My Life as a Novel

In no particular order ...

1. I love Journey Church. And I love that it meets at night, so I can sleep in on Sundays ... guilt free!


2. I love Kyle Polk. He's a fabulous drummer and now you can hear what he sounds like by going here: www.myspace.com/apologyhymns.
   
   Also, he played "auxiliary percussion" for John Vanderslice this weekend. Which basically means that when John invited everyone on stage with him to sing "My 424", the drummer threw a tambourine at Kyle and he got to play along instead of singing
   

   
   
   

   
   My husband wants those drums. He can't have them.

   Add that to the resume of awesome drumming things in my husband's life. Because he was really excited about it. (Also, ridiculous, RIDICULOUS, how good that girl (the one playing bass) was. She is St. Vincent. She is ... wow. Just wow.) Also, John was overheard telling a friend at the merch table that this show was the best of the tour so far. I believe him.

3. I love my dogs. They're bad, but I love 'em.

4. I love my future flower garden / current pile of sand, mushroom compost, and topsoil. Kyle and I bought pretty things this weekend that will be planted as soon as the area in my front yard has soil that is suitable to sustain growth and life and prettiness. :)
   

   
   
   
   
5. I love my friend whose knowledge and strength helped / helps to make this future flower garden possible! She is a pal, indeed!

Labels: flowers, Friends, home, Journey Church, Music

My life is a drag from Monday morning to Friday afternoon, if I'm being honest.

The highlights of this week:

• American Idol (how lame that this tops the list)
• Friends came over for dinner / Wii / couch-naps last night
  
• Having a somewhat clean house
• Buying a calendar so that the hubby and I can finally get our schedule organized ... hopefully
  
• Quality time with the pups

And that's pretty much it. BUT this weekend there are much more exciting things on the horizon:

• John Vanderslice at the Map Room
  
• A potential visit from Friend Emily
• Quality time with the hubby - which includes another Saturday of sleeping in for both of us!
  
• Getting some yardwork done on Saturday
  
• Journey Church stuff on Sunday night
  
• Kyle and Jeremy are both playing at Pointe North on Sunday morning

And on Monday, the last "fun" item of the week until the following weekend: A "Whoo hoo! Amy's done with school!" Celebration Dinner with Craig and Amy. In my clean house. :)

And that is that.

I forgot that I had pictures to share! :)

Kyle and Andrew: I'm not really sure ...


Groupie: C'est moi!


According to the doctrine of The Ring, Ethan's in trouble.


Air Guitar: Kyle plays it like a one-armed man.
This picture makes me smile so much!


Ryan and Andrew. They're brothers.

Labels: Friends, photo

(I never really understood what that phrase means. I still don't.)

But if it means that you woke up actually ready to wake up, then that describes me this morning! I fell asleep on the sofa last night at 8:30 and woke up at 9:30 and went to bed. And I woke up at 7. You do the math. That's a lotta sleep. And I needed it. The weekend was busy, but fun!

Kyle's band (The Apologies) is in the middle of recording. So he was busy with that on Saturday afternoon, and then they had a show that night. Saturday night was their best show ever. It never rocks to be the first in the line-up for the evening. People tend to ignore you. It definitely helped that (a) they were second and (b) the first band made them look really good! :) During the Apologies set, three of the four guys from the first band were standing in front of me, marveling at my husband's awesome drumming skills. (Really they were admiring the whole band because ... they really did sound good. But they kept getting hung up on the drummer. Can't say I blame 'em.)


So that was a fun night. But it was a late night too! We got home at around 3 AM, and Kyle had to get up at 6 to be at church by 7. He was playing drums at Pointe North on Sunday morning. Will & Clay (Journey Church guys) met us for the 9 o'clock service. It was nice to have someone to sit with. And kinda fun because they're as sacrilegious as we are!

Then that night, we went to the Journey Church ... something. Bible study? Meeting? Hang-out? I don't know what it was called, but it was a lot of fun meeting some of the people who are going to be a part of what's happening.

I don't think I've ever really shared what's going on with Journey Church with you, because it's kind of coming together in pieces for us too. But here's what we know:

• Will and Clay -- both originally from South Carolina, wound up working at the same church somewhere in Kentucky. Felt like God wanted to use them to plant churches that would target a younger generation.
• They have moved themselves and their wives and small children to the Summerville area.
• There are several other people who are in Kentucky who are job-interviewing and house-selling and trying to make their way down to be a part of the plant.
  

It's really exciting to meet the people who are coming down to be involved in this. With every person we've met so far, we've been impressed at their desire just to be involved in the area - and without ego! Such humble people! It's really refreshing.

