A Jeep In Summer

All Tomorrow's Parties

From a front porch observer on Saturday night re: birthday party for Lady Wiggins: "You know you've started having a different kind of party when half your guests bring Pack & Plays."

Additional comment: "Welcome to an RP party..."

Sign Your Name Across My Heart

Noah Samuel O_______.

I think it's great.

Oh Boy

Just got a phone call--my sistah has produced a boy! 8 pounds, 15 ounces and 20 inches long. He is currently nameless. They usually pick a couple of gender appropriate names but then wait to actually see the kid before assigning one. So I'll expect to update the world of blog later.

Sistah and baby are doing well.

Praise God from whom all blessings flow
Praise him all creatures here below
Praise him above ye heavenly host
Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost

Moving The Sistah

I spent this weekend helping to move my sister and her family from one South Carolina house to another. It started Friday with a 4 am get-your-butt-out-of-bed-now alarm. I then drove to Atlanta to meet up with my ride, the fairly comfortable back seat of a big ol' Ford 150 V8 pickup. We drove and drove and drove, then packed and packed and packed. After pizza came the collapse.

Spent Friday night in a local hotel--Holiday Inn Express has the BEST cinnamon rolls at breakfast!--and was able to spend an hour, maybe an hour and a half, on the phone with Sarah (her conference in Charleston was cancelled) processing the whole experience and analyzing various facets of life. One of the things I have learned to really appreciate about dating (yep, I am gonna call it dating, not courting, since it is dating with intention) is having someone really want to talk to me about what is going on in life. Having someone walk with me through it all. Having the invaluable help of someone listening and observing and commiserating and laughing.

Moving is such a wacky thing. It can show all of your strengths (organization, got-it-togetherness, presence of mind, flexibility, vulnerability, ability to let other people help you, thankfulness) or it can bray all your weaknesses to the world (indecision, helplessness, lack of gratitude, inability to plan, ability to drink too much too early in the day, un-endurance).

On Saturday we loaded the last things, drove 50 minutes to the new house, and unpacked the 24 foot UHaul truck in 45 minutes, then unloaded the various vans and pickups in 15 minutes. We were a machine. (We're available for hire at exorbitant rates.) We also met a very tattooed manic depressive neighbor with a propensity for profanity. And we stood around for a while doing family stuff.

Then lunch at a local greasy spoon--amazing bacon double cheeseburgers and lots of great french fries--and fast driving back to Atlanta. Dinner at Macaroni Grill with Covenant's former Associate Dean of Students. Home. Collapse.

I think I'm recovered. I got to work almost on time this morning.

John Calvin Popular Culture Quote Of The Day

If we reflect that the Spirit of God is the only fountain of truth, we will be careful, as we should avoid offering insult to him, not to reject or condemn truth wherever it appears. In despising the gifts, we insult the Giver....But shall we deem anything to be noble and praiseworthy, without tracing it to the hand of God? Far from us be such ingratitude.

Random, Out-Of-Context Quote Of The Day

You could put the ketchup in the microwave.

I'm A Child, I'm A Mother, I'm A Sinner, I'm A Saint

My inner child is sixteen years old!

Life's not fair! It's never been fair, but while
adults might just accept that, I know
something's gotta change. And it's gonna
change, just as soon as I become an adult and
get some power of my own.


How Old is Your Inner Child?
brought to you by Quizilla

How To Winterize A Jeep In The South

Put four fleece jackets behind the back seat.

No Pressure Over Cappucino

Just got back from ANOTHER road trip--this one was to Charlotte, NC to meet Sarah's parents and family. It was a good time--they're great and we laughed a lot over barbecue sandwiches and hot dogs.

The big CONVERSATION with Sarah's dad didn't start until 10 on Saturday night, so we didn't get done until 11:15 or so. I was deadly tired, I hope I acted appropriately until we left. Got back to Nathan and Ashley's at about 1, went straight to bed, and barely saw Ashley as she was heading out to church the next morning. Nathan, of course, was already gone, doing the getting-ready-to-preach thing.

I really really hope that N and A didn't take offense at my using their spare bedroom just like a hotel room. Not only were there clothes all over the floor, I didn't spend much time talking with them. (I walked in from Sunday lunch and said, "I need to be rude and take a nap--I'll see ya later" and then I slept for THREE HOURS!) Saw N for a couple of minutes last night, and was on the road before any of them were awake today. I guess I should stop worrying--they should know what it's like, as they were in our position once.

It is good to be home, to have the meetings behind me, to hear that family and friends have a generally good opinion of me. It was good to have five and a half hours to pray and to think about the events and moments of the weekend and other things that are going on in life and in my household.

To work tomorrow. It's gonna be lockdown time in the office in order to get tons of stuff done, as we're off Wednesday and I'm taking Friday off to drive to Charleston. (So it's a two day work week! Hope I don't get in trouble for this...) Sarah's speaking at a conference and I'm going to help my sister and her family move, and then Sarah and I are going to go hang with my other sister. At least I hope so. My sistah is nine months pregnant...

Friendship

How is that a person can reject friendship? I stand here and I say, I want to be your friend, I will walk with you through life, I will be here and there when you're in the worst of times, I want to celebrate your joy with you. Will you let me love you? Will you serve God with me? Will you call me on my crap? Will you let me push you toward God?

How do you say no? I just don't get it. This is a gift, something I wasn't looking for and maybe it is something I didn't know I was capable of giving. If you take this gift and gently lay it by the side of the road and drive off, I may just pick it up and bring it to you again. "Here, you forgot something." Now ain't that some sort of love?

Walk Through The World

Top 10 Places I Want To Walk, Mostly Previously Unvisited

1. Uganda
2. Hawaii (again)
3. Nutbush, Tennessee
4. Nepal
5. Italy
6. New Zealand
7. Japan
8. Australia
9. Alaska
10. Vancouver

Belz Hall

'On the morning of the fifth day, look to the east.' When I look to the east I don't see the White Wizard, I see Belz Hall. It is exquisitely framed through my office window. I think I am becoming obsessed with Belz, wondering who Max Belz was and what he was like (was he really really ridiculously good looking?), wondering if any Catacombian is forsaking their clothing, pondering the ecological impact of turning the top two floors of Belz Hall into women's halls. You know, Catacombs isn't really underground, it just seems like it. Do I wish I had lived in Belz? Would I be a better person?