Saturday, July 27, 2002 AD Veddy Interestink This article (link via Russ R.) seems to conclude that kids know appropriate worship music when they see it:
My analysis showed a strong connection between the students' perceptions of the way music functions in the service and the kind of music they thought was appropriate for the service. Students who saw music as part of the presentation of God's Word considered traditional choral music most appropriate for the service. Those who thought that music functioned to "establish or change people's moods" indicated that contemporary Christian music, a more mellow and easy-listening style, was appropriate. The small percentage who said that music in church was an entertaining performance also gave higher ratings to rock music and soloistic pop styles. And the only segment of the respondents who considered instrumental music appropriate were those who thought that church music functioned as "a way for people to use their talents to serve God."
I was also pleased that the students seemed to recognize the need to respect the sensibilities of older generations. Of course I also believe that older generations need to show charity toward the sensibilities of the younger, and [old=good; new=bad]=silly.
It will come as no surprise to anyone who's known me long that the music at my church is a frustration for me. I realized this week one more reason it frustrates me. Sacred music is a weapon. To sing the praises of God is to combat the enemy. This week, as I struggled with some sinful attitudes, I needed some musical weapons to combat them. So I reached into the arsenal of my memory, but found only pop guns and plastic swords. If I'd dug deeper, I'd have found the real stuff, but considering the struggle was mostly with self-indulgent laziness, I didn't make it that far. Of course my sin is my responsibility, but in this instance I think I might have been better-equipped to face that responsibility if some of the tools I needed hadn't been buried beneath a heap of useless trinkets.
Sigh...after posting that, this'll be the day my pastors and my music director will decide to stop by and read my blog. Oh well, y'all are well aware of my frustrations regarding these matters. And mostly I keep them to myself, but they do leak out from time to time! :^) Posted by Valerie (Kyriosity) at 7/27/2002 08:10:00 PM
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Friday, July 26, 2002 AD Something a Little More Edifying That last post was quite a whine, eh? I thought I'd better counteract it with something a little more edifying. Again, sorry I can't post the tune. I do have some of this stuff on tape and keep meaning to look into how to transfer that to a computer-friendly format, but it hasn't happened yet.
His Unfailing Love (Psalm 107) -- June/July, 1997
Some of us wandered in deserts and wastelands,
Finding no way to a city of rest.
Our lives ebbed away as we hungered and thirsted,
Then we cried out to God in distress.
And from out of our troubles our God has delivered us.
By a straight way to a city He’s led us.
From deep, living springs He has quenched all our thirsting.
With the bread of His flesh He has fed us.
Chorus: So let us give thanks to the Lord for His unfailing love,
We whom He has redeemed from the hand of the foe.
Let us sing songs of the wonderful deeds of our God.
Let us give thanks to the Lord for His unfailing love.
Some of us languished in chains of our forging,
In prisons that we ourselves had devised.
We sat in deep darkness, the blackest of midnights,
’Til we prayed just to see the sun rise.
And from out of our troubles our God has delivered us.
And cut through the fetters of iron that bound us.
He’s broken the gates of our sin-sustained prisons.
Now the bright light of His grace surrounds us. (Repeat Chorus)
Some of us sailed out in pride on the ocean,
Thinking that in our own wisdom we’d stand,
But the storm winds arose and the tempest blew ’round us,
And we prayed once again for dry land.
And from out of our troubles our God has delivered us.
Out on the sea of our self-will He’s sought us.
He’s hushed the wild waves and He’s made the winds whisper,
And to a safe haven He’s brought us. (Repeat chorus) Posted by Valerie (Kyriosity) at 7/26/2002 06:00:00 AM
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Thursday, July 25, 2002 AD Cranky, Tired, Cranky, and Tired Still at work. Takes half an hour to get home. Have to format the church bulletin tonight. Envisioning all-nighter. Yuck. Too old for this, but seem to be doing it a lot lately. Hope Jocelyn recovers quickly from her surgery so I can get off bulletin duty. (That's right, folks -- my dear friend has five surgeries on her spine and selfish-pig-girl can only think about getting rid of doing the bulletin!)
