Um, guys, Anne Jackson commented on my blog! The subtitle of her own blog (FlowerDust.net) is “GREEK FOR ‘ANNE JACKSON LIKES YOU’”. That could be the best blog title ever; I smile every time I visit, and I think she really means it! Anne is a funny and insightful writer and her perspective is always interesting to me. She a fun Tweeter, also.

Speaking of Twitter, Donald Miller sent out this link to a free chapter of his upcoming book A MILLION MILES IN A THOUSAND YEARS. It is based on Miller’s story message I’ve been raving about for months. I simply can’t wait to get my hands on the whole book. (Also, Miller has a cool Father’s Day campaign going on for his mentorship program. Check it out here.)

Finally, last week I listened to a sample chapter from Glen Packiam’s new book SECONDHAND JESUS: TRADING RUMORS OF GOD FOR A FIRSTHAND FAITH. I loved it so much. Packiam’s first chapter is a description of how the moral failure of his pastor Ted Haggard (you remember the story, I’m sure) affected Packiam as a staff member at the church and, most of all, as an individual. Packiam’s voice is poetic, wise, and merciful. This is another pre-order at the top of my wish list!

I think you’ll be busy with those links! I told my husband Dan that reading like this is my favorite kind. Intellectual stimulation of the spiritual genre is soul food for me. If you are looking for some, enjoy!

I read a quote this week from a young adult trying to overcome self-injury (or, cutting, as it is often termed). The woman claimed that the blog she kept as a record of her attempted recoveries – one that, I should mention, also linked to many other blogs dedicated to overcoming self-harm – was her therapy.

At first I thought, oh, that’s nice. Blogs really are so useful for sorting out thoughts.

And then I thought, wait, will that work?

I’ve never been to therapy, although I’m pretty certain there were times in my life that I would have benefited from such a thing. (Read a sample chapter from Anne Jackson’s book Mad Church Disease here – she is a believer in therapy for Christians for the sake of a more objective outside perspective on certain situations, especially ministry issues.) But I couldn’t help thinking that even though blogging can be helpful for certain things, I’m not sure it should qualify as therapy.

The idea of therapy is that you entrust your problems and concerns to another person hopefully qualified to give you tools for overcoming said problems and concerns. Blogging, to me, is more about expressing your own ideas and opinions. Sure, we can help one another in a blog conversation, but it just isn’t the same. Is it? I mean, I have the power to delete your comments, you know that, right?

Maybe therapy should be your therapy. What do you think?

This is the reception table at the wedding Dan and I helped with on Saturday. The bride was Claire’s beloved kindergarten teacher and she wanted something special for all her students at the recption: huge lollipops! Big hit at our table. The centerpieces were two old-fashioned pitchers of lemonade, one pink and one regular, surrounded by colorful  Gerbera daisies. Isn’t it lovely? And so summery.

It was also very practical because by the time we walked from the OUTDOOR wedding to the OUTDOOR recpetion, we were ready for an icy cup of lemonade in any color! It was a perfect touch.

The next day we recived the best thank you gift EVER! On our front porch was one of the clear glass pitchers from the reception with three things tucked inside: a thank-you note, a package of instant lemonade, and a whole lemon. We’ve done worship music at weddings for years, but this thank-you was a very sweet way to be compensated!