Happy Christmas

To all two of you who read this:

Happy Christmas and New Year.  I hope everything is great for us all.

12.20.2008, a day to remember

Saturday, the Hoosier Dome (begrudgingly the RCA Dome) was imploded with 800+ charges.

My heart cries.

First, Market Square.

Now this.
I hope you're happy, Irsay.

"You finally did it. You maniacs! You blew it up!" -George Taylor (Charlton Heston), Planet of the Apes

Taming the Lion

Our cat is simply delightful. She's nothing more than a big kitten. She's always doing the silliest things like jumping into baskets or waiting at the door for us. Why can't I be more like that with the Master? Why don't I love to bring Him pleasure like she loves bringing us pleasure?

Osama I'm Not...

Today seems to be a great day for blogging...

My favorite days in the week are Monday and Thursday.  These are the days that I get to go to the middle school and the high school (respectively) for lunch.  It's always fun to see some of the teens from youth group and talk with them, but it's even better to see the confused looks of other teens trying to figure out who I am.  Some of them actually muster the fortitude to talk to me, usually mistaking me for a parent or a teacher.

Last Thursday, however, I was mistaken for a terrorist.  As I was scanning the cafeteria with my eyes, my head had apparently become transfixed on a particular table.  One of the students came up to me and asked if I was a terrorist planning to do something terrible to him and his friends.  I had to explain that my intentions were good and told him who I was.  Needless to say, they were relieved to find I was just another guy who enjoys the company of high school students.  Still, I laughed quite loudly in my car...

On the first date of Christmas...

A few weeks ago, Jess and I saw a news spot about couples trying to save money on Christmas this year.  One of the ideas was a couple who had decided to agree upon 12 dates that they would take during the Christmas season.  Jess and I thought that this was an awesome (I think her word was "cute") idea.  So, in no random order:

12 & 11 - decorating the apartment for Christmas (this seemed to be a two date process since we didn't have everything the first time) DONE

10 & 9 - movie nights (two nights were we each pick a movie to watch, usually rented from Netflix) HALF DONE

8 - Fair Trade expo in Madison DONE

7 - cookie baking

6 - Gamecube night

5 - game night

4 - TV show night

3 - organic food night

2 - serving night

1 - overnight to Milwaukee!

I've found that these dates have been super relaxing and helped to grow a lot of intimacy in our marriage.  It's been so good to just spend time with her instead of getting a Christmas gift that is either forgotten or used up in a short amount of time.  Instead, I'm investing in us.

FYI - Some of you might not know to what the actual "12 Days of Christmas" refer.  Historically, this has been the amount of time between Christmas and the Epiphany (I believe on Jan. 5), the day celebrated as the coming of the Magi to visit Jesus.  Now you know!

Life's Tensions

Jesus said that we're going to face troubles in this world.  I love the world "trouble."  The root word actually means to be pressed like grapes are pressed for wine.  The physical grape is crushed and squeezed so that the flavorful, fragrant juices can be leaked out.  How often are we pressed?  Paul uses the same word in 2 Corinthians 4:8 when he says, "We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed."  We are pressed out by things in the world.  We are emptied by our circumstances, but there is hope in knowing Christ...

The word "crushed" Paul uses means "to be in a narrow place."  We find ourselves in many narrow places, not knowing if we're going to make it through.  We feel squeezed by life and the things that are thrown at us by the world.  But Jesus says, "Don't be discouraged, I've overcome the world."  He's busted through the narrow walls so we can walk in a wide place with sure footing.

We will face the pressing, but it is in the pressing that we become like wine instead of like a grape.  Wine lasts far longer than a grape does.  Enjoy the pressing.  Let life press you out because you don't have to worry about being crushed.  Jesus keeps you juicy?  I don't think we'll ever use that in a church, nor should we.  It's a little weird.  Anyway, Jesus keeps you from being completely pressed out.  He's overcome the world and all its "troubles."