whereisjodi.

I asked God for strength that I might achieve,
I was made weak that I might learn humbly to obey.
I asked for health, that I might do greater things,
I was given infirmity that I might do better things.
I asked for riches that I might be happy,
I was given poverty, that I might be wise.
I asked for power, that I might have the praise of men,
I was given weakness, that I might feel the need for God.
I asked for all things, that I might enjoy life,
I was given life, that I might enjoy all things.
I got nothing that I asked for - but everything I had hoped for.
Almost despite myself, my unspoken prayers were answered.
I am among all men, most richly blessed.
- by an unknown soldier

I was especially moved by the line about weakness "that I might feel the need for God." Boy how that resonates today.

Posted by authorjodi at 08:56 AM | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)

Are arranged marriages the next big trend in America? Here's an article by an author trying to explain the benefits, but I think it'll be a hard sell in America.

Larry King got triple ratings for his Paris Hilton interview Wednesday. 3.2 million! I can't believe 3.2 million people took the time to tune in and listen to that girl. Too bad we can't mobilize 3.2 million to call their congressman about something slightly more important...say responsible immigration reform?

Bill Clinton was forgiven because he "didn't inhale." A few years and a few decayed standards later, Barack Obama was forgiven because he admitted to using cocaine instead of waiting for reporters to dig it up. But poor Mitt Romney has yet to find forgiveness for putting his dog in a carrier on the roof of his car for a roadtrip almost 25 years ago. I'm not sure I'd feel that great about putting an animal on the roof, even well-protected, but it was 25 years ago! If we're talking about bad decisions as a younger person, I think I'd choose the guy who had a family to haul and not enough room for everything over the guy who used an illegal, highly addictive drug.

Posted by authorjodi at 07:34 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

I've made a little fun of people who prayed for patience -- isn't that just like asking God to drop frustrating people and situations into your lap? I guess I should have known that praying for faith would be just as foolhardy...

After a morning of consultations between me and the mechanic, my uncle and the mechanic, me and my uncle, me and my father, the mechanic and my father........ ;) I had the dubious honor of ordering a brand new transmission for Bertha. That's a slightly better outcome than ordering a brand new engine, but I have to be honest, I'm still in a bit of sticker shock.

In truth, the consultation between me and my father included a few tears before I got my act together, so if I don't see a serious bump in my faith level after this, I think I might have to put that particular prayer on hiatus. ;)

Posted by authorjodi at 03:27 PM | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)

Raise your hand if you know what it means to lunch an engine. I had to drive less than 20 miles today -- probably closer to 15 -- and a couple miles away from my destination I thought I noticed white smoke. However, it was rainy and misty and the smoke quickly dissipated, so I held my breath and kept going. One mile from my destination I stopped at a light and white smoke came circling around the cab.

This is not good.

But there were no lights on! Feel free to laugh, but in the absence of any innate car sense I cling tightly to the dashboard theory my father carefully explained to me -- if a light goes on pull over immediately. So no light...maybe I can limp one more mile to my destination.

I pulled in front of the pastorate and white smoke engulfed me. However, my final destination was only 100 yards away so I thought...come on Bertha...you can make it...and I nursed my way into the parking spot. Key off and a loud BANG. Hood open and whoooooooosh white smoke everywhere.

I gotta tell ya, I laughed. I think I mentioned that I read Randy Alcorn's Treasure Principle a couple months ago. In it I was reminded how everything I have is really God's anyway, so I looked up at the sky and told God it was too bad about His RV and what did He propose we do about it. ;) Then I thanked Him that it happened when and where it did. I was, after all, driving 200 miles through the boondocks of Florida in blazing heat just a few days ago. Now I'm in a spot I could conceivably stay a few extra days if necessary, staying with someone I know who can recommend an honest mechanic (who just happens to be across the street).

My father telephonically diagnosed a blown head gasket and introduced me to the term 'lunched' which means...if I remember correctly...that <something> broke and antifreeze went all through the engine and the engine is kaput. I also learned that white smoke is oil, black smoke is gas. Or is it blue smoke that's oil and white smoke that's... Yeah, guess I didn't learn that lesson quite as well. :p

Several of the guys at the church decided it was maybe the transmission and a look at the transmission fluid holder thingy determined that the transmission fluid dipsticky thing was bone dry. We're going to get some fluid in the morning and then see if "we" can see where the leak is.

After prayer meeting and dinner I said goodnight to my new hosts and called my marvelously-mechanic uncle and stood outside at 10 o'clock at night with a flashlight in my mouth trying to open the radiator. First, I confess, I had to double-check that what I thought was the radiator truly was the radiator. Under orders, I turned it halfway, and after not being blown up, turned it the rest of the way and took the cap off. Green fluid coolant...check. I even moved the flashlight around a little to see that none of the belts were munched. I am quite flush with my new mechanicalness.

A new transmission is better than a new engine, so obviously I hope it's just that, if not something even more lovely and cheap. Thankfully I'm still skating on my faith high and haven't yet sunk into anxiety over how one might conceivably pay for a new engine when one's bank account spends most of its time in the negligible range. ;)

Posted by authorjodi at 07:23 PM | Permalink | Comments (2) | TrackBacks (0)

A couple praises in my life have me singing today. First, my house rented in less than a week and there will be no lag in collected rent, therefore no need to quickly make a couple grand to cover the mortgage. Praise God! Second, a much needed person has arrived to help out with my part in the short term mission ministry at my church and an issue that's been giving me both headaches and nightmares. Praise God again!

In honor of that, I'm going to give you a couple good news items I found today:

• I read a great, cheerful article this morning by Janet Folger regarding the abortion fight. It's about as inspiring a piece as I've read in a long time on that subject and reminded me of a factoid that popped out at me last week when I read O'Reilly's Culture Warrior. He said <if I remember correctly> that 85% of the counties in America do not have physicians willing to do abortions. To me that is a wonderful statistic.
  
• US Weekly has decided not to put Paris Hilton on the cover this week, nor even mention her in the edition. Here's to more of this kind of responsible journalism! ;)
• A 72-year old man seemed like an easy hit for a 27-year old pickpocketer. Unfortunately for the thief, the 72-year old turned out to be a former marine and gave the kid something to think about.
  

Posted by authorjodi at 01:20 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

The Montgomery County Board of Education in Maryland has made a breakthrough of earth-shattering magnitude. Somehow they've proven what hundreds of scientists and millions of dollars have, to date, been unable to confirm: homosexuality is present at birth and is unchangeable.

Oh wait. I guess there's different definitions of "prove." In this case, they've just decided the above fact is true and have instituted it into their curriculum.