Having lunch with Sarah tomorrow. Going to be great company, I'm sure, on no sleep! (There'd been talk of changing plans to make it dinner and include Brian and Stacey, but I never heard back from Brian, so I guess we'll just have to meet another time.)
2 Timothy 1:7, "For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and love and self-control (or a sound mind)." The more I think about it, the more I see how self-control and sanity are synonymous. And the more I look at my life, the less I see of either.
Did I mention I was cranky and tired? Posted by Valerie (Kyriosity) at 7/25/2002 11:36:00 PM
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(Interjection)! They're not all complete. :^( Posted by Valerie (Kyriosity) at 7/23/2002 03:39:00 PM
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Links to This Post Elizabethan Curse Generator Paul, click here, press the "Curse!" button, and add "bless thine heart! ;^)" for my personal greeting to you! Posted by Valerie (Kyriosity) at 7/23/2002 01:04:00 PM
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Monday, July 22, 2002 AD Hearing God I'm always nervous about attributing an "inner voice" message as being from God. Maybe it's because I have known people who think that they hear God all the time, including one friend who is sure God told her the name of her guardian angels. Uh huh. But there have been a few times when I really do think I've "heard" Him. Here are two:
1) I was once, 13 or 14 years ago, praying that I would be able to hear Him more in a different sense -- that I would have more wisdom in making certain kinds of decisions. And the "answer" was, "Do what I've already told you to do, then I'll tell you some more." I remember being caught off-guard enough by the impression that I laughed out loud. Laughed because the message was so simple and obvious, and delivered in a "tone" that was perfectly matter-of-fact, yet somehow lighthearted.
2) I don't remember the context of this one, but I once heard, "Never be afraid to hear Me say I love you." That was in a much sterner, though by no means harsh tone.
So whaddaya think? Am I a flake or is this normal Christian experience?
(Pardon all the quote marks -- I use them because I'm trying to describe something for which I don't have better words.) Posted by Valerie (Kyriosity) at 7/22/2002 07:48:00 PM
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Links to This Post The Joys of Spell-Checking (Especially for Ellen) A colleague of mine, whose husband is Bosnian, celebrated a birthday last week. I e-mailed her, "Sretan rodjendan!" She replied, "Puno hvala!!!!" Wanting to say, "You're welcome," I did a little Googling and replied in turn with the appropriate Bosnian phrase, which my spell checker tried to change to "Enema an' chemo." Kathy wasn't terribly enthusiastic about the prescription! Posted by Valerie (Kyriosity) at 7/22/2002 03:00:00 PM
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Saturday, July 20, 2002 AD Take Up Your Cross Daily (Oops…started writing this three days ago and never got back to it....)
First Train of Thought: There's that word daily, again. Encourage one another daily, take up your cross daily.... A quick search for daily in the New Testament yields give us our daily bread (implying that we are to ask for it daily), the daily serving of food to widows (perhaps implying that we, perhaps corporately rather than individually, are to show charity daily); and examining the Scriptures daily (the Bereans, who have surely set us a good example). I almost left out the one about the widows, because I thought, "Well, that's pretty cultural. We have wonderful modern technology that allows us to stock the widows' pantries' with enough food to last them weeks." But maybe that's the key to why we don't do the other stuff daily (well, at least not some of it): we don't need this stuff daily, or at least we think we don't. I get paid twice a month, and I go grocery shopping about that often. So why should I ask God for provision more often than that? We don't encourage one another because 1) we don't recognize our own need for encouragement, because we're so materially comfortable and 2) it would likely involve taking up our crosses daily.
Second Train of Thought: “He who would come after Me must deny himself, take up his cross daily, and follow Me.” I'm still looking for some misplaced and more authoritative manuscript that says, "Take up your pillow daily and have a nice nap." I am the laziest thing on this planet. Sloths use my name as a metaphor for indolence. And “deny yourself”? Who, moi? Valerie, queen of self-indulgence? And “follow Me.” Aye, there’s the rub: to possess Him, I must dispossess myself. My lack of progress in doing so betrays how little I love Him...how little “kyriosity” I really have.
