Friday, September 29

working hard or hardly working





the mobilization department got a new camera.

enough said.

Tuesday, September 26

Strange conversations

I seem to recall visiting a website a couple years ago that posted "strange conversations" heard in NYC. It was stink'n hilarious. Anybody know where to find that? Well, here's my own version. This is 100% true.

Two guys walking out of the bathroom at church:
"It is virtually impossible to make a soft poached egg."

At my office:
"I'm on a candidate committee next week."
"Me too."
"Then on Wednesday I'm going to Hawaii."
"Yeah, I'm going to Turkey."
"Okay, we'll meet at the end of October."

This conversation was silent, but let me tell you the story. One guy -in my graduate level class today- writes a note to a guy sitting two seats down from him, seat in the middle empty. The receiver of the note was dozing. The author of the note is watching the other guy, as if staring at him will wake him up. 60 seconds go by. Still sleeping. The author of the note wraps his arm around the empty seat and taps on the edge of the seat with his pen. Mission complete: receiver of note wakes up and sees the note. The conversation continues.

What the heck.

Friday, September 22

pictures from Emily's 3rd birthday party








gotta love these cuties! They're SO much fun. Ella is 4, Emi is now 3. No pictures of their parents...whoops...but you can see my parents, Nana and Gramps, up there- as well as Uncle Rich and Aunt Becky.

Tuesday, September 19

A great new hymn

Last Sunday, St. Paul's resumed our monthly Evensong service, after taking a summer break. I just love this quiet, contemplative service that offers beautiful music, a homily, and Communion.

Our "chief musician" introduced a new hymn this week that hails from Britain, and I'm a big fan.

The Day Thou Gavest, Lord, is Ended
The day Thou gavest, Lord, is ended,
The darkness falls at Thy behest;
To Thee our morning hymns ascended,
Thy praise shall sanctify our rest.

We thank Thee that Thy church, unsleeping,
While earth rolls onward into light,
Through all the world her watch is keeping,
And rests not now by day or night.

As o’er each continent and island
The dawn leads on another day,
The voice of prayer is never silent,
Nor dies the strain of praise away.

The sun that bids us rest is waking
Our brethren ’neath the western sky,
And hour by hour fresh lips are making
Thy wondrous doings heard on high.

So be it, Lord; Thy throne shall never,
Like earth’s proud empires, pass away:
Thy kingdom stands, and grows forever,
Till all Thy creatures own Thy sway.

I'm sorry you can't hear the soothing melody that these words dance to. In keeping with the Britain theme, I must say that it's really quite lovely.

Friends around the world, I prayed for you as I sang this song with tears in my eyes! How awesome to think of the sun never setting on the Church around the world; truly praises are being lifted up hour by hour to our Great King!

Wednesday, September 13

I love the Loves!


Readers, meet my friends: Tim and Laura Love. No, they're SUPER friends. Hanging out with them is authentic and fun and satisfying. It all started during UCF days....(go knights!)...and I hope will continue all my life, even if we have to travel continents to see each other.

Tim and Laura met in a far-away-exotic land, but it wasn't very condusive to falling in love. At least, at the time it wasn't. But God brought their hearts together about a year later and now they're married and living in south florida while Tim attacks med school. And this year, Laura is joining him at school in a master's program. Does that make them geeks? Well, they're the coolest geeks I know, anyway. And these friends are faithful visionaries: they are content where God has them now, but looking to the future with an eager desire to see God's Kingdom come among the nations.

Again...I just love 'em!!

Friday, September 8

Happy weekend

"If a girl looks swell when she meets you, who gives a damn if she's late? Nobody."

-J.D. Salinger

Thursday, September 7

My new roommate

I got a fish!

An impromptu trip to Walmart on Sunday afternoon was the setting for meeting and taking home the newest member of the Beracah household. He's a beautiful little guy and adds a bit of male presence, if you will.

Name: Zeus
Type: Beta Fish (aka, a Siamese fighting fish)
Home: medium size bowl with some nice landscaping and a cobblestone floor
Receiving visitors? yes
Likes being talked to? i'm pretty sure

Below is not the *real* Zeus, but it'll give you an idea of who greets me when I get home at the end of a long day at the office.



Come say hi sometime. Real picture coming soon. Stay tuned.

Friday, September 1

Will you help them hear?

Worldwide, Christians earn $12.3 trillion each year.

Of that $12.3 trillion, only 1.7% is given to Christian causes.

Of this 1.7%, only 5.4% goes to foreign missions.

Of this 5.4%, only 1% goes to people without any opportunity to hear the Gospel.

Will you help them hear?

www.pioneers.org