thanksgiving highlights and lowlights

kellie and i are currently stationed in the town called yellow and we are about halfway through our thanksgiving trip. so, i thought it would be nice to post some of the highlights and lowlights of the trip thus far.

j's highlight: starting off our trip with a magical bang by seeing the goblet of fire at the imax in redding. although i had a few minor quibbles with the film (i.e., the transitions were awful and cho should have been a little more sultry), i thought they nailed the graveyard scene (ralph or raef or raif - whatever the hell his name is was excellent) and generally honored the tone and plot of the book.

j's lowlight: realizing that book 7 will not be released for more than a year.

j's highlight: on sunday morning i had the opportunity to preach at my home congregation. there is nothing quite like preaching in front of a group of people who know everything about your misdemeanors and mania. if experiences like that don't strike the fear of God in a person i do not know what will. anyway, the sermon went remarkably well and was even met at a one point with applause...which was surprising since i was basically calling myself and the congregation to repentance. i am incredibly thankful for the experience. perhaps i should write sermons in airports more often.

j's highlight: sharing a cup of coffee, life and ministry experiences, a late lunch and a few hopes and dreams with agent b. i am constantly amazed by the quality of people that God has called into this ministry of subversion. agent b it was an honor to make your acquaintance.

k's lowlight: food shopping with my mother-in-law. we made our way to the check-out and were greeted by the cashier. "how ya'll doin' today?" "i'm doing great," juli responded, "my kids are here from boston and I'm so excited." eager to make conversation the cashier prompted, "boston, new york?" juli looked at her blankly "huh?" And then the cashier repeated it, "boston, new york." "no" juli corrected, "massachusetts. boston, massachusetts." juli later said that it is no wonder that woman is employed checking groceries. i quite agree. and while i dearly love my mother-in-law, shopping in the south-west is quickly becoming a quarantined low-light experience.

j and k's highlight: taking a fantastic ride in a 1940 Consolidated B-24a Liberator. my dad is the crew chief on this beautifully maintained, oldest continually flying airplane in the western hemisphere, but neither kellie or i had ever had the opportunity to ride in it. i was able to stand in the cockpit during takeoff - for a big bird, "diamond lil" almost leaps into the air - and kellie sat in the cockpit during landing. the hum of the radial engines, the panoramic view of tulsa, standing in the cockpit with my father, rushing from nose to tail to peek out of every window...that is one experience neither of us will soon forget. thanks dad! now we would like to request a ride in the B-29.

j's highlight: gorging on southern food, including: cj's famous fried chicken, fried okra, brown beans and fried cornbread, hickory smoked steaks and sausages and, tonight, authentic mexican food.

j's lowlight: the twisting, steaming stool samples that such foods have produced.

j’s lowlight: paying $2.85 for a gallon of 86 octane in happy – “the town without a frown” – texas. that little town of 681 souls and, especially, the happy folk at the main street texaco can shove those smiles straight up their arses!

j’s highlight: sitting beside a man in the airport who specified, in minute detail, the wonders of the devil’s rope museum in maclean, texas.