So, the movie Once is brilliant.  I was just listening to one of the songs in the movie (probably the most famous song in it), and tears just came to my eyes.  I wanted to share it with you.

Glen Hansard - Falling Slowly Lyrics

I don't know you
But I want you
All the more for that
Words fall through me
And always fool me
And I can't react
And games that never amount
To more than they're meant
Will play themselves out

Take this sinking boat and point it home
We've still got time
Raise your hopeful voice you have a choice
You've made it now

Falling slowly, eyes that know me
And I can't go back
Moods that take me and erase me
And I'm painted black
You have suffered enough
And warred with yourself
It's time that you won

Take this sinking boat and point it home
We've still got time
Raise your hopeful voice you had a choice
You've made it now

Take this sinking boat and point it home
We've still got time
Raise your hopeful voice you had a choice
You've made it now
Falling slowly sing your melody
I'll sing along

Yay for this week!

So...fun stuff...

Kevin is here this week!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  Yay for getting to see one of my best friends for the first time in almost 6 months!!!! 

AND...I got a new computer!  Yay for having a Mac now!  I'm still kinda figuring out how to use it so if you have any tips for me let me know.

I care less than 10%, but Burning in Hell is not for You.

In case you didn't know, my current job is being a server at a steakhouse. I don't love my job or hate it...it's a job, I work there...a lot...I get paid...kinda...

I love the people I work with. I like meeting new people.

Things you might not know about your servers:

• Your server only gets paid about $2.13 an hour plus tips (in most areas)
• Standard tips are no longer 10% like they used to be it is now standard to leave around 20%
• Your server has other jobs in addition to tending to tables ( this is why they might not be anywhere that you can see at some times).

I'm not saying these things to complain or anything...it's just general knowledge that I think any restaurant-goer should keep in mind.

Now...on to what I wanted to blog about originally...

A note to fellow Christians...I have some really sad news for you. Did you know that the stereotype in the restaurant business is that Christians don't tip well? Not only that, but most of the time Church groups are not good customers in general.

I mean, I hate stereotypes and generalizations, but that stereotype had to originate somewhere.

Let me tell you what happened today...
So...there is a group of about 10 people who came in and sat in my section. Ten people isn't that many...it's actually a pretty good size to work with. I go to their table to introduce myself...but never actually got to tell them my name because they jumped right into their drink orders. They all ordered their ice teas and waters with extra lemons, no lemons, extra ice, and no ice...not too bad.

I can only carry 4 glasses at a time...my hands just don't hold anymore, so with every trip to and from their table they felt the need to remind me of what was still missing. Finally all the drinks were out and the bread was on the table, but we still weren't ready to order the meals because they wanted cinnamon butter for their bread...not just regular butter. I explained to them they we don't necessarily have cinnamon butter, but I would gladly go make them some myself. I went back to the kitchen, got some cinnamon, and came back to the front, got a bowl and mixed cinnamon and butter together...not at all difficult, not a huge deal. I come back to a table of lovely people saying "There ya are, we thought you forgot about us."

So they order their food, I continue to refill their glasses, bring them any extras they might need...more cinnamon butter...and then when they get done I even yelled for the gentleman's birthday that they were celebrating...we gave him a big "YeeHaw."

Not one person at this table ever talked to me about anything other than what they wanted...which is fine, that's what I'm there for. When they left I was interested to see what they left me. I felt like I had done a good job. I open the book to see a tip that was significantly less than 10% but I had also gotten not just one, but three tracts with little comic strips of how to avoid burning in Hell.

Now...I can appreciate the thought of it. Those booklets speak truth. God can use anything to speak to people. But, as a Christian...how embarrassing! The way I saw it, they didn't care enough to find out my name, they didn't care enough to leave me a decent tip, appreciating my efforts...but according to those tracts God loves me and cares about me. Why am I supposed to believe that? Their God loves me...but they didn't even ask how I'm doing today?

I tell this story because it's fresh in my mind...but situations like this happen to all servers all the time. I get tables like this weekly.

Why do people do things like that? Is it for show...to make them look like good people? Or is it because they really think that's what the Lord would have them to do?

I don't remember Jesus ever handing someone a booklet and continuing on his way...and I'm sure if he would have handed them one, he would have had a long conversation about it with them.

What are your thoughts?

A 16 year old girl...ministering to hundreds of people.

Ok, so I've been in dance studios for 17 years. Between the studios I've danced in and taught in...I've probably been in some way involved in dozens of studios. I feel like I know my way around the dance world pretty well, and tonight I am amazed at what God has done though a 16 year old girl in New Palestine.

She has very little dance experience. She's an excellent clogger, and definitely gifted in all areas of dance, but very little training...mostly self-taught. She's quiet, not shy, but reserved. She's passionate and she loves the Lord with all her heart.

Her name is Kimberly. I was 4 years old when she was born, our families have been friends for years. A few years ago (when Kimberly was only 12 or 13 she started teaching the kids at the Church that her father pastors little dances. They would do their little dances in their little Church and it was a great ministry...now several years later, Kimberly is 16 years old and teaches over 70 young dancers.

Like I said, Kimberly has had very little training. All of the students she has acquired has been a result of word-of-mouth advertising. No huge billboards, commercials, signs, it's not even a big Church that they work out of...people just come.

Tonight was the "Sondancers" spring recital. I had the honor of dancing with Kimberly in it. Children ages 3 to 16 performed dance after dance. The whole show was tied together with an overall theme of "The Disciples Path." There were over 300 audience members crammed into a Church Sanctuary. There weren't enough chairs so people were standing all around. All of those 300 people today heard the gospel told, through dance, by 3-16 year olds.

I know of studios that spend thousands of dollars on advertising every year, spend fortunes to pay the most qualified teachers, search for the perfect location and facility, and still fail to bring any students in. Some how people continue to come and join the Sondancers. Is it the low cost? Or maybe just the simplicity that attracts them? I believe it's the Lord's blessing. God knows Kimberly's heart, and he's doing something big through her. I think he's probably doing something bigger than we even know.

I'm so excited to see where God takes this young woman...look at what an amazing ministry she's already done.

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Geez...

Why am I SO addicted to the internet, yet I suck so much at blogging!!!!!!!

I mean seriously...I stay up late and refresh the page on Facebook about a million times to see if I get anything new...I pointlessly Myspace stalk other people's friends...but for some reason I never get on here to blog...SUCK!

So anyway...new goal...I want to start blogging more often...like maybe once a week?

OK...I can do this...

I actually even knew what I wanted to type in here...I wrote something in my journal the other day and after I wrote it I thought I wanted to blog it...but now reading again...I don't think it's for your eyes.

OK, so now that I have lolly-gagged around and said nothing of any value...I'll blog again latert