Arrows of Hope

2012-01-21T20:43:00.001-06:00

This is a little late, but in case you haven't seen it.

The Invitation

2011-12-23T15:51:00.000-06:00

Visit Rhonda's website to check out The Invitation, her newest book and my most recent editing project. It won't let me pull the cover image off her site, so just pretend I posted a picture with this entry.

2011-11-22T17:06:00.001-06:00

Eliana is a loyal fan of Sean Cochran when it comes to foosball.

2011-10-18T21:18:00.001-05:00

In case you wondered what our last month has been like, here is Eliana putting an ice pack on her neck -- just like Grandma. My mom was using ice packs so constantly that Eliana started asking for one for Grandma and one for "Ana". She loves wrapping and unwrapping the ice pack, talking about how cold it is, and sitting on her little couch and icing her neck just like Grandma. Perhaps in this case imitation isn't so much flattery as it is a heartfelt attempt to connect with Grandma in the midst of a situation far more difficult than her almost-2-year-old brain can understand.

Thanks to everyone for your prayers for my mom. She is slowly doing better, although we'd still love your prayers for her complete healing.

2011-10-09T15:19:00.000-05:00

What do you have to offer?

Attention all Kingdom Living poets, writers, artists, and prose-producing thinkers:

You are invited to participate in the first edition of the community literary magazine, The Circadian.

We will be accepting submissions in the following categories: short stories, essays (creative nonfiction, passionate theological essay, comic blog post, etc.), short plays or screenplays, poetry, graphics and visual art (most likely black and white print capabilities only).

Submit in as many categories as you’d like. Please limit yourself to two submissions per category. All poets are requested to include three poems per submission, unless your poem is extraordinarily long. If your writing doesn’t neatly fit into one of the three categories, submit it anyway and suggest your own category. Full theses or dissertations will not be accepted, however, due to space considerations. All further questions can be addressed to Susan or Kait via email.

The deadline for submissions is January 1, so get to it.

2011-08-17T20:54:00.001-05:00

A thought after listening to Dan's messages again:

Many Americans come from a variety of ethnic and cultural backgrounds. For families who have been in America for multiple generations, a distinct heritage separate from being "American" often doesn't really exist. Or at least that's how it is in my family. My brother has done some family lineage to find our English and -- to our surprise -- Irish roots. But that really has little to no influence on how we think of ourselves. So, for people with this melting pot heritage (and I suppose they could be from any country, although America certainly has a good number of mutts like us), what role does this non-heritage have in how people respond to discovering their Jewish roots?

We've talked about how, for those of us from non-denominational backgrounds, part of the allure of Jewish studies is the rich history, the tradition, the grounding in something older and larger than ourselves. But I wonder if it isn't just a time issue or a non-denominational issue. Maybe it also taps into our lack of connection to a unique ethnic culture. How can you be excited about being one of the nations when you have no strong ethnic identity? Which of the nations would you belong to?

So a mutt who grew up in a non-denominational church might be doubly susceptible to ignoring the Gentile/Jew distinction. What do you think? How do you relate to being one of the nations?

2011-07-13T19:59:00.001-05:00

From Wikipedia:

literary magazine - a periodical devoted to literature in a broad sense. Literary magazines usually publish short stories, poetry and essays along with literary criticism, book reviews, biographical profiles of authors, interviews and letters.

Coming soon.

2011-07-02T21:45:00.000-05:00

I'm not sure it gets any better than this.

(Photo is the fabulous work of Jessica Youmans)

2011-06-28T19:25:00.000-05:00

A quick update on Peter Loth and his book, Peace by Piece:

Peter has been doing a lot of ministry in schools lately and has been seeing amazing results, like rival gang members forgiving each other. Also, his book has been published in German and Spanish. You can buy the book at Peter's website or online at BarnesandNoble.com or Amazon. The book has also been translated into French and Korean, and they're just waiting for the finances to be able to publish in those languages as well.

It's still hard to believe that the L-rd blessed me with participating in Peter's book. It's humbling to think that four translators have used our work as the foundation for these new editions.

2011-06-15T23:43:00.002-05:00

"There are many who want to do great things for the King, but there are few who want to make Him great."

This might be my favorite quote from the book I'm editing.

2011-05-01T22:55:00.000-05:00

Here's Eliana using her words. I think "Grandma" is my favorite.

Picture Update

2011-03-12T21:58:00.000-06:00

Lunch with Opa and Nana

Dancing and dress up with Cass

Falling asleep at lunch

2011-02-07T13:19:00.000-06:00

Dance, dance, dance

2011-02-04T17:56:00.000-06:00

As you might have picked up from my immersion post, I feel like my whole journey into knowing Jesus as a Jewish rabbi and understanding the centrality of Israel has been a life-altering experience. When a Christian is giving their testimony about getting saved, sometimes they will call it their "Damascus Road Experience", alluding to Paul's encounter with Jesus in Acts. I recently heard (thanks to First Fruits of Zion for this gem) a comparable, Biblical phrase that seemed far more applicable to my own journey - I've had an "Emmaus Road Experience."

After Jesus' death and before His resurrection was confirmed, He appeared to two of His disciples who were walking to Emmaus. "Then beginning with Moses and with all the prophets, He explained to them the things concerning Himself in all the Scriptures" (Luke 24.27). The continuity of Scripture, opening their eyes to verses that had been there all along, Jesus as the Jewish Messiah, their hearts burning with them -- it's all there. He put the pieces together for them, pieces they'd been holding in their hands but couldn't bring together.

He found me on my way to Emmaus, too. I wasn't even looking for Him in that way, but He showed up and caused my heart to burn within me. And I'll never be the same.

2011-01-19T15:32:00.000-06:00

This isn't her longest time, but in case you haven't seen it in person. . .

2011-01-17T13:04:00.000-06:00

About a month ago, I laid Eliana down for a nap. This is what her crib looked like when I laid her down.

When she woke up, she happily played for quite some time. Finally, my curiousity won out, and I had to see what was so entertaining. This is how I found her.

I love it.

Now she has book time in her crib almost every morning. A girl after my own heart.

Season Change

2010-12-20T17:36:00.001-06:00

In Judaism, immersion (similar to the more familiar "baptism") can be done for a number of reasons, one of them being a season change. And when Eric and I participated in our community's immersion service a few weeks ago, the change into a season of understanding Jesus as a Jewish man and the centrality of Israel in the redemptive plan of G-d was a large part of our motivation. (In case you're not a frequent reader of Lauren's blog, here are a couple of pictures.)

This season change has been a long time coming -- several years now, in fact. With that long of a wait, there are many ways in which the immersion was just an outward sign of the change that had already happened in my heart. But I think that only deepened the significance of actually going through the steps of the immersion service. As I was sitting in our worship service last night, I came to the best summary I can think for this season change. We were singing the line, "I finally found where I belong," which has resonated with me from the first time I heard the song. But now, after immersion, I think I know why.

In keeping with the theme of season changes, Eliana took her first verifiable steps on the same day as our immersion, December 5, 2010. I don't have any pictures to share, because she's rather difficult to capture on camera these days.

And just a short note on my African violet. All of the blooms of the previous post had withered and been removed by the time we left for North Carolina. So there it sat, the same old green plant it has been for most of our relationship.

But after a full week to itself with no tender care or even water, my African violet greeted our return with these little beauties and two more about to open.

I'm starting to get the hint. I think it likes its space.

Sometimes people do too, the L-rd is telling me. May He bring beauty out of dormancy, wherever He finds it in my life.

2010-12-04T21:35:00.000-06:00

Just a few highlights from our Thanksgiving trip to North and South Carolina to see Aunt Sandy and Uncle Tom:

We went to the Billy Graham Library in Charlotte. It's more of a museum that tells the story of his life, and it was really moving. Neither of us had a strong connection to Billy Graham before we went, but being on the property and going through the tour touched both of us at a deep, spirit level.

Watching rafters and kayakers hitting the rapids

Eliana and Opa had a good time smashing their faces on the windows

He looks like he's whispering sweet nothings in her ear, but a few minutes later he was putting lemon wedges in her mouth every time she screamed

On Friday we drove down to Callawassie Island, where Eric and I have been several times since we've been married. This is just in case you forgot how beautiful it is down there.

Eliana's first trip to the ocean, safe in the arms of her great aunt

Sea kayaking - my first time in a kayak

Normally I wouldn't include a picture of us on very little sleep, but check out Eliana's expression.
Despite the stern look, she did great on all of our flights.

Happy Birthday, Sweet Pea!

2010-11-13T23:29:00.000-06:00

Eliana's first birthday was on Thursday. Since I didn't post on time, here are some pictures from her party.
A huge thanks to Lauren for all of these. What a blessing!

Eliana had a balloon theme, which was a big hit.

A PBlake sandwich

Her latest facial expression is the squinty cheeser grin. She does it to be funny and make us laugh - her first joke.

Not too bad, even if Mama did forget to add the sugar to the whipped cream.

A fantastic knit hat from Kate

Favorite gift of the night? Tissue paper.

I had to include both of these pictures with Papa. Too cute.

Also on her birthday, Eliana walked more than she has in her whole life, pushing her baby stroller. I posted a longer video of the walking on our YouTube page. But here's a short clip of her using her new balancing skills.

Celebrate the Light

2010-11-04T12:04:00.000-05:00

In Jewish thought, every soul is a unique expression of the light of G-d.

So today we celebrate the light.

Happy Birthday, Wy-Guy.

2010-10-31T17:02:00.000-05:00

This is Eliana after she figured out how to open the screen door by herself. I think she's checking to see if anyone is going to stop her daring escape.

The picture is unrelated to the rest of my post. But if I don't include a picture, who will read it? Now, on to the real topic(s).

