Life Interrupted

This morning Kelly awoke complaining about some discomfort in her back. This is her office day so she popped a few Advil and decided to anyway [it should be noted that I encouraged her not to go]. She called around noon saying she was still feeling pain so I told her to call her doctor to get checked out. Her doctor sent her to Pro-Scan Imaging who told her that she would have to go to the hospital. She had a partially collapsed lung.

Spontaneous Pnuemothorax, to be exact. It's when air develops in the space between the lung and the rib, causing the lung to collapse. Kelly's was about 35% collapsed.

Sheryl stopped by to watch Kaelyn and I headed over to Christ Hospital's ER to be with Kelly. I wasn't too bothered until I walked into her room where about six medical personnel were getting things ready to do a procedure; that's when I got a little nervous. The doctor was excellent, explaining that he would insert a chest tube and it would relieve that air. They basically knocked her out for the procedure and it only lasted about 30 minutes. When I came back in, Kelly was pretty spacey but everything went fine. The tube will remain in her for five days until they take it out and evaluate its success.

Another extended hospital stay for Kel.

As of 10:20 tonight they have yet to get her into a room, but they were planning on getting her on the new cardiovascular wing of the hospital.

Life might be crazy for a couple of days, so please keep us in your prayers.

UPDATE: Read Kelly's perspective here. She had a pretty good night.

Where I Live

From the biography of Harriet Beecher Stowe [pg 72], taken from a letter to a friend.

"How I wish you could see Walnut Hills. It is about two miles from the city, and the road to it is as picturesque as you can imagine a road to be without 'springs that run among the hills.' Every possible variety of hill and vale of beautiful slope, and undulations of land set off by velvet richness of turf and broken up by groves and forests of every outline of foliage, make the scene Arcadian. You might ride over the same road a dozen times a day untired, for the constant variation of view caused by ascending and descending hills relieves you from all tedium."

Through The Cracks

Things I didn't get to mention this week:

• I actually went to the Bengals game with Aaron last Sunday. The Bengals are so bad I really contemplated whether or not to take a free ticket. I did and it was a great decision. As bad as the Bengals are right now, the Titans looked much worse.

• I had a connection to the officer that got injured this past week in the car chase on 1-75. I kept seeing his picture in the paper and knew he looked familiar. I worked with his wife Toni when I was on staff at Cincinnati Christian University. Word is that he's doing better but prayers would always help.

• The funny thing about the picture book awards thing last night was the discrepancy in people. There were some totally serious amatuer photographers there along with hacks like me. One guy there was a meat-eating, red-blooded American dude from Kentucky; he was wearing a Reds jersey so I  struck up a conversation with him. I honestly thought he was there with his wife. Later his picture won first place in the animal category. It was a beautiful picture of a butterfly. I guess you can't tell a book by its cover.

• Speaking of baseball, this is an early call but I'm going to go with it: the Reds will make the playoffs this year. Getting Francisco Cordero changes the entire look of this team. I still think someone will be moved here soon to get another quality starter. As much as some people want to keep them, I can see Ryan Freel and Josh Hamilton not wearing Reds uniforms next year. Of course, if Boston gets Johan Santana, they automatically get the World Series trophy without having to play the game.

• Tim posted this and it has remained up in my browser all week. "The 9 Most Badass Bible Verses" sounds like an interesting sermon series.

• If you live in Cincinnati you've probably noticed those annoying CincyAutos commercials with the chick holding the sign. I'm just not sure what to do about that. Even on a pornographic level it doesn't make sense. You could argue that it's memorable but the only thing it's done for me is insure that I'll never buy a car from them.

• Mike Huckabee is coming on strong in the Republican race. I didn't think he had a chance but while Giuliani, Thompson, and Romney are all finding new ways to insert their feet into their mouths, Huckabee is appealing to the unsatisfied conservative base. He had a good debate the other night and I'm really starting to think he has a legitimate shot at this. The Dems are still neck and neck as Hillary is watching her lead evaporate.

