hODgEpoDGe

We went to bed last night with big white fluffy flakes falling and Luke lamenting that nothing was sticking and cursing the weather channel for once again getting his hopes up. He awoke several times throughout the night, putting on his glasses and running out to the window to see how the snow situation was developing. This morning we woke up with our neighborhood blanketed in snow, and a much happier Luke than went to bed last night. Thus now we are sitting together in our tiny living room. Luke working and me blogging, while Susan Page of USA Today, sitting in for Diane Rehm, talks to her guests about Strategy in Iraq. The promise of an afternoon walk in the snow lingers in the air.

The other night Luke was practicing his ventriloquism. He thinks he's really good. I told him I'd let my blogging friends decide.

So what do you think? Should we go ahead and buy him a puppet friend? =)

(Yes, that is Gladiator music playing in the background. We watched it the other night. It never fails to make me cry...)

Yesterday marked the beginning of my Lent. I struggled with what I was going to give up this year (hence the lateness), and then my friend Amanda pointed out this article from Scott Bessenecker (who I've mentioned before, and who I think is pretty cool). While I'm not going to be legalistic about it, I have decided to eat alongside the poor for Lent. I started yesterday with some rice and zucchini which I ate with my hands (naturally).

I'm really excited about Lent this year. While I've always had some of an understanding of what it is about, I did some extra research this year. I also attended an Ash Wednesday service at the Basilica, which was quite impressive, though I find the entire Shrine a little bit sickening (especially as I start out on this journey of trying to identify with the poor). But it is interesting to intentionally think about Easter for a full six weeks leading up to it. To think about the implications it has, and to intentionally deny yourself something in order to draw closer with God. I'm really, really excited about Lent this year.

Speaking of Amanda, she also sent me this picture entitled "The Value of $300" by an artist called "Scott the Painter". Which I find thought provoking and I like it. A lot.

What do you think?

(And lest you think that I'm stroking my own ego here since I personally do not own an ipod and detest all things apple, I really think that you can replace the ipod with anything...including the ski trip Luke and I are planning on taking this weekend. It's just an interesting thought...and something that Luke and I have thought a lot about/ struggled a lot with...)

There is this fun activity going around on facebook that I found so cool that I did it twice. Here are the results and the rules so you can do it too!

(You can click on those to make them bigger/easier to read).

1 - Go to Wikipedia. Hit “random... Read More”
or click http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:Random
The first random Wikipedia article you get is the name of your band.

2 - Go to "Random quotations"
or click http://www.quotationspage.com/random.php3
The last four or five words of the very last quote of the page is the title of your first album.

3 - Go to Flickr and click on “explore the last seven days”
or click http://www.flickr.com/explore/interesting/7days
Third picture, no matter what it is, will be your album cover.

4 - Use Photoshop or similar to put it all together.

I saw this bumper sticker on a BMW on Saturday and it made me want to throw up a lot. Something tells me that his treasure is on earth. The car had leather seats. (I know it was a "him" because he also had a bumper sticker that said "real men love Jesus"). But maybe he got it as a gift...

I've been continuing my incredibly long journey through The Brothers Karamazov. I have a love-hate relationship with this book. But nevertheless I am determined to finish it--through both the long monologues as well as the action-packed dialogues. I'll let you know what I think. I just finished the section entitled The Grand Inquisitor, which was incredibly interesting. The basis of the poem, which is written by the middle brother, Ivan, is that Jesus comes back down to earth for just one day to walk among His people. The Grand Inquisitor, a Catholic Priest, has Jesus arrested and puts him through a series of question/statements about how Jesus and His life has not shown love to the people, but rather has caused pain and suffering in those who choose to question what is right or wrong. The Grand Inquisitor asks Jesus why He didn't just bow to Satan at the beginning of His ministry and provide bread to the masses, therefore making it easy for them to love Him. Throughout the whole chapter Jesus just sits there listening. This is how it ends:

"I meant it to end like this. When the Inquisitor stopped speaking he waited some time for his Prisoner to answer him. His silence weighed down upon him. He saw that the Prisoner had listened carefully all the time, looking gently in his face. But evidently he did not want to reply. The old man longed for Him to say something, however bitter and terrible. But He suddenly approached the old man in silence and softly kissed him on the forehead. This was his answer. The old man shuddered. His lips moved. He went to the door, opened it and said to Him: 'Go, and come no more...Come not at all, never, never!' And he let Him out into the dark alleys of the town. The Prisoner went away."
"And the old man?"
"The kiss glows in his heart, but the old man holds to his idea."

That is why I will keep reading this silly book that has plagued me for 2 years. Because I know in my heart of hearts that Dostoyevsky is a genius and will give me glimpses into the human psyche that will be life changing.

Or maybe I'm giving him too much credit.

Alright, that's all for now. If anybody has even stuck around to the end of this hodgepodge post.

(PS. The picture that has been appearing throughout this post is by Elizabeth Leach. I just googled "hodgepodge" and it came up, but I really like her art work).