Tell You [a] Little Story

I have been getting some very strange recorded calls lately reminding me about obscure issues to think about in the next election, or some moral issue to consider, or the proper way to dispose of toxic chemicals. Weird stuff. But what just happened beats them all--I was just totally lied to by a computer! The conversation went something like this: --Hello? --Hi. This is Mike calling from the Dove Corporation and I can assure you, this is not a solicitation. Can I please speak with Emily? --This is Emily. --Emily, hi! The morals in today's movies are going downhill and Hollywood controls all of that. They are just not making movies with family values in mind, and it's only going to get worse. Let me ask you, do you have children under the age of 16? --Yes. Who is this again? --I am calling from a company out of Delaware called the Dove Company. It is spelled D-O-V-E, and no, it has nothing to do with the soap. We are concerned with the lack of decency i...

Some of my favorite posts on some of my favorite blogs. Monoglot --My brother knows everything. The Godfreys --Dumb family jokes, maybe, but so much fun to make a Bollywood movie. Nienie --I love that story. Suzie --She has mastered the delicate art of telling a story about someone who may possibly read what you wrote. Carly --Her second most endearing post, since "Junque for Jesus" was a little too controversial for the masses and had to be laid to rest. More to come. I get so bored with the same old thing showing up on my blog, I thought a partial post would suffice to move that durn restaurant photo down the page.

A Toss of Field GREENS with Pear, Peppered Pecans, Radish & Warm Goat Cheese Red Onion Vinaigrette Almond -Crusted Rainbow TROUT, Smoked Red Bell Pepper Sauce Noodles with Asparagus Banana Rolled in Flour Tortillas, Quickly Fried; Dusted with Cinnamon Sugar Topped with Chocolate & Banana Ice Cream

Last summer, in Phoenix, a woman came home from a birthday party to find her parents and brother murdered, and her two children missing. It was believed that her husband had killed her family members when they would not let him take his children, and then he fled with the children to Mexico. She pled for the safe return of the children. Then, the children were found safe in Mexico, the man arrested and eventually extradited back to the US, and a reunion was organized for the mom with her kids. There was much media attention through the whole ordeal. The community seemed relieved that there was something of a happy ending for this woman who had already been through so much. This weekend, the little girl, 4 years old, was playing in a parking lot with her mother standing feet away. The little girl was hit by a 72-year-old man in a truck who got out to check the damage of his truck before glancing at the child and getting back in and driving away. The mother was hysterical. The little g...

I keep getting forwarded emails of a picture of a Baptist church sign with a funny message for the Mormons: "Service canceled due to loss of pastor to Mormon missionaries." "If you didn't finish the Book of Mormon, you can come to our church." I got two today. (Thanks, Jocelyn, for the inspiration for this blog.) If there are more out there, by all means, send them my way. I will start a little collection of Baptist church sayings. But that's not what I wanted to talk about. I wanted to talk about how I was asked to speak in church on Sunday about Seeing Others the Way Heavenly Father Sees Them; aka Not Judging Others; aka Charity. As is usual with every topic about which I am asked to sermonize, I could be a little better in the area. So I'm working on it, this week especially, to try to see the infinite worth of all the individuals I encounter; to not judge them or be jealous of them or look down on them; to not do anything to them except have pure and...

I'm taking roll . I'm curious: who is reading this? I think it's important to know, for example, if my inquisitive neighbor has read about herself. What about questionable doctrine lady? What about Carly and Marcy ? If you would, just this once, identify yourself in the comments, I would be most appreciative. Friends, strangers, familial relations, lurkers, stalkers, one and all, please come forward. Make yourself known. You can say "here" or "present" or recount what book you are currently reading or your favorite lyric from your favorite song from The Doors. Anything you want to say. Just say something. Ready? Go.

Ever wonder where you would end up if you dug a hole from your house to the other side of the earth? China? Think again. If you're like me, you'd end up smack dab in the middle of the Indian Ocean, swimming like mad for Madagascar. Try it for yourself.