Windows 7 has this great feature called Sticky Notes. Now I'm just a few taps and clicks away from capturing anything that strikes my fancy. The question is, then what? My sticky notes are taking over. So in order to declutter, I bring you random quotes:

A natural solution for teething: For general discomfort you can use one drop of clove oil in 25ml of pure grapeseed oil. Keep this in the fridge and rub a little on the gums at three hourly intervals. (an email from the Simons)

feel the sunlight.

let it warm your heart.
listen as it tells the story
of hope that comes,
radiant,
shining its warmth
on everything.
(our very own Stephanie Griggs)

To isolate ourselves and live in an individual bubble or even a community bubble is to miss entirely the plan that God has for us as believers.(from Tikkun's newsletter)

With a true friend, one can negotiate a path through the most intense circumstances. The foundation of love and concern for the other partner is strong enough to maintain the structure of the ever challenged and evolving friendship throughout the years. (also from Tikkun)

With the Goldstone-Tomuschat and flotilla resolutions, the Human Rights Council maintained its record of having adopted more resolutions and decisions condemning Israel than all other 191 U.N. states combined. (from an email article from a family friend)

Some 93.5 percent of Americans believe that the US should be concerned about Israel's security. Whereas the Obama administration is unconvinced that the Palestinians need to recognize Israel as a Jewish state, 77% of Americans believe that they must do so. Only 6% of Americans believe the Palestinians shouldn't recognize Israel. And not only do Americans support Israel, they expect their leaders to support Israel as well. Some 50.9% of Americans are more likely to vote for a staunchly pro-Israel candidate, and only 25.2% are less likely to do so. Fifty-three percent of Americans say they could not vote for an anti- Israel candidate even if they agreed with the candidate's positions on most other issues. As for Obama's treatment of Israel, some 42.7% of Americans believe that the president's Middle East policies harm Israel's security, and only 29.6% believe that they are improving Israel's security situation. Some 51.6% of Americans believe that Obama is less friendly towards Israel than his predecessors have been. Only 35.4% believe that he is as friendly towards Israel as his predecessors were. No less noteworthy than the poll's exposure of the massive support Israel enjoys from the American people is what it tells us about the relative strength and weakness of that support along the partisan and ideological divide. As the Emergency Committee for Israel's Chairman Bill Kristol summarized the poll's findings in The Weekly Standard, 69% of Republicans are more likely to vote for a pro-Israel candidate, while only 40% of Democrats are. Furthermore, a mere 15% of Republicans are less likely to vote for a pro-Israel candidate while 33% of Democrats are less likely to vote for a candidate who strongly supports Israel. (from http://www.carolineglick.com/e/ - if you don't read Caroline Glick's articles here or on JPost, you should)

And while the other notes will probably now be cleared from my desktop, this traditional Jewish condolence will remain:

"May the L-rd comfort you with all the mourners of Zion and Jerusalem."

Hats Off

2010-10-03T23:02:00.000-05:00

I have two things to share that make me smile:

First, here is Eliana crawling across her very own quilt from Patrick and Ashley Weekly, good friends of ours. Patrick helped pick out the fabric, but Ashley did all the work. It's so cute. The back is a print of flowers that match the colors on the front. We love it!

The second thing that makes me smile was our trip this weekend to the good old Family Tree Nursery. Not only did I get to show Eric around my very first place of employment, but they also put together a fabulous fall event, complete with Big Cass helping at the pumpkin table.

Meeting the animals at the petting zoo

Noah and Eliana playing in the corn bin

She's sharing - isn't that sweet?

My favorite picture from the day.

So hats off to the Weeklys and to FTN. And thanks for the smiles.

Time

2010-09-21T23:35:00.000-05:00

I have had this African violet for 3 or 4 years now. It sat on my desk at the apartment, stretching its little leaves to gobble up the sunshine coming in from the windows on either side. Then it made the move with us to the MBlakes, where it sits on a fabulously sunny ledge. But it never blossomed. Not even once.

Until a couple of months ago, when this little guy popped out. And it's been blooming ever since. I have three blossoms on it right now. The weird thing is that nothing changed. I'm not watering it any more or any less. It's getting the same amount of sunlight that has for the past 9 months. But here they are, nonetheless.

I feel like it's supposed to teach me something, my perseverant little African violent. It reminds me of Arthur Burk's story about Psalm 1. The psalm talks about a man who delights himself in the law of the L-rd, that "he will be like a tree firmly planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in its season." The L-rd asked Arthur what the fruit-bearing season of a tree was. It's a bit of a trick question, you see, because it depends entirely on what type of tree it is. I think about this question. I wonder what my fruit-bearing season will be.

It certainly isn't a fruit-bearing season right now. It's the type of season that will be noticeable when the tree is cut and the rings are examined. They'll recognize it by the signs of forest fires and lightning strikes. Hard, trying times. I know, I know. These are the times that drive the roots deep. Try telling that to the tree after the fire rages, when its bark is burnt and there are trees missing in its forest.

But still, my African violet blossoms are an arrow of hope. When it seems that there is nothing, sometimes there is a miracle of life just beneath the surface. And in His timing, Life can spring forth. Come quickly, L-rd Yeshua.

Love to Eat

2010-09-14T21:18:00.000-05:00

I love to feed people, and I love to eat. Maybe it runs in the family. Here is Eliana and her 18-month-old cousin, Cailin.

2010-09-05T21:51:00.000-05:00

We had a really great time with the Blake side of the family, too. (My excuse for posting so many pictures is that I have lots of old posts without any pictures. I'm trying to balance it all out.)

Here are a couple of pictures of Eliana with her Cass.

We were reading a book together. She loves reading. Or at least the camera.

Some cuddle time on the porch with Grandma and Cass.

This was her first time in pigtails. Now that I write it, that seems . . .unclean. But how could something that cute be unclean?

And our trip down to the river. She loves the cold water.
She would have gone all the way in if I had let her.

On our first trip to the river, Eliana was at home taking a nap.
Check out that view.

The view at the river was amazing, but the path down to it was another story. Steep, muddy, overgrown.
I did it the first day in flip flops. Not too pretty.

On the second day I wore my Aqua Socks (I'm assuming that's a proper name). Impressive, I know. You thought Aqua Socks were a thing of the past. They solved the mud issue, but they didn't keep me from falling into the river. There's a video of my mishap, but it doesn't seem to do it justice. I didn't get washed downstream, exactly, but I got plenty wet. The rescue involved a large tree limb and Big Cass' leg.
This picture, which you might recognize from Leah's blog, was taken just moments after my river escapade.

2010-08-29T21:42:00.000-05:00

A few more pictures from our time with Eric's family

(Create your own caption here.)

Sportin' the shades on Pikes Peak

Each family took an evening and provided dinner. I planned to grill Greek burgers and asparagus, but it was Eric and Brigitte who braved the rain.

Watching the hummingbirds with Opa

A friendly little game of Catan.

Eliana loves the water. Even icy cold water.

Eric and Brigitte

2010-08-15T22:42:00.002-05:00

I have to post, because the pictures are piling up. I'm sure there will be more to come.

Our trip out West started with a stop in Hays to see our friends Daron and Heather. The hospitality was amazing, and the fellowship was even better. We always love spending time with them. Our journeys are very parallel, even though the details are different. I forgot to take a picture of Eliana with their three little ones, but hopefully we'll get a picture when they come our direction in October.

On our way down from one of the Green Mountain Falls

After Hays, we headed to Green Mountain Falls, just outside of Colorado Springs. We had a great time with Eric's family, including his great aunt, Brigitte. We did the big attractions, like Cave of the Winds and Pikes Peak. We also hiked to three waterfalls, two of which you can walk to from Ruble and Brandi's house. The best times were just hanging out, cooking dinner for each other and asking Brigitte questions about her life in Germany growing up.

Adams Falls in Rocky Mountain National Park
She's so happy to be visiting her first national park

On top of her first 14er

Cuddling on the trail

After GMF (as they affectionately and sometimes confusingly refer to it), the whole family drove up to Granby for the wedding of a longtime family friend. The groom is Spanish, so we had fun with the cultural and linguistic opportunities. Eric struck up some conversations about Andres Iniesta and the World Cup, while I was roped into translating for my very ornery father-in-law.

The Simon family
(minus Ruble, who is playing horseshoes, and including the much loved aunt, Brigitte)

Dancing with Uncle Ruble

Sleeping in Nana's arms

The reception

The Blood of Twilight

2010-07-30T00:14:00.000-05:00

A note to my friends: If you’re a Twilight fan and I haven’t talked to you about the issues with Twilight in person, I apologize. Hopefully you’ll hear my heart as you read.

While there are all kinds of problems with the Twilight series, the one that makes me want to pull out my hair, or at least a sturdy soapbox, is the issue of blood. Twilight's vampire is good, I'm told, because he suppresses his urges and only sucks the blood of animals. “It's like eating tofu,” they say. “You’re never really full.” It’s a catchy comparison, but it doesn’t override a foundational, Biblical truth – the blood belongs to the L-rd.

I realize that blood is practically a non-issue in contemporary faith. Every now and again it shows up in a worship song, perhaps around Easter, but it carries only a vague, esoteric meaning. And we have no idea what we’re missing. To paraphrase Dr. Moseley, what’s missing in the Church today is the stench of blood from the sacrifices required by our sinful lives. But that’s for another discussion.

The blood is foundational because the L-rd set it up that way in Torah. "For the life of the flesh is in the blood, and I have given it to you on the altar to make atonement for your souls; for it is the blood by reason of the life that makes atonement." (Lev. 17:11)

The life is in the blood, and all life comes from Him, the Giver of Life. The blood provided the atonement because of its connection to the life. And if the blood is all about atonement, then the real connection between blood and twilight is not vampires.

"You shall keep it [the Passover lamb] until the fourteenth day of the same month, then the whole assembly of the congregation of Israel is to kill it at twilight. Moreover, they shall take some of the blood and put it on the two doorposts and on the lintel of the houses in which they eat it." (Ex. 12:6-7)

Twilight's glorification of vampiric life is an affront to the holy requirements of G-d and to the sacrifice of His Son, our Passover Lamb. The enemy is trying to claim the blood for himself, for the blood is an instrument of worship. He doesn’t care whether Twilight’s readers realize its powerful significance; their ignorance is his bliss. But ignorance cannot be our excuse. Our very covenant with G-d depends on the blood – Messiah’s blood.

