A Psalm in 1 Chronicles?

I just discovered that once you get through all the lists of names in 1 Chronicles, and make it to chapter 16, you come across a beautiful psalm. Here's a section of it. I was especially inspired by the part that says, "Seek the LORD and his strength; seek his presence continually!" This is good for me to hear because I'm usually too independent and preoccupied with myself. Sometimes I think the real reason I started this blog was so I could talk about myself whenever I wanted to! Anyway, this verse was a good reminder that I should seek the LORD's strength and his presence.

Oh give thanks to the LORD; call upon his name; make known his deeds among the peoples! Sing to him; sing praises to him; tell of all his wondrous works! Glory in his holy name; let the hearts of those who seek the LORD rejoice! Seek the LORD and his strength; seek his presence continually! Remember the wondrous works that he has done, his miracles and the judgments he uttered, O offspring of Israel his servant, sons of Jacob, his chosen ones!

Sing to the LORD, all the earth! Tell of his salvation from day to day. Declare his glory among the nations, his marvelous works among all the peoples! For great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised, and he is to be held in awe above all gods. For all the gods of the peoples are idols, but the LORD made the heavens. Splendor and majesty are before him; strength and joy are in his place.

Two Posts in One Day to Make Up For Last Week

I got this survey from Lindsay’s blog, and they looked like fun questions…most of them anyway.

1. Name: Real name-Kate, common name-Katie
2. Height: 5’5”
3. Weight: WOW, THIS THING IS PERSONAL!! WHAT DOES IT THINK IT IS, AN INSURANCE APPLICATION??!!!! Oh ok, why not? 112 pounds
4. Hair color: Dark brown
5. Eye color: Dark brown
6. Shoe size: 7
7. Favorite dinner: Tex-Mex food
8. Favorite drink: Chai
9. Favorite soda: Sprite
10. Favorite candy: Swiss chocolate, but Almond Snickers are a close second
11. Favorite dessert: Ice cream
12. Favorite TV show: I don’t watch TV.
13. Favorite music: Celtic
14. Ever been on a date: Yes……once……and no, I’m not telling you who, what, when, where, why, or how. And no, I don’t know how I got to be twenty-four and have only been on one date. And no, it doesn’t bother me that much. Are those all your questions now? Ok, good. Moving on:
15. Ever been to Disney World: Yes, when I was quite young. About the only thing I remember is the “It’s a Small World” boat ride.
16. Ever ridden a rollercoaster: Yes, I went to Astro World, rode five roller coasters in a row, ate lunch, rode the giant swings, then threw up in a bush.
17. Favorite movies: The Lord of the Rings, Batman Begins, Pride and Prejudice (the NEW one), You Can’t Take it With You, The More the Merrier, The Sound of Music, Chronicles of Narnia
18. Favorite clothes: Long, flowing skirts and cargo pants—I dare you to figure that one out. I guess I can’t decide if I want to be a lady or a tomboy.
19. Favorite store: The internet….in fact, I’ve recently joined the ranks of those who have their credit card numbers memorized. (Please don't come find me and torture me until I tell you what it is...the credit limit isn't that high.)
20. Favorite clothing store: Chadwicks (great website)….although I enjoy shopping at thrift shops too. It’s like a treasure hunt—you have to dig through a ton of junk, but you may find a gem you spent almost nothing for. (oops, sentence ending with preposition)
21. Favorite restaurant: Sorry, I can’t pick.
22. Favorite vacation spot: The Rocky Mountains
23. Dream vacation spots: I’d love to take tour of Europe.
24. People that I talk to most: My family and my co-workers (this is a very lame question, I think)
25. Embarrassing moments: Please see #16. All other embarrassing moments are classified. In other words, I’m trying to forget them.
26. Worst baby photos: Crying in the bathtub.
27. Best photos: The good baby pictures. One of them is so good it’s enlarged, framed, and hanging on our living room wall!!! Please excuse the tooting of my own horn, but I’m not really responsible for the fact that I was adorable, happy, and photogenic when I was six months old, right?
28. If you could live anywhere, where would it be?: I could write several paragraphs here, but the short version is that I think it’s best to live wherever you can be close to the people you care about the most…as long as you have the means to visit the mountains once a year or so. :-)
29. I can't wait to: Finish answering all these hard questions.
30. Rare but true facts: In case you haven’t figured it out yet, my real name is Kate, I’ve only been on one date, I threw up in a bush at Astro World, and I have my credit card number memorized.

Whew!! I think I need a nap now.

Cordless Jump Rope (don't laugh-this is serious)

Just when you thought everything had been invented already....

