(By Erik)
Hello from Spearfish, S.D. It's been a while since I posted anything, so I'm putting up this photo I took near Rapid City of the tribute to Indian chief Crazy Horse, I'll post more on my South Dakota trip soon.
Tuesday, June 20, 2006
Tuesday, June 06, 2006
It's 6-6-6 and I'm 3-3
(By Erik)
That’s right. Today I’m 33. I never thought much about being born on 06/06 — or having a birthday on a day with three 6’s in it. Of course, when I was born it was 06/06/73. Nothing too sinister there. I’ve always thought it was cool that I was born on D-Day, though.
A few people already have told me that I’m now the same age Jesus was when he was crucified. But Curt Niccum disagrees. He says there’s no biblical evidence that Christ died, rose from the dead, and ascended into heaven at age 33. Just some trivia for ya there.
Wish I had something profound to say about turning 33. I’m thankful to God for making it to another year with a wonderful wife, great job, friends, family and easy access to Frisco melts.
That’s right. Today I’m 33. I never thought much about being born on 06/06 — or having a birthday on a day with three 6’s in it. Of course, when I was born it was 06/06/73. Nothing too sinister there. I’ve always thought it was cool that I was born on D-Day, though.
A few people already have told me that I’m now the same age Jesus was when he was crucified. But Curt Niccum disagrees. He says there’s no biblical evidence that Christ died, rose from the dead, and ascended into heaven at age 33. Just some trivia for ya there.
Wish I had something profound to say about turning 33. I’m thankful to God for making it to another year with a wonderful wife, great job, friends, family and easy access to Frisco melts.
Monday, June 05, 2006
PHOTO: It must be summertime
(By Erik)
Nothing says summer like a big bowl of ice cream — as demonstrated by James Walker, on the left, and his brother, Douglas.
I spent the weekend in Kansas City, Mo., (Jeanie was on call at the hospital) and visited a couple of churches for the Chronicle.
The Swope Parkway Church of Christ celebrated its 70th anniversary with a picnic in nearby Swope Park and a special program after services on Sunday. I met a lot of great folks, including Sarah Friday, who's taught third and fourth grades since 1977.
I asked her if kids have changed since she started teaching. "They have," she said. "But I haven't." She said she's a big believer in discipline. I talked to another church member, whose kids were in her class in the late 70s and now have kids of their own. "She'll hold your feet to the fire," he said of sister Friday, "but she'll love you to death."
I also visited the Overland Park Church of Christ just across the border in Kansas. I interviewed their children's minister, Carol Gafford, for an upcoming issue. I also stopped by a camp for kids in rural Kansas on the way home. I'll try to post some photos from that later.
Click on the photo to see a couple of additional ones from the homecoming.
Nothing says summer like a big bowl of ice cream — as demonstrated by James Walker, on the left, and his brother, Douglas.
I spent the weekend in Kansas City, Mo., (Jeanie was on call at the hospital) and visited a couple of churches for the Chronicle.
The Swope Parkway Church of Christ celebrated its 70th anniversary with a picnic in nearby Swope Park and a special program after services on Sunday. I met a lot of great folks, including Sarah Friday, who's taught third and fourth grades since 1977.
I asked her if kids have changed since she started teaching. "They have," she said. "But I haven't." She said she's a big believer in discipline. I talked to another church member, whose kids were in her class in the late 70s and now have kids of their own. "She'll hold your feet to the fire," he said of sister Friday, "but she'll love you to death."
I also visited the Overland Park Church of Christ just across the border in Kansas. I interviewed their children's minister, Carol Gafford, for an upcoming issue. I also stopped by a camp for kids in rural Kansas on the way home. I'll try to post some photos from that later.
Click on the photo to see a couple of additional ones from the homecoming.
Thursday, June 01, 2006
PHOTO: London blooming
(By Erik)
When I traveled to Zimbabwe in early May with a team from the East Point Church of Christ in Kansas, we had a six-hour layover in London, so we took in some of the sights.
It was a bright and hot day. Lots of people were outside, soaking up the rare sunshine.
Click on this photo or the one below to see some additional shots from London.
When I traveled to Zimbabwe in early May with a team from the East Point Church of Christ in Kansas, we had a six-hour layover in London, so we took in some of the sights.
It was a bright and hot day. Lots of people were outside, soaking up the rare sunshine.
Click on this photo or the one below to see some additional shots from London.
PHOTO: United colors of London
(By Erik)
Here's another photo from London. Notice the signature, double-decker bus in the background. Added a nice splash of red to the photo, I thougt. Click on it to see a slightly larger version, if you're so inclined.
Here's another photo from London. Notice the signature, double-decker bus in the background. Added a nice splash of red to the photo, I thougt. Click on it to see a slightly larger version, if you're so inclined.
Wednesday, May 31, 2006
Thoughts on Bailey's retirement
(By Erik)
A little more than a week ago we bid farewell (sort of) to Bailey McBride, who’s leaving his post as editor of The Christian Chronicle after 10 years.
