YES! I love these lists! December 30, 2008

I can remember ‘laughing out loud’ when I heard Dave Letterman announce that the phrase “you do the math” was to be banned in the new millennium.  As a lover of words, this article just makes me smile.

By JEFF KAROUB, Associated Press Writer Jeff Karoub, Associated Press Writer – Tue Dec 30, 4:14 pm ET

DETROIT – A movie about a “maverick,” his journey “from Wall Street to Main Street,” his “desperate search” for a “monkey” and a “game-changing” revelation about his “carbon footprint” probably would make the nation’s word-watchers physically ill.

Especially if it were the “winner of five nominations.”

All those words and phrases are on Lake Superior State University’s annual List of Words to Be Banished from the Queen’s English for Mis-use, Over-use and General Uselessness. The 34th version of the list was released Tuesday, which means, “It’s that time of year again.”

The school in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula selected 15 entries from about 5,000 nominations.

Despite the year’s economic meltdown (which itself wasn’t banished but don’t rule it out for next year), the most entries came from the environmental category — for “green” or “going green.”

“If I see one more corporation declare itself ‘green,’ I’m going to start burning tires in my backyard,” wrote Ed Hardiman of Bristow, Va., in his submission. Nominators also had their fill of “carbon footprint” — the amount of greenhouse gases an individual’s lifestyle produces….

…And it goes on.  For my part, I would add “in these economic times” and “LOL.”

What words or phrases would you ban (or not ban) from the Queen’s English?

Paths December 20, 2008

This post is an update for those who are wondering why in the world our Christmas cards have a California return address.  (It might also explain, if not justify, why they are SO late.)

Most of you know that Tim was employed with McGraw-Hill Higher Education.  Some of you also know he was being considered for an editorial position in NYC.  Many of you were praying for wisdom and discernment for our family.  What was known only to God was that we were headed for the completely opposite coast.

We vacationed this summer in San Diego, CA.  While in SD, we visited with some long-time friends who are working in ministry here.  During that visit, we were asked to prayerfully consider joining the ministry work here in the South Bay area.  We were facing a completely dichotomous choice. 

After much prayer, Tim decided to accept the Student Ministries position with Midway Baptist Church.   I have returned to full-time work for the first time in ten years (*gasp*) and am teaching fifth grade at our Christian school.  We are blessed to have all three children enrolled in our school, so we all head to the same campus everyday.  (Allow me to take this opportunity to say that singularity of destination is the only salvation for my poor frazzled brain. )

This was quite a whirlwind move.  It was not quite four weeks from the time we were officially offered the position to our arrival in SD.  During those four weeks, we had to pack up everything we could, sell what we couldn’t, and take a flying trip to SEMO and TN to visit family.  We hit the ground running with teacher in-service meetings and the genesis of the school year, and we haven’t stopped.  There have been a couple of times that I thought I might collapse, but God has faithfully kept our feet from stumbling.

Tim loves the opportunity to teach and serve our students on a full-time basis.  I think he is thriving under the support and encouragement of our pastor, other staff pastors, and staff members.

The girls have worked hard to transition to a new school, new friends, new curriculum, and a host of other “newnesses.”  They have discovered a real zest for the dramatic/performing arts through some very special opportunites they have had under the direction of our very special Music Minister and his wife.

I am coming to the conclusion that I just might…by the grace of God…be able to work full-time.   I have sixteen fifth grade students whom I dearly love, and whom God is using to teach me fresh daily lessons about humility, mercy, and dependancy.  Wearing three “full-time” hats is a different reality for me.  My prayer has to be, “Lord, cover my in-sufficiency with your all-sufficiency.”  My joy is to tell you that He has…He does…in our home…with our family…in my classroom…with our students…  I delight to tell you that it is going well because of our miraculously sufficient God.

California is VERY different.  I don’t have to tell you that some differences are appreciated more than others.  We LOVE the weather…our average annual  temperature is in the 70s with very low humidity.  We love the ocean, the bay, and the beaches.  We think San Diego may have one of the best skylines of any city.  Most of all, we love the people we get to serve.

Our church is in the South Bay.  We are only a couple of exits up from Tijuana, Mexico.  We can see the lights of TJ from our neighborhood, and the kids like to point out Mexico every day on our way to school.  Many times, I am the only person in my local Wal-Mart who does not speak Spanish…talk about intimidating.   Because we are so close to the border, we have a large percentage of our student population who cross the border daily for an English education.  These families make an immense sacrifice, not only financially, but also in the way of time.  Many of them get up as early as 4:00 am to make sure they have time to wait the 1-1/2 to 2 hours it takes to cross the border.  We are so grateful for the opportunity to meet and serve so many exceptional people.

If you find yourself heading west, we would be so pleased to catch up with you, treat you to some very good (and authentic) Mexican food, show you our beautiful ocean and skyline, and introduce you to some people that God has placed as supremely important in our hearts.

We wish all our loved ones a joyous Christmas and a blessed New Year. 

We will do our best to deliver a very boring update in 2009.

I will leave you with the words of Robert Frost which have rung so true for me during this season…

The Road Not Taken

Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth;
Then took the other, as just as fair,
And having perhaps the better claim
Because it was grassy and wanted wear;
Though as for that, the passing there
Had worn them really about the same,
And both that morning equally lay
In leaves no step had trodden black.
Oh, I marked the first for another day!
Yet knowing how way leads on to way
I doubted if I should ever come back.
I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I,
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.

Tim, Natalie, and kids