Power to the People

If you've been to Wal-Mart lately, you've probably noticed their new branding for all their grocery items. And if you're like me, it's caused you to lose your appetite. Seriously, what focus group told them this was appealing??

You know what I think when I look in my cabinet?

"All I've got to eat is chili and refried beans, and that just sounds gross."

I can't just look on the shelves and see green, yellow and orange and think, "Oh good, I've got green beans, corn and carrots...yum!" (Not that I would ever say that about carrots, but that's beside the point.) The point is that these cans have sat untouched in my cabinet for two weeks because their contents are not easily recognizable by their can design. What does that mean? Boring meals for me, and less money for Wal-Mart. Someone was not thinking when they came up with these designs.

What do you think? I'm putting up a poll, so vote and let your voice be heard! I may not buy name-brand, but that doesn't mean I deserve bad design!

Taking the plunge??

So our car has pretty much died on us. We've debated for the past week or two over what to do. It's still driveable (at low speeds), but not guaranteed to last much longer. And the cost of repairs and maintenance will most definitely be more than the value of the car, if not twice the value of the car. So...on to a new car! Woohoo!

That brings us to many questions. This next car will probably last us 5 years or so like the last one did, so what are our car needs for the next 5 years? Right now, we have one child with a honkin' big car seat. We could potentially have another child in a year or so (don't worry, no big announcements forthcoming!), so that means a four-door sedan would fit our needs, as long as it has plenty of room in the back. BUT...let's say we go crazy and opt for Baby #3 two years after #2. That means that in 3 years we'll need a new car again. Plus, even just two kids with honkin' big carseats means not much room for anything else. Think Christmas. Long trip, lots of luggage, and lots of loot coming home with us! :) Or think, "Sure, I can pick you up at the airport! Just let me find a babysitter for my kiddos so there's enough room in the car...." So...that leads us to the SUV/van category of vehicles.

We have pretty tight parameters for the mileage we'd like, the age of the car, and most importantly, the price. This is good and bad. Good because it narrows down my search to about 50 vehicles in a 50-mile radius, which is a pretty short list considering where I live. Bad because those 50 vehicles are eerily like the car sitting in my driveway right now--they do their job, but I can expect some scoffing at the mechanic any time I go. In short, they're cheap cars. But, in short, that's what we can afford. And our Hyundai has worked very well for us the last 5 years.

So we've got a list that can easily be culled through--cut the manual transmission, no cars with really bad ratings, ixnay the one with a "salvage title".... That leaves us with a couple Kia Sedonas, a Dodge Caravan, a few Chrysler Town & Countries.... Are you seeing a pattern here? They're all vans! Hm....

I've been thinking long and hard about The Van. Vans get better gas mileage than SUVs, they're generally less expensive, they drive smoother, they have family-friendly features like power sliding doors (which I completely see the usefulness of now), and they have third-row seating, which SUVs don't offer until you look at the larger ones, which are outside of my price parameter. So yes, a van is a good thing. But it's a van, and every normal person in my generation shudders at the thought of being That Mom with The Van. I think it reminds us too much of our own mothers, whom we love dearly but don't want to relate to quite that much. We don't want to admit that we are going down That Road. We didn't choose the romantic path that led us to hostels in Italy and running with the bulls in Spain. We chose the minivan path.

So, as it is now past midnight and I have cars and prices and dealerships and miles per gallon jumbling up in my head, I'll sleep on it, pray about it, and see how I feel tomorrow. I remind myself that we're looking for a 5-year car, not a 25-year car. As much as we rely on our vehicles, it's not like buying a house. It might be a chance to find something fun and unexpected (which, I agree, is most certainly not a van)! We'll see what happens, and I just might get to show you what we picked by this time next week!

New post

Well, it seems that my blogging has gotten boring and depressing lately. I've wanted to put something new up, but don't have anything but more boring and/or depressing stuff to report. Hm...

So we'll make it quick, get it over with, and maybe I'll have something better to report next time!

