It's WHY my eyebrow doesn't grow properly over there, and also why my face does express properly over there. AND, for all of you people who come up to me and try to wipe off the "dirt on my face," it's not DIRT. It's a two inch scar and it's not ever coming off, so please don't do that. Also, I was bitten again on the other side of my face, only lower, the summer before my 8th grade year but a little mutt. Those scars are much smaller, but resemble acne scars. No overnight stays for that - just a quick trip to the ER.
And then a third time, my dad was riding me on the handle bars of his bike, and my foot got caught in the spokes. It went all the way around, past the bars that hold the wheel onto the frame of the bike, and both broke part of my ankle and chipped some bone on that round part of my ankle that stick out a bit and rotates?! I went flying and so did the bike. Mental note, dads: Don't ride your kids on the handle bars. AND! don't be a dumb butt and cut the cast off weeks early just because your little girl daughter is complaining that it itches, because if you do, you can count on the fact that the bone probably isn't going to heal properly, and that every time she hits her ankle on something for the rest of her life, she's going to want to SCREAM in pain. Dad was high most of the time, have I ever mentioned that? So, that was another trip...but I'm not sure if that was an overnight stay or not, but it could have been.
A,B,C, It's Easy As 1,2,3...
ABC meme that I didn't steal from Robert who didn't steal it from OTRgirl who is not making everyone jealous with her insanely clever style of writing and interesting life out east while she eats exotic foods on her stone covered patio while toasting marshmallows over the firepit whie the rest of the corn huskers in Ohio pick wheat out of their bibs and look at her in awe.
Accent: I'm from the middle of Ohio. This is one of only 2.5 states in the country where we have no accent (Indiana and parts of Illinois being the other two). However, when I lived in SC, I did pick up something of a cute southern twang, so every once in a while that will come out; and from my days growing up in VA, every so often something will slip out from there, too...like how I soft pronounce my "r's" (the thing you drive is a "ca......r" not a "car.")
Booze: Pahleze. Someone's gotta be the Double D in this crew while Brandy, Brandi, Robert and Craig go get trashed. And don't let Robert fool you. The only reason he's not knockin' one back right now is because they'd hang him where he lives if he did. Teetoler my toe.
Chore I hate: Folding laundry. And I kind of hate taking out the trash. I WOULDN'T if I didn't have to lift it above my head to put it in the dumpster...but seeing as the dumpster is taller than I am...I run the risk of dumping the trash on my head. Grody.
Dog or Cat: If the dog could eat the cat and then get sick and die, even better.
Essential Electronics: Internet.
Favorite Cologne: I don't wear COLOGNE. This is a dumb question. But I did just buy some PERFUME called London Burberry a few weeks ago. Yummy.
Gold or Silver: Silver.
Hometown: Dayton, Ohio. But I left my heart in Carolina.
Insomnia: Frequently. Between 1AM and 4AM, and then waking up again at 6AM.
Job Title: Good question. I'll have to ask my new boss on Monday.
Kids: I don't have kids right now.
Living Arrangements: I live in a two bedroom apartment with my friend Cristi.
Most admirable traits: I'm GREAT at making my friends laugh when they're having a bad day, and I'm really good at entertaining myself even if noone is having a bad day!
Number of Sexual Partners: Mumbler! I can't hear you! What kind of question is that?! Oz is totally PG! Hahah! Right - I'm a high school youth pastor.I can answer this question: Zero. And if you happen to be one of my youth group kids from Dayton, Carolina or Grove City reading - keep it locked up until the day you're married...God's got a reason for asking us to wait, and... "the waiting is good, right?"
Overnight Hospital Stays: I don't think I've ever stayed overnight. But then again, I have seizures so it's not like I would remember.
Phobias: Mean dogs, and high heights.
Quote: Oh - how I want to quote something that Brandy Shrader said this week that made us want to wash our ears out with chlorine, but it's too much to repeat on this site...
Religion: I determined to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified. 1 Cor 2v2
Siblings: Three brothers. Alex is the oldest (8 years older), Joe's next (14 months older), Luke is younger (he's 18, I think).
