Today after church, Dennis and I took photos with two of our most favorite women from church, to show to our readers in Japan. Both women have supported us financially but also spiritually, and not just in preparation for our mission trip to Japan. It got me thinking about how old women have shaped my faith and identity in Christ and in the Christian community. I want to be like these women when I grow up.

Before marriage, I think I probably ignored these women. But curiously, Dennis seems to attract them. At the church in Santiago, Chile he was always surrounded by old ladies at tea parties. One old lady (quite old)told me that I was lucky to have such a good young man. I noticed the way that my husband works with the elderly, men and women. He truly has a gift for communicating with old people in a way that makes them seem fun and fascinating. His best customers at the bank were the elderly, because he listens to them and befriends them. He sees them as contemporaries, instead of talking to them as though they were children. And my husband has the greatest gift for getting old people to talk about how things used to be. I've seen it, even in how he interacts with my grandparents, and it is one of my favorite things about Dennis as a person.

Thus post-marriage, we have as a couple become authentically friends with older people in our church and specifically widows (although not exclusively, as I can remember him talking in Spanish with the old Spanish professor way before he even knew the professor's wife, who would soon be a widow.)

I have learned that you can be faithful for decades, and you can find new insights into God even after decades. I've learned that even when life sucks- even when you aren't working, or when your spouse dies, that you move on and you do learn to live again. I've learned that my identity is not in Dennis, because of death, so that it is so very important to find my identity in Christ. Then, I will have the assurance that death is only one stage. There may be a time when all I have is my faith.

I have learned that family is sacred, from these women, who bake and raise money and are there to help students. These women shape part of the story of my church community and also shape why we go to our church, why we feel like this church is home, why we keep going.

I am thankful for the living proof that life goes on, that things work out, and that whatever I am going through right now (cough*unemployed husband*cough*economic recession*cough, cough) are just patches or stitches in the big picture. I know that it sounds corny or sentimental, but it is true. God is good, indeed.

Labels: faith, friends, hubby, life, prayers

I don't think so, for the record. But you can see (so that I'm not giving too much away if you don't see the movie until it is on Netflix), that the eyes of the skull in the background are like alien eyes.

I assume that Steven Spielberg is a happy Jew, and I don't really know that Harrison Ford has that much creative power. I could be wrong. Which leaves George Lucas.

I don't know that I think George Lucas is a scientologist (unless he has already said he is...) but I do know that he has created millions of dollars and super-nerd fans across the world who believe in light sabers and aliens and darth vader. I've met these fans. So I think maybe he is just interested in aliens. Oh, and Spielberg did make E.T.

I guess it all comes from the Xenu debate. Did aliens come to earth billions of years ago to teach humans how to live? Was the big fish in the book of Jonah some kind of advanced alien ship/fish??

Or is this just a movie where Harrison Ford and Karen Allen look really old?

For the record, I don't think it has scientology ties. I do think it was a good movie, as a final movie in the series. Much better than National Treasure.

Labels: celebrities, culture, movies, theolastic fantastic

Of the day.
Well, of the hour.

I tried to pick up my bridesmaid dress today. It was too small. Not because I've gained weight- I've actually lost a jeans size (woo!). But rather because they miss-measured my boobs. I am actually a size up in the top, because I actually have a problem with having boobs that are too big. People pay money to have this problem.

I felt depressed the entire hour it took to drive home (there's only one David's Bridal in the area, and it's in the valley and takes forever to get there.)

But I've decided to cut myself some slack, as clearly these are not every day dresses. And people PAY to have this problem. Also, this store claims to sell designer looking gowns and they make a gigantic deal about how they tailor the dress to your exact measurements. And I conclude that this is a big fat lie. They actually have the dress in your size, but they have it at "the warehouse". They don't tailor it. If you don't count the expensive alterations, they just send your size. So it is as "tailored" as getting a spring dress at Old Navy or the Gap, but with rouching and satin.


I did find out that my cousin is having her wedding in the evening. So it is in the desert, but thank God it is as it starts to cool. Because this ball-gown dress was super heavy.

Also, a HUGE reason to be thankful:
My cousin is not making me wear anything in this material-


Jordin Sparks wore it last night on American Idol and now Cate Blanchett is wearing it. And it is horrible and not flattering. This material is ONLY for Mexican Wrestling Heros like Nacho Libre. NEVER for women.

Labels: celebrities, family, self-pity, shopping

Two firsts: live blogging and actually watching the entire American Idol finale. I will do both while trying to translate 1 Kings 1 in Hebrew. Buwahahahahaaa (I actually wonder how many people had the same "live-blog" idea....


