Here and Now

Here's a picture of the girls from yesterday. They amaze me at how fast they are growing - Elie grew FOUR INCHES between her third and fourth birthday - she's darn near as tall as her "big" sister. Last night we had friends over 'til late and Elie snuggled up between two of them and fell asleep - it was adoreable. Carried her upstairs and tucked her into bed...another one of those parent moments that come and go too quickly. Oh - and we got a puppy - Lacey. Someday I might get a picture posted... And, for the record, I DID appologize to my family here and everything is okay... Been a crazy week. Spent way more time than I thought I would have to on the new Coffehouse ministry that is starting. The website isn't up yet, but it will be soon. Check out http://www.thecrossingwarren.com/

Recently I was thinking about how strange church is - and yet, not all that strange here If the comparison of church to a midnight showing of Rocky Horror doesn't get me defrocked...heh, I'm probably pretty safe no matter what. But I bring that up because I'm reading another book, Mark Scandrette's Soul Graffiti . Now, I'm not far enough into it to be able to tell you what a great book it is, or how my perspective has been transformed, or...whatever. But, on page 25 Mark makes a comment that really caught my attention. Here, I'll quote it: As I think about it now, there is more than a little irony in the fact that we sat passively in a regal sanctuary listening to messages based on the adventures of a homeless bearded prophet who wandered the cities and countryside caring for the poor and healing the sick and inviting people to follow his example. How exactly were we seeking his kingdom by gathering like this? For me these environments functioned like museums di

Lori and the girls went to watch the fireworks tonight. I stayed home and cleaned up from the cookout. My hatred of parades is well documented...but I don't like fireworks much better... So I stayed home. Elie just turned four - Rachel is six and a half - they both still look at the world with wide eyes - that is until cynical and grumpy daddy comes in... So - I stayed home. Another moment of complete selfishness. Another 45 minutes of my life that I didn't spend with the three most important people in my life that I'll never have back... Yeah - tonight I really screwed up. I need to say I'm sorry...

Heh, posting something on Michael and my "Talk About" blog ( www.talkaboutsomething.blogspot.com ) made me think of this thing that Lori sent me a year or so ago. You type in your name and it'll tell you what kind of job you should have... It's PG rated, but here's what it came up with: William Beatty: Church Minister William R. Beatty: Clown William Rue Beatty: Pole Dancer (now there's an image that'll burn a hole through your brain - actually it gets worse if you put Bill Beatty in this one...sigh...) (so that's the format I'll use - name, w/middle initial, w/middle name) Lori Beatty: God; (deleted for...um...safty reasons); President (heh, two outta three ain't bad) Rachel Beatty: Emperor of all the World; Professional Hippy; Monkey Impressionist (hmmmm, there might be something to this...) Eliana Beatty: Human Shield; (edited for content...um...); Pro Football Player

So, it's been almost a month. Truth be told I have been gone a lot of that time (Annual Conference, helped Seth McClymonds with Extended Horse Camp - though only in the evenings - service camp trip last week at Pittsburgh Project - spent this week playing catch up...). Truth be told I just haven't felt like being online much this week... Not that I have nothing to say (heh - have you MET me?) but I just haven't wanted to sit here - in front of the glowing screen... But I was thinking today about a funeral that I had a couple weeks ago. The guy who died was a biker. Now, I've known a few bikers in my day (especially at the Eagle's Club in Kane), but to have them come out in force...well, that was an experience... I tried to call the guy's wife, but she wouldn't talk to me at all. An unidentified woman got on the phone and told me that they wanted only about ten minutes because, and this is the quote that was the tagline for the weekend, "he was a b