Anyway. So we're excited about what all is coming down the pipe in the Polk family these days. My husband is going to be a famous musician, and a world-renowned drummer. And we get to be a part of something cool that God is doing in our area. And we're excited!

Labels: Journey Church

It was no secret that during Season 5 of American Idol (of which I have been a huge fan since Season 2) I was cheering for Chris Daughtry to be kicked off. The week he was removed and Elliott Yamin stayed -- the best AI week ever.

It wasn't that he was a bad performer, it's that I do not appreciate the style of music he was representing. The Creed / Nickelback, growly, grunge rock genre is my least favorite of all genres of music. Music like that should've stayed in the 90s, and we certainly don't need to be promoting new performers to sing in a style that should've disappeared 10 years ago. That's just my opinion, but it does explain my extreme dislike for Chris Daughtry.

But, alas, his CD singles are getting some airtime these days, and it's time for me to eat my hat. I thought it would suck. I thought it would be band driven and would not represent his vocal talent well at all.

And I was wrong.

It's actually pretty good. I don't buy CDs these days, so I won't be buying it, but I do listen in when his songs come on the radio. And I actually enjoy it.

Sorry, Chris, for the low expectations. Thank your producer for doing you many huge favors. And thank the public for forgiving you for this:

Labels: Music

We watched the movie Jesus Camp over the weekend. I first heard about it in August of 2006 when Dan Kimball blogged about it. In his blog, he simply stated that he hoped "Christians and Christianity [could be better understood] in our culture," and regretted that the "unfortunate stereotypes keep on being reinforced."

I was curious about the film from the very first. Other than reading about it on a couple of blogs of people I don't know, I still haven't heard anyone speak of it. I'd only read a blog or two referencing it, but hadn't intentionally sought out information. I knew that eventually, I'd see it for myself and it's better - to me - to develop my own opinion of it. My thoughts going into it were this:

• The filmmakers will make Christians look like complete idiots.
  
• The filmmakers would then use their film as a platform to imply false conclusions about Christians/Christianity as a whole.
  

I was surprised, however, that this wasn't an accusatory film at all. It didn't try to make Christians look like idiots. The filmmakers were a pretty impartial bunch, showing both sides of the Separation of Church/State issue with no bias at all. I've been impressed that everything I've read since seeing the movie states over and over again that everyone -- with the exception of Ted Haggard -- feels like they were represented fairly in this movie. (Becky Fischer, the owner of the camp that is filmed in the movie, gave information and even promoted the movie on her website here.)

Of course, there's the issue of "How much of what these people are saying is truly representative of Biblical Christianity and how much is Pentecostal sub-culture 'stuff'?" And, if I'm being honest, it's probably 96% garbage and 4% "I can ... maybe ... see that." And that's being generous. I have a pretty strong background in fundamentalism and ultra-conservative Christianity, so I can be a little more sympathetic than the casual observer.

So, all of my expectations (qualms?) about this movie proved false. The filmmakers did not make Christians look like idiots. The Christians in this movie already looked like idiots. They were just caught on film this time. But I was very pleased that it did not reflect on all Christians. The idea was enforced on several occasions during the film -- and even afterwards with Ted Haggard's response to it -- that this was just a small group of Christians which does not aptly represent the whole.

With all that being said, did I enjoy the movie? I enjoyed watching the movie like I enjoy watching a car crash.

I laughed out loud at some points -- like when the homeschooling mom assured her children that global warming is false and is a political issue brought up as a distraction from other more important issues, like abortion. And of course when they brought out the cardboard cut out of George W. Bush to lay hands on and "pray a blessing over him". I wanted to cry at some points -- like when an 11 year old boy said that he was saved at the age of 5 because he realized that he "wanted more of life". And when Rachael said, that it was "cool" that when soldiers go off to war, their kids know they might not come home, so they dance around them chanting, "martyr! martyr! martyr!" (That is just sick.) But mostly I got upset when I thought of the future that these kids are going to have. Either they'll stick it out and marry and have kids and raise them as they've been raised ... or they're going to be very very confused as they exit adolescence and enter adulthood to become contributing members of society.

There are elements of truth to this movie. Yes, we should pray for our government leaders. Yes, the message of the gospel is for everyone and it needs to be heard. And yes, we should be more intentional about sharing The Message. But the methods of the "characters" in this movie are disturbing and not ones that I would recommend at all.

And that's pretty much all I have to say about that. If you've seen the movie, I'm really interested in what you thought. Let's talk about it.

Labels: Christianity, movies

The bug finally bit. It took a few weeks, but to my defense it is only just starting to re-heat up. :)

So when Spring started for the third time this year, my tardy Spring Cleaning Bug finally arrived and last night, I found myself in the Cleaning Products Aisle restocking my depleted supply. Carpet freshener, bleach, dish detergent, furniture polish, and Clorox wipes.

