Finished It! . . . WOW!

If you read this blog much, you know I like books.  You know I LOVE books.  I've been called "a reading fool" (in jest, I hope!).  So please don't discount this post just because "Don's blogging about another book again."

There are books and there are books.  The Shack is definitely in a league of its own.  As I said in my post Tuesday, I'd never heard of it before that morning.  I happened to mention it to Bob Ewing, and of course he had a copy and had read it.  (He mentioned that he really liked it, so I borrowed his copy and set aside my Bruce Catton books on the Civil War to read it.)

It's an amazing little work.  Only 248 pages of fairly large print, so it's an easy read.  The author, William Young, was unknown to me, and isn't a particularly astounding literary artist. I doubt that he'll be receiving the Pulitzer for this book--but you never know. In spite of its "ordinary-ness," it's a truly profound work. On the cover, Eugene Peterson (editor/writer of The Message:  The Bible In Contemporary Language) is quoted:

"This book has the potential to do for our generation what John Bunyan's PILGRIM'S PROGRESS did for his.  It's that good!"

It's the (true-ish) story of the journey of one man (Mackenzie Allen Phillips) through the darkest and coldest of valleys, emerging into the unlikely presence of God.  Young describes Phillips' encounter with the Trinity in a jaw-dropping, convention-challenging way.  I loved it!

Like many other authors, Young includes a quote at the beginning of each chapter in the book. I was thrilled that for chapter 16 he quoted one of my favorite Christian writer/thinkers of the past, A.W. Tozer. This quote sums up the theme of the whole book, and one that gives me great comfort--especially when I feel like one little speck of dust.

"An infinite God can give all of Himself to each of His children.  He does not distribute Himself that each may have a part, but to each one He gives all of Himself as fully as if there were no others."

READ THIS BOOK!!!!!  (Go to www.theShackBook.com for information.)  I'll be reading it again--after I buy my own copy.

Wow! Powerful Video

I was working on an idea for a choir piece for Memorial Day Weekend. In the process, I came across Martina McBride's "Independence Day" music video.  If you happen to listen to Sean Hannity (Diane Davis' favorite radio host!!), you'll recognize it as his theme music. Anyway, I never really knew the context of the song.  VERY moving piece.  I recommend you click here and take 4 minutes to watch. You might want to have a Kleenex handy.

Target Lady

Tonight in Drama Ministry Team meeting we were chatting a bit about how funny the SNL Target Lady is.  Unfortunately, YouTube isn't allowed to run any of the skits, but I found one on Flicklife.  Click here if you wanna see Kristen Wiig do her thing.

Looks Like A Great Book

I just happened to come across a blurb on this book today.  I know nothing about it really, but in light of the deep discussion on Kristi's blog Sunday (the theological one, not the potluck one), I'm thinking it might be a good read for several of us.  Some reviewer called it the best book they'd ever read.  I briefly looked at the website and it certainly sounds intriguing.  It deals with meeting God in the truly horrible things of life.

Back to work.

Scary Scary Scary - Little House Meets Twilight Zone

Just getting ready to go to the gym.  Thought I'd check email/blog.  Good Morning, America is on. They're interviewing the "women-folk" of that polygamist ring in Texas.  

I heard a couple of them on radio news yesterday, but seeing them made it twice as weird.  They really look like extras on LITTLE HOUSE, wearing plain-colored prairie dresses, with their hair up in carefully-crafted buns.  And they sound like cliche cinema psycho killers when they talk: that whispery, velvety, totally-in-control voice quality that makes me tremble like a frightened dog.  This IS the 21st century, right?

Off to the gym to see normal folks in their smelly sweatsuits.  

ELLEN D. Was Fun

An update on Date Day . . .

We had a great time!!!  We were #6 and #7 in the guaranteed line.  Since we had 4 tickets, we "shopped" for new friends in the stand-by line when we got there.  We "adopted" a neat couple from Santa Maria who used to live in Los Alamitos.  (No, we didn't interview prospective friends!)  Turns out they were a neat Christian couple..very active in the New Life Church in Santa Maria.  She used to be a vocalist on their church's worship team, but not able to sing now for health reasons.

The show itself was basically uneventful.  Not a single audience give-away.  Boo-hoo.  I'd have been happy with a bottle of bubbles or a box of paper clips!  But NOTHING?  (Well, one girl got a plethora of stuff related to Beckham, but that was a random thing.)  Probably the most interesting thing was the sweet little lady who fainted in line.  (She was sitting right next to me in a waiting area.)  They had to call 911 and the EMTs.  BUT, she refused to give up a seat at Ellen's show to go to the hospital.  Very cool.  Her name is Marjorie, and Ellen actually gave her a sweet on-air shout-out.  

If you watch the show tomorrow, we are right on the aisle, one row behind the dance-through row (filled with VIP guests).  Ellen walks by Lyn a couple of times. Way fun! 

