— 1 —

Update on my Edda. My princess has been gone for over a week now. The not knowing is the hardest part. I wish we knew if there was any hope of her returning — it would allow me to grieve and get some closure.

— 2 —

Sad prayer request. Please keep Caitlin of Savor His Goodness and her family in prayer. They found out this week that their second baby has no heartbeat.

— 3 —

The Big Bang Theory. I’m trying to get some Christmas crocheting done so I turned on The Big Bang Theory to have something to watch during the brainless parts of the crocheting. I just finished watching the prom episode and am on the one where Leonard has the septoplasty (the surgery to fix his deviated septum). I know I should suspend my disbelief but… they don’t have the gauze on Leonard’s nose the correct way. After a septoplasty, it’s taped *UNDER* the nose to catch the blood dripping out. How do I know this? I had the same surgery in July of 2008.

— 4 —

Church music fun. I’ve been blessed to be part of a choir that has the ability to sing some pretty fabulous music even though we’re a pretty small group (6-7 of us on a Sunday usually).

We did a piece based on a Haydn chorale on November 5th:

This past Sunday, we did a piece by Heinrich Schu?tz (the English translation of it):

This Sunday, we have something more conventional:

Our Christmas Eve music will be the Christmas section of Handel’s “Messiah”. It’s the first time I’ve performed it in 12 years though I definitely have sung along to my CD of it enough times on long car trips. I used to do it with the San Jose Symphonic Choir in high school and college when they’d have their annual “You-Sing-It Messiah” at Christmas and it’s a work I know pretty well.

— 5 —

Regarding “quiet times”. I can’t remember if I’ve shared this link or not but I read a fabulous article on why “quiet times” shouldn’t happen alone. (For non-evangelicals, one’s “quiet time” is one’s personal time for prayer and devotions.) It’s one of the reasons I love being part of a church with a set lectionary — any Scripture I’m reading on my own is read on Sunday mornings in community and it gives everyone a chance to hear and digest it within the parameters of the community so that there is less of a chance of misinterpretation.

— 6 —

I am Scrooge. This is the time of year that makes me more Scrooge-y than usual because I despise the consumerist attitudes that hijack Christmas and make it more about buying stuff and giving the perfect gift rather than it being about the gift of God dwelling amongst us. The signs are already on the street in the Village in Claremont and most stores have all their Christmas signs and decorations up… and it’s only November 21st. We haven’t even had Christ the King Sunday yet, not to mention all of Advent! /rant

— 7 —

I can’t believe it has been a year. A year ago, I was sitting in the sanctuary of Twin Lakes Church in Aptos for the funeral of Gordon Smith, one of the leaders of the college group at the church I attended during most of college. It was great to see people that I hadn’t seen in 12-13 years but I wish it had been a more joyous event. The mother/son duo accused of murdering him goes on trial next March and I still wish they could understand that the man they shot was someone who had given them more chances than humanly possible and who would give them the shirt of his back during a blizzard if they were cold. He chose to work with middle schoolers and college students, two groups where identities are being developed and who need a lot of love. I know he and his wife Joan loved me and stood with me through some of the toughest times in my life and I can hear both his infectious laugh and his very down-to-earth way of telling about the faith he had in Jesus Christ.

For more Quick Takes, visit Kelly at This Ain’t The Lyceum.