I had a commitment after work last night, so it was already 8:30 when I got home from the store. I knew I wouldn't want to be up late, so as soon as I walked in the door, I started rockin' out room after room. I:

• Put in a load of dishes
• Put in a load of laundry
• Sorted all the rest of the dirty laundry
• Sprinkled the carpet freshener in our bedroom, the hallway, and the studio
• Cleaned the sink and kitchen countertops and the table
• Scrubbed down the bathroom sink, tub, toilet, and floor
• Vacuumed the bedroom, hallway, and studio (mmmm … my house smells sooooo much better now!)
• Changed the filter in the air conditioner thing
• Dusted / Polished every horizontal surface within my reach in the living room
• Cleaned the laundry room which, for the most part, included hanging Kyle’s jackets back up in the closet, sorting through John’s junk and hiding it in a closet, and sorting the laundry that was put in there … mysteriously … by some deranged person who thinks dirty clothes belong in guest rooms

Now today when I go home for lunch, I will:

• Fold a load of laundry, wash a quilt or two, throw them over the back fence for drying in the sun, and then put in another load
• Sweep the bathroom, kitchen, and living room
• Swiffer the bathroom, kitchen, and living room
• Take out the trash

And later this afternoon, when I get home from work, I will:

• Dust the guest room
• Sweep / Swiffer the guest room
• Put clean sheets on the bed of the guest room
• Clean off and sweep the front porch
• Marvel at the cleanness of my house while I prop my feet and wait on KAREN to come!!

Kyle's band had a show last night at the Map Room. I am an individual who requires much sleep, so the fact that I was in attendance at a 10 o'clock weeknight show (which doesn't end until 11, and has other acts playing after that) shows my complete devotion to and love for Mr. Kyle Polk. [yawn]

I mostly relegated myself to the couches last night, as I am generally no good after 10:30 PM. I was as comfortable as possible without a book and my bed. (I really do try not to be old, but I guess it happens to the best of us.)

The show was good. Afterward, we hung around for the bands that followed because Kyle's courteous that way. I, having firmly planted and rooted my butt to that couch, was pretty much good for nothing. Fortunately there were friends around who took pity on me and sat with me. When Kyle got done tearing down his stuff he came and sat with me. The seating arrangement looked like this:



Until about three songs into the second band's set. When a young (under 21) thing came and took a seat next to Kyle. I, being sleepy but not dead, immediately took notice.


This girl was flirting with my husband. Right in front of me. Of course, she had no way of knowing we were together. Being firmly planted as I was, I had not really reacted when he came to sit beside me. I could just as easily have been sitting with Andrew as with Kyle.

So the conversation was brief and another guy came up to sit next to her. He walked off and she followed shortly after. Kyle went up to the bar and was talking to a friend of his a few minutes later. She came up behind him and started talking again, apparently flirting. To the point where Adam said to Kyle, "Does your wife know about her?"

But Kyle kept brushing it off saying, "She is just lonely. She needs a buddy." (Not that he was volunteering himself as The Buddy, but just that he was refusing to accept that she was actually flirting with him.)

I kept volunteering Andrew or Philip - one of our single friends - to run offense. She was a cute girl! And other than the fact that she was flirting shamelessly with my husband, she could've been a good catch for a single guy. Who knows?

As Kyle and I were making the rounds and saying our goodbyes, I spotted her one last time peering at him through the door as she was standing outside. Weird!

And the only thing Kyle could say was, "She must be really desperate if she's flirting with me. Really desperate or really lonely. And really lonely makes me feel not quite so bad, so that's what I'm going to call it."

___________________

I re-read this and it seems like I'm angry about it or something. I'm not. Just so you know. It was just a funny occurrence. I thought I'd share it.

Labels: Marriage, The Hubby

Labels: holidays, photo

Seriously ... what a hunk!!

Labels: dogs, family, photo

Like a glove that fits. Like the right glasses that clear your vision right up. I think the Polk family may have found a church!

I'm not going to go into specifics like I attempted to do. I'll just say these few things:

• We really enjoyed an evening spent with a couple of church planters who will be planting Journey Church in Summerville.
• It is so nice that we both felt a connection with the people and their vision. Oftentimes in the search, we've found an element that Kyle appreciates -- a good band, a non-hokey pastor -- or an element that I appreciate -- teaching that makes a difference. But we haven't made a connection with anyone yet. And I have heard myself saying, "I could be happy anywhere," and all the while feeling jealous of the love that our friends Alex and Jana seem to have for their church - where they literally cannot wait to go on Sundays. They drive a considerable distance every week. They're willing to work and do the "not fun stuff" to promote the Work of that church because they believe in it. Kyle and I are totally willing to do that - but we hadn't found people who shared our vision. Ohhhh! Just sitting and talking with the people ... it renewed my faith in church. I don't want to settle for "being happy anywhere". I want a place that doesn't have to compartmentalize into "Church Life" or "What I Do On Sundays" or "Just Because It's What I Do ...". I'm really excited about it. And rejuvenated. What a difference a day makes!

