Uhhh... no one cares.

Difficult but valuable lesson of the day:

No one, not even your mother, cares what you dreamed about last night.

(Waaaahh!)

That eye, that love

God, I am sorry I ran from you. I am still running, running from that knowledge, that eye, that love from which there is no refuge. For you meant only love, and I loved, and I felt only fear and pain. So once in Israel, love came to us incarnate, stood in the doorway, between two worlds, and we were all afraid.

(Annie Dillard, "God in the Doorway," Teaching a Stone to Talk: Expeditions and Encounters [New York: Harper & Row, 1982]

I got this at http://www.homileticsonline.com/subscriber/btl_display.asp?installment_id=2536 because I love the song "Still Running" at http://www.eastmountainsouth.com/lyrics.html

You know, the two biggest reasons (intellectually) that I believe in God are (1) Israel. What a strange nation, what a strange history. Its existence, to me, proves its God. and (2) The fact that basically every job in the world is filled by someone who wants to do it. How does that work out? There are so many jobs that most of us would never, EVER take and yet other people have a passion to do them. That's too coincidental, to me. So, these are the deep reasons why I believe in God. lol

Three cool links

1. Endangered Words
Let's all do our part to keep these words going strong!!! :)

2. Satellite maps
On Google maps, once you zoom in really close you can hit "satellite" on the top right corner and see the map from satellite photos taken several years ago! Kinda freaky. Coming soon: photos of people you've been stalking, available for free. Ahhhh!

3. Housing maps
A good way to check out housing costs and photos in a particular area.

Returned from the bayou

Yesterday I flew back from New Orleans. I went down for our quarterly Board Meeting, and spent the majority of the week in Port Fourchon. That's two hours south of New Orleans on the Gulf of Mexico. I loved it. It was so restful down there - just the water and open space. Although, it was kind of funny because the rich people we stayed with (that were gracious enough to host our entire Board and some spouses!) lived in a subdivision of wealthy home- and yacht-owners. It just seems nonsensical to have a subdivsion in a space that is so marked by open spaces - why fence things off? But anyway.

So, Sunday night I flew there, rented a car, and followed some not-the-best-ever directions and made it to the house in good time! Everyone was impressed I did it without getting lost, but it was really the grace of God. Trust me. G, r, a, c, e. Okay I will resist the urge to give you a minute-by-minute but basically the next day I sat around waiting for people to arrive (the original plan had been for me to drive around like mad and pick everyone up.. very pleased that that didn't happen). Took in the sun, sat in the rocking chair on the patio, dangled my feet off the side of the dock, went swimming, ahhhhhhhhh. It's a rough life down there. :) The only bad thing is that, with that much free time, you tend to eat non-stop. Definitely had enough pistachios and chocolate to last me a few months. Well, who are we kidding? You can never have enough chocolate.

The Board Meeting went pretty well. The next one is in the Virgin Islands. Pray I get to go! ha, just kiddin. I actually almost feel bad about going, if I did go. These are funds that can and should go to bringing water to people in Africa. I don't know. The stewardship part of all this messes my conscience up. The travel is such a great experience, though. I definitely won't always have these opportunities so I'm trying to take them whenever I can.

The last 24 hours I spent in New Orleans, walking around the French Quarter (although it was pretty close to so hot that you could faint). It was a fun city but to me, not fun alone. If I ever go back I need some of you to go with me. It is definitely a city for friends and staying out late. I stayed at a bed and breakfast, that I swear was haunted and left me terrified at midnight with unexplainable breathing noises coming from the wall. The scary part is that I am not kidding.

Anyhow, I have an online slideshow that I can send to anyone - just give me a shout-out! I don't want to post it here for the free world.

Stop Buying Expensive Coffee and Save

Want to try out a calculator to see how much money you can save by refraining from a latte every morning?

Amazing.

I've got to break the chai and latte habit. Ahhh. WWJD?

Simple culinary delight

I would like to give a big shout-out and a lot of credit to my beautiful cousin Miss Julia Smart for teaching me how to make croutons the other night. This is wisdom which I would like to impart to you. First you cut up the bread. In a bowl, mix like 6 tbsp (or whatever) of olive oil with tons of seasoning such as garlic salt, onion powder, whatever you have that is reasonable and crouton-like. Quickly stir the croutons into the olive oil seasoning mix, lay them out on foil in the oven, and broil for like 3 seconds. Okay maybe a couple minutes but it goes fast.

That's it! Frighteningly easy, huh? I just have to say I made some yummmmmmy croutons which are signifianctly enhancing my lunchtime salad experience today. May you know this same joy.

Oh, and I also owe a debt of gratitude to my roommate Diana who grew the lettuce. Truly, we are all connected. lol Everyone played a part in that which is my salad.

In other news... let's see, I'll just give you some updates:

1. It is wicked hot in DC! I mean 95 with full humidity day after day. (Yes, yes I am from Boston, ok? Wicked hot!)

2. This has reminded me how much I love fall (which is, A LOT). I've already started longing for back to school season. However, I was appalled to see that back to school ads are already coming out. Are you kidding me? It is June 15.

