. . .and now he's Clooney?
Before I left for MN, I finally saw Up in the Air.
Was it just me, or did anybody else find it significant that Sam Elliot was cast as the pilot who hands Ryan the card and has the serious meaning of life type conversation with him on the plane toward the end of the movie?
Follow my train: Sam Elliot played the omniscient narrator/God figure in The Big Lebowski, who also encounters the main character in a significant, somewhat mysterious, conversational way at the end. In that movie, he has a line about some folks being the encapsulating embodiment of their time, and for his day and age, the Dude was such a one. Up in the Air is about corporate downsizing in the late Aughts in America, and as such, Ryan Bingham is a representative figure of our time (our era's Dude, if you will). And Sam Elliot shows up toward the end of the movie, again playing a psuedo-God role, awarding Ryan with what he thought he wanted.
Subtle (or perhaps not-so-subtle) nod to the Coen brothers?
I'm just sayin. . .
Monday, April 26, 2010
Random Thoughts On Meaning and Truth
Some half-baked thoughts and vignettes sort of inspired by or related to David Lose's Making Sense of Scripture, which I've been reading of late. Just want to get them down before I lose track of what I was thinking.
First, something I learned, an answer to a pondering I had a while back, about why the Chronicler sanitized the Isrealite history: the Chronicler was from the southern kingdom of Judah - David was a homeboy, and the sordid exploits of he and his house were embarrassing, so they tried to clean it up a bit. Those who wrote the Samuels and Kings were from the northern kingdom of Israel, so it was no skin off their nose to emphasize the dysfunction of David's house.
Second, another thing I probably knew once but had forgotten and was reminded of: the Jewish scriptural canon was still being formed in the days of Jesus, and the prophets were among the scrolls that were not yet definitively settled upon as to whether or not they were scripture. To me, this makes Jesus' choice of Isaiah as the text for his inaugural sermon (as recorded in the Gospel of Luke) all the more interesting - to go, not to what was commonly agreed upon as the Word of God, but to something that was known but edgy and rather marginal in its status - kind of a bold move, adds another layer of meaning as to what Jesus' ministry would be about (and I think it's equally interesting, and still holds true, if you want to just credit Luke with the selection, instead of Jesus, since not every Gospel witnesses to this sermon).
Third, I was in MN this past week for some continuing education, and was pleasantly surprised to find a special exhibit on the Dead Sea Scrolls at the Science Museum, so this also became part of my week's plans. It looked like an exhibit that's been touring the country, but the MN installment was altered because of a local scholar who disagrees with the conclusions as originally presented in the exhibit. The jist of the debate: many scholars believe the Dead Sea Scrolls are the product of the Essene community at nearby Qumran. However, other scholars believe it would be impossible for the Qumran community to produce such a vast number of scrolls, instead they contend that when it became evident that Israel would be sacked by the Romans in 70 CE, priests, scribes, and scholars in Jerusalem collected all the scrolls they could find and hid them safely away in the desert.
In any case, because of this local scholar's vociferous opposition to the exhibit's original presentation, this particular installment presents both sides - which I think makes the exhibit overall even stronger. Especially in these days when so many people of all persuasions want to put a lock on Truth, I think it's healthy for the public to go to an exhibit - at a science museum, no less (where things are normally presented with such factual certainty) and be met with two different interpretations, both thoroughly argued based on the "factual" evidence at hand, and be asked to consider the matter for themselves instead of being told what to think. I love that in the middle of the exhibit they have a "read more about it" area with a bunch of books on the subject and comfy chairs in which to sit and read them (and the day I was there, a number of people were doing exactly that). I think it's fantastic that the whole exhibit begins with a clay pot in a glass case that asks "What is the meaning of this?" and goes on to explain that on it's own, it doesn't mean much of anything, it requires a context to achieve meaning, and while science can tell us more about that context and what the thing itself is (when it was made, what it was made of, etc), faith and culture are ultimately what infuse the thing with meaning for us today. Just struck a lot of resonant chords with what Dr. Lose contends, that the Bible on its own, on a shelf, doesn't mean much at all, but it's the context (both original and modern) and what it does in our lives that gives it meaning and authority.
