Wednesday, April 30, 2003  

You know on West Side Story, where the Jets make their first appearance... ? Seriously... If you met a bunch of prancing skinny New York boys who danced in rhythm and flashed their hands around, in a dark alley... would you

a) be terrified
b) be tempted to grab your switchblade/concealed weapon and fight them
c) a combo of a & b
d) want to somehow get the moves and join them in the dance
e) laugh and walk away
f) Join the Sharks so you could kick their butts

?

   [ posted  @ 7:37 PM | ]

What would you do for a Klondike bar?

   [ posted  @ 7:35 PM | ]

Christmas is the best time of the year (whether you know that or not.) On James Taylor's newest CD, it closes with the song "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas."

You know the version of the song where it starts:

CHRISTMAS FUTURE IS FAR AWAY
CHRISTMAS PAST IS PAST
CHRISTMAS PRESENT IS HERE TO STAY
BRINGING JOY THAT WILL LAST

?

When I hear/sing the 3rd line "Christmas PRESENT" i don't think of the "here and now." I think of the present - you know, like the toy, the gift i'll get, and it brings me joy all year. I know, that is weird.

   [ posted  @ 7:34 PM | ]

Before I say anything else, it was my nephew Samuel's 13th b-day yesterday and i did call him and stuff... but forgot to write a tribute about him until after i was tucked in bed. So, i have many great things to say about Sam. HAPPY BIRTHDAY! He is extremely polite, very loving, got a great sense of humor, and he is not too macho enough to tells me he misses me and he loves me when i call! That alone tells me he rocks!!!

:)

Thanks to anyone who wasn't pregnant and nursing and who sent me best-wishes and what-nots regarding my day from the pit of hell yesterday... :) We were all suffering from shell shock still today, but Izzy wasn't there so we had time to talk and get some things out of our systems. This is only the beginning but i will try not to clog up the blog with too much work stuff, although this is really only for me... so i can type what i want and you can just not read it if you are sick of it! I am learning a lot... about leadership and in the end i know i will be thankful for going thru all this. Like i told my brother, the grass is not greener on the other side, and no matter where you work, there will always be idiots (or izziots). Being a grown up is saying that it's true... but that you are more mature than that, not just to pack up and leave everytime there is conflict.

Well i'm going to go watch some TV now before going to Focus. The stupid 494-Westbound is down to one lane on the ride home so it is taking me forever to get home at night... but there is not any better route to get from there to here. Getting there is not much better. Nothing like a 45 min drive for only driving 18 miles. Someone start a savings to buy me new brakes.

Peace.

   [ posted  @ 1:12 PM | ]

DISCLAIMER:

What you are about to read (your choice) is for my personal therapy only... and i am telling you up front not to read this

if:

a) you are pregnant or nursing
b) you don't like hearing about someone's day at work
c) you hear the word "retail" and just about fall asleep
d) you believe that i should never complain or have mean thoughts
e) you would be disappointed in me if i didn't always think the best of others and the situations i am in

Good enough?

OK, then, i shall proceed, but again, i remind you that this is for my therapy only. If i do not type this out and get it out of my head, SOMEONE is going to receive a phone call, that which they will not be able to get me off the line for a very long time until they talk me down from one of the most stressful days ever.

And it's only 2:47.

Today was my first morning opening with our new OfficeMax store manager, Izzy. On May 8, it will be my 2-year (gag me with a fork) anniversary working at this store and company. In that time I have witnessed the coming and goings of 5 or more managers, including two store managers, not to mention quite a few supervisor changes. In that time I have not changed my job position. I was/am a receiving associate. And i've only received one raise (and a lame one, at that.)

With that said, you will see that the turn-over rate is shameful but probably average. Tom, who opened our store in Oct. 2000, lasted less than a year. Brandon lasted almost a year. Now we have this hot shot Izzy. You may remember me reporting that my first impressions of him were good ones, but that i was hard-pressed to find any of my co-workers who liked him.

Today i found out why.

Now before i get into this too deep, be aware that my previous manager, Brandon, was as laid-back as you can get. He never gave orders, he never really even hardly to anyone. He was an extremely nice guy... never got rattled or anything. Knew everything there was to know about anything, and he was only like 24 or 25. He worked his way up thru the company from a little putz like my job and then all the way to the top like this, and now he's working for some trucking company as a dispatcher.

We go from Brandon, low-key, very non-demanding to Izzy, extremely conceited, (way worse than me if that is possible...) high-energy, high-communication, and out of this world ideals. I imagine he was the star football dude on his team or whatever sports he played he never lost a game. He claims where-ever he goes is the best place (sounds like me) and he never comes in second. greeeeeeeat. Now, i may SAY stuff like that, but i'm joking. I don't actually believe it about myself. He, actually believes it.

You're thinking, "so? That's good! Isn't that what you wanted?"

OK.

Yes, the answer is yes.

But then here's the rest.

I already work 35-40 hours a week, barely ever getting on the floor to do customer service because my list of things to do in a day is a page long... and it keeps me busy back in receiving. I never take lunches, even tho we are supposed to and only recently have i been even taking a 10 minute break. I just work all the time there. This is to make a point that i have a lot of responsibilities already, for which I know i am highly under-paid.

Today, Izzy, me and Hector came at six, and Izzy sat us down and gave us a crap-load of more responsibilities. Basically reverting to the way the store was hap-hazardly run about 1 year to 6 months ago. He took all the pressure back off of the night crew and divided it up between me and Hector as if we didn't do enough or had enough to do. I was speechless and just laughed inside. But it didn't stop there.

A few months ago, I lobbied for a night-crew check list, because the list of things we were being asked to do in the morning was out of this world and completely unattainable... and after i whined enough and complained enough and after i totally just STOPPED doing things (downstocking, for example)- they finally saw what i was saying, and made a night-crew checklist. On this list is things like cleaning, changing garbages, zoning the store, downstocking certain aisles depending on the night of the week, etc. It was a good system. Now i know that the losers working at night (a lot of high schoolers) just SIGN OFF on that checklist and most of the stuff, they don't do, because the manager closing just wants to go home, and they figure we'll pick up the slack in the morning.

Well now i guess it really doesn't matter, because me and Hector are being asked to be the only 2 people in the store that make it look great... which includes setting all planograms, downstocking (which is Hector's job now, alone), zoning, whatever.

Then to top it off, i got handed the job of Data Integrity AND PRICE CHANGES, which are about 20 or 30 hours of work a week for which i was not in charge before, because i tried to explain to them i can't do it all, so Shannon took price changes (which she sucks at) and the opening managers worked out a very well-oiled Data Integrity system for scanning which items we are out of, so that our store is replenished. Today Izzy wiped that whole system out, and we're going back to an archaic way of scanning this stuff (we? i should say MEEEEEEEEEE), writing down the upc code of every single item it says we're out of (which is over 150 items currently) and then searching for those items on a daily basis to make sure our "outs" are correct.

The system we had polished insured that everyone work on it... we made shelf tags of the discrepency items, and printed them off on plain paper, and associates were handed the lists to find the stuff during down time in the store. We were pround to bring that list down to only 60 things were were out of (a huge improvement) AND ONLY one page of research to do.

I asked Izzy, "did you ever try it the way we are doing it (which was company policy up until about a month ago) because it works really well here," and he said no, he thinks it's stupid. He just laughed about it. He said he tried the way he asked me to do it today at one store for about a month and thinks it will work but he's not sure because he wasn't there long enough to see if it works. I just laughed at him and nodded my head. One half hour into my day... and i realized the only way i would get thru the next 8 hours would be nod my head constantly, and say "yes..."

Barb, our CopyMax person called in sick. None of us know how to do the copy center. All i know is how to make a regular black and white copy and how to fax. Guess who gets stuck in copy max.

Me.

Can we just say, "expletive deleted" ?

So i put on my best fake smile and start turning away customers. I know that is way wrong to do, but i'd rather be honest with them than lie and waste their time while they watch me stare blankly at machines i've never been trained on. For one patient older guy, i actually did resize a color photo. I figured that on my own. After that, i just started telling people, i'm sorry but I don't work in this department and our woman who does is sick. Take your business somewhere else. And not to much suprise, they actually appreciated that.

I rock.

OK... i could tell you many things that were crazy about today. They say we hate most in others, what we see in ourselves. And I know there is a lot of Izzy in me. But if i've learned one thing in 8 years of being a up-front leader in managerial settings even though it was a church, i know that when you are the new horse out of the shoot, you don't go making 15,000 changes the first day. You go, learn what is working there first, and assess the situation... so that you can build team unity. Ask the question "what is working really great here now? What could you improve? What would you like me to do for you to make your job better?" Right now, everyone hates him... and i'm sure he's just testing our resolve and flexing his muscles and we just have to wait it out.

He almost made Shannon (cashier) cry about 4x today. I felt really bad for her. She tried to ask him a question and he totally cut her off and belittled her. She got these big tears in her eyes and was so hurt. He reminds me of a frat boy jerk head.

I don't even know how to get some of it out what i am feeling. Part of me says, well, i guess i could start working there until about 3:30 each day, rack up a ton of overtime (and get a huge check) to prove my point that i can't do everything i'm expected to do, come home, eat a quick lunch and head off to Richfield for my night job without a break, and when they get the pay roll report, they'll see a problem and then do something about it. I wish i could convince Hector to do that too, but he's too smart for that (although i heard him complain for the first time in a long time today, which leads me to believe i do have a good case!)

I am not sure how i can re-arrange my days any differently to squeeze in 30 more hours of work a week in there. And there is nothing i can technically cut out (or pass off on someone else) because if i let any of it go, it will take months to straighten out, and we are less than two months from inventory. So if this is fun now, wait until then. (I believe that if we make inventory at our store, it is 100% because of me, alone. My job is that detailed with the counts of what we have and don't have that i could fix it or screw it up royally.)

Today was a big day for me, because i'm seeing spiritual applications in all of this. Part of me is thinking i had to go thru this, because i might be the new top-dog in a few months in a ministry setting and i'll know how to take care of a team better now, as i get into it. At least i'll know what NOT to do. Or how NOT to act. So that is good.

