redheads

Here's something I learned about myself yesterday:

"How can you tell if someone's a natural redhead? Operate on 'em! On average, redheads require 20 percent more general anesthesia than non-gingers before going under the knife. Researchers believe that the same recessive gene that causes red hair and fairer skin also affects the brain's pain receptors, making numbing agents such as Novocaine less effective. And because fillings and root canals also involve anesthesia, redheads are twice as likely as others to avoid dental care. For them, a visit to the dentist really is more painful."

from Mental Floss, May-June 2011, p. 14.

Worship that Forms Disciples

I was recently asked to write something for the Brehm Center website at Fuller Seminary, and this is what I submitted. So, here are some of my thoughts on worship:

“O God, grant that what we sing with our lips we may know with our hearts

And what we know with our hearts, we may show forth in our lives.

Amen.”

This prayer decorates the front of my binder of worship music, collected from my leading and singing at a variety of places. I think it’s a fitting place, for all the songs in that binder have served and likely will serve again as words of worship for the body of Christ, and these words are important.

Worship forms and transforms the worshipper. The songs that we sing, the scriptures we read, and the rituals we enact in our worship inform us, teach us, solidify us in our beliefs. The things we do and say in worship find a way into our hearts and, ultimately, begin to shape how we see God, how we see ourselves as children of God, and how we see our relationship to the church and the world.

So, the question is this: to what is our worship forming us? Time and time again, Scripture calls us to a kind of worship that forms us not only in our knowledge of God but our lives as disciples of God. Jesus himself summarized the life of the disciple, saying “The first [commandment] is, ‘Hear, O Israel: the Lord our God, the Lord is one; you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength.’ The second is this, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.” (Mark 12:29-31) We are called to know God and to love God with all that we are, but it does not stop there - we are called to show this love for God in the way we love those around us.

In other words, true, God-glorifying worship forms us, not only as a people who know and love the Lord but who live a life of love for those around us. Worship forms us not simply as believers, but as faithful disciples to the One who is worthy of praise, so that:

“...what we sing with our lips we may know with our hearts

And what we know with our hearts, we may show forth in our lives.

Amen.”

I owe much of this thought to the works of John Witvliet (Director of the Calvin Institute of Christian Worship), Paul Ryan (Associate Chaplain for Worship at Calvin College), and the book The Dangerous Act of Worship by Mark Labberton.

Holy Saturday

Holy Saturday, traditionally, marks the day that Jesus remained in the tomb.

Holy Saturday also, however, marks the day that Jeremy and I first told each other we loved each other. Those of you who know our story know it was a little dramatic, but it made that Easter very very happy. :)

Also, Tuesday is our three-year wedding anniversary.

All of this makes me very happy...on Holy Saturday.

rediscovered

I just ran across this song I used to love - way back in high school, believe it or not.

And, unlike many things from high school, I still love it today. :)

First, a little backstory. It's composed by Edwin McCain (yes, the same Edwin McCain of "I'll Be" fame), using words of a World War 2 poem he found in a nurse's desk. Here's a little more of the backstory, from the Oakland Tribune (Sunday, December 17, 1961):

"It was the summer of 1942, and things were not going well for us in the war," said Elma Dean in her quiet voice, "and so many of our sons, some of my friend's sons, were being killed. I was going around with tears in my eyes."

Her tears for the heartbreak of other mothers were crystalized in a poem, "Letter to St. Peter, " and the tiny Oakland housewife suddenly became known around the world. Her sonnet of lament for boys so young to die, and hope that something would make up for what they missed down here, brought her letters from mothers throughout the nation, was inscribed on the wall of an American cemetery in England, was read by a United States senator at another cemetery in Europe, and found its way even into the National Geographic and the Congresssional Record.

"It was a maybe a little sentimental," said the author "and it isn't the best poem I've done, but it was what the public liked the best. I've been in many anthologies--not the vanity kind--but I am happiest about being in Louis Untermeyer's 'Mid-Century Edition of Modern American and British Poetry"-- and it was another poem, one from the New Yorker."

