In case you didn’t notice it, yesterday was Ash Wednesday and the Lenten season officially began.

As a protestant, I didn’t grow up observing Lent. Due to the extended familial wars of religion, I was strongly encouraged to avoid all forms of Catholicism. No offense to my Catholic friends and readers, but the extended fam is militantly Catholic, which has made family relationships extremely challenging at times.

I didn’t even realize that protestants observed Lent until Beka observed it while I was in college. I was shocked. Why was a Pentecostal Christian observing something that I connected with Catholicism? As I ventured outside my Presbyterian/Baptist bubble, I encountered more and more protestants who chose to observe Lent even though their respective churches didn’t emphasize it.

After hearing Pastor Joel’s sermon at Ebz this weekend (love the “How” series), I decided to observe it this year. Fasting of all types is certainly a biblical principle, and I’ve never fasted for 40 days before.

What to fast? I sat there praying and thinking for a few minutes. It seemed wrong to fast something like sugar just to have a “Lent diet.” Politics, Facebook and the web really aren’t options since I need those things for work. Blogging was a possibility, but I can’t even take a voluntary break from it. I gave up Diet Coke and caffeine a while back, and I’m not a fan of chocolate. I hardly ever drink anymore. Lost is the only show I watch on TV, and I’ve cut back on shopping to be a better financial steward. Then I had an idea. My iPod. I should give my iPod up for Lent.

Outside of DC, that may sound insignificant. However, iPods are a necessity of life here. When you spend up to 2 hours a day commuting, the majority of Washingtonians survive with music. Furthermore, it’s how I cope in a cubefarm environment. When it’s noisy or I have a huge writing project, my iPod is pulled out. There are days when I spend 5 or 6 hours zoned out to the addypod. A while ago, I realized that using my morning and evening commute would be a good opportunity to pray, read my Bible or read a book on Christian living. Until now, I’ve never really had a motivation to do that. Maybe I’ll be finally finish Mere Christianity.

If this morning’s commute is any indication, the next 39 days are going to be a challenge. It’s hard to focus without music drowning out the distractions.

As usual, NCC has resources. Check out the daily prayer journal and tell your 40 days story.

Are you observing Lent? If so, what are you fasting?

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Don’t you hate it when work gets in the way of blogging. Must run and start my day. For some reason, my job expects me to show up at this conference and not just sit in my hotel room pouring over the Internets.

Many posts have been written about Hillary’s new health plan, but this quote from USA Today amused me.

The front-runner in the race for the Democratic presidential nomination said that under her new plan, the federal government would spend $110 billion a year to help employers and individuals pay for insurance. About half of the money would come from repealing tax cuts and tax breaks for people with incomes above $250,000; the rest would be saved through efficiencies in the system, such as chronic disease management.

Can someone provide ONE example of when a bureaucratic system has made things more efficient?

Why don’t we poll the good people of Tennessee and ask them how HillaryCare I turned out? Ask them about our failing schools, sluggish economy, brain drain, and crumbling public buildings. Ask them about the constant stories of corruption from TennCare and the fact that fixing our socialized medicine has been a campaign paltform since it was implemented.

“This is not government-run. There will be no new bureaucracy,” Clinton said at a medical center in Iowa, scene of the race’s first caucuses. “You can keep the doctors you know and trust. You can keep your insurance plan if you like it.”

So when my employer drops health care insurance to save money since Uncle Sam is footing the bill, I won’t have to change doctors? Once implemented government programs always grow, so how will my taxes not go up?

This is even more disappointing.

Leavitt told the USA TODAY editorial board that Bush will veto a Democratic plan emerging from Congress that would add $35 billion in taxpayer subsidies to the Children’s Health Insurance Program over five years. In doing so, Leavitt said, Bush will urge Congress to join him in seeking coverage for all Americans.

When did Republicans become the party of pork? How can you not like Fred Thompson and his “Frederalism“?

It really amazes me that our nation is so wealthy and well-off that healthcare is the biggest crisis facing the country.

Busy Mom has an alternative list of 25 Skills Every Woman Should Know.

For the record, I can also do 15 of Popular Mechanic’s 25 Skills Every Man Should Know too. I’ve never backed up a trailer, but does backing up a 14′ U-Haul count?

This article on Boundless.org has some interesting guidelines on how Christians should act in the blogosphere.

I found this comment rather convicting:

When blogging about emotionally charged issues, Carolyn suggests allowing a cool-off period to evaluate whether you’re writing out of anger, impatience or self-righteousness. “If you’re questioning your motives, there’s nothing so important that you can’t wait 24 hours to post it.

Me angry or self-righteous? Never!

Celebrities are narcissistic? Wow, this is now groundbreaking research!

