Changed Message Archive Format

I went nuts today trying to figure out a problem with this website–I couldn’t create an entry with a link to Dennis’ message. For some reason Movable Type (the software that maintains this site) wouldn’t save anything with the link text in it. It drove me up the wall!

Anyway, I wound up reconfiguring the entire way that I archive messages on this site before finally deciding to change the text directly in the database.

I mention all this to explain why the front page is all links to past messages–a temporary byproduct of the aforementioned reconfiguration. It will pass as new content is added.

Ministry With a Baby

First: Paula’s in charge of uploading pictures now, so if there’s a delay in new photos be sure to send her an email to keep her on track. 🙂

Second: We’re very fortunate: Dana was born over Spring Break, so I was able to completely devote myself to helping Paula that week. After that, we had guest speakers scheduled for the first two weeks of the Spring Quarter, so I haven’t had to obsess about message preparation. Most people don’t realize this, but preparing sermons takes a LOT of time. I’d say I spend 15–20 hours a week polishing up my message for Chi Alpha, and I should probably spend more. Anyway, the bottom line is that I’ve really been available to help Paula out and still keep on top of all my ministry responsibilities.

We’re very blessed to have Dana–she sleeps a lot and doesn’t cry too much. Somehow I wind up getting the sleep that I need. Woohoo!

On a completely unrelated note, this comic made me laugh out loud. I rarely read Get Fuzzy, but on a lark I swung by their website today. I’m glad I did.

Polyhedral Prophets

Usually when Christians talk about roleplaying games you can expect a lot of heat and very little light (artfully mocked by the Dead Alewives’ classic bit Dungeons and Dragons). That’s why I was so thrilled to run across the article Roleplaying the Faith which contained several fascinating links.

Roleplaying is a part of geek culture, and Stanford is a bit of a geek campus, so I thought these might interest some of you: Religion and Roleplaying, the Christian Gamers Guild, and Tracy Hickman’s essay on Ethics in Fantasy (for the record, Hickman is a Mormon).

Something Completely Unrelated to Dana

I noted earlier that one of our our alumni was a finalist in the Miss Singapore Universe competition.

The finals are Saturday. Paula and I can’t wait to find out if she’s Miss Singapore Universe. Paula was quite close to Adeline last year, and misses her so much she actually began crying while looking at photos of her online.

Anyway, I stumbled across the official page today. She’s the first gal (top left photo).

Of course, we already have two Miss Universes in our house…

Update From Oxford

One of our Chi Alpha students, Andrew Wright, said this in an email about Dana: I went to Oxford today. I’m still speechless; never been more impressed in all my life. Send Dana there, but only if her beauty fades. It’s an awesome school full of ugly women and I’d hate to see all the men fighting over your daughter.

That just made me laugh.

It reminds me of a joke I’ve heard about MIT. The male/female ratio is pretty tilted there, so if you’re a gal “the odds are good, but the goods are odd.”

You Know Life is Good When…

Contemplating my newborn daughter today, I had an epiphany: you know life is good when you have people competing for the privilege of wiping your bottom…

UPDATE: while up late with Dana, I decided to put this insight into haiku form

.

Version A:
Concerning newborns
I reflect: Life is good when
people wipe your butt

Version B:
Concerning newborns:
they lie screaming as servants
vie to wipe their butts

Baby Got Back (Home, That Is)

Just a quick update–we got Dana home today in the midafternoon.

Thanks for the TON of emails–for once I had more legitimate messages than spam! It feels good to get 90 or so congratulatory missives.

Now that Dana’s home we’ll be sure to dress her up in some cute outfits and post pictures online. I’ll try and do a short little webcam movie, too.

For the baby-unitiated (i.e., all the collegians I know), I’ll be very tardy in responding to emails, phone calls, and smoke signals. I’ll post short little updates here as oft as I can, but expect them to be few and far between. If they’re more frequent, consider that lagniappe.