10 months later...

While working on my sermon for this week, I was trying to remember past Father's Day celebrations, and I couldn't quite remember it all.  So, I checked out my old Xanga posts and there was the info I was looking for.  I also had to go back to some of my old journals.  Anyway, all of this got me thinking about how much I enjoyed journaling throughout college.  I started keeping a journal pretty consistently in the summer of 1996 and kept it going for the most part on a daily basis until I got married in 2001.  Then the entries became less and less frequent until I pretty much stopped them all together in early 2002.  (Life really wasn't that exciting or advernturous working in a cubicle posting bills for an HVAC company.)  But I also kept one during our Summer Assignment with a Summer Mission Team in 2005.  Then we got on the Xanga band wagon for quite a while, until Facebook slowly took over my blogging time instead.  But the downfall of Facebook is that those "What are you doing" statements just don't seem to capture life the way a real journal should.  So does this mean I'll start posting more here on Xanga? Maybe.  Does it mean I'll start keeping a written journal again on a regular basis?  I don't know.  But I feel like too much of life is being forgoten, too many memories escaping.  The photos are fun to look at and remember, but all too often it seems like these days are rushing by and I won't be able to rememebr all of the great times with my family and friends if I'm not careful.

And speaking of Father's Day, it was Father's Day 2007 when I found out that Katrina was pregnant with Lydia.  And for those who haven't yet heard, we are now expecting our third baby, due the early part of December.  (Great time, right?!?)

Anyway, if anyone out there is still using Xanga, I'm sending my greetings, and letting you know I'm going to try to keep this somewhat more active again.  It's only been 10 months since my last post.

Currently Listening Stevie Wonder - The Definitive Collection By Stevie Wonder see related

Top Ten

The other day I heard a story on the radio about Obama and McCain's top 10 favorite songs.  While the story didn't list all of their songs out, they did say that the two were quite different: Obabma favoring the Fugees and McCain favoring Abba, and both having at least one Sinatra song on their respective lists. (For their full list, see http://www.blender.com/WhiteHouseDJBattle/articles/39518.aspx)  My initial thought was I'm sure I'd have more in common with Obama than McCain just because of the generational gap, but then I strated thinking about my own top 10 list.  I wasn't sure exactly what my list would include, but as I thought about it I realized it's pretty diverse (even one McCain pick, which kind of surprised me).  Here's what I came up with as my Top 10 favorite songs (in absolutely no order whatsoever).

• "Indescribable" by Laura Story (a little better than Chris Tomlin's remake)
• "Superstition" by Stevie Wonder (that bass riff is just so infectious, you can't help but love it)
• "Pride (In the Name of Love)" by U2
• "Sabotage" by the Besatie Boys (I'm not sure why... maybe the Starsky & Hutch style video)
• "Ants Marching" by Dave Matthews Band (especially the live version with the 3 minute intro)
• "What A Wonderful World" by Louis Armstrong (this is one McCain picked too).
• Largo movement from Symphony No. 9 by Antonin Dvorak
• "Jungle Boogie" by Kool & the Gang ("get up-a wit' da' get down!")
• "After The Last Tear Falls" by Andrew Peterson
• "You've Got To Hide Your Love Away" by The Beatles (there's just something about songs in 6/8)

Rock On!!

The Western Territory Commissioning really rocked out hard core this year!  This little girl even changed the official salute to show just how awesome they are!

Hooray!

The Grant Writers of Grace Session

I'm not sure why, but I've been thinking a lot about session names latley.  Maybe it's because Commissioning was just a few weeks ago, and although we didn't go, one of the most moving parts for me every year is the parade of flags as I consider all those officers who have come and gone before us.  Or maybe it's becasue I'm mindful of the session that has just been commissioned and the new one preparing enter training. 

Whatever the reason, session names have been on my mind.  They all tend to be great evangelistic proclamations (Heralds of the Good News, Ambassadors for Christ, Dauntless Evangelists, Messengers of God's Love) or plays on our strong military heritage (Prayer Warriors, Agressors, Conquereors, Invincibles, Defenders of Faith), or hopeful for the future (Visionaries, Preparers of the Way, Messengers of Hope)  Never has there been a session called the Grant Writers of Grace or Faithful Human Resource Managers, yet those are the things I seem to be doing the most of lately.  To me these session names serve as reminders of what I should be focusing on: winning the eternal battle for souls as we move forward into the future with the hope and grace of God.

It's kind of strange to think we're entering into our third year of officership.  The corps is at a bit of a weird point.  It feels like if something drastic doesn't change soon, the corps might not be here too much longer.  Older adults are less interested and able to attend; our youth are busy working and enjoying the summer.  It's a challenge, but a reminder that we're suppose to be growing the kingdom, not just fostering those already in it.  We need to break out of the old patterns and mind sets and really be Builders of the Kingdom and Ambassadors of Grace.

Keep praying for us and the Wausau Corps.

To see more great session names visit http://www1.salvationarmy.org/heritage.nsf/titles/Sessions