When I was a freshman in college, about a year old in my faith, I started hearing a lot about this book called Blue Like Jazz. I was really into going to Lifeway at the time, and I remember it being on one of the front shelves, with the other bestsellers. I also remember that I was afraid to look at it, for the all the controversy surrounding it at the time. But, rebel that I am, I think the controversy is what eventually led me to read it. And I think I got it for free, which was also incentive enough for me. So, I read it, in all its sarcastic, heart-exposing, scandalous-at-times, glory. I really liked it because it brought to light how "religious" I had become...I also didn't like it because it brought to light how "religious" I had become. After talking it over with a few people, I decided it was "too controversial", and put it back on the shelf. Fast forward a few years...by this time, I am growing more and more in my faith in Jesus, but also holding tight to some of my "religious" tendencies. I decided to read Blue Like Jazz again. It is so exposing and convicting, that I continue to read it again and again, as well as every other book that Donald Miller has written. So, here we are today. Donald Miller, and all his books, and I suppose his lectures, and his blog, are controversial among the religious circles. Sometimes because it's not clear where he stands on a particular issue, and we religious types like to make the lines clear on particular issues. Mostly, I think it's just because the things he says hit too close to home for us, and our pride is hurt. But, Jesus doesn't seem to mind hurting pride, when He talks with people in the gospels---especially the religious types. All this to say, I was really pumped when I heard they were making a movie of Blue Like Jazz. And then I was really bummed to find out they weren't gonna have enough money to make it. And then I was really interested to find out that these two guys had made a goal to raise all the money for the production of the movie, because their lives have been impacted by its honesty too. And then I was convinced enough that it might happen to donate a little money to the effort myself (along with my equally-enamored-with-BLJ-husband). And then I was stoked to find out that the $ goal was reached in just a couple weeks! However, at this point, this will be a very LOW-budget film, and we all know what low-budget films are like. Anyway, if you have ever read/appreciated Blue Like Jazz, or just like good movies (which I'm sure this will be), or you like being involved in something bigger than yourself (this will potentially be the biggest crowd-sourced movie ever), or you just have $10 to burn (and you don't want to give it me...why don't you want to give it to me? I would spend it well...just kidding...mostly)...then go here and check out the campaign and make the movie a reality!

We All Have Trash

The first few weeks that we lived in our little neighborhood, our next-door-neighbor had a trashcan almost identical to ours. I think we may have accidentally brought back his trashcan to our porch on one trash pickup day. Maybe that's why he quit using his trashcan. Or maybe he just got tired of carrying the whole trashcan down every Tuesday. I'm not sure. Either way, he started just putting these white drawstring bags on his side of the sidewalk to be picked up on Tuesdays, but every Tuesday night I'd notice the trash pickup men had left those bags right where they lay. Maybe they didn't like his rebellion against the can. Or, maybe they just didn't see his little bags behind the parked cars. So, last Tuesday I came home at lunch to this scene. Our trashcan, and beautiful new Raleigh recycling bin (an aside: Casey is continually amazed by the things that can be recycled---"you can recycle glass?? you can recycle newspaper??", and I am continually picking things out of the trash that can actually be recycled), now accompanied by our neighbor's can-less trash bags. I thought it was funny, but more, I thought it was a good picture of community. "Hey neighbor, you just put your trash out next to mine, and we'll do this thing together." My prayer is that our little cirlce of huts would soon be a community, in the true sense of the word.