Great Night with Pauly

Tonight a few friends of mine and I went to see Pauly Shore at the Funny Bone here in Huntington.

I am a little reluctant to admit this, but I have been a great fan of Pauly since I don't know when. Could it be that I am stuck in the 80's? That's a definite possibility. I love Son in Law and the other movies of that time which gave Pauly his start. And since I'm a member of the MTV generation, it was neat to see someone that I kinda grew up with.

He was so fun-ny dude. I had a wonderful time! It was so great to spend the evening laughing at Pauly and some of his friends from his new show, Minding the Store. It was a great night.

Then after the show, Pauly stayed around to sign autographs and meet people. That's the first time I've been to the Comedy Club that the headliner stayed to do this. We couldn't take pictures during the show, but I snapped this one as Pauly was signing my photo of him. Check it out bud-dy. If he comes to a club near you, and you want to laugh til you hurt, I would highly recommend going, it's really a fun evening.

Sweet Sweep!

I am so excited the Sox won again. What a sweet sweep of the Red Sox. Way to go SOX! Now onto the next level. It's about time. Let's keep up the good work! Yay!

Gathering Together on the Street

Yesterday was World Communion Sunday. And every three years the churches of downtown Huntington gather together to celebrate World Communion Sunday together. We begin services at our respective churches then process out to one of the main avenues in town to partake of communion together on the street outside many of our churches. We meet at a crossroads where the street and avenue make the form of the cross. We gather together...forgetting all of the things that might separate denomination from denomination. We gather together...on the common ground that so many travel each day. We gather together...to celebrate the Holy Meal of our Lord. We gather together...in anticipation of the great banquet to be prepared for us one day. We gather together...as the Body of Christ knowing that our brothers and sisters around the world are doing the same.

Happy Birthday!

Today is my husband, Jim's birthday. Jake and I sang to him as we presented a beautifully decorated Spiderman cake to him. It is Jim's twin brother Tom's birthday too, a concept which Jake still doesn't fully understand. "Why is Uncle Tom's birthday the same day as daddy's?"

Happy birthday! We love you!

Yay Sox!

Today I was very thrilled to see the White Sox clinch a spot in the playoffs. It is great to see them gain the division title. We'll see if they can hang on and win this thing.

Go Sox!

Like Mother Teresa

What Famous Leader Are You?
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Go Polar Bears!

Ohio Northern University is ranked fifth overall this year and may make it into the playoffs in the post season. It is exciting to see them do so well. I remember when I was in school that the team struggled to win at all let alone have a winning season. With the second season in a new stadium, the Bears seek to gain respect and a title this year. Good luck guys! You deserve it! GO BEARS!

Unbelievable

It saddens me to see what has happened within our country in the past week. People without food and water for three days. People who are stranded with no homes, no food, no shelter, little or no hope. Those left, especially in New Orleans, are those whose only crime is that they are poor. Some wonder, "Why didn't they leave?" Uh...because they don't have enough money for cars. This tragedy happened at the end of the month...the time when many of us but especially those on fixed incomes are at the low end of their money supply. Their checks would have arrived most likely Thursday. But where are they to be delivered?

Throngs of people offering their vehicles to use for transportation of people and supplies. Many groups gathering for prayer, gathering to create medical kits and flood buckets to help somehow with the cleanup and recovery.

Yet there's another group...people that you would think would be greatly concerned with the suffering that is hitting our neighbors so very hard. From them? Silence. For at least a little while. Do they not know what to do or say? Are they afraid their response would be wrong? At times we're told silence is golden...that perhaps more comfort is offered by being silent and presence is enough. But when both are missing, that can be a problem too.

There's the thing too that at times sins of omission can be worse than sins of commission. I wonder if this is one of those times. The failure to act is sometimes worse than doing the wrong thing because at least something is being done.

Where'd the Summer Go?

Tomorrow is the beginning of school in town. Jake has already begun "school" at his preschool. He's in the four year old class and will learn how to write and other cool stuff this year. He's very excited to begin this new school year. He was getting bored during the summer saying, "Well, all we do is play, mom...not much else."

School...I used to get sad at this time of year when I taught. The locusts singing brought about the reality that soon the school bells would ring and I'd be back in the classroom with about 120 different kids, some that were familiar and many that were new. Every once in a while I get nostalgic for that time. But then I really enjoy what I'm doing now, especially working with college students.

So, as this new school year begins I hope that everyone is safe and learns much. Get ready, here comes the fall.