Before I move on to 4, just a couple of logistical notes in case anyone reading this is considering going to the exhibit: you should absolutely go (for the exhibit itself AND because the last part of the exhibit - perhaps also a special Minnesota addendum? - are gorgeous pages from the St. John's Illuminated Bible), but be aware it will take you a while to get through it. I read pretty much everything and listened to and watched almost everything and it took me 2.25 hours to get through it all. Other friends who went had spent 2.5 hours before they had to leave for their Omnitheater tickets, and they hadn't quite seen everything. And, other word to the wise - it's a little pricey because you have to pay for admission to both the special exhibit and the museum as a whole (Omnitheater is optional, though that's not immediately evident - if you don't want to see the film, which is not on the scrolls but on Arabia in general, be sure to tell them that, or the price will be even higher). So, since you've paid for the privilege, and as long as you're right there, don't forget to run up and down the musical steps a few times! They are the best part of the whole museum! :)
Ok, finally, fourth: today flying back to PA, I wasn't seated next to the raging extrovert, but there were two seated behind me, and of course, I couldn't help but overhear parts of their conversation. At one point they were discussing books and movies, and this guy started describing the movie Seven Pounds, which happens to be a favorite of mine. The thing was - he was butchering the plot. At first he was just adding inaccurate details (like Will Smith's character being a doctor, when he's an aeronautics engineer; or that he and his wife had children, which they did not), but I thought maybe he just has a bad memory for details like that. But then as I heard him describe further, I realized he completely misunderstood significant parts of the movie. I was tempted to turn around and correct him, but I didn't want to be the annoying know-it-all stranger interrupting their conversation. So instead I just made a note of it on the back of my boarding pass and decided to blog about it here. :)
Now, I will admit Seven Pounds is a bit confusing, especially in the beginning - it's kind of cryptic and poetically rendered, not unlike the Gospel of John. But based on his description, this guy seriously didn't get a good chunk of what was going on, even after watching the whole thing. And that just got me thinking even more about meaning-making and interpretation and truth/Truth, and I felt like it kind of resonated with Dr. Lose's discussion in chapter 3 about event, significance, and medium. As in, watching the movie was the event, and now on the plane he was using the medium of speech to relay the significance. But to my mind, he had the significance all messed up because he hadn't fully understood the event. Which begs a number of questions, including: how fully did the Gospel writers, say, understand the event of Christ? And how fully do we understand the event of God/Christ/the Bible in our lives? And how can anybody, any institution, any ideology, try to put a lock on Truth given that we may have misunderstood the event of Christ (in his own day and/or in ours) as thoroughly as this guy misunderstood the plot of Seven Pounds? All of which is not to say that we should never make any truth claims because we can never be absolutely certain of their truth. Instead, I think we just need to realize that any truth claims we do make are a matter of confession.
That's enough for tonight. Thanks for anybody who's still with me - can't say I didn't warn you these were half-baked. :)
First, something I learned, an answer to a pondering I had a while back, about why the Chronicler sanitized the Isrealite history: the Chronicler was from the southern kingdom of Judah - David was a homeboy, and the sordid exploits of he and his house were embarrassing, so they tried to clean it up a bit. Those who wrote the Samuels and Kings were from the northern kingdom of Israel, so it was no skin off their nose to emphasize the dysfunction of David's house.
Second, another thing I probably knew once but had forgotten and was reminded of: the Jewish scriptural canon was still being formed in the days of Jesus, and the prophets were among the scrolls that were not yet definitively settled upon as to whether or not they were scripture. To me, this makes Jesus' choice of Isaiah as the text for his inaugural sermon (as recorded in the Gospel of Luke) all the more interesting - to go, not to what was commonly agreed upon as the Word of God, but to something that was known but edgy and rather marginal in its status - kind of a bold move, adds another layer of meaning as to what Jesus' ministry would be about (and I think it's equally interesting, and still holds true, if you want to just credit Luke with the selection, instead of Jesus, since not every Gospel witnesses to this sermon).