This verse rebukes me. I need to go write it real big and put it someplace where it’ll smack me in the face...daily.
Posted by Valerie (Kyriosity) at 7/20/2002 02:30:00 PM
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Tuesday, July 16, 2002 AD Jonathan Barlow Is My Hero! My permalinking/archiving problems have been solved! Thank you, kind sir!
(And for those of you who know The Tim Berglund, don't tell him about the title of this post, 'K?) Posted by Valerie (Kyriosity) at 7/16/2002 05:51:00 PM
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Links to This Post The Great Commission Martin R. writes, "In our zeal to make converts are we overlooking the fact that Jesus calls us instead to make disciples?"
Yes! Maybe it's just my Baptist background, but all my life I've seen the Great Commission held up as the great command to evangelize. Which it is. In part. It's also the great command to teach. We looked at John 21 in my covenant group last night. Jesus' command to Peter here is "Feed My sheep." His initial call had been to catch men, now it's to shepherd them -- the two must go together. There's no, "Go round 'em up, and then shove 'em in a pen and leave 'em there to starve while you go round up some more."
Discipleship is a lost art. Even those who major on teaching often turn discipleship into a merely academic exercise, rather than an apprenticeship in the life of faith. "And that is a lengthy process," Martin continues. And that's at least one big reason we don't like to do it. There's instant gratification in making a convert that just isn't there in making a disciple. I'm back to my earlier (June 10) question: "How do we go about spurring one another on to love and good deeds?" Which is, perhaps, another way of asking, "How do we disciple one another?" Posted by Valerie (Kyriosity) at 7/16/2002 12:20:00 PM
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Monday, July 15, 2002 AD Which do you find more disturbing? Brian's big eyeball or Jonathan's big fist? Posted by Valerie (Kyriosity) at 7/15/2002 02:54:00 PM
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Links to This Post Anybody else getting spam re the Hunt book? I got spammed last week by "concernedchristian@emarketinggurus.com" (how's that for an oxymoronic e-mail address?) -- on one of my work addresses! They must be looking up every vaguely Christian organization (and "vaguely Christian" describes my organization pretty well) and spamming them. Then Rob Schlapfer of Discerning Reader, evidently broadcast back a refutation of the original spam. I wrote to Rob and suggested that if he feels inclined to do such a thing again, he should include a note that he is merely responding to the mass e-mail and has not joined the spammer ranks himself.
Somebody needs to update Dante with a special level of hell for spammers.
The topic of spam really brings out my gentle and quiet spirit, don'tcha think? Posted by Valerie (Kyriosity) at 7/15/2002 02:28:00 PM
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Sunday, July 14, 2002 AD The Sunday Quiz (Stolen from Davey)
Q: Do you attend church services with any family members?
A: Sometimes when my mom's in town she goes to my church. Sometimes when I'm in NH, I go to her church.
Q: What would, in your mind, typify an excellent sermon?
A: One in which the preacher's love for truth, the God of truth, and the people of God of truth is evident. I want to hear both knowledge of the written word and passion for the Incarnate Word, that I might be encouraged to grow in both.
Q: Do you believe in dressing in your Sunday best?
A: Pretty much, though you couldn't tell it today. I wasn't feeling well this morning, slept late, and then just grabbed the first clean thing I could find before running out the door late.
Q: Do you believe in bow ties? What about three-piece suits?
A: No, I don't believe in them...they're a figment of our collective imagination...they don't really exist! Seriously, I've no objection to either, though I'd prefer not to have to wear them myself, being a girl and all. I do wear bows in my hair sometimes, though! ;^)
Q: Would you feel more comfortable participating in a high or low church liturgy?
A: Sometimes I go to the early church at my almost liturgyless church, then slip over to the Reformed Episcopal congregation to get a taste of real liturgy. I don't know how "high" it is in the scheme of things, but I prefer it.
Q: Can you sing a part other than melodic soprano?
A: If we're singing a hymn, I try to read the alto line on at least a couple stanzas. If it's a chorus, I usually make up some kind of harmony--sometimes alto, sometimes a higher descant.
Q: What do you most like to do after church?
