Thankful Sunday

My friend, Becky, has a fantastic blog that I read on a near daily basis. She has what she calls "Thankful Friday" where she lists things that she is thankful for in her life. I am afraid that I will be nowhere near as diligent as she, but I am going to make an attempt.

1. Parents. I love my parents. We don't always agree and we don't always understand one another and what the other needs, wants, or desires, but they are pretty awesome.
   
2. Siblings. I know I say this all the time, but I love my brothers and sisters. They pretty much rock.
   
3. The fact that I have a job. While other people are losing theirs and worrying about putting food on the table, I have a job and I love it. That's something right there.
   
4. Small group. I love this group, these people and the reason that we get together every Wednesday night.
   
5. Chick-fil-a. You laugh. You mock. You think I'm crazy. But, I am thankful for the big chick and the yummy-ness it provides for me on a regular basis.
   
6. Ultimate frisbee AND running. These two activities provide me with infinite joy.
7. Basketball Season. Praise Jesus. I am so glad it's back. I was going through withdrawals.
8. Good friends.
9. Surls.
10. Young Life.
    

"For I am not ashamed..."

"You have God's permission to not have to go through life building a fan club for yourself."

This awesome quote came from my good friend, Brad Baker, who stole it from his pastor. So, if there was any question of credit not being given where credit is due, there shouldn't be now.

I was having a conversation yesterday in which I asked if I was going to be made to sound like some crazy, religious fanatic (don't ask) and the reply I received was "Oh, you don't need my help in that area." After the initial sting and shock, my eyes welled up and I had to force myself not to let the tears fall down my cheeks. Some back tracking occurred from my conversational partner, but the words had been said and their weight was heavy.

It's the next day now and while the weight is still heavy, my thoughts are not as negative as they were. I do not have to go through life building a fan club for myself. I don't need the approval of men to know that I have found favor in the sight of the one who gave His life for me. Being what I like to call "sold out on Jesus" is not something to be ashamed of. Romans 1:16 says "I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believe..." Why should someone's intended insult of my faith result in tears on my part? Allow me to share the following passages:

2 Corinthians 12:10- That is why, for Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

2 Thessalonians 1:4- Therefore, among God's churches we boast about your perseverance and faith in all the persecutions and trials you are enduring.

1 Peter 2:23- When they hurled their insults at him, he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats. Instead, he entrusted himself to him who judges justly.

The last one is speaking of Jesus. No retaliation, no threats. He simply placed His trust and faith in the One who sent Him here in the first place. I'll go ahead and admit that while I didn't retaliate or make any threats, the reason was more from the fact that I was blindsided from the comment rather than my trying to be more like Jesus.

Ok, so I'm a Christian. And while this is the first time that someone has vocally attempted to insult me without beating around the bush, it will most likely not be the last. My prayer is that the next time it happens, I react much in the same way I did this time, only without the shock (since Paul tells us not be surprised when we are persecuted/insulted for the Gospel message) and with the mindset that I am in good company if I am being accosted for my faith.

"I will bless the Lord at all times; His praise shall be continually in my mouth." -Psalm 34:1

Another steal...

I have some fantastic friends who love me well. They send me great articles and other types of literature to read and learn from. The following article was sent to me a few weeks ago. The message hits home for me and also sheds a great deal of light on the subject of race. Enjoy!

Did Moses Marry a Black Woman?

By John Piper

A biblical view of interracial marriage and why it matters for the local church to take a stand.

Moses, a Jew, apparently married a black African and was approved by God.

We learn in Numbers that "Miriam and Aaron spoke against Moses because of the Cushite woman whom he had married, for he had married a Cushite woman" (Num. 12:1). A Cushite is from Cush, a region south of Ethiopia, where the people are known for their black skin. We know this because of Jeremiah 13:23: "Can the Ethiopian [the same Hebrew word translated "Cushite" in Numbers 12:1] change his skin or the leopard his spots? Then also you can do good who are accustomed to do evil." Attention is drawn to the difference of the skin of the Cushite people.

In his book From Every People and Nation: A Biblical Theology of Race, Daniel Hays writes that Cush "is used regularly to refer to the area south of Egypt, and above the cataracts on the Nile, where a Black African civilization flourished for over two thousand years. Thus it is quite clear that Moses marries a Black African woman" (71).

In response to Miriam’s criticism, God does not get angry at Moses; he gets angry at Miriam. The criticism has to do with Moses’ marriage and Moses’ authority. The most explicit statement relates to the marriage: "Miriam and Aaron spoke against Moses because of the Cushite woman whom he had married, for he had married a Cushite woman." Then God strikes Miriam with leprosy. Why? Consider this possibility. In God’s anger at Miriam, Moses’ sister, God says in effect, "You like being light-skinned Miriam? I’ll make you light-skinned." So we read, "When the cloud removed from over the tent, behold, Miriam was leprous, like snow" (Num. 12:10)

God says not a critical word against Moses for marrying a black Cushite woman. But when Miriam criticizes God’s chosen leader for this marriage God strikes her skin with white leprosy. If you ever thought black was a biblical symbol for uncleanness, be careful; a worse white uncleanness could come upon you.

