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Those of you that were here oh, two and a half years ago, that are still reading this, should know that I'm alive, that Shimmin and I went through counseling for a year over a year ago and that I thought he was better but he wasn't. So he was violent one last time on Saturday and something in me broke and I asked him to move out. He did so on Thursday. I'm calling this a temporary separation, but I really don't know what it is.

The couple I have been fretting over has reached a resolution that I think will work out. If it happens again, even one more time, he's going to leave for a while, and there are witnesses to back that up and make sure that it really happens. In the meantime, he's going to get some help. Reading your responses helped my friend know that she could take a stand and require that he get help as well as blow the air of secrecy surrounding the whole thing without feeling like she's being overbearing or demanding, which is what I hoped it would do for her. You guys are awesome. (And thank goodness you are predictably awesome with good answers and statements to sufficiently empower a pretty distraught wife.)

Hello. I am back. Some snippets of my life...

...Bread Box - The gig at The Bridge went well. Thanks to all of you for coming. Thanks to my band members for being cooler than me. All in all, it wasn't a bad second performance. I can't complain.

...Plainfield, IN - My little sister has too much energy. Dad and Shimmin discussed the pros and cons of using satellite driven microwaves to stop hurricanes and discussed the economics of such a system as well (conclusion: insurance companies would be happy to pay a million to save them a billion). Dorothy was there but I didn't get to talk to her much. Strange. Grandma W and Dorothy dug up a bunch of irises for us and we picked them up after getting back to the Indy airport from Denver yesterday. I like Grandma W a lot.

...Fort Morgan, CO - Grandparent S's doing ok. I like Grandma S a lot. Cut down branches. Shimmin climbed a tree and cut a limb down with a bow saw! Any more than 4 pieces of TP will clog their toilet, so we paper bagged our stuff. Gross. Water tasted funny. Got bad headache w/ waves of nausea that I still have today. Funny tasting water is not good for upset tummies. Grandma S sent us home with a white phlox bulb. Rare, supposedly.

...Small group last night was moved to Perkins when one of our members had a brush with the police and some other stuff I won't go into. Eggs are not good for upset tummies.

...Went to Hardees for lunch and ate a big chicken sandwich. Sprite is good for upset tummies.

...House cleaned for what may be zero guests this evening. House cleaning is good for upset tummies.

...Pregnancy can give someone an upset tummy. No, I'm not pregnant. Yes, we even checked, because I've had a lot of nausea lately - I think I've puked on six different days in the past month, ten in the past two months.

...Made it through the pile of correspondence here at work already. Going back to project shortly.

...Finished the last of my VALT requirements so I can go back to reading things I want to read and writing my novel. Reading for fun is good for upset tummies.

So I haven't been posting here much. I went and got a livejournal a while back and it seems like my posts have been mostly there lately.

Anyway, I'm in a band. We're called Bread Box. We're set to do our first show tomorrow at noon. But... we won't be able to do it without practice tonight. And... our drummer's company films commercials, and his commercial for the day just started, so he might either be late for or miss practice, and not be able to come to the show tomorrow. And, our sound engineer, who could help us cover on djembe with an acoustic set is getting dread locks put in his hair this evening...

I am just so messed up. Big hopes..., big fall. I don't know what we'll do... I mean... we have some stuff that can be played with two guitars and a bass, but most of it will just sound utterly lame. Those of you that are of the praying sort that can mutter a prayer for me not to spiral into depression no matter what happens, and for the drummer to film a commercial in record time, and for Bread Box and our show tomorrow in general. Thanks.

Sometimes I hate being me. Maybe this whole band thing was just a bad idea. Except that it's been my dream since I was little....

Richard's Simple Theo-Survey

Who were/are the top 3 Christian thinkers (apart from Jesus or the apostles)?
Lewis, Luther, Wesley

Do you think that the objects of theology are fundamentally rational?
Yeah

What is the proper relationship between theology and philosophy?
God created thought, so perhaps Theology creates Philosophy?

What is the proper relationship between theology and science?
Science describes the world that God made. Science does not validate theology (nor should theologians expect it to).

What is the proper relationship between philosophy and science?
Philosophy describes the thoughts of science.

God: One Substance and Three Persons or Three Hypostatic beings?
The former

Who sends the Holy Spirit? Does it matter?
Jesus SENT the HS. (OK, and God sent Him a few times too.) But He's here, and He's God. That's all that matters.

Does the host's meaning come from Transubstantiation, Consubstantiation, Symbolism, or something else?
Is it possible to belive the elements are symbolic and still believe there is power in communion? If not, I've gotta go with consubstantiation.

Natural theology: Nay or Yay?
Umm...

Do you hold to any certain eschatological stance?
Dispensationist turned inaugurated enacted eschatologist with amillennialist leanings.

Human Will: Are you a libertarian, molinist, hard determinist, compatiblist, or something else?
Something else - can I call myself a conservative evangelical appealing to the fundamental belief in the inerrancy and sufficiency of scripture?

Apologetics: Do you prefer classical, evidential, presuppositional, existential or something else?
No.

Mysticism: Does it (need to) play a role in a person's spiritual life?
Depends on your definition of mysticism.

Governance: Episcopal, Presbyterian, Congregational, Libertarian or other?
Apostolic

Should there be a sharp distinction between clergy and laity?
No.

Do you agree with common law marriage?
No, but I'd certainly never tell someone that they are not married in the eyes of God or something if they had a common law marriage that was recognized by the state.

Should Christians fight during a war?
Yes, but only some wars

Same Sex Marriage or Civil unions: right, wrong or "who cares"?
Not my decision, thank goodness.

What role do the Christian scriptures have in contemporary ethics?
Are contemporary ethics really ethics?

What is a proper Christian attitude towards a person who commits suicide?
Sad and sympathetic.

Who are the top 3 Christian artists of our time?
Bono, Switchfoot, can Willard count?

What is the most pressing issue that confronts Christianity at this time?
Us.

Should there be such a thing as Christian Pop Culture?
No, provided there is still a place to purchase Veggie Tales after CPC's demise.

Can a Christian vote Liberal/Left Wing/Democrat or Conservative/Right Wing/Republican?
A better question is "Can a Christian NOT vote, or vote for someone they wouldn't actually want to win?"

Should Christian's work to 'Christianise' the morality of their nation via censorship laws?
No. We live in a nation of notional Christians. Legislating moraltiy does more harm than good, makes more enemies than friends.

Can a Christian support the death penalty?
No.

Where do you see the Western (North America/Europe) Christian church in fifty years? Small.
Loss of nominal Christians will be good b/c more solidarity, bad b/c of fewer believers.

Where do you see the southern (South America/Africa/Asia) Christian church in fifty years?
Huge. Leading the Western church.

Augustine, Aquinas, Pseudo Dionysus, Calvin, Luther, or Barth: Who would win in a bar fight?
Luther. Hands-down. One hand tied behind his back. On one leg. Blindfolded.

Take this survey at http://www.kwiz.biz/simplesurveys/do-survey.php. Or just copy the plaintext version from my blog.