A: I'm trying to get into the regular habit of having people over for lunch, conversation, whatever else transpires! Today a friend was having an open house for her roommate who's headed to India for seven months, so I helped out there instead of doing my own hospitality. Posted by Valerie (Kyriosity) at 7/14/2002 02:31:00 PM
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Saturday, July 13, 2002 AD Especially for Mr. Baxter This following conversation is reproduced from the IIIM general discussion forum. It starts at post #4929 (currently on page 7 of the archive) for those who wish to read it in situ. Unfortunately, I know of no way to link to that particular thread.
Post 1: Upon the meaning of the word "snarky" by Ironic Maiden 19. Mar 20:38 Obviously, a number of forum participants are sadly undereducated in the area of Important Vocabulary Words. "What do they teach them in these schools?"
I was pleased to discover that "snarky" is in my dictionary, albeit with an "[Informal]" designation. Webster's New World defines it as "touchy, short-tempered, irritable, etc."
I find this definition inadequate in two ways: First, "etc." has no business being in a dictionary definition. The point of dictionaries is to clarify, not to give vague, open-ended definitions. Second, I think a more accurate definition, based on usage I've encountered, would be "snide, sarcastic, biting."
The derivation seems intuitively obvious to me: snide+shark=snarky, but I have never read Mr. Carroll's The Hunting of the Snark, so I may be missing some connection there. I hope someone will enlighten me on that point.
Your friendly neighborhood educator on points arcane and marginally useful,
~Valerie
Post 2: I think you've hit upon it. by PentaMom 19. Mar 21:06 Snide+snotty+SARCastic. Throw in a little flavor of "wise---," plus a tad of condescension, and maybe even a hint of mockery.
I must confess I picked the term up from a PCA ruling elder on another Internet forum....[edited for space]
Post 3: I've got to update my dictionary by Webmaster 19. Mar 21:23 My "unabridged" dictionary doesn't have it (it's about 18 years old now). I did find that "snark" was "snort or snore" (in British dialect; also "snork"). Perhaps "snarky" descends from "with a snort," one definition of the verb "snort" being "express scorn, anger, or indignation by means of a snort."
Etymology: dialect snark to annoy, perhaps alteration of nark to irritate
Date: 1906
: CROTCHETY, SNAPPISH
Post 5: Thanks, Matthew! by Ironic Maiden 20. Mar 21:55 Though I wonder if the meaning has drifted a bit since the coinage? If "snark" means "to annoy," one would think "snarky" would mean "annoying," but it doesn't quite.
I think PentaTude's...I mean PentaMom's expanded definition fits every context in which I can recall hearing the word.
Ra, as the saying goes, time heals all wounds...and abridges all dictionaries.
~Valerie
So there you have it, Paul! And I don't really think you were being snarky, which I trust was clear from the humorous context in which I used the word. Posted by Valerie (Kyriosity) at 7/13/2002 09:28:00 AM
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Friday, July 12, 2002 AD Archiving/Permalinking I must be doing something wrong in this department, because my attempts at permalinks have been futile. Any clues or suggestions? Posted by Valerie (Kyriosity) at 7/12/2002 07:02:00 PM
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Links to This Post Guidelines for Godly Disputation A letter (in PDF or MS Word) from John Newton to a friend.
An excerpt:
"As to your opponent, I wish that before you set pen to paper against him, and during the whole time you are preparing your answer, you may commend him by earnest prayer to the Lord’s teaching and blessing. This practice will have a direct tendency to conciliate your heart to love and pity him; and such a disposition will have a good influence upon every page you write. If you account him a believer, though greatly mistaken in the subject of debate between you, the words of David to Joab concerning Absalom, are very applicable: 'Deal gently with him for my sake.' The Lord loves him and bears with him; therefore you must not despise him, or treat him harshly. The Lord bears with you likewise, and expects that you should show tenderness to others from a sense of the much forgiveness you need yourself. In a little while you will meet in heaven; he will then be dearer to you than the nearest friend you have upon earth is to you now. Anticipate that period in your thoughts, and though you may find it necessary to oppose his errors, view him personally as a kindred soul, with whom you are to be happy in Christ forever. But if you look upon him as an unconverted person, in a state of enmity against God and his grace (a supposition which, without good evidence, you should be very unwilling to admit), he is a more proper object of your compassion than of your anger. Alas! 'He knows not what he does.' But you know who has made you to differ. If God, in his sovereign pleasure, had so appointed, you might have been as he is now; and he, instead of you, might have been set for the defense of the gospel. You were both equally blind by nature. If you attend to this, you will not reproach or hate him, because the Lord has been pleased to open your eyes, and not his. Of all people who engage in controversy, we, who are called Calvinists, are most expressly bound by our own principles to the exercise of gentleness and moderation."