Third, I was in MN this past week for some continuing education, and was pleasantly surprised to find a special exhibit on the Dead Sea Scrolls at the Science Museum, so this also became part of my week's plans. It looked like an exhibit that's been touring the country, but the MN installment was altered because of a local scholar who disagrees with the conclusions as originally presented in the exhibit. The jist of the debate: many scholars believe the Dead Sea Scrolls are the product of the Essene community at nearby Qumran. However, other scholars believe it would be impossible for the Qumran community to produce such a vast number of scrolls, instead they contend that when it became evident that Israel would be sacked by the Romans in 70 CE, priests, scribes, and scholars in Jerusalem collected all the scrolls they could find and hid them safely away in the desert.
In any case, because of this local scholar's vociferous opposition to the exhibit's original presentation, this particular installment presents both sides - which I think makes the exhibit overall even stronger. Especially in these days when so many people of all persuasions want to put a lock on Truth, I think it's healthy for the public to go to an exhibit - at a science museum, no less (where things are normally presented with such factual certainty) and be met with two different interpretations, both thoroughly argued based on the "factual" evidence at hand, and be asked to consider the matter for themselves instead of being told what to think. I love that in the middle of the exhibit they have a "read more about it" area with a bunch of books on the subject and comfy chairs in which to sit and read them (and the day I was there, a number of people were doing exactly that). I think it's fantastic that the whole exhibit begins with a clay pot in a glass case that asks "What is the meaning of this?" and goes on to explain that on it's own, it doesn't mean much of anything, it requires a context to achieve meaning, and while science can tell us more about that context and what the thing itself is (when it was made, what it was made of, etc), faith and culture are ultimately what infuse the thing with meaning for us today. Just struck a lot of resonant chords with what Dr. Lose contends, that the Bible on its own, on a shelf, doesn't mean much at all, but it's the context (both original and modern) and what it does in our lives that gives it meaning and authority.
Before I move on to 4, just a couple of logistical notes in case anyone reading this is considering going to the exhibit: you should absolutely go (for the exhibit itself AND because the last part of the exhibit - perhaps also a special Minnesota addendum? - are gorgeous pages from the St. John's Illuminated Bible), but be aware it will take you a while to get through it. I read pretty much everything and listened to and watched almost everything and it took me 2.25 hours to get through it all. Other friends who went had spent 2.5 hours before they had to leave for their Omnitheater tickets, and they hadn't quite seen everything. And, other word to the wise - it's a little pricey because you have to pay for admission to both the special exhibit and the museum as a whole (Omnitheater is optional, though that's not immediately evident - if you don't want to see the film, which is not on the scrolls but on Arabia in general, be sure to tell them that, or the price will be even higher). So, since you've paid for the privilege, and as long as you're right there, don't forget to run up and down the musical steps a few times! They are the best part of the whole museum! :)
Ok, finally, fourth: today flying back to PA, I wasn't seated next to the raging extrovert, but there were two seated behind me, and of course, I couldn't help but overhear parts of their conversation. At one point they were discussing books and movies, and this guy started describing the movie Seven Pounds, which happens to be a favorite of mine. The thing was - he was butchering the plot. At first he was just adding inaccurate details (like Will Smith's character being a doctor, when he's an aeronautics engineer; or that he and his wife had children, which they did not), but I thought maybe he just has a bad memory for details like that. But then as I heard him describe further, I realized he completely misunderstood significant parts of the movie. I was tempted to turn around and correct him, but I didn't want to be the annoying know-it-all stranger interrupting their conversation. So instead I just made a note of it on the back of my boarding pass and decided to blog about it here. :)
Now, I will admit Seven Pounds is a bit confusing, especially in the beginning - it's kind of cryptic and poetically rendered, not unlike the Gospel of John. But based on his description, this guy seriously didn't get a good chunk of what was going on, even after watching the whole thing. And that just got me thinking even more about meaning-making and interpretation and truth/Truth, and I felt like it kind of resonated with Dr. Lose's discussion in chapter 3 about event, significance, and medium. As in, watching the movie was the event, and now on the plane he was using the medium of speech to relay the significance. But to my mind, he had the significance all messed up because he hadn't fully understood the event. Which begs a number of questions, including: how fully did the Gospel writers, say, understand the event of Christ? And how fully do we understand the event of God/Christ/the Bible in our lives? And how can anybody, any institution, any ideology, try to put a lock on Truth given that we may have misunderstood the event of Christ (in his own day and/or in ours) as thoroughly as this guy misunderstood the plot of Seven Pounds? All of which is not to say that we should never make any truth claims because we can never be absolutely certain of their truth. Instead, I think we just need to realize that any truth claims we do make are a matter of confession.
