blog-fast

I've been blogging for 6 months and feel it is time to take a one week (give or take a day) break.
So to my faithful readers (all 2, 3 -- heck maybe even 4!-- of you): please check back in with me then.

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photo by Offspring #2

ouch

Offspring #2's participation in the high school state tennis tournament was cut short today. After one of his serves, he crumpled down on the court with a dislocated shoulder. He was taken by ambulance to the E.R. where they put him out and the shoulder back in. (On a happy note, the nice ambulance drivers let his doubles partner come along for the ride!)

Painful -- in more ways than one -- end of the tennis season for Offspring #2.(We're thinking there is surgery in his future. Sigh.)

idol thoughts

Ah, a new American Idol was crowned tonight. I think Jordin will go far. But let's face it, the sixth season of Idol would have been Dullsville without the high entertainment value of Sanjaya!

This picture of Sanjaya with Offspring #2 was taken in Seattle during the recent high school band trip. (No faux-hawk, but a great picture nonetheless.)

cars say the darndest things

In March I posted some thoughts about bumper stickers, including how they try to reduce complex concepts down to a few words that can be absorbed during the limited time spent at a stop light.

As I was driving home on Sunday from Lacey (where I dropped off #1 Offspring so she could catch her ride back up to college), I noticed a car where the driver obviously felt traditional bumper stickers were far too limiting. Since my camera was right next to me, I couldn't resist holding it up at the approximate angle and taking a shot. Because my eyes were on the road (yes, I'm telling the truth!), I had no idea if I got any kind of a picture. But when I got home I found that, low and behold, I had indeed captured this billboard on wheels!

So what was the message the driver felt so strongly about that he or she went to some obvious trouble and expense to post it on the vehicle? Here ya go:



Hmmm... now I'm confused. I thought Jesus had a little higher opinion of the whole faith thing. Didn't he say stuff like "Your faith has healed you" and "If you have faith as small as a mustard seed you can say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.'" ?

OK you pastors out there (and you know who you are)...I realize we've been "dechurched" for a bit, but is there some reaallly new teaching I've been missing?!

Got Tubwater?

"Is there anything more refreshing than shower stall water? I think not."
--Marble the Cat

review on a partially read book...

I started reading Christopher Hitchen's God is Not Great: How Religion Poisons Everything. It was a Mother's Day gift from Offspring #2 who happened to see the author on The Daily Show and thought I might find it interesting. (He knows I like books related to the theo topic.)

And indeed I do find the book interesting so far -- I'm around page 80. However, I must admit the author is getting on my nerves. It's not that I have a problem with Hitchens criticizing religion. Stand in line, buddy, there is a lot to criticize! And I do agree with some of his points such as that a person can be moral without being religious. Totally no argument there.

But Hitchens is often way too extreme for my liking. He writes as if religion does almost nothing right and secularism does almost nothing wrong. (Let's face it, both have good points and bad points.) Further, he makes such sweeping generalizations! According to Hitchens, the religious mind is "literal" while the atheistic mind is "inquiring". This leads me to wonder just how many (and what sort of) religious people Hitchens knows! One other thing I find annoying is that the author takes extreme religious positions (which I'll grant are fun to knock), then acts as if they are mainstream. Hmm.... Did Hitchens study the topic fully before pounding on the keyboard?

In any event, I'll keep reading... and I may post final thoughts when I finish the book!

woo hoo!

Today we found out that Offspring #1 landed the role of Viola in Shakespeare's Twelfth Night for the Skagit River Shakespeare Festival this summer. Is that a good role, you ask? Heck yeah! According to Cliff Notes (and who doesn't love Cliff notes?!): "For most critics, Viola is one of Shakespeare's most delightful and beloved feminine creations from his comedies."

Yep, we be happy!