Model of the Church

You scored as Sacrament model. Your model of the church is Sacrament. The church is the effective sign of the revelation that is the person of Jesus Christ. Christians are transformed by Christ and then become a beacon of Christ wherever they go. This model has a remarkable capacity for integrating other models of the church.

What is your model of the church? [Dulles]
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Playing Jesus is a Challenge

As I posted a few weeks ago, our church joined with several others for Vacation Bible School and did an event called Marketplace at our local park. The scene is the marketplace in Jerusalem during the last days of Jesus' life. This event was so carefully scripted that on the last day during the closing Jesus was to appear in the midst of the participants. Jesus was played by my friend Kevin, a fellow pastor of a downtown church.

The scene occurred similar to the way the appearance of Jesus in the Upper Room is described. While everyone was singing a prayer...Jesus "appeared" in our midst. I watched Jake as he came and stood among us. Jake's eyes were wide and his mouth fell open. "Jesus is alive, Mommy." I heard him whisper. After the service was over, Jake had many questions, "How did Jesus come back to life? Where is he now? How does he live in our heart if he's alive? Are we going to see him again?"

I talked to Kevin a few days ago and told him what Jake had said. Kevin shared another awesome moment at VBS when Jesus appeared. He said as he was walking off two little girls came running up to him. One had to be about 8 or 10 and the other was around 5 or 6.

The younger of the girls came right up to him with an urgent question, "Jesus...has your mother seen you? She's awfully worried about you. Have you seen her?"

"No," Kevin said, "but if you do would you give her a message? Tell her I'm ok and I'll see her soon."

As quickly as the girls had appeared they ran off to tell Mary that Jesus was alive.

The faith of a child is an amazing thing. Children are so honest, so eager to learn more about things they don't understand. They ask and ask to gain a better understanding. And, they truly care about people and their feelings. That must be one of the reasons that Jesus told us to have the faith of a child. Faith enough to ask if we're going to see Jesus again and faith enough to be concerned about Jesus' family and their welfare. Faith so great it opens the eyes of adults to better see Jesus in our midst.

Mary Pete Monkey Bear Stinky Bottom

This weekend has been especially sad as one of my best friends (on the right in the picture) has gone to Atlanta to begin seminary at Candler. I'm excited for her as she begins a new chapter in her life of ministry, but it is also sad as we miss her. She was our drummer for our contemporary service Common Grounds.

My son calls her Mary Pete Monkey Bear Stinky Bottom. A name of affection for anyone. I don't think it's totally sunk in to him that she has left. And that she probably won't return until probably Christmas time.

We've known this time would come, but it seems that time has flown since she announced that she was leaving. I think it won't truly seem real until we begin Common Grounds again this Thursday. Things will be different without her around.

I wish you well, Mary...but miss you lots!

Stages of the Christian

I just read Dan Kimball's post Reality Church about the different stages of people in the church. I have begun to wonder if that's what happens when churches begin to decline. Our church has begun the first steps in New Church Development. It's a process by which certain factors are evaluated to see where the church needs to grow. Perhaps we need to also look at how to involve and excite people without burning them out.

Passing of the Smokey

Jake, our four year old, has been reluctant to sleep in his own room for a while. He says there are monsters living in his closet, which I assure him is impossible as there is no room for monsters due to the toys and clothes packed into the closet.

His nights in our bedroom continued for quite some time and frankly was kind of a comfort especially over the last week as I was cherishing even more the time I got to spend with him. However, it became clear that Jake really has no intention of going back to sleeping in his room. We tried many things and nothing seemed to work.

That is until the other night. Jake saw a teddy bear that Jim got me quite a while ago. He special ordered it with my college alma mater and name on it. Jake wanted to sleep with it, but I was reluctant...first of all it's rather dusty from being displayed on top of our TV in the bedroom and also because I didn't want anything to happen to it. I began to look for something that would provide him some comfort and saw my old teddy bear from when I was about Jake's age...Smokey.

Smokey was the second bear (the second Smokey bear) that I had from the time I can remember. He protected me...went into surgery with me when I was 10...and was just there for me. I grabbed Smokey and told Jake about him. I told him that Smokey was filled with hugs and he loved to give hugs to children. I told Jake that Smokey kept me safe through scary nights and was always there for me. He grabbed a hold of Smokey and wouldn't let him go.

I told Jake that we would get him a night light to help the darkness of his room. And between Smokey and the nightlight, Jake spent the entire night in his room with no fighting, no crying and little fear.

Maybe each of us just needs a little Smokey. Something to hold tight to...something to give us hugs...to listen to our problems...to scare away the monsters...to keep us safe in the darkness until the light of day comes.