In the process or becoming a poet, winning awards and getting into anthologies, Elma also enjoyed being a wife and mother--and now grandmother. [About her husband's reaction to her poetry,] "I'm afraid he's an admirer of mine," said Elma with a gentle, hazel-eyed smile. "When I showed the St. Peter poem to him, as I always do when I think I've done something any good, he said, "this will make the readers Digest." by Kay Wahl.

So, without further ado, enjoy a little Edwin - start the video around 46 seconds if you want to skip his intro... (lyrics posted after the song):

Let them in, Peter
For they are very tired
Give them couches where the angels sleep
And light those fires
Let them wake whole again
To brand new dawns
Fired by the sun
Not war-times bloody guns
May their peace be deep
Remember where the broken bodies lie
God knows how young they were
To have to die

You know God knows how young they were
To have to die

Give them things they like
Let them make some noise
Give dance hall bands not golden harps
To these our boys
Let them love Peter
For they've had no time
They should have bird songs and trees
And hills to climb
The taste of summer
And a ripened pear
And girls as sweet as meadow wind
And flowing hair
And tell them how they are missed
But say not to fear
It's gonna be all right
With us down here

Let them in, Peter
For they are very tired
Give them couches where the angels sleep
And light those fires
Let them wake whole again
To brand new dawns
Fired by the sun
Not war-times bloody guns
May their peace be deep
Remember where the broken bodies lie
God knows how young they were
To have to die

You know God knows how young they were
To have to die

And tell them how they are missed
But say not to fear
It's gonna be all right
With us down here

It's gonna be all right
With us down here

how to be awesome

The other day, I had a lot of fun with this.

Yes, I am a girl.

Welcome Back

Sometimes I wish I could resurrect this thing. And then I it hit me: I can! So - here's a shout out to Hehoff. This one's for you.

This was my day today:

5:30-7:45 am - study for Hebrew quiz

8:00-8:10 - Hebrew quiz

8:10-9:50 - Hebrew class

10:00-12:00 - staff meeting

12:00-1:00 - lunch with Jeremy

1:00-4:00 - work

4:00-5:00 - errands

5:10-6:20 - choir rehearsal

6:30-7:00 - pick up the mess left from a busy night of studying and paper-writing last night

7:00-8:00 - dinner and clean-up

My day tomorrow:

1:00 pm - meeting

Tomorrow is a glorious day.

Ginormous Update Part 1

Oh blog, I have neglected you. I have a ton of pictures to update, but I must admit...there was a lot of cheating. Lots and lots of cheating.

I've had a very busy summer, and, as a result, pictures sorta fell along the wayside. However, I had a few great trips this summer, so I'll fill in the (rather large) holes with those. But, rest assured, I intend to get back on the 365 train. Today.

Also, I'm not sure how much patience I have to do this, so I'll do this in more than one part. Here's part 1:

July 31: snuggle time

August 1: There was WATER in here! Usually, this "river" around the Rose Bowl looks like a concrete slab. I had to document it.

August 4: coffee

August 6: Chillin' in the Catalyst (at Fuller)

August 7: Starbucks, a necessary paper-writing tool.

August 8: antique bottles at the Rose Bowl Flea Market

August 8a: antique pipes at the Rose Bowl Flea Market. Reminded me of my grandpa...

August 9: My new office.

August 12: Me in my new office.

August 13: Awesome doors in Old Sacramento, California

August 14: More Old Sacramento

August 14a: We're married. It's okay.

August 14b: Apparently we did a lot of kissing in Old Sacramento.

August 15: Ian's baptism day

August 15a: More of Ian's baptism

August 16: Driving in LA. Always.

August 20: Palm trees when the sun started setting, so the light was cool.

August 21: Knott's Berry Farm!

August 22: Yes, the sky turned purple.

August 23: Jeremy and me at the Dave Matthews Band concert at the Hollywood Bowl

August 24: at Fuller

August 25: Scrabble, our new favorite pastime

Some holes were filled in with multiple pictures from one day; the other holes will be filled in with a ridiculous amount of pictures from my trip. But, that's all I have patience for right now!