MY PERSONAL EXPERIENCE

To the opposing views on interracial marriage, I would add my own experience. I was a southern teenage racist (by almost any definition). Since I am a sinner still, I do not doubt that elements of it remain in me—to my dismay. For these lingering attitudes and actions I repent.

Racism is a very difficult reality to define. Our pastoral staff has been working on it for years. Presently, we are most closely committed to the definition given several summers ago at the Presbyterian Church in America annual meeting: "Racism is an explicit or implicit belief or practice that qualitatively distinguishes or values one race over other races." That is what I mean when I say I was a racist growing up in Greenville, South Carolina. My attitudes and actions were demeaning and disrespectful toward non-whites. And right at the heart of those attitudes was opposition to interracial marriage.

My mother, who washed my mouth out with soap once for saying, "Shut up!" to my sister, would have washed my mouth out with gasoline if she knew how foul my mouth was racially. She was, under God, the seed of my salvation in more ways than one. When our church voted in 1963 not to admit blacks, when I was seventeen, my mother ushered the black guests at my sister’s wedding right into the main sanctuary herself because the ushers wouldn’t do it. I was on my way to redemption.

In 1967, Noël and I attended the Urbana Missions Conference. I was a senior at Wheaton. There we heard Warren Webster, a former missionary to Pakistan, answer a student’s question: what if your daughter falls in love with a Pakistani while you’re on the mission field and wants to marry him? With great forcefulness he said, "The Bible would say, Better a Christian Pakistani than a godless white American!" The impact on us was profound.

Four years later, I wrote a paper for Lewis Smedes in an ethics class at seminary called "The Ethics of Interracial Marriage." For me that was a biblical settling of the matter, and I have not gone back from what I saw there. The Bible does not oppose or forbid interracial marriages. And there are circumstances which, together with biblical principles, make interracial marriage in many cases a positive good.

Now I am a pastor. One quick walk through my church’s pictorial directory gives me a rough count of over two hundred non-Anglos. I am sure I missed some. And I am sure the definition of Anglo is so vague that someone will be bothered that I even tried to count. But the point is this: dozens and dozens of them are children and teenagers and single young men and women. This means very simply that my church needs a clear place to stand on interracial marriage. Church is the most natural and proper place to find a spouse. And they will find each other across racial lines.

THE CHALLENGES AND BLESSINGS OF INTERRACIAL MARRIAGE

Opposition to interracial marriage is one of the deepest roots of racial distance, disrespect, and hostility. Show me one place in the world where interracial or interethnic marriage is frowned upon and yet the two groups still have equal respect and honor and opportunity. I don’t think it exists. It won’t happen. Why? Because the supposed specter of interracial marriage demands that barrier after barrier must be put up to keep young people from knowing each other and falling in love. They can’t fellowship in church youth groups. They can’t go to the same schools. They can’t belong to the same clubs. They can't live in the same neighborhoods. Everybody knows deep down what is at stake here. Intermarriage is at stake.

And as long as we disapprove of it, we will be pushing our children, and therefore ourselves, away from each other. The effect of that is not harmony, not respect, and not equality of opportunity. Where racial intermarriage is disapproved, the culture with money and power will always dominate and always oppress. They will see to it that those who will not make desirable spouses stay in their place and do not have access to what they have access to. If your kids don’t make desirable spouses, you don’t make desirable neighbors.

And here is a great and sad irony. The very situation of separation and suspicion and distrust and dislike that is brought about (among other things) by the fear of intermarriage, is used to justify the opposition to intermarriage. "It will make life hard for the couple and hard for the kids." "They’ll be called half-breeds." It’s a catch 22. It’s like the army being defeated because there aren’t enough troops, and the troops won’t sign up because the army’s being defeated. Oppose interracial marriage, and you will help create a situation of racial disrespect. And then, since there is a situation of disrespect, it will be prudent to oppose interracial marriage.

Here is where Christ makes the difference. Christ does not call us to a prudent life, but to a God-centered, Christ-exalting, justice-advancing, counter-cultural, risk-taking life of love and courage. Will it be harder to be married to another race, and will it be harder for the kids? Maybe. Maybe not. But since when is that the way a Christian thinks? Life is hard. And the more you love the harder it gets.

It’s hard to take a child to the mission field. The risks are huge. It’s hard to take a child and move into a mixed neighborhood where he may be teased or ridiculed. It’s hard to help a child be a Christian in a secular world where his beliefs are mocked. It’s hard to bring children up with standards: "you will not dress like that, and you will not be out that late." It’s hard to raise children when dad or mom dies or divorces. And that’s a real risk in any marriage. Whoever said that marrying and having children was to be trouble free? It’s one of the hardest things in the world. It just happens to be right and rewarding.

Christians are people who move toward need and truth and justice, not toward comfort and security. Life is hard. But God is good. And Christ is strong to help.

