the precious commodity of information

Here's something really cool I found today, something that will be of immense value to my Faithful Readers who are German....and, probably, to some of my Faithful Readers who are native English speakers, too. ;o) I'm finding uses for it myself.

It is........(drumroll, please).........an English verb conjugation engine!!! You type in the infinitive form of a verb (i.e. eat, sleep, go, forbear [which is the one I typed in]), click "GO," and it gives you the conjugations of that verb in various tenses (i.e. simple present, simple past, future perfect, etc.; though it doesn't provide progressive tenses, which I find a bit negligent). An excellent tool for anyone wanting to be sure of correct verb conjugation. Enjoy! (I did.) ;o)

A further thought on information as a valuable commodity..... The exchange of information is so very, very important. For instance, Ed has been studying the Bible with one of our new contacts from this summer's Let's Start Talking campaign. She has been studying with someone from the church since the beginning of May. Today, through conversation (READ: information exchange!), Ed found out that she has been thinking that everyone in the Chemnitz church lives together. Meaning, she thought we were a commune!!! That made me laugh--not because I'm making fun of her, but because it's such a funny concept, all of us living together. We love each other, but I don't think we'd survive! ;o)

Anyway....I thought it was good that Ed could give her the correct information to correct her mistaken impressions. :o)

the meaning of me

This was one of those bloggable quiz things, where you enter your name and the quiz tells you something about yourself. I couldn't get the html code to work here, so here's the bare-bones text for your reading pleasure:

COURTNEY ANNE

C is for Calm
O is for Overwhelming
U is for Useful
R is for Radiant
T is for Twisted
N is for Nice
E is for Elitist
Y is for Yummy

A is for Arty
N is for Neat
N is for Nice
E is for Enchanting

Yay for being radiant, yummy, and enchanting, but I'm not sure I like being elitist. Oh well. ;o)

i have a space

Just as an FYI, I now have my own space at myspace.com. No, I don't plan to get heavily involved there; this right here is my blog and my *real* space, and I'm stickin' with it. I just got a myspace account so I could see the pictures James posted on his. But I'm coming to realize that pretty much everybody I've ever known is on myspace (okay, maybe not everybody, but quite a few people and their dogs) (okay, so maybe not their dogs...but still a lot of people anyway), and nobody till James ever bothered to tell me about it, so in case there's a friend of mine out there who might get a myspace account someday and wonder why I never said anything, I'm saying something now.

There. I said it. ;o)

But let me re-emphasize that what you're reading here is the blog to which I've pledged undying loyalty. Just so we're clear on that.

;o)

today is the day of current Cantrell pics

Today, Ed and I spent an embarrassing amount of time trying to take a good picture of ourselves, something we can use on our letterhead. (Fundraising and such, you see.) Here are the best ones of the whole caboodle--these first three are the sample of our getting sidetracked and just goofing off a little. ;o)

"Crooked Glasses--Part I"

"Crooked Glasses--The Sequel"

first letterhead possibility

I think we voted against this one because we both thought my head is at a funny angle.

In the picture, not in real life.

;o)

another option

I'm not sure why we didn't pick this one. Maybe because he's in 3/4 profile, and I'm facing the camera? No clue.  I'm no photographer.  Quit looking at me like that!  This isn't an exact science with me, okay?  Aaaauuuuuuuuggghhhhh, the pressure!  ;o)

final choice

And this is the one we finally decided on. Ta-dah! ;o)

inquiring minds want to know...

Ed McMahon is 83 years old.

Just FYI.


Gillian: Are you sure you won't change your mind?
Spock: Is there something wrong with the one I have?

--from "Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home"

grüße: german greetings

I just wanted to say that I miss all of my family stateside! Wish I could see them more often. I love y'all tons and bunches!

(See, I haven't lost the Okie touch yet.) ;oD

as promised, more pictures

Another picture from Karen's birthday! Larry gave us a lovely rendition of "Crocodile Rock," with Karen and Ed providing musically superb backup on the "laaaaaaa-la-la-la-la-laaaaaaa"s. ;oD

Pippin and me working at the computer. The poor kitty's having a rough day (today, not in the picture). A bee stung her in the pad of her front left foot, so now she's limping around the apartment. Not only that, but she had to suffer the indignity of having Ed and me hold her down and pull out the stinger. Talk about adding insult to injury! She's been giving us very reproachful looks ever since.

Ed hard at work in the kitchen. I'm glad that I've been learning to cook a bit over the last few years....but I'm equally pleased that I have a sweet husband who doesn't mind spending time in the kitchen. ;o)

Daddy and me in Dresden a few weeks ago. I'm glad I got to see my parents before they left on the stateside leg of their summer travels! I miss them--don't get to see them often enough.
P.S. I think this picture illustrates very well where I got most of my nose! ;oD
 

latest art update and some sobering thoughts

G'day, mates. I have new art on my Elfwood page. This includes one new painting (which could use some comments!) and eight other works that I am bringing back to my gallery.

