I got a laptop, I got a laptop!!

I wonder if having a laptop will result in me blogging more...only time will tell, right?

Good News:

I LOVE having good news to share - yesterday, for the first time in my life, I won something. I was on my way to the store, listening to the radio - I was listening to STAR 98.7, which I hardly ever do anymore since they went all hard core rocker on me. But it was a U2 song, so naturally I kept listening....and then they played another U2 song...and then I called. And I called, and I called - I must have called 11 or 12 times before it rang. And then IT RANG!! AND THEN THE GIRL WHO ANSWERED SAID I HAD WON U2 TICKETS!!! I am still on a high from it today! See, I've never won anything in my life - and I've always wanted to see U2 in concert. In fact, Dan and I were JUST talking about seeing them live once before they get too old to tour!! So on October 24th, we will see them at the Rose Bowl FOR FREE!!

Book Update:

Now what's funny about this story is I've been reading a lot of books recently that have redirected my focus on the important things in life. And U2 tickets are not important in life...but I'm sure glad I got them! Anywhoo - since my last blog I've finished "Why We're Not Imergent - By Two Guys Who Should Be", and I'm currently reading Francis Chan's "Crazy Love". All good stuff. My conclusion about all these challenging books I've discovered lately is this: those comfortable American christians who "need" to read these books never will. And this thought makes me sad. Does anyone else feel this way?

LOST:

I know I've dropped the blogging ball, but I have still been enjoying this season immensely! Last week's Sayid episode wasn't the most action packed episode, but sometimes they have to have those "set up" eps every once in a while. It was worth it for the last 30 seconds - am I right, or am I right??

THIS week's Kate episode, though - ROCKED. I like that we're back to the old flashback format of the show, and we're learning more about the O6 during the past 3 years. I thought this episode was superbly acted by Evie, and gave us a lot of answers (well, a lot for a LOST episode, that is). It was fun to see Cassady again, even if I didn't agree with her "You needed HIM, Kate" line. Kate took Aaron because she felt it was the best option she had for everyone involved - but ultimately, I think Kate needed to protect him, and then let him go, and I was glad to see this come full circle. I also love that Kate's purpose in coming back was to find Claire. She came back for a reason, and it doesn't involve a hunky co-star. That means the only 2 who really came back with a purpose are Kate and Sun...

A few thoughts:

- Has the love quadangle coffin finally been nailed shut? There were plenty of scenes in this episode to make us think so. I personally am totally rooting for Sawyer/Juliet - I think them being together represents both of their characters moving on, evolving, and maturing together. And you know me - I'm all about the characters evolving for the better. I love that Sawyer admits that he wasn't "fit" to be anyone's boyfriend or father before, but that he has also done a lot of growing up the last 3 years.

I still land in the camp of "Sawyer was never Kate's first choice", and therefore was never truly in love with him. However, I also appreciate the comments from Jack that Kate doesn't like the new or the old Jack - because I believe Jack still has more evolving to do before Kate can fall back in love with him.

- Can the future change, or "Whatever Happened, Happened"?? This seems to be the biggest debate right now. The writers seem to be telling us that the future is set in stone (through ep titles, Miles' dialogue, and their own podcasts). Some people say there's no fun in that idea. I say that even if they can't change the future, their characters can change, and that's fun enough for me! However we need to think about the idea that they probably won't be stuck in the 70's forever, which leaves the chance that the series might very well end in the present, in which case we don't know what will happen in the end and there's plenty mystery to be revealed still.

-Why aren't Sun and Frank in the 70's with the others? And what year are they in? I have a million ideas, but none of them really pan out. So I don't know. Do you?

- When will Desmond return? I definitely still think that Desmond is the key to either change the future, or get our losties back to the future. I'm wondering if the end of season 5 will conclude with the return of Desmond and a major shift happening to set up season 6. Besides, I miss the brotha.

