eureka!

I just made the most fabulous discovery: iTunes U.

now, I can drift off to sleep listening to lectures from yale and stanford on american foreign policy, a survey of the old testament, and how to invest in the stock market.

I love the internet.

gifts

last week, I got the two best gifts possible.

a job. and a friend.

personally, I think I'm more excited about the second one. I had kind of expected it to be a while before I found a kindred spirit/soul mate kind of friend. but I think I may have found one . . .
(Rebecca and I chatting at 1 am)

honestly, I've received a third gift too, now that I think about it. my family has been helping this other family out. they have five kids with another on the way (due in a couple weeks), live in section 8 housing and are on food stamps. the dad has a job at 7-11. they were homeless for a long time, this is their first house. they just found out their oldest child is diabetic. they didn't have a great diet to start with, so this is really difficult for them. the kids are 11, 10, 8, 5, and 3 years old.

we took them thanksgiving dinner and a christmas tree. but even with as much as we are able to do, we can't help them with everything. so my mom told her sunday school class about this family, and also told our little handbell choir (10 people in that).

that very week, she received over $200 to buy fresh fruits and vegetables with, about another $200 worth of food, new baby clothes, and about 50 wrapped christmas presents for the kids. and she's still getting donations of things like furniture for them.
(all the presents to the left are waiting for us to deliver on Christmas Eve!)

the absolute best gift I've received this year is the amazing and humbling church body I now serve with.

clip

ready for a good laugh?

significance

There is this poem by Robert Frost that I have always loved called "The Most of It". Here is the beginning of it . . .

He thought he kept the universe alone;
For all the voice in answer he could wake
Was but the mocking echo of his own
From some tree–hidden cliff across the lake.
Some morning from the boulder–broken beach
He would cry out on life, that what it wants
Is not its own love back in copy speech,
But counter–love, original response.

Good poetry magically expresses something inexpressible. I love this poem because it so perfectly captures that deep longing in my heart for "counter-love, original response." I like to think that is exactly what drove God to create us.

I've just finished three out of five performances of our Christmas production. And I like it more and more each time we do it. The part I like best is at the end, just before the Hallelujah Chorus, when a guy gets up and summarizes the whole meaning of Christmas:

You matter to God.

You are his counter-love. Angels are God's echoes, but we are his original response.

centered

Our church's big Christmas production is next weekend - five performances.

We have practice for about 3-4 hours every night this week.

I got calls for two interviews - both scheduled for this week.

I have finished Christmas shopping yet.

But I got some job applications and Christmas presents mailed off today.

Strangely enough, I don't feel overwhelmed. Yet.

Ask me again on Thursday.