UnSpace

There's a 3.9% chance an asteroid is going to whomp into Mars next January 30th at about 5:55 a.m. The rock is about the size of the Tunguska meteor. I have no idea what the science value would be; the impact would simply have a major cool factor.

I can't help but wonder, though. What if the meteor hits the one part of Mars that still has life?

Oh well, there's always Europa!

[Insert joke about crappy weather in Pittsburgh for any astronomical event I want to watch.]

Some friends came up to visit from Florida. We decided to go visit the Pittsburgh Zo. Of course, I took my camera.

This is my personal blog; nothing in here should be construed as official from the Pleasant Hills Community Presbyterian Church. Sometimes, like when I'm being sarcastic or trying to think something through, this blog doesn't even represent my own opinions. As the Acting Director of Communications, I need to be careful about how the things I do are interpreted.

One of the wonderful things about the Presbyterian Church USA is that there is plenty of room for differing opinions. For example, some people at the church do not have any problem with celebrating Halloween, others do. I don't, but in my work as Director of Communications, I am careful to not alienate anyone. Mostly this was accomplished by not even using the word "Halloween." I can write creatively when I need to.

I suspect I'm one of the few who believe whole-heartedly in predestination. I know that sounds strange for a Presbyterian church. But remember that there are far more crucial points being dealt with by our congregation: feeding the poor, caring for the sick, studying the Bible, glorifying the Name of Jesus Christ, etc. There simply isn't much time for the more theoretical considerations. So I cannot speak with a definitive voice for my church on many things simply because there is no definitive voice or no one really cares enough to make a definitive pronouncement. For example, if someone wishes to celebrate Halloween, they can, as long as they don't rub it in the faces of those who don't wish to celebrate it. I don't know of anyone who asks at the grocery store if the meat has been sacrificed to idols, either.

I do not blog from work for three reasons. One, I don't want there to be any possible confusion between work and this blog. Two, I don't have time to fly my radio-controlled helicopter (that's pronounced "STRESS RELIEF") at church (a large, usually empty gym is a definite work perk), let alone blog. Three, I've forgotten the password I used for this blog and can't log on from any computer but the home computers — I couldn't blog from work if I wanted to!

Yeah, I could fix that last problem, but remember #2 and the lack of time.

Given what I'm thinking about posting here on UnSpace, I decided there was a significant need to clarify the relationship of this blog to my church.

Here are a couple of photos of the church Sanctuary just after the Altar Guild finished decorating. I wish I could have gotten some photos that night, but timing prevented me from doing so. Enjoy!

Don't let the frustrations of the season
make you forget why you're celebrating.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!
from Nancy and Rob

Professional stunt parrot. Do not attempt at home.

Gingerbread house by Nancy Carr
Photography by Rob Carr © 2007.

(click on picture for larger version)

Aaron Alexovich wrote a pretty cool story, didn't he?

(I tried entering the password and username from the story just to see what I could find on the net. That's where the title "USERNAME: TEMPEST; PASSWORD JYP5478″ for this post came from. Nothing came up, but now maybe it will bring someone who read the book here!)

Yeah, a skateboarding budgie doing a major Ollie!

I've had a lot of fun these last couple months working at my church as the Acting Director of Communications. As I've said many times, the pastors, staff, volunteers and church members are a joy to work with.

If anything, it's been too much fun. I added some special flourishes here and there that resulted in me spending more time at the job than I needed to.  In the summer, that wouldn't have been to bad. During the past two months, though, I wound up working a bit harder than I should have. Although as jobs go, saying "I'm having too much fun at my job" is a wonderful situation to be in!

With the exception of the bulletin for the 30th, everything is done through the end of the year and I can relax a bit.

Of course, about 3 weeks ago, I got the first "Lenten" catalog. When work starts again January 2nd, I will be wise enough to begin work on the special things for Lent and Easter.

I'll have a bit more time for blogging, which is nice! I wonder if anyone still reads this blog.

That brings up the strange thing. I have blogged very little in the past months and, as a result, my hits have gone up to about 250 a day — about double or more my previous hits!

Go figure.

It was necessary, then, for the copies of the heavenly things to be purified with these sacrifices, but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these. For Christ did not enter a man-made sanctuary that was only a copy of the true one; he entered heaven itself, now to appear for us in God's presence. Nor did he enter heaven to offer himself again and again, the way the high priest enters the Most Holy Place every year with blood that is not his own. Then Christ would have had to suffer many times since the creation of the world. But now he has appeared once for all at the end of the ages to do away with sin by the sacrifice of himself. Just as man is destined to die once, and after that to face judgment, so Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many people; and he will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him. — Hebrews 9:23-28 (NIV)

Today, our minister, Dr. Thwaite, pointed out that we Christians are an Advent people, celebrating the first Advent of Christ's birth at Christmas, as well as awaiting His second Advent, His return. We are to be witnesses to the world of Jesus' sacrifice and the salvation He brings.

I took the above photo for the bulletin cover for our church. In case you haven't guessed, there will be 3 more covers for Advent each with an additional lit candle. The Christmas bulletin cover will be the scene with 5 lit candles — and something more!

Why yes, I love my job! I'm having way too much fun.