The Way Is Shut

If it's not one thing it's another. I went to folk dancing Friday night and found myself locked out! I was a little late, so there were lots of people inside already. I could hear the music, and there was no way they were going to hear me pounding on the door, since they were on the second floor. Imagine my feelings of despair and rejection. I heard the happy people dancing to joyous music and I longed to join them, but I found myself alone in a desolate street. Okay, not really, but hmmmmm, that might make a good first line for a novel.......

Then other people came, we threw a roll of tape at the window, someone eventually came down and let us in, and we all had a wonderful time. The end.

The Right Tools

My father has always been a strong believer in the importance of having the right tools for the right job. I was reminded of this on Saturday, when I was taking apart the piano bench so my mother could re-cover it.

First, I used the cordless power drill to take out the eight screws holding the legs on. I love power tools, and this part was fast and painless.
I then encountered a bajillion staples holding the cover on. Isn't this what you use to take out staples?
Apparently not industrial staples blasted into particle board. It didn't work at all. Papa said maybe this type of staple remover would work better.
It definitely did, but it still wasn't really strong enough to pull the staples out all the way. That's where the screwdriver came in.
Unfortunately, the screwdriver wasn't wide enough to pull out more than one side of the staple. Plus, it was ratcheted and kept turning on me. So, Papa brought me a wider, non-ratched screwdriver.
Next, I needed pliers for pulling out the halfway-still-stuck staples all over the place from my previous attempts.
Then, he saw me putting the successfully-removed staples in a little pile on the floor, so he brought a nice yellow cup to put them in. Ours didn't have a smiley face, though.
The staples were finally all out, but then the foam was glued to the board and left behind all kinds of fuzz and lumps. I was picking it off with my fingers when Papa walked up with a fantasic putty knife.
That should be the end of the story, but this project also included the gouging of two of my right hand knuckles when my hand slipped and hit a row of partly-out staples. This required the use of two band-aids. But you don't need a picture of those, do you?

A Few of My Favorites

Chronicle of Narnia book: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader
Lord of the Rings Song: May It Be
Hamburger Topping: tomatoes
Pizza: onions, green peppers, and black olives
Candy Bar: almond Snickers
Water brand: Deja Blue
Magazine: Mental Floss
Flower: pansy
Artist: Norman Rockwell
Subway sandwich: roast beef, chipotle southwest sauce, lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers, green peppers
Chinese food: fortune cookies
Car trip activity: sleeping

The Da Vinci Code Opens Today

This much anticipated and dreaded movie opens nationwide today, and it's been interesting to me to observe the different sorts of responses by Christians. Some say we should go see it as a way of creating an opportunity to share the truth about Jesus with those who are lost and confused. Others say something like, "boycott the heresy!!" I agree with an article I read yesterday that said buying a ticket to the movie is like casting a vote saying, "Yes, Hollywood, make more movies like this." On the other hand, it can still be an opportunity to share the truth, even if you haven't seen the movie. It comes back to the important balance we must acheive to be both innocent and relevant. That's the way to be most effective in our culture.

Please join me in praying that the movie will not cause a "reverse revival" as many fear, and that Christians will stand strong in the face of opposition.

Here's to unshakeable faith!

Never Stop on the Tracks

This is what happened to my boss's nephew's car when he did that. Thankfully, he was able to get out just before the collision, and escaped unhurt.

My Feet Are For Walking

I have recently developed a love for walking. I'm not sure if it's a phase, a new hobby, or if the ten-mile hike I went several weeks ago caused brain damage, but I keep finding myself thinking about whether a distance is too far to walk before I just automatically hop in my car. This has caused some sideways glances from my family. Case in point: I decided to walk to the movie theater on Saturday. My mother said, "You're going to be all sweaty! Don't sit close to anyone!" Seth said, "I don't think that's a good idea." Becca said, "You're going walking in flip-flops?" John said, "Do you want to take my knife?"

Then today, I went to Hobby Lobby at lunch and decided to walk since it's such a beautiful day. Note to self: always wear sensible shoes to work in case you get the urge to go walking.

Since I enjoy quotes about as much as I enjoy walking, here are some fitting ones:

If you are seeking creative ideas, go out walking. Angels whisper to a man when he goes for a walk. ~Raymond Inmon

A vigorous five-mile walk will do more good for an unhappy but otherwise healthy adult than all the medicine and psychology in the world. ~Paul Dudley White

Me thinks that the moment my legs begin to move, my thoughts begin to flow. ~Henry David Thoreau

Everywhere is walking distance if you have the time. ~Steven Wright

I have two doctors, my left leg and my right. ~G.M. Trevelyan

I dream of hiking into my old age. ~Marlyn Doan

Climb the mountains and get their good tidings. Nature's peace will flow into you as sunshine flows into trees. The winds will blow their own freshness into you, and the storms their energy, while cares will drop off like autumn leaves. ~John Muir

Thoughts come clearly while one walks. ~Thomas MannWalks.

