We had a big family dinner this past Sunday; my mom, the in-laws, and Gail's sister Karen and her husband, Wardo. were all at our house. It was great to sit around and eat a little pasta and sauce, share some chianti out of jug and talk. Somehow the conversation turned to our favorite words. I don't have a favorite word. I do, however, have two least favorite words. For as long as I can remember, I have always despised the word ointment. Phonetically, it sounds horrible. Further and more importantly, there is no circumstance in which the word ointment can be used in a positive sense. I just can't stand it. I can't believe I actually shared that with my family. They are already conspiring ointment related Christmas and birthday gifts.
On Sunday evening, I couldn't for the life of me, remember what the second word on the list was. It just came to me. This word just replaced ointment as my least favorite: chipotle.
Thanks to the likes of Chili's and Applebees, the word has become almost as overused as "extreme." Not to mention how grotesque, the images that appear on screen with the chipotle voice over appear. I have never heard anyone outside a TV commercial use the word.
If someone comes up with a chipotle ointment please don't tell me.
Tuesday, March 20, 2007
Monday, March 05, 2007
That Face
I had a great weekend. I got to assume the role of stealth leader on our Middle School Winter Trip. My friend, Newt, (who not three years ago was senior in our high school program) took over the hands-on leading responsibilities for our middle school stuff back in August. This was his first trip and not wanting to throw him completely to the wolves, I went along for the ride. It was great to see Newt and the other leaders loving kids, playing foozball and soccer in the snow. It was great to hear about the conversations they had during cabin times with the kids.
The speaker for the weekend was a woman named Margo. Her theme for the weekend was the face that satisfies. She did a great job relaying the story of Jesus to 300 or so middle schoolers in a way that they could understand without making them feel like she was talking down to them.
I even left early to get home for a brunch Crossroads was hosting for the members of Grace Episcopal Church, the congregation, with whom, we now share a building. Grace is an established church and has been around for years. The point of the brunch was to say thank you for opening your doors to us and let's get to know each other a little bit. I sat next to a woman who has been singing in the choir at Grace for 65 years.
So I got to thinking about the faces I saw this weekend and how they each, in their own way, reflect the Face that satisfies. I saw the face a scared middle schooler who had gotten separated from his group at lunchtime and wasn't really sure what to do or where to go. I saw the face of another middle schooler who was pissed off at the world and didn't care who knew it. I saw the faces of 4 volunteer leaders who were completely sleep deprived. I saw the face of an 80 year old woman who wasn't really sure to make of all these young people playing their rock 'n' roll music in her church.
The speaker for the weekend was a woman named Margo. Her theme for the weekend was the face that satisfies. She did a great job relaying the story of Jesus to 300 or so middle schoolers in a way that they could understand without making them feel like she was talking down to them.
I even left early to get home for a brunch Crossroads was hosting for the members of Grace Episcopal Church, the congregation, with whom, we now share a building. Grace is an established church and has been around for years. The point of the brunch was to say thank you for opening your doors to us and let's get to know each other a little bit. I sat next to a woman who has been singing in the choir at Grace for 65 years.
So I got to thinking about the faces I saw this weekend and how they each, in their own way, reflect the Face that satisfies. I saw the face a scared middle schooler who had gotten separated from his group at lunchtime and wasn't really sure what to do or where to go. I saw the face of another middle schooler who was pissed off at the world and didn't care who knew it. I saw the faces of 4 volunteer leaders who were completely sleep deprived. I saw the face of an 80 year old woman who wasn't really sure to make of all these young people playing their rock 'n' roll music in her church.
God spoke: "Let us make human beings in our image, make them reflecting our nature So they can be responsible for the fish in the sea, the birds in the air, the cattle, And, yes, Earth itself, and every animal that moves on the face of Earth." God created human beings; he created them godlike, Reflecting God's nature. He created them male and female.
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