leaving on a jet plane

I am flying to Tampa this afternoon to visit my good friend, Dustin. He and his wife are preparing to head to Portland next month to attend Western Seminary. Two friends, who I just don't get to see often enough, are coming down as well. So I am very excited.

I tell you all of this because there is a good chance that I will be unable to post for the next few days. But before I head towards the airport, I want to leave you with something worthwhile in my absence.

First, a game of sorts. The picture below was taken at the wedding of my eldest sister, Jennifer and her husband, Mark. The date is July 29, 1995. The two gentlemen playing guitar (pay no attention to the back-of-the-head in the foreground) would later achieve moderate success in the christian music business. My sister's wedding was their first ever paid gig. You may not know the one on the right, but many of you should be familiar the floppy-haired one on the left.

Can you guess the name of this guitar wielding teenager?

(There are a handful of you who already know the answer to this question because of conversations we have had...or because you are related to me and were in attendance that day. Please don't ruin the game by giving away the answer.)

Secondly, I am attatching this link to an article in the Metro Pulse, which is a local paper here in Knoxville. The article chronicles the journey of a young woman as she went from church to church to observe "why people have religious faith, and how it manifests itself in worship". It is very interesting...insightful...disturbing...I don't know, I am still trying to digest it myself. But it is certainly worth a glance.

It is a rather long piece, though. Of course, you have a couple days to read it.

So, you can take your time.