Books

Rebecca Wells

I just read Little Altars Everywhere for the second time. I cry through the entire last chapter.
There is so much wisdom there:
the way you trust your parents as a kid...the way they are like God to you, almost, in how you imprint on what they say and do...the way you are shocked to find that their mistakes scar you...the way that, in the end, love and grace are stronger than the hurt.

I'm trying to read Ya-ya again, but I just don't like it as much as L.A.E.

JD Salinger

If asked to come up with a favorite author, I really think he'd be it. I thought I had to ditch him when I became a Christian.
I used to read his books to death.

I'm reading Franny and Zooey again, because Catherine started reading Nine Stories. I was so excited, because a central idea in her life is what I'd call 'purity'. Not sexual, but purity of heart, motive, etc. She values 'real', 'authentic'...she eschews all things phony.

I'm excited for her to read Salinger, because I think this is a central idea in his writing.

Doug - Benefit #1

Lucas came out of his room last night, holding Doug and asking me to watch him for a while. He was trying to do something, "and Doug won't leave me alone! I just want to relax and he keeps pestering me...", etc.

But then he stopped, looked at me and we both just laughed....because for the hour before, Lucas had been pestering me to make him mashed potatoes..then a PB and J...about 10 times each request...we'd already eaten, and I was sitting and reading, trying to get rid of a headache. I'd repeatedly told him to make his own sandwich,that I'd walk him through how to make the (instant!) mashed potatoes...

So with his complaining about the pug, I started to point it all out...and he cut me off, with a silly/contrite face, and said, "I know, I get it. I'm really sorry."

Doug

I gave Lucas a dog for his 16th birthday. Lucas named him Doug. He's awesome. I'm out of my mind.

This is not Doug, but it looks a lot like him. Pictures coming soon.

that rascal Pascal

I learned something very interesting the other day.
You know Pascal's wager...his idea that to believe in God is reasonable, because:

1. If you believe, and come to the end of your days and find that the whole idea of Christianity was false, you haven't lost anything. In fact, keeping to Christian teachings probably spared you some trouble/heartache thru the years.
2. If you believe, and come to the end and find that Christianity is true, you have just gained everything.
and
3. If you don't believe, and come to the end and find that Christianity is true, you will have lost everything.

Therefore, the idea goes, believing is your best, most logical bet. Reasonable.


The other day I heard that this idea was never intended to be an evangelistic one...and I was relieved. ((Theoretical belief? Humoring God? Seemed bad and insincere to me.))

Pascal came up with this idea to battle the idea of his day that faith was for weak-minded people, and Reason was the way. He wanted to expose this idea...showing how using reason itself can make a case for faith.

Pascal's wager wasn't meant to lead people to Christ; it was meant to challenge a contemporary idea and turn it on its head.

Sleep Deprived Due to the Olympics 2

Before this week, I had never watched Michael Phelps swim...I kinda have this thing about hyped stuff...But - he is incredible to watch.
This race was the most exciting. (Couldn't find a video of the race; this is an explanation w/ pictures)
It's interesting because it was actually another swimmer, Lezak, who saved the day.


I saw Jason Lezak interviewed later, for a different race, and the reporter said something like, "It was great of you to win that race so that Michael Phelps can get the record of 8 gold medals in one Olympics."
And I liked his answer- something like: "I didn't win that race for Michael Phelps. I respect him and I like him, but we all worked hard and wanted a gold medal."

Sleep Deprived Due to the Olympics

This is an older commercial featuring May-Traner (sp?) and Walsh, the beach volleyball team from America. I saw them beat another team soundly-- I think it was the Norwegians. They are really fun to watch.

Revelation

The message this week: the only way to be able to do Hebrews 12:1 (rid yourself of the burdens and the sin that so easily entangles) is to do Hebrews 12:2 (keeping your gaze on Jesus).

