Bettin Girl Blog

i am a bit of a Dr. Who junkie. Not the classic shows, but the modern ones - with all the Doctor and Rose and yes, I suppose, Martha Jones and Donna Noble. The season finale is coming up soon, though its already aired in the UK.

The other night I received a midnight phone call from Alison, who was crying. A person never wants to get an unexpected, late night call - since that usually means that something bad has happened. But no, she was emotional about the very last episode of the season - turns out that through a friend of a friend she was able to get her hands on the last couple of episodes of the season. Phenomenal, Alison reported, just an amazing end to the season - perhaps the best season finale she has ever seen. Lest she would fall in to a typical predicament of revealing too much - I hastily told her to put the dvds in the mail to me.  Sure I could technically wait the couple of weeks until they aired here, but come on - its me!  The dvds arrived yesterday and I, in my super sleepiness at 11:30 (yes I am getting old I fear), was only able to watch part of the first new episode.

Its going to make it difficult to work today - knowing that in my dvd player are Season 4’s final episodes - and by tonight I’ll know just what happens…does Donna live? Does the Doctor get to see Rose again? Will they save Earth from the Daleks? This slightly sci-fi nerd (I limit it mostly to Ender’s Game books + a few shows on sci-fi, but it is what it is) is ready to find out. More coming soon…

My Grandpa Opheim is featured in an article in the latest Jackson County Pilot about his 65th high school reunion.  You can access the article here…Reunion

Matt Verdoorn and I are singing/playing again for gathering time in worship at the end of the month and this time decided to do a couple of Watermark songs (I like their laid back, folk-y sound + its in a great key for my voice – which apparently has changed from little miss first soprano to some kind of alto these past few years)…anyway, so the lyrics below are from one of the songs we’re doing – a particularly pretty piece with some great words that I thought I’d share this morning…

Mended
You repair all that we have torn apart and
You unveil a new beginning in our hearts and
We stand grateful for all that has been left behind and
All that goes before us

You’ve got all things suspended
All things connected
Nothing was forgotten
‘Cause your love is perfect
You are our healer
And you know what’s broken
And we’re not a mystery to you

We will dance ’cause you restore the wasted years and
You will sing over all our coming fears and
We’ll stand grateful for all that has been left behind and
all that goes before us

Lord, you mend the breech
And you break every fetter
You give us your best, but what we thought was better
And you are to be praised
You are to be praised

You’ve got all things suspended
All things connected
Nothing was forgotten
‘Cause your love is perfect
You are our healer
And you know what’s broken
And we’re not a mystery to you

i have this pile of books - scattered all over my bookshelves and unfortunately in the trunk of my car - things that I pick up at conferences and too often at Barnes + Noble (due to price, not due to my lack of store interest)…all things I have intended to read - most of them full of promise of some inspiration, perhaps a kick in the pants, and yes, a few random chic lit books that are great when traveling.

In part because I have only been pulling these books out when we are choosing a new book for our small group (yes, as a result, I am finally reading Velvet Elvis), and also because I need a little life shake up at the moment…I have started to read more of my book stash that perhaps in the next couple of months I’ll find time to actually blog about.  Here are a couple of the titles that’ll be forthcoming:

Animal Vegetable Miracle - well, I’ve already finished this one, but there’s so much percolating in my head and in our life choices that I definitely want to share what I’ve gleaned from this book.

Jesus for President - i had a meeting yesterday over coffee with Anne - and she suggested a new book that I ended up picking up last night, by Shane Claiborne + Chris Haw…I spent some time reading the first couple of sections - a nice overview of both the Old and New Testaments (I do love those broad strokes of the larger biblical narrative) and what I anticipate will be a thought provoking look at essentially why Jesus would make a bad president according to our political climate/expectations.

Life on the Vine by Phillip Kenneson - a little sermon prep, a little reminder of what it means to be enlivened with the fruits of the spirit (patience, kindness, gentleness, etc.)