There is so much more to say about the challenges and blessings of interracial marriage. Suffice it to say now by way of practical conclusion: At my church, we will not underestimate the challenges of interracial marriage or transracial adoption (they go closely together). We will celebrate the beauty, and we will embrace the burden. Both will be good for us and good for the world and good for the glory of God.

John Piper is the pastor for preaching at Bethlehem Baptist Church in Minneapolis, Minnesota, and the author of many books. Go to www.desiringgod.org to learn more.

Isaiah 43

The singing portion of any church service is usually my favorite part of worship. I love music. I believe that it plays such a vital role in our lives and that makes it an incredibly important part of worship.

I attend St. Andrews Presbyterian Church and it has been a joy to be a part of a congregation with a pastor who appreciates the music aspect of worship the same way that I do. We sing a variety of hymns and songs, many older and more traditional hymns that have been given newer tunes. We also sing bible passages that have been set to music.

The words below are to one of my favorite songs that we sing. I had some trouble finding a soundbite to include here on the blog, so if you want to hear the tune, you are going to have to ask me to sing it for you.

Isaiah 43

1. When you pass through the waters,
I will be with you,
And the waves will not
Overcome you.
Do not fear,
For I have redeemed you,
I have called you by name,
You are Mine.

Chorus: For I am the Lord your God
(I am the Lord your God),
I am the Lord your God (I am)
The Holy One of Israel
Your Savior
For I am the Lord your God
(I am the Lord your God),
I am the Lord your God (I am)
The Holy One of Israel
Your Savior
I am the Lord (do not fear)
I am the Lord (do not fear)
I am the Lord (do not fear)
I am the Lord (do not fear)

2. When you walk through the fire
You’ll not be burned,
And the flames will not
Consume you.
Do not fear,
For I have redeemed you,
I have called you by name,
You are Mine.
(Repeat chorus)

Dispatches from (A)mended America

Saturday night I was a part of an interview process for a creative media piece called "Dispatches from (A)mended America." I will let you make your own judgment based on their own description of themselves.

DISPATCHES FROM (A)MENDED AMERICA

Background: In the 24 hours following the historic 11PM announcement of Barack Obama's landslide victory on November 4th, I saw a euphoria I had never witnessed before. People were beaming, dancing in the streets, congratulating me, making quiet yet meaningful eye contact with me. Even I -- who was more than skeptical about the likelihood that America would ever send an African American to the White House as late as November 3rd -- even I called my father in tears, held my wife in my arms. "It happened," I said. "We made it happen." "We did it" seemed to be the day's subtext, even among those who didn't vote for Obama. I felt it too. However, I also felt something that lurked behind the euphoria and the historic implications of the election: Now that we've elected a black man as President for the first time, what do we do now? What happens next? Is "the race question" answered? And what are we going to do with all of this hope and optimism and new found civility in American public life? I am curious if other people are having the same feelings of anxiety, confusion, anticipation, and yes, hope that I am. I want to find out how this election has affected the lives of individual Americans. I want to hear the personal stories of Americans as we head into this truly New Age, an age defined, for now, only by its potential.

In the month leading up to the Presidential Inauguration, I will be traveling throughout America with my friend and colleague Brandt Adams to interview Americans about this watershed event. The guiding questions will be: What does the election of America's first African American President mean to you? Has this changed your life and if so, how? Has this changed America? What do we do now? We feel we can best investigate these questions by soliciting real Americans' own stories of the 2008 presidential election through their eyes and in their own words. What are their hopes for the President elected on hope? What suggestions can they give to an Obama administration that would keep them engaged in the governance of our country?

The interviews, which will hopefully be digitally recorded either on audio or video, will form the basis of a documentary theatre piece called DISPATCHES FROM (A)MENDED AMERICA. Brandt and I, two displaced sons of the South, will begin traveling on December 28th along the same routes used by The Freedom Riders in 1960 and then make our way from Mississippi, North toward Chicago, retracing The Great Migration of African Americans from 1910-1940. Finally, we'll make our way eastward through Philadelphia, finally landing in Washington DC on January 19th in time for the Presidential Inaugural Ceremony. We plan to interview people in Farmville, Virginia, home to one of the school districts included in the original five cases comprising Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka; Greensboro, site of the first civil rights sit-in at Woolworth's; and Oxford, Mississippi, where James Meredith integrated the University of Mississippi in 1962. The fact that Brandt is a 25-year-old white man born and raised in Virginia and I am a 42-year-old black man raised in Virginia only serves to amplify the resonance of this project to us both personally and politically.

You'll be able to keep track of our travels on our blog, www.dispatchesfromamendedamerica.blogspot.com, where we plan to upload excerpts of some of our interviews and our thoughts on the journey.

The election of Barack Obama has initiated a time of both euphoria and fear. Euphoria at the prospect of America finally living up to the promise of the Declaration of Independence; fear at the immense challenges that lay ahead for our country and our new leader. Halfway between Euphoria and Fear -- what better place to create a piece of theatre?