Speaking of Newton, has anyone ever read Grace Irwin's biographical novel Servant of Slaves (scroll about 3/4 of the way down the page)? I gave away my copy and am thinking I may need to replace it as a birthday present to myself. Just wondering if anyone who's read a more scholarly bio can evaluate how good a job the novel does. And if anyone could recommend a real bio, I just might be persuaded to read that, too! Posted by Valerie (Kyriosity) at 7/12/2002 11:38:00 AM
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Thursday, July 11, 2002 AD Quitting the Nursery One of the first things I volunteered to do when I joined my current church is work in the nursery. I wanted to be intentional about not automatically jumping into the same types of service I always did. The nursery seemed the biggest challenge. I dread it every time. Sometime I end up having a blast, but other times, I feel totally useless. Sometimes that depends on the other adult workers. There's one fellow in particular whom, for some reason, I find very intimidating. But mostly it's just that I'm very stupid about kids. I can't walk into a room of 'em and just know intuitively what to do. I love them, and I'd love to have my own, and there are a few kids of close friends I've gotten along great with over the years, and I can even get along well with kids in other settings. But having to psych myself up to be "on" for an unknown quantity of barely known little people once every six weeks just hasn't gotten any easier.
I think it's important that I spend more time around kids, but I don't think this is the best way of doing it. I'd rather get to know more families in my church and get to know the kids in the context of the families. Much less artificial than the nursery setting. I may also give up "worship hospitality" duty, which basically means filling the coffee pot before service, putting out the cookies after service, and cleaning up once everybody's done munching and chatting. I've finally begun to realize my goal of inviting folks to lunch every Sunday (or dinner, as I did this week), which may not serve as many people, but seems more like hospitality. Of course I don't want to totally abandon participating in the way the congregation has decided to do ministry in favor of my own thing, so maybe I should stick with that one. Posted by Valerie (Kyriosity) at 7/11/2002 06:16:00 PM
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Wednesday, July 10, 2002 AD Spurs That Jingle Jangle Jingle "And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds." Hebrews 10:24
I like the near violence of the NIV here -- spur one another on. Other translations have stimulate or stir up or provoke. The word can also be used in a negative sense, to irritate. And Hebrews 3:13 has that admonition to encourage one another daily. Overall, one gets the picture of Christians kind of incessantly, relentlessly, lovingly poking one another 'til we live the way we're supposed to live. Of course this can be done very badly -- spurring with a sledgehammer where a gentler nudge would do the trick. And it's difficult -- getting in each others' faces means being in each others' lives, and we're too wrapped up in ourselves to invest that sort of time and energy. So let us consider...how may we spur one another on? What kind of spurring have you seen work? Or what kind of spurring would work for you?
Here's the sort of spurring I could use: I would love for someone, when I get into one of my all-too-frequent funks, to physically shove an open hymnal in my face and say, "Sing, woman!" Speaking of getting wrapped up in ourselves, I can do self-pity like nobody's business. I own real estate in the slough of despond. But if I can be dragged back into the reality of worship, I'm much less likely to remain wallowing for long.
Other ideas? Posted by Valerie (Kyriosity) at 7/10/2002 09:47:00 PM
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Links to This Post Acknowledgements Since some people have been saying nice things about my blog, I thought I ought to give some public credit to Seth, who helped passively (I stared at long and hard at his blog code to figure out how to do the transparency thing), and to Jonathan, who helped actively (he kindly cleaned up a bunch of mistakes I'd made so everything would work properly). Thanks, gents! Posted by Valerie (Kyriosity) at 7/10/2002 08:56:00 PM
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Links to This Post Happy 493rd, Mr. Calvin!