• If you aren't busy tomorrow afternoon, take a tour of OTR with Dan. You have no idea how amazing our city is. I'd be going but Nate and Julie are getting married then. More on that later.

• I'm about ready to delete my Myspace account. I just can't stand looking at it anymore.

• Tonight, a church planter I know in North Carolina will be featured in a story on NBC Nightly News. I met Tadd on the interwebs and, despite him being a North Carolina fan, have found him to be a great guy. I've already DVR'd it and you should check it out too.

• Scott and Robyn Duebber are some of the most amazing people I know. If we were all like them, this world would be a much better place.

• For some reason, this news article makes me laugh. Not because the guy was hunting on a golf course, but also because he's studying to be a mortician. I keep thinking that this is the kind of guy Kaelyn will bring home one day.

There. That's enough to chew on for now.

It's A Major Award

So I won something tonight. Kelly suggested that I enter some of my pictures in the Capture Cincinnati contest. It was a amateur photo book project and one of my photos made the book. Additionally, I also won a prize because people voted for the pic. Here's the online announcement. I got a gift card to Joseph Beth Bookstore which is pretty cool. You can purchase a copy at Joseph Beth or here. The line was long and Kaelyn was tired so we left without getting the book.

In case you're curious, the picture was one I took of Kaelyn up in Mount Adams. She's a cutie.

So thanks for voting, and thanks Martha Hill for watching Kaelyn for a few minutes tonight.

Announcements

Yes, a terrible way to die. I've had a couple busy days but I wanted to note:

1) I've had some email issues, so if I haven't gotten back to you, it might be because of that.

2) I have some new photos up at Flickr, including a Kaelyn Christmas shoot, shots from Balluminaria [you'll have to see for yourself], as well as a couple of pics of my newest nephew Jack. Wild, wacky stuff.

3) I should have another announcement later tonight [no, Kelly isn't pregnant] that could be cool. You'll have to check back to find out if the suspense was worth it.

The Times, They Are A-Changing

Oral Roberts University is reeling from the mess made by President Richard Roberts [son of Oral] who resigned this past weekend. It's interesting that the President was done in by his own faculty and staff who could no longer ignore his misuse of school resources. It was a big step for these people to stand up to Roberts, especially considering his name, as well as his role as a spiritual leader. Throughout the past years of American evangelical scandal [especially those within the Pentecostal realm] you would usually see these leaders protected by his underlings. Perhaps the Ted Haggard situation taught people that institutions could survive these scandals if they were handled quickly and truthfully.

The real reason I note this situation is an interesting quote in this article concerning the way the ORU situation was handled by those within. To me it says a lot about the current state of American Christianity:

"'There was a time when the wagons would circle and we'd protect our own,' said the Rev. Carlton Pearson, a former member of the ORU board of regents who is now a United Church of Christ minister. 'But we don't know what our own is anymore. People are asking questions and questioning answers, and we're not used to it.'"

I guess it's true: we don't know what 'our own' is anymore. So maybe this reinforces the idea that we have entered an age where it no longer matters what your family lineage is, or what kind of title you wear, or what denominational name is attached to your church as those are no longer acceptable litmus tests for one's beliefs. We can no longer place our trust in the words themselves. 'Christian' is now an incredibly broad term that a few billion people claim, let alone all the other ones that have now become indecipherable [and I'm not convinced that substituting "Christ follower" for "Christian" really makes any difference]. This is one of the many reasons I abhor vision statements: just because I name it doesn't make it true.

In the end, it comes down to what you embody as an individual or an organization; i.e, you are what you are. Words will only get you so far.

I'm A-Feared . . .

. . . as I think about what Kaelyn will someday wear. But I can assure you, she will dress like a little girl.