I have to admit, I was a bit wary going into this interview. I had been asked to do this interview and I wanted to be a part of this project, mainly because I really do think it is a fabulous idea and I am super excited to see where it goes. However, I was aware of the possibility that the guys conducting the interviews already knew a little bit about me because of the connections that we have. Now, let me go ahead and state for the record, that I am not by any means ashamed of what I believe. However, because I tend to be more conservative and am a registered Republican, I was a little scared that I was going to be turned into the angry, white conservative lady that hates black people and "clings to her guns and religion." I know that I am not that, but I also know how these types of things tend to go. I was pleasantly surprised to find my experience to be quite the opposite. I was treated with the utmost respect and was questioned without my feeling that there were ulterior motives. In fact, I really like Godfrey and Brandt. They are pretty neat guys.

I was heavily questioned about my faith. Not in an ugly way, but in a sincerely curious manner. I believe that the best kind of journalist knows how to ask the right questions and then let the interviewee just talk. Brandt and Godfrey are very good at this.

Audio clips will be up soon and I will be following the blog on a daily basis to keep up with these guys. You can follow too with the link above.

I am still formulating thoughts on my experience with "Dispatches from (A)mended America." I will write again soon when I have more structured thoughts and comments. For now, I wanted to share the fact that I was a part of this project and make others aware of the journey that two random guys are making in an effort to make a difference. Rock on.

Sorry, Micah. I had to steal this...

Hey, remember that time Ronald McDonald died for the sins of the world? That. Was. Awesome.

All credit for this post goes to Micah S. Carver. ALL CREDIT.

Goodby Old Year! Hello New Year!

2 Corinthians 5:17

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!

I hate new year resolutions. I think that they set us (or maybe just me) up for failure. You decide that you are going to run every day and eat only healthy foods. Or you decide that you are going to read this ridiculously long list of books, dust every Friday, go vegetarian, fill up the gas tank when it hits the halfway mark, give yourself a clothing budget, and keep your laundry under control. Yeah, right. Like any of that is going to happen. Let's face it, you get to the end of the year and you see that you have not even half way completed the list or you have forgotten exactly what it was that you resolved to resolve.

I want this year to go a little differently. I know, I know. I am about to go against everything that I just said. However, instead of setting absolute goals for myself, I am noting things in myself that I would like to work on. No set mark to reach. I just want to see some progress in myself.

• Jesus. He is already my number one priority. However, I want to be within understanding distance of Him. I want to live more like the new creation He provided me with. I want to stand in awe every morning and fight with a passion to stay on a spiritual high.
  
• Details. I am not a very detail oriented person. I see the big picture and it's hard for me to focus on the how, so much as the goal. I would like to become better at the details.
• Fitness. I know, talk about stereo-typical. But, seriously. I love to run and take spin class. I really do. I just need to get motivated. This time last year I was a gym junkie. I would like to get back in the groove.

That's it really. I am not saying that is all I need to work on in me. However, one step at time AND I want to be able to reach January 1st, 2010 and be able to see the progress I have made in the past year.

Here's to 2008 and everything that it embodied and here is to 2009 and the graciousness I pray God will give to each and everyone of us.

Favorite Moments of 2008

This year has been full of surprises. I have been one busy chickie and due to the busy-ness, the Christmas letter that I wrote turned into a New Year's letter. It's pretty great recap of my year, so I thought that I would include it along with some of my favorite memories and moments from 2008.

As an independent member of society, I decided it might be nice to send out a New Year's letter of my own and let folks know what was going on in my life. (Truthfully, I was going to send a Christmas letter and time just got away from me. Oops. This may serve as more of a reminder that I am growing up than asking for a can opener and a tea kettle for Christmas. Yes, I really did.)

I am a junior at Columbus State University here in Columbus, Georgia. I am majoring in Journalism and Photography. After changing my major about six times (and no, that is not an exaggeration), I have finally made up my mind. I have a lot of passion for both writing and photography. After I get my undergraduate, I would like to get my masters. Whether it will be in Journalism or Photography, I am not sure yet.

I moved out of Mom and Dad's house at the end of August of 2007. I am living in an apartment complex approximately twenty minutes away from Upatoi (where Mom and Dad live). I am about five minutes from Campus and ten minutes from work. It is so nice! I live with two other girls, Jessica and Genine. They are fantastic and we get along well. We each have our own rooms and bathrooms, so there is no lack of personal space. I have a sweet dog named Surls. He is a yellow lab who was abandoned in the park. He lives with Mom and Dad right because he is so big, but he is my little buddy. Although he can be a handful at times, I am glad that God threw him my way.

I am working at the Springer Opera House as the Education Assistant. My job duties include preparing study guides for the schools coming to see our productions, conducting workshops in the schools, teaching and assisting in the classes that our theater provides, and pretty much anything else my boss tells me to do. It also includes being cast in shows if they need me. I was cast as Piglet in Winnie the Pooh and the bride in Father of the Bride earlier this season. It's a great job and one that I love going to everyday.

