Case Re-Opened

10¹. I sleep in this morning because I am on the 9-6 shift this week. I stroll into work at 8:50am and my back-up asks "What happened? No one knew where you were and everyone's freaking out!"

I am not on the 9-6 shift this week.


1. In case you're wondering where #8 and #9 went, I will explain. #8 is June's comment, though since refuted and dismissed. #9 happened last week. I told some people about it, I was going to post it, and then I forgot what it was. So maybe that's actually #10 and the #10 above is #11.

Good Grief

O, LORD, do not rebuke me in Your anger, nor chasten me in Your wrath.
Be gracious to me, O LORD, for I am pining away; Heal me, O LORD, for my bones are dismayed.
And my soul is greatly dismayed; but You, O LORD – how long?
Return, O LORD, rescue my soul; save me because of Your lovingkindness.
For there is no mention of You in death; in Sheol who will give You thanks?
I am weary with my sighing; every night I make my bed swim, I dissolve my couch with my tears.
My eye has wasted away with grief; it has become old because of all my adversaries.
Depart from me, all you who do iniquity, for the LORD has heard the voice of my weeping.
The LORD has heard my supplication, the LORD receives my prayer.
All my enemies will be ashamed and greatly dismayed; they shall turn back, they will suddenly be ashamed.



The sixth psalm has been my comfort on a few separate occasions. Times when I’ve sunk low in loneliness and deep sorrow. Waiting until the still darkness of night creeps in…the secret hours…to sigh, and to grieve. Weeping over broken dreams. Broken hearts. Brokeness.

I find solace in knowing that King David wept. That he pined. That his very soul was wearied and dismayed. That he, too, cried out “O LORD, how long?” And that in his lament, he found a God who heard him, who received his prayers. A God that would rescue his soul.

We’ve been reading about the humanity of Jesus this past week in Book Club¹. What struck me as particularly important about acknowledging Jesus’ humanity is the same thing that causes David’s song to resonate. Like David, Jesus wept. He was lonely, weary, and laden with a sorrowful burden I could never carry. Does my own selfish grief build a wall between this perfect God-man and me….or will I look in the mirror and see not my face, but the tear-stained face of Jesus, suffering with me? Suffering for me. Suffering because of me.

…………

But the night has always faded with the coming dawn, and the light rushes in, dissolving the shadows. Each day brings the promise, the reality, of resurrection².

This I recall to my mind, therefore I have hope. The LORD’S lovingkindnesses indeed never cease, for His compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness. -- Lamentations 3:21-23


1. Vintage Jesus: Timeless Answers to Timely Questions - Mark Driscoll & Gerry Breshears

2. For some far more interesting and beautiful reflections on resurrection, see Pete. Go read it. Now. Run.

How To of the Day: How to Cook a Snake

Thanks to my WikiHow gadget on my iGoogle page, I now know. This is the technologically savvy way of learning. The alternative method is to ask Jared.



I very nearly posted last month…honest. It was to be a tragic story of a girl who sacrificed her one real beauty in order to learn the intricacies of guitar playing so that she may share her glorious, albeit undiscovered, talents with the world. But then our supremely interesting heroine found a house, the guitar gathered dust, and the post grew cold. (On the sunny side, her nails are also growing! Of course, that means you’ll all miss out on her super-deep thoughts regarding the spiritual consequences of cutting one’s fingernails. Such is life.)

In addition to sucking up any possible free time that could be used for posting, this whole house buying process is having some noticeable effects on me. The first house I considered making an offer on cost me a night’s rest. The second house I considered (and am now purchasing) also stole away a few hours, even though I felt quite confident with the decision. But sleep deprivation is not that unusual given the circumstances. The unexpected effect is my loss of memory and/or normal brain function. It borders on amnesia. I present to you the following evidence:

1. 4th of July – I leave my pillow and a pair of jeans at The Flats…right after I chide myself for nearly forgetting my sunscreen. (A lot of good remembering the sunscreen did me the next day in Oscoda.)