2010-07-05T22:39:00.000-05:00

Eliana has a lot of great people in her life to learn from. For instance, in the midst of trying to find a sippy cup or bottle that Eliana would use without crying, we learned from her Aunt Brandi that it's possible for babies to drink from the bite valve of a Camelbak.

From her cousin Cass, we learned that Camelbak makes special bottles just for kids. Here's Eliana's. She doesn't know it yet, but someday she'll be so excited that she has a bottle like Cass'.

Cass also taught us about the special button, which helps little fingers pop the straw open. Eliana isn't there yet, but when she is, Cass will make a great teacher.

Her papa didn't really contribute to her water bottle, but he sure helped with her good looks. Here's Eric at 9 months.

And the screaming? Well, we're not sure where she gets the screaming. It might be an Eliana original. Here's a very tame version.

Attention Football Fans

2010-06-26T23:08:00.000-05:00

Even with the United States' disappointing loss to Ghana today, it's no time to lose interest in the World Cup -- and more specifically its effects outside of the stadiums.

"This window of time during the World Cup represents a moment of crisis when all the contributing factors in the global slave trade will converge in one nation for a thirty-one day period. Conservative estimates suggest that more than 40,000 women and children will be trafficked into and through South Africa leading up to and during the World Cup."

A ministry called Exodus Cry has put together a World Cup prayer guide. It's not too late to join with others around the world in asking G-d to intervene and rescue these women and children.

This video that Exodus Cry posted on their website paints a more detailed picture of the trafficking reality in South Africa.

As you find a new team to cheer on to victory, please make prayer for these victims a part of your World Cup experience.

Skunks

2010-06-26T22:37:00.000-05:00

So the cutie in the costume is . . . my mom.

But if you guessed that it was me, as many of you did, then you weren't too far off.

Evidently Tom also wore the costume, once upon a time.

2010-06-14T12:21:00.000-05:00

I still haven't been able to bring myself to write about Zeke, so how can I write about Wyatt? The words will come - slowly, through the wrestling - but I'm not there yet.

Systems and Solid Foods

2010-05-14T14:40:00.000-05:00

Hmm. It seems that not many people responded to my poll*, because I haven't included a new post. So I'll re-open the poll, because the question intrigues me. Who knew that people had favorite systems in the body. But evidently they do.

In unrelated news (or perhaps slightly related), here is a link to the video of Eliana's first experience with "solid" food. As long as we're not counting the bagel I let her lick a month ago. I have to warn you, it's pretty uneventful. She was more excited about the plastic bib than the avocado. But I have had some feedback that Eric is the most amusing character in our little family drama.

*If you feel some concern for me that I'm overly enthusiastic about polls, you might be justified. I think it satisfies my curiousity about people visiting the blog, since not everyone leaves a comment. Polls are catered to the technologically introverted, evidently.

2010-05-04T14:50:00.001-05:00

It is such a blessing to have a talented photographer in the family. Here are some pictures that Lauren took of Eliana.

If you've seen Lauren's blog, this wooden bowl might look familiar. Eliana fills it out a little differently than Hadassah, don't you think?

2010-05-02T15:32:00.000-05:00

I love this picture.

But who is it? That was my question.

2010-04-13T21:24:00.001-05:00

Evidently I owe my devoted readers two posts, due to an updating glitch a few weeks ago. See below for an entry similar to my vanishing post. For my second requirement, I've opted for a more graphic presentation.

These are some pictures of how long Eliana's hair is, in case you live out of town or just haven't happened to notice.

The bangs issue you see here is why we've started using a clip, much to Pop's disappointment.

She loves to play with her tongue, and it's one of her ways of showing that she's in a playful, happy mood.

At lunch with her Nana and Opa on First Fruits, Eliana was all smiles and laughs.

A moment of silence

2010-04-13T21:07:00.002-05:00

I have to say, we have a hilarious small group. The humor has a good range - witty, zany, bizarre, Biblical. If any of our small group happen to read this post, please feel free to comment with your favorite joke or moment. If you're not in our small group, please respond with something else that will make me laugh.

My favorite comment so far?

From Kate: "Let's have a moment of silence for Jack's middle name."

Purim Photos?

2010-03-12T11:23:00.003-06:00

Here is the only picture I have from Purim this year. I know some wonderful photographers from our community took pictures at AY, and I would love to have copies of them.

2010-01-31T11:57:00.001-06:00

Here are a few pictures from the last month:

Eric and Eliana in their black hats

Big yawns from Eliana as she shows off an outfit from her Aunt Brandi

Those cheeks are definitely filling out

Eric attempting to give Eliana her first bottle.

2010-01-08T12:10:00.003-06:00

Here are a few pictures from the Blake and Simon Christmas weeks.

Eric leading the Blake family in Christmas carols - a first for the Blakes.

The girls.

Eliana under the Simon Christmas tree - our very own Christmas present.

A proud Aunt Brandi.

A mischievous but loving Uncle Ruble.

Eliana couldn't take her eyes off her Nana.

Eliana's Opa - the baby whisperer.

The whole family (minus Bono, Norman, and Frankie).

2009-12-07T20:38:00.001-06:00

She's here! Eliana Joy arrived at 12:46 p.m. on Wednesday, November 11. The labor was long, but we did it. Praise the L-rd! Eric was an amazing coach, helping me through each contraction and encouraging me that we could do it. We also had great support from Cami, our doula, a fantastic nurse named Lisanne, and both grandmas. It was truly a group effort, and I couldn't have done it without them.

Here's a good Simon family photo, especially since we hadn't slept all night.

And this is our favorite picture so far of Eliana. Isn't she adorable?

We seem to be adjusting to life pretty well, especially considering these last few weeks have included Eric completely changing roles at work and packing for our move to my parents'. Never a dull moment.

I think my favorite part of adding Eliana to our family has been watching how much Eric loves her. It makes me love him even more. He's the greatest papa (accent on the second syllable) ever.

More Belly Photos

2009-10-28T14:27:00.000-05:00

As one of the many gifts that my sisters-in-law keep giving me, we received a maternity photo shoot from Lauren. She did a great job, in our humble opinion, and you can see the whole collection here.

Intense Eric

2009-10-06T20:59:00.002-05:00

Since there wasn't enough going on in our lives right now to keep him challenged, Eric has decided to get his master's degree from the American Institute of Holy Land Studies. He's actually in the middle of an intensive week of classes right now, covering 5 classes in 6 days. To enroll in the program, he had to submit a picture of himself. He selected a different photo to send the school, but this is my personal favorite. It's just called "Intense Eric" for now, although it seems deserving of something cooler, more along the lines of Blue Steel. Suggestions are welcome.

2009-08-11T16:49:00.010-05:00

Well, we continued to have what was probably our best vacation yet. Some highlights:

An evening in Beaufort, a small town close to Callawassie that has a more beautiful boardwalk than Hilton Head, in our opinion. It's smaller and less crowded, which was nice. They also have porch swings set up all along the waterfront, so Eric and I watched the last of the sunset after eating dinner on the patio of a local restaurant.
A special Italian dinner at the Callwassie Club, complete with red-and-white checked tablecloths and a self-playing piano.
Having the 9-hole course outside our back door be closed for repairs, so we could walk on the golf course anytime we wanted.
Pulling pins, holding golf clubs, and driving the golf cart at full speed as Eric's caddy, while he played 9 holes in a lightning storm.

The Gallery on the 1st Hole

On Friday we said our final goodbyes to our lovely island and drove up to Portsmouth, Virginia to see Lee Schrock, affectionately known by some as Two Cat Lee. Lee's in the Navy, so we haven't seen him much these past few years. He came back for a visit this summer, reminding us of how much we missed him, so we couldn't pass up the opportunity to see him once we were already on the East Coast.

Other than eating great food, having great conversation, and playing record amounts of Settlers of Catan while we were with Lee, we also went to a naval museum, part of which included walking around the USS Wisconsin.

Overall a great trip, and the time with Lee was one of the biggest highlights. We love you, Lee!

2009-08-04T20:39:00.002-05:00

Oh yeah, and last Tuesday Eric was very sneaky and took me over to Hilton Head Island to see fireworks. If you don't know, I love fireworks. They shot them off over the water, so we stood on the edge of the boardwalk area at Shelter Cove to watch. It was great. I love that guy.

2009-08-04T14:03:00.011-05:00

We are officially on vacation, in case you've tried to get a hold of us and failed. Eric and I are being blessed by the incredible hospitality of his aunt and uncle, who have opened their home and their villa up to us.

We drove an incredibly quick and easy 20-some hours to South Carolina last Saturday. Then we spent Sunday through Thursday enjoying the incredible atmosphere of Callawassie Island. Here are some pictures of one of our neighbors.

And a short video of the street where we're staying:

On Friday we drove up to Charlotte to spend a relaxing weekend with Eric's incredibly hospitable aunt and uncle, Sandy and Tom. Eric had a chance to fit in some golf lessons with Tom, as well as soundly beat us all at Catan. We really enjoyed the chance to catch up with them on this trip, especially since they usually have to make the trip to Kansas City. It's always fun to enter someone else's world for a while.

On Sunday we also visited Morning Star, Rick Joyner's church. We both really enjoyed hearing Joyner share. We had a good connection with a young couple after the service and also had an opportunity to receive some ministry from Morning Star's prophetic teams.

This week we're back at Callawassie, enjoying our down time. Hopefully this weekend we'll drive up to Portsmouth, VA to see our friend Lee.

Blessing the Baby

2009-08-04T13:57:00.002-05:00

On July 20, Eric and I invited our family to join us for a time of blessing Baby Simon. We wanted to set aside a time for focused, intentional spiritual blessing for our baby before he or she officially enters the world. Our hope is that every year, on July 20, we will stop and take spiritual inventory with our child, seeing all the wonderful things God has done and seeking His will for their spiritual growth in the coming year.

We were both so overwhelmed by the beautiful and powerful prayers and blessings that our families gave. It was great to have both sides come together and share. Here's a picture taken during Betty's blessing.

