I remember the last time Facebook made a major overhaul. I remember the upset and the mutual disgust. We called it Stalkerbook because it told you every time someone ended a relationship and began a new one. I can't function without this information today. I remember the outrage only because I face it again. Facebook is again making major changes.

Change is a little hard to deal with. My church in Toccoa just swapped out both of our pastors. I was gone for the summer and haven't heard one word of complaint. Any complaining has swept past us in those two months I was gone. Maybe a whole bunch of people have left the church in disgust of the new clergy ... but the seats have been filled by others and we don't miss them.

Sometimes we're afraid of change. Even when change is good and necessary we are afraid to do it. We begin the process of adding another service at Toccoa First UMC, and I pray that we continue unafraid. Because sometimes change is good and necessary ... and often anyone who would be against it will fade away quickly. So far I haven't heard any opposition, and I feel that maybe now the people are getting it. I think my friends are beginning to understand that this change is needed.

I was talking about a heretic the other day. I was talking about a book by Bishop John Shelby Spong. Bishop Spong denies the resurrection. I'm not particularly against heresy ... but I have issue with denying the resurrection. I mean, as I see it, without the resurrection we really don't have anything to go on.

But then I started to think about it. Although my theology doesn't deny the resurrection my life does. Daily sometimes. Everytime I'm selfish and sinful I deny the resurrection. I would never think of denying it on an intellectual, theoretical level, but I don't think twice about denying it through my life. I would never misstate it in words, but I wholeheartedly deny it in actions often.

Because, for my generation they don't need proof that the tomb was empty, they need proof that our hearts are full.

Well, a lot has happened in life recently. Rebecca, my sister, is engaged. Mike, her fiance, proposed in front of everyone at our party. It was super sweet.

I'm on my way back down to Georgia. I spent a night with Bob and Ruth Higginbotham and a night with Bill and Lori Beatty. I'm on my way to Meredith Beck's house and then on to the Zambrowicz' family home. I'll get into Toccoa Late Wednedsday night or early Thursday morning.

It feels good to be independent again after spending more than a week with the family. It feels really good.

I had something really great to blog about, but I forgot it. I'm sure when I'm back in my routine I will be back to blogging regularly again.

I have been watching a lot of informercials lately. They are on TV all the time during the summer, and I enjoy watching mind numbing entertainment. It's great fun to watch the overly-excited host proudly proclaiming the most spectacular claims.

I'm amazed at how well every product works. But, while watching the wonders of television camera tricks I realize that none of the products work nearly as well as they claim. If they did, everyone's home would be spotless, all abs would be in packs of six or more, and meal preparation would never take more than 15 minutes and one gadget. We know that infomercials are fake. We hear the hurried prodding "and if you order in the next 30 seconds..." and we know that something about the message is off. If we pay attention we understand that the company knows if we spend more than 10 minutes thinking about our decision we will come to our senses.

Sometimes at church, particularly at youth gathering, I get the same vibe. I hear a person with a little too much enthusiasm proudly proclaiming the most spectacular claims. The offer is made to the gathered crowd and then the pleading begins. We use rhyming phrases. "Hell is too long to be wrong." We offer extras on the side. We give a time limit, "I'm going to keep this altar open for a few more minutes."

It's as though we are afraid that if the people stop and carefully consider the offer they will reject it. It's a sad state of affairs.

Jesus never used these tactics. He told people not to follow Him if they didn't have what it takes. He encouraged people to follow Him, but in the same breath He told them to count the cost. If they weren't willing to give up family and friends to follow Him they probably didn't have the dedication needed to follow him. He told the people that if they needed a miracle to believe then they didn't have the faith to follow anyway.

No catchy slogan, no sequined outfit, no photo-shopped pictures. Just a remarkable offer and a life to back it up.

I'm watching the olympics. I love watching athletes. I love watching such extremely disciplined people.

I consider myself a poorly disciplined person. I'm obviously overweight. (Although, at my heaviest I weighed 316 and I'm down to 266 ... so 50lbs down!) I rarely remember to take a full course of anti-biotics. I can't do 12-step programs. I just don't do discipline.

Sometimes I think I would be happier if I was more disciplined. I'll work on that. Haha.

So, I realize that I have been ignoring my dear friends who read my blog here. I have been busy updating my Russia blog.

I'm back in Kane, PA. It's weird to be home again. Mom is currenly giving a lesson to a very elderly gentleman. I'm driving my "new" car. My great-uncle failed his vision test so my grandparents got his nice, new car and I was given their '96 Oldsmobile. Mom gets my '99 Monte Carlo. My first car was an Oldsmobile. It was a '92 and was built shortly before automatic door locks and windows were available. Other than that it was truly the perfect car.

My "new" Oldsmobile is exactly like my first car, except it has both automatic door locks and windows. I couldn't be happier. I will need to find a way to use my new i-pod with the tape deck, though.

Mary Sirianni and I went out last night. We went for a walk on main street to see how many former classmates we could spot. Sadly, all of our street friends had gone into hiding by the time we took our walk.

Mom and I had a great conversation about the fact that I feel that my generation will change the world. Every time we see someone from my class smoking pot on mainstreet she asks, "That's the generation that will change the world?" I always respond in the affirmative.