I am not much of an optimist, so it's hard for me to draw much good from today. And it's also hard for me to say positive things to keep the team going when a lot of people come up to me with their complaints about Izzy, and i'd like to be the one that calms them down and tries to put in a good word for him and help them see it another way... but man, it's very hard for me. I was able to bite my tongue, a lot, which is a sign i am growing up. So i was happy about that. I did commiserate with Justin i the back. And he was understanding!

Isn't this all SO STUPID!??????????????????? I know reading it over might seem to you like it's not that big of a deal... But believe me when i come up for my review next month, i'm going to go off on whomever does it, because this time, they're going to hear that if they don't promote me and start paying me for what i do... i'm not going to comply with Izzy's game of me and Hector doing it all, while the night kids can leave us big messes to clean up in the morning and never be told what to do (or made to do it.)

When Mike came in (he is my direct supervisor/manager dude) i begged him not to let these changes happen, and to please never let Izzy open the store in the morning again, and i told him about the change in the data integrity process and he really was suprised and horrified at that, but he did tow the party line and just said we'll have to do it Izzy's way until Izzy learns the hard way that that stuff won't work here.

And then the last interesting part of my day was i was helping a lady over the phone who ordered an inkjet cartridge (memo to the world, NEVER EVER EVER EVERY BUY ANYTHING MADE FROM CANON!) - and was promised it would be here today but it never came because Shannon never faxed it right, and then i had to do all these phone calls to find out that the cartridge is on back order and it will take 7-10 days to get here, and this lady needed it today for her son, and so she was so mad, and is going
to just buy a new printer because she doesn't want to wait that long (RETARDED PEOPLE...!) and then she told me that she has worked in human resources and manages the customer service for two hotels in town and has never received as good of customer service as i gave her today... and that she was very impressed with the way i handled things, when really it was Shannon's problem... so that was cool.

OK well this didn't solve much. It feels good to have it out on the screen. I feel like i'm on the verge of a nervous breakdown and i'm not even 30. I wish i could say i didn't care so much, but i like to really try to excell at whatever i do, and just as i was getting into a routine and a good method going in this store with the whole team finally following one plan... the rug gets pulled. I knew there was a reason i started my day by praying for a lot of strength and patience.

Because i was able to smile the whole day, and just get stuff done. Thankfully i won't be seeing Izzy again until Friday.

Comments? E-mail me.

From James 1, today, this is good for you to read, after all what I just said. This is from the Message translation (a very modern paraphrase) but easy to read and it relaly hits home for me.

James 1: 1 - 27

1 I, James, am a slave of God and the Master Jesus, writing to the twelve tribes scattered to Kingdom Come: Hello!

2 Consider it a sheer gift, friends, when tests and challenges come at you from all sides. 3 You know that under pressure, your faith-life is forced into the open and shows its true colors. 4 So don't try to get out of anything prematurely. Let it do its work so you become mature and well-developed, not deficient in any way. 5 If you don't know what you're doing, pray to the Father. He loves to help. You'll get his help, and won't be condescended to when you ask for it. 6 Ask boldly, believingly, without a second thought. People who "worry their prayers" are like wind-whipped waves. 7 Don't think you're going to get anything from the Master that way, 8 adrift at sea, keeping all your options open. 9 When down-and-outers get a break, cheer! 10 And when the arrogant rich are brought down to size, cheer! Prosperity is as short-lived as a wildflower, so don't ever count on it. 11 You know that as soon as the sun rises, pouring down its scorching heat, the flower withers. Its petals wilt and, before you know it, that beautiful face is a barren stem. Well, that's a picture of the "prosperous life." At the very moment everyone is looking on in admiration, it fades away to nothing. 12 Anyone who meets a testing challenge head-on and manages to stick it out is mighty fortunate. For such persons loyally in love with God, the reward is life and more life.

13 Don't let anyone under pressure to give in to evil say, "God is trying to trip me up." God is impervious to evil, and puts evil in no one's way. 14 The temptation to give in to evil comes from us and only us. We have no one to blame but the leering, seducing flare-up of our own lust. 15 Lust gets pregnant, and has a baby: sin! Sin grows up to adulthood, and becomes a real killer. 16 So, my very dear friends, don't get thrown off course. 17 Every desirable and beneficial gift comes out of heaven. The gifts are rivers of light cascading down from the Father of Light. There is nothing deceitful in God, nothing two-faced, nothing fickle. 18 He brought us to life using the true Word, showing us off as the crown of all his creatures.

19 Post this at all the intersections, dear friends: Lead with your ears, follow up with your tongue, and let anger straggle along in the rear. 20 God's righteousness doesn't grow from human anger. 21 So throw all spoiled virtue and cancerous evil in the garbage. In simple humility, let our gardener, God, landscape you with the Word, making a salvation-garden of your life. 22 Don't fool yourself into thinking that you are a listener when you are anything but, letting the Word go in one ear and out the other. Act on what you hear! 23 Those who hear and don't act are like those who glance in the mirror, 24 walk away, and two minutes later have no idea who they are, what they look like. 25 But whoever catches a glimpse of the revealed counsel of God - the free life! - even out of the corner of his eye, and sticks with it, is no distracted scatterbrain but a man or woman of action. That person will find delight and affirmation in the action. 26 Anyone who sets himself up as "religious" by talking a good game is self-deceived. This kind of religion is hot air and only hot air. 27 Real religion, the kind that passes muster before God the Father, is this: Reach out to the homeless and loveless in their plight, and guard against corruption from the godless world.

   [ posted  @ 1:48 PM | ]

Tonight at Focus, I ran across the funniest last name of the month... JORB. This is only funny if you've seen the Homestar Runner cartoon, A JORB WELL DONE

Dude i am so suuuuuuuure! It was so funny! I wish i could tell you about some of the other names i ran across in my time there, but it involves first and last names... so that would be like against company policy. But they are funny!

And if you haven't already seen it, watch that movie online!

   [ posted  @ 7:59 PM | ]

From John 21 in THE MESSAGE Bible translation 18 I'm telling you the very truth now: When you were young you dressed yourself and went wherever you wished, but when you get old you'll have to stretch out your hands while someone else dresses you and takes you where you don't want to go." 19 He said this to hint at the kind of death by which Peter would glorify God. And then he commanded, "Follow me."

20 Turning his head, Peter noticed the disciple Jesus loved following right behind. 21 When Peter noticed him, he asked Jesus, "Master, what's going to happen to him?" 22 Jesus said, "If I want him to live until I come again, what's that to you? You - follow me." 23 That is how the rumor got out among the brothers that this disciple wouldn't die. But that is not what Jesus said. He simply said, "If I want him to live until I come again, what's that to you?" 24 This is the same disciple who was eyewitness to all these things and wrote them down. And we all know that his eyewitness account is reliable and accurate. 25 There are so many other things Jesus did. If they were all written down, each of them, one by one, I can't imagine a world big enough to hold such a library of books.

One reason why i like to study the Reformed Theology is because they believe in election, in God pre-ordaining each of us to a call... a specific slot we fit into. I like verse 22 up there, where Jesus is like WHAT'S IT TO YOU?

John, "the disciple Jesus loved," had his own lot in life, and so did Peter. Peter was cool, a lot like me i think... always worried if he's going to get his fair share or a better deal than someone else. He was completely human... and was full of faults.

Sometimes i think of my colleagues in ministry and really envy them. Maybe they got to eat lunch with a parent volunteer today, or teach a Bible study tonight, or re-arrange their office, or go for a walk with a new student, or made phone calls to kids they haven't seen in awhile... or maybe their day was really boring or stressful. Maybe their associate pastor reamed them out because some jr. high student scribbled on a door during sunday school yesterday. Still i'd envy them but still Jesus would say:

WHAT'S THAT TO YOU?

Katie, didn't i call you to just Follow Me? You have your own trail to blaze. And you're blazing it now, even if you don't think you are. Rumors come and go, about why you left River of Life, why you left Mt. Zion, why you've not been hired anywhere yet, why some of your "unworthy" colleages in ministry get more of the pie than you do. Haven't you obeyed every last detail of a command i gave you in the last 5 months? Then just wait with me... while I finish this work in you.

Yeah. It's not easy being green, like Kermit said. I talk to some of my friends i left behind at ROL and really pity them and think man, it really kind of sucks to be going to such a no-count church when the Twin Cities area is packed with some awesomely amazingly wonderful churches that are busy really making a marked difference. Honestly that is how i feel about them, but then i'm reminded what Jesus would say, WHAT'S THAT TO YOU? He asked me to follow Him out of there, and He showed me at the time others would some day leave as well, but that's not of my concern. They have work to do, and so do i, just not together. And as I turn my focus to other churches (and contemplate ever joining one any better than EPPC ) to consider working for another... it's something that consumes me... But each of those thoughts are just another "What's that to you?"

So anyways back to the Reformed Theology... Most days i truly take comfort in knowing that my steps were pre-ordained by God... that i would walk this road and he called me to it for a purpose. To me it is a form of suffering - to be living what appears to be outside of your desire & call... to watch others prosper and advance while you look on from the shelf, a dried piece of clay you don't feel like the potter has touched in months... I know i am not a dry piece of clay, because I know i'm being made into something super cool... But if anything would make me a reformed thinker, it is this "shelf" experience... it could only be God's hands that i still prosper in mind, will, and emotions (as well as spiritually and financially etc.) during this time. Knowing i was elected to this place by His divine will helps me know it won't be forever, and even if it is, what really is that to me?

Micah 6:8 i guess just has to do it for me today... "He has shown you, oh man, what is good and what does the Lord require of you? But to do justly, and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God."

Alright. That's it, to me.

   [ posted  @ 7:49 PM | ]

That last entry was deleted bc i tried to post a link to a little 1948 movie i found about Minnesota and it didn't work. Oh well.

   [ posted  @ 5:38 PM | ]

   [ posted  @ 5:30 PM | ]

Today was casual day at church, but somehow i've always been not in the know when that is planned and show up there, dressed up. I wish i would have known bc i like going in jeans. Not that i could not have worn jeans any old time but it's the one day of the week i put on something other than jeans or khakis for work, so whatever. I don't mind it.