Travel has become a favorite hobby. At the end of this summer, I took a trip to D.C. to see friends and wander the city. I went last year for fall break with Mom and Caroline, but loved it so much that I decided to go again, this time alone. I was able to stand on the south lawn of the White House and watch Marine One land with the President, First Lady, and Press Secretary all on board. What a treat!

God has really been working in my life in the past year and I have never been happier in Him. He has blessed me beyond what I ever could have imagined! I am a Yong Life leader at Shaw High School here in Columbus. For those of you who don't know what YL is, we reach out to high school students and share Jesus Christ with them. My kids are a huge part of my life. I am in daily awe of God's love, grace, and mercy in my life. I am learning how to thank Him for the good, as well as the not so good in my life, realizing fully that He has “plans for welfare and not for calamity, to give (me) a future and a hope...” (Jeremiah 29:11)

That is my life up to speed. I am very busy and extremely happy. Life has thrown me some curve balls in the past year, but I am fully content with the life that God has blessed me with. What an awesome God we serve!

• Snow day '08. This day is not only one of my favorites from the year, but it ranks in my top five favorite days of all time. Mom took me, Katie, and Ben to find the snow when it hit Georgia in early January of this year. It was a great day with family and one that I will treasure always.
• 
• Sharptop Cove. Experiencing this great Young Life camp with new friends and old friends and getting the best and most surprising surprise I have ever received, makes this early February weekend a weekend that I will never forget. Jesus spoke to my heart in a totally new and inspiring way. It was that weekend that I knew "I was made for this."
• My first Club at Shaw Highschool. Matt and Rich made me pretend that I was the pizza girl that just happened to fall in love with Young Life and become a leader. There are still kids who are confused by this. Hehe.
• My summer trip to the Garvin home. Amanda was preaching at Cannon UMC and I was invited to come and spend the weekend. It was a great weekend of swimming, shopping, and fellowship with one of my favorite families.
• Springer Theater Academy. I was only involved for one week, but it was a great week. My summer was far too memorable in a not so great way and it was a nice ending to a not so nice summer.
• Washington, D.C. The last week of July, I went to D.C. to see some friends. It was a wonderful opportunity to get some much needed alone time and experience the big city alone. I was (and am) very proud of myself and not using a map, concealing my camera, and crossing the street before the light told me to. I prided myself in being a non-tourist.
• Country's Midnight Run. After hurting my knee and not being able to run all summer, I was able to run two of the three miles of the Country's 5k at the end of August. I finished in 35 minutes, which I was pretty proud of considering the fact that I had not run in a couple of months.
• The Vander-Baker nuptials. Two of my dearest friends were joined in holy matrimony in early September. It was one of the most fun weekends. Lots of friends, old and new. And tons of good food, good music, and genuine joy and excitement for two fabulous people.
• My job. That morning that I had coffee with Mr. Ron and later got my current job at the Springer Opera House was a very exciting moment for me. I am finally in a job that I love, in a building that I love, with people I love and who love me. Yay!
• Father of the Bride. Mr. Ron casting me as the bride in FOB was a neat part of my year. It was the only role that I really wanted this season and being given the opportunity to do something that I love so much was really an honor.
• Thanksgiving. It sounds so silly, but I have never been as excited as I was this year about my favorite holiday. Thanksgiving is so special to me, but having all of my friends home this year made the holiday that much more exciting. I am truly blessed to have friends like mine.

This list seems short to me and I know that there are other moments that have slipped my mind. I am thinking of them right now. Joining my church was a huge deal. Going to the beach with Caroline and Liz was a joy and a blessing. Lucy being home this summer and driving the Mustang everywhere. And getting my dog, Surls, was one of the best things that has ever happened to me. I am blessed beyond compare and there are no words adequate enough to express my joy and contentment in the life that my Savior has given me. He is worthy to be praised and mighty in His works.

This week I learned...

1. I can cook, but I don't like to do it alone.
2. I am not the greatest driver (I didn't really learn this this week, but I thought I would throw it in there).
3. Alone time is something that I crave every now and again.
4. I am more conservative than I thought I was.
5. Girlfriends are priceless.
6. A clean apartment is far more enjoyable than a dirty one.
7. Community is a bigger deal to me than I once thought.
8. A sweet text message goes a long way.
9. Friendship is something to guard and protect.
10. Driving on empty is almost always bad news.
    

The 2nd Annual Garcia-Garvin Christmas Shopping Weekend

As I write, I am sitting in the living room of one of my best friends, Kathryn G. I came up to her home in Atlanta yesterday afternoon and plan on heading home tomorrow.

This has been a good weekend for me. Good girl time, good quotes, and a lot of thinking, both on the road and in quiet moments. Time with my sweet friend, Kathryn, is always fun and I treasure our friendship.

