never been here before

This one comes with a visual hint! We have a piper down, I repeat, a piper is down!

What I learned in 2007... HT to Barbara for the idea. I learned that God can change me, even when I least expect it. I learned that forgiveness isn't about excusing the sin, it's about saying the sin mattered, it hurt, and that I have to move on for my own mental health. I learned that courage is directly tied to faith. (I really already knew this, but I learned to look at it in a different way.) I learned how much I missed my friends from college once I joined facebook and they all came out of the woodwork. I learned I'm way more liberal ( politically) than I originally thought I was. I learned that ice storms are particularly scary. I learned that Iron Chef America is the single most delightfully ridiculous 1 hour on television. I learned that ministry is something I not only enjoy, but need to have in my life. I learned, most of all, the importance of our connection to one another.

I'm doing a twist on my "best of list" this year. No more pop culture lists - just a ego post. Some are my favorites, some get a lot of hits off google, some are just good lessons God taught me. I started the year out with two heavy-hitting posts: Top Ten Myths about Christians - Part 1 Top Ten Myths about Christians - Part 2 I loved writing these two posts. The Death of Good Coffee I get tons of google hits off this one. I Almost Ran Over Derek Webb One of my favorite memories of the year, and another post from which many, many google hits come. The Dichotomy of Country Music By far my most popular post of the year. The Tick Song was huge on country radio this year (I think it even won a CMA) and rarely does a day goes by where I don't get a hit on this post. Google "tick song country" and I come up third. Unbelievable. Wounds Not an easy post for me to write. But I'm glad I did. Small Victories The best moment of 2007 for me (except for when I fou...

Huckabee's Remarkable Play My cousin over at confession of a slacker mom made her decision a while back to support Huckabee in the coming election, and I had the chance to hear her reasons why over drinks at Christmas time. (The only time I stand to talk politics. The drinks part, not the Christmas part.) I still haven't made my choice yet, but I found this turn of events rather interesting. Brilliant play or strategic political savvy? I'm leaning towards the latter - maybe I'm just too cynical to believe he really had a change of heart.

What's your theological worldview? created with QuizFarm.com You scored as Emergent/Postmodern You are Emergent/Postmodern in your theology. You feel alienated from older forms of church, you don't think they connect to modern culture very well. No one knows the whole truth about God, and we have much to learn from each other, and so learning takes place in dialogue. Evangelism should take place in relationships rather than through crusades and altar-calls. People are interested in spirituality and want to ask questions, so the church should help them to do this. Emergent/Postmodern 86% Evangelical Holiness/Wesleyan 75% Neo orthodox 71% Classical Liberal 50% Modern Liberal 39% Charismatic/Pentecostal 36% Fundamentalist 32% Reformed Evangelical 25% Roman Catholic 25% The only thing I disagree with here is where is says I don't think older churches connect with modern churches very well. While I do feel alienated from the older generation at tim...

Doctors without Borders listed their top 10 underreported humanitarian stories of 2007. (Below is a picture in Somalia, where the civil war there has left many without food, water and medical treatment.) Read the rest here . HT to Ariah , who also has a great post about global warming today.

I'm a total geek, I must confess. I was baking Christmas cookies at a friends house and he had a mixed CD of Josh Groban Christmas songs playing. "O Holy Night", the best traditional Christmas song ever written in my opinion, was on the CD. And it made me cry. I'm such a geek. I actually like a Josh Groban song. I just can't blame it on hormones or sugar or anything else in that realm. I just liked it. Let the heckling commence. (I will put "I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day" right up there on my list of best traditional Christmas songs. I am a sucker for Longfellow.)

Brilliant. HT to gman .

I think every year for the last few years someone reminds me of this website: Cavalcade of Bad Nativities . It is truly the best of the tacky...which is why I love it. Here are a few of my favorites: Yee-Haw! The Alien Angels Look out, I gonna jump! And my ultimate favorite: Woo-Hoo! Rock on! I think I won something! Hee.

If I live to be 100, I'll never forget that big snow storm a couple of years ago. The weather closed in and, well you might not believe it, but the world almost missed Christmas. Oh, excuse me, call me Sam. What's the matter? Haven't you ever seen a talking snowman before? What movie is it from and who plays Sam the Snowman?

Hee!

This is the first year I put up my Christmas tree since my grandmother died. Every year for 10 or so years, she gave each grandkid an ornament for Christmas. They were never my style, but I kept them, for a tradition like that is to be cherished. So when I put my tree up last week a mix of sentiment and sadness came over me as I carefully unwrapped each shiny glass ornament she gave me, that clash with all my other ornaments. But I don't care. I love Christmas trees... I love the memories attached to ornaments... I love what it all represents. I'm a total sap, I'm a total romantic. I make no apologies.

Growing up is a funny thing. I remember my mom lecturing me as a teenager when I would complain "life is hard". "Compared to what?" she'd ask. Then there was "your brother will grow out of this need to torture you" or my personal favorite, "you'll understand when you're older". (My brothers and I are close now, but we hated each other when we were kids. "Hate" is a pretty strong word, I guess, but it is an accurate description of my feelings at the time, though God knows I didn't really mean it.) Growing up into adulthood isn't all that different from growing spiritually. You go into it all giddy, thinking you are prepared for it. (i.e. ooo! my first credit card!) Then when when it "growing" and "stretching" happens, you start squirm a little, wishing things were the way they used to be. (you mean I have to pay this bill?) And ultimately, we can look back and see the lesson learned, why it happen...

Happy birthday, Jesus - sorry your party's so lame. I am attending the office Christmas party tonight, so I had to do it.

This little boy is from Nebraska, and he called into a radio show in Houston to share this story. It's sweet and wonderful. It's even a little cheesy, but sometimes we can all use a little cheese.

Me and the trees, losing our leaves Falling like blood on the ground I want to be evergreen Everything dies, I know last night Part of me wasn't around I want to be evergreen Yeah, evergreen... Waiting, and listening Hoping and missing all of our time left alone I'm the one cutting the rope Frostbite in winter, 'cause like a splinter you come and follow me down I'm the one cutting the rope Holiday end, I'm here once again, and I'm left alone on the bus with my head on the ground, in hopes that I'm found by you this time around The sun will rise soon and tackle the moon Chasing it still in the sky All that I've got is tonight Excuses and reasons, and now tis the season For all that I never got right All that I've got is tonight Holiday end, I'm here once again, and I'm left alone on the bus with my head on the ground, in hopes that I'm found by you this time around The night is a crow, saying come hold me All that I know is that I've b...

I'm sad no one got either of these... The first one is from the movie Elf . If you haven't seen it, drop what you are doing and rent it. Now. Or call me and I'll mail you my copy. Yes, it's that good. It has Zooey Deschanel, and almost everything she's in is awesome. Plus, it's directed by Jon Favreau. Really? How can you go wrong? And the second is an absolute CLASSIC. John Cusack to Jeremy Piven in Say Anything . ______________________________________________________________ "I'm sorry I ruined your lives, and crammed eleven cookies into the VCR." From one of the greatest Christmas movies ever. And I have to give you a second one. "YOU MUST CHILL!! YOU MUST CHILL!!!"