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Monday, March 30, 2009

Friday Fun (VII)... delayed again

Well friends, Thanks for your patience with me and my occasional lateness on posting the Friday Fun! Our last delay was due to finals, this delay due to spring break. The next two weeks will be iffy also, as I will be in Phoenix and San Antonio the next two weekends.

In the meantime, I thought you might enjoy this little ditty by Flight of the Conchords - with a guest appearance by Jim Gaffigan, who, as you know, I think is really funny! This is a great opportunity for me to mention that "My Boys" (on TBS) begins up again tomorrow night. Its a pretty funny show about a gal, PJ, and her guy friends (including her brother Andy - played by Jim Gaffigan). Check it out!

Sunday, March 22, 2009

Words from Cardinal Newman (1801-1890)

I have been struggling with loneliness. Its hard to admit it, and especially in this silly public forum, but I'm convinced that the Lord wants to use my experiences to bless others (that he wants that for all of our experiences). And I know that often younger, single women look to me as an encouragement in their singleness. As I am striving more and more to be authentic, I want to be sure I am being authentic in my experience of singleness, too.

So, back to sentence #1: I have been struggling with loneliness. I like my friends here in LA, I like my church; but I have not created a vibrant, life-giving community around me yet. Also, I am touch-starved. My top love language is touch and I get very little these days. And so it has been hard.

In church we are studying the Psalms for Lent. Today's theme was Psalm 88 and lamenting. This psalm is unique because it does not have any words of hope - its 100% lament. In truth, my experience is often more like the other psalms, where as I lay out my grievances before the Lord, eventually my heart returns to songs of praise and submission. But these last few days, I have been mostly lamenting.

Tonight, I read these words by Cardinal John Henry Newman, who lived in the 19th century, and wrote not only the words below, but also an influential piece we studied in our master's program at Baylor ("The Idea of a University"). I thought these words were especially true of how I feel, and of what God was teaching me at church today.

God has created me
to do Him some definite service.
He has committed some work to me
which he has not committed to another.
I have a mission,
I may never know it in this life
but I shall be told it in the next.
I am a link in a chain
A bond of connection between persons.
He has not created me for naught.
I shall do good - I shall do his work
I shall be an angel of peace
A preacher in my own place
while not intending it
if I do but keep His commandments.
Therefore I will trust Him
whatever I am, I can never be thrown away
if I am in sickness, my sickness may serve Him
in perplexity, my perplexity may serve Him
if I am in sorrow, my sorrow may serve Him.
He does nothing in vain
He knows what he is about
He may take away my friends
He may throw me among strangers
He may make me feel desolate
make my spirits sink
hide my future from me - still
He knows what He is about.

Cardinal John Henry Newman

Thursday, March 19, 2009

Friday Fun (VI)

WOOHOOO!!!! Finals is over, spring break is upon me, and I am excited!!

Don't get me wrong, I have some stuff I have to do over the next 10 days - I'm going to work on writing a chapter that Linda (my advisor) and I are coauthoring. I'm going to work on this paper that I'm presenting in May. And I'm going to work on my tan.

But in the meantime, here is one of my favorite comedy routines of all time, for your Friday Fun.

Bill Cosby, Himself (1983). This particular bit is regarding: dentists. Enjoy!

Tuesday, March 17, 2009

Friday Fun (V)... moved to Tuesday

I love 30 Rock, so when I heard about this video, I thought I would like it, and I DID!

Enjoy! Tiff

Sunday, March 15, 2009

Friday Fun Delay...

I haven't forgotten about Friday Fun - Its just that I had a ton of meetings upon return from Seattle last week and didn't get to post and now its finals.......... don't fret. A new post will come soon. :)

Friday, March 6, 2009

Friday Fun (IV)

Well, frankly, its pretty amazing that I have remembered 4 weeks in a row. Special shout out to Christine Hersh, who reminded me that I should submit something - even though I am in Seattle at the NASPA conference.

The video below is an excerpt from a Jim Gaffigan show. My friends Anne, Julie, and I were able to attend a show last November here in LA, courtesy of Anne's brother. Jim Gaffigan plays "Andy" - P.J.'s brother on the (very funny) TBS show "My Boys" - I encourage you to check it out.