Unit 8:2 of the new 8th grade textbook includes a definition of innate from the 2006 edition of the Merriam Webster's Dictionary as meaning "determined by factors present in an individual from birth." The curriculum then instructs teachers to "Say to students, 'Sexual orientation is innate and a complex part of one's personality."

I have a question for you. Suppose a Board of Education decided to institute a curriculum that threw the theory of evolution out the window and only taught creationism. I wonder if they'd get away with it? Or, sticking with the sex ed theme, suppose they decided to teach abstinence as the best and only way to prevent teen pregnancy, STD's and etc. Oops -- that one's actually empirically provable as true.

Homosexuality is not the same as math, it's a controversial issue with vehement feelings on both sides. Exposing children to curriculum that includes homosexuality is bad enough, but teaching them unproven theory as fact is unconscionable. (Thanks to Hal for mentioning the article)

Posted by authorjodi at 10:14 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

We put into a public beach for lunch and floated in the shallow water while eating leftovers and drinking the aforementioned Propel water. Thankfully we weren't set upon by too many seagulls because some kids down the beach were feeding them. I couldn't believe how warm the water was. It was quite refreshing actually, but if I got into water less than a foot deep it was too hot for comfort under the hot sun.

While I was floating, for just in instant I had a feeling I've had before...wondering how heaven could be any better than this. I knew exactly how, when that quick instant of bliss was shoved out of my mind and replaced with worries and concerns, but it reminded me again how tough we have it in America. With a little hard work, or a little luck, or a little suing of people who've offended us...we can lay our hands on almost unimaginable wealth and excess. Surrounded as we are by false treasures, it's easy to be lulled into a warped sense of reality. To work hard for that next piece of future junk society assures us will bring that much longed for satisfication, respect, prestige.

But I digress. ;) After lunch we got back on the boat and started to make our way back to the launch. We saw a fin in the water and thought it was a dolphin, so we spun around and went back. Then we saw several fins and thought they might be baby dolphins...but when we got close enough to really tell it turned out to be a couple small sharks fighting over a fish carcass. When one of them turned and started toward us I got so scared I lost my balance and fell off the boat.

Just kidding. Actually, they turned out to be tarpin fish. They were pretty big, for a person used to rainbow trout in the Snake River, and they acted like they were on drugs. They were swimming in circles, laying sideways with one fin sticking out of the water. Occasionally one would do a little dolphin dip and jump with it's head out of the water. They disappeared once we got close and so we turned back around.

Unfortunately, at that point the wind decided to go kaput and the tide was also working hard to wash us out to sea. We tacked about six times and, after the seventh time we'd passed the same fisherman, Sandy called it quits. Here's a picture of how we proceeded at that point:

Unfortunately we were on the wrong side of the inlet so after hiking for awhile we got back in and tacked about 15 times to land at the correct beach. While Sandy went up to get the car I tried to get a picture of the sand crab she'd spotted. Sadly, this is as good as I was able to get because every time I got close it would stop and I'd be afraid it was going to dart back and latch onto my toe:

Overall, a wonderful day of sailing. My knees and forearms got a little sunburned, but the pink is already gone this morning. And I only have a small scab over my eye from the spar smackdown, not the black eye like I'd halfway hoped. How sad is that? I thought a black eye earned from getting beaned by a mast would make a great picture for my blog. :p

Posted by authorjodi at 09:39 AM | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)

Posted by authorjodi at 08:48 AM | Permalink | Comments (2) | TrackBacks (0)

Some spam is just too priceless for words. What I'd like to know is who would fall for something like this, which I just received:

Hi,
How are you doing today? My name is James Adamati I live in London and work in a financial institution here in United Kingdom. There is a potential transaction relating to a dormant account of one of our deceased customers, which I would like us to handle the fund actualization together. Secondly, I hope to relocate and acquire a home for my family with a view to establishing over there. I will be needing your assistance and co-operation in this endeavor. Let me know if I can trust you with the above and more information will be sent to you as quickly as possible.For further details,please contact me through my private email- 
Respectfully,
James Adamati

I know this is rather a lame post, but after sailing all day and then attending a rather ... interesting ... event this evening I'm too braindead to post anything better. I'll explain more tomorrow. :) 

Posted by authorjodi at 07:50 PM | Permalink | Comments (3) | TrackBacks (0)

I don't know if you remember the story I linked to a month or so ago, where a lawyer sued a dry cleaner for something like 67 million dollars because his pants got lost... Turns out there's a judge left in our country who hasn't lost his marbles. The lawyer lost his case and has been ordered to pay court costs for the dry cleaner. Well done!

Worms are a new contender in the global warming blame-game. Apparently they "produce greenhouse gases 290 times more potent than carbon dioxide."

BetUS.com is laying 20-1 odds that someone will be trampled when the Apple iPhone is unveiled June 29th.

Posted by authorjodi at 08:41 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Today I demonstrated once again that I was not born with a green thumb. I joined my host Sandy, herself a master gardener, at the local botanical gardens where she volunteers. We were charged with planting seedlings...or potting cuttings...sheesh, I can't even remember the correct lingo! :p I do know I was very nervous cutting off leaves willy nilly and jamming green stalks into the soil, but I managed to get a few done. Thankfully we soon moved on to "upgrading" and I was able to let Sandy handle the plants while I kept her supplied with wheelbarrows of dirt and trundled pots back and forth with a little yellow wagon. I got quite the system going and told her some were born with green thumbs and some were born efficiency experts. ;)

It felt pretty productive actually. As most of my work is computer related, there was something really satisfying about a spot of manual labor <especially when I no longer had to actually touch the plants and therefore risk killing them>. Of course I know myself well enough that if I had to work outside in the heat and humidity everyday the satisfaction would waver pretty quickly. 