Thr33

I didn't write a Thankgiving post yesterday. It seemed everyone was doing it and we were busy doing nothing anyway. We're in Lexington today for Thanksgiving Part Deux and I brought no belt with me in anticipation of the gluttony to come. By far, Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday: family, feast and football. Quoting the immortal Brett Michaels [now linked to Thanksgiving time, in my mind at least]: ". . . and it don't get better than this. "

Anyway, it was three years ago today that I started Beit Carr. So on the threshold of my senior year of blogging, I thought I'd reevaluate my initial reluctancy to start the blog:

1. "I lack the passion to be a successful blogger." Apparently I was wrong about this. I've been able to sustain the blog, with 1,118 posts in 1,095 days. They say the key to a good blog is consistent posting and, so far, I've been able to keep it up.

2. "I don't type well." Honestly, I would say that this has been one of the biggest benefits of blogging. I type much better now than I did three years ago. I've been able to notice it as I work on papers for classes. I still tend to favor my right hand, but for someone who never took a typing class, I can put out a good amount of words in a respectable amount of time.

3. "I obsess over the words I use when I write." Again, I really think blogging has helped my usage of words. I'll still make the occasional error when I don't edit well but I have Kelly [and now Melissa] to let me know when I screwed up. With the blog and my sermons and my papers, I now produce a voluminous amount of words every week. This encourages me to expand my vocabulary and continually strive for creativity in what I write.

4. "My job constrains what I can say." I would say this is very much different as well. Echo has been the perfect church for me. I'm liberated to say what needs to be said, with a leadership that understands me and my motivation. About two to three times as many people read this blog than actually are a part of our church. So Beit Carr extends my influence. I still understand the responsibility that accompanies this medium but I no longer fret how something will be received.

So those of you who keep up on my life here on the blog: thanks. I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I do writing it. I love my little corner of the interwebs and look forward to maintaining it for the years to come.

Touching Me, Touching You

The most important news of the day is the news that Neil Diamond's classic, Sweet Carolina, was actually written about JFK's daughter Caroline Kennedy. So the next time you're at karaoke or in a crowded bar belting out "DA! DA! DA!", you now know who you're singing about.

Let's Get Political

Observation I can't escape in this maddening election season: The Clinton campaign keeps killing Obama for his lack of experience.

Hillary was elected to the Senate in 2000, while Barack was elected in 2004. So the huge level of experience Clinton owns  over him is four years. FOUR YEARS! Seriously, how much do you think that extra four years in the Senate helps someone? If it was decades more, it would be an apt argument, but four years is not impressive enough to tout.

To bolster her case, Hillary stated, "Voters will judge whether living in a foreign country at the age of 10 prepares one to face the big, complex international challenges the next president will face." 

That's fair. But what do you have to offer?

"'I think we need a president with more experience than that,'" said Clinton, who has repeatedly touted her own experience as first lady . . .

Experience as first lady?!?! So now being first lady qualifies as foreign policy experience? Flying around the world on the taxpayer dime to place wreaths and collect presents given to the US by foreign dignitaries makes you skilled in international issues? Is Laura Bush, who has been first lady nearly as long as Clinton was, now qualified to be a Senator as well?

Let's be honest: these party nominations never have anything to do with experience. Reagan was a frickin' actor and helped end the Cold War. Those scoring at home, that's ZERO foreign policy experience yielding HUGE international successes.

In the end it's all about likability and, unfortunately for her, the more Hillary talks the less likable she is. But since she's losing ground she's forced to talk and it's going to get worse. I predict, however, that things will come full circle when Edwards or Obama becomes the front-runner. Each have open flanks that can be exploited.

And with the chaos on the Republican side, this will most definitely be an election to remember.

p.s. I never knew that Obama's middle name was Hussein. Probably not the most marketable thing about him, eh? 

