For my birthday (3 months ago) my roommates (great friends) bought me tickets to see Jim Gaffigan tonight (6 months ago). I have not watched any YouTube clips of any late-night shows he may have been a guest, because I wanted to hear his new jokes for the first time live. Jim did not disappoint. The night started off a little rough with a traffic jam holding us up and us walking in the door at 8 - the start of the show. Luckily they don't usually start on time. The opening act was great: Rich Brooks. Check him out if you get a chance. Funny guy with a great outlook on life and good delivery. Jim delivered as well with great bits about camping, fast food, bowling (using the word MOIST), beds, kids, circumcision . . . And classics like bacon and hot pockets. The whole place was alive and laughed non stop from the moment he walked on stage until he walked off (after the encore). I do have one complaint about the night - the people sitting on either side of us. On one side you had the show talker. She talked non stop - agreeing with Jim on every joke, and even finishing his sentences. On the other side was a screamer, and I'm just going to leave that one at that. After the show he did a meet and greet. I was sceptical of the whole thing. Wondering if he would be nice on the outside, but really be a jerk. But he shook hands, took pictures, and signed autographs for everyone there who wanted one. He even seemed almost shy about it, like he couldn't believe that all of us would want to meet him. When Kim told him that we loved to watch him in My Boys, it was almost like he couldn't believe we knew that show existed and that we watched it. He signed my CD "Happy B-Day Pocket" so I will hence forth be referred to as Pocket, and will only answer by that name. Just kidding, I will also respond to Miss. Pocket. Rich was also very kind, and I appreciated the way they both dealt with the mob. It would be a lot easier for them to just do shows and allow only certain people back stage - but they take the time to meet everyone that wants to, and that is neat.
If you are looking for a clean show, check them out. Even when he was talking about sex I wasn't embarrassed. I felt like I could have been watching with my grandmother and not been uncomfortable with what he was saying (of course she can barely hear . . . so).
Anyway, annoying fan picture to follow.
9.27.2008
9.20.2008
Hmmm
I haven't written in awhile, mostly because I haven't really had much time - well I have a bunch of time on my hands TODAY! A couple of weeks ago I gave a talk at one of my ponding groups. I didn't want to post it when I wrote it, because it was a couple weeks before I gave it - and I didn't want to give it away. I mean, it is a masterpiece. Anyway, here it is. I also added the questions I asked down below. Feel free to answer them. Drop me an email, or comment, or just think about the answers - I think it is good to see where you have come from and where you might be going:
Q: Did Jesus say his followers would have an easy road because they knew Him?
John 16:33
Q: What good can come out of disappointment?
Romans 5:3, James 1:2-4, 1 Peter 1:6-7, 2 Corinthians 1:3-7, 2 Corinthians 12:7-10
Q: Is there a time that you faced disappointment, and came out on the other side having some benefits for you or others? Explain.
Q: What are some things that you can do when you face difficulty and disappointment?
Pray, read your Bible
*************
For those of you who know me – I’m a glass half empty kind of girl. A friend of mine once told me that the grass seemed to always be dead on my side of the fence. For much of my life I have had this to say:
That class was too hard, that class was to easy, it’s too cold, it’s too hot, there is nothing on TV, there are too many shows on right now that I want to watch, they give me too much work to do, I don’t have anything to do at work, that’s too long of a drive, I don’t want to walk, my dog is too playful, my dog never wants to play, where is the milk, I can’t find my left shoe, I don’t have anything to wear, I wish the neighbor’s dog would quit barking, I wish the neighbors would cut their grass, That movie isn’t coming out until when, they cancel all the good shows . . .
You get the idea. For me life just seemed (and sometimes still seems) difficult. So it would stand to reason that I am the perfect person to introduce the topic of dealing with difficulty and disappointment. Maybe most of my problem has to do with contentment – but I digress.
When I left college a few years back I moved to St. Louis to take a job with a small, but growing residential landscape company. I liked many of the aspects of my job, but was given little to no time in design – my first love. As time went on I was never given much more design time – and when I finally did the whole design would be changed by my boss. After 3 years with them I had grown tired of the whole thing. I made a couple of really great friends there but I was not sure how much longer I wanted to stay. About a year ago I started weighing my options and trying to decide if I wanted to stay or go. My prayer focus really shifted during that time to what God’s will really was in my life. You see there was a ministry that I was always interested in and they had some openings – was that what God wanted for me? The problem was I was praying a lot – asking God what he wanted me to do – but I never took one step. It is hart to steer a parked car. I did my job well, I had security there, and all of that was comfortable. On September 18th the day started like any other, but I came home that day without a job. The company was going to move in a different direction and my services were no longer needed.
I can’t tell you that I came home praising God for that meeting. I can’t tell you that I praised God much in the coming days. I really can’t tell you much about those first couple of weeks – but I do know that one of my first thoughts was – God, how could you let this happen? It took me many weeks, maybe even months before it changed to – God, thank you for showing me my next step. Honestly it is my faith in God, and remembering that he has my back that has helped me through. I know that my purpose in life is first and foremost for Him, and the rest is just decoration. Even a non-believer like Nietzsche understands that when he said, “If a man has a why for his life he can bear with almost any how.”