Time I wake up: 5:30AM, unfortunately. My sleeping is broken.
Unusual Talent or Skill: I like Bob, that's pretty unusual, eh? I can also talk like a sheep, or so I'm told.
Vegetable I love: Sugar snap peas.
Worst Habit: Interuppting when others talk, and finishing their sentences; thinking too much.
X-rays: Brain x-rays like mri's, cat scans and eeg's. Other than that, YES, I'd like to have XRAY vision. Who wouldn't?
Yummy foods I make: Chocolate chip cookies from scratch. Coconut Creme Pie.
Zodiac Sign: Saggitarius, or Horse.
ABC meme that I didn't steal from Robert who didn't steal it from OTRgirl who is not making everyone jealous with her insanely clever style of writing and interesting life out east while she eats exotic foods on her stone covered patio while toasting marshmallows over the firepit whie the rest of the corn huskers in Ohio pick wheat out of their bibs and look at her in awe.
Accent: I'm from the middle of Ohio. This is one of only 2.5 states in the country where we have no accent (Indiana and parts of Illinois being the other two). However, when I lived in SC, I did pick up something of a cute southern twang, so every once in a while that will come out; and from my days growing up in VA, every so often something will slip out from there, too...like how I soft pronounce my "r's" (the thing you drive is a "ca......r" not a "car.")
Booze: Pahleze. Someone's gotta be the Double D in this crew while Brandy, Brandi, Robert and Craig go get trashed. And don't let Robert fool you. The only reason he's not knockin' one back right now is because they'd hang him where he lives if he did. Teetoler my toe.
Chore I hate: Folding laundry. And I kind of hate taking out the trash. I WOULDN'T if I didn't have to lift it above my head to put it in the dumpster...but seeing as the dumpster is taller than I am...I run the risk of dumping the trash on my head. Grody.
Dog or Cat: If the dog could eat the cat and then get sick and die, even better.
Essential Electronics: Internet.
Favorite Cologne: I don't wear COLOGNE. This is a dumb question. But I did just buy some PERFUME called London Burberry a few weeks ago. Yummy.
Gold or Silver: Silver.
Hometown: Dayton, Ohio. But I left my heart in Carolina.
Insomnia: Frequently. Between 1AM and 4AM, and then waking up again at 6AM.
Job Title: Good question. I'll have to ask my new boss on Monday.
Kids: I don't have kids right now.
Living Arrangements: I live in a two bedroom apartment with my friend Cristi.
Most admirable traits: I'm GREAT at making my friends laugh when they're having a bad day, and I'm really good at entertaining myself even if noone is having a bad day!
Number of Sexual Partners: Mumbler! I can't hear you! What kind of question is that?! Oz is totally PG! Hahah! Right - I'm a high school youth pastor.I can answer this question: Zero. And if you happen to be one of my youth group kids from Dayton, Carolina or Grove City reading - keep it locked up until the day you're married...God's got a reason for asking us to wait, and... "the waiting is good, right?"
Overnight Hospital Stays: I don't think I've ever stayed overnight. But then again, I have seizures so it's not like I would remember.
Phobias: Mean dogs, and high heights.
Quote: Oh - how I want to quote something that Brandy Shrader said this week that made us want to wash our ears out with chlorine, but it's too much to repeat on this site...
Religion: I determined to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified. 1 Cor 2v2
Siblings: Three brothers. Alex is the oldest (8 years older), Joe's next (14 months older), Luke is younger (he's 18, I think).
Time I wake up: 5:30AM, unfortunately. My sleeping is broken.
Unusual Talent or Skill: I like Bob, that's pretty unusual, eh? I can also talk like a sheep, or so I'm told.
Vegetable I love: Sugar snap peas.
Worst Habit: Interuppting when others talk, and finishing their sentences; thinking too much.
X-rays: Brain x-rays like mri's, cat scans and eeg's. Other than that, YES, I'd like to have XRAY vision. Who wouldn't?