The woman who fell through the runway in a South Carolina fashion show was a guest today. Also the super-egotistical star of CRIMINAL MIND.  Not impressed by him at all--but that's okay.  He's VERY impressed with himself.

Matt Walker--pay special attention to the first experiment by the "Science Guy."  You'll love it! Also, the Potato Gun.  Ideas for camp!

Yes folks, it was a super-celebrity show today!  But Ellen makes even mediocre fun.

Love you all...Thanks for the neat comments on this morning's post!

Date Day With My GFFL

Today is "date day" for Lyn & me.  (The "GFFL" in the title = "Girlfriend for life!!")  We are going up to beautiful downtown Burbank for the taping of tomorrow's ELLEN show.  (We went with Kristi in February, but only made it to the Riff-Raff Room.  Today we have guaranteed seats.)

Anyway, I was planning to do my own little Blog Tribute to my wonderful wife on our 36th anniversary (June 16), but since my fellow bloggers keep writing about their wonderful husbands and wives, I knew I couldn't wait until June.  Especially since I have the best spouse on the planet.  The delay just wouldn't exactly be fair to her, would it?  The fact that she has no idea I'm doing this on such a random day is all the more fun.

Today isn't our first "Date Day" of course.  When we were first married, we lived in Melbourne, FL, and took advantage of every opportunity to slip over to Walt Disney World.  (It opened in October of '71; we married in June of '72.)  One of those Disney Date Days found us at King Stephan's Court in the Cinderella Castle.  THIS summer our whole gang will be eating there together.  TOO much fun!

At King Stephan's Court - circa 1973

Lyn has always been a tireless, selfless woman.  My dad used to love to tease her about never sitting down for more than 30 seconds.  She always made the battery bunny look like a wimp. Every Christmas at our first ministry (Eau Gallie Christian in Melbourne), Lyn & I would present a concert of vocal, piano, and organ music on the Sunday afternoon before Christmas. We would follow the concert with an open house at our home.  Of course, Lyn baked and cooked everything that the crowds consumed.

Lyn on the afternoon of one of

our Christmas Open Houses

While we were at Melbourne, we got the wonderful news that Kristi was on the way!  She took her jolly good time getting started, I gotta tell you.  (Let's just say, we are thankful she's not part of a set of quad- or quintuplets!)  When Lyn was 8 months pregnant, we moved to Knoxville, Tennessee where I began my teaching career at Johnson Bible College.

The happy "children" at their

farewell party at Eau Gallie Christian

We loved being at Johnson.  Kristi and Jennifer were both born there. Lyn was always such a sacrificial, devoted mother.  We didn't have the luxury of being near grandparents, so the "Date Days" back then were few and far between.  In fact, other than their time in childcare when Lyn worked, the girls were almost never left with a baby-sitter. We just never left them with other people.  Lyn just wanted to be with her girls.  In the picture below, note two things:  Lyn with short hair and us at the zoo.  Kristi has passed on her love for animals to her own girls.

With Kristi at the Knoxville Zoo on

a hot Tennessee summer's day

Here's the Lyn we all recognize more quickly--with that long, beautiful blonde hair of hers.  Not sure what the occasion was, but everyone certainly looks happy, huh?  I think Jennifer looks so much like Lexi here!  Kristi is thinking, "I LOVE my dress!  I LOVE my dress!"  :)   [Well, WE did!]

The picture below is with Lyn's grandfather, Roy Reid, who passed away 10 days short of his 100th birthday.  (As you may recall, her maternal grandmother recently passed--just 5 months short of HER 100th.  Good genes here!) 

Love this picture!  Lyn is beautiful, Kristi is

SO Haley.  I imagine Emily will look like

Jennifer here in a few months.

Fast forward to California. (I didn't have any pictures on my computer of our Louisville years. Wamp Wamp!)  Moving to the Golden State was totally my idea.  I always wanted to live here. I know it was not Lyn's life goal.  It most certainly was not in Kristi and Jennifer's plans. Yet Lyn was ALWAYS supportive of my desire to teach at PCC. Even if it meant a cut in pay, paying rent (after finally owning a beautiful home of our own), commuting our daughter over 2 hours a day to OCHSA, and being 3,000 miles away from family and friends).  Darn! I'm such a J-E-R-K!!  

One of my favorite "current" pics of Lyn.

At the Ballaggio "Conservatory" in Vegas

Thank you, Lyn, for being the greatest wife, girl friend, companion, and co-minister a man could ever ask for.  I'm looking forward to our Date Day!  Even if Ellen's show is probably going to be B-O-R-I-N-G when it airs tomorrow!!!

Christmas at Five Crowns 5 years ago.

Yes, I've gained weight and need to

lose 20 pounds (at least).  But this

is about Lyn!