I serve an awesome God who pursues me relentlessly. The ride up to Atlanta was productive God time and my thoughts were and are stayed on Him. It is times like these, when He consumes my thoughts, that I know He is pursuing me and working in my heart. He has used this weekend and this Holiday season to pull me even closer into His loving arms. His love and mercy are evident to me as He humbles my heart and shows me my imperfections and my unrighteousness. I am in awe of His grace and greatness.

Glorify the LORD with me; let us exalt his name together. -Psalm 34:3

Feliz Navidad!

That's "Merry Christmas" in Spanish for those of you who don't speak the mother tongue. Hehe.

I have realized that the older my siblings and I have gotten, the less we care about getting up super early on Christmas morning. However, with a ten year old and seven year old who do still care about getting up super early, we were all up before eight. Not that early, I suppose. But still. Mom says that Ben made it to seven thirty, which is pretty good, all things considered.

Last night, Mary Lou, Jess, Mom, and I stayed up watching old home videos of past Christmases. Hilarious. There were some classic lines. Allow me to share.

• Theresa (1998)-"This is great! I got everything I asked for!"

• Mary Lou (1998)-"Oh. My. Gosh. Oh. My. Gosh. I got Lisa Frank! Oh. My. Gosh."

• Sarah Ann(????)- In response to something Caroline received; "Oh. I want that."

• Dad(1998)-"Beth, did we not get J-O-E a H-O-R-S? (yes, he left off the "e" and continued to do so every time he spelled it.)

We did our best this morning to incorporate a lot of these lines. I really did get everything that I asked for.

• A can opener.
• A tea pot.
• A sweater.
• A watch.
• Mascara.
• Bobby Pins.
• "Wicked" the book.

You know you are getting old when you ask for kitchen stuff for Christmas.

My favorite gift to give were the pictures that Anthony took of all the kids for my parents.


The picture was a huge hit. We also gave them individual shots. So cute.

This morning has been pretty quiet. That is one of the things that I love about our Christmas. Alway pretty quiet and laid back. We just enjoy one another all day.

I have been using this line all over the place, but I am thankful for peace on earth and mercy mild; God and sinners reconciled. What a glorious thought! Because our Saviour was pleased as man with men to dwell, we are reconciled with God above! Glory to God in the Highest! Hallelujah!

Christmas Eve

What a busy day! There were gifts to give and receive, lunch with the Bakers, last minute shopping to do, and a Christmas Eve service to prepare for.

Today, I am most grateful for:

• The birth of our Saviour
  
• Family
• Friends
• A reliable car
• Good food
• Good music
• Laughter
• Pure joy
  

Just a dream.

The blinds were closed. The room was a normal temperature. Was she holding Grace Kelly? Not really sure. The girl seemed to resemble Monaco's Princess and the film world's sweetheart. Regardless, "Grace" was thrashing about the room, somewhat like a mentally ill child. The conversation was normal. Questions and answers. Stories and jokes. Outbursts and calming, soothing reassurances.

Then it happened. There was a loud crash from outside the house. Screams. She jumped up and ran out of the room. Outside, her dad and several siblings are kneeling over something or someone in the front yard. There is a miniature collie sitting at the end of the driveway, licking her paws. She see headlights in the ditch across the street. She runs, screaming all the way. "Please, don't be dead. Please, don't be dead." Finally across the street, she sees that the drivers window is unrolled and there is a white bib over the face of the driver. Tears streaming down her face, she lifts the bib to find that a breathing tube is already coming out of her mother's mouth. She whispers "I love you, Mom." Barely audible, her mother whispers the same and her eyes close. Dead. She thinks that there is a little girl in the back seat, but can't get back there to find out.

She sits up straight in bed. It was only dream. Just a dream. No one is dead and there was no crash. No dogs. No Dad kneeling over something in the yard. No screams. No impaired child thrashing on the floor. It was just a dream. Nothing horrible has happened. All is right with the world. It's all over. She's awake now.

And this is why she hates to dream.

My Job

I enjoy my job a great deal. Actually, I really love my job. My job centers around children and education, but I also get to work behind the scenes or in the spotlight with the various productions that the Springer puts on. I am going to talk about both parts of my job, but today I am going to focus on one aspect of it.

I am doing my "day job" in the Academy office, but I am also working on "A Tuna Christmas" in Foley Hall. For those of you who do not know much about this show, Ron Anderson and Paul Pierce play about twelve characters a piece, men and women, adults and children. It is pretty darn funny. There are three stage hands back stage. I am one of them and Kern C. and Ben R. finish out the team. We have the most fun with the show when Ron and Paul are having a good time. I can't explain the feeling that I get when Ron or Paul walk off stage laughing to themselves about what happened on stage, the audience's reaction to what happened on stage, or both. The fact that they enjoy their job makes me enjoy mine so much more.

I found the same to be true when I was working on "Father of the Bride." Ron Anderson directed the show and his obvious enjoyment of the show and the people in the show made the experience all the richer.

I have been a part of Springer productions for the past ten years and I have always felt safe, loved, and cared for. Paul has a saying that I love to hear; "The first time you're here, you're a guest. The second time, you're family." How true that is.