He’s been part of the Chronicle’s staff for more than 25 years — since it came to Oklahoma Christian University in 1980. He’ll continue to be part of our family, writing his monthly column and attending meetings when he wants to. The Chronicle published an interview with him this month.
Bailey’s been a big part of our lives for the past five years. I was working for the Savannah Morning News when I got an e-mail from Kim Chaudoin, a longtime friend from the PR office at Lipscomb University. She told me that the Chronicle was looking for a new staffer. She didn’t think I was interested but passed the message along anyway because I was the only full-time newspaper guy who might remotely want to apply.
I wasn’t really interested, but I was curious enough to apply. One phone interview and a trip on Delta later, I found myself face-to-face with Bailey. (It was July of 2001, so he met me at the gate.)
Five minutes later, I knew I wanted the job.
I couldn’t imagine having a boss like Bailey. I thought your boss was someone you were supposed to talk about behind his or her back. Bailey was different, and after spending a couple of days with him and Joyce (along with Scott LaMascus, Lindy Adams and Joy McMillon) I was sold on the Chronicle. (And the cheese enchiladas at Chelinos in Bricktown sealed the deal.)
Since I started working at the Chronicle Bailey’s been a friend, mentor and a sort of adopted grandfather. When Jeanie and I got married, he drove down to Altus and performed the ceremony. He and Joyce are both active members of our small-group Bible study. They’re family.
So I’m glad this isn’t goodbye.
Several of my bosses over the years have taught me to be a better journalist. Bailey has taught me how to be a better person.
A little more than a week ago we bid farewell (sort of) to Bailey McBride, who’s leaving his post as editor of The Christian Chronicle after 10 years.
He’s been part of the Chronicle’s staff for more than 25 years — since it came to Oklahoma Christian University in 1980. He’ll continue to be part of our family, writing his monthly column and attending meetings when he wants to. The Chronicle published an interview with him this month.
Bailey’s been a big part of our lives for the past five years. I was working for the Savannah Morning News when I got an e-mail from Kim Chaudoin, a longtime friend from the PR office at Lipscomb University. She told me that the Chronicle was looking for a new staffer. She didn’t think I was interested but passed the message along anyway because I was the only full-time newspaper guy who might remotely want to apply.
I wasn’t really interested, but I was curious enough to apply. One phone interview and a trip on Delta later, I found myself face-to-face with Bailey. (It was July of 2001, so he met me at the gate.)
Five minutes later, I knew I wanted the job.
I couldn’t imagine having a boss like Bailey. I thought your boss was someone you were supposed to talk about behind his or her back. Bailey was different, and after spending a couple of days with him and Joyce (along with Scott LaMascus, Lindy Adams and Joy McMillon) I was sold on the Chronicle. (And the cheese enchiladas at Chelinos in Bricktown sealed the deal.)
Since I started working at the Chronicle Bailey’s been a friend, mentor and a sort of adopted grandfather. When Jeanie and I got married, he drove down to Altus and performed the ceremony. He and Joyce are both active members of our small-group Bible study. They’re family.
So I’m glad this isn’t goodbye.
Several of my bosses over the years have taught me to be a better journalist. Bailey has taught me how to be a better person.
Monday, May 29, 2006
Memorial Day wrap-up
(By Erik and Jeanie)
For those of you who think we only jet off to Zimbabwe and Guatemala, we offer this recap of Memorial Day weekend.
Jeanie had an exceedingly rare 10 days off from her residency, so we decided to take advantage of that with a mini-vacation to Dallas. Erik couldn’t get off more than a couple of days due to catching up after the Zimbabwe trip, but he promised to make it up to Jeanie the next time she gets 10 days off. That should be sometime around 2009.
So we made the best of it by checking into a quaint little bed and breakfast in the Love Field area (the locals refer to it as “Fairfield Inn.”) We visited the historic West End area and ate at a quaint little restaurant (the locals refer to it as “On The Border.”)
We visited the Sixth Floor Museum at Dealy Plaza, located on the sixth floor of the former Texas Schoolbook Depository, where Lee Harvey Oswald perched himself and assassinated President John F. Kennedy. Erik had never seen the museum — or the grassy knoll across the street. It was eerie looking out the windows of the sixth floor down over the Dallas streets and realizing what happened there about 43 years ago.
We also treated ourselves to a culinary experience at Texas de Brazil, a restaurant in the Metroplex that offers a taste of southern cooking — south of the equator, anyway! Erik ate at a similar restaurant in Georgetown, Guyana, back in 2004 and wanted to share the experience with Jeanie.
Eating at Texas de Brazil was an experience. First you load up your plate at their 40-item salad bar, which has everything from beans and rice to fish and exotic cheeses. It would be a meal in and of itself, but there’s more.
You’re given a round token with green and red sides. When you’re ready for the main course, you flip your token over to the green side and waiters come at you with swords — literally. Five or six waiters circled our table with skewers of pork, steak, sausage and lamb prepared in various ways. If you’re interested, they cut you off a slice, so you can sample all sorts of stuff. Erik liked the house sirloin — very juicy and tender. Jeanie really enjoyed the parmesan pork — great flavor. And the spiced bananas were a nice dessert.
