Rally afghans and Lonestar make me Hawpe-y

I just wanted to put in a quick note to say that even though I was very sad for the Rockies to lose on Sunday, and embarrassed that we got swept so badly, I had so much fun watching the game with Anna, Rachelle, and company. We crammed as many people on the couches as possible (I crammed as much guac as possible) and just had a blast. It was exactly what I needed to have great company and a good game. So thanks ladies!

Sunday

Over the shoulder passes, interceptions, Denver skyline, Ceili Rain, coffee, VI brunch (when was the last time that happened?), caramel apples, walks in the park...

Bella

"True love is more than romance." Love that stands by even when it hurts, praying silently, urgently for Love to find its way in. Opening up your life to see what love is about, how beautiful and tragic things can be, but never alone. Never alone. The more I see brokenness, the more I glimpse what is really inside , the more I'm convinced that all we can really do is try to love one another, to bring each other to Love. We can't fix the brokenness, but we can see past it, we can live through it, really live.

Rockies are calling, Denver snow falling

I woke up this morning to gorgeous snow coating the red and green trees outside the window, which in true Colorado fashion melted to blue skies by the afternoon, in time to celebrate October with the girls of "Trinity Cottage." Beer brats, homemade apple pie, and pumpkin cookies filled the table and apple cider and "vino verde" from Portugal filled our glasses. But the real treat was courtesy of Matt and Emily at the piano, belting out everything from "A Whole New World" to "The Sound of Music" to "Be Thou My Vision." SO good. Then we had a sing along with "My Heart Will Go On" and "Lean on Me." I'm almost convinced to buy a piano just so that I can invite people over to play it. I'm promised a return invitation for when Christmas Caroling time rolls around.

It was a light-hearted ending to a heavy week, during which I dealt with alcoholism, HIV, and abortion first hand, and also started reading "Left to Tell: Discovering God Amidst the Rwandan Holocaust" (read it! It is one of the most powerful books I've ever read). There is a lot of brokenness in this world, a lot of heartache, a lot of searching for something to fulfill us and coming up empty. But there is also life--beautiful, miraculous life, and grace and joy beyond what we could ever hope to deserve. To contemplate the love of God that was so real it became present in the creation of each one of us, that God planned each of us since the beginning of time, that He watches over us--it leaves me speechless. And to think that we turn our backs on Him so easily, that humanity has rejected this love and decided to seek salvation amidst individualism and hedonism under the guise of tolerance and freedom. What a fake freedom. And I'm not sure what my role in all of it is. I know it's not enough to be upset and rant about it. Paul says to persevere, whether it is convenient or inconvenient, and Jesus says to be persistent in prayer, but that's the only answers I have for now.

Side note: Transformers--go see it. It's excellent. Really sad the Red Sox won the penant, but the way the Indians played these last few games, they didn't exactly deserve it. At least I won't be sad in any way to crush the Sox--go Rockies! I'm only missing the game on Wednesday because I'll be at the David Crowder concert. Hazzah!

My name is Laura, and I'm a normy

That's the name alcoholics give to those of us who are not. I attended my first AA meeting today (as an observer for a class), and found myself feeling very welcome. "Hi, Jim" and "Thanks, Jim" everytime someone talked. I feel like we should all acknowledge each other so much. In all truthfulness, 28 Days got it pretty right. The sharing and the repetition and the friendships and the falling down and the getting back up. AA is an interesting program, simple on the surface, odd to an observer, but very effective, very forgiving, very supportive. I'm grateful that today I was given a precious glimpse into the tragedy of alcoholism. As they said, it is a cunning disease, and the mind games that go on as one tries to achieve sobriety are impressive. It robs people of a life of dignity as they gradually lose their jobs, their families, and their control. One member said she initially felt like she was an animal at a zoo, being judged as a non-alcoholic observed her. "We're not losers." As they each talked, I could see the beauty of a life that was striving for freedom. Two had tried to commit suicide recently. One had never gotten past 29 days sober though she'd been coming for months. One started drinking at age 8. I just found myself watching them and smiling. They had given up their pride to admit they were powerless, but they were clinging to a hope that they could change. I found myself praying for them, seeing Jesus in them. It's so easy to hear "alcoholic" and to make a blanket judgment, and yes, some of these people fit that profile--homeless, jobless, criminals--but many of them were "normys" to an outsider--fathers, mothers, people you would actually smile at if you passed them on the street instead of averting your eyes. I hope I am different because of this. I hope I can better help an alcoholic that walks through my door, but I also hope I can see Jesus in the next person I see sitting on a street corner.