8:00pm American Idol. Ryan Seacrest talks.Blah blah blah. Record number of people calling in, even from Canada. Still think that they've fixed it for Archuleta to win. All those votes are from 13 year old girls. The Nation is not as riveted as Seacrest talks about. But maybe they are supposed to say that.

Showing the home towns. Both cheer. But clearly, Archuleta's teenage girls scream louder.

Somewhere here the top 12 sing a song and I tune them out.

8:55pm The American Idol Experience at DisneyWorld. Brought to you by Jordin Sparks. Who has lame songs that I hate on the radio.

ZZTop and David Cook. Sharped-Dressed Man. This is why David Cook will probably profit from this more than Archuleta. Even if it is a fix that the teen boy will win, Cook has a rock-esque style that will play on the radio, right after Daughtry. He's playing and dancing and working the crowd, and it is campy and bad-ass at the same time, if that is possible. I wonder if David Cook auditioned to be a member of INXS when they had their reality show on CBS two years ago.... Paula Abdul is clearly excited about ZZ Top. Now, I get all the jokes about her being wacky.

8:59pm David Cook's home town and grandma. No, his music teacher. And what is that girl wearing? A Gold Saran Wrap Dress??? Whaaaa??

Did Graham Nash feel like he should retire any hippie credentials or "fighting the man" credentials by singing "Teach the Children Well" on stage acoustic with Brooke White?

8:12pm The Davids should be in a band. They dueted "Hero" by Nickelback quite well. Is it so obvious that Archuleta is so winning this?

Mike Myers mentors them? Unnecessary Guru plugging in American Idol, even if it is funny to watch Mike Myers thank the academy for Mini-Me.
David Cook's face is too 90's? But it is so nice to see David Cook laugh at Archuleta when Mike Myers tells him that he will have to go through puberty soon. Oh look, he is actually pretending to be the guru live on stage now, before Seacrest and thousands of teenagers.

8:19pm Syeisha returns. With Seal. Who is so awesome. She is just his backup singer.

8:20pm Commercial and Love Guru promo. Isn't Mike Myers also quite 90's. Just as much as David Cook's facial hair?

8:25pm Back. Welcoming back Jason Castro. AKA dread lock kid who was perpetually stoned and who said "don't vote" so he would get voted off. The Rufus Wainwright version of Alleluia is superb to this so I'm tuning him out. Dennis says "why is this guy here?" I agree.

8:27pm A montage with the 12 that I also tune out. It might take all night long to let the good times roll but I'd like to see who wins.

8:28pm Back with the Davids. Getting free cars. Ridiculous. (I shouldn't judge that one....)

8:29pm Donna Summer songs with the girls. Sounds like a broadway show. Tuning it out. Wait, who is the old lady? She sounds kind of like a dude... And now it's the Donna Summer reunion show....

8:40pm Carly- the girl with the powerful, almost masculine voice and Michael Johns, they guy that everyone was sad to see gone. Pretty good, but still sounds like a broadway show. And also kind of like an SNL skit.

8:43pm. Simon has large nipples? What? Oh, Jimmy Kimmel. Sanjaya reference. 19 weeks of Karaoke singing. Putting Simon's mean words to music. Meh.

8:45pm. The guys. Singing a bad 80's song, horribly. Wow it really is like Karaoke. And Jason Castro is just too stoned to sing "Summer of '69".

Wow. I just figured out that they are making the men sing Ryan Adams power ballads. Confession: Dennis and I sing these same ballads in the car. Ryan Adams comes out. I'm not wearing my glasses but Dennis said he doesn't look bad for his age.

8:50pm. Dennis is singing along with Ryan Adams and the guys. OMG.

9:02pm. Jordin Sparks-whose songs are quite annoying- introduces something at Disneyland.
David Cook rocks out with ZZTop, and clearly deserves this but clearly won't win because he is just too rock and roll. (This is also kind of a campy performance, but I will let him have it.)

Brooke White sings with Graham Nash. And he loses all (if he had any) credibility as someone who used to be a hippie.

9:07pm. Who the heck is this band? The lead singer looks like Archuleta's brother. Dennis and I have no idea, even though the teen girls are going wacko.

9:09pm. Who is this old lady in red? She looks kind of like Michelle Bachelet.

Okay, now for the reel of bad singers and talent:
That girl singing "somebody to love" is a total meth head.
The black guy in the mustard suit is not singing in English.
And a guy in some stuffed animal get-up singing with a marching band. Oh. I am so not getting any homework done. What the hell is he singing??