As for the price of this meal … well, let’s just say it’s cheaper than round-trip airfare to Brazil. But we highly recommend it for special occasions. Plus, some locations of Texas de Brazil, supposedly have started offering lunch service for a reduced price. We’ll look into that for next time.
We spent a day shopping in the retail nightmare that is Frisco, Texas. We both got a pair of shoes and a couple of other things, but mostly Frisco is just a bunch of stuff that we have in OKC — all crammed into two miles or so.
Then we headed north and spent the weekend with Jeanie’s grandmother and uncle in Madill, Okla. Jeanie’s parents joined us. We scouted out a good fishing hole and set up some rods and reels. Erik caught his first bass and learned how to hook minnows as bait. Jeanie’s dad caught two bass and uncle Leroy caught two more. We threw all but two of them back. Jeanie’s dad cleaned them (we chose not to watch) and we’ll be eating them soon.
Erik also got reacquainted with an old nemesis — fire ants. He got about five bites on one leg. We don’t have fire ants in OKC, but they’re plentiful in Texas and south Oklahoma and are headed north. Of course, they were a frequent nuisance in Georgia, where Erik once got 70 bites on one foot while waiting for the ice cream man. Ah, that painful-yet-familiar sting that reminds us of a land of cotton. Look away, look away, look away lidocaine.
Click on the photo to see what we caught.
For those of you who think we only jet off to Zimbabwe and Guatemala, we offer this recap of Memorial Day weekend.
Jeanie had an exceedingly rare 10 days off from her residency, so we decided to take advantage of that with a mini-vacation to Dallas. Erik couldn’t get off more than a couple of days due to catching up after the Zimbabwe trip, but he promised to make it up to Jeanie the next time she gets 10 days off. That should be sometime around 2009.
So we made the best of it by checking into a quaint little bed and breakfast in the Love Field area (the locals refer to it as “Fairfield Inn.”) We visited the historic West End area and ate at a quaint little restaurant (the locals refer to it as “On The Border.”)
We visited the Sixth Floor Museum at Dealy Plaza, located on the sixth floor of the former Texas Schoolbook Depository, where Lee Harvey Oswald perched himself and assassinated President John F. Kennedy. Erik had never seen the museum — or the grassy knoll across the street. It was eerie looking out the windows of the sixth floor down over the Dallas streets and realizing what happened there about 43 years ago.
We also treated ourselves to a culinary experience at Texas de Brazil, a restaurant in the Metroplex that offers a taste of southern cooking — south of the equator, anyway! Erik ate at a similar restaurant in Georgetown, Guyana, back in 2004 and wanted to share the experience with Jeanie.
Eating at Texas de Brazil was an experience. First you load up your plate at their 40-item salad bar, which has everything from beans and rice to fish and exotic cheeses. It would be a meal in and of itself, but there’s more.
You’re given a round token with green and red sides. When you’re ready for the main course, you flip your token over to the green side and waiters come at you with swords — literally. Five or six waiters circled our table with skewers of pork, steak, sausage and lamb prepared in various ways. If you’re interested, they cut you off a slice, so you can sample all sorts of stuff. Erik liked the house sirloin — very juicy and tender. Jeanie really enjoyed the parmesan pork — great flavor. And the spiced bananas were a nice dessert.
As for the price of this meal … well, let’s just say it’s cheaper than round-trip airfare to Brazil. But we highly recommend it for special occasions. Plus, some locations of Texas de Brazil, supposedly have started offering lunch service for a reduced price. We’ll look into that for next time.
We spent a day shopping in the retail nightmare that is Frisco, Texas. We both got a pair of shoes and a couple of other things, but mostly Frisco is just a bunch of stuff that we have in OKC — all crammed into two miles or so.
Then we headed north and spent the weekend with Jeanie’s grandmother and uncle in Madill, Okla. Jeanie’s parents joined us. We scouted out a good fishing hole and set up some rods and reels. Erik caught his first bass and learned how to hook minnows as bait. Jeanie’s dad caught two bass and uncle Leroy caught two more. We threw all but two of them back. Jeanie’s dad cleaned them (we chose not to watch) and we’ll be eating them soon.
Erik also got reacquainted with an old nemesis — fire ants. He got about five bites on one leg. We don’t have fire ants in OKC, but they’re plentiful in Texas and south Oklahoma and are headed north. Of course, they were a frequent nuisance in Georgia, where Erik once got 70 bites on one foot while waiting for the ice cream man. Ah, that painful-yet-familiar sting that reminds us of a land of cotton. Look away, look away, look away lidocaine.
Click on the photo to see what we caught.
Saturday, May 20, 2006
Thoughts on food and funerals on two continents
(By Erik)
Following is a piece I wrote for the Edmond Sun. They're doing a series of reflections on Scripture as part of a "read the Bible in a year" package. I had several verses to choose from, but I thought that a couple in Proverbs related to an experience I had in Zimbabwe:
“Better a meal of vegetables where there is love than a fattened calf with hatred.” (Proverbs 15:17)
It was a thin stew of herbs, greens and a few meager scraps of chicken, served with a side of sadza — a doughy substance made from corn that tastes a bit like mashed potatoes.