That's enough for tonight. Thanks for anybody who's still with me - can't say I didn't warn you these were half-baked. :)
Sunday, April 18, 2010
Catrina's Best of the Midwest Tour Part 3
I kept intending, but never finished narrating Adri a Burki's great American adventure, so this post is long, and LONG overdue. But to wrap it up:
Let's see, we left off in Chicago. After a full day of touring the Windy City, we departed the next morning heading north. We passed through Milwaukee, where we toured the Pabst Mansion (the mansion was cool; our tour guide was awful) and ate at this amazing Polish restaurant called Polonez. This place would be worth a trip to Milwaukee in itself. I recommend the Special Polish Plate and dare you to find room for it all!
After lunch and a brief search for a decent photo-op of the skyline, we continued north to Door County, where we checked in to the Bay Shore Inn, which was a really nice place to stay - it was like having our own little apartment. I think normally you can't rent units there for only 1 night, but either because it was end of season, or maybe because they were having a low volume summer, they were willing to take our business, brief as our stay would be.
We spent the next day exploring Door County, in particular, Peninsula State Park, which was awesome. We rented bicycles and did the 10 mile touring loop
then drove back in to cover other parts of the park we hadn't reached by bike.
After much exploring, we began the long drive across Wisconsin, arriving back in Flaketown late that evening.
The next day we ventured forth with my mom, and met Linda and Dave at the happiest place on earth, the Minnesota State Fair!
We spent a very full day looking at exhibits and eating plenty of food on a stick, and then Adri and Burkhard went home with Linda and Dave, to explore southwestern MN for the weekend. I wasn't with them for this part, but in addition to much puttering around the lake on the pontoon, they also toured the Schell Brewery (I hear generous, buzz-inducing samples are available at the end of the tour) and visited New Ulm, "the most German town in Minnesota" (A and B's conclusion: not really echt Deutsch). While they were away, I went to a movie and dinner with some seminary friends, and went to see my cousin Liz's new place in Osceola.
Monday we all met back up for day two at the happiest place on earth. :) Burkhard was a real trooper, I don't think the State Fair was really his thing at all, but he was very gracious and patient with those of us who are Fair fanatics!
Incidentally, kudos to the young adults group from the St. Paul Cathedral for their brilliant "Theology on a Stick" programming, t-shirts and posters that we kept seeing all over the place.
Tuesday was a Twin Cities day - spent part of it at the Science Museum, a late lunch at D'Amico's, a little walk around Lake Harriet, a visit with some old friends from St. Mark, and a night-time stop at the Stone Arch Bridge, which was not as pretty as we were hoping (the bridge lights need to be bright for the pedestrian traffic, but then they were too bright for a decent picture).
Wednesday we drove north to Duluth, with the requisite stop at Tobies on the way. We toured the S.S. William A. Irvin, which I hadn't been on since an elementary school field trip in the late 80s. I think I got more out of the tour this time than I did when I was 10! :) Then it was further up the North Shore to Split Rock Lighthouse, one of my favorite places on the planet.
Incidentally, the movie about the history of the lighthouse: really cheesy. A, B, and I all agreed, that's 30 minutes of our lives we're never gonna get back - just spend more time exploring the place itself.
After the lighthouse, we went further up the shore to Gooseberry Falls State Park, another favorite that I hadn't been to in several years. Adri's foot was hurting her, so she stayed low-key around the lower falls, but Burkhard and I made a nice little hike out to the Fifth Falls.