We took a quick tour around the gardens and I got a lesson in Floridian alligators, ie., they're EVERYWHERE. Some dude was standing a couple inches from the pond as he was cleaning undergrowth and just casually mentioned he was keeping his eye out for the 8-foot alligator that lives there. Apparently you can't dip your toes into any water around here without risking the big whammy-slammy. I kept picturing in my mind's eye that stupid alligator movie I watched last week. ;)

I ended the day going to the movies with Sandy and her grandchildren. They wanted to see Pirates of the Caribbean so that's what we saw and I just have to say...wow. Seriously, wow! How could they spend that many millions of dollars on special effects and not toss a few bucks toward hiring a screenwriter capable of putting a coherent plot down on paper? :p

Posted by authorjodi at 07:30 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

One of my favorite Michael W. Smith songs is on my mind today, Never Been Unloved:

I have been unfaithful
I have been unworthy
I have been unrighteous
And I have been unmerciful

I have been unreachable
I have been unteachable
I have been unwilling
And I've been undesirable

And sometimes I have been unwise
I've been undone by what I'm unsure of
But because of You
And all that You went through
I know that I have never been unloved

I have been unbroken
I have been unmended
I have been uneasy
And I've been unapproachable

I've been unemotional
I've been unexceptional
I've been undecided
And I have been unqualified

Unaware, I have been unfair
I've been unfit for blessings from above
But even I can see
The sacrifice You made for me
To show that I have never been unloved

It's because of You
And all that You went through
I know that I have never been unloved

Posted by authorjodi at 01:32 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

The I-75 Super Flea was not the greatest sales effort ever attempted by moi. In fact, I sold a grand total of zero books, but boy was it an experience. Let's just say I didn't stumble across my target audience with folks who came looking for U&C (used & cheap). Whether or not they were readers was not the issue, but sandwiched between "antique" farm tools, previously-owned video games and exotic animal adoptions I didn't have much of a chance to stand out. ;)

If I had sold even two books I would have gone back tomorrow, but all I got after literally steaming in the sun for almost six hours was more fodder for my character files. While that makes today totally worthwhile, it doesn't tempt me into a repeat of the experience.

And now we will enter into Participation Saturday. I have a serious question I'm soliciting responses for in my quest to be in the world but not of the world. Or salt and light. Or...you get my drift.

Posted by authorjodi at 12:03 PM | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)

I was glad to see NBC refute the report that they were paying Paris $1M for her 'story'. Now if only they would also refute the fact of the interview itself -- maybe devoting the hour instead to the recent sayings of Ahmadinejad or, if they want something a little lighter, how about a show examining the phenomenen of Christian comedy.

I'm spending my Friday night, once again, experiencing extreme gratefulness over the invention of air conditioning. I know someone who will say it was all in my head, but I felt a significant increase in humidity when I crossed into Florida. :p

I've passed so many flea market signs in the south that I'm going to try my hand at vendoring one tomorrow. The bad news is I have to be there at 7:30 to set-up. The good news is, if I don't sell any books I'm only out 20 bucks and some sleep for the experiment. ;)

I'm pretty sure I won't be live blogging from the I-75 Super Flea, but I'll be sure to record my thoughts to share later.

Posted by authorjodi at 07:03 PM | Permalink | Comments (2) | TrackBacks (0)

I was reading in Daniel and came across the oft-quoted lion's den story. What stood out to me this morning was the jealousy of the other administrators because of Daniel's success. They determined to find something against him, but after careful study could not:

They could find no corruption in him, because he was trustworthy and neither corrupt nor negligent. Finally these men said, "We will never find any basis for charges against this man Daniel unless it has something to do with the law of his God."

What an awesome statement of Daniel's character, that they could find nothing against him excepting his faith in God, which conflicted with the practice at the time of worshiping the king and other various gods. That is something to strive for!

Posted by authorjodi at 07:13 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

I found quite a number of articles that interested me this morning, but I was ripping around trying to get out of dodge so I didn't have time to post them. Here's a quick look:

1. For all the bloviating in the mainstream media that they don't have any bias, poll after poll seems to show that the average American doesn't believe them. MSNBC has an interesting article discussing a study they did regarding campaign donations among reporters which seems to lend further credence to the theory of a left-leading media.
2. Two 14-year old girls were kicked off a public bus in Portland, OR for kissing. Each other. One of their mothers is considering a lawsuit.
3. As if I wasn't sick enough of the Paris scandal, NBC is giving her $1M for a sit-down interview after her release. She'll only speak to Meredith Vieira because apparently Matt Lauer made "disparaging" remarks about her.
4. A column out of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution discusses the current energy bill under consideration in the Senate which some say looks to increase gas to $6/gallon by 2016. The bill also includes "$29 billion in new taxes on oil companies. The tax is to subsidize wind and solar power, hybrid vehicles and biofuel."
5. A Knesset member in Israel has proposed "'rehabilitation centers' to suppress the sexual tendencies of gay people." This in the wake of some pretty hefty verbal jousting over a plan to stage a Gay Pride parade through the holy city of Jerusalem. Actually, I just checked Stacy's site and the parade apparently happened today.
   

Posted by authorjodi at 07:45 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Bertha made only a couple little burps along the road today so I have my fingers crossed that the crisis has passed. I'm overnighting near Tifton, Georgia...home of the infamous billboard that a farmer erected in his field which said "I apologize to the world that I voted for Jimmy Carter." It's also apparently the peanut capital of the world, so they've got all kinds of things going for them. ;)

It was difficult for me to get back on the road today. One of the truly lovely aspects of this trip has been meeting so many interesting and kind and odd and generous and ... people. Yes, I've met many, many different types but I won't list them all. :p The folks I just tore myself away from in lu-Fet were some of the best -- truly gracious hosts who couldn't have made me feel more at home.

I'm headed to Florida, despite earlier reservations about entering the land of perpetual humidity. There were just too many days before I have to be in Atlanta not to take advantage of some more opportunities, so off I go. Who knows what the next couple weeks will hold, but I'm fairly certain I won't be joining any retirement communities. ;)

Posted by authorjodi at 07:31 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Looking for a new job over the next 17 months? Russia is looking for volunteers to live in their fake Mars mission capsule so they can observe human dynamics in tight quarters.

A hotel in East Berlin is recreating "Communist Chic" in their spartan rooms.

And in the not-so-humorous category: Britain issues an apology for knighting Salmon Rushdie. I know they should have the right to knight anyone they want, but just how naive are they that they didn't expect the requisite new fatwas and threats of suicide bombings? 

Posted by authorjodi at 08:39 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Bertha will soon be back to her old self, guzzling large quantities of gas as she takes me down the road tomorrow. With that in mind, I just read an article whose headline caught my eye: "Top Gas Gouger? The Government!" Whaddya know, but that the government takes a larger cut than the oil companies. When gas is $3 at the pump, most companies profit about 10 cents a gallon, while the government pockets a national average of almost 46 cents.

Anybody remember Ms. Clinton's infamous speech wherein she stated about oil company profits: "I want to take those profits and..." blah blah, make better use of them blah blah. Personally, I'd like to get my hands on the record profits the government is "earning" and put them to better use.

Posted by authorjodi at 10:36 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Sir Isaac Newton predicted the end of the world no sooner than 2060. I flipped on Fox News this morning while sipping my coffee and saw a quick story about some of Newton's papers now on display in Jerusalem. Apparently he was quite the religious scholar, as well as being what some consider "history's greatest scientist."