- How will the series end? I know, it's too soon to be asking this question. But I can't help myself. The writers have said a bunch of times that they've always had the end in mind. So what end could they have in mind that could possibly still happen now that the series has had sooo much...action? Here's my thought: I think that in order for our losties to get "unlost" permanently, they will have to find a way to destroy the island and make it back to present time mainland. This would do several things: It would make sure they, or anyone else for that matter, never get lost again. It would also have to be a major event that causes them all to work together somehow. I have always thought LOST is such a good group-cast show, this would stay true to that theme. It would also just bring good, permanent closure - which many TV series fail to do. How would this happen? It might involve a nuclear bomb - but I have no idea how they'd all escape. Dan seems to think the series will end on-island somehow. Is it too early to tell? How do YOU think LOST will end?
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Random Thoughts...

Missions:
I've been having the urge lately to just get on a plane and go somewhere. This is the first year in a very long time that I might not get to go on a missions trip during the summer, and I don't think I like it. I have honestly been praying that the Lord would plop an opportunity in my lap - along with the funds, of course! Feel free to join me in this prayer -

Reading:
I just finished reading "So You Don't Want to Go to Church Anymore?" by Jacobsen and Coleman. Highly recommend it. Not sure why it's titled so, doesn't really fit what the book is about - I would retitle it "Conversations on the struggles of church and Christianity today". When you read it, we can have a contest who can come up with a better title for the book!
Just started "Getting Fired for the Glory of God" by Mike Yaconelli. That guy. He was just amazing. I'm kinda sad I didn't have this book a year ago - it's so aptly titled for me...
Next book on the list - "Why We're Not Emergent" by DeYoung and Cluck.

Ministry:
The Servant Leadership at the Jr. High is going well - we are there everyday for their 2 lunch hours, so it's a bummer that I can't really do lunch dates with people anymore, but I'm loving being around the kids. They are really starting to warm up to our presence on the campus and relationships are forming. It's weird though, we're not really there to build one-on-one relationships, we're there to run a program, so we're not really learning names. I do miss mentoring students one on one the most, but I am very thankful the Lord has still got me in this youth ministry thing.

Cooking:
I don't know why, but the Food Network is now the most interesting channel on TV to me right now! I've been trying new recipies like crazy - I'm so thankful for a husband who will eat anything I put in front of him. Some of my new favorites:
- Creamy Artichoke Soup
- Any sort of Cake!
- Shepherd's Pie
- Pulled BBQ Beef Sandwiches

Movies:
Curious Case -
Saw it last weekend for Valentine's Day. I loved this movie. More than I thought I would. I heard it was good, but I thought it was excellent. Acting - superb. Effects - too good to be true. Story - beautifully heartbreaking. In trying to explain why it was so well done, I think I found that the idea of a man aging young is really out there and odd. But the movie didn't treat it as "out there", it just treated it as "unusual". So the main focus of the story remained on the characters, not the wierdness of the idea. Highly recommend, wish Kate Blanchette had been nominated as well.

Burn After Reading -
Watched this one with a friend - thought it looked funny. Not so much. Dark comedy with a bunch of really messed up people. I'm not a fan of movies where the entire cast of characters has major quirks, flaws and annoyances. Either it's just too twisted to be realistic, or I'm too much of a romantic to believe people are really that messed up. Either way, this movie was one of them (much like "Little Miss Sunshine" was...I know, I know, most of you people liked that one, but I did not), being too disturbing to actually enjoy.

