Guilted By Cuteness

Outside of fish, we didn't really have pets growing up. As Jason got married and moved away, he has had a dog as a pet. We live between houses that own 1 and 2 dogs respectively, go to a small group that has dog owners and have a roomate that grew up with cats.

It took us until now. We had been convinced we would likely never own pets. Until...

Sometimes you are just pulled in by the cuteness of a newborn animal. One of Jenny's old high school friends happens to be the proud owner of a new litter of kittens. They just don't want all of them.

We stopped by tonight to hang out and they convinced us (really the cuteness did) that we would be great pet owners. It is a black cat, so besides the jokes of bad luck, we have affectionately named it "snowball" after the cat from The Simpsons.

So far no messes, but i'm guessing it is only a matter of time. Sorry if you have cat allergies, our house will now be that place. Let's just hope that the neighbor's dogs don't eat her.

If you know me and Jenny at all, you would have known for a while now that this is an April Fool's Joke. I could never own a cat, maybe with lots of twisting and bribery a dog, but probably not that either.

Anyway, congrats to the Wildcats in KY on their new hire. Go Blue.

Social Change

Tonight, in my preaching class, we watched this video to introduce the topic of how church services, specifically the sermon, need to change to interact with what this world is used to.

Have a look, it's fascinating:

Awe

Zach Johnson, the 2007 Master's Champion Golfer was in a threesome with Tiger Woods and Sean O'Hair today.

O'Hair started 5 strokes ahead of Woods, who was in second by himself.

Woods ended the day with a birdie to win on the last hole. A 6 shot swing.

Johnson said this. "I tried to stay in my own world. I tried not to pay attention to his (Woods) play. But I'm in awe. Not shock. Awe. I wasn't surprised, I'm just in awe."

Tiger Woods Rocks. I'm in awe.

Sing a Song

While we were driving to small group tonight a song came on the radio. While it was playing my thought was, "Jenny usually sings this song when it comes on." Within the next 10 seconds or so, she began to sing.

Have you ever noticed there are random things that become habitual. Whether it is singing a few songs every time they are on (another of Jenny's is a Target commercial) or the way you respond quirkily to certain questions?

How do we get such random nuances in the way we live our lives to become habitual? How cool is it when you notice those things about others?

Weird Fruit?

Do lemons grow pink somewhere? I am curious why lemonade also comes as "pink lemonade."

We don't have "pink orange juice."

Why did someone start making lemonade pink?

Mistrust

It's always nice when a project makes it to the drywall hanging stage. The rooms actually become really easy to visualize and the progress is apparent visually. I enjoy this part of the process.

I'm just nagged by mistrust. Every time I score a piece of drywall with a razor blade I have a moment of doubt as to whether it will actually break correctly. It generally does without fail, but it amazes me every time. Maybe I'll stretch myself into more trust with the next pieces I aim to break into their new shapes for our walls and ceilings.

In Process

There hasn't been much worth applying to in the Pastoral market around here. In three months I have sent out exactly three resumes.

At this point, I am in some sort of process with two of those places. One is still in the resume gathering process and informed me it could be up to 5 weeks before they start moving forward with any applicants.

The other had gotten my original information (resume, references and philosophy of discipleship) and e-mailed asking for more info. They wanted to know more about my family and wanted an example of me preaching. Its nice to know I didn't get narrowed out based on the first set of requests they had and hope to continue along in the process as I have began getting them the new info they have requested.

You can continue to pray for me and these two processes as well as any other that may appear.

I meant to

I really did mean to blog last night for all of you who check this on a work-daily basis, but I just couldn't do it.

When I got home (at 2:50 a.m.) there was a visitor asleep in every room of my house that has a computer. Because of that, I just went to bed.

So here is the happy 900th post. Another 100 posts before a count update comes again.

2 Down, A bunch to Go

I did not think LSU or Michigan were going to win.

I got the other 14 games correct. Since I had neither of my incorrect picks advancing any more rounds in the tourney I am still in really good shape.

Probably my best day 1 ever for picking a bracket as I had more games correct than their were lower seeded teams winning, after picking Texas A&M, Western Kentucky, and Maryland correctly.

I'm sure my bracket will be ruined tomorrow, but it is nice to be in the top 6% of all the ESPN entries with my singular bracket filled out.

March Madness

It is a good time of year.

16 Basketball games today, 16 tomorrow, 8 the following day, 8 after that.

I even got an e-mail today that a golf course may open on Friday here. That's about 2 weeks ahead of their normal schedule.

Of course, snow is in the five-day forecast as well.

Home Depot Holiday

It was St. Patrick's day and the place I shopped the longest was Home Depot. Even there, I was out in under 5 minutes.

Second place was the Festival Foods run that Jenny and I made. I needed some kind of junk food to eat while watching the Biggest Loser (my tradition this season) so we headed to the store for some double stuffed oreos.

Happy St. Patty's day.

A Seven Word Society

I'm getting tired of living in a 7 word society.

Throughout my day today I was bombarded with messages from people that didn't exceed 7 words. E-mails, internet updates, commercials... 7 words or less.

I'm getting tired of every news source talking about twitter. Living life 144 characters at a time is not healthy. We will not feel connected that way. I won't know you better or have intimacy with anyone that way.

I like the long discussions. The ones with room to think, discuss, change your mind, dialogue, you know, have actual conversations.

Why is the world suddenly being conducted in 7 words or less?