At any rate, today was "Compassion Sunday" plus it being like a dress-down Sunday. I used to sponsor a Compassion kid, when i was in kolej, and i think he lived in South America. Anyways, EPPC chose a village in Uganda to sponsor a bunch of children. So they had a Compassion representative there, plus a man & his wife who went on a mission trip there, members of the church, gave the message along with video and slide show regarding their trip.

Because the theme was sponsoring children today, it was cool, because for all the power point slides they put up for the songs we sing... so we can sing along, in the background they used the power point to display pictures of the little children and African life... it was very well done... really made the whole service come together. Plus on the casual sundays they sing more, and encourage people to clap to the music and stuff.

There was a young engaged couple sitting in front of me. At one point in the service, the ushers passed out prayer request cards that the children in Uganda had asked our church to pray for, and we were asked to get in small groups of 3 or 4 and pray for these requests. Pastor Matt said if you're not comfortable praying out loud, just read out loud the words and that will be good enough. Well i assumed this young couple had been to this church before, but one thing that sets you apart is if you are not wearing a pre-printed name tag. You pick them up from a display they have right when you walk in. If you visit more than once, they make a nice name tag for you and encourage everyone to wear it, so you all can get to know people. Well at the Maundy Thursday service we all had to wear them, it wasn't really a request. And so i just though i'd put mine on today. ANYWAYS.

ok

The two of them looked uncomforable about the pray out loud thing so i just said i'll pray and i just prayed for what was on the card. Then they asked me if i went to that church and the boy says to the girl "well of course she does she has a name tag..." and we all laughed. And then i said i 've been going only since January. They asked if every service was like this... (it was actually very contemporary and almost charismatic today!) and i laughed and said no... That only once a month they try to break things down. Then i asked if it was their first time and they said yes. So i explained what was going on, and said it was a really good church. The guy seemed a little uncomfortable... the girl seemed to sort of know how to go thru the motions.

Anyways i almost asked them out to lunch but then chickened out. But before i left i said maybe i'll see you next week and they both laughed and smiled. I asked for information on their small groups when the little friendship pad was passed down the aisle, and asked if they have anything on the weekends.

The slide show pictures and video of the mission trip to Africa made me remember the good points of when we went to Mexico in '98 (minus the deadly heat). That was cool.

   [ posted  @ 3:48 PM | ]

I can just see the headlines now...

Young apartment dweller accidently murders elderly apartment dweller in stairway debacle

Whoops. You see, there is, from my underground parking garage, several entrances and exists. I live on the top (third) floor of this building, which is approximately 70 or 80 steps up walking, or one can take the elevator, for which there is a quick ride if it's already at "G" but a long wait if it's up on "3" which it usually is for some reason. I have learned you are quicker if you don't take the gamble of waiting for the elevator, and just run up the stairs.

Today after church (more on that later) I was full of energy, slightly hungry, and just wanted to run up the stairs like i normally do. I know you are thinking the insane sight of me bounding up the stairs, but it's a fun cardio workout, albeit a short one.

Plus i'm all dressed up in my little dress shoes etc. walking sort of like a snob... oh well, walking quickly.

Now at this stairway entrance/exit, it is odd, but i am amazed at how many times i have met people coming out of the door just as i am going into it. In order to access the garage from the stairway, one needs their building key. But to access the stairway from the garage, you do not need a key. Duh. Okay. I was accessing the stairway from the garage today, with my backpack over my arm, and bible in that hand as well. I came upon the door quite suddenly and threw it open (it opens to the inside... like going towards the stairs) and nearly KILLED AN OLD LADY!

Mercy!

I put my hand to my chest and gave a good laugh, as she was laughing, startled, but not angry, as she very well could have been. I said something like "well that's not a very nice way for me to say, 'happy Sunday' to you!" she laughed and i apologized as she whisked herself out of the door. Poor thing! She probably had her key ready to insert into the lock and here i come flying thru the door like the cement garage is on fire.

I laughed about it to myself as i made the olympic romp up the flights of stairs, but i realized how totally messed up that was that i almost offed an old lady, dude. I got up in my dwelling, sat down, and realized i really have to take it more easy coming in that door way. That has happened to me several times before... I need to calm down! Sometimes i'm going into the garage at the same speed, but the necessity of using the key slows me way down.

But, if you are in the process of inserting or turning the key, and someone comes thru the door not knowing you are there, dang. Be careful!!!

   [ posted  @ 3:35 PM | ]

Ooops. I left out one more word i learned tonight

Opprorious - Expressing contemptuous reproach; scornful or abusive: opprobrious epithets.
Bringing disgrace; shameful or infamous: opprobrious conduct.

Ok. Now we are all caught up.

Back to reading my CLIVE. (that's a person, not a vocab word.)

   [ posted  @ 4:36 PM | ]

Finally, to put the end to one of the great Unknowns of my many years on earth... What does it mean when you're reading and someone puts an (i.e. blah blah) what does the "i.e." stand for?

It is Latin, for in est, and stands for "that is."

Once again, thanks to dictionary.com (something i use almost daily).

The sentence I read in C.S. Lewis' SUPRISED BY JOY was this (from p. 87), "You could be a Coll Blood or merely a House Blood, a Coll Punt (i.e. a pariah, and unpopular person) or merely a House Punt; and of course a Coll Tart or merely a House Tart. A Tart is a pretty and effeminate-looking small boy who acts as a catamite to one or more of his seniors, usually Bloods. Usually, not always." HAHAHA! You have to understand, he's talking about life at a British boy's school. So now i have to go look up whatever in the world a CATAMITE is.

What a great lesson for my enlargement of vocabulary. Tonight alone i've learned 4 new words!

pied-a'-terre is a second place of lodging

fag - (contrary to what you may use it for,) Clive was intending it to mean a student at a British school required to perform menial tasks for an upperclassman. I looked it up, and that is actually what the first meaning of the word is!

Dyarchy - government by two joint rulers

and the above-mentioned "i.e."

Wow. I'm getting smarrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrt.

And now, so are you.

   [ posted  @ 4:34 PM | ]

Youth Ministry as a "thing" has failed Another great, yet slap in the face article by Mr. Yanocelli, one of today's premier youth ministry gurus. I didn't like what it had to say, but that is because what he is saying is the truth and a lot of us have known it for a long time. And it is true... the truth hurts.

This afternoon I spent a lot of time job hunting for a new ministry again. Every state, every denomination, every job description all looks exactly the same to me. The need is the same everywhere... and I can't find work. One said i was close but no cigar, another says i'm over-qualified (explain that, please)... the rest discriminate based on where i previously attended church. Oh well. I have a feeling i'm being called to do some type of ecumenical ministry... as most denominations are complete failures, and most non-denomational labeled churches are just clones of Saddleback and Willow Creek, without finding their own voice in their own communities. And those pastors are well-intentioned, those who made up these churches, but whatever.

I did apply at a big church near where I grew up... which was weird for me, but it was the only one I was truly excited to send a resume too. I am probably too small of a fish for them to consider. Anyways moving to Green Bay would not be so bad. But it's just one of tons of resumes i've sent out lately.

What is with this, too? Most job postings i find anywhere are either for baptist or presbyterian churches. Mix in a few Lutheran and UMC and that's about it. Hmm. One thing i am kind of picky about is that if a church does not have a website or has a sucky website, i won't probably send my info there. Because i want to work at a church that is already valuing the importance of the Gen-Y and Z need to be online and this is where they get their information from.

OK. I'm tired... work was ok this morning. I was working on a study for people taking asthma medications. I see that my brother's blog site has a ton of links to marketing research online sites. That is what i do at my temp job... so i signed up for some. Of course I have to lie on the screening questions "do you work at an advertising, marketing or marketing research firm" but technically i work at a temp service!!!! So, there. I know how screeners are written, though, and i can fudge my way thru them to probably qualifiy myself. Gotta be... careful.

   [ posted  @ 3:49 PM | ]

Another weird thing happened to me today...... besides almost burning my building down with smoking fish. We have two washers/driers in our laundry room here on my floor, and someone else was drying their clothes, so i got to put one load (i had two loads to do) in the one dryer that was available, and then left my wet clothes in there with a towel over them to wait to come back later when theirs was done drying. Well after an hour had passed and it was time to go change the loads and put the other one in an available drier, (is it dryer or drier) whomever (whoever?) was before me put my laundry in there and paid the 75 cents to dry it. So both loads were done. Now that is cool and a random act of kindness and all (good thing i have extremely cute undies...) but isn't it kind of creepy?? I was kind of creeped out by it. But i'll just count it for a blessing bc there are mostly only old ladies on my floor and she probably felt bad for making me wait to dry the rest of my stuff.

Hmmm.

   [ posted  @ 3:17 PM | ]

Today I ate a whole one pound of heaven and i cannot pass up the opportunity to recommend this DELICIOUS recipe to you!!! It is very quick and easy to make... and totally is so good. The only problem w/ fish is that it is not filling. So when you make this, serve a lot with it... bc all i made was the fish! I recommend a big salad, some type of potatoes and a dessert!!

Honey Orange Roughy
Mild flavored orange roughy fish is teamed with honey and orange juice.
Servings: 4

• 1 pound orange roughy fillets
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped green onion
• 1 teaspoon finely shredded orange peel
• 2 tablespoons orange juice
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 1/2 teaspoon paprika
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon pepper


Cut fish into 4 serving-size portions.

In small bowl, stir together onion, orange peel, orange juice, honey, paprika, salt and pepper.

Place fish on the unheated rack of a broiler pan. Brush some of the glaze over fish. Broil 4 inches from heat. Allow 4 to 6 minutes per 1/2 inch thickness of fish until fish just flakes with a fork, brushing occasionally with glaze. Garnish with orange slices, if desired.