A huge thanks to our families for all of their love, support, and prayers for Baby Simon!

2009-05-21T14:34:00.005-05:00

In case you haven't heard the news . . .

Baby Simon will be joining the family around November 2.

The Value of Music

2009-05-21T14:15:00.011-05:00

In my Goodreads comments, I recently remarked on the need for not only good literature but godly literature - and that I refuse to believe the two must be separate. My dualistic, (and ironically enough ) Greek-style education has told me they cannot co-exist.

The discussions I've had with several people about the topic also raise the macro issues of the importance of "art" in life at all. What I have posted for you here addresses that rather beautifully, regarding the specific art of music. And perhaps it also raises the question of what role our spirits play or how exactly our spirits interact with music.

This is a welcome address to entering freshmen at Boston Conservatory, given by Karl Paulnack, pianist and director of the music division, forwarded to me by Eric, who received it from his mom.

Welcome Address, by Karl Paulnack

“One of my parents’ deepest fears, I suspect, is that society would not properly value me as a musician, that I wouldn’t be appreciated. I had very good grades in high school, I was good in science and math, and they imagined that as a doctor or a research chemist or an engineer, I might be more appreciated than I would be as a musician. I still remember my mother’s remark when I announced my decision to apply to music school—she said, “you’re WASTING your SAT scores.” On some level, I think, my parents were not sure themselves what the value of music was, what its purpose was. And they LOVED music, they listened to classical music all the time. They just weren’t really clear about its function. So let me talk about that a little bit, because we live in a society that puts music in the “arts and entertainment” section of the newspaper, and serious music, the kind your kids are about to engage in, has absolutely nothing whatsoever to do with entertainment, in fact it’s the opposite of entertainment. Let me talk a little bit about music, and how it works.

The first people to understand how music really works were the ancient Greeks. And this is going to fascinate you; the Greeks said that music and astronomy were two sides of the same coin. Astronomy was seen as the study of relationships between observable, permanent, external objects, and music was seen as the study of relationships between invisible, internal, hidden objects. Music has a way of finding the big, invisible moving pieces inside our hearts and souls and helping us figure out the position of things inside us. Let me give you some examples of how this works.

One of the most profound musical compositions of all time is the Quartet for the End of Time written by French composer Olivier Messiaen in 1940. Messiaen was 31 years old when France entered the war against Nazi Germany. He was captured by the Germans in June of 1940, sent across Germany in a cattle car and imprisoned in a concentration camp.

He was fortunate to find a sympathetic prison guard who gave him paper and a place to compose. There were three other musicians in the camp, a cellist, a violinist, and a clarinetist, and Messiaen wrote his quartet with these specific players in mind. It was performed in January 1941 for four thousand prisoners and guards in the prison camp. Today it is one of the most famous masterworks in the repertoire.

Given what we have since learned about life in the concentration camps, why would anyone in his right mind waste time and energy writing or playing music? There was barely enough energy on a good day to find food and water, to avoid a beating, to stay warm, to escape torture—why would anyone bother with music? And yet—from the camps, we have poetry, we have music, we have visual art; it wasn’t just this one fanatic Messiaen; many, many people created art. Why? Well, in a place where people are only focused on survival, on the bare necessities, the obvious conclusion is that art must be, somehow, essential for life. The camps were without money, without hope, without commerce, without rec reation, without basic respect, but they were not without art. Art is part of survival; art is part of the human spirit, an unquenchable expression of who we are. Art is one of the ways in which we say, “I am alive, and my life has meaning.”

On September 12, 2001 I was a resident of Manhattan. That morning I reached a new understanding of my art and its relationship to the world. I sat down at the piano that morning at 10 AM to practice as was my daily routine; I did it by force of habit, without thinking about it. I lifted the cover on the keyboard, and opened my music, and put my hands on the keys and took my hands off the keys. And I sat there and thought, does this even matter? Isn’t this completely irrelevant? Playing the piano right now, given what happened in this city yesterday, seems silly, absurd, irreverent, pointless. Why am I here? What place has a musician in this moment in time? Who needs a piano player right now? I was completely lost.

And then I, along with the rest of New York, went through the journey of getting through that week. I did not play the piano that day, and in fact I contemplated briefly whether I would ever want to play the piano again. And then I observed how we got through the day.

At least in my neighborhood, we didn’t shoot hoops or play Scrabble. We didn’t play cards to pass the time, we didn’t watch TV, we didn’t shop, we most certainly did not go to the mall. The first organized activity that I saw in New York, that same day, was singing. People sang. People sang around fire houses, people sang “We Shall Overcome”. Lots of people sang America the Beautiful. The first organized public event that I remember was the Brahms Requiem, later that week, at Lincoln Center, with the New York Philharmonic. The first organized public expression of grief, our first communal response to that historic event, was a concert. That was the beginning of a sense that life might go on. The US Military secured the airspace, but recovery was led by the arts, and by music in particular, that very night.

From these two experiences, I have come to understand that music is not part of “arts and entertainment” as the newspaper section would have us believe. It’s not a luxury, a lavish thing that we fund from leftovers of our budgets, not a plaything or an amusement or a pass time. Music is a basic need of human survival. Music is one of the ways we make sense of our lives, one of the ways in which we express feelings when we have no words, a way for us to understand things with our hearts when we cannot with our minds.

Some of you may know Samuel Barber’s heartwrenchingly beautiful piece Adagio for Strings. If you don’t know it by that name, then some of you may know it as the background music which accompanied the Oliver Stone movie Platoon, a film about the Vietnam War. If you know that piece of music either way, you know it has the ability to crack your heart open like a walnut; it can make you cry over sadness you didn’t know you had. Music can slip beneath our conscious reality to get at what’s really going on inside us the way a good therapist does.

I bet that you have never been to a wedding where there was absolutely no music. There might have been only a little music, there might have been some really bad music, but I bet you there was some music. And something very predictable happens at weddings—people get all pent up with all kinds of emotions, and then there’s some musical moment where the action of the wedding stops and someone sings or plays the flute or something. And even if the music is lame, even if the quality isn’t good, predictably 30 or 40 percent of the people who are going to cry at a wedding cry a couple of moments after the music starts. Why? The Greeks. Music allows us to move around those big invisible pieces of ourselves and rearrange our insides so that we can express what we feel even when we can’t talk about it. Can you imagine watching Indiana Jones or Superman or Star Wars with the dialogue but no music? What is it about the music swelling up at just the right moment in ET so that all the softies in the audience start crying at exactly the same moment? I guarantee you if you showed the movie with the music stripped out, it wouldn’t happen that way. The Greeks: Music is the understanding of the relationship between invisible internal objects.

I’ll give you one more example, the story of the most important concert of my life. I must tell you I have played a little less than a thousand concerts in my life so far. I have played in places that I thought were important. I like playing in Carnegie Hall; I enjoyed playing in Paris; it made me very happy to please the critics in St. Petersburg. I have played for people I thought were important; music critics of major newspapers, foreign heads of state. The most important concert of my entire life took place in a nursing home in Fargo, ND, about 4 years ago.

I was playing with a very dear friend of mine who is a violinist. We began, as we often do, with Aaron Copland’s Sonata, which was written during World War II and dedicated to a young friend of Copland’s, a young pilot who was shot down during the war. Now we often talk to our audiences about the pieces we are going to play rather than providing them with written program notes. But in this case, because we began the concert with this piece, we decided to talk about the piece later in the program and to just come out and play the music without explanation.

Midway through the piece, an elderly man seated in a wheelchair near the front of the concert hall began to weep. This man, whom I later met, was clearly a soldier—even in his 70’s, it was clear from his buzz-cut hair, square jaw and general demeanor that he had spent a good deal of his life in the military. I thought it a little bit odd that someone would be moved to tears by that particular movement of that particular piece, but it wasn’t the first time I’ve heard crying in a concert and we went on with the concert and finished the piece.

When we came out to play the next piece on the program, we decided to talk about both the first and second pieces, and we described the circumstances in which the Copland was written and mentioned its dedication to a downed pilot. The man in the front of the audience became so disturbed that he had to leave the auditorium. I honestly figured that we would not see him again, but he did come backstage afterwards, tears and all, to explain himself.

What he told us was this: “During World War II, I was a pilot, and I was in an aerial combat situation where one of my team’s planes was hit. I watched my friend bail out, and watched his parachute open, but the Japanese planes which had engaged us returned and machine gunned across the parachute chords so as to separate the parachute from the pilot, and I watched my friend drop away into the ocean, realizing that he was lost. I have not thought about this for many years, but during that first piece of music you played, this memory returned to me so vividly that it was as though I was reliving it. I didn’t understand why this was happening, why now, but then when you came out to explain that this piece of music was written to commemorate a lost pilot, it was a little more than I could handle. How does the music do that? How did it find those feelings and those memories in me?”

Remember the Greeks: music is the study of invisible relationships between internal objects. This concert in Fargo was the most important work I have ever done. For me to play for this old soldier and help him connect, somehow, with Aaron Copland, and to connect their memories of their lost friends, to help him remember and mourn his friend, this is my work. This is why music matters.

2009-01-07T23:17:00.003-06:00

I saw this on the For Zion's Sake blog, which is really worth reading if you don't already. Especially with the war in Gaza right now, it's priceless to have someone pulling actual news sources together, not the ridiculously and frustratingly inaccurate headlines and highlights carried by the major news sources.

Anyway, click here to Send a Soldier a Smile.

Christopher also included this paragraph, which I will pass on to you:

Of course, you may want to do more, and you might be willing to spend a few bucks to do so, in which case, you can send a Soldier Gift Package to the units on the fronts in Lebanon & Gaza. The cost is $18, and 18 is the number for life (חַי), which is what we wish all soldiers.

2008-12-16T22:27:00.007-06:00

I feel compelled to post these pictures from our trip down to see the Plaza lights on Thanksgiving, since Leah said a blog isn't worth reading without pictures. You might have noticed that I don't have small children to post pictures of, so sometimes I skip that step altogether.