If you get a chance to see his act, DO IT! He is hilarious, and his comedy is pretty clean.

Here is his take on how we celebrate holidays.

Thursday, March 5, 2009

Father and Daughter

This year I have been trying to grow my relationship with God. I have renewed my meditations in the morning, am pursuing community opportunities (like small group and bible study), and trying to improve my ability to hear His voice. All in all, I definitely feel closer to God in 2009 than I did for most of 2008.

Recently, I had this great encounter where I was worn out and weary after class at 5pm and as I walked (trudged) toward the shuttle stop to take me home. Pretty regularly the shuttle will pull up when I am within eyesight but not close enough to catch it unless I run (or sometimes I'm too far to even catch it if I ran). If I miss the shuttle, then it could be up to 20 minutes until the next one arrives.

I was so worn out that day that I just prayed - "Lord, can you please hold the shuttle back until I get there, but then make it come right away so that I don't have to stand there?" I know that prayer is very "tiffani-centric" - but I also know that I can bring all my heart's requests to the throne room and the Lord can say "No" or sift through the requests, etc.

Imagine my joy and thankfulness when my very specific prayer was answered "Yes" perfectly.
As I walked up to the shuttle stop, the bus pulled up. It was amazing and I was so thankful.

As I got off the shuttle and began the walk to my apartment, the Lord reminded me of the verse in Matthew where Jesus says, "If you, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the Father in heaven give good gifts to those who love him" (Some verses have "give the Holy Spirit").

That made me think of how grateful I am - not just for God's goodness, but for the goodness of my dad. My dad is my biggest champion and cheerleader. He loves me so deeply, so good, and so thoroughly. Even though we don't always agree on religion and politics among other things, he still is interested in what I think and what I believe - he loves me unconditionally. In that way, I could not have a better representation of God's love for me - I mean, if my earthly dad loves me this much, how much more does God love me?!? Its amazing. And I rejoice.

So last night I was watching this thing on PBS honoring Paul Simon. I love Paul Simon's music; its soulful, fun, heartfelt, and rich. So I was listening and enjoying other artists doing covers of his songs. Then he came out on stage and sang a song I love "Diamonds on the Souls of Her Shoes" - afterward I thought, "What is he going to sing next, I wonder?"

I was surprised when he started singing a song I hadn't heard before called "Father and Daughter." But as I listened, I thought - wow, this song makes me grateful for God's love for me. Even though its a song about an earthly dad's love for his daughter, and even though the lyrics are not a perfect metaphor for what God sings over me (Zeph 3:17), it is pretty good - and it was awesome to think that not only does it pretty accurately how I feel like my dad loves me, but I loved that it could be a song that could cause me to worship my Heavenly Dad, too.

The lyrics are below. I would love to know your reaction to them. Even if you don't have the same experience with your earthly dad that I do - I am convinced that the chorus of this song represents God's love for you as his daughter (or son for that matter).

FATHER AND DAUGHTER, written by Paul Simon (I think)
If you leap awake
In the middle of a bad dream
And for a fraction of a second
You can't remember where you are
Just open your window
And follow your memory upstream
To the meadow in the mountain
Where we counted every falling star

I believe the light that shines on you
Will shine on you forever
And though I can't guarantee
Theres nothing scary hiding under your bed
I’m gonna stand guard
Like a postcard of a Golden Retriever
And never leave till I leave you
With a sweet dream in your head

I'm gonna watch you shine
Gonna watch you grow
Gonna paint a sign
So you'll always know
As long as one and one is two
There could never be a father
Who loved his daughter more than I love you

Trust your intuition
It's just like going fishing
You cast your line
And hope you get a bite
But you don't need to waste your time
Worrying about the market place
Try to help the human race
Struggling to survive it's harshest night

I'm gonna watch you shine
Gonna watch you grow
Gonna paint a sign
So you'll always know
As long as one and one is two
There could never be a father
Who loved his daughter more than I love you

I'm gonna watch you shine
Gonna watch you grow
Gonna paint a sign
So you'll always know
As long as one and one is two
There could never be a father
Who loved his daughter more than I love you