The Love of Friends

Throughout these past few rough days, we have received an abundant outpouring of love and care...from emails to posts to phone calls and prayers. All have made us truly feel the presence, love and power of God in our lives. The love and support that all of you have offered to us in our time of loss is overwhelming. And our family thanks you from the bottom of our hearts.

Our Smallest Angel

Yesterday had to be one of the worst days of my life. Not even a month ago, we found out we were pregnant...it was a joyous time filled with hope, dreams and excitement as we awaited our new little arrival. Our hopes began to wane a little last Friday as I began to show early warning signs of losing our baby. At first I thought that maybe with aerobics and VBS and all the other stuff going on last week that I had just overdone it. However, yesterday at the doctor our worst fears were realized. The baby hadn't grown from like 5 weeks and their heart had stopped (or had never started) beating. We were crushed. How do we tell Jake? How do we get through this time.

I don't know how we are to be blessed by this. I did have this repeated thought in my head, "You will help others who experience this type of loss." All the same I kept thinking, "That's nice God, but why do we have to experience this pain?" At the same time there was also this reassurance that there is hope beyond this that new life can occur. But it doesn't help to reduce the bouts of pain and sorrow I feel from time to time.

I look at Jake so differently and feel so blessed to have been blessed with him in our lives. I really realize how lucky we were with him that none of this stuff happened then.

From the time I can remember I have collected angels. Maybe it's because they're beautiful beings that are close to God...I don't know. The picture at the top is one of my favorites which now has a bit of a new meaning to me. My little angel has gone on to be with the angels. And, I believe there is hope beyond the sadness. But for now I'm just holding close to my guys giving thanks to God for allowing me the gift of their presence in my life.

Keep Your Eyes on the Soldiers

This week we are having a Vacation Bible School experience at our local park. Our church, along with 8 or so others are holding our joint Bible school at the park in hopes of attracting other children and families that might not have a church home. It's called Marketplace and simmilates what life might have been like at the time of Jesus. There are shops where the children can make things (like clay pots, jewelry, dreidels, etc.), there are tribal families where the children learn about Jewish traditions, there is Synagoge school where the children learn about Jewish traditions. And then there are the Roman Soldiers. When we were at home over the weekend we saw a float in the parade that had the three crosses and Roman Soldiers walking behind it. Jake then began to be leary of the soldiers as my mom made some comment about the soldiers killing Jesus. Jake took that statement into himself and is still leary about the soldiers to this day. Everytime they walked by he'd hide behind me and watch them the whole time. Things escalated a bit when we learned last night that Jesus had been arrested...now Jake is really aware of the presence of the soldiers around us. We'll see if the rain and severe heat holds off tonight whether Jake will ever take his eyes off the soldiers or not.

Am I This Old?

This weekend we are back home for the annual Celina Lake Festival...a weekend full of fun, fireworks and the Grand Parade. Throughout this weekend I have also had the pleasure of seeing a few people that I went to high school with. And boy have we changed. Now in my work with college students I begin to think of myself as one of them...a 20-something fun-filled person with lots of energy and few years. But when I look at some of the people that I remember from the good ol'days I can't help but be reminded when we were in our prime and youth. It's hard to picture some of the real jocks of the football team being overweight and balding...some of us with our gray/white hair coming in. I guess that's why The Boss wrote that song about Glory Days...

I Survived Tomb Raider the ride!

For the past two days, I have been in Cincinnati with our college students from church. We took a trip to Kings Island and what an adventure we had. I was talked into riding a few rides that I just, frankly, wasn't sure of but was assured I would be ok. The worst of these was the Tomb Rider ride....which included going upsidedown several times and hanging upsidedown for a little while...enough to have someone encourage me to open my eyes to see what was around me. See, the ride is base, of course, on the movies so you are in a "cave" and spinning around and around...you see stalagmites and then you are rotated again and are in a lava pit...the freakiest things about the ride were feeling your bottom come completely off of your seat and then seeing the folks around you with their hair above their heads. I kept thinking that I somehow was going to fall out of the safety harness. But all was well, or so I thought. I didn't realize that as we were on the ride I must've held exceeding tight to the harness...I was shaking as I got off and both of my wrists ached so bad. Today I woke up and my biceps on both arms ache and ache. Well, at least I can say I did it so I never have to ride it again. Lara Croft? I am NOT!

Fired Up for the Fourth

Over the weekend we got to see a great fireworks display in Cincinnati. The colors were brilliant and the music that went with them was wonderful. One thing that I did find ironic, though, was the company that put on the fireworks was for cleaner air. What's cleaner in the air than the sulfur smells of fireworks? Anyway, the show was wonderful.