To right that wrong and to try to entice people into reading my blog, here is not one picture but TWO. Enjoy our beautiful faces.

Us with Mr. and Mrs. Ruble Henderson

Food Journal - Day . . .

2008-12-16T22:00:00.004-06:00

In all fairness to myself, I warned that my week of food journaling would be, well, less than a week. But here's another day in review:

Breakfast (8:30)
*2 beef sausage links

Lunch (12:30)
*Chicken soup from Panera, with a side of bread

Snack (2:30)
*White tea

Dinner (7:00)
*Salad with mushrooms, red pepper, celery, cheese, and sea salt
*Brown rice and barbeque chicken
*Dessert drink and 2 smallish cookies

Comments: Not the most impressive day, but I did eat a salad (without MSG-tainted Ranch dressing, no less, which is my favorite). The salad has to count for something. And the fact that I didn't eat as many cookies as I would have liked -- it is the holidays, after all. I did go to the trouble to make brown rice instead of white, as well as feeding my husband leftovers, which makes me feel good about my food budget and the state of my refrigerator.

2008-12-11T23:02:00.002-06:00

From Leah's brother's blog:

"Here is the next challenge I want to put to anyone reading In Defense of Food and thinking/blogging about health and nutrition: For one week, document -- on your blog -- everything you eat. Include the quantity you eat, and when you eat it."

Well, technically I qualify. I did read In Defense of Food and I have been thinking about health and nutrition. I have serious doubts about my ability/commitment to do this every day for a week, but here at least is Day 1. It wasn't my most exemplary day, but how could I turn down a chance to talk about food?

Breakfast (9:00)
*1 soft-boiled egg (anyone have a good protein alternative to eggs? I'm almost done with eggs for breakfast)
*small bowl of Grape Nuts (which I could eat every day, as I confessed to Leah and Lauren tonight)
*large mug of Lady Grey

Lunch (12:00)
*large bowl of baked potato soup
*side of bread
*Mango Ceylon tea in a disposable cup (very disappointing for me, since I don't like the taste of disposable cups and don't see the need for them when I could just use a mug -- I didn't ask in time for the mug and was too lazy/shy to correct the situation)

Dinner (7:00)
*2.25 rolls
*small salad with red onion, mushrooms, feta and unknown dressing
*small to medium portion of fettuccine with salmon, asparagus and lemon butter (I think)
*small portion of walnut apple pie with a bite of cinnamon ice cream

Comments:
Not a typical day for me, since I don't usually eat out. Joe also gives himself a grade, but I don't feel qualified to grade myself. I feel like that's a job for Dr. Rice or something.

This is the land which I swore to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob

2008-10-18T21:21:00.004-05:00

First thought: Rabbi mentioned recently that most Jewish people basically only read the Torah, not even the Prophets and Writings.

Second thought: Today at Torah study we finished reading Deuteronomy, the last book of the Torah. Deuteronomy ends with Moses ascending Mount Nebo to look over into the Promised Land before he dies. It's not until the book of Joshua (not in the Torah) that the children of Israel even possess the land promised to Abraham in the book of Genesis.

The mountain where God gave the land covenant to Moses. (taken by Jacklynn)

Does it seem amazing to anyone else that the story that many Jews read and are familiar with doesn't even include the fulfillment of the promise that is fundamental to their existence and identity? I realize that they know how the story ends, but still. Taking the land has not historically been their emphasis, yet they possess this awesome sense of the faithfulness of God. I guess I am impressed with their long-term perspective, their delayed gratification, their faith.

Ezra Bear and the etrain

2008-09-22T16:50:00.006-05:00

For part of last week we had the awesome blessing of having Ezra Gharst (affectionately known as Ezra Bear, Bear, or Bear Bear) stay with us. Since I was painting with Tom, Eric took on the role of Mr. Mom - and he made it look effortless. While they were on their last outing together, I asked Lauren to capture some photos, so everyone could see Eric in action.

Appropriately, their last afternoon activity was a visit to a coffee shop.

This one's my favorite.

When it was time to take Ezra home, we both felt a little sad and realized that we would miss our new little buddy.

Brandi's Wedding

2008-09-01T20:29:00.012-05:00

Eric's aunt, Sandy, shared some of her photos with us, so here are some good ones from our time at Brandi's wedding. First, here we are at the Black Bear Restaurant in Green Mountain Falls, site of the rehearsal dinner and the best meal I've ever eaten in my entire life. No exaggeration. It was an amazing, gourmet, five-course meal. Ruble has exquisite taste in food, so I shouldn't have been surprised. But I was, perhaps because I'd never had anything like it before. Wow. It really made up for the fact that I almost froze to death during the rehearsal.

Here is the site where the wedding was actually held. The rain kept up, but it was a beautiful backdrop for the kilts and Braveheart music. A sunny day really wouldn't have been as perfect. And their Anglican priest who married them was hilarious. He obviously knows them well, which is always fun. And at one point he took of his prayer shawl-like garment, and when he put it back on, he kissed it like Jews do when putting their prayer shawls on. Very interesting.

Here we are, looking perplexed before the wedding starts. We didn't have our camera, so this is the only picture I have of us from the actual day.

The happy couple and their first dance. Brandi's dress was beautiful, and Ruble's kilt actually looked very dashing. It's not for everyone, to be sure, but he pulled it off nicely. Brandi's dance with Wolfgang was to a German rendition of a song from Fiddler on the Roof.

On Sunday we spent some time with Tom and Sandy, Eric's aunt and uncle. First, we went to

Manitou Springs, to look at caves where an indigenous group used to live. Then we got really adventureous and drove to the Royal Gorge. I was the only one who had never been there. We decided to skip the park with the bridge (since it cost $24 per person to get access to the bridge) and instead hiked a small trail down to the edge of the gorge itself.

We loved the time with Tom and Sandy. They live in North Carolina, so we don't get to see them as often as we'd like. They also have a villa in South Carolina, which is where Eric disappeared to last year, if you remember. Anyway, they are always a lot of fun, and this trip was no exception.

The Garden of Our God

2008-08-23T22:33:00.003-05:00

Since we basically forgot our camera the whole time we were gone, this is the only picture we have so far of our trip to Colorado Springs. When I was finding the picture to upload, the title read "Eric in the Garden of Our God". That's how we like to refer to it, at least.

It is a beautiful place, and the wedding (of Brandi, Eric's sister) was movie-worthy in its beauty. Hopefully we'll have some more picture to prove it. We enjoyed the time with family, long-time friends, and even some Kansas City folk who made the drive out for the big event. Now Ruble and Brandi are hiking through the North Island of New Zealand, no doubt loving every minute of it.

We also had a great time with our friends Dave and Heather Lucas, who took us to a live broadcast of Adventures in Odyssey, and Daron and Heather Jamison in Hays, who graciously let us stay at their house with their adorable daughter, Basha.

Like I said, no more pictures for now, but there's a brief recap in case you wondered where we keep disappearing to.

My Dad

2008-08-20T22:51:00.002-05:00

In case you've never met him, this is my dad. I just wanted to say thanks to everyone who has been praying for him over the past few weeks. It means a lot that you've all been praying, even those of you who don't know my dad super well. The L-rd has done amazing things on his behalf, and we're very thankful. Please continue to pray for his full recovery.

The Name Game

2008-07-10T15:06:00.001-05:00

I'm in serious need of help. I need some name ideas for the online bookstore we want to do for Rabbi. See the poll to the right. If you have new names, which is what I'm really interested in, just leave them as a comment. Promising ideas will show up in the next poll.

2008-07-10T12:28:00.002-05:00

Pictures from the Israel trip are slowly trickling in. You can check it out for yourself here.

No Squatters Allowed

2008-06-16T15:55:00.002-05:00

Here's a quote I came across while working on the book for Paul. It keeps coming back to me, so I thought I'd share it with you.

"In the Bible times, wine was purified by letting it sit in a vessel until the dregs had settled to the bottom. Then it was poured into a new vessel and allowed to sit so that the remaining impurities would settle. This was repeated until all the impurities were removed from the wine. The Lord contended that Moab, an area of land directly east of the Dead Sea, had never been emptied into a new vessel; it maintained its dregs and was not pure. It is the changes in our lives that help to free us of the bondage to the familiar and keep us dependent on the Lord instead of on our environments.

Our spiritual lives are purified in this same manner. The Lord allows us to remain in one place until the dregs in our lives settle. Then He pours us into a new vessel – a new situation or environment. This new situation could be a different emphasis in the teaching He is giving us. He may move us to a different congregation or give our congregation new leadership, thus giving us a new job or new supervisor. Change is crucial to maintaining purity in our lives. We are called to be spiritual sojourners, not squatters."

It's Here!

2008-06-07T23:02:00.004-05:00

Peter's book is now available!

Get your hands on your very own copy by visiting the online store at Peter's site. And tell all your friends. Please.

Holocaust Memorial Day

2008-05-01T16:50:00.002-05:00

In what must surely be a rare overlap of calendars, today is both the National Day of Prayer and Holocaust Memorial Day. Hopefully at least part of the prayers offered today by the American Church will be prayers of repentance for the anti-Semitism that is so rampant in that most cunning of places - our system of thought.

Here's an article from The New York Times that shows Christians and Jews joining together for Holocaust Memorial Day, but more significantly it tells the intriguing tale of a Torah rescued from Auschwitz. Perhaps they'll write a book about it someday . . .

A Liberal Critique

2008-04-15T22:08:00.003-05:00

I just read an essay by Marilynne Robinson called "Onward, Christian Liberals." While I don't agree with everything she has to say, this particular criticism of the stream of Christianity I'm most comfortable in hit home:

Since these folks claim to be defenders of embattled Christianity (under seige by liberalism, as they would have it), they might be struck by the passage in Matthew 25 in which Jesus says, identifying himself with the poorest, "I was hungry, and ye fed me not". . . It is the teaching of the Bible passim that God has confided us very largely to one another's care, but that in doing so he has in no degree detached himself from us.