These eight older pieces have been a sore spot in my mind for quite awhile. Without giving too many specifics of who was involved, here's the backstory:

Almost two years ago, one of the Christians in Chemnitz left the church. Her true motivations are another story entirely....but for a few weeks, she named me and my art as the reason for her departure.

This individual believed that my interest in fantasy (i.e. elves, dragons, magic, Lord of the Rings, etc.) was wrong; more to the point, she believed that my fantasy interest was evil. When she finally expressed her opinions to me, it turned out that she had held these opinions about me for several years without telling me. In the last conversation I had with her (during which four other Christians were present), she told me that she believed my fantasy artwork came from demons and that she feared for my soul.

Shocked to the core, I asked her which pieces specifically were offensive to her, because I couldn't imagine what it was I'd painted that might be construed as having demonic influence. She couldn't name any specific pictures that bothered her. (This eventually led to the revelation that my fantasy art was just an "easy target"; her real reasons for leaving the church were related to something else entirely.) I was speechless; my mind just couldn't wrap itself around the concept that someone could consider me to be under the control of demons. (I still can't fathom it, even today.)

In an effort to show good faith, flexibility, willingness to change, and decidedly non-demonic thinking, I went home and immediately removed from our walls any artwork that might remotely be considered offensive to anyone. I sifted through my Elfwood gallery and removed pictures from there, too. This was not an easy task; since she hadn't given me any specifics, I didn't know what I was looking for. I was shocked, hurt, and very angry, but I tried to keep the concepts of Romans 14 and 1. Corinthians 8 in the forefront of my thoughts.

(To be honest, I was almost overwhelmingly furious, so controlling my thoughts in the spirit of those scriptures was monumentally difficult.)

Since then, the sister in question has resisted all efforts of the church to reach out to her; I haven't even had opportunity to speak to her since that final, awful conversation. Considering the passage of time and her seeming attitude toward us....I no longer feel obligated to limit myself or my art or my online gallery based on her opinions. Though there is surely more I could have done, at this point I believe that I did everything I could to heal the breach between her and me. In vain. Now, if she stumbles, I no longer feel any sense of responsibility for it.

There comes a point, I believe, at which a Christian's efforts to keep a brother from stumbling approach the point of ridiculous. There comes a point, I believe, at which that "weaker" brother--and how do I phrase this well?--needs to acquiesce to the workings of the Holy Spirit and submit to the process of growth which God requires of all of us. Please understand, I am not judging or condemning this erstwhile sister who rejected me....but I am saying that she no longer has the right to request that I limit myself, while she herself obeys no limits.

Why am I telling the world of all this? I don't know...perhaps it's therapy, just part of my own need to cleanse my soul. Perhaps it's merely to share with you the thought that no matter how much we as Christians strive to do the right thing--and even when we succeed in doing that right thing--there are still some things that will remain broken. No matter how hard we try, no matter that our hearts are in the right place and we succeed in doing God's will, there are still some relationships that can't be healed.

How very difficult it is to accept that.....and yet, I'm still thankful to God that he is with us in these unhealable relationships. He remains master over it all, offering us shelter in the midst of our pain.

Even if we always do right, we can't banish sin and pain and loss. But he can. And he does. That's where the cleansing of my soul really takes place. And I belong to him eternally because of it.

how do we talk?

I think part of this little blurb was a comment I left on someone else's blog, and I saved it at some point, intending to post it here. I guess this is as good a time as any. So here's another serious thought for no one to comment on. *grin* Just teasin'. ;o)

The thought:

My Grandpa always told my Dad, and my Dad passed it on to me, that in every bit of sarcasm and in every joke, there is a grain of truth. Meaning that if I'm making a tacky comment about someone, I can't just blow it off as a joke....because deep inside, part of me means exactly what I said.

This makes me think about how we (meaning we as Christians) generally don't pay enough attention to the words we speak. Too often, we acclimate too well to our surroundings, especially adjusting our speech patterns to those of our friends, neighbors, whoevers. We make jokes at others' expense; we allow ourselves to criticize and belittle others, and get away with it by calling it "just teasing"; we start using crude or vulgar language; we soften up truths to make them more palatable (even to ourselves). We start to blend in with all of the influences around us--sometimes the good ones, but mostly the bad ones. And we justify it to ourselves by telling ourselves, "Hey, I still believe in God. I'm still a good person. God isn't going to judge me just for being human." And we go ahead and sprinkle some more sin onto what we're imparting to others.

Too often, we're worldly sugar instead of Christ-like salt.

late night thoughts when i should be sleeping

do you want this as much as i do?

stability veracity the sense that i can
turn to a someone and know what to expect

ability complexity the depth of thought to
perceive existence with the seriousness it deserves

audacity intensity the guts and gumption to
fight adulteration at every step at every moment
in decay's every harmless-seeming guise

(i pray to god in heaven
because i fear for you)

nobility simplicity the courage to
make yourself vulnerable to the only one who matters
(please be vulnerable)

identity (divinity?) infinity
truth
are you really hungry for it?

tell me do you want this?
darling, you have left me doubting.

i fear that we shall weep together once again.