9:18pm. One Republic sings "Apologize". Without Timbaland, I think. I actually like this song but Dennis thinks it is ridiculously repetitive and lame. I like this song on the radio but the lead singer is a bit weak live.

Oh, wait, Archuleta is singing "Apologize" too. This is exactly the type of song that will make him win. They actually flash to teenage girls singing along. Archuleta is a good singer. I don't know why I'm so anti-Archuleta, except that it just seems like he's been the winner since the beginning of the show. At any rate, this was a smart choice for them to make Archuleta sing. I am imagining how Archuleta's album cover would look. Man, he has such a baby face. I didn't get to live blog Cook's family/home town. It was less screaming and his music teacher.

Archuleta's home town. Loads of screaming girls and his grandpas. Se habla en espanol poco- el talento se viene de las dos familias. Safe answer.

9:23pm Jordin Sparks, again. Wearing an eye-damaging gold dress that makes her look bigger than she is. Not flattering at all. Why are they clothing the women in this fabric? It's like gold/silver dance class material.

This material.
As bad for your figure as Jordin Sparks songs all suck.

9:31pm. Hahahahahaa. Jack Black, Ben Stiller, and Robert Downey Jr. singing "Midnight Train to Georgia" with Gladys Night. I am developing a crush on Robert Downey Jr. now that he's off the dope and working out and being Ironman. I wonder if doing things like this excite Jack Black, who is so good at musical comedy.

Yep. Jack Black pantsless. And Sexy Robery Downey Jr. And Ben Stiller.

9:35pm. Carrie Underwood. She's wearing wing-type sleeves but she has cute hair. And I really like her songs. She's up there with Kelly Clarkson as Idol success. Man, she has great legs.

9:45pm. I LOVE George Michael songs. A little scared about Archuleta singing "Father Figure."
If George Michael came, I would scream.

aahhhhhhhhhhh!! Woohoo!!! I love George Michael!!! Not ashamed of it!! Paula loves him too.

9:57pm Judges speak. Blah blah blah. This is when the judges say to the loser "you suck, but don't feel so bad because you are both winners. But one of you wins more." I wonder if Simon really doesn't care who wins. Nice of him to apologize though, for being mean yesterday to David Cook after handing the win to David Archuleta.

9:59pm The opening of the Gold envelope.
by 12 million votes the winner is David Cook!!

Yay! Bye Archuleta!! Awww, look at Cook cry! Who is that old lady with him? His mom? Oh yeah, I forgot that his brother was sick. Awww...


10:02pm As he sings about the time of his life, I am reminded of the Word Cloud shown on BWE.TV today, compiling all of the words that the AI winners have sung in their final songs.



Please, David Cook, be more popular than Taylor Hicks.

Labels: celebrities, culture, TV, web

Welcome to one of many staircases of hell at Pepperdine. When I was a freshmen here, back in 2000, a professor showed us the promotional video of Pepperdine that is sent to high school students. And then he asked what Pepperdine didn't advertise. One girl said, "all the stairs". I will always remember the wisdom in her noticing that Pepperdine does not advertise all of the stairs. These stairs lead up to the law school and my apartment complex.

I'm picking up my bridesmaid dress on Friday. I'm in the middle of dress sizes, and so the sales clerk ordered the bottom size. And so I'm in a lot of internal agony about making sure I fit, so that I don't have to pay for altering costs and so that I don't have to be embarrassed because it doesn't fit. And I want the satisfaction of saying, "ahhahhahahhah!! it fits!!! I've LOST weight!!!!"

So I've decided to start walking to and from classes, meaning I have added these stairs. The anticipation of death is worse than death itself, I've heard. It shall apply to these hellacious steps, which I am dedicated to climbing, even if I have to stop halfway through and gasp for air.

Labels: Pepperdine

Actually, more of a "hey, don't stop reading my blog when I crank out the theological posts that are me thinking as I type..."

I bring you Japan's New Ambassador of Tourism.
Miss Hello Kitty. I will try to meet her/get an autograph when I'm in Japan. Because the AP says she is real, lives in London, and is honored by this new title.

Labels: culture, japan

Sigh. Ruth. Translating Ruth from Jonah.

