Clarification

Just to clarify, the little girl in the last post is NOT my child. I think a few people were confused. It is just an internet "viral video" that's being passed around right now.

...although our Kalli has said her fair share of interesting things...

Kassie's take on Monsters

I know I've not blogged much lately, and every time I do it's rather shallow and pointless, but you've really got to see this. Every time I watch it it gets funnier (especially the sentence she says at the :15 second mark).

You know you're a parent if...

Only the father of a toddler would find this interesting enough to post to his blog. I present to you... the voice of and the man behind (up-under?) Elmo:

Meatless Eatin'

I've been slowly moving in the vegetarian direction for some time now and have really enjoyed getting to eat some new things. Saturday night I made this. Wow, that sauce is pungent! It was really good, and I'll probably make it again...

Dumplings
2-3 cakes Med. firm tofu pressed and mashed
2 Tablespoons (peanut butter)
3 Tablespoons tamari soy sauce
4 scallions, chopped
1 green pepper, chopped
1 cup chopped mushrooms (6 ounces)
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
1/4 cup diced water chestnuts

Sauce
1 1/2 cups pineapple, orange, and/or apple juice
1/4 cup maple syrup, honey, or brown sugar
1/3 to 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
1/4 cup tamari soy sauce
2 Tablespoons cornstarch dissolved in 2 tablespoons cold water

In large bowl, mix together all the ingredients for the tofu dumplings. Shape into approximately 2 dozen 2 inch balls and place on an oiled baking sheet. Bake at 375* for 45 minutes, until golden and firm.

Combine all the sauce ingredients except the cornstarch in a stainless steel or enamel saucepan. Bring to a boil. Stir in the dissolved cornstarch and simmer, stirring continuously, until the sauce is clear and thickened.

Pour the sauce over the dumplings and serve immediately. Serve with rice and steamed vegetables.

Rockin with the Big Boys

Less than a few weeks since I posted about how I much I enjoy my friends' band Waltz for Venus, I've been invited to join the band... on piano/keys, guitar, and bg vocals. Big rock show in less than 2 weeks.

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//Sent via T-Mobile Sidekick 3//

Reflections in a MegaChurch Coffeehouse

Here I am, sitting at my 3-day church conference in Alabama.

One of the many realizations that I've made this trip is that I have a love/hate relationship with the church.

On one hand... to be quite honest, there can be such a hokeyness to it all. Take the conferences: the idea swapping with overly nice 40-something dudes in polo shirts and khakis. The strategic planning that won't make it any further than the car ride home. The incessant head nodders taking notes to help make their church too into a golf-cart shuttling, TV-station hosting, bookstore-sporting MegaChurch. Top this off with the look-at-me presenters who, while probably meaning well, have a look-at-what-I've-done air about them.

Then there's the contemporary worship, with its dramas and stage lights and bad music. Its silly pop culture rip-offs and poorly produced videos.

There's also doctrine and theology, which opens such a bag of worms that I won't even begin to go into.

And on the other hand? It's beautiful. It meets the needs - real or imagined - for many people. It invites me to be less judgemental, seeing everything and every seemingly un-hip person and procedure as exactly what it is and should be. It kicks me in the ass when I realize that everything that drives me nuts about it is less a reflection of the church than it is of myself.

It's a place that opens people to service and giving and community and God. It gives ordinary people like me the opportunity to use their gifts and creativity to work in a Mini-Hollywood with sets and props and rockstars and production. It downplays separation by connecting people together and then inspiring them to just be better people when they're interacting in their workplace. When it's done correctly it shuts out no one and is the great equalizer - giving love and meaning to the ones the world pisses on. It is what it is - and it doesn't deserve my negative criticism; it reminds me that all things are positively perfect.

So, now, as my eyes roll up in my head at the guy with the FBI Jesus ("Firmly Believe In...") who just walked into the church's in-house Bookstore to purchase a book that I would probably consider spiritually and theologically premodern/barberic, I'm gently reminded of the love and order that undercurrents all that is and my own need to be more accepting. And while most of the world - and myself, much of the time - sees the church as either silly, outdated or misguided, I'm enamored with it and I freakin' love it.
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//Sent via T-Mobile Sidekick 3//

I'm goin' to Alabamy with a Banjo on my knee

Sorry I've been an absentee blogger friend this week...

The staff at work are going to a Conference in Alabama from Friday to Sunday and I'm losing 2 days of work because of it... so I've been "cramming" (see also: busy).

At any rate, I shall return on Monday with unlimited new knowledge of... uhm... Well, I'll see you on Monday.