WORLDS ARE FORMING

Missing these two!

If you know me, you know that these are two of my favorite people on the face of the earth. I talk on the phone with my niece Elisabeth and nephew Chase a few times a week.  These days, it is usually Chase calling, and we talk and talk.  Apparently, he walks around his house and looks at pictures of me and makes up stories about Chase and Uncle Josh playing and having all sorts of fun.  He also likes to remind me that I live in New Jersey.  How great is that?  I am so eager and excited to spend the summer with them...may it come quickly!  (They are seen above, riding Auntie Becki's hay-burner...er...lawn ornament...er...really sweet horse, Silver.)

Antje Duvekot.

Have you heard of her? I hadn't until April introduced me to her music last fall.  Duvekot reminds me of Dar Williams and Ani DiFranco. 

Great guitar, a good sound, raw lyrics, etc.  You can hear some of her sound clips here.  My favorites: Judas, Long Way.

Check her out.

Reality Bites.

Friday Feb 10 Cloudy High 38°F Low 27°F Precip:   20% Best Day To Ski Wind: WSW at 9 mph UV Index: 2 Low Daylight Hours Remaining:   10 hrs 07 mins

Saturday 11 Heavy Snow PM Snow Showers High 38°F Low 27°F Precip:   70% details Wind: ENE at 10 mph UV Index: 2 Low Length Of Day:   10 hrs 29 mins

Sunday 12 AM Snow High 33°F Low 18°F Precip:   80% Wind: NW at 15 mph UV Index: 2 Low Length Of Day:   10 hrs 32 min

Blog Vulnerability: Who hears you?

Thursday afternoons are my time to hang out with my counselor.  The seminary has a deal with a local service, and we get to pay $10 for an hour of counseling.  (Real people pay about $125 at this same center, so it is a good deal, right?)  Every Thursday, I hang out with my counselor, then head to a coffee shop to read and process a little.

Sometimes I love it, other times...eh.  My session today was perhaps the best I've had with him.  I was sharing a lot, and was feeling very affirmed and heard.  You know how that feels?  When someone is really listening?  Yes, I know it is his job, but he was really doing it, with his actions and his words. 

Today, I was reminded how important and liberating the words "I hear what you are saying," when matched with authentic action, are.  I am reminded that I am a follower of Christ, who has a Creator who hears and knows me and loves me completely.  Psalm 139 is truth, and I have a great Counselor who has known me well.

My desire is to be reminded of the truth of God's hearing me, as well as the truth of loved ones hearing me, and in return, I want to be a person who truly hears God and others, in word, in action, and in truth.  May the same be true for you, friends.

The Indigo Girls: In Our Backyard.

I am happy.  What an amaaaaaaaaazing concert.  They basically played at the foot of our beds.  The theatre is that close.  We have been waiting since early October.  Some said the day would ne'er come.  But alas, tonight, it came.  Oh, it came. Two full hours of Indigo Girls goodness, enjoyed with good friends.  They rocked out, brought it down, and were seriously real people.  The lineup of songs was clutch, too.  You know how sometimes you listen to a CD and have songs you always skip?  None of those songs were played tonight.  And yes, of course, I danced my fair share, as well.

For those of you who were in attendance: with which songs were you most pleased? (My favorites: Galileo, Closer to Fine, Midnight Train to Georgia, Least Complicated.)

So, it really is an odd book. Fascinating, and odd.

Foer's Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close has been a treat over the past week. Whenever I have spare time, I pick it up and devour it.  (Let me be honest, I have also made free time for this book.)   I only have about 100 pages left, and I am not sure that I want it to end.  Melissa was right, it is an odd book, and you have to plow through some parts.  I've laughed, been on the verge of tears, cringed, stopped to stare into nothingness to ponder, etc.   Foer takes the reader into the minds and lives of several characters, all in the work of weaving their stories together to create a rich tapestry.  Seriously, it is odd.  Fascinating, and odd. 

Lord, Open Unto Me.

LORD, open unto me
Open unto me -- light for my darkness.
Open unto me -- courage for my fear.
Open unto me -- hope for my despair.
Open unto me -- peace for my turmoil.
Open unto me -- joy for my sorrow.
Open unto me -- strength for my weakness.
Open unto me -- wisdom for my confusion.
Open unto me -- forgiveness for my sins.
Open unto me -- love for my hates.
Open unto me -- thy Self for my self.
Lord, Lord, open unto me.  Amen.
                                                                             :: Howard Thurman

I am a Struggler, so if you see me at 4:30 on a Monday afternoon...

WELCOME TO THE CONFESSIONS OF A STRUGGLER.  Last semester...I was a professional struggler.  (Struggler: one who progresses with great difficulty.  Struggs, for short.)  That is not to say that I not a struggler now, but there was a specific struggle which was of great consequence for me academically.

As part of our preaching class here at Princeton Theological Seminary, we are required to participate in Sermon Delivery Workshop, a class that meets five to seven times in a semester, in which we work on our sermon delivery in an intimate setting.  We are allowed to miss two sessions.  Any more than that, and you're out. 

Last semester, I was enrolled in said workshop...had a great professor, a great class, a good time of the day.  However, after a mere two sessions, the struggle began for Joshua Scott Cleveland... 

It's A Living.

Many of you know that I love to sell books online.  Somehow, it gives me great joy.  I've made some good money back over the past few years. 

Recently, my friend Francey "hired" me to be in charge of selling some books for her on Amazon.com, and things are going quite well.

If any of you lack the time and motivation, but would like to sell some books, I'd be willing to help you.  (For a small fee, of course.)

Really.  I love it.

A valiant effort by the Seahawks, but I don't want to talk about it.