Soon it was time to head home. We stopped and had dinner at Grandma's, a Duluth institution and sponsor of the city's annual springtime marathon (sooo much food - my entree could have easily served 3 people), then drove back to Flake and crashed after a very full day.
Thursday we took it easy, slept in, then went to the MOA for some shopping, and out for dinner at a Mexican place.
And that was pretty much it. Friday I had to head back to PA, so Adri, Burki, and Maminka brought me to the airport. Then I think they did a little more shopping, driving around, and packing, before departing for Germany on Saturday. Their visit was full, rich, and too short, as always. But, next time they come, I think we might try a road trip out West!
Let's see, we left off in Chicago. After a full day of touring the Windy City, we departed the next morning heading north. We passed through Milwaukee, where we toured the Pabst Mansion (the mansion was cool; our tour guide was awful) and ate at this amazing Polish restaurant called Polonez. This place would be worth a trip to Milwaukee in itself. I recommend the Special Polish Plate and dare you to find room for it all!
After lunch and a brief search for a decent photo-op of the skyline, we continued north to Door County, where we checked in to the Bay Shore Inn, which was a really nice place to stay - it was like having our own little apartment. I think normally you can't rent units there for only 1 night, but either because it was end of season, or maybe because they were having a low volume summer, they were willing to take our business, brief as our stay would be.
We spent the next day exploring Door County, in particular, Peninsula State Park, which was awesome. We rented bicycles and did the 10 mile touring loop
then drove back in to cover other parts of the park we hadn't reached by bike.
After much exploring, we began the long drive across Wisconsin, arriving back in Flaketown late that evening.
The next day we ventured forth with my mom, and met Linda and Dave at the happiest place on earth, the Minnesota State Fair!
We spent a very full day looking at exhibits and eating plenty of food on a stick, and then Adri and Burkhard went home with Linda and Dave, to explore southwestern MN for the weekend. I wasn't with them for this part, but in addition to much puttering around the lake on the pontoon, they also toured the Schell Brewery (I hear generous, buzz-inducing samples are available at the end of the tour) and visited New Ulm, "the most German town in Minnesota" (A and B's conclusion: not really echt Deutsch). While they were away, I went to a movie and dinner with some seminary friends, and went to see my cousin Liz's new place in Osceola.
Monday we all met back up for day two at the happiest place on earth. :) Burkhard was a real trooper, I don't think the State Fair was really his thing at all, but he was very gracious and patient with those of us who are Fair fanatics!
Incidentally, kudos to the young adults group from the St. Paul Cathedral for their brilliant "Theology on a Stick" programming, t-shirts and posters that we kept seeing all over the place.
Tuesday was a Twin Cities day - spent part of it at the Science Museum, a late lunch at D'Amico's, a little walk around Lake Harriet, a visit with some old friends from St. Mark, and a night-time stop at the Stone Arch Bridge, which was not as pretty as we were hoping (the bridge lights need to be bright for the pedestrian traffic, but then they were too bright for a decent picture).
Wednesday we drove north to Duluth, with the requisite stop at Tobies on the way. We toured the S.S. William A. Irvin, which I hadn't been on since an elementary school field trip in the late 80s. I think I got more out of the tour this time than I did when I was 10! :) Then it was further up the North Shore to Split Rock Lighthouse, one of my favorite places on the planet.
Incidentally, the movie about the history of the lighthouse: really cheesy. A, B, and I all agreed, that's 30 minutes of our lives we're never gonna get back - just spend more time exploring the place itself.
After the lighthouse, we went further up the shore to Gooseberry Falls State Park, another favorite that I hadn't been to in several years. Adri's foot was hurting her, so she stayed low-key around the lower falls, but Burkhard and I made a nice little hike out to the Fifth Falls.
Soon it was time to head home. We stopped and had dinner at Grandma's, a Duluth institution and sponsor of the city's annual springtime marathon (sooo much food - my entree could have easily served 3 people), then drove back to Flake and crashed after a very full day.
Thursday we took it easy, slept in, then went to the MOA for some shopping, and out for dinner at a Mexican place.