This Land Ain't Our Land

Somewhat inspired by Thanksgiving, I offer this: One of the things I've noted in my class on Christian History in America is the reaction that people had towards immigration. Immediately after the conclusion of the Revolutionary War, a nativist movement emerged shunning those who were new to the country. It seems that ever generation or so, a new group of immigrants became the target of persecution. The frightening part is that much of this hatred was perpetuated from the pulpits of Protestant churches. It's sorta eerie to witness the current dislike of Mexican immigrants as some of the language sounds identical to that of over 100 years ago.*

That's why I found this map particularly enlightening. It shows the territory of the Cherokee nation [of which I am a descendant, by the way] which, before the American Revolution, found it's northern border at the Ohio River. After the war, their territory was reduced significantly, and now they have only a small portion of land between Alabama, Georgia, and Tennessee.

It's impossible to go back in history and correct the wrongs that were committed that we now benefit from today; reparations are impossible to make and, in my opinion, pointless anyway. But we can learn the lessons from the past. We can accept who we really are. We are a nation of immigrants but once we build a foundation we fear losing what we've built. So instead asking for the tired, poor and huddled masses, we tell them to go back to their own country. Wonder if the Indians felt the same way.

I recognize that there are many issues concerning immigration that are need to be flushed out; people need to be legal, people need to pay taxes [well, as long as I have to anyway]. But we shouldn't persecute immigrants. This is a great country. There's plenty of space for all of us. If we're truly thankful for our country, we shouldn't hesitate to allow others to enjoy it as well.

For an explanation on the Cherokee map, read the full article here.

*Sidenote: Many who push for English to be declared our language do so out of fear of the spread of Spanish in our country; they're worried that they'll be outnumbered and will lose their culture. This too is expressed frequently by nativists throughout American history and yet it never became a reality. There have always been communities of immigrants in this country who maintain the use of their own language. Eventually immigrants, who understand the importance of learning the prevalant language, adapt to English, usually at the expense of their original culture.

Yikes! [fantasy football speaking]

OK, fantasy geeks, here's my story from this week. I'm narrowly in first place in my league but the play-offs are coming and I need to separate. Chad Johnson did me no favors and I was down six points going into tonight. I had Lendale White at running back while he had the Titans defense.

At 11pm I look at the score and I'm down by three ["so you're saying there's a chance?"] so I turn on the game to see how it ends. Late in the fourth quarter, Denver's Andre Hall runs one 60+ yards for a touchdown; so the guy I'm matched-up against loses three points and the score is tied. And I'm happy because I can at least avoid the "L." But with two minutes to go, Tennessee down by 2 scores, they throw a 10 yard pass to Lendale and I'm up by one. The very next pass, Vince Young throws an INT and the Broncos run out the clock.

So on the last completion of the game, in the last game of the week, I get the point I need to get the "W."

And this is yet another reason why fantasy baseball takes more skill.

Out Of Sync

My Sunday night thought vomit ahead. Let's see where it takes me. Last week was somewhat brutal. Among other things:

• I was finally getting over a cold while Kelly was developing one.
• The National Missionary Convention was in many ways a blessing, but it also ran me ragged. I did get to carry around a walkie talkie [Travolta asks, "ain't it cool?"] but that meant people were constantly asking me things that I didn't know. I also walked miles around the convention center this week which gets old rather quickly.
• I still attempted to go to class this week but was somewhat frustrated with aspects of the discussions we had.
• Both our dishwasher and freezer went on the fritz when I had no time to examine them.
• I did play indoor soccer [late] Friday night, scored a goal but missed two easy other ones. I think it was because I was exhausted, but I felt a little old out there. I hate that.
• While the Buckeyes gave me something to smile about, I was bummed last night when the Bearcats couldn't get it done verses West Virginia. That could've been awesome.
• There was a bird stuck in our chimney this afternoon. Well, I think it was stuck in the chase [between the flue and the outer cover] and I couldn't figure out how to get it out. It's no longer making noise so while I'm optimistic that it made it out, I'm afraid it died in there.
• A guest of someone in our condo didn't set the brake in their car and it rolled into somebody's deck, then into the street. It's amazing that no one was injured.
• The Bengals . . . well, you know.
• I performed a Sunday afternoon wedding right before church.