House hunting is on hold while we figure out exactly if/when Jon gets a raise. Which turns out to be good, because 1) our income has not worked out as expected for the moment, and 2) our transmission went out on our car, so we'll find out tomorrow from the mechanic if we're fixing it (cha-ching) or replacing the car (mucho cha-ching). So it's a good thing we didn't use our money yet for a down payment or house repairs!

We're at a loss about what we're supposed to be doing. I've gotta admit my attitude hasn't been that great lately (as evidenced by these posts). I'm tired of not knowing what we're doing, I'm tired of seeing my husband beat down. I'm tired of guessing, "Did x happen to prevent us from doing y, which then allows us to do z? Or is x just another hurdle, but really we should push through and try to accomplish y?" Did the car break to prevent us from putting an offer on a house, which would have rooted us here in the city for a period of time? Or is it just a setback, and we should continue to house hunt when our income allows? Maybe we're supposed to keep looking for ministry positions--something we've been doing for a year now?

My mother-in-law reminded me of the story of Jonah. Despite his efforts, God orchestrated events so that Jonah made it to Ninevah. Where is our Ninevah, Lord? Because I feel like I'm getting swallowed, and all I really want is to be where You want me. I don't want to run!

We are sending Jon's resume to a church in West Texas. It certainly would not be our first choice for where God should lead us, but perhaps it's our Ninevah. And if it is, I pray for a revival such as the one Jonah witnessed!

What's going on with us? Pt. 2

After our discussion the day of the church planting meeting, I did my best to not be so impatient. I waited on Jon, and he waited on God. We have all experienced God's timing, and know how different it is from our own. Usually, I'm okay with that, but having so much come to fruition in November and December (baby, graduation, job, move?) has shaken my faith a little.

So a few weeks ago, I requested a coffee date where Jon and I could sit down and discuss our options. Put everything on the table and see what we might find. The purpose wasn't to make any decisions, but to figure out what we were each thinking.

Armed with our Starbucks frappuccinos, we started talking about options. It quickly became apparent that our possibilities are wide open. We could still be here and going to school, or we could be in South Dakota planting a church (that's for you, Cliff!). However, as odd as it may sound, it had not occurred to me that we might still be here. I figured, whatever we did would require a move. In fact, I was preparing myself to move, and looking forward to going somewhere where summers never saw 100 degrees (or 90 degrees!). So to think that we could stay here was a revelation to me.

Jon has had a dream of teaching military history in a military academy or a university. To do that, he needs his doctorate of history. So, he might still be in school for awhile, though probably working full-time as well. He is going to be doing some research to see how feasible that is, and what steps he needs to take.

My dream is to be a stay-at-home mom. Jon and I would like to switch our incomes, basically, so he would bring home the full-time check, and I would bring home part-time pay, hopefully through photography.

However, these two dreams of ours are surpassed by God's dreams for us. We don't know what those are, yet, or if He has given us these desires for His purpose. We don't know if church planting will come back on the table, or some other sort of bivocational ministry, or perhaps Jon will be a light in the dark world of liberal academics.

Our coffee date ended when we both hit the realization that we could talk about our plans all night, but we can't actually make any plans until Jon's closer to graduation. Unless we have clearer direction from God, in September, Jon will start sending out applications and resumes to universities to continue his education, to public schools to teach, and to churches and BSMs looking for ministers. We'll just see where that leads us!

So, to end this tw0-part series of where we're headed in life, the answer is that we don't know. We're back to square one and waiting on God's timing. Please pray for patience, peace and openness as we wait!

Awareness

There are a couple things going on that I wanted you to be aware of.

First, there is a new movie called Expelled: No Intelligence Allowed. A documentary by Ben Stein, Expelled seeks to open up conversation between those who believe in Evolution and those who believe in Intelligent Design. To do so, he brought in the most polarized scientists from each camp. That has stirred up some controversy, because there are many "middle ground" campers. However, taking a view to its logical conclusion often leads to the very view of the polarized group. To illustrate the point, Stein interviewed Richard Dawkins, a staunch Darwinist and athiest. He argues that evolution, taken to its logical conclusion, means that there is no God. Another scientist whose name I can't recall, exultantly stated (in paraphrase), "There is no God, there is no life after death, there are no moral values, there is nothing!" That same scientists was also in favor of euthenasia, which is another logical conclusion of evolution. If we are just cells smashed together by chance, here for ourselves and no one else, then why live after it's not fun any more?