3. I am equally appalled at the lack of outdoor public swimming pools in Northern Virginia. I have not completed my investigation yet but there do not seem to be any. This violates me as a democrat. Ahh! Oh for the Midwest...

4. I'm sort of really glad Michael Jackson was found not guilty. No one is ever going to really know what happened (that is what makes me craziest about all these trial mysteries) but I just had a feeling he was being set up.

5. I'm going to New Orleans at the end of this week for a Board Meeting. Woohoo! Actually a couple hours south of there. Pray for no hurricanes. It must be beautiful because geographically speaking, I mean... I would never live there.

6. Anyone know of the best websites for Europe travel deals? Elicia and I are thinking of flying away somewhere like Italy or Greece, or maybe just London or Paris who knows, later this summer. However I suddenly can't remember where to find good deals online.

7. That's really all I have for you. Let's not push it by going to 10. There's only so many random updates I can come up with. I left out the starting a new business thing and making the worst hair-dye mistake of my life. Those I'll have to tell you about in person.

Dead on response.

Aid Groups Keep Pressure on Blair, BBC News

I would hate to be Blair right now. George W. Bush has already proven that he can stand up to the pressure of the entire world! lol How Blair could persuade the Bush Administration one way or the other is beyond me.

Aid for Africa

Blair, the host of this year's summit of the major eight industrialized democracies, hopes to use the meeting in early July in Gleneagles, Scotland, to raise an extra $50 billion a year by selling bonds on the world's capital markets.

"It doesn't fit our budgetary process," Bush said last week. The Bush administration says the mechanism would conflict with U.S. budget laws by binding future governments to providing money.

(From Blair Seeks Bush Support on 2 Initiatives, Yahoo News)

Since when does Bush care at ALL about our budgetary process?

It's amazing what people will make exceptions for - or what they won't.

Btw, if you haven't figured this out already, President Bush's big announcement today to give $674 million in relief aid to Africa is not as wonderful as it sounds. It's not anywhere near the (proportional) commitment of other industrialized nations, and we would do well to direct more funds to DEVELOPMENT rather than simply food aid (immediate relief). It's just ridiculous.

And finally, Derek gives Dan a hilarious look while he's answering a question. 

Dan and Derek get interviewed about their faith walk with Jesus, their music, and participating in the "being made right and new of all things." Jars of Clay started an org called Blood:Water Mission that addresses clean water needs and HIV/AIDS in Africa. 

More Dan singing or talking. 

Dan Haseltine (of Jars of Clay) singing "They will know we are Christians by our love" backed up by Derek Webb. Beautiful. 

Derek Webb, former lead singer of Caedmon's Call, at a Bread for the World/Call to Renewal event in DC last night. I took this picture sitting in my chair - HA! We could not have gotten any closer, it's kinda funny. He sang all new songs from his new record, which is all about social justice. Amazing writer. 

Same picture, just further out. You can tell I am not even far at ALL from the front, but my camera has no idea what this mysterious word ZOOM might mean. Anyway the altar area was beautiful at this church - I wish you could have seen the purple art/tapestries yourself. 

My boy, my favorite political and civic leader John Edwards, getting an award from Jim Wallis (head of Sojourners/Call to Renewal) at an event in DC. Let's hear it for Johnnnnn!!! He was honored for making poverty an election issue and for now making it his vocation with UNC Chapel Hill. Gotta love him. 

A theory on lostness

I'm going to venture to say that I lose things because I don't like having to keep track of THINGS! I've been downsizing as much as possible lately - to the point of emptying my wallet and now I carry around my ID, insurance card, and a couple credit cards bound by a hair tie. hahah. Anyway, I just hate having to keep a close eye on where my things are. This, I am going to conclude, is a good characteristic in a way... in the sense that I am open-handed about "things of this world." (Is that a pretentious thing to say? lol I hope not.) I'm going to look at it in the sense that I am free and unclingy with possessions. THank you for indulging me in this afterthought. I was beating myself up for losing things so often but now I have found something redeeming in it. Woohoo!

Lostness (the unspiritual kind)

I lose things. Um, I lose things quite a bit. It is very disconcerting! This past weekend I lost our room key at Duke. Well first I lost the little access card, then found it. Then I lost the door key, and never found it, though I have a good idea where it is (chair in the conference room!! arrr!).

Then, today I was going to get gas and realized I didn't have my bank card. Called the bank and found out that I left it in an ATM machine 2 days ago. Ummm... lol. Some kind and honest person turned it in, thank goodness. I don't understand why the machine didn't beep at me or suck my card back in and shred it (which has indeed happened to me in the past) but in any case, it didn't.

While I was on the phone with the bank, I figured why not have them transfer me to their credit card department because several months ago I lost the credit card they sent me. I lost it before even using it once.

I've lost a lot of things in my life - keys and credit cards we know, but also clothes, CDs, random things like cords, respect, and friendships. lol no I'm just kidding, I got on a roll. But can I just say it is a really horrible feeling to be looking for something you're missing. Now I know we would all like this to evolve into a spiritual truth such as the parable of the lost coin or the lost sheep or the lost son - but no!! Not tonight.