============
OK the funny thing about this was... I've never made fish before and it was sooooooooooooooo good! So when it was "done" i was not positive it was done. But i ate some and then there was one little piece left and i wanted to broil it a little longer bc it seemed to cool off. But i left it in the oven about 30 sec too long and opened the oven and smoke was pouring out!!!! Turned on the fans... good thing the big door to the balcony was open and the smoke has cleared, now about an hour after i'm done eating. Definitely make this fish!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I'm convinced it is what Jesus served his disciples after His resurrection that one morning in John 21. It is the most delicious thing EVER. OK.

   [ posted  @ 3:13 PM | ]

Tomorrow is my store manager's last day at OMax and after we were done unloading the truck today our assistant manager told me that after Hector and I unloaded the truck LAST week, we left the back doors wide open, along with the roll-up door where the truck parks it self in!! WHOA! He said Izzy (the guy who was taking over for our store manager last week, and who will be our new manager) was sooooooooo ticked off and he reamed Jim (assistant manager) out about it, and was mad at me and Hector. Or Hector and I. Both of us anyways. And so now next time i see Izzy, Jim says i have to apologize to him. Sheeeesh. Actually we had stayed two hours late, and when i left, i assumed Teddy and the other lazy boy workers were still back there, and that Izzy was on his way to lock up the doors. I should stop assuming things it is getting me into trouble. I am totally making an excuse here, but if Izzy is as hard-nosed as everyone else besides me says he is, i think good ol' kt will be finding her self even more unhappy with her work situations than she already is. I will just hope and pray better things than that. I do take responsibility here before the whole cyberspace world that yes i did leave the doors wide open, but i wasn't the only one! HAHA! If i'm going down i'm bringing all the other no-counts with me! For Pete's sake. Do you really think someone is lurking around the back of the mall complex to run into the messy receiving bay of little Shakopee OfficeMax to maybe happen to steal a 128 meg Lexar Media Jump Drive, or a file folder or two, or how about some discontinued dirt devil vaccum cleaners, or some ink jet cartidges for a stupid Lexmark Z23? Come on ppl?!!!

OK i'm sorry! Go to bed, kt. ok.

   [ posted  @ 7:41 PM | ]

I wanted to post these for whosoever cares... These are some Smoothie recipes i found and i have tried most of them myself and i like to make things in my blender and if you do too, you should try them because they are good and good for you, as it turns out. Where-ever it says "yogurt" i would use FROZEN yogurt, you can get it sugar free and nonfat if you need to. With all the other ingredients, it really doesn't matter if it has sugar because these will be sweet enough on their own without all those calories. And if you're just one person like me and aren't entertaining a bunch of people, just half the recipe and you've got yourself a cool tasty thing to drink w/ a straw. ok bye.

Fruit Smoothie
Cool, Smooth and Sweet. Servings: 4

• 4 cups vanilla yogurt
• 4 medium bananas
• 2 cups frozen strawberries
• 2 cups orange juice


Freeze strawberries the day before.

Place 1/2 of each amount into blender. Blend on high for 30 minutes. Place other half of ingredients in blender and repeat.

Serve immediately.

Per Serving: 275 Calories
2g Fat
7g Protein
60g Carbohydrate
3g Dietary Fiber
5mg Cholesterol
75mg Sodium


Orange Smoothie
Sweet and Tangy! Servings: 6


• 1 - 6 ounce can frozen orange juice concentrate
• 1/2 cup sifted powdered sugar
• 2 cups skim milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 5 to 6 large ice cubes


In blender, combine juice, milk and sugar. Cover and blend until smooth. With blender running, add ice cubes, one at a time and cover and blend after each addition. Blend until smooth and frothy. Pour into chilled glasses and serve.

Per Serving: 172 Calories
Trace Fat (2% calories from fat)
5g Protein
37g Carbohydrate
Trace Dietary Fiber
2mg Cholesterol
65mg Sodium


Tropical Smoothie
Fruity, cool and satisfying. Servings: 4
Serving Size: 8 ounces

• 1 ripe medium banana, sliced
• 1/3 cup frozen orange juice concentrate
• 1 - 8 ounce can crushed pineapple in juice, chilled
• 1 1/2 cups vanilla low fat frozen yogurt
• 1 cup skim milk


In a blender container, combine banana, undrained pineapple and orange juice concentrate. Cover and blend until almost smooth. Add low fat ice cream and fat free skim or 1% lowfat milk. Cover and blend until smooth. Pour into glasses.

Garnish with a sprinkle of toasted coconut if desired.

Per Serving: 189 Calories
1g Fat (6% calories from fat)
7g Protein
39g Carbohydrate
1g Dietary Fiber
5mg Cholesterol
89mg Sodium


Vanilla Orange Shake
Soooo Good! Servings: 2


• 1/2 cup fat-free frozen vanilla yogurt
• 1/2 cup ice cubes
• 1/2 cup orange juice
• 1/4 teaspoon vanilla


Combine all ingredients and blend in blender on high until smooth.

Note: May substitute pineapple juice for orange juice.

Per Serving: 73 Calories
trace Fat (1.4% calories from fat)
2g Protein
16g Carbohydrate
trace Dietary Fiber
0mg Cholesterol


Lime Sherbet Cooler
Tangy and cool on a hot summer day.

Servings: 2

• 1 cup skim milk
• 1 cup lime sherbet
• 1/4 cup limeade concentrate, frozen


Place milk, sherbet and limeade concentrate in blender container. Cover; blend until smooth.

Pour into frosted glasses; garnish with lime slices, if desired.

Per Serving: 247 Calories
2g (8% Calories from Fat
5g Protein
54g Carbohydrate
1g Dietary Fiber
7mg Cholesterol

   [ posted  @ 7:34 PM | ]

AND NOW FOR BIRTHDAY GREETINGS THAT WILL SPAN ACROSS THE GLOBE AND BACK!

HAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAPPY HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO MY BIG BROTHER, JON-PAUL!

Jon-Paul is my most handsome brother out of all one brothers that i have. He stood his own in a house with 5 women (sometimes) growing up and only my dad for male-support. That alone gives any man strength, character and a few big anger veins on his forehead! (and neck.) He keeps his own blog and the address for it is at the left there you can see it. He is super intelligent computer guy - although if you try to ask him a question, don't expect to be able to understand the answer if it's in regards to anything that plugs in, has an "on" button or can be rendered useless when the power is shut off. But that is a good thing, if you can't understand him bc it just goes to show how much effort the guy is willing to work on something if he knows that much about electronics, it's only because he studied on his own and learned it because its not something he went to school for.

Besides being basically a nice looking geek, (haha) my brother is really a devoted father and husband, and a very level-headed dude. You should meet him. He makes friends easily, is a man of his word and except for all those times he beat the snot out of me, he treated me right nice growing up. I always knew I had a protective big brother watching out for me. So COOOOOOOOL! Happy B-day to you!!

   [ posted  @ 12:22 PM | ]

On Tuesday, I posted a link to a personality test but i typed the wrong address. Please go to The Spark to find it! Whoops! Not that Greg and Rebecca Sparks don't deserve a few more hits on their website, ironically i typed that in and they are contemporary Christian musicians. Haven't heard from them in awhile! You will see on THE SPARK a place on the home page to do personality tests...

   [ posted  @ 11:19 AM | ]

If the world were made of musicals and i was one of the stars (of course) sometimes there are solos, and sometimes there are group choruses. Sometimes the songs are melancholy and sometimes they are giddy and happy. Today was mostly a giddy day. Maybe they should make a musical with a scene of being stuck in traffic, or waiting in line at the grocery store, or typing on a blog.

The slow song as the single girl wraps up her day

It's nine-thirty one in the eeeeeeeeeeevening...
I'm alone at last this day...
So much to do and say
So much to think and praaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaayyyyyyyyyy

And you, you are there,
you are there reading this blog
this blog for you and me today
TODAAAAAAAAAYYYYYYYYYYY

Toniiiiiiiiiiiiiiiight. This blog tonight...
{and then as i sing, musical notes would be graphically enhanced to punch out of
the keys as i type in rhythm to the song}.

OK I am so brave and so brave. Always brave. My new friend Dave at focus, who gets to sit at a big desk not a cubicle (how did that work? He is new and he gets the big desk and the rest of us who've been there at least a few months are stuck in cubes... ?!!) asked me in his words and "awkward personal question" tonight. And he asked if i was seeing anyone and of course i lied and said no. I mean... i told the truth and said no... and he said he has a friend he thinks i would totally click with whose name is Alan and he works for AT&T and i was like all giddy (think musical!) and said of course i'll meet him i love meeting new people. Ha. Anyways that giveth me 3 extra brave and fun points for the day.

Not like i've never done that before but some people would be all like "no way," and i'm all like "okay!"

Some people spell it "OK" and others spell it "OKAY." I usually just type OK. OK?

Powermax. Tomorrow. 8:30 AM. 544 pieces. Be there to unload the truck, OK? We have plenty of pallets. Over & out.

   [ posted  @ 7:36 PM | ]

Wow well how is that for irony. I just typed a really long blog and when i went to post & publish it, it was gone bc i was not online. I think that is good because I was fairly negative in it and who wants to read all that!! ?

But now i am all typed and blogged out and you just spent your time reading about not much of anything.

Made spaghetti for lunch. Spaghetti is weird for me bc you can eat it, be full, and 30 min later are hungry again. Dude.

Waaarm day today. Bring back the snow.

   [ posted  @ 1:43 PM | ]

Proof GW and Sadam are best buds

You gotta check out that website it is SOOOOOOOOO FUNNY! Thanks to my mom for sending it my way. Very well done.

If the world was all musicals, i think i would make one up about doing marketing research calls too. So i'd be the interviewer and i'd call you up, singing, of course and say

"Hellooooooooooooo! My name is Katie from Focus, Market, Research"

and the whole phone room would drop their phones, lean out of their cubicles and say "Focus, Market, Researrrrrrrrrrrch!"

And then the callee would sing, "Oh? Thank you so much for calling me!"

And I'd sing, "We are working on a couple of paid research studies... you know the kind that you want to do with a buddy... but can't!! (sing sing) Do you have time for some questionnnnnnnnnnnnnns?"

And the phone room echos, "Some time for some questions, do you have time????"

And the person on the line sings back, "Sure, fire away!"

And then cut to this scene of all these people at home getting inteviewed... singing "fire away, i have time for your phone call today..."

