...was fantastic, cute, frequently cheezy, romantic, Japanese, and touching. Taken all at once, that's a little much for one movie, but I think I'll live. Great story, great voices for the characters, great time had by Bob.
Here's what I'm digesting, from the (thankfully) inimitable Aimee Mann:
Long Shot
Choice in the Matter
Sugarcoated
You Could Make a Killing
Superball
Amateur
All Over Now
Par For the Course
You're With Stupid Now
That's Just What You Are
Frankenstein
Ray
It's Not Safe
...strange how accurate her insights are, depsite a really, really really crappy starting-place. I mean, some people start with a horrible foundation and end up grasping really true truths. Shouldn't this make Christians feel a little guilty for not maximizing their more stable foundation?
I'm in Chattanooga! Everybody here seems to be cleaning up after hard times. Either they're in the middle of it and trying to keep their relationships tidy, or they're sorting through the aftermath, sweeping up whatever's left that's worth cleaning. It takes a lot more than a broom to fix broken people, but sometimes you just do what can. Sweeping's a lot better than complaining.
Here's something I wrote to a friend that I'm not sure I agree with, but which is nonetheless thought-provoking:
-----
(1) Forgiveness. How many times would the prodigal son have to demand
an inheritance, leave town, and disgrace his family in the far country
before it would be wrong (sinful) for his father to forgive him?
Shouldn't we model God's forgiveness to people who aren't believers,
even when it puts us at a disadvantage? I'm really asking these
questions of myself, since they reveal sin in my heart. I'm only
sharing them to get your thoughts. Do we always forgive? I think so,
even though that means I'm incredibly disobedient.
(2) Accountability. What do we do about the sin? I mean, ultimately,
the important question is what will Anonymous do with her sin. But are
the rest of us (perfect people, to be sure) supposed to forgive and
forget in a way that destroys accountability? Of course not. How
then, are we supposed to forgive without denying the
reality of sin, both in the sinner and in ourselves? Somehow, the way
that you eventually forgive Anonymous -- because there is not question
that you must forgive her -- must not minimize your own sins or hers.
It must also not put her in the "beyond salvage" category. None of us
likes to be there, and if we really believe the power of the gospel,
we must agree that there really is no such place. Nothing is beyond
the ability of God to forgive and grant mercy.
(3) Support. What qualifies as neccessary, healthy support? What
makes a relationship a friendship? You have to decide these things
and make sure you cultivate them in your community. I think you also
have to look at Anonymous and ask yourself whether you ought to
offer that to her. Will providing support and friendship actually
harm her? Will not providing these things qualify as a sin? This is
something different than forgiveness, I think. Whether or not you
continue to be at all involved in her life (even if it's just keeping
her cell number and calling it once every two months), forgiveness has
to happen. Even if she never forgives you for real or imagined
offenses.
---
Like I said, lots of people in Chattanooga are pushing broom, wondering what on earth God is doing. I'm standing by with a dustpan and taking notes I'll probably need sooner rather than later.
I put about 5 hours into Dickens this weekend and two and a quarter more into Persuasion, fabulous film based on the Jane Austen novel of the same name. As a result, the voice inside my head has until just recently taken on a very British accent.
How lovely.
But the film was great. All the actors came off as terribly believable, which helped me believe the characters, too. (Believing in Austen's characters might be a little hard for cynical moi, otherwise.) I definitely need to delve into Jane Austen whenever I finish with Dickens.
And typing this "out loud" makes me realize anew how guilty I often feel for reading. Did I really spend seven hours reading books and watching movies this weekend, when I could have been calling people and asking for ministry support?! Yes, yes I did. Reading for pleasure can be overdone, I suppose, but I still feel defensive of the practice -- just the same way as I defended drama work at Covenant to my academic advisor. That line usually goes something like: "But I really need this outlet!"
Is it selfish or is it healthy? Or both? I'm sure nobody else ever does this kind of thing...
Finally figuring out some good metaphors for how I am. I'm thinking I'm a fluid person. Spending time tonight with a couple of friends helped me think about the way I reflect the people around me. Is this a good thing? FSO said it meant I had no personality, just chameleon propensities -- but I don't agree.