2. Camping at Houghton Lake – I opened my travel toothbrush case and found it devoid of my travel toothbrush. I have no idea where it is. I had just used it the previous weekend…at the Flats. It is still missing.

3. REAL Leadership Meeting Discussion – Scheduled over a month ago for this week. Please read this reenactment of a conversation regarding this meeting (ok, technically not a reenactment, but I’m sure you can visualize):
Garrett: I talked to Jeff and he’s going to be late to the meeting.
Me: *blink*
…………(crickets)……………
Me: *blink* What meeting?
Garrett: (recovering quickly from the shock, celebrates with a gleeful, and somewhat disturbing, laugh…and a happy dance.)

4. Monday Night Book Club – I drive home and pull into my (Kels’) parking space. I reach to grab my book and my Bible. They are not on my passenger seat. They are at Garrett’s house.

5. Tuesday Night REAL Leadership Meeting – I drive home and pull into my (Kels’) parking space. I reach to grab my book bag. It is not on my passenger seat. It is at the Winter’s house.

6. Thursday Night Bible Study – A reunion with my book bag fails to produce my study notes for the Bible Study. They are not at the Winter’s. They are at home on my living room floor.

7. The above actions are neither normal nor acceptable. I am losing my mind.

Q.E.D.

May 3 - Childhood Stroke Awareness Day

I know....it's like a posting frenzy around here...but Ma sent me a link to a really interesting article on how our brains can rewire themselves. It's not breaking news or anything...published over a year ago. But my niece's stroke is teaching us all kinds of amazing wonders about the human brain. It is truly an incredible thing.

(BTW...if you get a change to read the article, the Constraint-Induced Therapy mentioned on the second page is probably in Kaci's near future. It's not just restricting the good arm so she HAS to use her right arm...it can actually reorganize the brain...and other areas of her brain could take over the functions of the damaged areas. Amazing.)

albertoing

Here is my most highly embarrassing post ever, but it’s for Kelsey…and she’s leaving us soon to be a missionary in Africa, so it’s pretty much impossible to say no to her right now.

Do you remember when you were 13¹? Were you just crazy over some actor² or rock star? Everyone my age had a crush on at least one of the New Kids³. Did you hang posters up in your room? Soak up all the mundane info offered in the teen magazines? Secretly dream of meeting him? Somehow you knew that if you just had the chance, he would most likely fall madly in love with you and life thereafter would be pretty much perfect⁴.

If you think I’m going to expound on how those childish feelings shadow the longing for the Great Romance…you’re wrong. I’m going to hang my head sheepishly and admit…I, at 28 years old, have just such a crush on someone.


Pete Peterson.


*sigh*

He’s not exactly a famous rockstar, or famous anything. He is the brother of a not-so-well known storyteller (but you all know him!), and I know next to nothing about him. I don’t even know his real name. I think it may have started before The Rabbit Room was opened, but his posts on that site have been my undoing. You could say I am pretty much infatuated with him. He's creative, sarcastic, and surprisingly vulnerable in the thoughts that he shares online. He likes Lost and cheesecake and good art. (He also eats pickles, but how could you hold that against him after reading this, my favorite post?) I find myself visiting the RR with the hope that he has recently been hanging around, and letting us all into his mind for a moment or two⁵.

To hopefully detract from the general creepiness⁶ of this post, I'm going to say this: I think I appreciate him as much as I appreciate his brother, Andrew...if not more. Seriously. Both of them encourage me (unknowingly!) through sharing their views on God, religion, life...or just random silliness. But Pete is single (as far as I know anyway) and I think single people tend to view life through a slightly different lens. This lens isn't sharper or blurrier than others, just different. And maybe sharing that prescription with him allows me to connect in a unique way. Or maybe I'm just trying to justify my absurd girlish behavior! Either way, I encourage you to read the provided posts, and get to know this mysterious brother of AP's. But don't get too attached...he's mine!⁷ Seriously.