OK. Life should be so grande.

I know I'm on to something here. I'll have to develop the idea more, but if you come up with a good idea, you send it to me in the email and if it's worthy, i'll publish it here.

   [ posted  @ 7:41 PM | ]

So last night i taped this old movie from 1946 called THE HARVEY GIRLS. It's another musical to add to my collection. Very well done! It got me thinking, wouldn't the world be a much more fun and awesome place if we all sang and danced around with each other like that? Here these girls were getting off this train in this old western town... and the guys heard pretty girls were coming, and the girls were there to work at a new restaurant and the whole town broke out into the chorus and were all choreographed and stuff. dude that is cooooooooooool! In this musical world, I can just see me helping customers find toner for their lazer printers in Office Max

i sing... OH SIR DID YOU NEED SOME HELP THERE?

he answers OH YES I DID NEED SOME HELP HERE

i say WE'RE RUNNING A SPECIAL ON TOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOONERRRRRRRRRRRRRR

and all the customers stop what they are doing and say THEY'RE RUNNING A SPECIAL ON TOOOOOONEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEERRRRRR!

i sing AND WHAT KIND OF PRINTER DID YOU SAY YOU HAVE

he says I HAVE A NEW HP LASERJET 2500L!

and i say GOOD CHOICE, THE 2500L, IT'S IN COLOR

and the whole store sings in harmony THE ONE THAT'S IN COLOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOORRRRRRRRRRR

and then we dance over to get the appropriate over priced toner for it, toss the boxes of toner back and forth to each other in perfect rhythm, add a little tap dance on the newly waxed floors, as i throw add ons like paper and staples and staplers and calculators and USB cables and digital camera smart media cards into his cart... All the while dancing and singing and everyone would be happy and excited. That would be fun. And you could make a song about the beeps at the cash registers and the syncopation of the automatic doors and the copy machines running... ok i'm sick. I'm sorry.

Either that or i send a letter to Hollywood begging them to bring back musicals and let me write the score for the first one, called RETAIL SPACE. (A spoof on Office Space but about a retail environment. Ask Carrie. She knows what i mean. We had character sketches drawn out and everything for it.)

ok bye.

   [ posted  @ 1:37 PM | ]

"Life at a vile boarding school is in this way a good preparation for the Christian life, that it teaches one to live by hope. Even, in a sense, by faith; for at the beginning of each term, home and the holidays are so far off that it is as hard to realize them as to realize heaven. They have the same pitiful unreality when confronted with immediate horrors. Tomorrow's geometry blots out the distant end of term as tomorrow's operation may blot out the hope of Paradise. And yet, term after term, the unbelievable happened. Fatastical and astronomical figures like 'this time six weeks' shrank into practicable figures like 'this time next week,' and then 'this time tomorrow,' and the almost supernatural bliss of the Last Day punctually appeared. Itw as a delight that almost demanded to be stayed with flagons and comforted with apples; a delight that tingled down the spine and troubled the belly and at moments went near stopping the breath." - C.S. Lewis p. 36 "Suprised by Joy"

I am thankful today that i am done with school!!!

   [ posted  @ 1:55 PM | ]

OK so i just spent 112$ on groceries. Something is really wrong with me. Actually i was holding back mega laughter as i was bagging it all, because i had overdosed on the amount of Green Giant frozen veggie things i bought... those prepared things like brocoli/cheese or pasta primavera or whatever. I love those! But i think i bought like 10 of them or something. I'm trying to accomodate my "no time to cook during the week" life style, while still eating somewhat healthy. Sometime this week i'll be making Orange Roughy -- first time ever making fish. That outta be interesting.

Today I found out Brandon, my OMax Store manager is leaving. I figured as much last week he was off on vacation and we had a substitute store manager named Izzy (short for Israel.) I welcome the change. I liked Brandon as a person but really he was not as much of a leader as we need at the store. And Izzy and i talked shop some last week and i think he and i will be more in-line with what needs to take place around there. He said he'll have lots of to-do lists for everyone, and i like that kind of managment better than no communication at all.

But I was kind of quiet today. Maybe it had something to do with the fact that since I got home from Omax on Friday I had not left the house even once. Well I left my apartment to go around the corner in my building to do laundry, but that's it!! So it being a Monday, and the fact that i'm dreading another long work week... I tried my best. Actually I'm on day 11 of the "NO COMPLAINING" challenge. So far I'm doing really well. But today Hector noticed i had no get-up-and-go in me. So i drank a Mt. Dew and it helped me open my eyes a little, but didn't help me pick up my feet much. Anyways who cares.

Today would be a great day to play tennis. But you know i can't. work work work work work.

Terrance is a co-worker of mine and he's also a believer. He had an interesting conversation with another one of my co-workers today about God. The nameless co-worker was mad about why God would send people to hell. And here was Terrance's brilliant repsonse (albeit with a few swift kicks to the legs, this one would not hold up, but it's still clever.) He said imagine you are on an airplane and oops, it's going down. You're going to crash and all of you are going to die. However, management has provided enough parachutes for everyone on board. All you have to do is put it on and you're saved. But if you choose not to put on the parachute and die, you cannot blame the managment for not giving you a safe out. It was your decision, and you rejected the parachute. In the same way, God doesn't want to send anyone to hell, but He is just and righteous and His Law is love! And you cannot blame Him or be mad at Him for sending anyone to tell when they knew Salvation was thru following Christ and accepting His free gift, but they rejected it. I like that!

Of course the argument is why would a loving God let the plane crash in the first place. Well, none of us are immortal. We're all gonna die, dude. My parachute (Jesus) is strapped on TIGHT! I need Him not only in this life but to get me into the next as well.

Lastly, try lime sherbet. It's nummy.

   [ posted  @ 1:46 PM | ]

Here are more results of a test i took from TheSparks.com This was a fun test! Doesn't take too long either.

ARTIST
(Dominant Introvert Abstract Feeler )


kt
Like just 4% of the population you are an ARTIST (DIAF)--creative, adventurous, and deep. Although you are an introvert, your dominant ideas lead you to assert yourself often--especially through your work. You actively put your creativity to constructive use, and because you are ruled by your heart you are less likely to be inhibited by logic.

You have an intuitive understanding of emotion and know how evoke it in others, but the real world can be a prison of foolishness and embarrassment if you don't get your head out of the clouds a little more. Also, you are 87% likely to write poetry. Please, for the love of God, stop now.

----
Ha ha!!

   [ posted  @ 6:34 PM | ]

I also took this emode online IQ test. It was two pages, 40 questions. I got a high score of 126. That was cool. I felt pretty smart!! You have to pay for the full test results but it does throw you a little to chew on... so here that is.


Congratulations, kt!
Your IQ score is 126

This number is the result of a formula based on how many questions you answered correctly on Emode's Ultimate IQ test.

The even better news is that at Emode, we've taken your IQ test one step further. During the test, you answered four different types of questions — mathematical, visual-spatial, linguistic and logical. We were able to analyze how you did on each set of those questions, which allows us to shed light on the way your brain uniquely functions.

At the same time, we compared your answers with others who have taken the test, and according to the sorts of questions you got correct, we can tell your Intellectual Type is an Insightful Linguist.

The first thing we can tell you about that is you have the natural fluency of a writer and the visual and spatial strengths of an artist. Those skills contribute to your creative and expressive mind. But that's just scratching the surface.

   [ posted  @ 6:15 PM | ]

I took this quiz tonight. Sometimes i take these and they are always right! So I thought i'd post it!!

Free personality analysis from ColorQuiz.Com.
Generated on Sun Apr 20 18:07:27 2003.


Your Existing Situation
Willing and adaptable. Only at peace when closely attached to a person, group, or organization on a which reliance can be placed.

Your Stress Sources
Feels that life has far more to offer and that there are still important things to be achieved--that life must be experienced to the fullest. As a result, she pursues her objectives with a fierce intensity that will not let go of things. Becomes deeply involved and runs the risk of being unable to view things with sufficient objectivity, or calmly enough; is therefore in danger of becoming agitated and of exhausting her nervous energy. Cannot leave things alone and feels she can only be at peace when she has finally reached her goal.

Your Restrained Characteristics
Circumstances are restrictive and hampering, forcing her to forgo all joys and pleasures for the time being.
Wants to broaden her fields of activity and insists that her hopes and ideas are realistic. Distressed by the fear that she may be prevented from doing what she wants; needs both peaceful conditions and quiet reassurance to restore her confidence.

Circumstances are forcing her to compromise, to restrain her demands and hopes, and to forgo for the time being some of the things she wants.

Your Desired Objective
Wishes to find her stimulation in a voluptuous atmosphere of sensuous luxury.

Your Actual Problem
Has a fear that she might be prevented from achieving the things she wants. This leads her to employ great personal charm in her dealings with others, hoping that this will make it easier for her to reach her objectives.

   [ posted  @ 6:10 PM | ]

Remember when it was Christiana's birthday on Friday? I called her on the phone and we talked and chatted like little happy creatures for awhile. It was funny. That girl actually has a very quick wit, and she's got a great sense of humor for a 6-yr-old. We were laughing about last Thanksgiving when I suddenly took up vomiting for a two-day hobby out of the clear blue sky... and camped out in Christiana's room because i had to be quarantened from the rest of the Goudy children. She was telling me the story of that night when I was throwing up!! And how I tried to play Candy Land the night the BUG first hit me but had to run the length of their home to go ralph some more... so we never finished the game and Joseph had to take my place... she was telling me this story in just the way I would have told it... she's so funny! Actually it's very depressing because I only go home about 2x a year to see them all and that is a memory I am sure they will have etched on their minds from now until alzhemier's hits them. And even then, it's pretty powerful so they may remember it.

Wow.