The real revelation from the movie is that both scientific theories--Evolution and Intelligent Design--come through their own world views. A world view is, simply, one's belief about the world that affects one's decisions. The important word is "belief." Evolution requires a belief system for it to work, and yet Intelligent Design is invalidated for that same reason.

All in all, it's an excellent documentary. I would highly recommend it no matter your beliefs. I would caution you, however, on your discussions after the movie. The point of the movie is to open calm, thoughtful conversation between the two sides. However, this is an issue where emotions run high, and rational thought is easily put aside for less productive words. You can find evidence of that all over the internet; I encourage you to do some sleuthing on both sides. Find out if the movie is showing near you!

In other news, many of you have probably heard of Oprah Winfrey's new "cult religion." Oprah has started a webinar series on the book A New Earth written by Eckhart Tolle. In typical Oprah fashion, the book is very New Age. And also in typical Oprah fashion, what she touches turns to gold, and thousands have joined in on the webinar series. I read a blog post that had some very good comments on what is going on, and I will encourage you to read it as well instead of me rewriting what's been said. I'm not an Oprah watcher, but I know many people who are. Be aware of what's happening so you can discuss it with someone who might be duped by it.

It's good to be informed about these kinds of things: origin of life discussions and support of a New Age movement by a very influential person. As much as I'd like to duck my head in the sand 'til Christ comes back, I know that won't do the Kingdom any good. And it won't help the people who are lost and seeking.

Get informed and get in the conversation!

My role in the environment

I think I would have been a tree-hugger living in a tree named Luna were I not a Christian. I love nature, and had I not had a larger cause for which to fight, this is the one I would have chosen. Instead, I fight for the Kingdom, and my battles are for the eternity of souls, not just for the limited future of our planet.

As a conservative Christian, I have learned through observation that people who fight for the cause of the rain forest or the spotted barn owl are "crazy liberals." As a reaction, I tend to ignore environmentalism entirely, so as to be considered a good and conforming Christian.

Yet we as Christians have a clear directive to care for the planet God created for us. As ones who know the real origin of the species, and why we're put on this earth, we should be the most qualified to care for it. Unlike non-Christians, we know the value of our planet, and we also know the value of the human souls on the planet. Many environmentalists put the planet before the people. Sacrifice all for the sake of the earth! Instead, we need to put the people before the planet.

I do believe we have an obligation to care for the earth the best that we can. With that in mind, here are things that I already do:

• Drive a fuel-efficient vehicle.
• Drive less. My job allows me to do this very well, with a commute only once a week.
• Recycle basic items: milk jugs and food boxes.
  

Not much, I know. Here are the things I plan to do.

• Purchase a 2nd trash can for the kitchen, which will hold glass, metal and cardboard recycling.
• Dedicate the office trash can to recyclable paper only.
• Take bags with me to the grocery store to carry my groceries with, so I won't need to use so many plastic bags.
• Plant a tree in my back yard.

Nothing profound, I know, but something worthwhile.

Here are other bloggers who have posted their thoughts much better than I could (and I'll update if anyone else posts):
Christian Thinker
The Thinking Servant: Part 1, Part 2
Leanna's Little Spot
Margie's Take Two

An Emotional Reactor

Hi, my name is Lydia, and I'm an Emotional Reactor.

Last week, I saw an elderly man who had fallen and hit his head on concrete. There was blood everywhere (as there is with head injuries), and it was a tense several minutes waiting for the ambulance. When I came home from that incident, I told Jon how much it had scared me. I prayed for the man and his family, and--not able to do anything else--I moved on. However, later that day, I snapped at Jon and caused a huge blowup over a trivial issue. At the end of that argument, I realized that it wasn't the little thing Jon did that I was upset about; it was the image of the man in a pool of blood that was replaying in my mind. I hadn't realized how much it bothered me.