Yummy foods I make: Chocolate chip cookies from scratch. Coconut Creme Pie.
Zodiac Sign: Saggitarius, or Horse.
Thursday, April 27, 2006
What's Cooler than Cool?
SOOOO...I was talking to my boyfriend this morning on the computer, when he said, "Go look up these coordinates on Google Earth (you have to know what google earth is for this to make immediate sense, which I did), and when you find them, I'll go stand outside on the roof and wave like a maniac!" Remember - he's in another country still...
So click on that picture above, and look REAL CLOSE! in the middle of the picture where it says, "SAY HI!" and you just might see him - because that's really his house! and that's really his city! and he's really NOT standing there waving HI! but isn't that the coolest thing in the world! Haha...You hear him talk about how dirty it is - and can't you TELL from the picture how dirty it is?! And you won't be able to do it with this picture, but with the actual program Google Earth, you can zoom out and see the topography of the land, and though I've read it in several places, it really DOES look like Colorado or Utah. I can't wait! I LOVED Colorado! In fact, there are some snow capped mountains peaks not far from "Say Hi" in this particular photograph! Yeah! I asked him today if the mountains were safe to hike in, and free from the landmines that were placed there back in the day by Hussein and his crews. He replied "Well, we haven't run into any problems, if that's what you mean." "Literally." hahaha... Get it? RUN INTO...??? Landmines??? Ok. So it was funny at the time...maybe not so funny when you realize that you're talking about ACTUAL landmines... but still.
Ok - Be sure to wave hi! Maybe next time he'll write out some phrases with Christmas lights or something.
SOOOO...I was talking to my boyfriend this morning on the computer, when he said, "Go look up these coordinates on Google Earth (you have to know what google earth is for this to make immediate sense, which I did), and when you find them, I'll go stand outside on the roof and wave like a maniac!" Remember - he's in another country still...
So click on that picture above, and look REAL CLOSE! in the middle of the picture where it says, "SAY HI!" and you just might see him - because that's really his house! and that's really his city! and he's really NOT standing there waving HI! but isn't that the coolest thing in the world! Haha...You hear him talk about how dirty it is - and can't you TELL from the picture how dirty it is?! And you won't be able to do it with this picture, but with the actual program Google Earth, you can zoom out and see the topography of the land, and though I've read it in several places, it really DOES look like Colorado or Utah. I can't wait! I LOVED Colorado! In fact, there are some snow capped mountains peaks not far from "Say Hi" in this particular photograph! Yeah! I asked him today if the mountains were safe to hike in, and free from the landmines that were placed there back in the day by Hussein and his crews. He replied "Well, we haven't run into any problems, if that's what you mean." "Literally." hahaha... Get it? RUN INTO...??? Landmines??? Ok. So it was funny at the time...maybe not so funny when you realize that you're talking about ACTUAL landmines... but still.
Ok - Be sure to wave hi! Maybe next time he'll write out some phrases with Christmas lights or something.
"NEOGEOGRAPHY" IS NEAT-O!
Now see! THIS is why National Geographic rocks and why I'm a complete and utter nerd!
This is an excerpt from the article linked above...WOW!
Now see! THIS is why National Geographic rocks and why I'm a complete and utter nerd!
This is an excerpt from the article linked above...WOW!
Need to know where to find a mountaintop castle in Japan? How about the best fried cheese sticks along U.S. Route 66?
Now, thanks to a unique mashup of cartography and blogs, you can find what you need to know just by looking at a map...
Online maps such as those offered by software firms Google, Yahoo!, and Microsoft have become ubiquitous tools for finding directions from Point A to Point B.
But creative travelers around the world are now embracing the "pushpin" features of such maps to post information, from the location of hidden tourist gems to the city spot where they shared their first kiss...
The trend has been dubbed neogeography, and some enthusiasts predict it could spur a revolution in electronic cartography.
Do-It-Yourself Maps!