It probably was more than most Zimbabweans eat in a week.
I visited Zimbabwe earlier this month with a group of missionaries from Kansas. They were checking up on a church-run hospital and school, both suffering from the economic turmoil that’s gripped this landlocked country in southern Africa.
In the 1980s Zimbabwe was an almost-utopia of racial harmony and prosperity — especially while it’s neighbor, South Africa, was in the throes of apartheid. But in recent years many of the farmers have been killed or run off their land. Crop production has fallen and inflation has reached 1,000 percent.
One U.S. dollar will get you more than 100,000 Zimbabwean dollars — if you’re lucky enough to find them. Fuel and food are scarce, as are drugs to deal with the country’s AIDS epidemic.
So I was a bit surprised to find smiling faces in Zimbabwe — especially at a funeral.
Brother Timothy, a local preacher, took us to the home of a church family that lost a 12-year-old boy to HIV. We mourned with the family and sang a handful of hymns.
I figured that was it, but then the family invited us to lunch.
I was more than bit concerned for how my stomach might respond, but my hosts smiled all the while. They even cheered when I turned down a fork and ate with my hands like everybody else.
“I would like to hear you speak,” said the family patriarch, and just like that I was on the funeral program. Talk about indigestion! I’ve never spoken at a funeral in the U.S., much less one in a country — and a language — I don’t understand.
But I muddled through it, with Brother Timothy translating my words into Shona. I told them that I didn’t understand their customs, but the love they had for the grieving family was universal. It required no translation. I read the verse from Romans that speaks about present suffering and future glory.
Right now, after a pulled pork sandwich from Earl’s Rib Palace that was much too big, I think about that humble meal of chicken bones and sadza — served by starving, smiling people.
“All the days of the oppressed are wretched, but the cheerful heart has a continual feast.” (Proverbs 15:15)
Following is a piece I wrote for the Edmond Sun. They're doing a series of reflections on Scripture as part of a "read the Bible in a year" package. I had several verses to choose from, but I thought that a couple in Proverbs related to an experience I had in Zimbabwe:
“Better a meal of vegetables where there is love than a fattened calf with hatred.” (Proverbs 15:17)
It was a thin stew of herbs, greens and a few meager scraps of chicken, served with a side of sadza — a doughy substance made from corn that tastes a bit like mashed potatoes.
It probably was more than most Zimbabweans eat in a week.
I visited Zimbabwe earlier this month with a group of missionaries from Kansas. They were checking up on a church-run hospital and school, both suffering from the economic turmoil that’s gripped this landlocked country in southern Africa.
In the 1980s Zimbabwe was an almost-utopia of racial harmony and prosperity — especially while it’s neighbor, South Africa, was in the throes of apartheid. But in recent years many of the farmers have been killed or run off their land. Crop production has fallen and inflation has reached 1,000 percent.
One U.S. dollar will get you more than 100,000 Zimbabwean dollars — if you’re lucky enough to find them. Fuel and food are scarce, as are drugs to deal with the country’s AIDS epidemic.
So I was a bit surprised to find smiling faces in Zimbabwe — especially at a funeral.
Brother Timothy, a local preacher, took us to the home of a church family that lost a 12-year-old boy to HIV. We mourned with the family and sang a handful of hymns.
I figured that was it, but then the family invited us to lunch.
I was more than bit concerned for how my stomach might respond, but my hosts smiled all the while. They even cheered when I turned down a fork and ate with my hands like everybody else.
“I would like to hear you speak,” said the family patriarch, and just like that I was on the funeral program. Talk about indigestion! I’ve never spoken at a funeral in the U.S., much less one in a country — and a language — I don’t understand.
But I muddled through it, with Brother Timothy translating my words into Shona. I told them that I didn’t understand their customs, but the love they had for the grieving family was universal. It required no translation. I read the verse from Romans that speaks about present suffering and future glory.
Right now, after a pulled pork sandwich from Earl’s Rib Palace that was much too big, I think about that humble meal of chicken bones and sadza — served by starving, smiling people.
“All the days of the oppressed are wretched, but the cheerful heart has a continual feast.” (Proverbs 15:15)
Tuesday, May 16, 2006
PHOTO: Zimbabwean soccer ball
(By Erik)
They make them out of plastic bags, rocks and rubber bands, from what I could tell. Almost all the kids I met in Zimbabwe love soccer — or football, as it's called everywhere else in the world.
I'm back in Oklahoma after a week and a half in Africa. I visited Nhowe Mission hospital in rural Zimbabwe with a team from the East Pointe Church of Christ in Wichita, Kan.
It was quite an experience. I spoke at a funeral and ate warthog with a side of worms (not all in the same day, mind you).
I'm still trying to process it all, but will be posting about it in the next few days.
Click on the photo to see a larger version.
They make them out of plastic bags, rocks and rubber bands, from what I could tell. Almost all the kids I met in Zimbabwe love soccer — or football, as it's called everywhere else in the world.