Productivity Software

What kinds of programs do people use to be more productive?

Though I'm talking about old fashioned things like filing, to-do lists, budgets, etc... I'm only looking for software responses.

Have you found any particular programs highly useful and effective for certain tasks?

Programs like Post-It, Evernote, Quicken, etc...

The free-er the better.

Touch Boundaries

I debated with myself today another identifier of relational closeness.

The car goodbye. I was saying bye to someone this afternoon who, at a social function the normal goodbye would have been a hug.

However, this was a lunch meeting that ended with me being dropped off at the Seminary.

This brought the car goodbye.

A hug in a car requires an entirely different level of closeness. We were not that close. That makes the goodbye awkward.

I don't know what it is about sitting that makes a hug more intimate, but it helps me clearly define another level of intimacy with those around me.

My Favorite Miracle Story

There are numerous miracle stories told about the life of Jesus throughout the four Gospels.

This one has always been my favorite.

Jesus Heals the Official's Son

⁴³After the two days he left for Galilee. ⁴⁴(Now Jesus himself had pointed out that a prophet has no honor in his own country.) ⁴⁵When he arrived in Galilee, the Galileans welcomed him. They had seen all that he had done in Jerusalem at the Passover Feast, for they also had been there.

⁴⁶Once more he visited Cana in Galilee, where he had turned the water into wine. And there was a certain royal official whose son lay sick at Capernaum. ⁴⁷When this man heard that Jesus had arrived in Galilee from Judea, he went to him and begged him to come and heal his son, who was close to death.

⁴⁸"Unless you people see miraculous signs and wonders," Jesus told him, "you will never believe."

⁴⁹The royal official said, "Sir, come down before my child dies."

⁵⁰Jesus replied, "You may go. Your son will live."
The man took Jesus at his word and departed. ⁵¹While he was still on the way, his servants met him with the news that his boy was living. ⁵²When he inquired as to the time when his son got better, they said to him, "The fever left him yesterday at the seventh hour."

⁵³Then the father realized that this was the exact time at which Jesus had said to him, "Your son will live." So he and all his household believed.

⁵⁴This was the second miraculous sign that Jesus performed, having come from Judea to Galilee.

Needed this again today

He's Hilarious.

Posture Pontifications

I have found myself in a particular posture more frequently lately.

Unfortunately, it is the posture of burying my head in my hands. Not the shame kind. The sad, or depressed, or "pity me" kind.

The Job Hunt is taking its toll on my emotions. I wish it was sadness of getting rejected for jobs, at least that would be a start. Instead, I have only found two spots worth sending my resume to. One of them would even be difficult to take if the job was offered.

So I go to meetings, with professors, mentors, friends, old acquaintances, internship advisors, anyone who will listen hoping for encouragement. But too often I leave, come home, and put my head in my hands.

It's taking its toll.

Feel free to pray for me... I don't know exactly what for, so pray whatever you want.

Gimme Back My Hour

I'll take daylight savings time when I can actually use the outdoors.

Until then, I'll take my hour back please.

I'm never a fan of losing sleep. I think that if I am going to be forced to miss an hour, I should at least be able to play golf when I get up.

Someone make this law for MN please.

Un-Important

I can't think of any reason that this is important, but figured I would let everyone know.

This is blog post 888.

That's a lot of blogs.

Biggest Loser

Is anyone else watching the current season of Biggest Loser? I hadn't been able to watch it for quite some time because of my small group meeting on Tuesday's, but since we've switched, Jenny and I have been following this season.

Curious who else is watching, what they think the weigh in result for immunity will be this week, and who they want to win.

Comment away.

Guilty Shopping

It is amazing how sometimes I can feel guilty over spending money.

Yesterday (Monday) I made two purchases with my credit card. Both were for $6 and both were for consumable items.

The first was at a coffee shop, paying for two.

The second, McDonald's for one.

Never remorse or guilt for the first.

Lingering guilt for the second.

The guilt can't be written off because of fast food, or its health or nutritional value, I still have no shame in eating fast food. Rather, I felt guilty because I spent this money without any need or great benefit. It was easier than making my own food, quicker, more convenient, even tastier.

Even so, the majority of the guilt came because I knew it was an impulse purchase made to comfort my emotions and desires.

The coffee was not. I rarely buy coffee. I never buy coffee for one. I hate coffee. I didn't even buy myself coffee, I bought a vanilla steamer, my usual coffee shop drink. This purchase was made out of generosity, out of giving, and out of a desire to show the value to me of the time spent with my company.

I wish I didn't do any of the guilty shopping. I can say that without having to say I wish I didn't ever buy fast food. There are plenty of times I can buy fast food and not feel guilty about it. Monday was not one of those days.

A Sign Of The Times

It's a new day.

I logged on to the internet today and noticed that Google had altered their search logo into different Dr. Seuss looking figures. I wondered why, but figured it must be an important day in Dr. Seuss land.

Two hours later, the local news filled me in on the anniversary being celebrated.

It is a sign of the times that I can decipher these things first by google logos and only need confirm them later with news.

Internship Understanding

I had emailed the school a while ago (Middle of January) with hopes to meet the man in charge of internships and placement to discuss my situation, what exactly needs to happen by what deadlines and any avenues of connection he may have for me.

His schedule was packed. The meeting was scheduled for tomorrow.

Here is to hoping I leave with an understanding of my eligibility for graduation based on what kind of and when an internship would need to start.