225,600 Minutes Ain't Got Nuthin' On 208
Tonight was my last night at 208, the midweek high school ministry at the Grove City Vineyard. I wish that every day could be my last day. I don't really have a lot of gushing, romantic things to say about it, because that's just not who I am...but I do want to just laugh a little at Chavis...whose ride left him because he kept getting out of the car to come say goodbye and ask me to please stop by sometime to say hi; or to smile at Ramone who pulled me aside to say, "Hey, before we get started tonight, I really want to say that I don't like that you're leaving. It matters to me, and I'm not being sarcastic or funny or anything like that. I know I'm new around here, but these people (pointing to the Briggs crew) tell me that you're alright, and I know that's true. You matter to me, and I hate that you're leaving." He's the same kid who a few weeks ago came up to me to tell me "how truly changed he is by this place." The thing is...it's NOT about me in these statements. It's really not. Sure, it's nice to be appreciated. Haha...these kids don't KNOW that it's not about me yet though. They won't know that for a few years still. But we know it, don't we? That's what so great about being on this side of being a teen believer, and seeing God work in their lives. We get to see how God is working through them to yank them towards himself by using us to do it. We're just loud mouth idiots who are stupid enough to work with THESE younger loud mouth idiots, eh? And we do it every week, every Wednesday for 208 hours a graduating class...hoping that they'll understand it's about way more than these 208 hours and yearn for something more than the 208 hours they'll see us on Wednesdays and ask God to show up in their lives outside of Wednesday nights. Then maybe, just maybe, at the end of the year, one of these students will have 225,600 minutes of a life filled with the most amazing and life-changing God to look back on...rather than 52 silly hours of youth group with some lady named Angie blabbing on and on up front...
Tonight was my last night at 208, the midweek high school ministry at the Grove City Vineyard. I wish that every day could be my last day. I don't really have a lot of gushing, romantic things to say about it, because that's just not who I am...but I do want to just laugh a little at Chavis...whose ride left him because he kept getting out of the car to come say goodbye and ask me to please stop by sometime to say hi; or to smile at Ramone who pulled me aside to say, "Hey, before we get started tonight, I really want to say that I don't like that you're leaving. It matters to me, and I'm not being sarcastic or funny or anything like that. I know I'm new around here, but these people (pointing to the Briggs crew) tell me that you're alright, and I know that's true. You matter to me, and I hate that you're leaving." He's the same kid who a few weeks ago came up to me to tell me "how truly changed he is by this place." The thing is...it's NOT about me in these statements. It's really not. Sure, it's nice to be appreciated. Haha...these kids don't KNOW that it's not about me yet though. They won't know that for a few years still. But we know it, don't we? That's what so great about being on this side of being a teen believer, and seeing God work in their lives. We get to see how God is working through them to yank them towards himself by using us to do it. We're just loud mouth idiots who are stupid enough to work with THESE younger loud mouth idiots, eh? And we do it every week, every Wednesday for 208 hours a graduating class...hoping that they'll understand it's about way more than these 208 hours and yearn for something more than the 208 hours they'll see us on Wednesdays and ask God to show up in their lives outside of Wednesday nights. Then maybe, just maybe, at the end of the year, one of these students will have 225,600 minutes of a life filled with the most amazing and life-changing God to look back on...rather than 52 silly hours of youth group with some lady named Angie blabbing on and on up front...
Wednesday, April 26, 2006
Striking Fear Into The Hearts Of Daughters Everywhere.
It's 2:12PM. At 1:24PM, I got back from my staff's good-bye luncheon for me to find this email from my mom, sent at 12:15PM:
Now, if you knew my mom, you'd know the absolute PANIC the tone of this email is creating at this moment. THIS is the same tone that all four "I've got cancer" calls, or the "Your grandma died this morning" calls came with. My mom is not one to speak with few words (wonder where I get it from, eh?), so when a call comes with hardly any verbage, it's NOT good. An hour later now, I've called her house three times, sent three emails, called her work and still no dice. What the is going on? And if it's that important, could she just pick up the freakin' phone and call rather than sending an email which I may or may not have gotten for HOURS still? I'm about two hours away from calling the Texas City police and having them go over to check on her, just to force a resolution to the issue.