And a couple of Jim Wallis books and a Lauren Winner I bought a while ago and haven’t read…now if I can just make the time and quiet my too anxious brain to actually read - then I’ll have more to share about my literary adventure…

i have just returned to our home office after hiding under the window in our guest bedroom to see who was at our door.  Yes, I am 31 years old and I am hiding from the person ringing my doorbell.  In fact, when I saw the two nice 20-something guys wearing their matching t-shirts for whatever non-profit group/political action committee they represent going to door to door in our neighborhood this afternoon, I drove down our alley and parked in our back driveway - something I almost never do.  Sure our dogs wondered what the heck I was doing coming in the back door, but I assured them that I did it just to surprise them - NOT, of course, because I was avoiding yet another well intentioned but slightly irritating intrusion into my house.

Don’t get me wrong - I firmly believe in organizing for a cause - I support a number of non-profit efforts and certain political campaigns.  I am all about “rocking the vote” and grassroots.  I am a liberal south Minneapolis homeowner that does indeed support all manner of green initiatives and social causes.   I agree that clean water and equal rights are important.  I’m just not keen on someone ringing my doorbell every other day wanting to talk to me about the important issue they are rallying the troops for.  Its just that when I’m at home, I would love to be left alone - not forced to pretend I’m not in the house like a fugitive because I cannot turn away one more person asking for a contribution (which also FYI is a poor way to fund raise and NO I will not give my credit card number out to you - no matter how easy that would be for your organization).

So, unless you’re a girl scout in your uniform with a box of cookies under your arm - I would much rather get some junk mail or an email from whatever listserv you bought my name from.

I assume by now the college student who was brave enough to go door to door tonight is gone - and thus its safe for me to walk by the front windows.

today my little sister Alison begins her new job as the Director of Catering at a country club in Rochester.  Its a great next step for her and we know she definitely has the skills to be the boss - not to mention fabulous interaction with all her prospective brides/clients/club members.  She gets a big office now and will continue to have the opportunity to put to use all her gifts in party planning and the culinary arts.   

unfortunately for us, though, it means that Ali is now going to be living in Rochester - not that far away from the Cities, but still not quite the same as living close by.  But, we’re excited for her big adventure and hope you’ll join us in wishing her lots of success. 

Good luck little sis…

I am tired of the way cancer has invaded the lives of my family members, my friends, the nameless people on “Race for the Cure” tv commercials.  I am heartbroken over this stupid disease and how its impacted my friend Jason, our friend Rick, my uncle Brian – how cancer forced me and my dad to sit there in the hospital room and listen to the doctors tell him that there was nothing else they could do.  And I am tired of standing by and watching cancer wage a war against families – against faith communities – against people I love and people I don’t even know. 

There’s a new movement called “Stand Up To Cancer” that you have probably seen commercials for.  An interesting concept of raising money in a very public, very proactive way to help take cancer research to the next level.  I hope you’ll take the opportunity to check out their website at Stand Up to Cancer or read below from their mission statement and a few ways that I know you can help contribute. 

From the Stand Up to Cancer Mission Statement…

Cancer takes one person every minute. One life in a moment. They are our brothers, our sisters, our fathers and mothers, our husbands and wives, our best friends, our children, ourselves. Every day in America 1500 people die and yet the means to save them are literally within our reach. To wait any longer for someone else to save our lives and the lives of those we love is unforgivable.

Inspired to act by our own personal experiences with cancer, we recognize that we can no longer rely on the current system alone to give us the breakthroughs we need.  So, we are calling on the public to help take matters into our own hands, investing in a revolution that will change the way scientist and clinicians work to understand and treat these diseases.  Stand Up To Cancer is more than a rallying cry.  It is a galvanizing force created to urgently move cancer research forward.

This is where the end of cancer begins: when we unite in one unstoppable movement and Stand Up To Cancer.

How?

Working with the top experts in cancer research, Stand Up To Cancer is forging a new way to develop breakthroughs that will end cancer. We’re putting together the best and the brightest minds in cancer research – those on the edge of accomplishment – investing in their projects and taking the bureaucratic obstacles out of their way. We are building interdisciplinary “Dream Teams” of scientists, clinicians, technicians and other experts, who will focus on a specific cancer problem. We’ll track their progress in real time, so that everyone who invests can see how their participation is creating real change.

Funds will be administered by the American Association for Cancer Research, the largest scientific organization in the world focusing on every aspect of high-quality, innovative cancer research.  Together with their scientific Blue Ribbon Advisory Committee, comprised of world-class scientists across several disciplines and patient advocates, the most promising projects will be identified.