I'm back in Oklahoma after a week and a half in Africa. I visited Nhowe Mission hospital in rural Zimbabwe with a team from the East Pointe Church of Christ in Wichita, Kan.
It was quite an experience. I spoke at a funeral and ate warthog with a side of worms (not all in the same day, mind you).
I'm still trying to process it all, but will be posting about it in the next few days.
Click on the photo to see a larger version.
Tuesday, May 02, 2006
Why I can never work at Steak N' Shake
(By Erik)
Me: “Good afternoon, sir, welcome to Steak N’ Shake. My name is Erik and I’ll be your server.”
Customer: “Yeah, I’ll have the chicken sandwich with the platter special …”
Me: “You don’t want that.”
Customer: Excuse me?
Me: You don’t want that. It’s chicken.
Customer: And why wouldn’t I want that?
Me: What’s it say on the door?
Customer: Huh?
Me: What’s the name of this place — on the door?
Customer: Steak N’ Shake?
Me: Does it say “Chicken N’ Shake?”
Customer: No.
Me: So what are you doing ordering chicken?
Customer: I guess I just wanted a chicken sandwich.
Me: So go to Chick-fil-a. Y’see, they actually have “Chicken” in their name. And their grilled chicken sandwich is delicious.
Customer: And yours isn’t?
Me: I dunno. Never tried it. You don’t come to Steak N’ Shake and eat chicken. It’s like going to Earl’s Rib Palace and ordering a grilled cheese. It’s crazy.
Customer: (sighing) OK, fine, I’ll have a hamburger.
Me: Steakburger.
Customer: Yeah, whatever.
Me: (teeth gritted) Saaaay it!
Customer: Alright, I want a STEAK-burger.
Me: Great. What kind?
Customer: I dunno. Maybe a double with cheese and …
Me: You don’t want that.
Customer: Huh? Why not?
Me: Well, I mean, if you’re getting a steakburger, you might as well get one of the melts. May I suggest the Frisco?
Customer: This one here? Let’s see … yeah, that’s fine.
Me: Great
Customer: Oh, wait. I don’t want that Frisco sauce on it.
Me: Excuse me?
Customer: This says it has something called Frisco sauce. I don’t want that. Maybe just a side of mayonnaise instead.
Me: Dude, you can’t do that!
Customer: Why not?
Me: Cause it’s not a Frisco melt without the Frisco sauce! It’s the sauce that makes it what it is. It’s perfect the way it is. You don’t mess with a classic. You don’t buy a Porsche and stick a giant Chevrolet sticker on it — or slather it in mayo. If that’s the kind of guy you are, just go straight over to Carl’s Jr.
Manager: I’m sorry sir, would you excuse us a moment.
Customer: Of course
Manager: This is the third time today, Erik. You can’t keep doing this.
Me: Well, it’s not my fault that these guys don’t know how to order.
Manager: I don’t think this is working out. Please turn in your apron and Steak N’ Shake hat, please.
Me: No, you can’t do this! I quit my job for this! I’ll pay you to let me work here. Please!
Manager: Let’s not make a scene, now.
Me: No, I have to be near the Frisco melts. I’ll wither and die without them!
Manager: Alright, alright, you can keep the hat.
Me: Excellent! Thanks.
Me: “Good afternoon, sir, welcome to Steak N’ Shake. My name is Erik and I’ll be your server.”
Customer: “Yeah, I’ll have the chicken sandwich with the platter special …”
Me: “You don’t want that.”
Customer: Excuse me?
Me: You don’t want that. It’s chicken.
Customer: And why wouldn’t I want that?
Me: What’s it say on the door?
Customer: Huh?
Me: What’s the name of this place — on the door?
Customer: Steak N’ Shake?
Me: Does it say “Chicken N’ Shake?”
Customer: No.
Me: So what are you doing ordering chicken?
Customer: I guess I just wanted a chicken sandwich.
Me: So go to Chick-fil-a. Y’see, they actually have “Chicken” in their name. And their grilled chicken sandwich is delicious.
Customer: And yours isn’t?
Me: I dunno. Never tried it. You don’t come to Steak N’ Shake and eat chicken. It’s like going to Earl’s Rib Palace and ordering a grilled cheese. It’s crazy.
Customer: (sighing) OK, fine, I’ll have a hamburger.
Me: Steakburger.
Customer: Yeah, whatever.
Me: (teeth gritted) Saaaay it!
Customer: Alright, I want a STEAK-burger.
Me: Great. What kind?
Customer: I dunno. Maybe a double with cheese and …
Me: You don’t want that.
Customer: Huh? Why not?
Me: Well, I mean, if you’re getting a steakburger, you might as well get one of the melts. May I suggest the Frisco?
Customer: This one here? Let’s see … yeah, that’s fine.
Me: Great
Customer: Oh, wait. I don’t want that Frisco sauce on it.
Me: Excuse me?
Customer: This says it has something called Frisco sauce. I don’t want that. Maybe just a side of mayonnaise instead.