This article has so many good quotes, I don’t know where to begin, but this has to be my favorite one, “Reality TV personalities had the highest overall narcissism scores when compared with actors, musicians and comedians.”

The entire concept of reality TV is narcissitic. Self-promotion is the only reason someone would ever audition for one of those shows. Look at all the reality stars who try to extend their 15 minutes–Tara and Ryan, the chick from the nutra system commercials, anyone from a Real World vs. Road Rules Challenge and most casts of Survivor. Katharine McPhee’s bulimia may be a serious problem, but must you announce it in US Weekly, People and InTouch? Go make a Lifetime movie like Tracie Gold.

Aside from the blaringly obvious nature of this study, how did they define “celebrity.” It seems that most B and C-listers are more narcissistic than their A-list counterparts. Also, doesn’t it seem like Dr. Drew should have excluded himself from the study? It took a celebrity to justify research dollars on this. No wonder we don’t have the cure for cancer yet.

Since I had to work today, I couldn’t make it Arlington to watch the game with the UT Alumni chapter at the designated bar. So I rushed home from work and managed to turn the game on shortly before half-time.

This, my readers, is how you play football. Needless to say, I’ve been a rather exuberant spectator tonight, wearing a Tennessee shirt, waving my invisible shaker and singing Rocky Top to my heart’s content.

In other words, I gave DC Roomie a true glimpse of the splendor that is known as SEC football.

Since she’s from the Midwest, understandably there’s no reason for her to be a football fan. I tried explaining the experience of a football game in Neyland Stadium, but words simply can’t express what that’s like.

Other Vols can watch a game and appreciate the overwhelming sense of watching the game with 108,000 other people. Yes, that’s right. Neyland is the 2nd or 3rd biggest stadium in the country. I’ve been to two record attendance games, and it’s indescribable.

Alums know the feeling of standing in the student section (because you never get to sit down!),trying to spot friends in the band during the half-time show and avoiding the freshman pledge next to you who’s pre-gamed a bit too much. Every time I hear Rocky Top, I automatically raise my right hand and start waving my invisible shaker to the beat of the music. I can’t help. It’s second nature now.

Apparently, two years out from college is just enough to time to make you nostalgic. I’ve found myself searching for the Pride of the Southland Marching Band CD on the web. Sadly, I haven’t been able to hunt it down. Perhaps a former roommate bound by the strongest bonds of sisterhood would be would perform the kind service of purchasing one for me next time she’s on campus?

As for the game–it appears that we remembered how to play football again over the summer. For the first time in over a year, it’s great to be a Tennessee Vol! We actually played 2 halves well, and didn’t even need special teams to bail us out! That’s a great game! Now, if we can keep up the momentum. Florida isn’t that far away…

Now is the only time that I’m happy not to be there. Getting out of the stadium and off campus is impossible after a home game. Especially when you have to go home and get ready for the obligatory party in the Fort or on Frat Row. (Oh, my liver quivers with the memories of post-game parties!)

Now, I’ve gotta go play the Tennessee Waltz since I couldn’t hear it on TV. After all, the game isn’t over until it’s been played.

It’s Football Time In Tennessee!!

The Power T t-shirt and the Big Orange purse have come out, meaning it’s time for my beloved Volunteers to take the field and hopefully kick some California ass! At least they better. We can’t take another dismal season.

Actually, I’m surprised that we’re ranked #23 pre-season. We didn’t even go to a bowl game last year. That ranking is purely out of respect to our previous successful history.

Oh well, Randy Sanders was offered up as Big Orange sacriface, and we have David Cutcliffe back as offensive coordinator. Thus, the Power T gods should be appeased.

A note to Coach Fulmer and the rest of the team: Please, please, please beat LSU this season. That one game makes my year. The Tigers may be my second favorite team, but in the end, my blood runs orange. Do whatever it takes. Add seats to the stadium. Invest several million more dollars into a full-length practice field. Say General Neyland’s axioms 100,000 more times. Learn a football “Physics Moment.” (anyone remember that season?) Just beat the Tigers. Oh, and an added bonus would be to whup Vandy and go to a Bowl Game. Coach, am I asking too much?

Wishing that I was on old Rocky Top, or at least in my Clinch Ave. apartment where I could see Neyland Stadium’s Jumbotron.

It’s been a while since I had a random post, so I know you’ve all been waiting to see the interesting thoughts that have crossed my mind lately. Plus, random posts when I’m not stressed out and slightly hysterical are always much more enjoyable.

Yesterday, I saw this story on Chattanoogan about a dog that was stolen with a pick-up truck was really heartwarming. I can’t even fathom what I would do if Baby was stolen with Coco in it. Sure, I’d be upset that Baby was gone, but life without my beloved Border Collie is unfathomable. Luther is truly a Chattanooga treasure. He’s done a lot for the community for the past 70 years.

