Those Paparazzi Follow Me Everywhere

Okay, not really...
My friend Michelle had this article about me printed in her neighborhood's newsletter.
No one has asked me for an autograph yet, but it's only a matter of time I'm sure. But don't worry. I'll always remember the little people who helped get me here.

Huh?

A few months ago, Dave Ohlerking of Children's Cup posted a blog titled, Hell Money, It's no Joke. It was an interesting exposure to the Chinese Culture's idea that by "sacrificing" money by burning it, it would go to their anscestors to use.
Okay. I can kinda get that.
But then today I read a news article about the new trend in "sacrificing" lots of things, including television sets, and get this... Viagra!!! No, I'm not making this up. They are burning paper representations of the little blue pill, as well as condoms for their randy ancestor.
So... if you've already died, do you need to be concerned about safe sex?
I mean, are sexually transmitted diseases a threat if you are already dead?

A Woman's Perogative

Okay. Nevermind.
My last post was about how much I loved the snow. Then I ventured out into it.
I hate snow.
It was freezing cold and this particular kind was the sleety-stingy kind that hurt your face when it pinged you. Then it made the roads/intersections/parking lots very slippery. So Shanna's front wheel drive Saab, wasn't really going to cut it. I spent a lot of time pushing the car backwards while wearing heeled boots, a fall jacket and no gloves.
I hate snow.
To top it off, we were tired of getting stuck where ever we went. So we parked at the hotel and walked to TGIFridays.
More ice, more cold, more stinging pelting sleet.
I hate snow.
I remember why I moved from Michigan.
While searching for an appropriate photo online I found a hilarious photo of a snow middle-finger next to the word "winter" carved in a snow drift.
Yes, my thoughts exactly.
Now I'm once again in NC. I'm drinking tea. I'm walking around in the 75 degree sunshine.

From one extreme...

Yesterday I was in North Carolina. It was in the low 80's. This morning I woke up and drove to Deleware with Shanna for a missions conference.
We're having a snow storm!

No not the flurries that sends North Carolinians in to a panic, but a real, honest to goodness, snowy, slushy, blustery, bone chilling snow storm!!! Oh, it reminds me of my childhood. I'm loving it.

So while Shanna is out at CVS, I 'm sitting at the Marriot, in a cozy chair by the fireplace, posting a blog, and smiling.

No, I couldn't do this everyday, that's why I left Michigan. But once in a while it's nice to enjoy.

Cool quotes (written Feb '07)

I just got home for a conference at the North Raleigh Vineyard. It was called the Fresh Fire for Healing conference. (Or if you're from Kentucky, Fresh Far.)

I listened to great talks from speakers from all over the country. We learned about healing, deliverance, and healing through forgiveness. But also, there were 2 great sessions on shame and fueling ministry with a passion for the lost.
Awesome.
I never would have put the 5 together, but was amazed at how they are all linked.
I learned so much that I could never write it all. But here are two key points that will always stick in my mind.

"We as the church often think of the lost as inferior. 'You're a sinner. You probably are immoral, drink too much beat your wife… Because if you weren't, you'd be sav-ed like me.' But "lost" means just that,- Lost.
I lost a really cool knife that my daughter had given me. It had a knife, a corkscrew, a toothpick, a… microwave, (laugh) and I was so bummed when I lost it. It was still just as valuable, just as important, fully functioning when it was lost. But it was no use to its owner"
-Barry, Kentucky

"Shame is not biblical.
But don't get confused with what I'm saying. I'm not talking about guilt [conviction]. We need a healthy amount of guilt, or else we'd get hard hearted… I'm talking about shame.
Guilt is, "I did something wrong."
Shame is "I am wrong."
-Mike Nelson, Raleigh NC