Me: Dude, you can’t do that!
Customer: Why not?
Me: Cause it’s not a Frisco melt without the Frisco sauce! It’s the sauce that makes it what it is. It’s perfect the way it is. You don’t mess with a classic. You don’t buy a Porsche and stick a giant Chevrolet sticker on it — or slather it in mayo. If that’s the kind of guy you are, just go straight over to Carl’s Jr.
Manager: I’m sorry sir, would you excuse us a moment.
Customer: Of course
Manager: This is the third time today, Erik. You can’t keep doing this.
Me: Well, it’s not my fault that these guys don’t know how to order.
Manager: I don’t think this is working out. Please turn in your apron and Steak N’ Shake hat, please.
Me: No, you can’t do this! I quit my job for this! I’ll pay you to let me work here. Please!
Manager: Let’s not make a scene, now.
Me: No, I have to be near the Frisco melts. I’ll wither and die without them!
Manager: Alright, alright, you can keep the hat.
Me: Excellent! Thanks.
Sunday, April 30, 2006
Check out these blogs
(By Erik)
In an effort to confuse and bewilder you, I’ve broken down the barriers between blogs national and international in our list of blogs (to your right).
I’ve also added a few new blogs to the ever-growing list:
robbrowne.blogspot.com — Rob Browne is a former missionary to Novosibirsk, Russia, who now works for an organization called World Wide Youth Camps. His ministry organizes camps for children and teens around the globe. Rob’s a fellow graduate of Lipscomb University.
jphilwilson.blogspot.com — Speaking of Lipscomb alums, Phil Wilson was reviews editor for the student newspaper, The Babbler, when I was a freshman. (Yes, that was the name of our student newspaper. It’s scriptural — from the books of Acts.) Phil’s got a podcasting project going that looks really interesting. I need to listen to one or two of them. Check it out.
intorwanda.blogspot.com — Dave and Jana Jenkins lived in Oklahoma City for a year when Dave was our visiting missionary at Oklahoma Christian University. Now he’s a full-time missionary in Rwanda — the first from churches of Christ.
remains.blogspot.com — This is a great site by J.D., a minister in the hurricane-ravaged Gulf Coast. He’s got a bunch of great thoughts on recovering from the storm, and a really good page of links to other sites by Church of Christ folks.
And speaking of sites you should check out:
Ask a Ninja — This is one of the funniest podcasts I've seen. The Ninja answers questions on topics from physics to George Clooney. (The "Ninja Omnibus" podcast is my personal favorite. Enjoy!)
In an effort to confuse and bewilder you, I’ve broken down the barriers between blogs national and international in our list of blogs (to your right).
I’ve also added a few new blogs to the ever-growing list:
robbrowne.blogspot.com — Rob Browne is a former missionary to Novosibirsk, Russia, who now works for an organization called World Wide Youth Camps. His ministry organizes camps for children and teens around the globe. Rob’s a fellow graduate of Lipscomb University.
jphilwilson.blogspot.com — Speaking of Lipscomb alums, Phil Wilson was reviews editor for the student newspaper, The Babbler, when I was a freshman. (Yes, that was the name of our student newspaper. It’s scriptural — from the books of Acts.) Phil’s got a podcasting project going that looks really interesting. I need to listen to one or two of them. Check it out.
intorwanda.blogspot.com — Dave and Jana Jenkins lived in Oklahoma City for a year when Dave was our visiting missionary at Oklahoma Christian University. Now he’s a full-time missionary in Rwanda — the first from churches of Christ.
remains.blogspot.com — This is a great site by J.D., a minister in the hurricane-ravaged Gulf Coast. He’s got a bunch of great thoughts on recovering from the storm, and a really good page of links to other sites by Church of Christ folks.
And speaking of sites you should check out:
Ask a Ninja — This is one of the funniest podcasts I've seen. The Ninja answers questions on topics from physics to George Clooney. (The "Ninja Omnibus" podcast is my personal favorite. Enjoy!)
Saturday, April 22, 2006
Tuesday, April 18, 2006
Ah ... coffee
(By Erik)
We visited the new Starbucks tonight.
There’s a Starbucks in the Target superstore about two miles from us to the north and another one on Broadway about a mile and a half west. As you can see, we're woefully short on Starbuckses within a one-mile radius.
But no more. There’s a new one at the corner of 15th and Bryant — right across the street from Panera.
I ordered a grande mocha frappuccino, which came out caramel for some reason, but it’s very good. (Jeanie said that my “mocha” often comes out sounding “caramel,” so perhaps it was my fault.)
As I was emptying the contents of my wallet to pay for this delicious beverage, the cashier asked me “Would you like some free coffee?” Turns out they were giving away nice-sized bags of something called “Caffé Verona Bold.”
The cashier assured me it was good. I assured her that if it were free, I didn’t need convincing.
Pretty much, if the question begins with “Would you like a free …?” you don’t need to ask me any more. Just assume “yes.”
“Free spearmint gum?”
Great!
“Free trombone lessons?”
Sure!
“Free colonoscopy?”
