brooklyn bound

Tomorrow morning (very) early my youngest daughter Emily and I leave for our trip to New York to see my oldest daughter Sarah. We are staying with her at her apartment in Brooklyn, and will spend a lot of time in Manhattan, where Sarah works.

I haven't seen Sarah since August. I have never taken a long trip like this with Emily.

I love New York and I haven't been there in five years.

I am VERY EXCITED.

Jesus, my husband, my parents, and my friends are very good to me. They have all contributed in one way or another so Emily and I can do this.

Thank you God for giving me such an incredible life. You astound me.

Learned something today

Cindy and I went to Fresno Piano today to listen to a really really good piano player. The problem was, no one in the place, well maybe a few people did, but most of us did not know when the song was over. Everyone was waiting for everyone else to clap before they did. It was actually funny. Anyway, I learned something today...never be the first one to clap.
I also learned today that pianos can cost a lot of money. I thought a nice guitar was some bucks but I saw some pianos today that were in the $25,000 range. Let's see, should I buy a great car, maybe two or should I buy that nice piano at Fresno Piano?

two guys on treadmills at the Y

guy with a soul patch: "Dude have you seen that 40 Year Old Virgin movie??"

guy wearing a wife-beater: "No man."

guy with a soul patch: "It's hella funny. It's about this dude who hasn't ever gotten any, and so his friends are all like trying to get him laid and all like that."

guy wearing a wife-beater: "So what happens?"

guy with a soul patch: "He hella does everything wrong. {long pause} But not anything like that shit that came down with you, man. I ain't sayin' that and shit."

guy wearing a wife-beater: "No. Yeah. Shit no. Whatever man. "

Silence. Then a nod to the television in the corner.

guy with a soul patch: "So...what? They haven't caught that dude yet?"

guy wearing a wife-beater: "No dude. He got away on a donkey."

guy with a soul patch: "Dude. How do you lose a seven foot guy on a donkey?"

guy wearing a wife-beater: "Some shit we'll just never understand."

what are we doing?

I had the most interesting conversation yesterday. A small group of people were gathered and the subject of the movie Brokeback Mountain came up. I was intrigued with the dialogue. The persons assembled were mostly--but not all--'Christians' and they are the ones who reacted the strongest. There was, believe it or not, an actual cowboy present, albeit a retired one.

Clearly this is a controversial subject. Duh. And going to a movie that is explicitly sexual and exploitive may be a bad idea...whatever... we each must decide according to how God leads us. But our conversation soon shifted to the 'sinners' themselves.... you know--the homosexuals. Them.

Once again I was so embarrassed by the words coming from the mouths of my 'fellow Christians', I was looking for a chair to hide under.

I made the mistake of saying, "But perhaps [the movie] could give us some insight and understanding into the pain some people have to endure... help us to have compassion... I mean, after all... we all have struggles within ourselves."

I was met with frowns and sneers and one church-going, professed 'Christian' woman said this: "It's not our job to condone sin. It's our job to point it out, make people accountable, take a stand against it."

Not so sure how this responded to my comment. Except it seemed like more of the same. Turning away from our own pain and issues and staring long and hard at everyone else's.

Through all of this conversation the cowboy stayed silent. Kept his head down so I couldn't even see his eyes under the brim of his hat.

Finally someone asked him, "So...Del," (of course his name is Del) "What do you make of all of this?"

He lifted his eyes ever so slightly, scratched at his jaw, looked around the room, and muttered, "They're just a couple o' queers."

So there you go.

this week's book recommendation

Basic human needs. Wounding. And the difference it can make when you are kind to someone. Amazing.

A Million Little Pieces

and where is jesus in all of this?

'The Great Commission, in which Jesus commands us to go into all the world , teaching the gospel and making disciples, applies to our inner world as well. We should go into all parts of ourselves, into the dark, yet unconverted places inside.'

--John Claypool
Opening Blind Eyes

This morning as I was driving down the freeway I had my radio tuned to KLOVE... or KDOVE.... or something like that. 'Positive encouraging' Christian radio.

I had to turn it off.

There was an inordinate amount of air time dedicated to telling us how we can learn how to fight same sex marriage, anti-Bush movements, and the ACLU. Lots of finger-pointing. Plenty of advice on how to bring people around to the 'correct' political views.

Not a word about looking into our own souls and baring them before our Maker, who waits endlessly for that. Just a lot of talk about what everyone else is doing wrong.

I'm sick of this bullshit.

hitched on huntington

We had a wedding in our home this weekend.

Bobby and Irisa became Mr. and Mrs. McCool right smack dab in our living room.

Just one more reason I'm thankful God gave us this house.

men at work

men
+
power tools=

HAPPINESS

in with the new

Nice.

out with the old

We are spending our New Year's weekend taking out the old ugly stinky linoleum in the kitchen and putting in a pretty new floor. Though I am typically sentimental I am feeling no melancholy aches as we drag that yucky old stuff to the dumpster.

A new year. A new footing. I do like the sound of it.