   [ posted  @ 9:53 AM | ]

John 20:1 Early in the morning on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene came to the tomb and saw that the stone was moved away from the entrance. 2 She ran at once to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one Jesus loved, breathlessly panting, "They took the Master from the tomb. We don't know where they've put him." 3 Peter and the other disciple left immediately for the tomb. 4 They ran, neck and neck. The other disciple got to the tomb first, outrunning Peter. 5 Stooping to look in, he saw the pieces of linen cloth lying there, but he didn't go in. 6 Simon Peter arrived after him, entered the tomb, observed the linen cloths lying there, 7 and the kerchief used to cover his head not lying with the linen cloths but separate, neatly folded by itself. 8 Then the other disciple, the one who had gotten there first, went into the tomb, took one look at the evidence, and believed. 9 No one yet knew from the Scripture that he had to rise from the dead. 10 The disciples then went back home.

=== HOME. That's where I am today... HAHAHA! While most Christians went to church, I stayed home. Oh well. I had assumed plans with Israel to go to church and that he would pick me up. He's never late, usually early. So when the time to come and get me had come and gone, i realized you know what, we never actually made the plans. I had assumed we did because we talked about it, but we never really did. So here i was all dressed up and ready to go (looking good!) and it was too late to go gas up the Neon, so I changed my clothes and am now in black sweat pants, a blue Derby Days volunteer t-shirt with this Blogger typing to the cyberspace community.

It's actually kind of funny, and I don't really mind that i didn't make it to church on Easter Sunday... because I did get to go on Thursday night, and walking in faith is not about attending church, although that is part of it. Maybe God knew I needed another day just to sit in front of the TV watching Gene Kelly dance and watching Judy Garland sing some more. I'll read some of the gospel accounts of the resurrection just to celebrate and maybe sing a song or two. Who knows i MIGHT even make more than a pizza for a meal. How about spaghetti? Which would mean of course that I have to wash a few dishes since kt forgot to run the dishwasher overnight.

It is true... the robins have reclaimed the balcony nest. Hey that sounds like the title for a soap opera BALCONY NEST... FEATURING, MAMA BIRD. AND DADDY ROBIN. Yes. Who actually lays on the eggs? Isn't it the mom? I think so. It's definitely a different mom or dad than last year. I can just tell. Today i walked really slowly in view of the nest to see if someone was laying on it and sure enough, there was a parent up there. S/he stared at me nice and good and held their ground. I made no fast movements, and then snuck away slowly so that s/he could stay on there and warm those eggs because it's a cold day out.

11 But Mary stood outside the tomb weeping. As she wept, she knelt to look into the tomb 12 and saw two angels sitting there, dressed in white, one at the head, the other at the foot of where Jesus' body had been laid. 13 They said to her, "Woman, why do you weep?" 14 After she said this, she turned away and saw Jesus standing there. But she didn't recognize him. 15 Jesus spoke to her, "Woman, why do you weep? Who are you looking for?" She, thinking that he was the gardener, said, "Mister, if you took him, tell me where you put him so I can care for him." 16 Jesus said, "Mary." Turning to face him, she said in Hebrew, "Rabboni!" meaning "Teacher!" 17 Jesus said, "Don't cling to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father. Go to my brothers and tell them, 'I ascend to my Father and your Father, my God and your God.'" 18 Mary Magdalene went, telling the news to the disciples: "I saw the Master!" And she told them everything he said to her.

It is significant to note that Jesus first appeared to a woman... a woman, as i understand it, would not be considered legally valid to make a case to be a witness in such an important matter. He loves us an awful lot.

I like this next part best...

19 Later on that day, the disciples had gathered together, but, fearful of the Jews, had locked all the doors in the house. Jesus entered, stood among them, and said, "Peace to you." 20 Then he showed them his hands and side. 21 Jesus repeated his greeting: "Peace to you. Just as the Father sent me, I send you." 22 Then he took a deep breath and breathed into them. "Receive the Holy Spirit," he said. 23 "If you forgive someone's sins, they're gone for good. If you don't forgive sins, what are you going to do with them?" 24 But Thomas, sometimes called the Twin, one of the Twelve, was not with them when Jesus came. 25 The other disciples told him, "We saw the Master." But he said, "Unless I see the nail holes in his hands, put my finger in the nail holes, and stick my hand in his side, I won't believe it."

26 Eight days later, his disciples were again in the room. This time Thomas was with them. Jesus came through the locked doors, stood among them, and said, "Peace to you." 27 Then he focused his attention on Thomas. "Take your finger and examine my hands. Take your hand and stick it in my side. Don't be unbelieving. Believe." 28 Thomas said, "My Master! My God!" 29 Jesus said, "So, you believe because you've seen with your own eyes. Even better blessings are in store for those who believe without seeing." 30 Jesus provided far more God-revealing signs than are written down in this book. 31 These are written down so you will believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and in the act of believing, have real and eternal life in the way he personally revealed it.

Sometimes God is that merciful that He'll even give us some proof. I just gotta rejoice in one more thing today... this is so cool. When I resigned from River of Life in January, I had calculated that by the end of March I would be completely out of financial savings and would be up a creek for money... in a big way, even if i did find another part time job. Add to that, the problem of having to cut a check for car insurance in February. That runs me like 5-600$ for six months. But I remained faithful in my tithes and offerings and just being happy in Jesus, and somehow now i have a surplus of money, and never needed to touch my savings. Taking a pay cut of 2/3 in my normal income... that should not have happened... but remember the baskets of loaves and fishies? FISHIES!!! here fishie fishie... haha. I kind of feel like that today. Oh, I know it could all be swept away in one moment, let's say if i got in a health crisis or was in an accident, or whatever. But God is so faithful... not that i needed proof like Thomas said he did... but it's just good to know. GOD ROCKS.

   [ posted  @ 9:41 AM | ]

Well well. Guess what? It looks like my mom was wrong about something, for the first time in her life... (me, I've never been wrong yet ever.) She said the Mama Bird would not return to it's nest on the light on my balcony, and that I should take it down and freeze it for use in the xmas tree this year. Well guess what?!

Today as I opened the vertical blinds... (this was around noon time so that gives you an indication of when i crawled out of bed...) the mama bird when flying off, out of the nest! She's pruning it for what looks like another visitation! There are strands of plastic bags and broken twigs all over the floor of the balcony, and now the nest is back to a livable shape. COOL!

It will be very nice to have some houseguests again.

Man. What is wrong with me? I'm 27 and a bird watcher. I really need help!

   [ posted  @ 11:28 AM | ]

Today is a day that I wish i had a digital camera. I'd like to take a picture of this thing on my arm and show it to you. It's like a cut/bruise thing I got when I was unloading the truck yesterday. A sharp box must have dug in just right to my lower right arm bicep, and it looks JUST LIKE AN AMERICAN EAGLE! Wow am I patriotic, or what?!! I had to show everyone at work. And they all agreed, it does look like an eagle. So, that is COOOOL!

OK two HAPPY BIRTHDAY SHOUT OUTS TODAY!

1. HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO HIMMMMM ! It's Israel's birthday! He turns 29 for real today and he deserves your hi-fives and well-wishes (even though wishing someone well really doesn't do much.) Israel is a good friend of mine... he is a professor at the MN School of Business and Globe College, and he's from West Africa. Best of all He loves Jesus a whole ton and is really intelligent (did you know he graduated high school when he was only 15?) and treats me real good. So, it's your birthday... what'd ya get me?

haha.

2. CHRISTIANA GOUDY! It's your birthday! Christiana is one of 3 neices I have. I was thinking of her today and realized she and I have some stuff in common! First, she's the youngest of five, but I have sisters and she does not. Yes that means she has 4 older brothers. But she totally holds her own. She's very theatrical, dramatic, quick witted, and very beautiful!!! She'll steal your heart, in a heart beat. Guaranteed. So happy birthday, smartie!



Beyond birthday wishes today (and once again I have to comment on my eagle cut because it won't last forever and i think it's so cool), the morning crew didn't have to go to OMax until 7 a.m. today bc we stayed so late doing the truck yesterday. I stayed late again today because I don't work tonight. And because the night crew last night got most of the freight put out on the floor but never cleaned up after them selves so it kind of looks like they threw a drunken cardboard box and shipping party. I did really good today at not complaining (plus before I left yesterday I have Teddy explicit instructions that they had better crush their 500+ boxes in the baler, unlike last week when they left them, piled to the ceiling by the roll up door.) So I stayed and swept it down and that took about an hour to clean back there. It was a busy day plus because Justin wasn't in so I had to help customers more than normal. Usually I am not on the floor much after the store opens because I'm doing work in the back.

There's still about 3 pallets of case paper and plastics to go out (plus let's not mention the chairs that have to be put up) but hopefully (yeah right) they'll do that tonight or tomorrow. Actually I'm sure they'll leave the chairs for Hector to do on Monday. But I can help him w/ that. Especially, with my big American Eagle muscle tatoo/cut.

Still waiting on my two pairs of Old Navy jeans to arrive in the mail. I got my shirt from the Gap yesterday and it's really cool and fits perfect. :) The close up doesn't really do it justice, since it's like a tiny blue pinstripe.

Tonight and tomorrow I get to chill out and watch a lot of TV and movies. I am kinda sore from doing a lot of lifting yesterday and today. It's like I'm fine when I'm sitting down but then when I go to stand up, I feel like what a 70 yr old must feel like. Ha. It takes more energy to get up and at 'em.

I have been watching C.S.I. after Survivor (I have to tape them !) and that is a good show! Also, catch Scrubs after Friends. That show is sooooo funny! Great writing! I totally love it. And there's always Guiding Light... I like this story line with Gus and Alan right now. And the Cassie/Edmund thing is going to be very fun to watch.

Alrighty then I'll write more later, I'm shuuure.

   [ posted  @ 1:13 PM | ]

One of the things I liked about tonight was that it was all about Jesus. Sometimes churches make you feel like complete trash and garbage (which, yes we are...) but the theme was not --us-- . It was Jesus, light of the world. It wasn't a guilt trip about "you crucified this man! Look what you did you horrible miserable excuse for a human creation! Think of what you did! You're terrible!"

It was about the stark reality of our eternal seperation from God being bridged, just because he loves us so much. Wow that is cool.

Another thingy on footwashing. You know, one of the things that go through your mind if you're having one of your superiors wash your feet, is that you get indignant and you're like, "no i should be washing your feet. I should be serving you."