LOST:
Oh, come on, what would a blog from me be without mentioning it?? :)
This week's episode, 316, was completely different than all the others this season. Not in a bad way, it just had a very different vibe and flow to it than past episodes. The opening scene was done well - I knew immediately that it wasn't the first time around but the second, but somehow it made the scene even better.
Questions to ponder...and my pondering.
1. Where did Kate take Aaron?
The logical answer is she gave him to his grandmother, Mrs. Littleton, because this would lead to Claire eventually reuniting with and raising Aaron. The wildcard answer is that Kate hooked up with Sawyer's babymama, and gave him to her, but I think she's in the South somewhere and Kate wouldn't have had time to do that.
Either way, I think it was a huge turning point for Kate, and a piece of her died by doing so. I hate Kate's reaction to being sad...that's the second time we've seen that happen.
2. Did Ben really make good on his promise to kill Penny?
Maybe, but I don't think so simply by the way they showed us the aftermath to keep us guessing. My guess is that Desmond was pretty ticked off to see Ben on his boat, and bashed his head in. OR...Penny defended her son by using blunt objects from her little houseboat. Anywhoo - like I said last week, I think Penny knows a lot more than she's letting on, and I think that whole "You killed my daughter so I'm killing yours" plot has more to play still.
3. Is Frank Lipidus on the island? Did the whole plane crash?
I hope Frank is alive and on the island, I love that guy. I don't think the whole plane crashed, simply because of the way they "introduced" them in the arrival scene. It seemed like the passengers simply got swept up with a "flash" of the island.

Other thoughts:
-Sun and Jin reunion, here we come! Yay...
-Did anyone else notice how the returners had all "switched roles" on the return flight? Sayid is now Kate, Hurley is now Charlie...
-Someone else online had a theory that Kate is now Claire, and she's pregnant, we just don't know it yet...Interesting. That would sure complicate the love triangle a bit. I hope she's not, I think that's unnecessary drama.
-I love how Jack is slowly but surely turning into a man of faith. Him being strictly a man of science up 'till now has seemed to be his major character flaw, and I can't wait for that flaw to be resolved so he can fulfill his potential. But hey, what can I say, I'm a Jack fan.
-I really hope they take the rest of the episodes this season to "flash back" to when the returners were on the mainland to fill in the gaps for us. (We could find out what Kate did with Aaron, if she ever kept Sawyer's promise, how Hurley gets out of jail, how Sayid ended up in handcuffs...)

Enough blogging for one night...someday I'll put up the pictures of my recent cakes. Have a blessed week, all...for we are loved by the King!!

Long time, no blog....

LOST:

This season rocks. Action, action, and more action! The writers are totally rewarding me for being so obsessive for the last 4 seasons! I get really sad when I think how soon it's gonna be over.

A few Key Questions to think about...
-Will all 6 of the Oceanic 6 come back to the island in the next 2 episodes?
-Is Christian Shepherd a "good guy"?
-Is anyone else nervous that Penny and Ben are in the same vicinity right now?
-Is Mrs. Hawking a "good guy" because she's hanging out in a church?
-Could the shotgun-toting "Ellie" in last week's episode be the one and only Eloise Hawking?
-What will be the ultimate task Jack has to go back to the island to complete?

A few thoughts...
-Just as the first few seasons were all about bad daddies, this season sure seems to be focusing on the moms.
-I wonder if Widmore hasn't gone back to the island because he knows that if he does, he'll die (nosebleeds and all), and Ben hasn't shared his secret passageways with him yet. How can Widmore take back what Ben stole if he can't go back to the island himself?
-I think Penny knows a crazy-lot more than she's letting show.
-Doesn't Desmond know that in TV-land, when you make your wife such as strong promise, that's code for "I'll end up doing the exact opposite"???

My Favorite moments/lines from this season so far -
-Ben's temper tantrum in the van this last episode. (Is Ben finally caught without a plan??)
-Sawyer - "Son of a..." (Flash) "Bitch!" (Again, with the mother theme...)
-Sayid killing that dude in the safe house with the knife-loaded dishwasher.
-Desmond and Penny named their son Charlie!! Awww...
-Sawyer:"Are you sure you don't want us to lower you down?" Locke: "Now where would be the fun in that?" (grin)
-Miles: "Don't look at me, man, I'm from Encino"

And just for fun...

My ABC's

A - ADVOCATE FOR: Jesus, youth, agape love, good books

B - BEST FEATURE: My eyes I suppose

C - COULD DO WITHOUT: Cold weather!

D - DREAMS & DESIRES: Too many to list here - to swim with dolphins in Hawaii!