The body advances, while the mind flutters around it like a bird. ~Jules Renard

I still find each day too short for all the thoughts I want to think, all the walks I want to take, all the books I want to read and all the friends I want to see. ~John Burroughs

How can you explain that you need to know that the trees are still there, and the hills and the sky? Anyone knows they are. How can you say it is time your pulse responded to another rhythm, the rhythm of the day and the season instead of the hour and the minute? No, you cannot explain. So you walk. ~Author unknown, from New York Times editorial, "The Walk," 25 October 1967

He who limps is still walking. ~Stanislaw J. Lec

Walking isn't a lost art - one must, by some means, get to the garage. ~Evan Esar

Your body is built for walking. ~Gary Yanker

The best remedy for a short temper is a long walk. ~Jacqueline Schiff

We live in a fast-paced society. Walking slows us down. ~Robert Sweetgall

If you pick 'em up, O Lord, I'll put 'em down. ~Author Unknown, "Prayer of the Tired Walker"

There is nothing like walking to get the feel of a country. A fine landscape is like a piece of music; it must be taken at the right tempo. Even a bicycle goes too fast. ~Paul Scott Mowrer, The House of Europe

After dinner sit awhile, after supper walk a mile. ~English Proverb

If I could not walk far and fast, I think I should just explode and perish. ~Charles Dickens

As a nation we are dedicated to keeping physically fit - and parking as close to the stadium as possible. ~Bill Vaughan

What Is Your Mother Worth?

There was a study done recently that tried to put a monetary value on everything a mother does. They determined that if you hired someone to do all the child care, cooking, cleaning, laundry, chauffeuring, counseling….that it would cost almost $135,000 per year. That’s not a bad salary, but is that really what a mother is worth? How do you put a value on things like a shoulder to cry on, a listening ear, wise advice, and a love so strong she’d lay down her life for you? What about all the backrubs, kisses, and hugs? And you could never hire someone to adequately teach you either to be a woman or to love a woman, could you? Would a maid-housekeeper-cook teach you about God, pray for you every day, and sacrifice her own happiness for yours? I don’t think so. So what’s a mother worth, anyway? I’d say: Priceless.

Spinning

This crazy, blurry, spinning action shot gives a pretty good idea of how I usually feel at dance performances! The one last Saturday went quite well (quite well is not very well; I'm satisfied), and was a lot of fun.

A Commercial

In case you didn't notice the addition to my links list, there's a fantastic new blog with the intriguing name of "Puddleglum's Wigwam." Be sure to check it out.

News Story of the Day (So Far)

Where do you suppose this guy got his new shoes?

From my Inbox

What happens when a fly falls into a cup of coffee ?

1. Englishman: Throws his cup away and walks away.
2. Frenchman: Takes the insect out and drinks the coffee.
3. Chinese: Eats the insect and throws the coffee away.
4. Japanese: Drinks the coffee with the insect, since it is a free bonus.
5. American Leftist Professor: Deconstructs the narrative of the fly while protesting against its victimhood at the hands of the American Empire.
6. Israeli: Sells the coffee to the Frenchman and the insect to the Chinese, and gets himself a new cup of coffee.
7. Palestinian: Accuses the Israeli of throwing the insect into his coffee. Gets the UN and the EU to condemn the Jews for the situation. Takes a loan from EC to buy another cup of coffee and uses the rest of the proceeds to finance suicide bombings.
8. Canadian Liberal: Races for the American border to escape the new Conservative Administration in Canada and there buys a latte while defending the animal rights of all insects.

I hope the fact that I found this funny doesn't mean I'm a bigoted stereotyper. (Is that a word?)

Patriotism??

I saw a ribbon magnet on a car this morning that said, "God Bless New Orleans." My first thought was that it was rather pathetic. Why should we be asking God to bless that ruined place, especially when it was such a Sodom-and-Gomorrah type of city? But then I thought to myself, "Is it really that much different from the God Bless the USA magnet I have on my car?" I guess it's really not, because both are expressions of concern and goodwill for the chunk of the planet that you consider your home.

I think patriotism definitely has its place, and the values our country was founded upon are worth fighting for. On the other hand though, we shouldn't take it too far and start thinking that God owes America special favors or something. After all, this world is not our home.