Hymn Lyric Mishaps, Tipping, and February

So, sometimes I think I'm really healthy because I've recently turned to eating soup for lunch. Yet, I think my parallel habit of eating a half-sleeve of ritz with each bowl of soup might be counteracting the health benefits. Yet, how are you supposed to eat soup without crackers? Tell me that!

I got in a hymnic mood yesterday night, as one does this time of year, and I came upon this little gem about the Palm Sunday hymn, "All Glory, Laud, and Honor." Apparently, not all of the stanzas translated by John Neale are used modern hymnals. I can't understand why they took this one out:

Be Thou, O Lord, the rider,
And we the little ass,
That to God's Holy City
Together we may pass.

I chuckled myself to sleep after reading that. I also watched two episodes of the BBC's Songs of Praise, which is basically a show that travels around to UK churches, talks to parishioners or choir members, and listens to them sing hymns. All in all, it was a pretty killer night...if you are 87...and had your driver's license taken away.

Three more days until San Diego! As we used to sing in Sunday school, "The countdown's getting lower every day!" (yeah, terrible theology, but that's a whole 'nother post).

This is a new conversion technique:

And she's a pastor. Apparently, when the pastor found out that it was online (where the signature was not blotted out), she demanded that Applebee's fire the waitress, which they did. Later, the pastor apologized. I wonder if the waitress has been converted yet? This is right up there with those people who leave (de)tracts instead of tips at their tables (see what I did there?). I guess the internet will make these things less and less prevalent as offenders are e-shamed. Do you think it is fair game for a waiter to post something like this to the internet, or is it a breach of privacy?

I find February to be the dreariest month of the year. January keeps me going with its Christmas high and New Year's excitement; March is my birthday and the beginning of spring, but February is 28 days of this in-between phase. The thin veneer of excitement has worn of your new classes (if you're perpetually in school like I am) and the winter trudge has truly begun. And don't even get me started on leap year.

Well, I finished the one paper I needed to finish before Midwinter (take that, origins of American theological liberalism!), and now I'm going to pace around my room until Monday while pretending to do some required reading.

Isn't it interesting to see the Republicans all of the sudden open to a path for citizenship for undocumented workers? I wonder what 2012 electoral shellacking has caused them to reconsider their views? As John Stewart noted, "The arch of history is long, but it bends towards shamelessness."

Something I learned yesterday: both the quotes "The arch of history is long, but it bends towards justice" and "a government of the people, by the people, for the people" originate with Unitarian minister Theodore Parker. Not bad, sir.

Anyway, I should commence with my big weekend plans of killing time. Happy Friday to all, and to all a good day.



Later!