So with all this going on, I was glad I had Larry Budde preach for me tonight; it was one less thing to have to worry about this week. Larry is the first person besides Aaron or me to teach at Echo. He did an incredible job. Some church should hire him to preach. Tye did a great job leading worship and artfully transitioned into our communion time. Susan filled in with our children's ministry tonight and excelled. Tim, Tim, and Dale moved like a perfectly oiled machine, setting up and tearing down in no time flat.

Basically . . . tonight . . .  was . . . flawless.

And . . . um . . . I had nothing to do with it.

It's been an incredibly humbling experience to be a part of Echo and to appreciate the talents that God has assembled in our little church. As closely tied my life is to Echo, it's wonderful to be reminded again that it's more than me.

Additionally, as we focus on thoughts of thanksgiving this week, it's difficult for me to get too down on all these negative things in my life. After a few days observing missionaries, seeing the many sacrifices they make to share their faith, I feel like a tool for even thinking about seeking pity.

I have a beautiful wife, a precious child, a supportive family, a fantastic church, encouraging friends and, above all, an amazing God.

I . . . am . . . blessed.

Even when I'm not feeling quite right, I'm doing alright.

Link'd

Revised links are up. Jake made the cut.

Reds Land Mourns

At the passing of announcer Joe Nuxhall. The Old Lefthander is truly rounding third and heading for home.

We Don't Care About The Young Folk

I was just downtown moving some overhead projectors and checking on our church's registration for the National Missionary Convention. The well-intentioned registration person engaged me in the following dialogue: Her: "Hi, how can I help you?"

Me: "I'm just checking on our church's registration for the convention."

Her: "Did your church register you?"

Me: "Actually, I registered our church. I'm the minister."

Her: "You're the youth minister of a church?"

Me: "No, I'm the real minister and I am checking on our registration."

Her: "You mean for the Teen Convention?"

Me: "No, the one for adults."

Ugh. I know what she was thinking: "there's no way a church let's this kid be their minister." Of course, considering that I started Echo, I'm not sure a church actually let me be their minister.

Does it say something that if I'm not wearing khaki's and a button down shirt [I was sporting denim and a zip-up sweater], or if I'm not in my 50's with a little gut, or if I'm not balding while totting a cellphone clip on my belt, that I don't appear to be an actual minister? We wonder why we're having problem attracting young guys to ministry. Could it be that we prefer our ministers to look . . . well, geeky?

Perhaps I've said to much. I'm in no way the epitome of cool [proven by my use of the word "epitome"] but I'm just calling this one like I see it.

Truth be told, I almost always enjoy it when someone says, "you don't look like a minister." Because, usually, it's said in a good way. postscript: That song referenced in the title of this post is my ringtone. If you're unfamiliar with it, familiarize.

I Am Busy

Just thought you should know. National Missionary Convention is in town this week. I'm an A/V geek this weekend so it's got me moving stuff all over the convention center. I'll have to figure out how to watch some football on Saturday, though.

So this is all I got for you tonight: Cowbell Hero.

Oh, and who can get enough of the original? "I've gotta fever . . . "

27-33 Year Old Males

This link is for you. [no, it's not p0rn].

Sans The Band

Sure, you've seen the Trinity University 15-lateral game winning play from a few weeks ago. But did you know that it was scripted play? Watch the video here.

Not So Amazing

In the midst of a writer's strike [which I really should comment on sometime] my hope was put in a good season of Amazing Race to hold my attention. Unfortunately, it seems the producers settled for parity this year instead of excellence. None of the teams on this year's edition could win in any other season. It makes for a race that any team could conceivably win, which could keep it interesting, but I'm thinking it will soon get annoying. From the typical beauty queens, to the brother/sister team that think they're the smartest, to the goth couple from Louisville that would get laughed at by goth people from a major metropolitan area [no real goth people continually talk about themselves like they do], it's set up to be a season of mediocrity.

Here's to hoping for a few compelling break-downs to keep me into it.