And that's all I can say about that.

Labels: Christianity, Church Hunt, Journey Church

Goodbyes are never fun or easy. But this one was a little easier than usual, perhaps. They're moving to the town (less than 2 hours away) where my mother-in-law lives. We go there fairly often anyway. So we'll definitely see them when we go visit.

The hardest part will be when they don't come by my office next week and say, "Lunch?" It'll be bad when I'm the only young person in staff meeting next week. Tuesday night American Idol will not be the same if I'm alone at my house with no friends to criticize Haley or Sanjaya with me. When Heather doesn't come in on Monday and sit in my office for Adult Conversation after a morning of baby stuff, that'll be weird.

If you didn't know, you two will be missed.

Labels: Friends

A few days ago, I was riding around with a friend of mine when she said to me, "[Husband] and I are trying."

This was out of the blue, but when you're married and you're accustomed to being asked questions of this nature, you know what this seemingly fragmented sentence really means.

And my reaction was not what she was looking for at all. It wasn't a, "Oh congratulations!" or even a "Good luck" or any number of suggestive comments I could've made.

No. Instead, I made a face that looked something like this:

I'm 100% sure that wasn't the reaction she was going for. I spent the next few minutes apologizing. Explaining how I didn't mean for that to be my first reaction, and how I was as surprised by it as she was. She was gracious enough to just change the subject.

I felt like a heel.

Labels: Friends, Marriage, Self-Discovery

Labels: Charleston, design, Music

Ever since Heather and Jamie have been planning to move, I've had in mind to dig through my old blog to find this post that I made about them. Complete irony: I posted it exactly two years - to the day - before their first day in their new home in Hampton.

I posted a while back about Anna, my best friend since middle school. She was my maid of honor and, at her wedding in June, I'll be her matron of honor. She's a very good friend, but I've found in the months since I've been married that our priorities are completely different. Things that I've always had in common with her, I'm finding harder and harder to relate to.

The change was overnight. On Thursday, September 2, 2004, I was a normal 22 year old girl who was still tying up loose ends for the big wedding day. But on Saturday, September 4, 2004, the wedding was all over, and my priorities were completely changed. It was as if something inside me had been re-wired. I know I sound like some kind of 1950s wife (think Stepford Wives) or something, but now I live for
being married and my highest priority is always Kyle.

It takes a married person to understand the change that happens when you're married. When you're engaged, you understand, in an abstract sense, that a lot of change will happen. But you can't fully grasp it until it actually happens. And when it does, it's hard to remember life before "the change" because you're happier because of it. So having a married friend to talk about it with is very beneficial.

Heather and Jamie are our married friends.


Heather is from Hampton. Her brother (Chris) and Kyle were best friends growing up, so she was always like an older sister to Kyle.


Jamie is not originally from Moncks Corner, but he's lived here for 8 or 9 years, working as youth minister at my church. He was my youth minister during my high school years.


During my senior year of high school, Jamie was looking for a children's minister to work part time and help him out - especially with summer projects for the children. So he hired Heather as his children's intern. She was a senior Elementary Ed. major at Charleston Southern University, so this opportunity was right up her alley. Less than a year later, they were dating. and the following summer they were married (July 2001), and, of course, we give him a hard time about 'hiring' his wife and how he should've found a better pick-up line! :)


Heather and I became good friends when I graduated from NGC and moved back to Moncks Corner. She helped a lot when I was making my wedding plans. She was one of my bridesmaids in the wedding.


She and Jamie and I work at the church together. Kyle and I go out to eat with them - usually at least once a week. It's fun because they're married and they understand 'married people things'. We can talk to
them. When I'm awful and mean to Kyle, Heather remembers and understands the frustrations of the first year and doesn't make me feel like even more of a jerk by saying, "Goodness, Rita. You need to be nicer." Even when I'm unreasonable, she doesn't tell me that and make me feel worse. She lets me figure it out on my own. And she prays for me ... which is always helpful.

(this post in its original context)

So here's to Heather and Jamie. To married friends. To good friends, and GREAT friends. To the Best Baby Ever. And to having a new place to sleep in Hampton!

Labels: Friends, Marriage

(from pollen.com where you can go to figure out how much nasal congestion torture your area will be tolerating.)