I really need a digital camera.

So give me one...

Anyway, last night's Taize service for youth went well. I wish I had pictures but, well you get the point. It was not a traditional Taize service in that we had 6 prayer stations (man, I wish I had pictures), but it seemed to work really well.

It was scheduled for 9/11 for obvious reasons but ended up focusing on the hurricane. I regret deeply that we left out the one September 11 prayer station but it just wasn't working.

I always appreciate it when bloggers give the details of prayer stations but I'm too out of it to go over the details. Maybe later. Did I mention I wish I had pictures?

Free Legal MP3 of the Week - The Innocence Mission - What A Wonderful World

I searched for about three hours for an adequate MP3. I thought about songs of hope and strength. I thought of a ton of Waterdeep songs, a ton of Nichole Nordeman songs (like We Build from her latest album). I thought about New Orleans jazz. I thought about Louis Armstrong, Wynton Marsalis, Harry Connick Jr. I couldn't find anything.

Then, I stumbled upon this gem (a cover of a Louis Armstrong classic no less) by one of my favorite groups, The Innocence Mission. As I listened to it, with the images of CNN in the background, I began to weep. So I share this song with you.

Oh God, may we remember to see the beauty in your world--even in times such as this. Amen.

The MP3 that would have been

I wanted to make this week's download "I Repent" by Derek Webb but could not find a legal download anywhere. It sums up one of the feelings I have this week about the situation in New Orleans (and elsewhere along the Gulf Coast).

Here are the lyrics:

I Repent
(words and music by derek webb)

i repent, i repent of my pursuit of america's dream
i repent, i repent of living like i deserve anything
of my house, my fence, my kids, my wife
in our suburb where we're safe and white
i am wrong and of these things i repent

i repent, i repent of parading my liberty
i repent. i repent of paying for what i get for free
and for the way i believe that i am living right
by trading sins for others that are easier to hide
i am wrong and of these things i repent

bridge
i repent judging by a law that even i can't keep
of wearing righteousness like a disguise
to see through the planks in my own eyes

i repent, i repent of trading truth for false unity
i repent, i repent of confusing peace and idolatry
by caring more of what they think than what i know of what we need
by domesticating you until you look just like me
i am wrong and of these things i repent

God of mystery

I find it almost unbearable to watch the footage on the news. Though, for some reason I can't seem to stay away from it. CNN, Fox, MSNBC, CNBC...I am glued. I am saddened. I am disgusted.

I am haunted by the images of dead bodies in the street. The man who did not know the wherabouts of his wife after his water-filled house literally split in two. The current was too strong to hold on to her. I am haunted by the image of a dead dog in a tree. It didn't look possible. I can not believe the anarchy. And like many, I cannot believe our government's utter lack of reaction.

It all looks like a zombie movie--Dawn of the Dead, 28 Days Later. It is all so unbelievable.

I don't know where this blog is going. I have lost much sleep this week and I'm not sure I'm even making sense. It is in a time like this that I call on the very same God who allowed all of this to happen. God of mystery, somehow make this make sense to us. Better yet--give us peace.

Hurricane Katrina Part 2

Well, it's not as funny now. That's for sure. It's still surreal to hear my sister's name used in the media the way it has. My favorite's have been:

• "You can blame Katrina for the rise in the price of gasoline."
• "Time is running out to get out of Katrina's way."
• "Katrina may have set oil rigs adrift."
• "Katrina could turn New Orleans into a giant cesspool."
• "She is a monster and her name is Katrina."

Okay...seriously, let's be in prayer for those in the hurricane's path.

To visit my sister Katrina's blog site (where she's noting the name weirdness also) go to the Katrina Coomer MySpace.

Hurricane Katrina

I heard the list of names for tropical storms months ago and had high hopes when they mentioned that one was Katrina. My sister's name is Katrina and I thought it would be a great thing if it became a huge storm so I could call my sister "the Hurricane".

Daphne and I couldn't help but laugh every single time they said Katrina's name during the news tonight. It was just so weird! "Katrina is bearing down on Florida." "Will Katrina put a stop to MTV's Video Music Awards?" "Katrina killed two people." Okay I guess that one wasn't really funny. We laughed anyway.