Our pastor, when discussing the impulse to communicate with people over email and texts.
“The New Testament calls us to be incarnational.”
His point wasn’t that email or texts (or blogs for that matter) are wrong. It’s just that we need to take every effort to be with people in person, to “get our hands dirty”, to know people intimately, in person.
Eric Bruntlett’s unassisted triple play
From what I understand, there have only been about fifteen of these in MLB history.
Bethany and I spent two hours today at the local DMV, trying in vain to get her learner’s permit. We left close to five, as she had to get to work. We were no where near even getting in the final line to the computer test.
I’ll vote for any politician who promises to privatize the DMV.
Does anyone else miss Margaret Thatcher?
Man, she rocked.
We are in Molly’s dorm, doing last minute things. We’re about to leave.
I love you, Molly, my precious daughter. I already miss you.
God speed.
This live sand-animation performance, by Kseniya Simonova on the television show Ukraine’s Got Talent, recounts the terrible suffering of Ukraine during World War II. Ukraine suffered horribly, beyond what most of us can imagine.
From Koffee Article:
The video tells the story of life during World War II or The Great Patriotic War, as it’s known in the Ukraine. It is no doubt the reason for the emotional reactions of some of the audience. The Ukraine was one of the most devastated countries of WWII, with 1 in 4 Ukrainians killed and nearly 20% of all people killed in the war being from the Ukraine!
The final frame of the animation shows the ghost of a fallen sailor and text that reads: “You are always nearby”.
This is a beautiful work of art. And you can see in the faces of some in the crowd that it surfaces painful and poignant national memories.
[H/T The Anchoress]
Andrew has been invited to write book reviews (and presumably other types of reviews as well) for the Baylor Lariat. He’s working on his first assignment this week, while recovering from wisdom-tooth extraction.
Very cool.
Since yesterday I’ve been experiencing something rare: a week-long vacation at home. Man, I could do this full time (although, of course, I really, really enjoy having a job too!).
It started on Saturday; we went to San Antonio to hold an Oscar-tinged family birthday party for Bethany at my parent’s house. This included a red carpet entrance, then Beth was whisked away for hair and makeup by the girls. She was escorted into the festivities by Blake (in a little tux – ha), to hear a hilarious “lifetime achievement” speech written by eldest son and delivered by aunt Kim and cousin Macy. Following this, we showed her sixteen-year DVD, which Jill and I had worked on diligently into the late hours last week (we produce a DVD for each of my parent’s grandkids on their sixteenth birthday. I think this one came out pretty well!). This was followed by an Oscar-like awards ceremony, in which Bethany won every award (and gave an extremely believable and funny acceptance speech). We ended up with cake and cupcakes, baked lovingly and expertly by Molly, and then the opening of presents. All in all it was a great night. We came back here Sunday evening.
Since then, we’ve been working hard at taking care of lots of last minute details in preparation of taking Molly and Andrew to college this week.
Andrew had his wisdom teeth taken out yesterday too.
So lots of stuff has been happening. Here’s what’s not been happening: I haven’t been thinking about work or monitoring work emails at all. They know how to find me if they need me.
Here’s to another day!
I am a certified NASA nerd, especially when it comes to the Mercury, Gemini and Apollo programs. I just can’t read enough of the history of those missions.
Which brings me to Walter Cronkite. Cronkite was a great broadcaster, and he was huge in the sixties, serving as the voice that many would turn to for broadcasts during our space missions. Naturally he is quoted often in Apollo look-backs.
Today I read this quote on the website for the PBS show Race to the Moon:
Newsman Walter Cronkite remembers the year of Apollo 8: “The whole 1960s really culminating in 1968 were the most terrible decade, undoubtedly, of the twentieth century and very possibly our entire history, even including the decade of the Civil War. America was divided as it never had been since the Civil War and by the Vietnam War, by the civil rights fight.
As a student of the histories of the twentieth century, and also as a Civil War enthusiast, my first though upon reading this was . . . well, it’s just a crazy statement he’s making here. It pains me to speak ill of the departed, but when he said this, was he out of his mind?
The 1960s . . . worse than the 1910s? Had he considered World War 1? Worse than the 1940s? The world had a bit of a scrum in that decade too, one that makes Vietnam look like a pillow fight. Then there was the dust-bowl and the Great Depression of the 1930s.
“The whole 1960s really culminating in 1968 were the most terrible decade, undoubtedly, of the twentieth century and very possibly our entire history . . .”
Worse than the 1860s?
This is, pardon the expression, nonsense on stilts. The decade of the 1960s had its challenges, but, my goodness, it was a cakewalk compared to many other decades in our history.
I think many people have a skewed perspective regarding the importance of the 1960s. I guess this is just another example. But . . . wow.
Brian Regan is hilarious; there’s some excellent comedy and a whole lot of truth in this bit.
Being an Apollo lunar mission geek, I especially loved the ending.
And all throughout, while I was laughing, I was also thinking of this:
For by the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think . . . – Romans 12:3a