Something similar happened last night. I had several things occur yesterday that could have upset me, including a forum discussion about Registered Sex Offenders in the church. I didn't know that I was upset, though, until I careened right into a confused argument with Jon. Confused, because Jon had no idea where it was coming from. And I didn't either, really, until I could look at it in retrospect, and understand how much I'd internalized the things I'd heard that evening.

So I've realized I'm an emotional reactor. I take things really hard with no initial warning signs. Then, when it comes out, it's an explosion that no one should be around for! I'm sorry to say that Jon has been around for more than his share!

So, how does one combat a problem like this? We all know that the first step is recognizing I have a problem (hence the first sentence of this post). But what after that? How do I become aware of something that has up til now only revealed itself in retrospect?

Well, to continue with the AA 12-Step-Program, it turns out that the next step is (gasp!) trusting in God to fix the problem. Now I feel like the idiot Christian who should know better. So, you can be sure that I'll be bringing this issue to the One who created me, who must sigh every time I get so blind. And as for you, well, if I get upset with you, have some patience and remember that my idealistic heart can't handle all the evils of this world, and sometimes that reaction comes out when no one expects it.

Reminder

Don't forget! If you have thoughts on Environmentalism, please post them on October 30!

Group Effort: Environmentalism

I've been more and more aware of environmental activism. Yesterday I stumbled upon a blog whose author's main goal was to eliminate plastic from her home and daily use. Today is something called "Blog Action Day " where bloggers can post about what they'll do to save the environment. Everything has a "green" option. A blog I frequent often has put up several posts on being more environmentally-conscious, and today I started reading a review on Leonardo DiCaprio's "11th Hour" film, which is evidently about "going green." To top it off, Al Gore gets a standing ovation wherever he goes because of his film on global warming.

All of this can rub me the wrong way, but I realize that it is mostly because this is a "liberal's battle." Liberals are at the forefront of every green cause. However, I have a feeling that Christians, as stewards of this earth, should be the biggest proponents of "saving the earth." And I'd like to know what you think about that.

So, here's the idea. Today is Blog Action Day, and I realize we've missed the boat on that one. But let's take one day where we all post about environmental issues. It can be pro-green, anti-green, whatever you believe about our (Christian) role in the environment, and the popularity of going green.

I'm asking because I'd really like to know what other conservatives think on the issue, and I'd like to delve into it myself, and see if I can figure out what I think. I also realize that thinking it through forces me to be active about what I believe. Thus far, I've been a half-hearted recycler, and that's the "greenest" I've gotten. So, when you come to a conclusion, include the action that's required due to that conclusion--and all conclusions will require action.

If you want to be involved, let's post our Thoughts on Environmentalism in two weeks, October 30th. And remember, comments on today's post shouldn't include environmental thoughts--save those for the 30th!

Scammed

Alternate Titles:
Ticked off
Letdown of the day
Lydia is Mean to Pseudo-Manager Peter
If it seems too good to be true...

So I've been saving money for a digital SLR camera. I like doing research, and I was looking around today and came across two websites that sell the camera I've been looking at for a really great price. I was really excited, and couldn't believe the price. I called both companies and asked them what was included in the cost. They both said "the camera body only." Okay, that's fine, and that must be why the price is so low. So, I checked around on eBay and found the battery and other things that weren't included for pretty good prices, and decided this would be a good way to go. So, I picked one of the sites and placed my order.

Twenty minutes later, I got an e-mail telling me to call the company and speak to Peter regarding my order. I call, get Peter, and he just needs the security code on the back of my credit card. (Odd, why didn't they ask me for that in the form I had to fill out?) I give him the code, and he says, "By the way, I'm wondering why you got the body only instead of the package?" I explain I was going to get the battery and other items cheaper elsewhere, because I knew they didn't have to be Canon brand.

He says, "You can't beat the prices we have, and you have to buy Canon brand to get the chip that translates the menus from Chinese to English."

ARE YOU KIDDING ME??!!

"My camera is in Chinese??" I ask him.

