a rose by any other name

This site is so cool!

Marla is apparently the lazy English way of saying "Marlene." So, my name is really the German and English way of blending of MARIA and MAGDALENE. Referring, therefore, to Mary Magdalene, a character in the New Testament. The name was first used by the German actress and singer Marlene Dietrich, whose real name was Maria Magdalene von Losch.

Justin comes from the Roman name Justinus, which was derived from JUSTUS. This was the name of several early saints including Justin Martyr, a Christian philosopher of 2nd century who was beheaded in Rome.

o tannebaum, o tannenbaum

bob's world

When I was in high school, Ines, our German exchange student, asked me for a ride home. It was a cold December evening and I remember thinking that it was great to drive people around - I guess when you're 16, any chance to drive someone somewhere - anywhere - is a good time. So, as I rounded the corner to her house, I was blinded by Bob's World. Little did I know that same path would be followed again and again for the next 12 years.

What is it? Bob's World is a twinkling light display that would put any National Lampoon, light-weilding Griswold to shame. To shame, I say! It is seriously the most insane display of holly jolliness - ever. And it's awesome!

Merry Christmas! Enjoy Bob's World from wherever you are.

i heart 24

Jack Bauer


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Yesterday someone in my church circulated an email about the movie "Brokeback Mountain." Without going into too much detail, the movie is about a secret love affair between two cowboys. Through the course of these emails, someone was offended. A gay man. I wanted to share my letter to the church, in light of this event:

I didn't know if you have read about this "gay cowboys" email that was circulating, but I received several messages about it yesterday. The one that worried me the most was the one from a man who wanted to be removed from an email list, because he basically felt the emails were gay bashing. I don't necessarily think they were, but I did feel that the message really came across as unloving. Obviously, you have to approach a topic like homosexuality with great caution and I am not saying we are to "gloss over" the truth. However, we all need to speak the truth with love, not suspiciously and with easily misunderstood tones. This man is unknown to me, but he was greatly offended and will probably have a tainted view of church, Christians and what we're trying to do - at least as far as Crossroads goes.

Email is such a wonderful tool, but I think this is a good reminder of how we need to be loving in all that we do - speech, type and actions. I don't mean to sound all goody-two-shoes, but emails like these concern me. Maybe we could all use a reminder that emails can be hurtful and that you never know who is going to read it and misunderstand your meaning. We cannot assume that everyone is on the same page with us and understands the core of what you're trying to say. This was really bad for our church culture. I just wanted to lovingly point it out as an area to exercise caution.

Just a little shocked, and sad that someone was turned-off (which could have an eternal effect on him),

75 bands link

I need your help. In the above link, there are 75 bands. I have only found the following 25:

1. Smashing Pumpkins
2. U2
3. Alison in Chains
4. White Snake
5. Blur
6. Guns'n Roses
7. Iron Maiden
8. Sex Pistols
9. 50 Cent
10. Matchbox 20
11. Eminem
12. The Dead Kennedys
12. Nine Inch Nails
13. Blind Melon
14. White Zombie
15. Rolling Stones
16. The Pixies
17. Green Day
18. The Eagles
19. The Lemonheads
20. Radiohead
21. Led Zeppelin
22. Beach Boys
23. Cowboy Junkies
24. The Police
25. Red Hot Chili Peppers

UPDATE, with Justin's Help:

26. Black Flag
27. Ratt
28. The Doors
29. Madonna
30. The Cranberries
31. Queen
32. White Zombie
33. The Black Crows
34. Phish
35. The Postal Service
36. The Eels
37. Garbage
38. Korn
39. Hole
40. The Cars
41. Lovin' Spoonfull
42. Blues Travelers
43. Pink
44. Prince
45. Blondie
46. Dinosaur Jr.
47. KISS
48. Cypress Hill

UPDATE with Emmaleigh's Help:

49. Gorillaz
50. Talking Heads
51. Scissor Sisters
52. Pink
53. Seal
54. Crowded House
55. Deep Purple
56. Twisted Sister
57. Jewel
58. The Vines
59. The Bee Gees
60. The Go-Go's
61. Yellowman
62. Bush
63. The Cult
64. Pavement
65. The Crosswalk Band
66. The White Stripes
67. Corner Shop

UPDATE: A few more from my faithful readers:
68. The B52's - Thank you, Glenn.
69. Jet - Thank you, Everything Must Go.
70. Men at Work - Thank you, Jen.

FINAL UPDATE - Thank you, Kristen!
I didn't have the whole picture. Here's the link to the whole picture.
71. Cake
72. Skinny Puppy
73. 311 (3 sets of 11 roses)
74. Pet Shop Boys
75. Scorpians

Now, I can sleep at night.

watching and waiting

Dear friends, I need your prayers. No, my dad needs your prayers. As many of you may or may not know, my dad has been suffering with cancer for awhile (4 years, 11 months). For any of you who have dealt with cancer, it's a lot of watching and waiting. Right now, we're watching a mass in his neck. If it doesn't go down by next week, they will have to do an biopsy (they don't want to do one right now, because if there's a chance it will go-away, then they don't have to get near a main atery in his neck for the procedure). Suddenly, I feel heavy. My arms feel weighty and my legs seem to drag. I don't know how much of this watch and wait I can handle. We've been on a virtual rollercoaster of emotion for nearly 5 years. I can't even begin to think about the implications of what it means if that tumor is malignant. I'm weary. I'm tired. I'm trying to rest in Christ, because I know his yoke is easy and his burdens are light. I know I can rest in Him, but it's not as easy as all that. He's my daddy. How can I not worry?