1. I’m pretty sure I don’t have any readers under that age, so it’s probably an answerable question.

2. For sake of convenience, and honesty, we’ll also assume all my readers are female…I apologize if this is not the case. If you are not female, and you are reading this, you’ve never left a comment, so I don’t know you’re out there. I have suspicions, but as much as I enjoy albertoing via SiteMeter, it does not tell me your gender. Alas, perhaps one day it will.

3. Except Jill. She never did. Or claims she never did, anyway. Maybe one day, SiteMeter will reveal that mystery as well.

4. Do you remember that Kelsey? *snicker* Or are you thinking “Is she still speaking English? What?”

5. For a somewhat dated, but...um...interesting look into the mind of Pete, check this out. Fascinating, I tell you.

6. I know nothing can actually detract from the creepiness. I have no excuses. If Pete ever ends up hearing about this, and presses charges...one of you will post bail, right? I should be relatively safe, considering my readership barely hits double digits....but you never know. Friends of friends, and all that. Grieses...that means you are sworn to silence on this subject! You are the dangerous ones...with all your connections! Of course, jail time isn't really a concern either, since I would die of mortification first!

7. Yes, it's another footnote! Deal with it! They have now (mostly) replaced my overuse of parentheses!

hebrews 12:1-3

So, I’ve been running a bit lately. Seriously. A friend of mine caught me at a weak moment and convinced a few of us to enter a 5K in June. Now, if you know me, you know I am not a runner. I try to stay in somewhat decent shape, but I’m pretty sure I’ve only ever actually ran for two reasons: One…because I had to, either at practice or to pass gym class. Two…chasing (or being chased by) bears. That’s it. I have never felt the desire to run for it’s own sake. I have bad knees…my perpetual excuse. Those years of Poms and Cheerleading had to be paid for somehow, and we all decided to sacrifice a long future of bendable joints. Seemed like a good idea at the time.

But it’s been 10 years since high school (hello, reunion!) and I have been racking up the miles on the ellipticals at Smitty’s. And the three other women that signed up for the 5K have all sworn to be non-runners like me. (I have my doubts about the truth of those claims, one in particular. You know who you are.) “We’ll run when we feel like it and walk when we feel like it.”¹ So I figured I didn’t have much to lose. We found a plan called “Couch to 5K” that’s supposed to be really effective for pretty much anyone wanting to start from zero. I downloaded some podcasts that go with the running schedule and bought a new pair of running shoes. (Ok, ok…I also created an Excel spreadsheet with the plan laid out and spaces for each of us to type in our names when we’ve completed each session. Shared on Google Docs, of course.) So, we stepped off the ellipticals and hit hard pavement.

Turns out I wasn’t lying about my knees. My right one may be the death of me, in fact. I am hoping that it’s just weak, and with a little more training…it will get better. I started using a good brace last night, and the added stability seemed to help. But it wasn’t great, even after 5 days of rest. And then I took the brace off. Goodness. Why, oh why do we live on the second floor? Stairs: my new arch nemesis.

I’ve gotten a plethora of helpful advice: “Get a brace.” “Ice packs and aspirin!” “Stretching should help.” And my favorite…”Running is probably the worst thing you could do right now.” But since I really, really want to follow through with this, ice packs and aspirin are on my shopping list. And since the 5K is only 6 weeks away, extended resting isn’t really an option right now. But we’ll see.

Anyway, my point about posting this was not to complain. I’ve been thinking a lot about the whole discipline of running, sticking to a plan, achieving a goal…and stumbling blocks (or knee problems) along the way. My desire to push ahead through the pain has much less to do with the 5K and much more to do with lessons in perseverance². How impatient I am once I have my sights fixed on a prize…and how often I am discouraged by roadblocks or detours. How quickly I give up and settle into the grass along the side of the road. And how envious I am as I watch others sprint by, breathing easily. How can it be so effortless for some, while I’m panting on the ground, nursing my wounds?

I want to be done with excuses. I want to cast off the impatience and the jealousy and the past mistakes. I want to get off the couch for reasons greater than chasing bear. I want to chase Jesus.


Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. For consider Him who has endured such hostility by sinners against Himself, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart. Heb 12:1-3

May we not grow weary, Dear Reader. May we, for the joy set before us, endure.


1. Now I know there are those of you out there that think 5K is no big deal and you can run for miles and miles and not get winded. Good for you. I can’t. Please don’t laugh at me.
2. Ma, if you’re reading this…don’t worry. I know the spiritual metaphor can only be taken so far. I promise to listen to my body and ease off if my knee doesn’t improve over the next few weeks.

On the Edge of the Dark Sea of Darkness by Andrew Peterson: A Rambling Sort of Review

“By Andrew Peterson.” Do I really need to say much more than that? If you are a regular here, probably not. You already know what I think about all things AP, so elaboration might not be necessary. But on the off-chance that someone new stumbles across this page, let me give fair warning. I am a fan¹. But please, Dear Reader, do not let my slight bias overshadow the main point of this post:

You must read this book.

If you love fantasy, you must read this book. If you love adventure, you must read this book. If you love dragons and treasure and secrets and mystery and humor and family and honor and cheese, you must read this book! And if you love to discover the deeper beauty and hidden majesty buried within deceptively simple tales, you MUST read this book. Let me tell you why…

Andrew Peterson has been labeled with many titles. Singer. Songwriter. Christian Artist. Friend of Cheese. But, I believe the most fitting title is that of Storyteller. He has been spinning his tales for years through song and has now entered into the world of Fiction, much to the delight of his fans². But you don’t have to know his music to fall hard for his literature. This novel is stand-alone fantastic, sure to be treasured by all those lucky enough to find themselves in possession of a copy³. (You can buy your own here.)

Rather than tell you about the book, I’m going to tell you about why I love the book. (Go to The Rabbit Room for a great review…or just go to The Rabbit Room for a great many…great things.) Like everything else AP, the quality of writing is almost painfully good. Though the reader is introduced to a multitude of locations, characters, and foods wholly unique to the world of Aerwiar, the narrative is comfortable and familiar, like an old friend. The peculiar words do not hinder readability…rather, they plead with you to give them a voice. I often found myself reading aloud just to experience the whimsical taste of the words in my mouth.

But whimsy alone does not a good story make. And this is not just a good story…this is a great story. Great because, like AP’s music, it inevitably points to a greater story. The captivity of our own world is echoed on the faces of the Skreeans, unable to erase the shadows of sorrow, even at the much-anticipated Dragon Day Festival. But each year, on this extraordinary day, Hope swells with the dragons’ song in the hearts of the captives…reminding them anew of what it’s like to be alive…what it’s like to be free. When the dragons sink back into the sea, all that swelled submerges, to lie dormant again until next year. Well, nearly all. Our boy-hero, Janner, seems to have held onto a morsel, bittersweet as homesickness, and just enough to quicken his appetite…leaving him hungry for an incomprehensible…more.

The book left me hungry for more, as well…but I know exactly what I want. A second helping of Wingfeather Saga, please. (With a generous portion of Peet the Sock Man!⁴) I giggled in the first chapter, wept in the last, and feared those fearsome toothy cows all along the way. The ending, while not entirely unpredictable, had enough clever bends to keep me riveted to the very last word. And though I was altogether satisfied with the conclusion, I sighed heavily with the turn of the final page. When does Book Two come out, again?

And did I tell you that you must read this book?




1. By “fan” I mean zealous admirer, vehement advocate, and tireless promoter of the man’s work. One might also use terms like fierce, rabid, and very-nearly-obsessed…if one was so inclined and rather ill-mannered.

2. Oh, yes. There are many of us. See footnote 1 for additional information or visit AP's site to meet some of them.

3. Post a comment here on Canaan Bound about the book and you’ll get a chance to win a free copy. More details on that to come, if necessary. (By “if necessary” I mean if anyone other than a Regular Reader actually posts a comment, and I have to figure out how to get said free copy to Unknown Commenter. Check back.)

4. Peet the Sock Man, oh how I love thee! You deserve your own post, but that must wait until this world is more fully acquainted with you.