In other Coco-related stories, apparently my dog has more of a social life than I do. He got to go visit Point Park last this week and walk around the pretty trails. This graduate degree thing really puts a hamper on going out.

Actually, this is something that hit me today. I was feeling a little discontent at my lack of a social life. It’s not that I was incredibly popular person in Chattown and went out to fabulous places every night (just generally every other night), but I had a band of merry partners-in-crime with Bekna, LF, Adam and the other LTP kids, not to mention two years of random conversations with the PR Jedi Master Boss. It’s not loneliness, but a missed feeling of being connected to a group of people who know me completely. Wait, maybe that is loneliness. Anyway, I do miss feeling connected with those around me. DC is such a fast-paced city, that it’s hard to sit down and have a real conversation with someone. There’s no such thing as lingering over coffee at Greyfriars or keeping Amigos open an extra hour while debating mushrooms and bleu cheese.

There are several challenges here with the main one being time. While there are plenty of opportunities to get to know people here, my schedule just doesn’t give me huge chunks of free time, which is hard to get used to. Hopefully, this will be rectified once I get settled into a small group. This leads to Girl from the South’s spiritual thought of the day… (Laura’s blog is starting to wear off on me. Sheesh, the influence of a former Bible study leader.)

Everyday, I’m just more and more amazed at God’s hand in my life. Either this move was God finally granting some of my heartfelt desires, or my desires started mirroring His Will as my walk with Him deepened during the past few years. (I’m suspecting the latter.) As I commuted from work to school today, I realized that I’ve started doing things out of routine–knowing which platform to walk to in the Metro, what time the bus comes in the morning, etc. This is a neat miracle because at first DC seemed so overwhelming that I thought I’d never catch on. I also realized how God led me to the right school. There are 6 graduate communication programs in the DC area. AU is the perfect fit. It focuses on nonprofit PR and the campus atmosphere suits me better (Better to be the lone conservative in a room full of free-spirited liberals than stuck in the midst of straight-laced right-wingers.)

The time thing is another interesting spiritual challenge. Christianity is a life-long process. God is constantly shaping you, so there are always new challenges and struggles. Right now, my struggle seems to be with time. I don’t like surrendering my time to anyone–God, work, school, you name it. For the next 11 months, I have absolutely no control over my time. That doesn’t make me a happy camper. However, I know that God’s going to get me through it somehow. This is what I keep telling myself every time I think of the massive loads of work waiting to be accomplished. Unless I surrender every day to God and let Him guide me, it ain’t gonna get done.

*Here’s another post to bookmark and send back to me when I’m in the midst of one of my famous stressed out moments.*

It’s been one year since Hurricane Katrina devastated the Gulf Coast, and I really don’t know what to say. It’s still painful to think about what everyone in New Orleans went through. My family has deep roots in Louisiana and just the thought of the destruction in the state is too much to comprehend.

I’m also still very angry. Angry at the people of New Orleans who refused to leave when they were given proper warning. Angry at incompetent state and local officials for doing nothing but wrongly pass the buck onto the Federal Government. Angry at how New Orleanians completely depended on the Federal Government to take care of them and then re-elected their useless leaders when given the opportunity for real change. I’m also angry at the Bush Administration for putting in bad leaders at FEMA and and then making knee-jerk decisions to try to rectify the previous bad string of choices. I’m angry at the decades of corruption on the Levee Board that refused to make much-needed repairs to a levee system that’s still operating on it’s 18th century origins. I’m angry at all the previous Presidents who vetoed appropriations money to fix the levees given the general belief that “nothing will ever hit New Orleans directly.”

The problems of Katrina are so deep and wide-spread that I don’t even know how to begin to describe them. No one government official or body is guilty. Katrina was a disaster from the start. New Orleans is a perfect example of the lack of personal responsibility that exists in our society today. If people took responsibility for himself or herself and communities bonded together, the damage would have still been severe, but we wouldn’t have faced a refugee situation that existed in the immediate aftermath of the hurricane.

Last spring, I remember discussing Katrina with my grandmother, a born-and-bred New Orleanian who moved away about a decade ago. She described Hurricane Betsy, a storm just as severe with a similar track as Katrina. The devastation was just as bad, but people and communities came together. Within a few months, all the schools were reopened, streets were cleaned, and businesses operating normally. What has happened to our society in the past forty years to cause such a difference?

The real damage of Katrina is the evidence of our reliance on a nanny-state, a prevailing loss of personal responsibility and a lack of community and caring for your neighbor. Houses, businesses and levees can be rebuilt, but I’m afraid that everything else is lost in America.