On my radar this week

• Podcasts.... particularly these two: "Entertaining Ideas" by Rik Leaf. Made me laugh out loud, and possibly even think a little bit! "Untodeep Cast" by Marty Nish. I've listened to it once and will listen again and then leave my response on Marty's blog, but I like the way he's thinking, and it's inspiring some mental wrestling in me.
• Jacob and Lily's new CD "The Cathedral" - arrived in the mail last night, and I've been enjoying it ever since. I've been waiting all month for it to arrive, and was delighted to find it waiting for me when I arrived home from work last night.
• The converstation going on here at Lauren's blog about the things I wrote in my post titled "The Moral High Ground". I'm always excited when people are talking about the importance of love versus the importance of being right. It makes me happy when someone starts seeing people instead of issues.
• Passion tea. I bought a box from Starbucks, and it makes me happy. Plus, it warms me up after the fifteen minute walk in the freezing weather from the c-train to my office.
• The fact that the weather is finally going to warm up a bit. I'm running out of sweaters to wear to work.
• Youth ministry. I suddenly find myself in youth ministry at the church I've decided to settle into for this next season. Totally excited, a little nervous as I spent quite a bit of the last several years being told that I had nothing to say, or nothing to contribute, completely anticipating what God might be doing with this group of young people. I see traces of Him in the fact that a tiny church (like 90 people), that has until about two months ago offered nothing for youth, has 15-25 youth filling the back two or three rows every Sunday. Mostly kids who don't come from a Christian background at all, and met Jesus somewhere along the way, and are hungry to know more about Him. So fun! Planning coffee and tea dates, and thinking about the Bible study I'll be doing in the new year.
• Driving standard. This is not so happy. I think I hate it. I don't particularly like driving to begin with, and the whole standard thing stresses me out. I'm okay as long as there isn't heavy traffic, or I don't have to stop a whole lot. The icy roads have not been helping. I drove to pick up my brother last night, and by the time I got there, and phoned to let him know I'd arrived, the only thing I said on the call was "I'm here. You're driving home." I feel like I have hardly any control of the vehicle on the icy roads, and that makes me nervous, especially since the car is a loan from my best friend who is currently enjoying warmer weather in Nepal.
• Looking forward to the weekend. It's my job every year to decorate the Christmas tree, and I'm going to do that this weekend. I'm also looking forward to going to my brother's Christmas choir concert on Friday night. He may hate the fact that he's in choir, but I do love the majesty of the group of them singing - and I love Christmas music too!
• My brother is still navigating what exactly it means to be a guitar student, in music school, who is not allowed to play the guitar. Choir is a requirement of his program, but he hates it. We were talking the other day about whether he'd continue to work at our church as a worship leader, using just his voice, and his comment, which cracked me us was, "I'd rather lead worship naked, with my guitar, than fully clothed without it." Do all musicians think this way?
• Have a good day!