Amy Writes

Do you know about this ? It's called My Free Music Friday, and guess what! On Fridays, they give you free music! 3 or 4 downloads each time. We've been introduced to some pretty good stuff. All they need is your email address, to remind you when it's Free Music Friday. And while you're at it, here's another site that gives free music. And here's a Christmas album by Andrew Peterson you can listen to online...I highly recommend the brilliance of Matthew Begats. And here's a band called Strive that will give you a free EP when you sign up to be friends. They're good...and compassion-minded. Hooray! Everyone wins.

Jim posted a link to a website entitled "Why doesn't God heal amputees?" . Here's my response - actually written a year ago. I've blogged before about being a hopeless patriot. Here's why: Last year, Rebecca and I were strolling through the breathtaking World War II Memorial in Washington, DC. She turned to say something to me and I had to wave her off through my tears - fearing that if I opened my mouth to answer I'd lose whatever control I had left and be reduced to a sobbing mess. My reaction to the Memorial didn't surprise me, because I could never even get through the Public Service Announcements when Tom Hanks begged the nation to raise money for a memorial honoring a "generation who did nothing less...than save the world." Geez, even just typing it I'm tearing up. Today would have been my grandfather's birthday. (85, I think) He was one of hundreds of thousands of that "generation who did nothing less than save the world....

Doing one of the things we do best, the Christian community has incited a panic over The Golden Compass, because it's about killing God. Agreed - Killing God is bad. But, here's the thing: it can't be done. The movie doesn't ACTUALLY kill God. Nothing will ever kill God. To my knowledge, bad things happen to people who live their lives trying to do it. And, as I read somewhere earlier, if kids could kill god, then he probably has it coming to him. But I digress. I would like to propose an alternative to the "Angry Christians on the Defensive" marketing plan: See Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium instead. Teach your kids to find the beauty in this story that mirrors the gospel in so many ways. Support the segment of the industry that is producing G-rated movies that embrace creativity and celebrate Wonder. Enjoy an hour and a half of silliness and innocence.

I was recently invited (again) to create a LinkedIn profile. The other day, a friend said I was the "hippest person she knew" because I had a blog. I must be off the charts cool now - with my new LinkedIn profile and all. What an interesting learning experience that was. Here's a brief explanation for those of you not LinkedIn: You put your resume online so everyone who is LinkedIn can see it. You find your friends who are LinkedIn, who then introduce you to relevant contacts who are also LinkedIn. I will never need this service. The interesting part was this: In my head, I am an experienced professional. I am wildly talented in many areas. When I decide to go back to work one day, all I will have to do is walk into an HR office and be handed an executive position. My experience canvasses several industries. I have worked well independently and as a team. At this moment, I am CHOOSING to stay home with my family and pick up projects as they present themselves. I control ...

Matt and I returned last night from a weekend in the Conch Republic. It never fails to amaze me that I can be just four hours from home and feel like I'm in another country. The Southernmost city in the United States yes, but South Florida it's not. I'm such a history geek - poor Matt was looking forward to a leisurely weekend in Key West, but I get antsy when history is nearby. On Saturday I dragged him to Fort Zachary Taylor, The Hemingway House AND The Truman Little White House (quite a highlight!). We stayed in a B&B, ate conch fritters and key lime pie and walked Duval Street a dozen times. Now, we're in the middle of a 36-hour layover at home before heading out again for Thanksgiving in Gainesville. Green bean casserole ingredients are packed and ready to go, but at least 3 loads of laundry remain. Chloe sits in front of me, playing "store" with her Thanksgiving books, while I try to figure out how to cut her wispy bangs without giving her a mullet. ...

Mom sat down next to me and held out this book. I'd asked her for something "gripping" to read and she returned with a few selections, but "This one...is different. Kind of depressing. But hang in there, get through it. Really interesting." I love mom's book descriptions. Her recommendations are always reliable, but I always start with the one she lays her palm on and starts reviewing with a disclaimer. Cormac McCarthy's The Road was no exception. It was different. It was depressing. And to add my own words: haunting, terrifying, beautiful, hopeful. Thought-provoking. Biblically relevant. Full of "what-ifs" that follow me around. Packed with the kind of imagery that adds depth to my perception of everyday things. The unfolding of the setting is the most powerful part, and I refuse to spoil it for you if you haven't read it. So read it, and let's discuss.

I am not an eloquent extemporaneous speaker. I get over-emotional. I stutter and add "um" and "like" and say stupid things that I don't mean in my efforts to circle around to what I do mean. If I come across half as bumbling and tongue-tied as I feel sometimes, then people must be wondering how I got that diploma that hangs so proudly on the playroom wall. The answer: I wrote my way through college, and oddly enough, the above scenario does not happen if I am in front of a large group of people. That random intro was to set up this bit of thought. A few weeks ago in small group, I attempted to explain to the girls what I was struggling with that week. I talked about raising my kids around affluence, and my disdain for the misused affluence I see everywhere right now, and the tension that comes with knowing that we are headed for an affluent lifestyle. I tried to get at the fear of crossing the line, turning wants into needs and misleading my kids. But I think i...