She's not dead. And no one is, as a matter of fact. Actually, it's quite the opposite. My mom applied for Social Security a few years back, and was denied, but her lawyer appealed because the only reason she was denied was blah, blah, blah... Anyway... long story short (too late!), she found out today that the judge approved her appeal. I don't exactly know how to feel. This IS good news technically, but it technically means that the government agrees that my mom is disabled because of the easy reoccurance of her cancers, her EXTREMELY high blood pressure and how the doctor's feel that she is prone to stroke, and the disagnosis of MS (even though one doctor of three disagreed). Ugh. I hate it...even though it will be good for her in the long run...I just hate that this is what has become of her health. BUT! In the meantime, happy day for her! She'll be getting a pretty large lump settlement that will allow her to dig out of some debt she's gotten into over the past two years...and then be back on her feet financially (and medically). GOOD NEWS INDEED!
It's 2:12PM. At 1:24PM, I got back from my staff's good-bye luncheon for me to find this email from my mom, sent at 12:15PM:
Please call me this afternoon or this evening.
Love you,
Mom
Now, if you knew my mom, you'd know the absolute PANIC the tone of this email is creating at this moment. THIS is the same tone that all four "I've got cancer" calls, or the "Your grandma died this morning" calls came with. My mom is not one to speak with few words (wonder where I get it from, eh?), so when a call comes with hardly any verbage, it's NOT good. An hour later now, I've called her house three times, sent three emails, called her work and still no dice. What the is going on? And if it's that important, could she just pick up the freakin' phone and call rather than sending an email which I may or may not have gotten for HOURS still? I'm about two hours away from calling the Texas City police and having them go over to check on her, just to force a resolution to the issue.
UPDATE
She's not dead. And no one is, as a matter of fact. Actually, it's quite the opposite. My mom applied for Social Security a few years back, and was denied, but her lawyer appealed because the only reason she was denied was blah, blah, blah... Anyway... long story short (too late!), she found out today that the judge approved her appeal. I don't exactly know how to feel. This IS good news technically, but it technically means that the government agrees that my mom is disabled because of the easy reoccurance of her cancers, her EXTREMELY high blood pressure and how the doctor's feel that she is prone to stroke, and the disagnosis of MS (even though one doctor of three disagreed). Ugh. I hate it...even though it will be good for her in the long run...I just hate that this is what has become of her health. BUT! In the meantime, happy day for her! She'll be getting a pretty large lump settlement that will allow her to dig out of some debt she's gotten into over the past two years...and then be back on her feet financially (and medically). GOOD NEWS INDEED!
Tuesday, April 25, 2006
Return of the Jedi.
It's been about eight months since this blog went to take a nap...and in that time, all of my friends have started blogs while I have not have one at all (or have I?). Well, it's time for sleepy Oz to wake up. I should really thank jimi - he's the one who started it all. A few years ago he told me that I was not the blogging type, and you know, I've been blogging every since. And now - so are my friends, and their friends and their mom's and their mom's mom's. And maybe by the time we're done - Princess Mia will have a blog, too. Happy blogging to all, and I guess I'll take a few minutes to catch everyone up...
1. This Monday is my last day at the Grove City Vineyard as the youth pastor. I'll still be attending there and living in Columbus. I'll be working for a friend's company at a recruiter for focus groups. What's great is it's telecommuting position, so I don't have to worry about getting a ride to and from work, which is great because....
2. I'm still not allowed to drive, probably until August. I haven't had any more tonic-clonic seizures (the big shake-n-bake kind) but did have a complex partial two months ago, so the doctor restarted the driving clock again. Oh well. Lots of people around the world can't drive, right?
3. So? Probably the big news of the day is that I'm going to be moving to that same middle eastern country where Robert is sometime in the next year. Rose Nylund - if you're reading this - can you believe it?! Think back to our days at ORU and those crazy nights down in Kennedy Chapel during Ramadan. Can you even believe that 10 years later, I'm FINALLY going to go to my Muslims? It's like we prayed it into being. It's beautiful really... I'll have to tell everyone the whole story soon. It's amazing. Anthony Carrano would have a cow, wouldn't he?
