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When you’re down and out
When you’re on the street
When evening falls so hard
I will comfort you
An appropriate post from Jan at the view from her (I’m particularly fond of #5, #8 and #14):
Reasons I love living in the U.S.A. on our 232nd birthday:
1. The 4th of July. Barbecue, parades, sparklers, fireworks.
2. We have the prettiest flag.
3. You can drive anywhere without asking permission. Even across state lines. And stay as long as you want.
4. Blue jeans.
5. You can love or hate books like The Shack, or The DaVinci Code, but they’re not forbidden.
6. We have real cowboys.
7. And Indians.
8. You can freely mock the President. I think we take that for granted.
9. The Freedom of Information Act. Our government will actually give you information about itself.
10. You can send a letter to any one of over 111 million homes, and it will be delivered to precisely the right one in only about two days, for just 42 cents.
11. New England clam chowder.
12. Alaska and Hawaii.
13. You can have as many children as you want.
14. Libraries. All the free books you can read. (6 at a time.)
15. Thanksgiving Day.
16. The Bill of Rights.
17. You can paint your house any color you want. Unless of course you live in a California homeowner’s association.
18. Baseball.
19. An efficient sewage system.
20. Microsoft and Apple. (Like I would link to Microsoft.)
22. Jazz.
23. Gospel music.
24. Rock ‘n Roll.
24. “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal…”
No, no, he didn’t slam you, he didn’t bump you, he didn’t nudge you… he rubbed you. And rubbin, son, is racin’.
Meredith – if you don’t know this one, we’ve got a little cousin that won’t think you are a very good family member!
I’ve been making my way through Season One of Joan of Arcadia on DVD, an amazing show that ran on CBS from 2003-2005. And it’s cancellation is the reason I won’t watch CBS anymore. (Unless Bright Eyes is on Letterman… I gave in for 10 minutes just once. I’ve also really come to love How I Met Your Mother, but luckily there are several Chinese websites where I can watch it.)
Anyway, Joan of Arcadia is one of the few shows I liked enough to buy the DVD set. I haven’t seen the episodes since I first bought the set, so seeing them all again is just a reminder of what a great writer Barbara Hall is, and what a great cast it had – Mary Steenburgen, Amyber Tamblyn (daughter of Russ Tamblyn from West Side Story), Jason Ritter, Becky Wahlstrom.
Joan sees God. He comes to her in different forms – Lunch Lady God, Cute Boy God, Little Girl God, Goth Guy God. He asks her to do things. He never tells her why, at least not in a straight-forward manner. He just tells her what to do and sometimes tells her what she might learn from it. When she finished what she was supposed to do, she is able to see that following in the footsteps of God may not be easy, but it’s always better than if she chose another option.
Tonight I watched an episode where the following was said by “Little Girl God”
Everyone has a part of themselves they don’t like, Joan. You carry it around like a weight. The lucky ones realize that when it becomes too heavy, you can choose to set it down.
Sometimes I feel like we allow our lives to center around the parts of ourselves we don’t like. We are constantly focusing on the things we could have done better or the parts of ourselves that are flawed that we want to make perfect.
It’s almost easier to live like that, isn’t it?
When we do, no one can say that we aren’t trying and no one can say that we aren’t self-aware. No one can judge us because we’re “working on it.” But I’ve recently come to realize that focusing on all those self-improvement projects can become a form of worship. Not the good kind – because it puts all the focus on us. And what is this life all about? Jesus. Not us.
To dwell on those negative things not only puts a giant weight on your shoulders, but it has an effect on those around you. There is nothing good about constantly seeing the bad, especially when you have to choice to do something different.
Setting down the weight of what we don’t like about ourselves is an act of surrender. But even more importantly it’s an act of the will. It’s intentional, specific and maybe even contrary to what we think we make us happier. But setting it down really is the only thing that will help us find the heart of who we really are.
I have 8… count ’em 8 posts started and haven’t finished a single one. Too much going on and not enough time to write. That’s frustrating! Bad blogger.
My friend Shannon convinced me to join facebook a while back and it seems like everyone and their dog is there now. A bunch of friends from college I’d lost touch with have found me right and left, which is good. And bad, in a way. Because it makes me all sentimental and weepy.
Anyway, I received a facebook message from a good friend from those college days. She was hurting, and I could tell. So I sent her a message and I got a reply tonight. In my reply, I wrote: “All the ups and down never seem to go away, do they? I thought once I become a real adult that things would be so easier to figure out.”
I’ve experienced a lot of ups and down lately. Joy and fun with friends and family. Sad goodbyes that have started already, and I’m not even moving until the middle of August. But more than anything there’s been questions. Questions wondering “Will I get this job or that job or night? Will I be able to handle seminary? Will I make friends in St. Louis? Will I miss my family so much that it will hurt? Will I…? Will I… Will I…”
I’m tired of living in the future. I’m tired of waiting for the next thing to start. I’m just ready to be. Here. Now.
I’m tired of all the “Will I’s”.
Stephanie Nelson 