And when we did the footwashing in Logan, one of the things the site director was telling the students, was that they are going to have that reaction. Kids, you're going to feel like it should not be this way. You're going to feel angry or upset, or confused, and you're going to want to reverse the roles. But Jesus said that he was setting forth a pattern, that the greatest among us should become the least, and the masters should become the servants. And that we were to submit to that authority and let Him serve us. Just like Simon Peter protested and said, "no, Lord."

That's one of the things I love about the gospel message is that it is so opposite and so contrary to what we are born thinking... Jesus taught the first should be last. And if you wanted to be great, you'd become small. And if you want to be served, first you must serve. He took up that towel and stooped down before His own creation and washed those feet. The feet He made... that is so amazing to me.

Don't you think?

   [ posted  @ 7:50 PM | ]

As soon as I sat down in church tonight (I arrived about 15 sec. after it started) I realized... yup. I had forgot Kleenex. I had told myself a few times yesterday to tuck some Kleenex in my zipped up Bible cover, just in case i started crying and then we have the snot problem. (Why can't there just be tears, why snot?!)

What an incredibly MOVING and beautiful service. It is going to rank right up there w/ the night of my baptism in Oct. of 1993 as one of the coolest nights of my Christian walk.

So if you want to read about Kt's First Annual Maundy Thursday event, read on.

Most of the lights in the sanctuary were dimmed down. Pastor Matt explained to us what we were going to be doing tonight, and that it was about the night Jesus ate His last supper with the 12 apostles. There was a table in front of the platform with 13 candles on it, all of different sizes - but big thick ones, kind of brown colors. Some had ribbons on them some didn't.

We sang two songs and it only took me until the 2nd song "Here I am to worship" that i started crying. But it was OK because the lights were off and only the overhead screen was illuminated (they use PowerPoint for overheads.)

Here are the words in case you'd like to see them...

Here I am to Worship
written by Tim Hughes

Light of the World, You stepped down into darkness.
Opened my eyes let me see.
Beauty that made this heart adore You.
Hope of a life spent with You

So here I am to worship, here I am to bow down.
Here I am to say that You're my God.
You're altogether lovely, altogether worthy.
Altogether wonderful to me.

King of all days, Oh so highly exalted.
Glorious in Heaven above.
Humbly You came to the earth You created.
All for love's sake became poor.

So here I am to worship, here I am to bow down.
Here I am to say that You're my God.
You're altogether lovely, altogether worthy.
Altogether wonderful to me.

And I'll never know how much it cost
To see my sins up on that cross (x3)

============ok. Of course this song conjurs up deep "crying" memories of the first day I attended this church, the last Sunday of 2002. And this is one of the songs they sang that day and it just all fit where I was at the time and how I was feeling and I cried then too! I don't normally cry much anymore but you know sometimes you just have to put your pride aside. Or, at least I do.

So we sang a few songs. Then a man and a woman (incidently, everyone who took the platform were wearing all black... go with the theme) came forward. First Pastor Matt lit the big Jesus candle in the middle, introducing Jesus as the Light of the world. Then he stepped away, dnt he man and woman each read about the 12 apostles, but they didn't read "about" the men, they read "to" them. As the apostle's name was read aloud, his name and position in the group was displayed on the screen. For example, "John, you were Christ's beloved and were among His inner circle of three that got to witness your glory on the Mount of Transfiguration. You are credited with writing the fourth gospel, as well as......" (So, on the screen, it would say, for example, "Thomas, seeker of truth.") And then as they read a little chunk like that about each guy, the person who was not reading lit one candle (from the original Jesus flame) to represent that guy. And each part was concluded with "(name) take your place at the table." Cool so far!

So then the table is all lit up with all the candles. And we sing two more songs.

Then, the bad news... The man and woman come back up and talk about how each disciple turned their back on the Master. And their lights are snuffed out.

That was sad too.

Only Jesus' light remains lit.

At this point the worship leader (Pastor Matt's wife) sang a solo and we joined her in the chorus. It was a song I hadn't heard before but the chorus part was asking for God to have mercy on us. That was powerful!

Then 12 people came forward, all in black and joined Pastor Matt on the stage. He removes Judas' candle from the 12, and explained that even though Jesus knew these guys were all going to turn tail and run, the next day when He was crucified, He still invited them all over for the Passover celebration and had this meal with them. And this was to proclaim Hope. So with the hope and fellowship of the night, the 12's candles are re-lit! YESSSS !

Then each of the 12 church member people each took a candle and in four groups of three, stationed themselves at small tables spanning the front of the sanctuary. They were called anointing stations, and the plan was we would each go up to get our communion, and then go to get anointed with oil (they used frankincence-however-it is-spelled and myrrh).

I love how they do communion at this church! The pastor actually has a round loaf of almost-all-the-way-through-pre-cut bread, and as he says the words of Jesus, "this is my body, broken for you..." he breaks the loaf into two pieces. And they have these cool little ancient pitchers and cups (two sets)_that he pours the juice into as he says that this is my blood shed for you... So I really dig the symbolism. Makes you understand it better.

Usually, once a month they have two sets of people holding those elements, and you go up, tear off a chunk of bread (again, more symbolism) and dip it into the cup, and eat it as you walk back to your seat. Tonight, only the Jesus candle remained lit on the center table. And the two sets of communion stuff were there, and you were to walk up, kneel on the steps, and break the bread and dip it in the cup and then go get the anointing thing done. That was so cool. But as I was standing in line, again I lost it just overcome with thoughts and the whole experience of what is happening so i'm crying and trying to control the snot.

The anointing part was cool. You just stand there and the person says the phrase from John 15 where Jesus says, "A new commandment give I unto you: Love one another that your joy may be full..." And I honestly can't really remember what ever that nice lady said because I was still crying and worried about the, you know, the snot. It was brief.

Then we just waited for the last of the ppl to finish. Then Pastor Matt explained that even though Jesus was the light of the world, He too had a destiny and it had to be fulfilled, and the world would have to wait 3 days to see what would happen. Because the next day after this passover meal, Jesus was arrested and crucified. So as Pastor Matt blew out that flame, we were dismissed and were not to talk, but leave quietly and in peace.

I'm tellin' ya, that was some super cool stuff going on in there. Wow.

   [ posted  @ 7:42 PM | ]

OK I found a link but you'll have to cut and paste... these are all the pix I have from the WV trip in 2001.

http://www.geocities.com/katie_leclair/nonsite.html

That will link you to another page of thumbnails too.

   [ posted  @ 4:06 PM | ]

OK Well I see that the links to my o-l-d geocities site that I put in the last blog entry do not come up. But I will not change the html because if you wave your magic mouse over it, you can see that there was such a place to go, only geocities is not letting us link to there from a site outside of geocities. Oh well. That's what you get for free. If you really care about the pictures, I could email them to you! So, just email me.

OK, bye.

   [ posted  @ 2:57 PM | ]

There was a lot of case paper on the truck today. I must be developing bigger muscles because it is not hard for me lift heavy stuff anymore. I climb up on stuff to get it down. Hector always comments that I am strong. Ha.

My mom sent me a link that sort of explains all this Maundy Thursday stuff. I guess it's got to do with the Last Supper and sounds cool. Here is the link if you want to read about it Maundy Thursday and stuff

The part about the foot washing ... I've done a few services with washing feet. One that I most remember was during our missions trip to Logan, West Virginia in the summer of 2001. What a night. Lori Hensen and I took 3 girls to W. Virginia on a YouthWorks mission trip. We knew that the last night of the week we'd be doing a foot washing. The site leaders (who were awesome examples of ministry and Jesus) first washed the youth leader's feet. Girls wash girls, and guys was guys. This takes awhile. Keep in mind we were in an old abandoned school building, and for our large group meetings, we all would be sitting the floor of what I think was either a cafeteria or multipurpose room of some sort. Just a run down place. There were a total four youth groups their including ours, and about 100 students total, I think. I can't really remember. Here's a pic of the 5 of us on a hill by our site overlooking part of Logan.
And a pic of the site directors and our little group.

The site directors would come and kneel before you with a basin of water, soap, and a wash cloth and a towel around their shoulders. They'd first ask if they could bless you in Jesus' Name or something like that and then we'd say yes. And then they'd wash your feet. And after all the youth leaders had their feet washed, the site directors passed the basins of water on to us, so that we could kneel before our students and wash their feet. We were all crying and so emotional. It was so powerful. So you're washing these young girl's feet, not only with the warm water and cloth but also with your tears... and then when you're done washing their feet, you hold them close and pray over them... whatever you feel in your heart to pray. I would have to ask them because I don't recall, but I think Lori and I each washed each of the girl's feet. Or maybe just I washed the girl's feet. I do remember Lori praying for Steph, because Lori is Steph's mom. Anyways.

Makes me want to pray for those 3 girls right now. What a group we were. Father God, I thank you for Niki, Steph and Missy. They were incredibly brave and revved up on that mission trip and I thank You for their example to me and to the others that were there. Thank you for taking us to serve the poor in our own country, and for helping us demonstrate your love to a poverty stricken world. Thanks for the memories and thanks for the opportunity to work with my little group on that trip. (And please bring me back to doing it, again, soon. Thanks! I love you Jesus!)

Of coursre, there's always my first foot washing when I was at the Catholic church in 1st grade taking CCD classes and Father John washed our feet and then when I got home and told my mom about it she freaked out!! And asked if I had clean socks on. I think i did.

So sometimes, holiness stirs up different emotions!!!

OK now that i'm all missing working with students and being in ministry again, I'm going to go get cleaned up for church tonight.

   [ posted  @ 2:33 PM | ]

I thought about something else about my sister Amy... she is an unsung hero artist. She can really draw and paint... She did this mural in our school cafeteria with Garfield and Friends but then when I was in high school the retarted school painted over it with just plain paint in lines. How dumb. My sister Terri is also an artist but Amy has hidden talents that I think she should bring out more.

So I don't have to work at Focus tonight. I didn't schedule myself, that is, so I could go to the church service tonight. I really can't wait to get there.