And that was pretty much it. Friday I had to head back to PA, so Adri, Burki, and Maminka brought me to the airport. Then I think they did a little more shopping, driving around, and packing, before departing for Germany on Saturday. Their visit was full, rich, and too short, as always. But, next time they come, I think we might try a road trip out West!
Sunday, April 11, 2010
Sports News
First, WGN America, why do you torment me so? The Twins were playing the White Sox all weekend, and the only game you broadcast was today's, when I had other obligations and couldn't be home to watch.
Second, I have a new personal trainer. His name is Bryce. He is three and a half. His regimen is functional, if rather unorthodox.
He works your lower body by:
1. Jumping off of Pap and Grammie's front porch. This is a lot harder than it sounds - the porch is pretty high and the lawn slopes downhill - it's a big jump even for somebody my height. I only stuck the landing, like, once. My trainer did a lot of tuck and rolling.
2. Hopping from stone to stone on the edge of the garden.
3. Sprinting races across the back yard (this is also good cardio).
He works your upper body by:
1. The Flip, in which he grabs your hands, walks up your torso, and does a backflip.
2. The Running Catch, where he runs at you then jumps in the air, at which point you are to catch him and lift him further into the air (this works except for when he tries to add a long jump and lands two feet in front of you!).
3. The Spin. This can be done in three forms: the hold 'em by the hands full body extension, the grab 'em under the arms half body extension, and the throw 'em over the shoulder like a sack of potatoes reverse extension (this move also works on your balance).
Finally, he works your mind with:
1. Horseshoes
2. Hide and Seek
He's got great motivation skills. He gets you to do a zillion reps before you even notice it, all without yelling, bribing, begging, or cajoling you to keep going. You finish one activity in his workout plan, and he simply smiles sweetly and enthusiastically asks, "Can we do that again?" How can you say no to that?
Though, I do hope his Aunt Kristie works some back and shoulder stretches into the yoga session tomorrow night. . .I've got a feeling I'm going to need them. . . :)
'night,
C.
Second, I have a new personal trainer. His name is Bryce. He is three and a half. His regimen is functional, if rather unorthodox.
He works your lower body by:
1. Jumping off of Pap and Grammie's front porch. This is a lot harder than it sounds - the porch is pretty high and the lawn slopes downhill - it's a big jump even for somebody my height. I only stuck the landing, like, once. My trainer did a lot of tuck and rolling.
2. Hopping from stone to stone on the edge of the garden.
3. Sprinting races across the back yard (this is also good cardio).
He works your upper body by:
1. The Flip, in which he grabs your hands, walks up your torso, and does a backflip.
2. The Running Catch, where he runs at you then jumps in the air, at which point you are to catch him and lift him further into the air (this works except for when he tries to add a long jump and lands two feet in front of you!).
3. The Spin. This can be done in three forms: the hold 'em by the hands full body extension, the grab 'em under the arms half body extension, and the throw 'em over the shoulder like a sack of potatoes reverse extension (this move also works on your balance).
Finally, he works your mind with:
1. Horseshoes
2. Hide and Seek
He's got great motivation skills. He gets you to do a zillion reps before you even notice it, all without yelling, bribing, begging, or cajoling you to keep going. You finish one activity in his workout plan, and he simply smiles sweetly and enthusiastically asks, "Can we do that again?" How can you say no to that?
Though, I do hope his Aunt Kristie works some back and shoulder stretches into the yoga session tomorrow night. . .I've got a feeling I'm going to need them. . . :)
'night,
C.
Thursday, April 8, 2010
Nunc Dimittis
Oh, I just feel sick at this news. Darlene was a couple years behind me at Luther but we sang in Schola Cantorum together and she shared my interests in nonviolence and progressive politics, we always had fantastic conversations. The church and the world have lost an incredible human being. May she find in Christ the peace that eluded her in this life.
. . .April 9. . .
Just an addendum to add the official ELCA press release on Darlene, and the lyrics to this coming Youth Sunday's prelude, which has taken on radically new meaning for me in light of this week's shocking events:
Am I at the point of no improvement?