E - ESSENTIAL ITEMS: Dan, good pair of jeans, Bible, Mexican food (not necessarily in that order)

F - FAVORITE PAST TIME: Reading, Creating art, traveling

G - GOOD AT: Creative stuff, performing arts.

H - HAVE NEVER TRIED: Snow skiing or oysters

I - IF I HAD A MILLION DOLLARS: I'd divide it up and use some, save some, give most away.

J - JUNKIE FOR: Date night, Lord of the Rings, LOST, Disneyland

K - KINDRED SPIRIT: Melaine

L - LITTLE KNOWN FACT: I'm related to Bing Crosby.

M - MEMORABLE MOMENT: Getting our stuff stolen in New Zealand and depending on God.

N - NEVER AGAIN WILL I: Well...life's too short to have regrets, right?

O - OCCASIONAL INDULGENCE: New shoes when I don't need them.

P - PROFESSION: I hate this question. Let's just say I'm doing exactly what God wants me to do right now!

Q - QUOTE: People don't care how much you know until they know how much you care.

R - REASON TO SMILE: I am blessed.

S - SORRY ABOUT: Being bad at long distance friendships.

T - TAG SOME FRIENDS: I haven't played tag in years...

U - UNINTERESTED IN: WWF, Seafood, church politics.

V - VERY SCARED OF: Poisonous spiders?

W - WORST HABIT: Leaving the clean wash in the dryer for days.

X - X MARKS MY IDEAL VACATION SPOT: Hawaii or New Zealand

Y - YUMMIEST DESSERT: Brownies with mint ice cream!

Z - ZODIAC SIGN: Don't know, don't care.

I haven't had an ounce of time to blog about the LOST premiere, and I know that if I start now, my hubby's gonna come walking through the door, ready for date night. So, sorry folks, date night wins for now, but my thoughts on the premiere are coming...

Just one thing - Praise the LORD that Jack's beard is gone!

For Lostie Fanatics only...

LOST Season 5 premiers in 3 days - 3 DAYS!! Sooo excited! So of course I've been hashing through the last season trying to glean anything that might be important going in to episode 5.1 this week.

There are 2 scenes that bothered me from last season. 1. When Jack visits Hurley because he's not taking his meds, Hurley tells Jack that he speaks with dead Charlie frequently, and he has a message for Jack - "You're not supposed to raise him, Jack". Then Hurley says, "Do you think he means Aaron?" Jack doesn't respond. So dead Charlie tells Jack "You're not supposed to raise him" via Hurley.
2. Kate wakes up in the middle of the night, hears a noise down the hall. She guns up only to find Claire bending over Aaron, admiring him. When Claire stands up, she says in a very angry tone, "Don't you bring him back, Kate. Don't you dare bring him back!!"

I have always thought these two "visions" were in conflict with each other - Charlie says Jack's not supposed to raise Aaron, which can only mean that he's supposed to bring Aaron back to Claire so she can raise him. (this would follow the psychic's warning from Season 1 who told Claire she was supposed to raise the baby) But if Claire tells Kate not to bring Aaron back to the island, Claire obviously can't raise him.

SOOO - go with me here - what if the "HE" in both those visions aren't referring to Aaron?? What if they're referring to someone else? My guess?? LOCKE. "RAISE him"? "Bring him back?" Like raise him from the dead? Bring him back to life? If Charlie and Claire were both talking about Locke, they wouldn't be contradicting each other. Like they know what Locke did - or will do - if he's brought back to the island. (and you know these writers - it would be just like them to want us to THINK they're talking about Aaron...)

So that's my crazy theory going into season 5. Dan never thought the visions were contradictory in the first place and isn't going there, so what do YOU think?

Happy New Year, everyone!!

Hey, all - Happy 2009! I just wanted to share the cake I did for Jackie's 21st birthday - I think it's my favorite so far!

A Christmas Present...

I did this cake 2 weeks ago, but forgot to post it. Soo fun!