YOU TOO

OK... So I was so fortunate as to receive a phone call yesterday evening inviting me too the U2 show last night. Having never actually seen the band, I of course left my job, mess in tact, and drove home to clean up and make it to the show before Bono and the boys were on stage. I have never in my life seen so many people together in one place. EERIE... is the best word I can think of to describe it. The band was genius. I loved the show. The audience wierded me out. I loved the diversity, but it was the sheer almost worship of Bono that threw me a bit. However, I still loved the show. U2 played for a solid two and a half hours.... amazing.

On a separate note, for whatever reason, my roommates and I have been watching a lot of the Indiana Jones trilogy. Why, you ask. Because Harrison Ford seems much cuter in these movies now than he did when I was 10. And, they are just fun. No swearing, or not much, and very little gratuitous sex... or at least not shown. There is of course and abundance of fighting and killing and a few scenes of cultish human sacrifice with chanting and pulling out of hearts, but very light hearted nonetheless(humor here). ALIAS begins next week... In the words of my dear friend Christa... WA frickin HOO.

Peace

Same Old

On days such as these, I don't know very much. I have little to tell. I am stuck. I recently read, however, that being "stuck" is a great thing. How, you ask, well... let me tell you. It is the recognition of the "stuckness" that is the springboard to becoming "unstuck". This is of course from one of my new favorite books... "MESSY SPIRITUALITY".

The busyness of the suburbs makes it very easy, I believe, to let life pass you by while attending to the "to do" list of the day or week or month or whatever. The "American Dream" is all but attainable.... just beyond my grasp at any given moment and it is this that propells me to continue at times even though this dream, or nightmare really, is the absolute antithesis of all that I believe in. That said... I am working on unsticking myself from this complicated pursuit of life when it should be so simple, so sweet. Today, I miss HoneyRock. Next week, I hope to be there for a few days.

Not that HR is simple, or unbusy, but it is to some degree... slower. And in general encourages the pursuit of the simple, even when it seems like blatant hypocrisy to what actually happens there. I love that place. I love sitting at Beaver Island. I love looking up at the most brilliant night sky I have ever seen from the playing field, only to be startled by 5 or 6 deer that are grazing in the pathway and I see them only by their glowing eyes. I love the people that are there... or were there when I was. They will always be there in my heart - even when we are actually scattered geographically.

None of this is to say that I am unhappy... quite contrary. I am thrilled. I can't believe how lucky I am that I get to do what I get to do. I just don't want to get so busy, that I cease to enjoy it, or see it for the privilege that it is.

PEACE

Crazy Lady's House

Ahh... the people we get to meet when we paint. I painted this week for my artist friend doing a crackle finish over a nice sage green kitchen then finishing it off with a pretty and subtle cocoa glaze. I have never done a crackle finish before, but it was done before I got there. Evidently the lady does not like brown (cocoa) - even though she chose the colors.

Yesterday when we left, she claimed that she removed some of the brown paint from the green crackled walls. She asked if we would finish doing the same as she claimed it looked like someone rubbed dirt onto her walls. Well, we did nothing, but she assumed we did. She called my artist boss and thanked her for fixing it as it is now way more livable... WE DID NOTHING.

CRAZY LADY.

Wierd Old Etiquette

The Wheaton Record pointed out this odd fun bit: The 1950 etiquette handbook gave this tip... "The protective male is usually on the ball unless he overdoes it. Just remember that she's fragile and absolutely unable to do anything for herself - including giving her order to the waiter - so if you keep the situation well in hand you'll be all right. And don't let her independent attitude fool you. Women love to be pampered".

So, as a normal woman, no, as a human being, I find this at the least a bit annoying and sadly humorous. Thankfully, things have changed - or should I be so thankful? Of course we are certainly closer to gender equality when women are certainly able to do most things by ourselves. But I still get annoyed when a man does not offer to help if I am visibly struggling with something. However if he offered to help I might get defensive and tell him I can do it on my own. AHHH... Progress. Poor guys.

A few weeks ago I was entering my church building. We do not have our own building, so we rent the auditorium of the local community center. There is also a work out facility at the community center. These two guys were entering the building just before me. One was entering the doorway. One guy stopped to hold the door open for me and allow me go in before him and the other who was on his way in stopped and backed out and allowed me to enter before him too!!! All I could say was "wow". Then I thanked them and went on my way. So to the dudes, whoever you are, you definitely made an impression... and a good one.

BOY TOOTED - PEEEEOOOOOEEEEEE

My 3 year old diva niece struck again this past Labor Day Weekend... And again, it involved my poor nephew. Good thing he adores her. It was during church. Evidently breakfast was working over the stomach of the poor young lad. A silent but foul nonetheless bit of flatulence seemed to escape him during the service. For which I am sure he is proud. Most people would surely try desperately to ignore said mishap. However, the diva deemed it necessary for the sanctuary of people to know exactly what had taken place. She crinkled her nose and disgust and proclaimed for the church to hear "BOY TOOTED -- P-EEEE-OOOOO-EEEEE"! She still finds it appropriate to refer to him by his gender rather than his name. SO GREAT.

Super Glued My Fingers Together

Last night I went to a movie (SKY HIGH) with 2 of my friends. It is a kid's movie although not a cartoon. It made me laugh and I did not feel any less pure after having seen it. After the movie as I was taking one of my friends home we talked about the little things... the very little things that give us a moment of happiness or laughter.

1. Brown wall in my living room
2. My friend said catching those little fuzzy things that float around outside
3. Red ears and noses in the fall
4. My friend said the smell of hot tea in the winter
5. We both agreed on the wonder of a great wool sweater
6. My roomates t-shirt that says "A Woman's Place is in Her Union" (I love that t-shirt)
7. Putting on a new pair of socks for the very first time
8. The first sip of a CAN of Coke
9. A great old hymn sang at my church
10. Today I add to the list... super gluing my fingers together (I laughed, I cried, It was like cats... I want to do it again and again)

These little things remind me daily how much God loves me that He puts them in my path.

Now - I am dealing with peeling the super glue from my pointy finger of my left hand. It is kind of gross. I must prepare now for the Labor Day Picnic at a friends - also brings a smile to my face.