Newton decided to use mathematical calculations and intense study of the book of Daniel to come up with a possible date for the Apocalypse:

"This I mention not to assert when the time of the end shall be, but to put a stop to the rash conjectures of fanciful men who are frequently predicting the time of the end, and by doing so bring the sacred prophesies into discredit as often as their predictions fail."

Well shoot, I had almost decided to follow Tim LaHaye and Joel Rosenberg's suggestions that the world might end in the next 25 years. If it goes til 2060 I may have to plan for retirement after all. ;) 

Posted by authorjodi at 10:15 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Dilbert.

Posted by authorjodi at 08:43 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg is piloting a program that pays poor people for 'making good choices' such as going to the dentist, holding down a job, attending parent-teacher conferences, and etc. He's managed to raise more than $43 million in private donations for his pet project, scheduled to begin this fall.

An opponent of the bill was quoted as saying:

"It just reinforces the impression that if everybody would just work hard enough and change their personal behavior we could solve poverty in this country, and that's not reflected in the facts."

Wow. I don't know what facts this woman is looking at, but it seems to me that if everybody would just work hard enough and change their personal behavior we'd see a marked decrease in poverty in this country. Of course it wouldn't solve the whole problem, but I can't help but think it would have an enormously positive impact, allowing the government to focus its resources more effectively.

However. Paying people for good decisions just seems like a slightly tweaked version of welfare to me -- a slightly better version, granted, in that payment is for good choices instead of those that contribute to the cycle of poverty.

But the real question is -- where is personal responsibility in this equation? This pilot program is being paid for by private donations, but I'm quite sure that Mayor Bloomberg envisions the day when Big Brother will take over. That glorious day when smokers are paid a stipend from the government to give up smoking; thieves are paid not to rob; murderers not to kill.

I'm sorry, but I'm just having a hard time seeing the value of paying a parent to attend their child's parent-teacher conference. If they don't feel the welfare of their child is reason enough to show up, why would a mere $25 make any kind of significant difference? Don't get me wrong, I'd show up for $25 smackers, but I don't see how that would change the root causes for my actions...except that I might be even less inclined to go when the payments dried up.

My favorite quote in the article is this:

"Mayor Michael Bloomberg traveled to Mexico this spring to study the healthy lifestyle payments, also known as conditional cash transfers."

Let me be clear -- I'm not saying we can't learn anything from countries poorer than ourselves, but I'm not convinced poverty cessation is an area Mexico is especially brilliant at. I'm also not convinced paying for good behavior is a strategy that will prove effective in the long run. If a person can't see the value in good choices and personal responsibility outside the bounds of payoffs, then I don't see how those same payoffs can have more than a transitory effect on behavior.

Posted by authorjodi at 10:27 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

I can't stand the fact that Presidential candidates are already vying -- it seems like campaigning never stops and since I'm no fan of that lie-laden endeavor it gets wearisome. However, I did read one story this morning that I found really interesting. Apparently undeclared candidates Al Gore and Fred Thompson are the new dream matchup. A recent poll put Fred one point ahead of Giuliani, who's been the front-runner...and poor old Hillary's negative numbers are reaching 50%. If I were Al Gore, I'd make sure I had Secret Service protection before I announced anything...but that's just me. ;)

What I find most interesting about this is that no single candidate on either side has managed to capture the hearts of their party. Most of them are incredibly astute, skilled in the political game <slide sideways, then duck> and have spent millions of dollars in their efforts to prove they should get the job. They speak in soundbites, morph in their positions like speedy chameleons, and have huge staffs advising them on what America is looking for. But again, not a single one is getting the job done. I dream a little dream that this is because America is looking for integrity and honest leadership instead of good hair and slick soundbites...but maybe that's just a pipe dream. 

Posted by authorjodi at 09:12 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Saturday I was pretty wiped out from my week of driving and vending, so I sat in front of the telly and watched a few movies while working on a sewing project. I'm a little embarassed to admit this, but I actually sat through Lake Placid...an incredibly silly movie about a 30-foot crocodile and the plucky paleontologist, grumpy cop, suave fish and game officer and nutty millionaire who try to catch it. My favorite part of the whole movie was the following exchange between the requisite 'couple' after they decide to capture the crocodile instead of waiting for the feds to come in and kill it:

Plucky Paleontologist: We're doing the right thing.
Suave F&G Officer: You might feel differently if you get eaten.

Posted by authorjodi at 08:17 PM | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)

Ok folks, the first as4me e-newsletter is history. In it I talked about the Glenn Beck show and whether or not joining the political arena matters in light of things like the Iranian President trying to nuke us out of existence. Also a question to keep your mind sharp and a couple recommendations. Of course, as it is the first, the links for the rec's didn't work...

If you didn't get it, you didn't sign up. :p

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When I was nuking leftover chili for lunch today I happened to catch part of a story about the International Space Station and the fact that the astronauts were woken up this morning to Nicole C. Mullen's 'Redeemer.' It's one of my all-time favorite songs and to hear it blaring out of the station was absolutely marvelous, let alone the fact that the mid-day news let the song play over the air for a few lines...or even that they found such an item newsworthy.

I have to tell you, I'm really and I mean really enjoying this aspect of the Bible Belt. A church every few blocks, fish and other Christian symbols plastered on different business signs, even the weatherman telling you on Saturday night that it looks like rain so make sure you take an umbrella to church in the morning. I realize people are people and a Southerner is just as prone to wander as us in the Northwest, but the outward trappings of faith are deeply encouraging to me as I'm much more used to my anti-God part of the country.

In other encouraging news, a global pedophelia ring was broken up today, capturing over 700 suspects and rescuing 31 children who'd been held in unspeakable conditions. You can read more here if you'd like, but I'll be honest with you that the particulars made me a little sick.

Some less-than-encouraging news I read over at The Great Separation, an Episcopal Priest in Seattle has announced she's become a Muslim, in addition to her Christianity, because she found that:

"At the most basic level, I understand the two religions to be compatible. That's all I need."

This reminds me so much of the one world religion described in the Left Behind books <although I only read a couple of them> that I'm sort of stunned. Other than the fact that the two religions are monotheistic, I wonder just what it is this woman finds compatible? Sure, we could list some minor things...but how about the majors: the deity of Christ; the treatment of women including acceptance of such things as genital mutilation; the whole concept of murdering your fellow man allowing you to be ushered into the presence of 70 virgins. It's flabbergasting in one sense, but in another -- I'm sorry to say -- I read her denomination and wasn't surprised at all. :(

Tipped off by a friend, I watched an absolutely fascinating Glenn Beck program that was rerun over the weekend over on CNN. I think it might have been the longest time I've sat in front of CNN since the first Gulf War when it was the only option. In fact, I found myself constantly checking the corner of the screen for the CNN logo because I was so surprised at what they were allowing to be aired. ;) The program is the subject of my first not-yet-named newsletter, due out later today, so if you'd like to read about it you can join the mailing list by entering your e-mail address in the top left corner.

