another miscellaneous post

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• I listened to Jon Krakauer's Under the Banner of Heaven: A Story of Violent Faith on the way back from DC. The chapters switch between some contemporary fundamentalist Mormon communities (FLDS) and the history of Mormonism. He notes that any religion can and does breed extremism, and even violence, but looks particularly at what it is about the LDS church that seems to encourage separatism (ah, the dangers of direct revelations from God for those who are mentally ill). The book also made me think about what religious freedom in the US does and does not entail. I'd recommend it (beware the grisly parts).

• The shoes came. I am so in love with them. They are fabulous, funky, and comfortable. I will post a pic soon.
• Turning into annoying married person alert: I meet my brother's new girlfriend, and I want to tell him that I like her and not to mess it up.
• I don't mind working with children and youth. They're great. It's their parents that make me crazy.
• As much as I like preaching, which I do (it's one of my favorite parts of the job), scheduling the deacon, DRE, and a youth preacher so that I'm only preaching one Sunday in March and one in May allows one to get some much needed administrative work done.
  
• Other good part of job: being able to consider community work work time. I'm on a task force to end chronic homelessness in the county. This committee helps me feel less like a cog/less like a pacifier (believe it or not). I'm also getting to learn lots about homelessness in different communities.