I've read Blue Like Jazz, and I'm familiar with the current trend in the Christian subculture toward Donald Miller's "liberal" approach to social issues. There's not much to disagree with in his low-key message, but several years after I read the book I can't say that it had any lasting effect on my actions.

But as I was reading Robinson's essay (an exercise in exposing myself to nonfiction writing, not in any kind of religious or spiritual reading), I felt a much greater sense of accountability than I can recall feeling during Blue Like Jazz. Perhaps the uncushioned critism from the "outside" landed more directly than Miller's enjoyable suggestions.

More likely, I think, is the fact that now I have a Jewish framework in which to pursue the discussion. Tikkun Olam - the restoration of the world - is a constant guiding principle in Jewish thought. I just read the autobiography of a Jewish man, and he is continuously amazed at Christianity's lack of true action on behalf of the poor and needy.

I'm not suggesting that conservative Christians never do anything good and relevant for the poor or that we should jump on board every program of the "liberals." I am saying that we've been too long remiss in adequately addressing a major need that weighs heavily on the heart of God (see all of Scripture for proof of His concern for the poor, widows and fatherless). We're being taken to task by the world and the church. And it's a scolding that we -- and by we I mean I -- deserve.

Jury Duty

2008-03-06T22:24:00.003-06:00

Sorry about the jury poll. I was hoping we could swap jury stories. I received a summons for jury duty a few weeks ago, but then when push came to shove they didn't need me. I was hoping to get a bloggable story out of it. I'm supposed to be summoned again here in the near future, so we'll see.

Your Kitchen Friend

2008-03-05T09:32:00.003-06:00

In case for some inexplicable reason you don't read Leah's blog, here's the link to my fabulously hilarious husband giving some household advice, Christopher Walken-style.

http://www.youtube.com/beahblake

Random Redemptive Gift and Personality Observations

2008-02-25T22:29:00.004-06:00

As a Servant, I am drawn to strong leaders with big visions -- a chance to serve something great without leading it myself. Also as a Servant, I would prefer to run away from strong leaders who cause conflict, push on my boundaries, and expect me to make the world turn in order to accomplish their particular vision. I thought maybe the Lord was just playing tricks on me over the past year or so. Turns out I was playing tricks on myself.

I think Rulers are wired to value fairness. Does Arthur mention that on the CD?

If I ever operate as a D, it's because of an S motivation.

If Cs aren't necessarily organized, then is organization tied to any personality type?

Am I endlessly intrigued by these conversations because I have some C in me and Cs like categories?

Now discuss.

Leviticus 19:23

2008-02-01T00:12:00.001-06:00

If you do choose to plant a tree with the Jewish National Fund, this is the verse that relates to tree-planting and even comes on some of the tree certificates:

When you shall come to the land you shall plant trees. - Leviticus 19:23

That's not quite how my NASB reads, but I'm going to trust the Jewish translation on this one. It seems this verse applies to people who are actually going to the land. So some of us are going this summer, and hopefully all of us will go up someday. . .

Tu b'Shevat

2008-01-21T16:39:00.000-06:00

Today and tomorrow, according to T.J.'s email, are Tu b'Shevat, Israel's Arbor Day.

And I quote:

It is celebrated by eating the special types of fruits for which Israel is renowned: olives, dates, grapes, figs and pomegranates -- and also buxer (carob). It's also celebrated by planting trees in Israel and if you can't get to Israel, you can purchase trees to be planted in Israel from the Jewish National Fund www. jnf.org or call 800-542-TREE.

Before the email finishes, he adds that it's a Biblical mandate to plant a tree in Israel. Now, I'm all for planting trees in Israel. It sounds like a great idea. But does anyone know where it's mentioned in the Bible?

My Excuse

2008-01-16T23:42:00.000-06:00

Contrary to the argument that blogging was just a fad in our community, I have serious excuses for not having blogged since November 26 - mainly that on November 28 I received one of the most important and exciting phone calls of my life.

Peter Loth - an amazing man of God, a Jew, and a Holocaust survivor - asked me to edit his book. The story of how that came about is a bit long, but basically God is incredibly faithful and gracious in the drama of my life. He gave me the desire of my heart that was planted several years ago when I first met Peter in Eric's parents' kitchen.

And you thought I just picked up all those Holocaust memoirs for some light reading.

I just finished the first of what will be many editing passes through the manuscript, so I'm celebrating by telling you all about it.

Praise the Lord.

To Whom It May Concern

2007-11-26T20:16:00.000-06:00

Just to clear up any concerns you might have had: The tilapia fillets that end up at Whole Foods have not been fed fish poop.

The End of All Things Is Near - What's For Dinner?

2007-11-10T22:28:00.000-06:00

As usual, Rabbi was in fine form this week for classes. I hear he gave a lecture worth $1000 on Monday night to the intro class. And then on Tuesday night, somewhat in conjunction with Messianic Concepts of the First Century, he gave the most amazing lecture I've ever heard on food. I'm sure that I can't do it justice; I probably didn't even understand it all. But what I did glean from it resonated strongly.

For starters, "food is always a point of contact to remind us of creation, covenant, and communal identity." This ties in nicely to the fact that people don't like to eat alone (unless you're a C and you can read a book - a form of contact in disguise). It also seems to be a great correlation to Rabbi's sermon a few weeks ago on John 21. Jesus makes the disciples breakfast, and you can see through the exchange how He is using the meal as a point of contact. And, as Rabbi said, part of the good news of the resurrection is that "you never have to eat breakfast alone again."

The topic of food then expanded to include the arena for sharing food - hospitality. "Hospitality is the compelling reality that we are incomplete without each other. . .we share food because of the shared reality of our need to eat, which leads to a shared life." This is so true. Very rarily do Eric and I have a couple over for dinner without feeling significantly closer and more connected to them by the end of the evening. And it's not just about sheer time. The link is clearly - at least clearly now thanks to Rabbi - the result of food and hospitality.

But really, how important is hospitality? Rabbi pointed us to 1 Peter 4:7-9: "⁷The end of all things is near. Therefore be clear minded and self-controlled so that you can pray. ⁸Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins. ⁹Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling." Wow.

The hospitality-love connection is seen in that "we offer good food as a reflection of how we value the other person." That's not to disqualify spontaneous hospitality that offers what it has, but there is something disarming about having someone go to all the trouble of fixing you a fantastic meal. When we last went to Jim and Joy Grainge's house, they fixed steak (my favorite), stuffed mushrooms (Eric's favorite), and an array of other amazing dishes. I was blessed and blown away that they had remembered our favorites and put in the time and money to prepare for our dinner together. In short, I felt valued by the meal they chose to serve, even loved.

So what does it take to have a successful meal like we had at the Grainges? "Good food and good company." Rabbi gave the example of going on a date with your wife to your favorite restaurant. If, as you're about to leave, your wife asks how she looks and you give the wrong answer, the romantic evening could very well be lost. Or, if you go and have fabulous conversation, but everything about the meal is off - overcooked, not as good as you remembered, etc. - it takes something away from the overall experience. Yes, it requires good food and good company for a good meal. And when you have those things, you experience an "engaging sense of wishing it could go on forever."

Which is exactly the purpose. Every meal that we eat is to be a reminder that someday we will sit at the Messianic Banquet with our victorious King, the Marriage Supper of the Lamb. The food will be amazing. The company couldn't be better. And it will be the ultimate contact point for life in the world to come.

I Remember

2007-11-05T23:55:00.000-06:00

I remember what the other random thought was. Sometimes we sit around and ponder how God (or perhaps more specifically Jesus) exemplified each of the redemptive gifts. The other night I was struck by an example of God as a Giver.

It was a couple of weeks ago at Shabbat. Rabbi was talking about truly and selflessly loving the people in our lives. I realized that the only person I even come close to doing this to (and by no means fully achieve) is Eric. And it can really wear me out sometimes, because of me not because of him. But God loves everyone, which means that He has limitless emotional energy. And the only redemptive gift that even comes close to that is the giver, with all of their boundless energy. That's why God is the ultimate Giver.

Take a moment to thank God for all the givers in your life.

Blogging Frenzy

2007-11-05T15:06:00.000-06:00

Wow, we are adding bloggers by the minute here. Make sure you check out the two latest blogs associated with our community, courtesy of Jacklynn Walters and out-of-towner Aaron Schwartz.

Random Thoughts

2007-10-29T22:16:00.000-05:00

I've been collecting random thoughts over the past few weeks, none of which seem to warrant a full post.

*I was walking from Tom and Leah's to Paul and Lauren's (a common occurrence), enjoying the fall temperatures and the changing leaves when it hit me - only God could make the dying process beautiful. Simple and certainly not original, but true nonetheless. He so emodies goodness and beauty that He created even the dying off of the leaves to be breathtaking. I love that.

*We are a very backward blogging community. Most bloggers have readers they've never met, who might be living on the other side of the United States, and perhaps someday they will actually meet and be real-time friends. Or perhaps not. We, on the other hand, blog to and for the friends we already have. Leah pointed out that it removes the creepy aspect of blogging, and I would have to agree. But it's still backward.

*Bother. There was something else, but now I can't remember.

*Make sure you check out the MHOP site. It's quite impressive, with contributions from more people in our community than you probably realize.

The Way to a Woman's Heart (or at least my own)

2007-10-28T23:09:00.000-05:00

In light of the addition of the recipe column, I have a confession to make. I have joked about it for a long time, but I think it has passed into reality - one of my primary love languages is gifts of food.

Going on a trip? Let me pack you a month's worth of food. Feeling down today? Here's your favorite candy bar. Your stomach hurts? I'll go get you some crackers.

And it's a two-way street. I love to receive gifts of food as well as give them. A bag of candy pumpkins, farm-fresh eggs, honey, white tea - all thoughtful food gifts I've received from some of my favorite people, and usually for no good reason at all. Just because they love me.

So if you're pondering your own love language or that of someone you love, keep gifts of food in mind. I might have to write Gary Chapman a little note about this.