It was better, in the beginning, because it was a story about girls. Basically, Ruth demands to go back with Naomi, to Naomi's home town, after their husbands die. Ruth, wanting to care for her mother-in-law, goes to a field and picks up the leftover grain- the scraps of grain after the grain picked for the owners by the help. She is noticed by Boaz, who happens to be related to Naomi through her husband. He kind of summons her or something and she asks just for the scraps and then he's like "no, please take my grain and eat and hang out with my female servants." So he's kind of taking care of her, because she's hot, and he's keeping her honor because he makes sure she only hangs out with the women so that no one hassles her.
Then Ruth, flattered and impressed but still all meek and mild, goes home to Naomi to tell her about what happened. And Naomi is all excited. She says, "Go get dressed up and perfumed, and then go, in secrecy, to where he is working. He's kind of related to us, by the way." (But not in an incestual way.)
And Ruth (kind of a pushover), goes to Boaz who is indeed working hard. He falls asleep after drinking and working. I think he is basically almost passed out. So Ruth goes to his "feet". Meaning his feet? You decide.
So she uncovers his "feet" and he wakes up and finds her and is like "who are you?" And she says "I'm your female servant". I don't have my notes and translations in front of me but he basically says "I know about how you were loyal to your mother-in-law after all the men in your family died. Let me give you some grain, go before anyone sees you. Don't tell anyone about this- I'm not only guy related to Naomi who could buy you and your land."
And Ruth leaves, discretely, to tell Naomi exactly what she was told to not say!
The next day, Boaz finds this other guy who could buy Ruth (yeah, I guess you bought the land and the wife...) and says "Hey there is this land and some women, and you are entitled to it because you are related. But if you don't want to buy it, let me know." So the guy thinks about it and says "I'm not going to buy it. I don't want to ruin my reputation". And So Boaz buys Naomi's land and basically Ruth, who will be his wife.
So Ruth and Boaz are married, and Ruth has a baby who is given immediately to Naomi. And Naomi is listed as basically the wetnurse of this baby. Which is kind of freaky and gross. And the baby is blessed and Naomi is blessed and this is setting the stage for a few generations in the future for being related to King David, who is HUGE in Judiasm and in Christianity.

But it's kind of freaky- the "feet" aka unmentionables, the fact that Ruth does everything that everyone around her tells her to do- she doesn't even name her baby, and the baby being nursed by his grandma.

So where does God fit in? Well, Ruth isn't a believer in God until she follows Naomi. And her choice to do that probably has something to do with her being cared for by Boaz. If she didn't take that leap of faith, God wouldn't have saved her. So is it a challenge for people to take the leap of faith to follow God? (Pushy mother-in-law aside...) I still prefer this book to Jonah, but I still also wish that my Hebrew professor would try to go into theology even a little instead of being only interested in grammar.

Labels: Pepperdine, theolastic fantastic

We went to the park today, to celebrate a good friend's graduation. We ventured out of Malibu and into Los Angeles.
And as it happened, we were sharing the park with the LA Jedi. (I asked if I could google them and they told me their web url straight away).
It was actually pretty cool. I am the bold one in the group so after we wondered who these guys were who were swinging these sticks that were sword-like around, I got up to go and ask.
They were very nice and told me straight away that they were Jedi- a mix of theater/stage craft and martial arts. The short latina woman told me she was the one with a purple light-saber, they did confirm that they do go to Comic-Con, and to make the encounter all the more perfect, their light-sabers did make noises when they waved them. They seemed quite dedicated- one of the female Jedi told another Jedi to keep going because I think I was interrupting a routine. They said that they go to conventions and visit kids who are sick in the hospital. I did hear one guy said "Major Nerd Enhancement" or something and the main guy who talked to me (the leader?) had an eye-patch making him look like a pirate-jedi. But they were nice. They said we should see them at night, because then they put on a good show. I'm sure that is true.


But I did say, "Oh this is sooooo going in my blog..." (which perhaps makes me just as nerdy.) None of them talked like Yoda. And none were wearing Jedi clothing. But many of the people listed as team members on the website, were indeed present :)

Labels: culture, friends

Because they should probably get an award for "Ugly Painful-Looking Shoes of The Week"

Seen on a girl that is in one of the OC-type shows (Maybe she's in the OC? I don't know. I limit what I watch on that channel to America's Next Top Model...)



I'm fifteen minutes from going out the door to babysit (Friday Night! Woo!) But I thought these shoes needed to be mentioned. They kind of look like the material that you use sofas or car seats. Like the same leather in the luxary car that someone's mom drives. I wonder if they have that awkward squeaking sound that you hear when someone moves on leather, and it sounds like passing gas and they go "no, it's not what you think... it's the chair!"

How did she put them on?? Also, now that I look closely, why does her left foot like she has ten toes? Where does the shoe end and the foot begin?

PS: the dress is exactly the dress I've been referring to with love as a tent dress. She dresses it up. I wear it around the house like a nightgown.

Labels: celebrities, shopping