Tuesday, July 09, 2002 AD Think, Thank, Thunk The words think and thank, I learned today, are actually closely related. They're both (well, at least theoretically) from a root that means to know. Interesting that we also use the word acknowledge as a synonymn for expressing gratitude. Posted by Valerie (Kyriosity) at 7/09/2002 07:27:00 PM
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Links to This Post Wow... In Netscape 4.7, my blog is pretty much invisible -- all you can see is the wallpaper. I'm so glad I don't have to worry about catering to that audience, as I do at work! Does that make me a snob? Posted by Valerie (Kyriosity) at 7/09/2002 07:19:00 PM
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Monday, July 08, 2002 AD Blessed Be... Jenn mentioned that Mark had started a sermon series on Ephesians and had preached on 1:3-12 yesterday. Though I love that passage now, it used to give me hives. A little over two years ago, a dear friend -- also, coincidentally, named Mark -- had just begun a sermon series on Ephesians and I was rather dreading this passage. I'd been struggling with this whole Calvinism thing for about 4½ years and just didn't relish another sermon on predestination. But somehow, before it arrived, I finally "got it." Something in a different context finally jolted me into swallowing the TULIP bulb. So when Mark got to those verses, instead of the anticipated torment, there was great sweetness in the hearing of those sermons. And practically my first act as a Reformed Christian was to write this song:
To the Praise of the Glory of His Grace
April 2000
(Wish I could post the tune!)
Blessed be the Father, who has blessed us
In Christ with every blessing from above;
Who chose us to be holy and be blameless;
Whose pleasure was adopting us in love;
Who planned before the world began
By His good will that we should stand
Before Him face to face
To the praise of the glory of His grace.
Blessed be the Son, who has redeemed us;
Whose blood, for our forgiveness has been spilled;
Who lavished grace, so rich and free, upon us;
Who showed to us the mystery of His will;
Whose kind intent made wisdom known;
Who’s made us heirs of all He owns;
In whom our hope is placed
To the praise of the glory of His grace.
Blessed be the Spirit who sustains us;
The promised One in whom we have been sealed;
Who tuned our hearts to hear salvation’s message;
By whom the Gospel’s truth has been revealed;
Whom God gave as a guarantee
That whom He owns, He will redeem;
Who stirs our hearts to faith
To the praise of the glory of His grace.
Blessed be the Father who has blessed us,
Blessed be the Son who shed His blood,
Blessed be the Spirit who sustains us,
Blessed be the Lord our God. Posted by Valerie (Kyriosity) at 7/08/2002 10:35:00 PM
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Links to This Post For Joseph In answer to your accusation:
Posted by Valerie (Kyriosity) at 7/08/2002 01:51:00 PM
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Sunday, July 07, 2002 AD Had friends over for dinner tonight. Lydie's from Cameroon, John and Leslie are Baltimorons like me. John brought his steel guitar and we had a great time singing, including a duet by Leslie and me of "Down to the River to Pray" from "O Brother, Where Art Thou?" We also knew "Jesus, I Am Resting, Resting" to three tunes, and did a verse or two of each. My favorite's on a CD called "Hope Remains" by local musician Steve Smallman. Singing good music with good people...does it get any better than that? :^)
[Well, at least this time Blogger kindly cookied my post before it started throwing error messages at me!] Posted by Valerie (Kyriosity) at 7/07/2002 11:00:00 PM
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Links to This Post Does Blogger have Alzheimers? No matter how many times I tell Blogger to remember me, it doesn't. Sometimes it even forgets me while I'm halfway through what I'm working on, so I get an error message when I go to post. Any ideas? Posted by Valerie (Kyriosity) at 7/07/2002 10:28:00 PM
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Links to This Post Whoops! Did something wrong there -- bad enough so I can't even edit it! Anyway, here's how that was s'posed to end:
Favorite animal: Certainly not this evil wretch:
Do you attend church? Yes.