I stayed until after 3 PM to unload our "PowerMax" truck which was supposed to get there at 12, but didn't come until one. Me and Hector had fun unloading it. We sing that song by StrongBad that says "Somebuddy said you're stupid, and i didn't believe them, but now i believe them." If you don't know what I'm talking about you should check out this flash movie... Strong Bad Sings

And in general, look at Homestar runner all the time. It's pretty much all we talk about at work when Justin gets there.

Justin doesn't work tomorrow. KT is sad.

Had taco bell for lunch/dinner/supper.

Yumm.

   [ posted  @ 2:20 PM | ]

When I was a little chub, i had long straight hair. And I can never really remember it not being in two braids. My mom braided my hair. This is something I never really thought about until tonight. So I was thinking wouldn't it be cool if i could braid my own hair, which I cannot... but haven't really tried but i am sure it would look incredibly ridiculous...

So then I was thinking wouldn't it be cool if I could have someone braid my hair.

Then I was thinking ok she must have braided my hair often. Did i sleep with the braids in? I must have. Then I was remembering the image of sitting on a chair or the counter in the bathroom growing up... and her pulling my hair tight (ouch... but the tightness is what made them last longer) and braiding my hair.

Now... hang in there...

Then I was thinking my mom used to wash my hair while I laid on the kitchen counter, and she would wash my hair and my brother's hair in the kitchen sink. Gee, she must have done that just about every night that I can remember but maybe that is not true but I have a permanent memory of this. I remember the sensation of the spray hose thing from the sink rinsing my hair and the smell of Prell shampoo she used, and chatting on and on while she did this until we were too tall to fit our growing legs up on that counter and we could wash our own hair in the shower or bath.

What a picture of who the Lord is... There are so many things I take for granted... and forget where I learned them... things He taught me that He'll probably never get credit for because he just remakes our character as we submit and abide in Him. At first He does the stuff for us... showing us how until the discipline is established and we can walk that without thinking about it anymore. Like for some people they just can't quit swearing or smoking or paying their bills late. So they submit it to God and admit their difficulty and come under the waterfall and let Him renew their minds (see Romans 12:1-3) and as they work on the discipline, it becomes easier because that person is walking now by the spirit man instead of the soul man (read Romans 8:5-11). Not that we could do it on our own... we do it thru the power of God. But each day we learn, it becomes easier to do it, the next time. Just like mom washing my hair was setting a pattern for me later to follow. Christ set the pattern and we follow in His steps.

This is not a perfect analogy, but if i worked on it, it would be a good illustration, i suppose.

I can still smell that shampoo! haha

   [ posted  @ 7:51 PM | ]

"You know the world is going crazy when the best rapper is a white guy,
the best golfer is a black guy, the tallest player in the NBA is Chinese, the
Swiss hold the America's Cup, France is accusing the US of arrogance, and
Germany doesn't want to go to war."
- a solitary email i received today :)

   [ posted  @ 7:41 PM | ]

From Romans 9:10 This son was our ancestor Isaac. When he grew up, he married Rebekah, who gave birth to twins. 11 But before they were born, before they had done anything good or bad, she received a message from God. (This message proves that God chooses according to his own plan, 12 not according to our good or bad works.) She was told, "The descendants of your older son will serve the descendants of your younger son." 13 In the words of the Scriptures, "I loved Jacob, but I rejected Esau." 14 What can we say? Was God being unfair? Of course not! 15 For God said to Moses, "I will show mercy to anyone I choose, and I will show compassion to anyone I choose." 16 So receiving God's promise is not up to us. We can't get it by choosing it or working hard for it. God will show mercy to anyone he chooses. 17 For the Scriptures say that God told Pharaoh, "I have appointed you for the very purpose of displaying my power in you, and so that my fame might spread throughout the earth."

Romans 9 is becoming one of my favorite new chapters of the Bible. I like stuff I can't understand on the first or second or 18th read through. Don't you? Doesn't it keep you in love with Jesus? OK, well it does for me.

To think that God chose me...... I'm one of His elect. That's amazingly cool and humbling. When I'm having a rough time of it, I just stop and say, well there's a purpose to it, I'm chosen to bear this cross, this suffering or this joy, because that's the lot he gave me in this life. Cool enough.

The above quote is from the New Living Translation of the scriptures, which in my opinion is the best and newest rendering of the greek there is... it's thought for thought translation, as opposed to word for word. It was translated with being read out loud in mind... so it reads terrifically better than any other bible version... Let's not begin to talk about how the NIV slaughters so much of the Greek language, ok? But after studying this passage in several translations (OK, most of them) on crosswalk.com, using their online bibles, I would say I think the NLT captures Paul's thought best. I don't see how Armenians can hold their ground with not believing in pre-destination and the election of the saints after studying this chapter. I love it.

   [ posted  @ 7:39 PM | ]

Once again, happy birthday to Ames.

OK.

The Carpenters sang that song Rainy Days and Mondays always get me down. Well, rainy days and Wednesdays are not so bad. Today has been a good day. Had to stay till almost two at OMax because of someone calling about a delivery that was messed up. So I left a bunch of stuff undone, plus the research sheets for Data Integrity (We call it OPERATION ENDURING INTEGRITY) are in the middle of aisle 7 sandwiched between the compucases on rolling wheels. And you'll also find a Telxon there... in case anyone is looking for it. I'm sure they'll never find it unless Justin-Sticks-To-Magnet puts two and two together and remembers I was downstocking that aisle right before I left. At least I remembered to put the short ladder away in it's parking spot. I did one thing right, anyways.

And who has been downstocking aisle 7 ??!! NO ONE! (In that store if i want something right, i do it myself.)So I worked on it today. Found a bunch of stuff in the midsteel that was 0'd out. Whoops. I did check the nightly closing list logs to see if any retarded associate claims they downstocked it when they haven't been, and at least they have been honest in not signing off on it. Then again, we just switched all of aisle 5 to aisle 7, so maybe i checked under the wrong number. OK. Enough about work.

I figured out what I think "Maundy Thursday" is ... it's another name for Passover, maybe. Not being Lutheran and not doing any research on this, I think that is maybe what it is. If you know, you should email me. This part of the USA is predominately Lutheran for some reason. Here, you're pretty much either Lutheran or Catholic... mostly Lutheran though. Those who are not one of those two are a mixed bag, like me. I won't even say i'm non-denominational because ack... what difference does it make?

Which reminds me of a quote I read in Soul Tsunami this week... It kind of angered me. Here it is...

"For many years now I have taken to going to church less and less because I find so little there of what I hunger for. It is a sense of the presence of God that I hunger for." - Theologan/author Frederick Buechner

This was on a section about the post-modern reformation church being what Sweet calls E.P.I.C. (Experiential, Participatory,Interactive,Communal).

For the Experiential part, I agree with him only to a point. He is making the case that post-modern seekers are not looking for if something is "true" but is it "real." In otherwords, non-believers in Christ, he says, are not looking for a logical explanation like "Jesus rose from the dead and here is how we prove it, and if we prove it then you should believe..." but they are looking for a "real" experience. Connecting with God.

I agree that is what people are looking for, and no doubt a bible-teaching church would be able to provide them with an encounter with God if someone was open to it, but what's to keep them on the Way just because they had an initial "encounter" with the supernatural? What happens next week when they call 1-900-psychic and get a goosebump or a vibe from that too? By introducing Christianity as primarily an experience... (walking by sight rather than by faith...) isn't that cheapening it and lessening Christ's words we have to take up our cross and FOLLOW HIM? Isn't the first step of becoming a believer OBEDIENCE to the narrow way? Just a thought. Then again, I'm not done with the book yet, i'm only 1/2 way thru and not even thru with that chapter. It's just my initial reaction bc no one likes change. Not even me... who considers my thinking to be broadly post-modern right now.

Back up to the quote I listed from before from the theologan. Just so you know, this is what I consider wholly wrong with the American Christian church today (I am told it is not like this in most other parts of the globe.) How many times do you read the word "I" in that quote? Who is the subject of the sentence? Isn't that the American way ? mememememememememe I I I I I I I. The gospel isn't about US! Didn't John the Baptist say "He (Jesus) must increase, I must decrease" ? I'm am SOOOOOO tired of hearing Christians talk about what the church should and should not offer them. And what they are looking for in a church, for themselves...
What will it feed me? What will it offer me?

If that is a person's only motivation for church, their faith is worthless in my opinion. We were not called to be fed. We were called to feed. If a church cannot produce mininsters (i'm speaking of the "laity") that are going out and doing the work of Christ, it is failling it's mission. How many people do you know that left a church because it was not "feeding" them or something like that, verses how many people do you know that left a church because they were unable to serve there... there wasn't enough ministry to do or enough places to be involved...

The mark of a disciple of Jesus is how involved they are in impacting the world, for the better. We were not called to sit and soak it up. We were called to wring it out. Fill up and pour out. Like Oswald Chambers says, we are to be the broken bread and poured out wine.

When choosing a church, I'm looking for one that is impacting it's neighbors, it's community and it's world. How many missionaries receive support from there? How many short term mission trips to members do each year? What % of the church membership is involved in some type of ministry thru the church (teaching, organzing, baking, driving,you name it) ? Does the pastor preach selfish memememe sermons, or is he/she telling people to go get busy with it? What is the fellowship of the church like? How big are it's prayer groups and small group ministry?

That is a) why I left River of Life and b) why i'm loving Eden Prairie Presbyterian. There is no perfect church, but a church has to be able to DO THE WORK and as a participant there, you have to be able to be involved somewhere. That is when Christianity takes the leap from watching to learning to doing. That's what Jesus asked of us.

Because we really don't own the truth, until we give it away. Think of John 15... any branch that does not bear fruit is........... ? What happens. It's cut off and thrown into the fire. He didn't say any branch that does not learn of me is cut off. He said we're commanded to bear fruit, fruit that will last.

But this is how I felt when I first read ROARING LAMBS by Bob Briner. I was so mad at that book to begin with and then it ended up being one of my favorites. I really do respect Leonard Sweet... he rocks and I do agree with him on the EPIC idea... 100% -- it's just going to take some getting used to.

Hmmm.

   [ posted  @ 1:45 PM | ]

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