4. In other, somewhat related news, my brother in the picture below - he MIGHT end up in that same country in 2008. Wouldn't that be a kick? We should just ALL move there. It'll be fun.
Well, there really is a lot more happening, but I'm sure that you are going to start emailing asking about those things in particular. I checked the stats today, and I don't know who the heck you people are, but a whole heck of a lot of someone's been checking here over the past eight months even thought there ain't been nuthin' here to read! So - I hope that now that there is you'll stick around! Be sure to check out Robert's blog to see what's been happening over there, and the others to the right are great, too...
Good to be back!
It's been about eight months since this blog went to take a nap...and in that time, all of my friends have started blogs while I have not have one at all (or have I?). Well, it's time for sleepy Oz to wake up. I should really thank jimi - he's the one who started it all. A few years ago he told me that I was not the blogging type, and you know, I've been blogging every since. And now - so are my friends, and their friends and their mom's and their mom's mom's. And maybe by the time we're done - Princess Mia will have a blog, too. Happy blogging to all, and I guess I'll take a few minutes to catch everyone up...
1. This Monday is my last day at the Grove City Vineyard as the youth pastor. I'll still be attending there and living in Columbus. I'll be working for a friend's company at a recruiter for focus groups. What's great is it's telecommuting position, so I don't have to worry about getting a ride to and from work, which is great because....
2. I'm still not allowed to drive, probably until August. I haven't had any more tonic-clonic seizures (the big shake-n-bake kind) but did have a complex partial two months ago, so the doctor restarted the driving clock again. Oh well. Lots of people around the world can't drive, right?
3. So? Probably the big news of the day is that I'm going to be moving to that same middle eastern country where Robert is sometime in the next year. Rose Nylund - if you're reading this - can you believe it?! Think back to our days at ORU and those crazy nights down in Kennedy Chapel during Ramadan. Can you even believe that 10 years later, I'm FINALLY going to go to my Muslims? It's like we prayed it into being. It's beautiful really... I'll have to tell everyone the whole story soon. It's amazing. Anthony Carrano would have a cow, wouldn't he?
4. In other, somewhat related news, my brother in the picture below - he MIGHT end up in that same country in 2008. Wouldn't that be a kick? We should just ALL move there. It'll be fun.
Well, there really is a lot more happening, but I'm sure that you are going to start emailing asking about those things in particular. I checked the stats today, and I don't know who the heck you people are, but a whole heck of a lot of someone's been checking here over the past eight months even thought there ain't been nuthin' here to read! So - I hope that now that there is you'll stick around! Be sure to check out Robert's blog to see what's been happening over there, and the others to the right are great, too...
Good to be back!
DOEY
Natalie sent this cute picture of Joe and Brian this afternoon. Brian is going to be a monster! He resembles Joe when Joe was this age, but Joe was a VERY thin toddler...Brian looks like he could toss a log through a car windshield without a second thought, right?! Though I've known it for some time, this photo clenches the fact that my brother is a grown man. He's not just my big brother anymore (and barely my big brother - he's only 14 months older). And you know what it is in the photo that did it? It's the way he's holding the camcorder in his hand while balancing Brian at the same time, AND the style of watch he's wearing on that same hand. There's something really fatherly and manly about those three things. When did that happen? I mean, I know when he started wearing that style of watch (that was in high school)...and I know when he started wanted to videotape or photograph everything (that's when he was in Germany)...and I obviously know when he had Brian. But when did it happen that all of those things happened all at once and he became ALL these things? Because I think I missed that exact moment along the way...