"Yeah, for a price like that....the USA package is $400 more. You have to make sure it says USA next to it on the website."

"Why would I assume it wasn't English?"

"Well, the price...."

"I'd like to cancel my order."

"Sure, I'll cancel it for you. That'll be a 7% restocking fee."

"But I just made the order 20 minutes ago."

"I'm sorry, there's nothing I can do. That's our policy."

So, I hang up, on the verge of tears because I'm so disappointed. And ticked off. I go to the website to find the fabled USA label. I look on the camera I ordered, and there was nothing there to say it was in Chinese, not even an option to buy the USA package. (There was an option to "See Similar Packages" which I had clicked on before ordering, and it just took me to more Chinese cameras.) I do another search for the camera, trying to find any of them that said they were in English. Nothing. It's dawning on me that this whole thing (the suspicious call for my security number...) is a scam to make a quick $20 off people looking for a deal.

Meanwhile, Holly got online, so I told her what happened. Being a much more assertive person that I am, she insisted I needed to call them back and demand they take the restocking fee off my card. So, for the first time in my life, I called to complain. I called Peter back, and asked to speak to the manager. He very quickly told me he was a manager. I know from speaking to friends of mine that everyone says they're a manager, but what could I do?

Long story short, I explained to Peter the Pseudo-Manager in no uncertain terms that I thought they were pulling a scam and I refused to pay the restocking fee. He explained to me that I was being very unreasonable, was choosing to see the situation from a glass-half-empty perspective, and that he was simply offering a great deal on a camera.

Yeah, a Chinese camera! How am I supposed to even find the English cameras? Well, it turns out, you have to enter USA into the search bar. Seriously.

I again said, that's all well and good, but I'm not paying the restocking fee. I didn't care that there was a policy about cancellation, because the company had already broken their side of any agreement by not fully disclosing the details of their products.

He put me on hold.

Two minutes later, he picks back up and says, "Is there anything else I can do for you?" in a too-sweet voice. I ask him if he took off the fee, and he said, no, that was policy, and he couldn't take it off. After a few minutes more of conversation, he hangs up on me, refusing to transfer me to a manager or anyone else. "Call back tomorrow" he says.

Argh.

I go back to Holly, my online coach, who says, "Call back! Don't talk to him, but ask to speak to a manager."

So I do. I get transferred to JJ. I tell him the situation, and he puts me on hold. I can feel my blood pressure start to rise in readiness for the second uncomfortable call of the day. He gets back on and says, "Okay, there's no charge."

"What? I don't have to pay the fee?"

"No." (They don't teach manners, evidently. "No ma'am, sorry for the inconvenience...")

"Okay, thank you." and that was it.

But be sure I'll be checking my bank account the next few days to make sure I don't get charged.

I realize that the "too good to be true" price should have been a warning sign for me, but I also did my research (as best I could), and two sites with similar pricing helped me think it was legit. Phonecalls to both prior to ordering would have been a good time for someone to tell me what I was really looking at, as well.

Also, even after knowing the camera was in Chinese, I couldn't find a single mention of it, or an extra acronym tagged onto the product number, or anything that could suggest I was buying something other than an English-language camera.

Seriously, even their name is deceiving: USA Photo Nation! What a scam.

Saying Goodbye

Jon and I are getting together all the photo lab equipment I have. A professional photographer gave it to me several years ago, and I've held on to the hope of using it someday. But we keep moving it from place to place, with no real hope of having room to use it. It would require a room (with running water) all to itself, which means a very large bathroom we couldn't use for anything else, or maybe a basement. Either way, labs are dying off, and pretty soon the only supplies I'll find are the ones in my own boxes.

So...we're doing inventory today to see if I could sell it--maybe I could make enough off of it to buy a semi-professional digital camera. A new camera plus the software I already owns gives me the same quality as the boxes and boxes of chemicals, tubs, timers, lamps and beakers that I have now. Still, going through it all (and remembering how complete it is) makes me want to keep it. And, it's sad to realize that what is literally thousands of dollars worth of equipment and supplies will probably sell for a fraction of that.