They sang this song (the clip is not from my church), and I wanted them to start over and sing it again and again so that I could've spent the day focusing on these words, focusing on Jesus and His holiness, trying to purge myself of wounds, offenses, unbelief, bitterness, all of it.


Worthy is the

Lamb who was slain

Holy, Holy, is He

Sing a new song

to Him who sits on

Heaven's Mercy Seat

Holy, Holy, Holy

Is the Lord God Almighty

Who was, and is, and is to come

With all creation I sing

Praise to the King of Kings!

You are my everything And I will adore You…!

2 Brilliant Movies

Two very different movies, but I loved the same thing about each: The form of the movie matched the content...The way 'reality' was presented made you identify with or at least empathize with the main characters..

1. Memento - a recommendation from a really interesting person from church named David. The man in Memento has an injury that has made him unable to form new memory. He relies on notes, and photographs, and logic to piece together and make meaning of his life. His memory fails him about every 5-15 minutes, and he is left to start over...

The movie tells the story 5 minutes at a time, and with each scene in reverse order, giving you overlapping details to give you a point of reference. You observe his notes and photographs, and scars, and scenery, and other details that are revealed, to try and piece the plot together.

It occurred to me that, because of how the story is told, you are dealing (in a small way) with the exact problem the main character has --- trying to make meaning of it all with only 5 minute-long chunks of data, which start bewilderingly fresh every 5 minutes (because it's going in reverse order. Every five minutes you are given information that you have no point of reference for.)

2. Requiem of a Dream -

(Note: this is the most intense movie I've seen in a while, and I can't recommend it for anyone, and I wish I hadn't seen some of the ending myself. BUT - it would be the movie I would show to anyone experimenting with drugs. Why: I have this problem where I always secretly root for the bad thing in movies. In "Girl Interrupted", I really wanted Winona's character to stay with Angelina's character. I loved their relationship, even as twisted as it was. In "Heathers", I wanted them to blow up the school. In "Candy", I wanted that girl and Heath to get back together. But Requiem isn't that way. I wanted to get inside the movie and be their friend and witness to them and rescue them. I think this movie shows addiction accurately, instead of glamorizing it. )

In "Requiem", they show the drug use in a really interesting way: Closeups of the physical effect in rapid succession (blood thru veins, pupils dilating, etc), then a short clip of the pleasure or enjoyment. And then increasingly longer and longer clips of the pain...the way addiction enslaves them.
By the end of the movie, you feel there is no hope at all for any of the 4 characters to return to any of the goodness their addiction destroyed. You feel despair.

It's the same brilliance in both: The very way the story is told makes you understand/identify with/empathize with the main characters; the form matches the message.

Joylist 5

This is long overdue!

1. CathrineHolm enamelware, pictured left....a coworker showed me eBay, and I found these plates/bowls...They are all I've really wanted from eBay. Oh, and my giant wooden fork and spoon, circa 1971.

2. Reality Week. L and C loved the speaker this year - Clay Walker, and I believe they were really edified. I spent time well while they were gone instead of going into a funk (my normal pattern when they are at camp). God's goodness displayed in both instances.

3. Tazo ginger green tea. Check it out.

4. Watching the boys play this game on the trampoline: They have a soccer ball tied to a rope. They jump on the trampoline while one of them swings the ball higher and higher, trying to hit them. They added water to the trampoline to make it more fun, and then ice cubes. I actually laugh out loud when I watch them play.

5. This is the funniest thing ever. Tim, I hope you will reminisce:

Redemption

I just watched these two movies:

1. Atonement
2. Magnolia

and they reminded me of:
3. Crash

The thing that threaded them together for me, is that there are characters in each:

...whose sin/infraction is repulsive
...whose character is further revealed, and it gives understanding about them and how they may have come to do the terrible thing
...who are given (or seek out - in A.) an opportunity to redeem the act. And they take it.

Now I know that true redemption is only possible through the finished work of Jesus on the cross...
but this kind of repentance is so beautiful.