Thoughts to ponder...
Right now I'm wrapping up support-raising details tonight while waiting for The Closer. I've only seen one episode, but it was stellar. Or maybe I just like Sedgewick. ...oh no! I just saw a commercial saying the show comes on Monday nights! Whatever. I'm not a television person anyway. I just thought this once I might be. Oh well!
Now -- Charleston, WV
Tomorrow -- Atlanta, GA
Monday -- possibly Orlando? possibly Atlanta?
Jul 22nd -- Chattanooga, TN
Jul 25th -- Charleston, WV
Jul 27th -- Fairmont, WV
Jul 30th -- Charleston again
Aug 3rd -- Fairmont again
Aug 6th -- Charleston again
Aug 12th -- Duncan, OK
Aug 16th -- Houston, TX
August remainder -- Atlanta (GA), Colorado Springs (CO), Ann Arbor (MI)
September -- Atlanta (GA), Charleston (WV), Orlando (FL)...
...and finally Belgium. What on earth!
A friend of mine just offered quite the unusual (but enlightening) comment on the most recent post to my xanga. Read it if you dare, Covenant-types.
I just had a great weekend in Colorado! Nevertheless, I have a few things to complain about: I didn't get to see anybody at Forestgate Pres. My car's acting up, and so I cancelled my trip to Chattanooga for Tennessee Valley Presbytery. I also have no clean laundry and might not get to see JLea next time I'm in Chatty.
Grr.
The wedding was nice, emotional, stressful, whatever. I'm really thankful to the Lord and happy for Krista and Ian, but weddings sort of wear me out. Oh boy! Another opportunity to walk by faith! Here we go. Maybe I'll be a bachelor for life.
I'm here. It was that easy. How long will it take for me to start crying? Whew. CO is an emotional place, it seems. Maybe it's this season of life.
Patty Griffin can write and sing circles around most people.
My whole body feels better after brushing my teeth.
Successful relationships aren't contingent upon mutual approval.
My minivan is leaking oil and needs checking before I drive to Michigan.
Krista will be married within the week.
I will be moving again, soon.
Tennis matches can happen without nets and in parking lots, if you are poor.
I do not need to be afraid of new relationships.
My blessings are more than the hairs on my head.
...sometimes it pays to sit down and draw a circle around all of the things you know and call them your own. These are some of the more important things for this week.
I'm spending a work break enjoying free WiFi and coffee at the Panera Bread Company. Smog is hanging over the city today, a nice complement to high humidity and heat. Everyone is leaving Atlanta, I think. Even the restaurant felt empty today, almost like I think it would feel if we were at war or if a plague had just ripped through the local population. Whether it was a mysterious illness or just a reflection of the smog, you could see a grey and formless oppression settling into the features of everyone who was left today. Patrons, coworkers, other drivers on the road -- all of them looked resigned to a hot, damp, weighted-down weekend.
But my coffee's good.
I got a note from a supporter yesterday. Despite being a fan of protecting other people's privacy, I've got to tell you her name: Virginia Alexander. Isn't that something? I got a pink envelope with a guilded address label on it which said, happily and grandly, "Virginia Alexander." I looked at it while I finished the correspondence in my outbox. Later, I carefully opened it and pored over the delicate scrawls, listening to a woman from Barboursville tell me about her life and wish me well in mine.
A thee-page note can mean a lot, when it says that someone is taking you seriously and prays for you often. As far as unexpected incidents go, I think it was the most validating and also humbling thing that has happened to me since I was accepted to teach English in Vietnam about 14 months ago. Of course, I ended up doing something other than teaching in Vietnam, but when that sort of thing happens, you feel singled out, awkward and special all at once.
That's how I felt yesterday. I folded up the letter to read again in a few days, and prayed for about an hour, the sort of thing I don't have the time to do and just as truly don't have the time not to do. Even in the smog and the heat, I'm walking a little more steadily through time than I have been, lately.
It helps to hear from cooler climes.