As you can tell, I'm really struggling with letting it go. The man who gave it to me did so in good faith that I, an aspiring photographer, would learn and grow from it. I feel like I'm betraying his faith in me, though (if I want to rationalize) the money would be used for the same purpose. Selling it is a recognition that I can't dive into every hobby I enjoy. I loved spending hours in the darkroom in college, smelling the chemicals as I entered, and seeing the magic of a perfectly-exposed image appear on a clean white sheet of paper. I like working with my hands more than with a mouse and keyboard. And I'm a nostalgic kind of person, who can appreciate that a master has worked with this enlarger, using these tubs and tongs, to make great things.

However, I also remember the hours I spent to get one print right. Even if I did have the basement, I don't have that kind of time. And it's not a good idea to move these things around until I do.

So, despite my emotional attachment, it really must be sold. I'm already regretting it, yet at the same time I know it's the right thing to do. I can't hang on to everything. I'll still enjoy photography, only digitally. And my garage (and anyone who helps us move in the future) will thank me.

Cultural relevance

I've felt like I've had something to post about for the past few days, but when I pull up Blogger, I immediately forget what it was. So, in an effort to drag the idea out of my head, I'll proceed to write about everything I can. Maybe eventually it will come out. (Aren't you excited?)

Was it Habitat for Humanity? We went last Saturday. It had been pouring down rain the day before, but Saturday turned into a beautiful day, despite the inches of mud we had to walk on. I started out on the roof, hammering decking (plywood) into the beams. It was kind of scary at first, but the more decking we had up there, the safer it was. I hit my finger pretty hard with the hammer, and it's been purple and swollen for the past couple of days. I can finally bend it, but not all the way. I wish I could say it's broken (because that sounds cool), but I think it's just really badly bruised, which isn't as cool.

Was it Holly and Sophie's recent health saga? Saturday night we rushed Sophie to the ER because she was shaking and turning blue, with a really high fever. The shaking and blueness were from chills, which stopped before we even got there, but we found out Sophie has early pneumonia. Poor girl just can't stay well! And poor mom is about worn out! I am still praying for Holly's salvation. She actually scheduled an appointment to talk with our pastor, but got scared and canceled it. Not that the pastor is the golden ticket or anything, but I was hoping he would lend some authority to the answers to her questions. In the meantime, I continue to talk with her, and answer questions as best as I can. I know it's up to the Holy Spirit.

Maybe it was about Friday, who has now started an odd habit of taking each piece of food to the carpet to eat. Nah...

Maybe it was my growing awareness of the filth (muck...putrescence, if you will) I allow to enter my brain via TV and movies, as well as the growing awareness of good alternatives. Leanna posted about avoiding TV, and Margie posted about not avoiding movies because of content, but being discerning as you watch them. Lately I've realized that so much of what I watch is meaningless, or promotes a worldview I don't agree with. Sometimes it's so subtle, I don't realize it. An example that Jon and I have given is Grey's Anatomy, which is a show we were hooked on for awhile. Then we started to realize we were rooting for things that were...well...sinful! We wanted McDreamy to leave his wife to sleep with his intern, who had already slept with the rest of the cast (plus a few more). How did our minds get so clouded that we would cheer for the exact opposite of what God desires? It happens in lots of shows/movies. We allow the director to steer us exactly where he wants us to go, so our emotions cloud our discernment.

So, here's the question: How do we deal with a sinful world, right in our living room? Do we embrace it? I think the answer is no. Do we reject it? Well, that's where it gets fuzzy. The book that Margie reviews (Hollywood Worldviews) suggests that we don't reject it, but be discerning as we watch. This allows Christians to stay culturally "with it," so we don't build a communication barrier with the world. The author, Brian Godawa, gives this definition of a "cultural anorexic:"

"[Cultural anorexics] miss the positive values that do exist in many movies, but also those who would completely withdraw from culture because of its imperfection suffer a decreasing capacity to interact redemptively within that culture. They don't understand the way people around them think because they are not familiar with the 'language' those people are speaking or the culture they are consuming. A communication barrier results, and these cultural abstainers often end up in irrelevance and alienation from others."