Praising God in all you do.

Psalm 148

1 Praise the LORD.
Praise the LORD from the heavens,
praise him in the heights above.

2 Praise him, all his angels,
praise him, all his heavenly hosts.

3 Praise him, sun and moon,
praise him, all you shining stars.

4 Praise him, you highest heavens
and you waters above the skies.

5 Let them praise the name of the LORD,
for he commanded and they were created.

6 He set them in place for ever and ever;
he gave a decree that will never pass away.

7 Praise the LORD from the earth,
you great sea creatures and all ocean depths,

8 lightning and hail, snow and clouds,
stormy winds that do his bidding,

9 you mountains and all hills,
fruit trees and all cedars,

10 wild animals and all cattle,
small creatures and flying birds,

11 kings of the earth and all nations,
you princes and all rulers on earth,

12 young men and maidens,
old men and children.

13 Let them praise the name of the LORD,
for his name alone is exalted;
his splendor is above the earth and the heavens.

14 He has raised up for his people a horn,
the praise of all his saints,
of Israel, the people close to his heart.
Praise the LORD.

Our sermon this morning was based on this passage of scripture. I thought that my pastor did an excellent job of explaining it's meaning and I want to share.

The psalmist talks about how each part of creation praises God by existing in the manner in which He created them to exist. As Pastor Douglas put it, the same goes for humans. We praise God and glorify Him by doing what He created us to do to the best of our ability and in His name. It is so simple. According to the shorter catechism, man's chief end is to glorify God and enjoy him forever. I believe that God gave each of us unique gifts and ways in which to glorify and praise Him. So, whether you are a dentist, actor, plumber, lawyer, real estate agent, student, or a stay at home mom, God has given us each the opportunity and ability to praise Him. That is why He created us. To glorify and enjoy Him forever. I think that the beauty of the gospel is the simplicity of it's message. Whatever we do, it should be done in God's name and to the best of our ability.

Christmas Decorating at the Garcia House

There is most definitely a method to the holiday madness in the Garcia home. Everything from picking out the tree to the last bell on the fireplace is dictated by tradition and me. Ok, so maybe not me, but pretty close.

Let's start with the tree. All the kids and my mother will tell you that I usually pick out the tree. And I do. Pretty much every year. However, this year, Mary Lou picked it out. It took a long time and I mean a VERY long time to pick out this year's tree. There was another couple picking out their tree at the same time and the man came up to my mom and said "My gosh, it's like the U.N." My mom just smiled and said "You have no idea."

Next comes the actual decorating. The first thing on the agenda is to push the couch and Dad's chair back and turn them around to face the tree. Let me just go ahead and say that Dad does not do much in the way of decorating. He just sits back and bites his tongue as we take over.

After moving furniture around, the next thing is the lights which Jess and I do. This happens with very little bickering between the two of us. Ben wanted to help with the lights, but we put him in charge of the berries and various other strands of random goodies. He and Katie ended up doing those.

While the lights and berries were going on the tree, Caroline and Mary Lou were going through the ornaments and separating them by child into piles on the floor. This way all we had to do was grab our ornaments. Again, tradition is key here, people.

With the lights and ornaments on the tree, it's time for the Angel. Dad had this angel before he and Mom got married. The Angel has it's own little box and on the box her FULL name is written. By full name, I mean Naomi Suzanne Louise Elizabeth Ann. Those are the middle names of all the girls in our family. Each year, someone else gets to put the angel on the tree. However, with eight of us, that means you get to do it every eight years. Katie did it this year, Ben is next year, and that means that I get to do it in 2010. Go me.

The next step is to turn the lights in the living room off and plug the lights on the tree in. Dad's only real job is to say his one line. The line goes like this: "This is the prettiest tree we have ever had!" Every year, same thing.

We finish up with cookies and hot chocolate. Pictures to come soon.

The Reason for My Faith

For you formed my inward parts, you knit me
together in my mother's womb. I praise You, for You are
fearful and wonderful. Wonderful are Your works! You know
me well; my frame was not hidden from You, when I was
being made in secret, intricately wrought in the depths of
the earth. Your eyes beheld my unformed substance; in Your
book were written, every one of them, the days that were
formed for me, when as yet there was none of them. How
precious to me are Your thoughts, O God! How vast is the sum
of them!

Psalms 139:13-17

The Boy in the Striped Pajamas

I am sitting on my bed in my favorite pajama pants. They are canary yellow. Bright, beautiful yellow.

The words that I want to say don't want to come out right now. My head is pounding from crying so much. I haven't cried that much in a very long time. Horrible things happening to children does that to me. Injustice, oppression, ignorance, and hatred do that to me. I am talking about a film called "The Boy in the Striped Pajamas." I just returned home from seeing this film. I knew going into it that I was going to have a difficult time. My mother and all of my friends told me to be prepared for the horrific nature of the subject matter. All through the previews all I could say was that I was nervous. And I was. Still, I had no idea how moved I would be.