Ways to get involved…

Team Bettin

I started a fundraising group named “Team Bettin” which is essentially a group of people (okay, for now its just ME) who contribute to the Stand Up To Cancer movement as “team” of people who know each other and are committed to helping fund the revolution for cancer research. 

Or – you can start your own fundraising team and gather together people you know to raise money for cancer research

Create a Star

There’s a neat opportunity to create a star (for an online contribution of $1 or more) for those with a cancer diagnosis – whether they are still fighting, are in remission, or have passed away from this disease.  You can search the constellation for people’s names and leave a message on that person’s “star”.  I set up one for my dad that you can add to by going to “search constellation”, put in my dad’s name (Joe Bettin) and click on “Add a Message”.  Or set up a star to celebrate someone you know. 

We are now the proud owners of a piece of patio furniture…yes, one piece - as I am too thrifty to get the chairs until they go on clearance, too.  Yesterday I was wandering through Target looking for other things, when I ventured yet again to the outdoor furniture section of the store.  We been keeping our eye out for items for our backyard and our choosiness combined with our cheapness has afforded little results (yes, this included a trek to a very sketchy Kmart to see the Martha Stewart line).  But, the Smith and Hawken set is partly on clearance this week and I had to jump at the chance to have a nice large outdoor table (for those who know my crazed hope for a new indoor dining set - this will at least stave that off for a couple of months until the weather is cold).  I convinced Alison to help me pick it up and we lugged it home so Josh and I could assemble it.

This table is a great size for us - easily seating 6 with the possibility of pushing for 8, or a great buffet table for outside.  Plus the stain is a nice color - lighter than most of the indoor furniture pieces I am drawn to, but darker than a lot of other pieces we saw.

Now as I look out the window in the office I can see this rather large, rectangular teak dining table in our back yard.  Without the chairs its looking a little sparse - and a little out of place - as if I plunked a regular table in the middle of our grass.  But the girl at Target assured me that she thought very soon the matching wicker chairs would go on clearance as well.  In the mean time, we’ve put our little plastic chairs around it and it’ll work fine until we have something more appropriate.  It has a space for a nice umbrella should we ever remove this larger than life (and precariously still standing) tree in the backyard.

This quick purchase means I will have to track down some teak oil in the next couple of days - while I am trying to write a sermon, clean our house and get ready for the next two weeks of travel and family/friends time.  But considering the deal and our constant searching for some patio furniture that fit into the Venn diagram we mentally created (all possible furniture options alongside the amount we are willing to pay), I think its safe to say we’re pretty pleased with it.

Little by little we continue to make our little space in Minneapolis more of the home we would like it to be - Josh just planted some new bushes on the side of our house there those dead pine trees used to reside.  In a couple of weeks we’ll decide on wood chip colors and I’ll get out there and put in edging + raking out all the rocks that have invaded those plant beds.  This whole landscaping component of our house will eventually come together (in probably a few years), but for now we are looking forward to more meals in the great outdoors!

that the word “data” is plural?  Its singular is “datum”, which according to Josh is NEVER used.

Thus, it is incorrect to say “the data shows…” or “that data is wrong” INSTEAD it should be “the data show…” or “the data are wrong”

I am baffled - completely baffled.  And Josh is doing a little happy dance of intellectual elitism since I often know such things and this time have failed.

we live a strange life…

i am happily listening to the new David Sedaris book on iTunes right now.  A few months ago I felt like June would never come - never bring about the arrival of his new book - but here we are and I am the new owner of the When You Are Engulfed in Flames audio book.  I do think the best way to experience David Sedaris stories is by listening to (rather than reading) his unique voice share the zany and inflated antics of family and friends.

I can listen to his books over and over again - indeed they are the only audiobooks that remain permanently on my iPod (other books are saved on it only while I’m still listening and then moved to my iTunes library to conserve on space).  There is something so relaxing and oddly comforting about listening to his voice tell me a story - even if its one I’ve heard time and time.  If I am feeling particularly lonely on a car ride and in the need for a connection to the rest of the world, I’ll put one of his books on and feel a little less melancholy, a little less stressed.

Thank you, David Sedaris, for another set of stories that have the unique ability to ease the tension in my shoulders and make the drive time that much better.