Out like some kind of Amazing Animal that's Way better than Some Dumb Lamb

In honor of the end of March I thought I'd revisit one of my all time favorite weather quotes from a friend.

"I feel like March came in like a lion, then turned into a lamb. Then another lion came along and ate the lamb and I'm afraid there won't be any more lambs."

That's not this March. This March has been pretty non-descript. However these last few days have been some of the most amazing March weather I can remember (almost like what I'm told the weather was like here when I was in San Antonio in March three years ago). It was bright sunny and in the mid-seventies today. I don't know exactly what animal this March is going out like but if it's a lamb it's some kind of uber-mega-lamb that all the other lambs bow down and do the we're not worthy bit to.
The forecast is calling for 80 degrees tomorrow so it will probably snow.

Finally

I can't believe I forgot to post this last week but our church is finally done with our interim period after our original senior pastor left in December 2007. On March 7 we passed our new constitution and bylaws and last Sunday we unanimously approved our new Pastoral Leadership Team and affirmed our interim elders as permanent elders. It's so good to be done with that process. I really believe that God led us through it and raised up a great group of godly men to be our elders.

Knee feeling better

I mentioned that I tweaked my knee. It's been getting better all week. Today I went for a 2 mile walk around a lake at a local park and the knee's fine. In the process I got to see a couple of herons standing on the shore or in the water fairly close to the path. I don't think I'd ever seen a heron standing out of the water before, so that was cool. Also as I was walking I thought that I'd seen all the types birds that usually hang out at the lake except a cormorant (I thought "ptarmigan", but "cormorant" is what I meant). Then as I was crossing the bridge back to the parking lot I saw a cormorant fly in and land on the lake. That was really cool.

Obscure Movie Quotes

They don't actually have to be all that obscure, but I was thinking the other day about movie/t.v. quotes I use in actual conversations (or that occur mentally in the midst of conversations) that I really don't expect the other person to recognize at all. Do you do this, and if so, what quotes do you use? Here are some of mine. Does anyone recognize where they're from? From least to most obscure.

"Way, Ted." Useful response to "No way!"

"Nonsense. You're only saying that because no one ever has." Useful anytime someone suggests something can't be done.

"It's like my dad always said. Sooner or later everybody gets shot." Useful response to apparently inevitable situations.

"Shazbat!" Useful in place of cursing.

"Things change. People change. [breathy] Interests rates fluctuate." Useful in response to things changing

"I'm right on top of that, Rose." Useful when your boss asks about progress on an assignment

There're a couple more I can't remember right now, or can't print. Obviously there are also some I use that much better known. But I just get curious about this. Unfortunately I've got movie and t.v. quotes running through my head for almost any situation. Sometimes I've got scripture. I wish the ratios were reversed.

Mildly Amusing Quotes

Like the title says. Quotes that have given me a chuckle recently.

"I really feel like a nap right now. Either that or a chocolate milkshake."
Co-worker

"Discussing Aristotle and Sotocrates..." somewhat inebriated grad student friend

"I wonder if you could help me. I've been feeling convicted about not
living up to the command in Genesis 1:29. I was thinking that maybe if you
struggle with that too then we could work together to fulfill God's will in
our lives." Suggesting a Christian pick-up line. Get's funnier if you really know what Gen. 1:29 is. 1:28 is the verse that was intended.

"I've lived here for almost seven years. Dishes have always been in that
cabinet. So why did I just look in this one for a plate?"

"Heaven and earth in 3-D!" Clash of the Titans Promo.
"Wow! That is amazing!" Me looking out the window

Not in Kansas Anymore Even if it is Windy

I'll grant you that someone who's never been in Kansas ought not be surprised to find that he's not there. Still when you're sitting at your desk at work with a case of Guiness on your desk for a flavor pairing event sponsored by your office staff association it can be disorienting if you've lived in dry counties and on dry campuses most of your life (the county I'm in is not remotely dry but my last workplace was). The flavor pairing was a lot of fun. My co-worker Meira and I provided vegetarian shepherd's pie and Guiness draft. There was a lot of great food from pulled pork barbecue and Greek meatballs to honey flavored goat cheese and a Senegalese dish I never caught the name of. There were lots of different wines, our Guiness, some ginger beer, some good old fashioned midwest lager. I thought the most interesting pairing was homemade cherry cordial in a small dark chocolate cup. It was a good time and a long way from the last place.

It was crazy windy today. One of the windiest days I ever remember. Maybe not as strong as the wind that collapsed the revolving door at Hewitt but very strong. As I was getting ready to leave work I saw waves crashing on the island across the lagoon from the library (I love working at a place that has an island and a lagoon and crashing waves). I decided to drop my stuff off at the car and go for a walk along the lake shore. In addition to the wind, which was blowing south, southwest down the shore, the light was also amazing. The sun had dropped behind the campus buildings but you could still see the last rays out on the lake shining up the foam. When I took the path to the island behind the student center I could see the Chicago skyline shining in the setting sun. The wind was take-your-breath-away strong like standing in the de facto wind tunnel between Mohn and Ell at St. Olaf on the windiest days there. When the path turned north up the shore I almost couldn't keep going. The force was so much I thought it was going to blow me over a couple of times. When I made my way over to where the waves were rolling in and splashing against the rocks it felt like the spray was going to cut me. It was awesome.