On a completely different note, check out this article from discovery.com that quotes Emily Habinck, Eric's cousin. I didn't start this blog to brag about Eric's family, but when everyone keeps doing impressive things I just can't help myself. I think part of her research also showed up in an article by the Washington Post. Timely information to keep in mind during the beautiful fall weather we're having, especially if you're heading out into the wild soon.

Food for All

2007-10-24T23:13:00.000-05:00

If you'll notice the latest addition in the column to your right, you'll see that I have yet again been influenced by Leah, whose sharing of the Parmesan chicken recipe went over really well at our house. I'm starting what I hope will be a new trend in our blogging community - mainly because there are recipes from you all that I'd like to have (starting with Jacklynn's healthy-yummy cookies).

So there it is. The Glazed Apple Cookie recipe that I made for the latest CineSimon showing (and my friends at the post office and Eric's birthday dinner). Please keep in mind that with any recipe, there have probably been changes from the original for any variety of reasons. I'll try to post what I actually used.

I've done my part. Now you need to bust out your own recipes and get posting.

Happy Birthday!

2007-10-20T22:43:00.000-05:00

Happy Birthday, Eric! I continue to be amazed and blessed by who you are. And I just wanted any readers out there to know, in case they doubted which I'm sure they didn't. You are more the man I wanted than even I could have imagined in all my rose-colored daydreams. Baruch HaShem. To Him be the glory as we surrender unto His great adventure.

And thanks for always challenging me to be brave and supporting me when I waiver. I love you.

A Severe Mercy

2007-10-11T17:29:00.000-05:00

When we were at Kelli's wedding festivities this summer (just a note, but this blog really owes a lot to Kelli's wedding - the inaugural pool post, the wild dancing picture, and now this), Eric and I spent most of our time with Matt and Stephanie, an awesome couple who we don't get to see nearly often enough. Being newlyweds themselves, and readers with good taste, they recommended a book that someone had introduced them to - A Severe Mercy by Sheldon Vanauken.

You probably realize by now that I have read a lot of books. In fact, between my job with Latte Books, my time at the institute selling Rabbi's books, my dream of an online bookstore, and my own private reading habits, I practically breathe books.

That being said, I've never really read or heard of a story quite like what the author shares in A Severe Mercy. It's not so much a memoir of his life as it is a memoir of the relationship between him and his wife. Don't be alarmed if you're not a romantic; it's not just a story of falling in love. Rather it is the unique tale of them falling in love, analyzing how to stay in love, and finding God and dealing with how that impacts the whole concept.

To top it off, the couple was friends with C.S. Lewis, so they include some brilliant letters from Lewis during several critical junctures in their lives.

It's a more honest and intentional discussion of love than I think I've ever encountered. I was challenged to reevaluate my love for Eric - not condemned or necessarily convicted, but definitely challenged. I have to admit that there were certain parts that I wasn't sure if I agreed with, but they served to raise questions, questions that were worth wrestling through for me.

I don't want to share anymore, in case anyone wants to read it. Not knowing the whole story is half of the experience. (But if you get it from the library, be prepared to wait a bit. There's always a line.)

Shaul's Conversion

2007-10-10T09:21:00.000-05:00

And no, that doesn't mean the apostle (who arguably never converted - as Rabbi would ask, what did he convert to?). I'm pleased to welcome Paul into our humble blogging community. As he has increased his interaction through his humorous commentary, we have been eagerly anticipating the launch of his very own blog. It promises to be rich combination of humor, daily life, and thoughtful commentary on spiritual issues.

Check it out at http://embracingchange-shaul.blogspot.com/. (And props to Paul for the great name choice - it couldn't be more fitting.)

Survey Solution

2007-10-07T13:00:00.000-05:00

First of all, a big thanks to everyone who responded to the request for reader responses. (Who knew that you can do actual surveys on blogspot. Thanks to Leah, next time I'll be much more sophisticated with my survey question. Although I have to admit, the liberties that everyone took with their own "interpretations" was probably worth the informality.)

Second, due to such great responses, I feel compelled to reveal at least a glimpse of the inspiration behind the not-so-hypothetical date. Consider this quote from a comment by "Mr. Anonymous":

"For the sake of the example, I'll assume the date took place in Colorado (a good place for a date to happen), so that sort of eliminates my first guess. The second option is that she was having the most incredible first date of her life and got so worked up she blew her blood pressure through the roof and gave herself a bloody nose. Just give it time fella; she'll be ok."

Hint: the actual participants in this potentially awkward situation have recently been seen on this very blog.

A Survey

2007-09-30T16:30:00.000-05:00

I need some reader responses on this.

A guy and a girl are on their first date. They have met once or twice before during brief, group-type encounters. Now at dinner, the girl takes a trip to the restroom. When she doesn't return for 15 minutes, does the guy assume:

a) She's having some bowel issues.
b) She left, using the restroom as a convenient excuse.

Grownuphood

2007-09-30T15:35:00.000-05:00

Last year as my birthday approached and I felt the usual mounting excitement, I had a startling realization - someday I would grow up. And growing up would include not counting down the days to my birthday with the wonder and anticipation of a small child on Christmas Eve. I think my heart shed a small tear just thinking about it.

It happened.

This year I almost forgot that my birthday was coming. And I certainly didn't count the days. Inexplicably, in the last 12 months I crossed that mysterious threshold (or perhaps the first of several) into grownuphood.

Simon Vacation

2007-09-25T23:04:00.000-05:00

A few details to go with the Colorado pictures I posted (and some more photos). . .

Reason for the Trip: To celebrate Betty and Wolf's 35th anniversary, Betty's significant birthday, and Brandi's 30th. My 24th birthday also happened to fall on that Sunday. (The trip also "conveniently" gave us an opportunity to meet Ruble, Brandi's boyfriend.)

Trip Highlights: We rented a cabin in the mountains, so it was a great weekend of small hikes, stargazing, wood fires, and the unmatchable Simon Uno game. And, since it was vacation and just about everyone's birthday, we encouraged each other to do what we really enjoyed. For me, that meant reading - really close to Eric.

Birthday Highlight: I'm sure that Brandi and Ruble had a good laugh at us city folk and our fascination with the birds, but I thought it was nice of the Lord to send me a gift for my birthday.

It was a great trip, and I am completely blessed to have a family like the Simons. It just keeps getting better. Brandi and Ruble are coming to Kansas City this weekend, so the fun continues. . .

Jesus, I'm a Sucker

2007-09-24T22:48:00.000-05:00

One of my birthday gifts this year was the newest Waterdeep CD, Heart Attack Time Machine. I've been listening to it in the car, and I can't get the lines of this chorus out of my head (for the full sticking effect, you have to hear Don's folky voice yourself):

Jesus, I'm sucker / I wish I believed less of the lies
Did anything I thought I knew / turn out to be true

Maybe it's just a part of growing older, but I am increasingly identifying with that confession. The most obvious setting for it is Jewish root classes, but I feel it even about lies from the enemy in general.

Praise God for His judgments and His mercy that reveal the lies to us. In my case, at least, little by little. One step of the journey at a time.

Colorado Pictures

2007-09-23T17:06:00.001-05:00

I realize I've been terrible remiss in posting, so until I actually have time to write something here are pictures from our trip to Colorado last week. We went with Eric's parents to see his sister, Brandi, and her boyfriend, Ruble.

Honey for the Soul

2007-09-06T22:22:00.000-05:00

It's September now, which means that Fall is quickly approaching, regardless of what your thermostat might be telling you. As Joe Fox would have said, had the screenplay been written a bit differently, "Don't you love Kansas City in the fall? It makes me wanna buy school supplies. I would send you a bouquet of newly sharpened pencils if I knew your name and address."

Only here in Kansas City we actually have something to get excited about this fall, something far more exhilarating than bouquets of sharpened pencils, as romantic as Tom Hanks makes it sound.

The Jewish Roots Institute.

I realized the other day that I'm looking forward to taking classes this fall at the Jewish Roots Institute like I look forward to eating Dots or really soft snickerdoodles. It's that same anticipation, that same so-good-I-can-taste-it-already sensation.

But then tonight I heard a much more poetic and, I think, fitting description from a very sweet and sincere long-time student of the institute. The experience and knowledge you gain from attending classes is "honey for the soul." If we are, indeed, supposed to "taste and see that the Lord is good," Jewish classes are what's for dinner. Consider yourself officially invited.

Callawassie Island

2007-09-05T18:53:00.000-05:00

If anyone is actually still reading my blog, I should probably apologize for the long gap in posts. I've been off to the islands, or at least an island, and I didn't quite find time to write. This is a starfish - long dead - from the Folly Field Beach at Hilton Head Island. We spent a hot two hours there. Eric got a sunburn, I definitely stepped on living creatures in the ocean, and we were both fascinated by the little holes that would open up out of the ground, spitting out water and often little chocolate-sprinkle-like pellets (you can see one in the upper right of the photo).

But the view on our own island, Callwassie, was pretty amazing, too. This is a view of one of the many lagoons at sunset, taken from the front porch of the villa where we stayed. We saw so much wildlife - aligator snouts in the lagoons, egrets nesting down for the night, herons taking up residence on the golf course, a disgruntled owl, and a gel-like spider.

We were totally blessed to be there. We had tons of opportunities to excerise and to enjoy God's creation. It rained almost every day I was there, so Eric and I got watch (and play in) the storms. We loved it.

But for me, it's always good to be home.

Dancing Fools

2007-08-22T21:23:00.000-05:00

In case you wanted to see the "tan" I worked so hard for before Kelli's wedding, here's a picture of Eric and I at the reception. Can you tell we're livin' it up?

Betty Jo Goes to Washington

2007-08-17T13:20:00.001-05:00

This week in Washinton D.C. is the Coupe Mondiale - the world championship competition for accordionists. Musicians come from all over the world to the Coupe, and thankfully this year it was held in the United States. I say thankfully, because it meant that my extremely talented mother-in-law, Betty Jo Simon, had the chance to attend the competition.