I know the suspense will kill some of you -- come on, sign up, you know you want to. :p

Posted by authorjodi at 11:18 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

We sang another wonderful hymn in church yesterday: When the Morning Comes. I googled the lyrics and the first reference was to someone reading part of the hymn at the 9/11 Memorial Service at the National Cathedral. The second reference was to an original arrangement by Elvis Presley, which is the version I'm quoting:

Trials dark on every hand and we cannot understand
All the ways God will lead us
To the blessed promised land
He will guide us with his eye
And we'll follow till we die
And we'll understand it better by and by

Well children by and by when the morning comes
All the saints of God together at home
We will tell the story of how we overcome
And we'll understand it better by and by

Temptation's hidden snares often take us unaware
And our hearts are made to bleed
For some thoughtless word or deed
And we wonder why the test when we try to do our best
But we'll understand it better by and by

Well children by and by when the morning comes
All the saints of God together at home
We will tell the story of how we overcome
And we'll understand it better by and by

And we'll understand it better by and by

Posted by authorjodi at 10:41 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

I'm sitting in a hotel outside Nashville that might be described as one step up from seedy, watching Angelina Jolie talk about A Mighty Heart on Larry King Live. I'm trying to remember whether I've ever actually watched Larry King...I guess I haven't for more than one or two questions at a time. I know he's Mr. Famous interviewer, but I find his style quite jarring -- jamming from question to question and topic to topic.

For instance, he made a rather insensitive comment about Ms. Jolie's mother dying, then jumped to a completely unrelated and somewhat silly question. I guess it's one step up from the five minutes of 'Are You Smarter Than A Fifth Grader' that I watched before, but I probably should just turn off the boob tube and get some work done. ;)

I'd planned to drive straight through to Alabama tonight, but decided as I approached Nashville to stop and get a hotel, then try to hit a few bookstores in the morning. Today was supposed to be a day of driving in fits and spurts so I could pass out books to different churches I saw along the way...but I guess I was outside the Bible Belt. A little different than Alabama, where I passed a church approximately every 30 feet. :p 

Posted by authorjodi at 06:05 PM | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)

However, was one of those seven THE contact I've been trying to reach for nine long months? Or was it the card I gave to someone to give to someone else at Zondervan? Maybe it was the book I dropped off with a motorcycling senior pastor along the road. Or perhaps the whole trip was about the woman I asked to take my picture as I stood in Lake Michigan who proceeded to talk my ear off about her two adopted children.

The problem with formulating a different theory of success is that, outside of monetary models, there's really no way to measure, no standard to let you know whether you accomplished anything of value.

All I know is that I tried to do what God led me to do today. I gained a little more experience at the dread vendor role. I met a woman who was such a breath of fresh air and so enthusiastic that I told her she was my encourager for the day -- only to find out later that someone had prayed specifically for someone to come by and encourage me today.

It was draining and I'm pretty beat, but I guess I'll trust that God can balance out the equations. Meanwhile, here are a couple of my favorite comments from today:

- "so you're a professor?" no, that's an endorsement
- "so you're a lawyer?" no, that's the main character
- "sounds really interesting, but I don't buy fiction" which reminded me of the talk radio caller a couple weeks ago "I don't read fiction, but you should read..."
- and finally, my all time favorite and most common "oh, it's a novel"

Posted by authorjodi at 07:40 PM | Permalink | Comments (3) | TrackBacks (0)

10:02. Two minutes into the official vendor time and I've already decided the trip was a failure. The other tables are swarmed, whereas I'm apparently putting off a toxic odor.

10:08. Yep, definitely toxic. Eight minutes in and I can hardly get anyone to pause on their way by. I recognize the strategy from my own experience with vendor expos: look straight ahead, quickly scan the table with your peripheral vision, preferably fake a chat with your conference companion...because if you make the mistake of pausing or making eye contact the vendor has a chance to nab you! :p

10:26. My first sale! Also a lovely woman who marched up to my vacant table and said "I'll stand here and look interested," then proceeded to tell two people passing by "this looks really good." Blessings upon her!

10:47. Second sale, also two people who say they'll be back after lunch. We shall see.

10:55. Make that three people who say they'll be back. Although one of them actually pulled out her wallet to prove she didn't have enough cash so she might be on the level. ;)

Posted by authorjodi at 08:12 AM | Permalink | Comments (2) | TrackBacks (0)

Unbelievable. In the wake of the failure of the amnesty bill, you'd think local politicians might take a breath before making any statements on illegal immigration. Sadly no. A village in New York has reached a "tentative agreement prohibiting police from routinely asking workers' immigration status or otherwise discriminating against them." This after ILLEGAL day laborers sued because the village closed a site where the illegals hung out waiting for jobs. Apparently this travesty resulted in "forcing the workers onto the streets."

First, I disagree with their argument that closing an illegal site is wrong. That'd be like suing because a bank hired a security guard...thereby forcing the robber to hold up the next bank down the line. Second, how is asking someone their immigration status discrimination? Again with the bank robber metaphor: if a policeman walked into a bank and saw someone standing there with a gun and a sack of money...would it be discrimination to ask that person if they were a robber? In fact, the policeman might not even ask, he might just assume and make an arrest.

Some might say it's not an apt metaphor, but an individual standing in a place where ILLEGAL immigrants are known to congregate while looking for work is in danger of guilt by association. An ILLEGAL standing there looking for work IS breaking the law, so a policeman's ability to ascertain their status is a necessity.

Posted by authorjodi at 06:28 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

You'd think it would get easier to sit behind a vendor table, watching people walk by and peruse you and your offering like the remainders section at the dollar store. Sadly, the vendor time hasn't even  officially begun yet and already I'm sweating and trying to remind myself that it's not me personally they're turning their nose up at. :p

The mouse I use brought on my longest conversation so far, with a polite question about MPA thrown in for the sake of decency. ;)

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Just how glamorous is life on a book tour? As you can see from this terribly interesting photo, I spent several hours this afternoon putting stickers on scads of books in my non-Hilton hotel. And that was after an action-packed 900 miles driven in 26 hours, complete with an interesting night's sleep in a gas station parking lot.