Even so, the best part came as I was sail walking back to the car. There were a lot of gulls out in the middle of the lagoon where the water was fairly calm despite the wind because of the shelter from the island and the buildings to the north. I looked up and saw a gull almost hovering right over me. He had his wings bent in a little and was just gliding on the wind. It was like he was a kite some kid was playing with. At times it looked like he was trying to work his way upwind to the middle of the lagoon to join the other gulls. At other times it looked like he was just riding the wind for the fun of it. I hardly ever saw him beat his wings. He just floated on the wind riding the gusts, working down and in toward the other gulls. Then another big gust would pick him up and carry him back out and across water. Then he'd start gliding back. I hope he riding for the joy and excitement of that awesome wind because getting to the other gulls looked like it would have been really frustrating. Even so, it was so cool to watch him hit a point where he would just hover in one spot it seemed before swooping down and back. Praise God for the beauty of the world he has made.

St. Patrick's Day

Some things I just don't let go by (sometimes). This year I decided I'd take a break from listening to audio books in the car for a couple of weeks and just listen to music. I grabbed my Eden's Bridge Celtic Psalms and Celtic Praise CD's and have been listening to them in the car. For a long time I've loved their song "Beginning and End" which I believe is loosely based on St. Patrick's Breastplate which I posted a version of last year. Here are the lyrics to "Beginning and End" by Eden's Bridge.

"God in the darkness and God in the morning
God in the work and the pain and the play
Lord of all Heaven and Earth's great creator
God at beginning and end of the day

God in the tiniest infinite detail
God in the nearest and furthest away
Lord of all Heaven and Earth's great creator
God at beginning and end of the day

I lay down my tears and my hatred
Tear down the curtain of sin
Open my heart and let all that is good enter in

I lay down, my heart is so weary
And gaze on His presence with awe
There's nothing too small to entrust to the infinite God

God for the humble and meek and bewildered
God for the nearest and furthest away
Lord of all Heaven and Earth's great creator
God at beginning and end of the day."

That second line in the first chorus is what really struck me this time. "God in the work and the pain and the play." Especially the idea of God in the work and the pain has been speaking to me this week. I've been wanting my faith to be more apparent, to me at least, in my work. Just singing this song quietly all day yesterday and today has done wonders for my attitude. Also I tweaked one of my knees playing wallyball on Sunday so I've been experiencing more pain than usual. Again it's good to remember God is there in the pain, even when it's not very dramatic pain. Anyway, I wish you all a happy St. Patrick's Day aftermath. Slainte.

12 Things I Love About My Mom

My Momma had a birthday today. In honor of the date I thought I'd put up a list of 12 things I love about my Momma. There are many more than I could list.

1. I love that she’s serious about sharing her faith with people she cares about.
2. I love the way she adopts people into the family.
3. I love that she loves my Daddy.
4. I love that she once told me the Beatles were awesome.
5. I love that she encouraged me to read and to love books even before I could walk.
6. I love that she was willing to let me go away to school and even took me on trips to Southwestern Missouri and all over Ohio looking for schools.
7. I love that she’s willing to offer a lifetime supply of coconut monkeys to someone if they’d marry me.
8. I love that she shares what God has showed her.
9. I love the devotion she showed in caring for Granny and Grandaddy.
10. I love that my friends wanted to travel 800 miles to meet her (and invited me to come along).
11. I love that she’s saved sermon notes, Sunday school notes, and cartoons that she thought I’d find interesting, useful, or funny.
12. I love that she loves to laugh.

Happy birthday, Momma.

Love, Bubba.

A Year from Trinity

By dates the anniversary's tomorrow, but by days of the week this is the one year anniversary of my jettisoning from Trinity International University. Friday, March 13, 2009 and day that will live forever in my memory (assuming I don't forget) and that of 25 or so other people. I really hope the school's better off for it. The library entrance has been nicely remodeled and the new student center looks great. I hope the people who were let go are better off for it as well. I hope and believe that I am. I still occasionally find myself referring to the Trinity library in the first person. I thought about ways to commemorate the weekend like getting hammered at some point. I decided to bless the Lord and forget not all his benefits for His lovingkindness is great and to pray for the school. It's been and interesting year, and I expect this one will be as well.

Post

God is good. I'd like to post more now. Maybe in a day or two. In the meantime, and the friendlytime, and every other time, God is good. This is not a subtle attempt to allude to some good news that I don't have time to post now. It's just a plain fact. God is good. Jesus is alive and coming again.