Hey Byrnes...

Stick me on the bandwagon, man. This is fun!!! It's been a while since Colorado brought home a championship, so I forgot what it's like. And I forgot how fun baseball could be, since I faded with the Rockies records after 1995. Yelling at the TV, memorizing stats, joking about luck and kitty litter and matching reds, remembering the 6-4-3 lingo, holding your breath as the runner crosses the bag, eating brownie sundaes and Imperial rolls (for Matsui)--yeah, this is fun. I find that although I've long since good-willed my Rockies clothes, I can still pen out the logo from memory, and I'm re-learning our roster slowly. This could make Denver a baseball town again.

And for John--go Indians (and because Manny Ramirez's pants are too big).

Still laughing

For all those who have ever sat for far too long watching the DVD logo waiting for it to exactly hit the corner...I freaking love The Office.

Of human life

As weird as Bones was last night (and it was weird!), the final scene was surprisingly uplifting. Booth said it in a way that didn't seem prudish or medieval or defensive, which is how Catholic sexual ethics often appear because of improper presentation. But when the truth about human love is presented as the beautiful way things were meant to be, something that our current society has merely perverted, then we can see how right the Church is and how far we've strayed from something so miraculous.

Booth: Here we are, all of us basically alone, separate creatures, just circling each other, all searching for the slightest hint of a real connection. Some look in the wrong places, some give up hope because in their mind they’re thinking oh there’s just nobody out there for me. But all of us keep on trying over and over again. Why? Because every once in a while, every once in a while, two people meet and there’s that spark. And, yes, Bones, he’s handsome and she’s beautiful, and maybe that’s all they see at first. But making love? Making love … that’s when two people become one.

Brennan: It’s scientifically impossible for two objects to occupy the same space.

Booth: Yeah, but what’s important is we try. And when we do it right … we get close.

Brennan: To what? Breaking the law of physics.

Booth: Yeah, Bones. A miracle.

Glory...

Finally finished Neuro today. Felt like forever. I really did learn a lot, and I think I can say this was the best-directed block in many ways. I'm going to miss our crazy brain surgeon of a professor who literally left someone on the table this afternoon to come ref our football game. He didn't even have to give us 5 downs, we killed them all by ourselves. I don't know if you understand how much I LOVE to play football. It always helps when you start off dressed in blue street camouflage and eye black, so you already look like a gang of thugs. Add our awesome cheerleaders who aren't afraid to don pink Target skirts and wigs, and a grand entrance courtesy of Geoff's limo (no, seriously), and there's no way we could have lost. Of course, we're also very good. And I love that I get to play every position except center (coach, QB, lineman, linebacker, wide receiver, corner back, punter), that I got a passing and receiving TD (and an almost safety, darn!), and that Jaime drew a late-hit to give us a key first down with under two minutes to play. Now that was a sweet thing to watch. I love play-calling from the sidelines and yelling out instructions and getting handed water by our wonderful water boys. The whole thing, I love it. And I love that I have another game on Sunday for ND Blue. Yay for football. I've said this before, but football is the sport of glory. Every play has the potential for highlight reel greatness, and you feel like you're on the jumbotron even if it's just powderpuff because that's how glorious it is.