Playground + Graveyard = Phun!

First off, before I lose your attention, read this question about the home theater system I bought and answer if you can help me.

I am at home now and today I spent some time at my elementary school playground, and at my home church. I was surprised to see that many of the ... playground... implements (what is the good generic word for things you play on at a playground?) ... that I played on when I was a student there... were still there. I took some pics which maybe I will display sometime. I walked around the the makeshift kickball field we used... with a certain broken piece of cement as first, a manhole as second, etc.

At church I visited the cemetary. That was odd (more than the fact that I was alone in a cemetary at some random time). Because I've been away and out of touch for so long, I didn't really know or remember who all had passed away. I looked at pretty much all fo the headstones. It was weird, eventually I felt almost frantic about getting through to see who else had died, or to see whether or not XYZ elderly person was still alive. Okay, enough of making myself sound like a freak.

If you want to change clothes you've got to get naked. If there was a submission form for lines for preacher-types I think I would put that one in. This brilliant conglomeration of grammar is the end result of some inspiratio from Caedmon's Call who I imagine was inspired by the Word of God. But anyhow, Caedmon's Thankful includes the lyrics

But you see I'm running from the 

very clothes I'm wearing and dressed 

like this I'm fit for the chase

As I thought about those words, and what really has to happen if you're running from the clothes that you are wearing (sin) is that you have to ... take them off! And taking off one's clothes leads to nudity. (Yes, this truly is a brilliant paragraph.) What I am getting at though, in order to better cast off our sin, we should find someone in the Church with whom we can be honest and transparent about our sin. As uncomfortable as that may be, it help free us from the chains of our sin.

I know I'm not breaking any new ground here, but I wanted to share this, partially because this is something I have experienced in this past season of my life. What is the temptation you fail to resist? Who is in your life that you trust and see characteristics of being a mature Christian that could hold you accountable? Will you risk losing face in favor of being honest with someone and putting your life more in align with what God calls you to be?

PS: Ashlee and I are a couple.

Random

First off, I must say I have some amazing friends. Last night, a group of them suprised me with a couple of gifts - a book, and a DVD. The tonight, my church's family dinner turned was actually a surprise going-away party for my roommate and I. Instead of the traditional Texas flag on the wall -- there was the Kentucky flag! And the Tennesee flag was on the opposite wall (my roommate is a volunteer). People wore blue UK's and orange T's, and their faces were painted with the same. We had KFC, and boiled custard (a drink similar to eggnog that my Tennessee roommate likes), and Kentucky Derby pie! They know how to send people off in style. And I got to keep the Kentucky flag!

I managed to get through the entire night without bursting into tears, which I guess is a indication of their ability to *celebrate* the moment, and my last two years with them.

My mind has been working like mad turning over and over thoughts about the future. I'm rushing to ge things taken care of here in my last few days, and I haven't even started packing. This whole future thing might just drive me batty.

I did buy a computer for my brother today.

Oh yeah, I'm thinking about buying a... *gulp*... Mac!

I hope the roads are good this weekend so I can drive home without a problem. It started snowing tonight! The first snow. It's been such a mild fall/winter.

Napoleon Dynamite

Some quotes from one of the funniest movies ever.

***
Deb: What are you drawing?
Napoleon Dynamite: A liger.
Deb: What's a liger?
Napoleon Dynamite: It's pretty much my favorite animal. It's like a lion and a tiger mixed... bred for its skills in magic.
***
Deb: I'm trying to raise money to go to college.
Kip: [from the background] Your mom goes to college.
***
Napoleon Dynamite: Who are you gonna ask to the dance?
Pedro: That girl right there.
Napoleon Dynamite: Summer Wheatly? How the heck are you gonna do that?
Pedro: Build her a cake or something.
***
DVD Release: December 21

What's in your refrigerator?

In the midst of my runnings here and there, I don't end up cooking very often. So I decided I would finally use the chicken that has been in my refrigerator. I had frozen it for a while, but then decided to move it to the refrigerator and let it thaw, so I could cook it sometime. That was... a week ago I guess.

In a moment of um self-doubt I decided to look on-line for information regarding the amount of time you can safely store chicken in the refrigerator.

Two to three days folks, I'm sad to say.

Oh well, I guess I'll search for something else in the kitchen, and throw out that chicken.