I have to admit I don't have a culturally relevant bone in my body. I don't even really know if Slater was cool or not, and I had no idea that was his last name. I always picked The Cosby Show as my favorite TV show in school, just because I'd seen a few episodes of it at someone's house (and I had a suspicion that I really wouldn't have fit in if I said The Andy Griffith Show, which I watched at the babysitter's house). All this to say, I've lived a life of not being culturally relevant. Has that built communication barriers between me and the world? Probably. But here's the deal. The media is not real life. Most people in this world don't fit in the mold of TV life. How many of you have talked to a medical intern, who have laughed at the "reality" of Grey's Anatomy or ER, or how many cops praise the accuracy of CSI? For that matter, those of you who've gone to foreign countries know how other cultures judge Americans by our TV, and what strange ideas they get about us (every American woman is loose, half the population is homosexual, etc.). Gosh, WE even get strange ideas about us! I was shocked to realize how conservative America is, when given the chance. What was it: California? who soundly voted down gay marriage, which lets me know that media and politics have a sneaky way of distorting truth.

So maybe I can't connect with the media, but I can connect with people. When people need help, it turns out that they realize what's relevant. I think of Holly; she used to do what was socially acceptable--party all the time, have a live-in boyfriend, etc. When I met her, she intimidated me, because I was the one who didn't fit in, not her. I felt the "socially unacceptable" emblazoned on my forehead. But she needed help, and I gave it to her, and it turns out that's all that was necessary to form a friendship. Sure, she laughs at me for not knowing who a singer is, or ribs me for being "perfect," but I'm real with her, and she knows I'm far from perfect. In turn, I know she's not "unredeemable," like so many Christians are quick to judge those who fall prey to the world's vices. (And I'm still quick to judge those I don't know.) I guess that's some of the point Brian Godawa was making in his book. He said not to reject a movie for its faults, and I'm saying not to reject a person for her faults.

Forget the movies. It doesn't matter if you've never seen a movie in your life. Humans are human, and we all have a need to be loved and accepted. We all mess up and know it, and we all look for meaning to our lives. Christians know a God who loves unconditionally, offers forgiveness and acceptance to all, and gives us each a calling higher than anything we could imagine. Now that's relevant. And we've got it! Why are we afraid of it? Why do I think, "Oh, she's a partier; she'll just laugh at anything I have to say." You know what it is? It's a very tiny part of my mind, whispering to me, "Your Bible doesn't have answers for this. You can't trust it to offer what she needs." What a lie!! How could I listen to such trash? But I admit that I do!

It sounds cliché, but the Bible really is all we need for answers. It doesn't have to turn us into pious, self-righteous people who can't look at the ugliness of the world, for fear of being tainted. Believe me, the ugliness of the world is right there in the Bible, too! And so is the answer for it.

Trust in God. Have faith that He has come to redeem the world, sinners and all! And He's going to use you to do it. Don't worry about whether you're socially acceptable, or if you can keep up with the latest lingo. The world is lost, and most of them won't care if you're a little awkward, as long as you're the one holding out the lifeline. God promises that He "did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self discipline." Take hold of that promise, and get out there!

This began as a response to Godawa's definition of a "cultural anorexic," and ended up as a call to boldness in our evangelism, because we hold something that is more culturally relevant than anything else. I haven't read the rest of the book, and would like to. The judgment he gives toward "cultural anorexics" can be a slippery slope toward allowing things into our minds for the sake of relevance, when that's not what makes us relevant. I'm not saying we need to swear off pop culture forever, but I do think we need to be on our toes and discerning with whatever we watch, whether it be the latest horror flick, or the summer Disney adventure. Discuss what you see with your spouse/friends. Challenge yourself to figure out what worldview the movie/TV show is promoting. And if it's promoting something you don't agree with, don't watch it! Don't excuse watching what's popular just so you can know how the world thinks. Keep it up for too long, and you'll find yourself as Jon and I did, cheering for the exact opposite of what we should.

Yep, that's what I was going to talk about. That's all for now. :)