Happy (Almost) Valentine's Day

Howdy folks,

I wasn't planning on doing two "holiday" postings in a row, but I didn't get around to posting last week (I've been pretty busy) so here we are...

Friday ended up being a pretty fun day. After teaching, I had lunch with my friend Ami at the Union, and we ended up with a table full of mostly international students and had some great conversation on a broad variety of topics.

After that, I ran a few errands, and then headed off to Church for the dress rehearsal for the Valentine's Day Banquet that we hold every year. I normally wouldn't go, as its mostly for couples, and also Java Love is the same day, but somehow I got talked into helping provide entertainment for the evening.

My friend Jane Linsenmeyer coordinates our efforts and wrote most of the script. We basically did a variety show based on the Regis and Kelly Lee Show. And No, I wasn't Regis. Jane was Kelly Lee, and her friend Jason was Regis. As guests, they had the winners of last year's Mr and Mrs Oak Lake Pageant, some French Chefs who did a live cooking demonstration, a musical Guest, and a Valentine's Day Quiz in which couples from the audience were pulled up on stage to answer Newlywed Game type of questions.

I was the musical guest - Justin TimberLuvin' Jackson. I don't actually get to sing solos very often, and I actually do enjoy performing, so it was a lot of fun, and the response from the audience was overwhelming. I sang "Almost Like Being in Love", "The Great Pretender", and "My Funny Valentine".

The show as a whole was a big success. People laughed really hard at times, and really enjoyed it. The cast really threw themselves into their roles. It is really fun to be part of something like that, but it is also time consuming.

After the Banquet, I headed over to catch the end of Java Love, and made it in time to hear see the last skit, and to hear Bob and Sandy Walz share about their relationship. I was really encouraged about what they had to say. It was very God-honoring, and focused on the idea that only God can fully meet our need for love and intimacy, and also that God makes each of us uniquely, and He writes a different story for each of us in the events of our lives and in our relationships. They gave some really good examples, stories, and principles, and shared openly about their difficulties and struggles, and how God revealed Himself to them through them.
I heard that the other speakers were really good too, but as I wasn't there to hear them, I'll leave comments about them to others.

Anyhow, I hope that this Valentine's Day you are able to fully receive and experience intimacy with the only true and perfect lover of your soul - God Himself.

Happy Groundhog Day!

Hiya All.

I thought I'd take a moment to recognize one of the least appreciated holidays of the year. This is probably because it is based around the concept that a ground rodent residing in a small rural town in Pennsylvania somehow possesses preternatural abilities pertaining to prognosticating the nascence of the vernal season, which we all know is utter hooey.

Despite the fact that I am not a fan of the holiday, I am a big fan of the movie of the same name (starring Bill Murray). So much so, that I list it among my classic comedic favorites, (alongside Better Off Dead, and Some Like it Hot) and I try to watch it once a year around the time of the actual day.

That being said, I'm thinking of arranging a viewing this weekend, so if you are out here in Lincoln land and want to join in the festivities, give me a ring and I'll get you the details.

I'd also like to give you all a chance to chime in on the movie -- in a way appropriate to the season. So the question is whether watching Groundhog Day the movie equates to the coming of an early spring, or to six weeks of bitter winter.