Single or attached? Single.
What are the first things that you do in the morning to start your day? Delay the inevitable.
What are the last things that you do at night before going to bed? Varies.
What's the one thing that makes you feel like something is missing if you don't do it some point within your day? Spend too much time on this stupid machine! Posted by Valerie (Kyriosity) at 7/07/2002 01:10:00 AM
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Links to This Post Thought this would make a good "Getting to Know Me" post
Birthplace: Bawlmer, Merlin, hon!
Age: 34
Birthday: August 29 (just 49 more shopping days, folks!)
Hair Color: Dark Brown
How long/thick is your hair: [pause while I fetch a tape measure] 28"/not too thick, not too thin
Eye Color: Brown
Height: 5' 9"
Personality: INxx (I test both ways on both of the last two depending on mood, time of day, day of month....)
Do you drink? I'm pretty much a teetotaller, but by taste, not by conviction. I kinda wish I could find something alcoholic that I actually liked! Any suggestions?
Have you had your appendix or tonsils out? Alas...at the tender age of 13 I lost my best sure-fire excuse for getting out of school: "Mom, my throat's sore -- look -- spots on my tonsils!" I'd figured out just how to hold a mirror so the light would reflect back in my throat and show off the offending spots.
Have you ever gone skinny dipping? Not to my recollection.
Have you ever been convicted of a crime? No.
'Dream' dream car: Anything chauffered would be dandy.
Favorite place to visit: Yellowstone
Favorite soft drink: Cream Soda
Adidas, Nike, or Reebok: None of the above
Favorite Blog (other than your spouse's): Too many to choose from! Paulo's is the purdiest, tho.
Favorite subject in school: Art
Least favorite subject in school: Econ/Poli Sci
Favorite movie: Sense and Sensibility, Pride and Prejudice, The Joy Luck Club, Lady Jane
Favorite book: I suppose saying "The Bible" would be cheating, eh?
Favorite alcohol: See above. Though I am always pleasantly surprised to find the real stuff served at the Lord's Table!
Favorite sport to watch: Am I allowed to say figure skating, or is that too girly? Who cares! I am a girl!
Favorite sport to play: Power Napping
Anything different about you: I am unique in all the world. (Ask a vague question, get a sappy answer!)
Tattoos/Piercings: Ears.
Quotes: There's only one alternative to getting old
Favorite ice cream: Ben and Jerry's Chunky Monkey. All other foods pale in comparison.
Favorite color: Pretty much the ones on this page. Also quite fond of red and pink (though generally not together).
What's your bedtime: Two hours ago
Favorite TV Show: There's nothing I watch religiously. I like to catch stuff like "This Old House."
Words or phrases that you overuse: Can't think of anything off the top of my head.
Something that can be improved upon: Too little self-discipline.
What you want to be: The sort of woman who would make a really good wife and mom, even if I never get to be either.
The one place you would like to see: Can't think of anyplace off the top of my head.
(Semi-)Famous person you have met: Eugene Peterson (used to be my pastor); R.C. Sproul, Jr. (wishes he were so lucky) (kidding!)
Favorite animal: Certainly not this evil wretch: Posted by Valerie (Kyriosity) at 7/07/2002 01:02:00 AM
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Saturday, July 06, 2002 AD
Well lookee thar. Valerie's gone and got herself a blog! Here's a first taste of what you may find here on a regular basis:
O Sovereign Joy that with a sweeter pow’r
Drives out all lesser loves and takes their place
O God, my true Salvation, Wealth and Light
Let all my life be captive to Your grace.
O Sovereign Grace that with a boundless strength
Makes naught of all the work of human hands,
Freely You grant me righteousness by faith
Through Christ my Lord, who met Your laws demands.
O Sovereign Truth that with a doubtless ray
Outshines the dimness of all fainter lights,
Here may I see Your glory and Your grace
Here clearly read Your majesty and might.
O Sovereign God, who with triumphant grace
Breaks all the fetters of my guilt and shame,
O God of mercy, holiness and life,
I now exalt the glory of Your Name.
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