I don't want to give away anything for those of you who have not seen this brilliant movie, however, I do want to touch on several moments or realizations that jumped out at me.

1. Children are not born with prejudices. These are taught to them by their parents and those around them who have the power to influence their impressionable minds.
   
2. Children forgive easily. Their best friend can betray them in the worst way, whether it be tattle-tailing or much worse, and friendship still prevails.
   
3. No matter how much "duty" calls, God gave us, as fallen and warped as we are, the ability to distinguish the difference between right and wrong.
4. Racism exists in many forms and although some are unfamiliar to us in today's world, the impact need not be lost. History repeats itself and we should be mindful of the mistakes of the past so that we can prevent it from happening again.
5. Hatred is overpowering and disgusting. It is something else that children are not born with. It takes adults to teach that lesson.

I have been noticing the power of racism and closed-mindedness a great deal in my own life . From those who dislike someone for the color of their skin to those who cannot tolerate the religious or political views of those around them. Prejudices are harmful to people and the relationships shared by those people. The holocaust happened because someone thought that a certain race was unfit for our world. Racism. Someone thought that they were better than someone else because of the color of their hair, eyes, and facial features. Someone thought that they were superior because they were "Christians" and not Jewish. Because they were light skinned and not olive toned. Because they were German and not a decedent of Jacob. How is this any different than today? Don't some people think that they are better than those who have a darker colored skin? Or because they worship God and not Allah? Or because they are a Republican or Democrat? Doesn't it sound the same? Don't we hate based on the differences we see in others? Don't we discriminate against those who are different than us or those who think differently? This is what started the greatest massacre of the human race that the world has ever known. Hate. Discrimination. Ignorance. Arrogance. Not understanding someone and what they believe does not warrant hatred or racism.

There is no excuse for the intolerance of someone based on the color of their skin, the religion they practice, or the political view they hold. Especially in a country where the rights to free speech, freedom of religion, and the equality of all men has been handed to this generation, and the past several generations, on a silver platter. Perhaps that is the problem. Perhaps not having to fight for our voices to be heard and the ability to practice the religion of our choice has made us numb to the stories of the past and problems of the present. What happened over seventy years ago in Europe can not be reversed or changed, but we can prevent it from happening again. The best place to start is at home. Inside yourself. Working to understand one another and loving your neighbor as you love yourself regardless of varying view points. We are called to do unto others as we would have others do unto us. There are no "ifs", "ands", or "buts."

Do you want to be persecuted because you are Mexican, Catholic, Asian, African-American, Republican, Jewish, German, Moderate, Muslim, Democrat, Christian, or just plain old American?

I didn't think so.

More Christmas Clues

• Finals
• The fact that the library is crammed with students
• The Financial Aid office is less helpful than usual
• Looks of stress, worry, and misery on the face of every college student in America
• The fact that my usual bed time hits 1 or 2 am because of all-nighters

Not the most cheerful clues, but clues all the same. These same clues work for signs of summer as well. One more week and I am home free for several weeks. Praise Jesus.

Two tests down. Two more tests and one research paper to go.

Nobody Knows It But Me

There’s a place that I travel

when I want to roam

and nobody knows it but me.

The roads don’t go there

and the signs stay home

and nobody knows it but me.

It’s far far away and way way afar.

It’s over the moon and the sea.

And wherever you’re going

that’s wherever you are

and nobody knows it but me.

-Patrick O'Leary

The Story behind the poem-

The director was Eric Saarinen. The actress was photographer Sally Gall. James Garner recited the poem. Art Director Brad Neeley had the idea. We shot it in the Yukon and British Columbia. I’m the poet. Yes, it was the poem on that Chevy Tahoe commercial that came out in the fall of 2002. No, you didn't hear it when you were a child. Your Grandmother didn't read it to you. Or your Grandpa or your Dad. But I know what you mean: it was written to capture that childlike carefree sense of wonder and adventure. And Mr. Garner gave it a soothing sitting-on-your-poppa's-lap sort of feeling. People loved the spot. They really loved the poem. They found it hauntingly familiar. Was is Robert Frost? Robert Louis Stevenson? Walt Whitman? They were amazed and skeptical to hear it was written by an advertising copywriter from Detroit. I got dozens of emails and letters and phone calls. So did GM. Newspapers were flooded with queries about the poem. Radio stations, too. For a few months it seemed that everyone in America was wondering about it. What happened next was weird in the extreme. People made Christmas cards of the poem. People put it on their office walls. Sent it as a valentine. Insisted on House Silence whenever the commercial played. It gave a unique comfort to people. Cancer patients read it in the hospital. Lonely people found great solace in the words. A middle-school class memorized it and recited it. Dozens of discussion groups online chatted it up. A grammy-award-winning composer wrote a song to the lyrics. So did a bluegrass band. One woman did a beautiful cross stitch of the poem. It is on my office wall. Today, some five years later I still get the occasional email about it. It’s strange to be swept up in such a cultural phenomenon. It's very humbling to have moved so many so deeply.