I almost felt at home last night, sandwiched in between ten RV's and several other car-travelers stopped for a few hours sleep under the bright lights of the Flying J Travel Plaza. ;)

I'll stop there as I've just spent five minutes staring at the screen trying to conjur up something interesting to say...I think I'm more tired than I realized!

I'll be vendorizing tomorrow at the Assocation of Christian Librarian's Conference at Cornerstone University. After I get over my early morning wake-up call and inject a little caffeine into my veins I'll try to make up for my anemic posting of the last few days.

Posted by authorjodi at 05:20 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Love's is a truck stop/travel center for those of you unfamiliar...or more prone to appreciating your local Flying J. It's amazing how much I notice a simple thing like not being able to buy gas from a recognizable company. It's nothing like the cross-cultural shock of trying to find gas in a foreign country -- don't get me wrong -- but there's still something oddly unsettling going from one unfamiliar commercial establishment to another.

I'm sitting in the Arby's eating section at Love's, about 20 miles outside of Nashville. I took a short nap in the parking lot and will now catalogue for you the pros and cons I discovered this afternoon while traveling sans Bertha:

Pro: I can whip along at 75 and pass at will. I also went through traffic in Birmingham without white knuckles.
Con: I have to stop and find a public restroom which may or may not be sub-par.
Pro: I filled the gas tank for less than $100.
Con: Pretzeled in the front seat under the baking windshield, my catnap was of a lesser quality than I've become accustomed to.
Pro: While the car was on cruise control I didn't almost get up and grab an apple from the kitchen, which I unfortunately almost did once in Bertha.
Con: I'm lingering under the apprehension that I've forgotten something since I'm not accompanied by my entire household. ;)

Posted by authorjodi at 04:19 PM | Permalink | Comments (2) | TrackBacks (0)

Car names make me laugh -- especially SUV names that sound more suited to the outback than running the kids to a soccer game. I just got back from picking up my rental car in Opelika, a Dodge Avenger. I hope it doesn't have to live up to its name... ;)

Something I love about this side of the country: you can drive all day and hit four or five states instead of just one. I'll be crossing Tennessee, Kentucky and Indiana before entering Michigan -- for some reason that seems much more profitable than spending the whole day traversing California. :p 

Posted by authorjodi at 08:50 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

I love hymns. It doesn't identify me very well with my own generation, but somewhere along the line I picked up that preference. Anyway, we sang a marvelous one this morning that had me feeling waves of joy:

We have heard the joyful sound: Jesus saves! Jesus saves!
Spread the tidings all around: Jesus saves! Jesus saves!
Bear the news to every land, climb the mountains, cross the waves;
Onward! tis our Lords command; Jesus saves! Jesus saves!

Waft it on the rolling tide: Jesus saves! Jesus saves!
Tell to sinners far and wide: Jesus saves! Jesus saves!
Sing, you islands of the sea; echo back, you ocean caves;
Earth shall keep her jubilee: Jesus saves! Jesus saves!

Sing above the battle strife: Jesus saves! Jesus saves!
By His death and endless life Jesus saves! Jesus saves!
Shout it brightly through the gloom, when the heart for mercy craves;
Sing in triumph oer the tomb: Jesus saves! Jesus saves!

Give the winds a mighty voice: Jesus saves! Jesus saves!
Let the nations now rejoice: Jesus saves! Jesus saves!
Shout salvation full and free; highest hills and deepest caves;
This our song of victory: Jesus saves! Jesus saves!

Posted by authorjodi at 10:57 AM | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)

QuickLink: Anantanand Rambachan, a practicing Hindu, has been appointed head of the religion department at St. Olaf College in Minnesota. The college issued a statement explaining their position that the study of religion is "a cognitive, not a spiritual, exercise."

Most interesting quote to me:

"It is only ignorance of other traditions or the refusal to be challenged by their claims which enables one to explain away religious pluralism by the naive conclusion that one's own tradition is true to the nature of God and that all others are false."

I believe I'll have to disagree with that statement. My religious beliefs don't stem from ignorance or a refusal to be challenged -- rather, on things I read in the Bible. It is not Jodi Cowles, peon writer of not much consequence, who said you can only come to the Father through Jesus Christ. If someone has a problem with that statement they can certainly take it up with the Author.

Posted by authorjodi at 12:24 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

I flipped on the tv this morning to find five channels in a row covering the breaking news of reporters standing outside Paris Hilton's home. All were breathlessly waiting for the sheriff to arrive so they could film her being hauled back to court. As I sat there in a kind of stupefied awe that we'd sunk so low as a nation, I felt a little sorry for the poor thing. I mean, if I'd spent my entire life having my every whim catered to and never once had to experience negative consequences for my actions, I might also go a little nutso at the prospect of spending a few days in solitary confinement. Although I don't feel sorry enough for her to sit and watch live coverage all day long...

What bothers me the most about this story is that it's even being covered. Seriously, where's the story about Israel on the brink of all-out war with its neighbors? Where's the story of the President trying to breathe life into his dead immigration bill? Or Putin trying to revive the Cold War? If anything deserves 24-hour news coverage maybe it should be a listing of every product-of-China the FDA is banning from importation into the States because of poisonous properties -- at least then we could keep up on what we shouldn't be buying.

Paris Hilton is about as far from a good example of a functioning, responsible adult as you can get, but we're not being very good examples ourselves when we keep on watching.

Posted by authorjodi at 12:58 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

This just keeps getting worse -- now the FDA is warning of lead poisoning in children due to high concentrations of lead in certain Chinese imports such as jewelry, toys and eye shadow. In addition, the FDA halted imports of eight brands of eye shadow because they contained "microbiological contamination." I was under the impression that I'd be fine if I just avoided Chinese-imported food...but now I'm seeing that other products are suspect as well.

What blows my mind is how we've let ourselves get into this position. I remember way back in 93 when I was visiting the Ukraine and heard interesting information about the McDonald's in Moscow. They had their own dairy, their own farm, their own supplies of everything so that they could ensure the quality of the product people were buying. Not to be too gross, but there was no other way to confirm that what they were serving was beef.

Over a year ago I decided to contaminate something imported from China as a plot point in book two. I guess I'll have to rethink that now -- I don't want my novel to read like old news. :(

Posted by authorjodi at 11:42 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Did anyone else know about Crater of Diamonds State Park in Murfreesboro, Arkansas or am I the only one who missed that lesson in school? Apparently it's the only diamond-producing park in the world that's open to the public and you can take home anything you find. On average, two diamonds are found each day. Maybe I should make a little side trip and see if I can finance another month or two of the tour... ;)

The park came to my attention from this story about a teenager who found a 2.93-carat diamond on Tuesday.