© 2006 by Courtney Weger Cantrell. All rights reserved.

pictures and comments

Okay, as promised, here are a bunch of pictures. Very much in random order, so don't cry to me Argentina if you get confused. ;o) It has occurred to me that I ought to post pictures more often, so I'm going to endeavor to turn that thought-occurrence into reality. If I don't do it frequently enough, somebody remind me, please! ;o)

Also, thanks to all who've commented recently. It's really encouraging to find out that people are still reading my blog; I'd been thinking I was the only who checked it anymore. To all the lurkers: Stop lurking! At least tell me that you've been here! If I had all the windows of my house open and invited you to look in, you wouldn't just look in without saying hello, would you? And if the answer to that question is "yes"...well, then, there's just something wrong with you. ;o) Tell me hi already! ;o)

But the point of this wasn't to rant about people whose tongues are imprisoned by felines. The point was to say THANK YOU!!! to everyone who has been commenting. You guys have really been "making my days" lately...and I'm really in need of those pick-me-ups. So keep those comments coming, and I will answer them and try to give you something fun to read and look at, too. :o)

picture of randomness

Several oddities here:

One, “Satisfaction of this product is guaranteed.” Why should the product be satisfied? I thought that I, as the consumer (of the coffee; this was on a package of coffee), am the one who should be satisfied? And besides, even if the product (i.e. the coffee) were the one who should be satisfied, how would the product even know if it were satisfied or not, seeing as how it lacks the consciousness which would be required for a determination of satisfaction or lack thereof?

Second, “Return to Harry and David if not satisfied.” There are SO many things wrong about this request. I don’t even know Harry and David. I’ve never been to Harry and David’s, so how could I even return to them even if I were dissatisfied with the coffee? (Which I wasn't, by the way; the coffee was caramel-flavored and delicious.)

Not to mention that there’s another way entirely in which that statement could be interpreted. But this is a public blog, so I won’t go there. ;o) I’ll just say it again: There are SO many things wrong about this request.

*grin*

The English language continues to be mangled on labels and public advertising everywhere.

*sigh*

picture of exhaustion

I don't think this one needs explaining, do you? ;o)

pictures of snails

Sometime in June, the Chemnitz church took this summer's OC Campaign Group on an outing to Kriebstein to view one of Saxony's many castles (pictures available on request). We walked through forest to get there, and on the way back to the cars, Vanessa and I picked up the following friends:

These are helix pomatia, aka Burgundy snails. They're extremely common here in Germany, and I had one as a pet when I was a kid (along with a plethora of smaller type snails). So Van and I decided we needed to reintroduce these snails as pets in my household. One belongs to Van and one belongs to me, but I'm official custodian of both.

Almost as soon as I got them situated in their new home, the snails mated. I took pictures of that, too, but didn't want to put anything X-rated on my blog. (But if there's demand for these raunchy pictures, I will supply, of course!)  ;o) A week or so later, one of them (snails are hermaphrodites, so I can't exactly say "the female...") dug a hole in the dirt and laid eggs; a few weeks after that, the eggs hatched and we had tiny baby snails; and now, finally, after about 5 weeks since the egg-laying, the baby snails are digging their way out of the dirt. Here are a few that have already emerged:

For a size comparison: The babies are creeping across a slice of cucumber; they are about 20 times as small as the adults! Look closely, and you can see the veins and tiny organs through their still-transparent shells.

I know I'm gonna be called "weird" for this... Ah well, so be it. ;o) I think they're adorable (especially the babies!), and they are fascinating to watch. For those of you with kids: I can attest to the fact that these snails make great pets for teaching kids about some of the smaller wonders that God has designed into this amazingly complex planet we live on. There are even mathematical formulas that govern the helical shape of snail shells. Yet another tiny bit of evidence speaking for the design in everything natural.  

picture of our singing group

 
From left: Courtney, April, Karen, Amanda, Alex, Steffen, Larry, Ed (director).

Last year, eight of us formed a singing group to be available to sing at weddings, funerals, gospel meetings, and parties.  So far, we've done a wedding, a funeral, two gospel meetings (multiple nights each), and two parties.  We sing spirituals (English) and traditional and non-traditional hymns (English and German).

Being part of this group has been a lot of fun for me, even though we've sung together mostly in the summers, and hardly at all during the rest of the year. Considering that only three people in the group (April, Ed, and Larry) have had formal training in music, our group sounds really good.  (If I dare say so mayself.)  ;o)  Even professional musicians have commented that we've achieved a very nice blend. Too bad we don't get to practice together more! :o(