This last year for me has been mostly spent in the valley, so to speak. But during this time I have come to see that time in the valley is not necessarily bad. There are a lot of lessons, experiences, and opportunities in the valley.
A few people you will visit during your small group time are Moses, and Naomi. That doesn’t even mention Joseph, and most of the disciples.
Moses’ time in the valley (Exodus 2:11-4:31)
In summary this text is after Moses had to flee Egypt for killing the Egyptian soldier. It deals with his wanderings, marriage, and eventual conversation with God through the burning bush.
Exodus 2:16-17: Being in the valley teaches us how to serve. Lessons of servant hood are rarely learned during success
Exodus 2:23-24: Being in the valley teaches us how to trust. Moses, and the people of Israel had to learn how to believe even when God was silent.
Exodus 3:11 & 4:1: Being in the valley teaches us how to obey.
Naomi (Ruth 1:1-4:17)
In summary Ruth’s husband died and she moved with her mother in law, Naomi, back to where Naomi came from. Ruth did all she could to support them both – that is where she met Boaz whom she later married. To Naomi, life seemed hopeless after the death of her two sons and her husband.
Ruth 4:16-17: There is hope of what comes after the valley
That class was too hard, that class was to easy, it’s too cold, it’s too hot, there is nothing on TV, there are too many shows on right now that I want to watch, they give me too much work to do, I don’t have anything to do at work, that’s too long of a drive, I don’t want to walk, my dog is too playful, my dog never wants to play, where is the milk, I can’t find my left shoe, I don’t have anything to wear, I wish the neighbor’s dog would quit barking, I wish the neighbors would cut their grass, That movie isn’t coming out until when, they cancel all the good shows . . .
You get the idea. For me life just seemed (and sometimes still seems) difficult. So it would stand to reason that I am the perfect person to introduce the topic of dealing with difficulty and disappointment. Maybe most of my problem has to do with contentment – but I digress.
When I left college a few years back I moved to St. Louis to take a job with a small, but growing residential landscape company. I liked many of the aspects of my job, but was given little to no time in design – my first love. As time went on I was never given much more design time – and when I finally did the whole design would be changed by my boss. After 3 years with them I had grown tired of the whole thing. I made a couple of really great friends there but I was not sure how much longer I wanted to stay. About a year ago I started weighing my options and trying to decide if I wanted to stay or go. My prayer focus really shifted during that time to what God’s will really was in my life. You see there was a ministry that I was always interested in and they had some openings – was that what God wanted for me? The problem was I was praying a lot – asking God what he wanted me to do – but I never took one step. It is hart to steer a parked car. I did my job well, I had security there, and all of that was comfortable. On September 18th the day started like any other, but I came home that day without a job. The company was going to move in a different direction and my services were no longer needed.
I can’t tell you that I came home praising God for that meeting. I can’t tell you that I praised God much in the coming days. I really can’t tell you much about those first couple of weeks – but I do know that one of my first thoughts was – God, how could you let this happen? It took me many weeks, maybe even months before it changed to – God, thank you for showing me my next step. Honestly it is my faith in God, and remembering that he has my back that has helped me through. I know that my purpose in life is first and foremost for Him, and the rest is just decoration. Even a non-believer like Nietzsche understands that when he said, “If a man has a why for his life he can bear with almost any how.”
This last year for me has been mostly spent in the valley, so to speak. But during this time I have come to see that time in the valley is not necessarily bad. There are a lot of lessons, experiences, and opportunities in the valley.
A few people you will visit during your small group time are Moses, and Naomi. That doesn’t even mention Joseph, and most of the disciples.
Moses’ time in the valley (Exodus 2:11-4:31)
In summary this text is after Moses had to flee Egypt for killing the Egyptian soldier. It deals with his wanderings, marriage, and eventual conversation with God through the burning bush.
Exodus 2:16-17: Being in the valley teaches us how to serve. Lessons of servant hood are rarely learned during success
Exodus 2:23-24: Being in the valley teaches us how to trust. Moses, and the people of Israel had to learn how to believe even when God was silent.
Exodus 3:11 & 4:1: Being in the valley teaches us how to obey.
Naomi (Ruth 1:1-4:17)
In summary Ruth’s husband died and she moved with her mother in law, Naomi, back to where Naomi came from. Ruth did all she could to support them both – that is where she met Boaz whom she later married. To Naomi, life seemed hopeless after the death of her two sons and her husband.
Ruth 4:16-17: There is hope of what comes after the valley
*************
Discussion For Dealing With Difficulty and Disappointment
Q: What good is it to be in the valley?
Q: What good is it to be in the valley?
Q: Did Jesus say his followers would have an easy road because they knew Him?
John 16:33
Q: What good can come out of disappointment?
Romans 5:3, James 1:2-4, 1 Peter 1:6-7, 2 Corinthians 1:3-7, 2 Corinthians 12:7-10
Q: Is there a time that you faced disappointment, and came out on the other side having some benefits for you or others? Explain.
Q: What are some things that you can do when you face difficulty and disappointment?
Pray, read your Bible
2 Thessalonians 1:5, 2 Corinthians 4:17, John 16:33
9.08.2008
9.05.2008
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