Posted by authorjodi at 11:25 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

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Ding dong the podcast is dead. After 43 episodes I've decided to kill A Line in the Sand -- mainly because I feel like my goals might be better served using a different method. I'll now be publishing a weekly e-newsletter that will include a few different sections:

whereisjodi: Literally, a story about where Jodi is mentally, spiritually, or geographically.

A Line in the Sand: Similar to what I did in the podcast, highlighting people <historic and current> who are taking a stand for Biblical beliefs and coming under fire, as well as things we might want to take a look at as Christians.

...and whatever else I feel like talking about. I hope you'll subscribe! :) 

Posted by authorjodi at 12:10 PM | Permalink | Comments (4) | TrackBacks (0)

In anticipation of a vote this week on the Amnesty Bill -- excuse me -- Comprehensive Immigration-Reform Bill, Grassfire.org has launched a tv and internet ad campaign. I find their ad completely hysterical. I hope you enjoy it, and I hope you take five minutes to call the number at the end to report your concerns.

Posted by authorjodi at 09:42 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

"Today no one is a virgin when they get married ... show me someone who's a virgin!"

So says supermodel Gisele Bundchen. She was referring to a recent visit by the Pope to Brazil, wherein he reiterated the Church's position against abortion, contraception and pre-marital sex. Umm, Gisele, maybe in your circle of supermodels and Hollywood elite that might be true, but I'm pretty sure I could round up a few folks on short notice to disprove your thesis.

Posted by authorjodi at 09:24 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

When I was in junior high my mother and I went to see the movie The Secret of My Success. In it, Michael J. Fox played a small-town boy who went to the big city to make his fortune. He struggled his way through one difficulty after another, but in the end, found success by getting the girl and wresting control of the company from his ruthless uncle.

I can't count the number of movies I've seen where success is defined in a similar fashion -- getting the girl <or occasionally the boy> and scoring that great job, or winning the lottery, or pulling off an improbable heist <which is justified because you stole from a mean person> and retiring to the Caribbean.

Lately I've been thinking a lot about success. My year on the road is winding to a close and I find myself evaluating, wanting to prove or justify to myself that I made the right decision when I chucked normal American life for this Bedouin existence.

On the face of it, the trip seems like a pretty big flop. The Minor Protection Act hasn't appeared on the New York Times Bestseller list -- not even a second printing has been necessary. Nor have I managed to amass a million readers to my blog so I can eek out a living selling ad-space. Meanwhile, my financial resources have been all but depleted.

A friend asked me yesterday if all the circumstances were the same, except that in addition I'd sold a bunch of books, would I consider the trip a success. Yes, I answered, without much hesitation. Now why is that? Why do all those other factors come in second when defining success?

I've had almost nine months of roaming the country and seeing some beautiful sights. I've spent quality time with far-flung family. I've met a series of interesting people and worshipped among brothers and sisters in a variety of church settings. I've even improved my skills as the reluctant marketeer! ;)

One of my main goals for this trip was for my faith to increase along the lines of praying for my daily bread -- that's a key reason I intentionally put myself in this situation without having the financial resources to accomplish it. Lo and behold, God has provided in big ways and small. He's dropped me into situations and given me opportunities I never could have arranged. He's connected me with people who took me into their homes and proved the family of God is more than just a nice sounding phrase.

I wish I could say my faith grew to the size of a mustard seed, but I haven't been able to move any mountains lately so I guess it's still somewhat smaller than that. I think it has increased though, and for that reason alone I should count the year successful -- but still I have this nagging feeling that I need to prove myself, to justify somehow the support and encouragement I've received from family and friends and the financial resources that have been expended.

Maybe this dilemma I'm stuck in is as simple as my struggle with grace. I see things in terms of a spreadsheet and the figures need to balance out -- Jesus saved my life, therefore I need to do something with that life to justify His choice. At the root of it, no doubt, is my ridiculous pride. I hate being indebted to anyone, and that unfortunate trait applies to my Savior as easily as anyone else.

But the truth is, when God is involved the figures rarely balance. We receive His unmerited favor at salvation, blessing and forgiveness time after time, and nothing we can do during our brief sojourn on earth will ever make up for the necessity of the cross. Maybe redefining my vocabulary to learn God's definition of success will have to be my next big lesson.

Posted by authorjodi at 08:47 AM | Permalink | Comments (2) | TrackBacks (0)

"I do not agree with the view that to be moral, the motive of one's actions has to be benefiting others. Morality does not have to be defined in relation to others. … People like me want to … satisfy our hearts to the full, and in doing so we automatically have the most valuable moral codes. Of course there are people and objects in the world, but they are all there only for me. … People like me only have a duty to ourselves; we have no duty to other people." 

Can you identify the speaker of those words? Hint: he was responsible for the deaths of almost 100 million people and is about to get an image makeover from the folks in Hollywood -- perhaps owing to a similar narcissistic mindset. Click here for the answer.

Posted by authorjodi at 02:00 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Another QuickLink wherein Jodi expresses gratitude for her lifelong loathing of fish:

China, the leading exporter of seafood to the U.S., is raising most of its fish products in water contaminated with raw sewage and compensating by using dangerous drugs and chemicals, many of which are banned by the Food and Drug Administration.

Posted by authorjodi at 03:49 PM | Permalink | Comments (2) | TrackBacks (0)

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Other than the fact that I had to get up at the crack of dawn without enough sleep, I just had a ball with my first TV interview. The station is housed in an old mill and Betty and I arrived about 8:15 to find a couple different sets inside a small studio. I had a short chat with the host, Charles Story, and got some instructions: when you're answering look at this camera, when I'm talking look at me, and etc.

We got started and I very conscientiously looked at the camera when I was answering, though I could feel my eyes darting back to the host every now and then. When he was talking I looked at him and felt very self-conscious that the other camera was basically getting the side of my head nodding, but as there wasn't an audience I couldn't really turn and look that direction. I was trying to remember to sit up straight and not fidget nervously...meanwhile trying to listen to the question and not blather on like an idiot when I answer. All in all, quite an entertaining 15 minutes on my end! :p

We then drove over to visit Charles' son at a radio station and I did a quick interview with him -- which just showed me how far I've come in that I slid very comfortably and with some relief into that role. We'd been out and about so early that we got back to the house with an hour to spare before heading into church.

The television program was re-aired Sunday night so I spent about a half hour trying to get my video camera to plug in correctly so I could record the program. In the end I had to go with the low-tech approach which I found quite humorous. Not humorous was watching myself on camera. Yikes but that is excruciating! I kept wanting to say stop nodding your head you doddering idiot! ;) And of course I wasn't impressed with my stuttered head movements looking back and forth between the camera and the host.

