book club

I've always liked the idea of book clubs, but I've never been in one. Until now. My sisters, a friend, and I decided to start a book club this summer. We're still a bit fuzzy on the particulars, but we met at Tommy's Family Restaurant for supper yesterday to choose our first book. The winner? Forgotten God by Francis Chan. I'm very excited to read this book--I've had it for several months but haven't gotten around to reading it yet. Since Val, Jamie, and Blendy don't have the book yet, we're meeting for our first discussion in two weeks. I'm looking forward to it!

Disclosure of Material Connection: Some of the links in the post above are “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

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excellent questions!

I promise, the Lost posts will stop someday. Probably very soon. But for now, here's a great video about the unanswered questions of Lost.

See more funny videos and funny pictures at CollegeHumor.

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the end

Well, friends, Lost is over. So many questions were left unresolved, but at this point, less than a day after viewing the finale, I find that I don't care so much about the questions because the finale was so emotionally satisfying. (If you watch Lost but for some insane reason haven't watched the finale yet, you might want to stop reading now. And then go to abc.com and watch the finale!)

The show went full circle, beginning with Jack's eye snapping open in the jungle and ending with Jack's eye closing in the jungle. (Yes, my sister did fairly accurately predict the last image.) Over the next few days, just about every Lost fan with a blog will be writing about the finale, and I want to get my two cents worth in, as well.

What worked:

• Watching the characters "wake up" and remember their island lives in the Sideways world. Sawyer and Juliet's meeting was the best for me ... and they paid off Juliet's dying words to Sawyer in the season premiere. I also loved that Charlie and Claire got to be together again.
• Hurley's grin when he saw Charlie (who, ironically, didn't actually "wake up" until he touched Claire, even though he set the chain in motion by "waking up" Desmond), followed closely by Jin's expression when he saw Sawyer.
• Kate and Jack professing their love for each other and their final kiss. 
• The Smoke Monster/NotLocke's comment to Jack about being the chosen one, which perfectly reflected what I thought last week when Jack volunteered to take Jacob's place: "I expected to be more surprised. You're kind of the obvious choice, don't you think?" That made the Hurley twist at the end even sweeter. 
• Hurley invites Ben to help him take care of the island. And then Ben apologizes to Locke for killing him. Ah, Ben ... you really did become a good guy, didn't you?

What didn't work:

• Titanic? Seriously??? I hated Titanic thirteen years ago, and I hate it today. (I'm actually okay with what the Sideways world ended up being ... I think ... but when I made the Titanic connection, I just about lost it. Just ask Blendy!)
• Shannon is Sayid's true love? I don't buy that for an instant.
• Where were Michael and Walt?

All in all, great show, satisfying finale. At least that's what I think today ...

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dear damon & carlton,

(Note to all you non Lost-obsessed readers: 1. Damon and Carlton are Lost's producers/masterminds. 2. I promise I won't write about Lost too often. But for now, just humor me ... I'm sure I'll soon post something you're more interested in. Speaking of, be sure to enter the most recent book giveaway! 3. If you subscribe via Google Reader, I apologize for the unfinished post--though you might not ever see this apology since you already got the first version--I accidentally hit ctrl+p instead of ctrl+i, and it posted before I was ready!)

After watching the recent carnage on Lost, I have four words for you: Jack better not die.

As Lost wraps up (only 3 1/2 hours to go), I knew that some beloved characters would die. Sayid's death didn't surprise me at all, and I was pleased to see him snap out of his "funk" in order to save several other characters. If Lapidus is truly dead (and I don't see how he could survive the hatch door to the face which knocked him out in a waterlogged and sinking sub), his death didn't have much of a punch, sandwiched as it was between the deaths of three main characters. I couldn't believe Sun & Jin died as they did, especially just one episode after finally being reunited. Their deaths made me realize that no one is safe ... except, hopefully, Jack.

In the past few days, I've been considering the deaths that are sure to come. While I love many of the characters, I've come to the conclusion that there's only one death I won't be able to stomach: Jack's. Kate? I could do without her--especially if she isn't going to end up with Jack. Claire? She's hardly been part of the show for so long that I don't care so much about her anymore. Miles? He's hilarious, but I've never been completely invested in him. Sawyer? I love Sawyer ... and his death would make me sad. But if I had to choose between Sawyer and Jack I'd choose Jack in a heartbeat. Desmond, Penny, and little Charlie? They are a wonderful little family, and I'm glad they got their "happily," even though they might not get the "ever after." Again, their deaths would be tragic, but not a deal breaker (though perhaps Desmond's "special" nature will keep him from dying???). Ben? I used to scream for his death--literally. He seemed so evil. But now he's had a bit of redemption, and I'd like for him to live. Something tells me he won't make it to the final scene, though, and I'm okay with that. And Hurley? Losing Hurley would smart ... but again, I'd choose Jack over Hurley.

Bottom line: If Lost ends as my sister suggested tonight, with a shot of Jack's open, dead eye to mirror the pilot's first shot of Jack's eye opening in the jungle, I'm going to be very upset. (Though I must admit, I do like the idea of the series ending with a shot of Jack's eye, as long as he isn't dead!)

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he wants me to pray, to give, and to go

That song, which we used to sing at my church during missions conferences (I've tried to find it online to no avail), has been running through my head recently. I'm not sure about the "go" part yet, but let me tell you about a couple "pray" and "give" opportunities that have been in my heart recently.

One Girl
One Girl is a prayer initiative of Tiny Hands International, a humanitarian organization. Their mission statement reads: Tiny Hands is a Christian non-profit organization dedicated to empowering the church in the developing world to help the poor overcome poverty and become lights of the world.  We are committed to finding the greatest injustices in the world, and working towards relieving them however possible.  We are particularly called to orphans, street children, and the victims of the sex-trafficking industry. We want to find those who are already doing the work, who are called and faithful, and help them do it in greater ways and with more efficiency. We do it all in obedience to, and for the glory of Jesus Christ. 

One Girl focuses on the 10,000 girls who are trafficked from Nepal to brothels in India each year. One Girl asks people like you and me to "spiritually adopt" one of these girls. For $10, they'll send you a bracelet that was made by one of the girls that has been rescued from sexual trafficking, and the bracelet serves as a reminder to pray. Of course, you can commit to pray without buying a bracelet, but I've found that my bracelet continually brings these girls back to my mind. The bracelet also gives me an opening to talk to people about trafficking; whenever someone comments on my bracelet, I tell him or her why I wear it.

A coworker first told me about One Girl last fall, and a local Christian radio station spotlighted the ministry during April. More than 1100 people signed up to pray!
 
Pray for Kate
Kate McRae is a little girl who is battling brain cancer. I first heard of her through Stuff Christians Like. I read SCL every day, but normally I get it through Google Reader and don't actually go to the website. One day, though, I went to the site, and I saw the "Pray for Kate" banner at the top. Curious, I clicked on the link ... and I "met" an amazing little girl and her family.

Kate is currently undergoing proton radiation treatments in Houston. Though I read the Caring Bridge journal that Kate's mom Holly updates, I can't even begin to fathom what this family is going through. All I can do is pray ... and ask you to also pray.     

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