Last year, at this point in the summer, I was in western Nebraska deep into chapter 2 of my doctoral thesis. One year later, the degree is complete and I’m back in western Nebraska for a little rest and a family visit.
It’s left me a little time to to think about the question everyone keeps asking right after they’re finished congratulating me on my degree: “So, what are you going to do now?”

Well, here’s what’s happening (in no particular order of importance):

• Finish up our westward trek with a weekend in Colorado sans kids and then spend time at Krista’s family reunion in Oshkosh, NE
• The long awaited reunion tour (one show) of the band formaly known as “Pauline.” My submission for our new name is “Napkin Metanarrative.”
• Resurrect the Worship Conversations podcast, the Critical Mass Podcast, the Worship Studies Site, and this blog.
• Begin to develop resources for celebrating the Lord’s Supper at Food for the Journey
• Enjoy a generous graduation gift from my wife: a Line 6 Variax 600 and a Pod X3 Live
• See Hannah off to preschool in the fall
• Write an extended research paper to finish my MA in Contempoaray Theology from Lincoln Christian Seminary
• Take a look at all the courses I teach and decide what needs to be tweaked and revamped
• Map out a few projects on worship for Lux Venit Media

I got the greatest Father’s Day gift from Hannah.  It’s a wonderfully painted, large coffee mug, complete with travel top.  You’ll definitely see this making the rounds on campus this year.

On our way across Nebraska, we stopped at Krista’s grandparents for a few days. We counted no less than 12 nativity sets on the main floor! The sets range in diversity from Eskimo to Native American to Precious Moments to Blue Man Group (see for yourself with the link below).

A camera phone, Flickr, and a slow afternoon; you can see them all with commentary here.

They look so happy, don’t they?

After ordering one stand-alone DSL line and getting confirmations for two DSL lines, I spent 40 minutes on the phone with 5 different people (including one who was so quiet I thought I was listening to someone doing an imitation of me on the phone). The next to last person sent me all the way back to the first number I dialed! In the end, it worked out, but not without much frustration – and I can’t afford to lose any more hair.

This week’s This American Life eerily prefigured my experience; check out Act 2.

Perhaps it’s just me, but I don’t think the opportunity to get rid of JUNK around your house suddenly turns you into the next Antiques Road Show or Christie’s Auction House. We had a neighborhood garage sale this Saturday and unlike many of our fellow merchants, both here and across town, we priced things to move. Was this chair worth $50? Who cares! Price it at $10 and get rid of it!

The phrase “we originally paid blah blah for this” does not apply at a garage sale. Nobody cares. Here’s a snapshot of a conversation that Krista had with a gentleman who wanted to buy a rug that we wanted to get rid of:

Guy: How much for that rug?

Krista: $10

Guy: How about $5?

Krista: I’ll give it to you for $7.50.

Guy: I’ll take it, here’s $7.50.

This all took place in less than 10 seconds. He got a rug. We got rid of a rug and get to have a cheap lunch sometime in the near future. Everybody wins. I don’t have to haul a heavy rug to the trash or a donation site. But most importantly, I avoid the “people pretending to understand and participate in a free market society” drama.

I told her that three years ago, I placed a small café table (donated by Gretchen and Chris) outside on our patio and prayed fervently that one day, we would drink coffee together in the cool mornings while rifling through morning papers and online content. Monday, I ground the beans, boiled the water, and steeped the French Press; then we sat down. For a whole 3 minutes. Then the child awoke and we moved the impressionist painting indoors. Note: when you move a mentally contrived impressionistic café scene indoors, it loses something; especially with the addition of a 2 year old.

2) Dr. Francis Beckwith – a wonderful philosopher, professor at Baylor, and president of ETS – joined the Roman Catholic Church (a move that both garnered sharp criticism and rousing praise).

In typical ABC Lost fashion, I ask “how are these two events connected?”

Did I miss some piece of northeast etiquette about bagels? Each time the server asked if I wanted it toasted; each time I said no; each time they charred it beyond anything edible and served it to me anyway.

Three times they burned me, the fourth time I gave in and said “yes, please toast it.”  Next, I’ll slip and let them put that stupid cream and sugar in the coffee for me without asking (“regular,” as they like to call it).

Happy birthday to my favorite 2 year old!

I had the opportunity to see one of my (and Krista’s) favorite authors two nights ago. Sarah Vowell is a frequent contributor to This American Life and has authored several books and various articles in periodicals and newspapers all over the world. I enjoy her powers of observation, wit, and delivery.

Pete and Janet, our self-described public radio friends, joined us for an evening of readings and high stakes bootlegging (if you’d like a copy, let me know).