and the violin played on...

and the violin played on...
Originally uploaded by krisde.

the kegs chased them away...

the kegs chased them away...
Originally uploaded by krisde.

joy!

joy!
Originally uploaded by krisde.

Walking down the beach (a.k.a. the aisle)

Walking down the beach (a.k.a. the aisle)
Originally uploaded by krisde.

foreground: Johanna and Jim Thrall
background, left to right: Genevieve, me, Elizabeth, Lisa, Jenny, Justin, Mr Wooley, Sir Robert, Lord Thomas, Chris, Adam, Matt, Dwight

Annunciation

Annunciation

Salvation to all that will is nigh;
That All, which always is all everywhere,
Which cannot sin, and yet all sins must bear,
Which cannot die, yet cannot choose but die,
Lo, faithful virgin, yields Himself to lie
In prison, in thy womb; and though He there
Can take no sin, nor thou give, yet He will wear,
Taken from thence, flesh, which death's force may try.
Ere by the spheres time was created, thou
Wast in His mind, who is thy Son and Brother;
Whom thou conceivst, conceived; yea thou art now
Thy Maker's maker, and thy Father's mother;
Thou hast light in dark, and shutst in little room,
Immensity cloistered in thy dear womb.

-John Donne

We read this poem at bible study monday night, along with a few others [poems] that were awesome as well. i love the wording, the playfulness and interchangeable words and meanings, the twists in perspective it throws at you. then Freya and Jarred came into town en route to Santa Fe. We read this poem over side by side milkshakes at steak n shake at 11 o'clock at night. It was a blast to see them. i am getting used to (delightedly so!) having people wander in and out, dropping in for a visit of several hours or several days. i always wish they or i could stay and be longer, but it is always well all the same. and i have increasing hope and joy at the prospect - the very likely prospects! - of seeing them again soon.
which brings to mind the last weekend, the Spirit-filled celebration with Johanna and Sir Robert as they were married amid family, friends, pelicans, ocean waves, strips of sandy beach, wild horses, white daisys, pink roses, a green dolphin and a lady by the name of drake and the seventh heaven. the festivities were ushered in with cigars and rum and hottubs and funeral games out of the Iliad and bad chick flicks and country karaoke, and ushered out with bubbles and pink glitter glue and 2 kegs chasing them away.

i loved it. i danced, i laughed, but i didn't cry.

stay tuned: photos may soon appear.

new job, good job?

Hello fellow bloggers and friends and family.
so, i have news!
i have officially turned in my resignation from Tower Hill Insurance Group. (yes, i know some of you are cheering already!) I feel pretty good about it. I am going to work at Ashland, Inc. It's an oil company (Valvoline). Well, this is almost irrelevant. I mean, I don't care per se that I am working for an oil company. I think it is a move up from insurance, but... I'm not thrilled either. However, I think the job will be an improvement on all fronts: salary, benefits, job responsibilities, opportunities, practical experience. As for co-workers, my new boss goes to my church, which is an advantage- I know him and know he is a great person. However, I will feel pretty young and inexperienced- everyone I will work with has been with the company for at least 7-10 years. I will be a young newcomer. Furthermore, this place is an office metropolis. That also scares me. Office Space is becoming my world... yikes. This has never been my dream. (if only i knew what it is i dream of!)
As for the job itself, the actual title is "Secretary D" - basically, I will be analyzing financial data/budgeting reports; drafting Excel spreadsheets, charts, and graphs; creating Power Point presentations for the executives; doing internet research about the oil market and the competition; managing the schedules of 4-6 people in my department; and assisting other secretaries with misc stuff. AND there is minimal phone requirements- maybe I'll take messages from my boss' wife, so not a big deal. That is probably the best part... people won't be rude and mean and emotional over the phone with me every hour.

kudos to:
lex friend jennifer for recommending i apply for this job and telling me about it; sjc friend joseph for buying a plane ticket to come see me the weekend of my birthday; lex friend kelly for having me over for margaritas on cinco de mayo, good times; God for the nice weather and answered prayer for a new job!

antithesis

"During a British conference on comparative religions, experts from around the world debated what, if any, belief was unique to the Christian faith. They began eliminating possibilities. Incarnation? Other religions had different versions of gods appearing in human form. Resurrection? Again, other religions had accounts of return from death. The debate went on for some time until C. S. Lewis wandered into the room. "What's the rumpus about?" he asked, and heard in reply that his colleagues were discussing Christianity's unique contribution among world religions. Lewis responded, "Oh, that's easy. It's grace."

After some discussion, the conferees had to agree. The notion of God's love coming to us free of charge, no strings attached, seems to go against every instinct of humanity. The Buddhist eight-fold path, the Hindu doctrine of karma, the Jewish covenant, and Muslim code of law - each of these offers a way to earn approval. Only Christianity dares to make God's love unconditional. "

-interested? www.christiancounterculture.com
-what do you think? let's chat.