Throw it in the cart! I don’t know what it is, but it sounds delicious!
We visited the new Starbucks tonight.
There’s a Starbucks in the Target superstore about two miles from us to the north and another one on Broadway about a mile and a half west. As you can see, we're woefully short on Starbuckses within a one-mile radius.
But no more. There’s a new one at the corner of 15th and Bryant — right across the street from Panera.
I ordered a grande mocha frappuccino, which came out caramel for some reason, but it’s very good. (Jeanie said that my “mocha” often comes out sounding “caramel,” so perhaps it was my fault.)
As I was emptying the contents of my wallet to pay for this delicious beverage, the cashier asked me “Would you like some free coffee?” Turns out they were giving away nice-sized bags of something called “Caffé Verona Bold.”
The cashier assured me it was good. I assured her that if it were free, I didn’t need convincing.
Pretty much, if the question begins with “Would you like a free …?” you don’t need to ask me any more. Just assume “yes.”
“Free spearmint gum?”
Great!
“Free trombone lessons?”
Sure!
“Free colonoscopy?”
Throw it in the cart! I don’t know what it is, but it sounds delicious!
Sunday, April 16, 2006
PHOTO: Happiness is a popsicle
(By Erik)
I shot this in San Pedro, Belize, just ouside the newly constructed Church of Christ. (The church is off camera to the right.) No matter where you live in the world, a popsicle is hard to beat — even in Siberia, I'd wager. (Back me up, Rob, if you're reading this.)
Click on the photo for a larger image and links to additional photos from Belize.
I shot this in San Pedro, Belize, just ouside the newly constructed Church of Christ. (The church is off camera to the right.) No matter where you live in the world, a popsicle is hard to beat — even in Siberia, I'd wager. (Back me up, Rob, if you're reading this.)
Click on the photo for a larger image and links to additional photos from Belize.
Saturday, April 15, 2006
PHOTO: Sunset over San Pedro
(By Erik)
Great people and great seafood. Exactly what I’d recommend in a mission trip.
I spent about a week in Belize, which, if you don’t know, is a small country of about 266,000 people just east of Guatemala and just south of Mexico. It’s about one-fourth the size, population-wise, of the Oklahoma, and, as you might expect, everybody there seems to know everybody else.
I joined a mission team that goes down to Belize at least once per year. Windle and Barbara Kee of Onalaska, Texas, headed up the team. I know Windle’s brother, Doyle Kee, through my work with the Chronicle. Doyle is a longtime missionary to Switzerland, and Windle and Barbara have done extensive work in Belize and Cameroon, where their son is a full-time missionary.
Dale Gaither, a member of our small-group Bible study here in Edmond, has gone to Belize with the Kees before and recommended the trip to me.
I also recommended the trip (before I went on it) to Dennis Cady, one of the elders of the Faith Village Church of Christ in Wichita Falls, Texas. Dennis is a longtime missionary to Indonesia. He wanted to take all three of his children, their spouses and all six of his grandchildren on a mission trip, but, since the kids are young, he didn’t want more than a two- or three-hour plane ride. And he was looking for an English-speaking country outside the U.S. Belize fit the bill.
At the time I recommended the trip, I didn’t know I’d be going on it myself, but the timing worked out, so there we all were in Belize. At one point there were 31 of us on this trip, but we didn’t all do the same thing or go to same places, so it was a manageable group.
I’ll post some more about the trip as I get time. The photo, by the way, is of a sunset over the marsh on the island of San Pedro, where we spent the last three days of our trip working with the local church. It’s a beautiful island with a lot of touristy stuff, but a lot of great people, too.
Great people and great seafood. Exactly what I’d recommend in a mission trip.
I spent about a week in Belize, which, if you don’t know, is a small country of about 266,000 people just east of Guatemala and just south of Mexico. It’s about one-fourth the size, population-wise, of the Oklahoma, and, as you might expect, everybody there seems to know everybody else.
I joined a mission team that goes down to Belize at least once per year. Windle and Barbara Kee of Onalaska, Texas, headed up the team. I know Windle’s brother, Doyle Kee, through my work with the Chronicle. Doyle is a longtime missionary to Switzerland, and Windle and Barbara have done extensive work in Belize and Cameroon, where their son is a full-time missionary.
Dale Gaither, a member of our small-group Bible study here in Edmond, has gone to Belize with the Kees before and recommended the trip to me.
I also recommended the trip (before I went on it) to Dennis Cady, one of the elders of the Faith Village Church of Christ in Wichita Falls, Texas. Dennis is a longtime missionary to Indonesia. He wanted to take all three of his children, their spouses and all six of his grandchildren on a mission trip, but, since the kids are young, he didn’t want more than a two- or three-hour plane ride. And he was looking for an English-speaking country outside the U.S. Belize fit the bill.
At the time I recommended the trip, I didn’t know I’d be going on it myself, but the timing worked out, so there we all were in Belize. At one point there were 31 of us on this trip, but we didn’t all do the same thing or go to same places, so it was a manageable group.