What of the death I still dwell in?
I try to excel, but I feel no movement.
Can I be free of this unreleasable sin?
Never underestimate my Jesus
You're telling me that there's no hope
I'm telling you you're wrong
Never underestimate my Jesus
When the world around you crumbles
He will be strong, He will be strong
I throw up my hands, oh the impossibilities
Frustrated and tired, where do I go from here?
Now I'm searching for the confidence I've lost so willingly
Overcoming these obstacles is overcoming my fear
Never underestimate my Jesus
You're telling me that there's no hope
I'm telling you you're wrong
Never underestimate my Jesus
When the world around you crumbles
He will be strong, He will be strong
I think I can't
I think I can't
But I think you can, I think you can
I think I can't
I think I can't
But I think you can, I think you can
Gather all my insufficiencies
And place them in your hands
place them in your hands
place them in your hands
Never underestimate my Jesus
You're telling me that there's no hope
I'm telling you you're wrong
Never underestimate my Jesus
When the world around you crumbles
He will be strong, He will be strong
He will be strong
-Reliant K
. . .April 9. . .
Just an addendum to add the official ELCA press release on Darlene, and the lyrics to this coming Youth Sunday's prelude, which has taken on radically new meaning for me in light of this week's shocking events:
Am I at the point of no improvement?
What of the death I still dwell in?
I try to excel, but I feel no movement.
Can I be free of this unreleasable sin?
Never underestimate my Jesus
You're telling me that there's no hope
I'm telling you you're wrong
Never underestimate my Jesus
When the world around you crumbles
He will be strong, He will be strong
I throw up my hands, oh the impossibilities
Frustrated and tired, where do I go from here?
Now I'm searching for the confidence I've lost so willingly
Overcoming these obstacles is overcoming my fear
Never underestimate my Jesus
You're telling me that there's no hope
I'm telling you you're wrong
Never underestimate my Jesus
When the world around you crumbles
He will be strong, He will be strong
I think I can't
I think I can't
But I think you can, I think you can
I think I can't
I think I can't
But I think you can, I think you can
Gather all my insufficiencies
And place them in your hands
place them in your hands
place them in your hands
Never underestimate my Jesus
You're telling me that there's no hope
I'm telling you you're wrong
Never underestimate my Jesus
When the world around you crumbles
He will be strong, He will be strong
He will be strong
-Reliant K
Monday, April 5, 2010
The Most Peepular Time of the Year
Every year the Seattle Times challenges readers to use Peeps as a medium for artistic expression, then they run pictures of the best entries in the paper. Though there were many laudable creations, I think the curling peeps are my favorite this year!
Happy Easter!
Happy Easter!
Saturday, April 3, 2010
Easter is Coming
This is inspired and ingenious, in the fullest sense of both words. Hat tip to Mary for the link. Hat tip to Dr. Lose and company for their brilliance.
Friday, April 2, 2010
Beneath Thy Cross
Am I a stone, and not a sheep,
That I can stand, O Christ, beneath Thy cross,
To number drop by drop Thy Blood's slow loss,
And yet not weep?
Not so those women loved
Who with exceeding grief lamented Thee;
Not so fallen Peter weeping bitterly;
Not so the thief was moved;
Not so the Sun and Moon
Which hid their faces in a starless sky,
A horror of great darkness at broad noon -
I, only I.
Yet give not o'er,
But seek Thy sheep, true Shepherd of the flock;
Greater than Moses, turn and look once more
And smite a rock.
-Christina Rossetti
That I can stand, O Christ, beneath Thy cross,
To number drop by drop Thy Blood's slow loss,
And yet not weep?
Not so those women loved
Who with exceeding grief lamented Thee;
Not so fallen Peter weeping bitterly;
Not so the thief was moved;
Not so the Sun and Moon
Which hid their faces in a starless sky,
A horror of great darkness at broad noon -
I, only I.
Yet give not o'er,
But seek Thy sheep, true Shepherd of the flock;
Greater than Moses, turn and look once more
And smite a rock.
-Christina Rossetti
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