Along with playing in the UMKC Accordion Orchestra, she entered the Maddalena Belfiore Entertainment Competition for Female Accordionists. What option did the judges have, really, when confronted with such a great musician and entertainer? Nevermind those musicians from New Zealand, Poland, etc. Betty Jo took first place. We're extremely excited for her. It is a well-deserved honor.

This picture is the cover from her Musically Yours album. You can hear some samples from the album at her website, http://www.bettyjosimon.com/.

All But My Life

2007-08-16T13:31:00.000-05:00

Working for Mark has the added benefit of exposing me to books that I'm interested in reading, but I just never knew it. For instance, the other day we sold a copy of All But My Life, the story of Holocaust survivor Gerda Weissmann Klein. I promptly went to the library and checked it out. In my own defense, I have to say that this isn't a morbid fascination with the Holocaust. But rather it stems from two things. The first is the realization that for everyone writing these books, it was not a short season of sadness or hardship but a long season that they never forget or live without an awareness of, unlike most of us. Second, each story is valuable because each life is valuable. If everyone in life has a story to tell, how much more do these survivors have to tell. And so no matter how many Holocaust memoirs I read, I never find them boring or predictable. Eric jokes, "You are unique - just like everyone else." It's meant to be a joke, yet it still rings true.

All But My Life had some especially "unique" aspects that touched me. After being separated from her brother, her father, and finally her mother, Gerda spent years in Nazi work camps enduring depravation and abuse. At the end of the war when the liberation troops came through, she encountered an American soldier walking to the barracks where she and the other girls had camped out because they were unsure of where to go next.

"Shaking my head, I stared at this man who was to me the embodiment of all heroism and liberty. He greeted me. I must tell him from the start, I resolved, so that he has no illusions about us. Perhaps I had acquired a feeling of shame. After all, for six long years the Nazis had tried to demean us.
'May I see the other ladies?' he asked.
'Ladies!' my brain repeated. He probably doesn't know, I thought. I must tell him.
'We are Jews,' I said in a small voice.
'So am I,' he answered. Was there a catch in his voice, or did I imagine it?
I could have embraced him but I was aware how dirty and repulsive I must be.
'Won't you come with me?' he asked. He held the door open. I didn't understand at first. I looked at him questioningly but not a muscle of his face moved. He wanted me to feel that he had not seen the dirt or the lice. He saw a lady and I shall be forever grateful to him for his graciousness."

Books and Buyers

2007-08-14T16:20:00.000-05:00

One of the things I enjoy about my new position with Latte Books is (as Anne Shirley might say) the scope for imagination that it allows.

Sometimes it is easy to see a connection between book and buyer. A buyer from Washington D.C. orders a book on history and politics. From Southern California comes an order for a diet and exercise book. The Manhattan, KS buyer needs a book on gender studies before the fall semester begins.

At other times, however, there is much to wonder about. Today I shipped a book to a man - Surviving Colon Cancer. Is it for him? His wife? A friend? A parent? It was a bittersweet moment in the Shipping & Handling Department as I sealed the envelope.

Or take one day last week, for instance. A woman ordered a copy of Wild at Heart. To give away to a man in her life? Or to read herself, in hopes of understanding him better? That same day a man ordered a copy of Captivating, the book by John Eldridge and his wife that is basically a female Wild at Heart. My mind raced all over again, imagining the potential future readers of the book I shipped off.

Ever so often we sell a book that Marky actually bought from me. Perspectives, a book on missions, found a new owner today, as did The Jane Eyre Affair. I wonder what they will think of my books, what kind of people they are to be searching these particular books out, and if reading them will have any kind of effect on their life.

I will never receive an answer to my musings, I know. But there is something fun in wondering.

Peter

2007-08-12T16:37:00.000-05:00

(I promise not to always write such longs posts. . .)

Having written about The Nazi Officer's Wife, I would be remiss in not writing about the even more amazing story of Holocaust survivor Peter Loth.

Born in a concentration camp in 1943 to a Jewish mother, Peter was allowed to live because Nazi doctors performed experiments on both him and his mother. During the liberation process at the end of the war, Peter ended up in a the care of a Polish woman, the only woman he knew as "Mama" until he was 12 or 13.

Unfortunately, post-war Poland was not a safe place for an orphaned German Jew. Peter was in and out of orphanages as his Polish mama did everything in her power to keep him safe. The details of the depravation, sexual abuse, and loss that he experienced in those years is overwhelming and heart breaking.

As a teenager, Peter was reunited with his real mother, who was married to an American GI and living in Germany. Her husband was African American, and Peter was introduced to his two half-sisters. As if his life weren't tragic enough, Peter and his new family moved back to the States - to Georgia in the late 1950s. The first people they met were the Ku Klux Klan. As Peter says, "and the beatings began again."

His story goes on, and you can go to his website for a better summary or to order a copy of his DVD. But one day he found Jesus. And through Jesus he learned to forgive. I think there is a part of human nature that likes the extreme example, and Peter's life certainly fits the bill. The Lord has helped him to walk in true forgiveness, and it is changing people around the world. He travels everywhere, but particularly places like Germany, Poland, Austria, and Israel, to share his story and the power of forgiveness. He has had former SS officers come up to him, asking for forgiveness and seen miracles happen when he does.

It is a powerful testimony, and you should really check it out for yourself if you haven't seen the DVD already. Having met him myself, I can't say enough about what an amazing man Peter is. The love that God has poured out on him has truly transformed him. You can see it in his eyes, hear it in his voice. Wow. Only God can do that.

2007-08-09T15:14:00.000-05:00

There is something quite satisfying about recognizing and embracing your place in _______(fill in the blank - the world, your family, your job, the body of Messiah). The older I get - no age comments, please - the more obvious it becomes to me what I am.

I am a maintainer.

I love maintaining. I personally find visioncasting too fuzzy and fruitless, while implementing it downright difficult and requires a good amount of conflict. But maintaining, there's something I can get behind.

As the newest (and happily) employed member of the Latte Books team, it seemed appropriate to mention that my new job is all about maintaining. I maintain the ebb and flow of books that provide Marky - and now me - with income. I sit down at my makeshift desk in the utility closet and send books to people, a task that simultaneously pleases both me and the customer. Maintaining gives me that warm fuzzy feeling like a cup of hot tea or a bag of black licorice.

To take it a step further, however, I think maintaining is a part of my spiritual DNA. Arthur Burk talks about the increased ability to bless the land that is inherent with the redemptive gift of servant. Blessings are meant to be given over and over in order to sustain the state of blessing. It is spiritual maintenance.

And instead of finding this repitition boring or mundane, I feel my spirit come alive with excitement. Everything I've ever learned or heard around me convinces me that repitition and maintenance should and must be boring tasks. But I believe I am learning to disregard those voices.

The Nazi Officer's Wife

2007-08-06T12:55:00.000-05:00

We recently attended the Tish B'Av service at a local synagogue, and before the service they showed a documentary called The Nazi Officer's Wife. I was so intrigued that I checked out a copy of the book by the same name. It is the memoir of Edith Hahn Beer, a Jewish woman who survived the Holocaust by faking her identity. By an incredible series of events, she went from a hunted fugitive in Vienna to the Third Reich's most valuable type of citizen - the childbearing wife of a Nazi officer.

Her memoir examines all of the trials and stresses of a "U-Boat," a Jew hiding from Nazi persecution in plain sight, surrounded by the sea of anti-Semitism that permeated every aspect of society. Her story shows the incredible resourcefulness and courage that often marks Holocaust narratives, while also going on to describe the rejection she faced from fellow Jews after the war because she had not suffered enough.

I think I was so captivated by her story because it exemplified realities of the war in middle-class Germany society (through the eyes of a Jew) that I only read about in historical sources - how good life was during the earlier years of the war, the complete silence and avoidance of any recognition that Jews used to live there, the horror of the Russians coming, and life after the war including a deep fear of the Jews returning in vengeance.

If you're interested in Holocaust literature, this is a definitely a book to add to your reading list.

Pool Ponderings

2007-08-02T17:05:00.000-05:00

I'm a pale person. This is a fact that I came to accept at a young age. Perhaps this serves as some kind of excuse for why I found myself so perplexed two weeks ago. I was going to be a bridesmaid in my good friend Kelli's wedding, where I would be wearing a halter dress with a low back. In honor of my well-tanned friend, I decided I should - perhaps for the first time in my life - try to lay out at the pool.

My first attempt was a complete failure. It rained on me.

So four days before the wedding I tried again. It was a weekday afternoon, so it wasn't too crowded. A woman was on the far side of the pool and a younger guy sat next to the entry gate. I took a chair a comfortable distance away from the guy and tried to settle in.

The problem with laying out is that I get so hot. Yet this seems to be the point. I brought some books and some writing to work on, in an attempt to distract myself from the blazing heat. Soon two girls came in, taking two of the chairs between me and the guy. Keep in mind, it's not crowded. There were any number of chairs they could have chosen around the pool, but these were evidently the chairs of choice. Fine. No big deal.

What their presence did remind me of is that I obviously have no idea how to navigate pool culture with any kind of style. What's the proper etiquette for choosing your pool chair? Perhaps I had unknowingly taken the seat of the "regulars." And how often should one get in the pool? When should you turn over?

As I was facing the pool music, another girl came in. There was only one chair remaining between me and the first two girls, and sure enough this was the most desirable chair at the pool.

So there I was - at the pool, incredibly hot, and right next to strangers. I threw caution to the wind and actually got in the pool. But now another complication seized me. What do you do by yourself in the pool when you're no longer a ten year old? Our pool isn't designed for laps. It's more like elbow macroni as opposed to the macaroni box. A rousing game of Marco Polo - by myself? Handstands? Complete awkwardness. And I realized (too late) that no one else had gone under the water when they got in the pool. Another pool rule broken. Cool kids don't swim under water.

As I did the backstroke across the 10-foot stretch of the pool, I resigned myself to my situation. I wasn't and never would be a fit for pool culture. Besides, I realized that for me (and admittedly this doesn't apply to all women), having a tan only increases that seemingly inevitable female tendency to obsess about our bodies and our appearance. I might as well swim and enjoy my pale self, wet hair and all.