Natalie sent this cute picture of Joe and Brian this afternoon. Brian is going to be a monster! He resembles Joe when Joe was this age, but Joe was a VERY thin toddler...Brian looks like he could toss a log through a car windshield without a second thought, right?! Though I've known it for some time, this photo clenches the fact that my brother is a grown man. He's not just my big brother anymore (and barely my big brother - he's only 14 months older). And you know what it is in the photo that did it? It's the way he's holding the camcorder in his hand while balancing Brian at the same time, AND the style of watch he's wearing on that same hand. There's something really fatherly and manly about those three things. When did that happen? I mean, I know when he started wearing that style of watch (that was in high school)...and I know when he started wanted to videotape or photograph everything (that's when he was in Germany)...and I obviously know when he had Brian. But when did it happen that all of those things happened all at once and he became ALL these things? Because I think I missed that exact moment along the way...
GROWN UPS NEVER UNDERSTAND
Tu deviens responsable pour toujours de ce que tu as apprivoisé. (Le Petite Prince, Ch. 21)
WIDE EYED AND FULL OF WONDER
It would be a merry Christmas indeed if under my Christmas tree I were to find a box with a subscription to this magazine. When I was little, one of the reasons I liked going to old people's houses was because I thought they would have National Geographic. I kind of thought only they were ALLOWED to have it for some reason. Old people, doctors and libraries. And, there was this one lady, Miss Liz, who had a collection of NG, going back forever, all stored on one huge shelf. Can you imagine? All that yellow, just waiting to be explored? I'd rather sit there and look at those than watch TV (probably the same way I'd rather read them on the net now than watch TV). I remember one issue on pandas, and one on emeralds, and one on volcanoes, and sharks, and jellyfish, and India... Just now I remembered there's a whole WEBSITE, too! Ah well...I don't think I'll ever be anything but that big ol' nerd with the big ol' glasses that took up my whole face, sitting in the corner reading my books about the earth. 8-) I mean, have you "been to" Africa lately?
It would be a merry Christmas indeed if under my Christmas tree I were to find a box with a subscription to this magazine. When I was little, one of the reasons I liked going to old people's houses was because I thought they would have National Geographic. I kind of thought only they were ALLOWED to have it for some reason. Old people, doctors and libraries. And, there was this one lady, Miss Liz, who had a collection of NG, going back forever, all stored on one huge shelf. Can you imagine? All that yellow, just waiting to be explored? I'd rather sit there and look at those than watch TV (probably the same way I'd rather read them on the net now than watch TV). I remember one issue on pandas, and one on emeralds, and one on volcanoes, and sharks, and jellyfish, and India... Just now I remembered there's a whole WEBSITE, too! Ah well...I don't think I'll ever be anything but that big ol' nerd with the big ol' glasses that took up my whole face, sitting in the corner reading my books about the earth. 8-) I mean, have you "been to" Africa lately?
I AM SO STREET
(continue reading "I Am So Street" by Paul Davidson)
I am so street.
Despite the fact that if you say it over and over again and look at that sentence and then suddenly the phrase seems like it really has zero meaning whatsoever, that doesn’t mean I’m not street. It just means that you have trouble saying a phrase over and over again and losing your comprehensive ability while doing so. But it doesn’t mean that me, in all my street-ness, has less of the street in me just because you can’t comprehend the streetability I possess.
Yes. It’s true. Street, I am.
(continue reading "I Am So Street" by Paul Davidson)
Saturday, April 15, 2006
IS THERE ANYBODY OUT THERE?
I doubt there is anyone still checking in here, but if there is...can anyone help figure out where this song came from?
I was listening to some music on my computer today, and I have some music that isn't titled...and I really like this CD. I have for a long time, but I can't remember where it came from. I'm assuming that one of you told me to get it, or that one of you sent it to me or gave it to me or something like that, so help a girl out... Who is it? Why do I like it so much again? What CD is it?
I doubt there is anyone still checking in here, but if there is...can anyone help figure out where this song came from?
I was listening to some music on my computer today, and I have some music that isn't titled...and I really like this CD. I have for a long time, but I can't remember where it came from. I'm assuming that one of you told me to get it, or that one of you sent it to me or gave it to me or something like that, so help a girl out... Who is it? Why do I like it so much again? What CD is it?
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