I’ll post some more about the trip as I get time. The photo, by the way, is of a sunset over the marsh on the island of San Pedro, where we spent the last three days of our trip working with the local church. It’s a beautiful island with a lot of touristy stuff, but a lot of great people, too.
Thursday, April 13, 2006
Karen-gratulations!
Our good friend Karen Reynolds is engaged and is getting hitched this July. Click here to see the ring.
Wednesday, April 12, 2006
More posts a-comin'!
(By Erik)
Scores of Tryggblog fans (and by that, I mean Ann) are yearning for — nay, demanding — more posts. I'm just back from the beautiful island of San Pedro, Belize, and have lots to talk about. I'm "unloading" my camera now and will share photos soon.
Sorry for the delay!
Scores of Tryggblog fans (and by that, I mean Ann) are yearning for — nay, demanding — more posts. I'm just back from the beautiful island of San Pedro, Belize, and have lots to talk about. I'm "unloading" my camera now and will share photos soon.
Sorry for the delay!
Tuesday, March 21, 2006
Moe’s law of stuff on its menu that’s not good
(By Erik)
Such a thing does not exist.
(These are getting harder to write.)
Friday, March 17, 2006
Review: The God Who Wasn't There
(By Erik)
I recently rented The God Who Wasn’t There through Netflix. It’s a Michael Moore-style documentary by Brian Flemming, an atheist who went to a fundamentalist Christian school when he was a child.
I wrote the following review to post on Netflix’s Web site, but the limit was 300 words. Here’s the complete version:
I am a born-again Christian and work for a Christian newspaper.
And I think that every Christian should see this film.
It is imperative that we, as believers, expose ourselves to competing and alternate beliefs. Some members of my own church likely will disagree with me, but I believe that the truth stands up to all scrutiny.
Brian Fleming gives an honest, heart-wrenching look at his own belief system. (We all believe in something, whether it’s God or not. And we all worship something, whether it’s God, possessions or science.)
And he makes some wonderful points. First of all, we’ve done a lousy job of educating people about Christian history after the life of Christ. We must be more aware of our history — the good and the bad. Fleming accurately points out that a lot of people have said and done a lot of stupid things in the name of Christ (from Waco to Pat Robertson).
Fleming’s statement, “Moderate Christianity makes no sense” absolutely blew me away. All I can say is “Amen!” Too many of us these days think Christianity is all about having a weekly “worship experience” with a kickin’ praise band and a bunch of other people who look just like us.
Not so. Jesus didn’t teach that. Nor did he teach anti-Semitism or violence, as Fleming asserts. The whole argument that Christians are violent, bloody people seems to be based on the success of the film The Passion of the Christ. That film’s success among Christians had more to do with the publicity and the fact that it was one of those rare movies that played to large-scale audiences.
There are a few other things I want to point out about the film. First of all, Fleming’s assertion that the apostle Paul himself denied Jesus’ mortality is simply wrong. He cites Hebrews 8:4 as proof of this: “If Jesus had been on Earth …”
You’ll have a hard time finding a version of the Bible that uses the word “had” in this verse. Most use the word “were,” and the context tells us that the meaning is more along the lines of: “If Jesus were on the earth right now …”
(And if you want to quote Paul, you really shouldn’t use the book of Hebrews. In all likelihood, Paul didn’t write it. Some scholars have attributed it to Barnabas or Apollos.)
Fleming also stacks the deck against Christianity in his choice of sources. For the cause of atheism he includes interviews with religion scholars and other academics.
Representing Christianity, he uses a rather combative interview with the headmaster of the Christian school he attended and an interview with a contractor who has set up a Web site to send e-mails to people “after the Rapture.” Plus he throws in some “on-the-street” interviews with Christians that come across much like the “Jaywalking” segments on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno.
It’s also obvious that Fleming’s understanding of the “unforgivable sin” hasn’t matured much since his days in the pews of his Christian primary school. Many scholars believe that “blasphemy against the Holy Spirit” is the willful denying of the Spirit’s power when you know it to be the work of God. I’m not sure about that, but I know it’s not something you can do by accident.
When Fleming describes his experiences at the Christian school, he’s describing the same kind of doubt that all of us go through as believers. Questioning our beliefs is important to our spiritual formation. It bothers me that he didn’t seem to have anyone to hear his concerns and discuss his questions.
Despite his “attempted blasphemy” at the end of the film (denying the Holy Spirit on camera) I believe that Fleming isn’t beyond saving.
Truth is, our faith needs more people like him — people of talent and conviction who have confronted their beliefs (or lack thereof) and have something to say.
Wednesday, March 15, 2006
I'm a Mahatma? Who'da thunk it?
(By Erik)
I took a "What political leader do you resemble most?" test that I stole from Stacey's blog.
Here's my result.
(That is to say, I resemble this person philosophically, not physically, I think. -- I still have my hair!)
Take the test yourself and let me know how you fared!
I took a "What political leader do you resemble most?" test that I stole from Stacey's blog.
Here's my result.
(That is to say, I resemble this person philosophically, not physically, I think. -- I still have my hair!)
Take the test yourself and let me know how you fared!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