However, other than having to watch myself, it was a great experience and I'm sure, if there's ever another opportunity, I won't be quite as terrible. Last night reminded me of my first radio interview when I rambled on for two minutes trying to get around to answering the question 'what's the book about?' Now I can pop that one off in a 20-second soundbite without even thinking about it. Practice, practice, practice.

I learned a great new term over the weekend. I was having a discussion with my hosts regarding my feelings about voting Republican. Basically, that I'm not too happy with the party, but don't feel I could ever vote for a Democrat because of abortion and other moral issues. They used the term yella dog Democrat which I was unfamiliar with. Apparently it's a southern term that means you'd vote for a yella dog if it was on the Democratic ticket. ;)

I also heard a name that I can't stop snickering about. Awhile back the local paper reported that a man was arrested for carrying a concealed weapon. His name: Tutankhamen Bumpass (pronounced bump-us). Poor fella -- with that name I might carry a gun myself. :p

This morning I took Bertha up to a mechanic named Jimbo who confirmed my dad's opinion that I got ahold of some bad gas. He said he has the same problem with his truck and he's had alot of folks in the shop with bad gas issues. The prescription is that I'll have to put in five gallons of premium and a can of octane boost with every tank. I can certainly do that -- anything to avoid a repetition of that horrible sound that made me think the engine was about to fall out!

Well, I guess I'll post this and then go see about uploading my television debut so you can share the joy of the experience <and snicker along with me>.

Posted by authorjodi at 01:13 PM | Permalink | Comments (2) | TrackBacks (0)

This morning I got out a pair of sneakers I hadn't worn since returning from the Middle East and found a seashell and a scarab beetle carving resting inside. The scarab beetle was one of a pair given to me as a 'gift' by a young lad in an alabaster shop in Luxor, Egypt. We'd been warned not to accept 'gifts' so I told the lad no several times, but after he kept insisting I finally got aggravated and just took it. Then, as expected, he asked where my husband was. The scam is a common one and had been pulled on my sister-in-law just the day before. A lovely gift for a lovely lady...then put the guilt-whammy on the husband to pay for it. So I told the lad that my husband wasn't there -- technically the truth, but a lie in spirit.

No matter how much cross-cultural training I'd received over the years, in that moment, after two weeks traveling through tip&bribe cultures, I snapped and decided to teach that boy a lesson. It was a split second decision, and one I regretted the moment I walked out the door. 

I know good and well I didn't teach that boy a lesson -- at least not the one I'd intended. It's probable that all I accomplished was to take some food out of his mouth that day. Even now, sitting here typing this almost two months later, I feel regret.

After all my travels, after all my training, I still acted like an ugly American. I know what I was really saying in that moment: your backward culture with all its bribery and graft is inferior to mine and I'll show you. How many times has it been pounded into my head about most cultural issues that it's not right, it's not wrong, it's just different?

The feelings of judgment that crept over me instantly transported me ten years into the past to when I was living in Korea. I was 22 and completely naive to east-west relations and I spent eight months railing against the Korean proclivity for lying because saving face was a higher moral value than telling the truth. For awhile now I've comforted myself with the thought that I would do better if put in that situation again, but I see the beam is still smack dab in the middle of my own eye.

The verse judge not lest ye be judged comes strongly to mind. Also 2 Corinthians 2:14:

"But thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumphal procession in Christ and through us spreads everywhere the fragrance of the knowledge of him."

I bunged up that time. Definitely not the fragrance of Christ. But another 'thanks be to God' verse comes to mind, out of one of my favorite chapters:

"So I find this law at work: When I want to do good, evil is right there with me. For in my inner being I delight in God's law; but I see another law at work in the members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within my members. What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death? Thanks be to God—through Jesus Christ our Lord!" Romans 7:21-25

Posted by authorjodi at 04:53 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)

I expanded my horizons tonight and tried a different Chinese dish than my per usual Kung Pao Chicken. Consequently, Hunan Chicken is now my favorite...as long as I have enough rice to tone down the spiciness. But the key part of the evening was, as always, the distribution of the ever-wise fortune cookie. Mine was so apropos for the lazy slacker that I am at heart that I decided to share. My fellow procrastinators, this one's for you:

You'll accomplish more later if you have a little fun this weekend.

Posted by authorjodi at 08:42 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

When I lived in Southern California there was a furor raised over Spanish-language channel Unavision broadcasting tips for illegal immigrants who wanted access to free healthcare and other government services generally reserved for legal citizens. The Mexican Consulate is working hard at the same game.

Not satisfied with issuing consular id's sometimes mistaken for US driver's licenses that allow illegals to "establish credit and apply for government services," the consulate is now straightforwardly teaching illegals how to get free healthcare.

"Being undocumented, we thought we didn't have the right to certain things," said Rosalba Hernandez, 26, who came to the U.S. two years ago and lives in Panorama City. "We were scared to ask for information."

Actually Rosalba, that's exactly what being 'undocumented' means -- you don't 'have the right to certain things.' You entered this country illegally, therefore you don't qualify for rights reserved for citizens of the United States.

I'm not going to rant on this any further, but I'd like to leave you with a final quote about why this is such a big deal:

Health services to illegal immigrants in Los Angeles County cost the Medi-Cal program nearly $440 million in 2005, according to the California Department of Health Services. Statewide, that number was more than $1.1 billion last year.

$1.1 billion drained illegally in one year, in one department, in one state that's already in pretty bad shape financially. Actually, I'm going to offer you one more quote that just takes the cake. E. Richard Brown is the Director of the UCLA Center for Health Policy Research, and in response to this program he said:

"There's nobody who says [immigrants] should be allowed to die in the streets," he said. "That just isn't acceptable in our society."

This quote reminds me about comments Homeland Security Director Michael Chertoff made about those opposed to the disastrous immigration bill. I can't find the exact quote, but he said something like 'some people won't be satisfied with anything less than execution.' Both of those statements are about as ludicrously overstated as you can get.

Just because I want the law of the land to apply to everyone equally, just because I don't want my tax dollars drained by illegals who don't pay taxes themselves, just because I'm concerned about weak border security allowing people who really want to kill us in the country... All of those justs don't mean I advocate people dying in the streets or being executed for being illegally in the country. Where is the middle ground here?

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I recently joined a group dedicated to promoting Christian fiction -- Fiction In Rather Short Takes. On the first day of each month, everyone in the group posts the first chapter of a novel. Sounds right up my alley, dontcha think? ;)

This month it's Prints Charming by Rebeca Seitz. Click here to read the first chapter.

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