In Honor of this Reformation Day

This is my husband's fifth anniversary as a Lutheran. How appropriate that it should be on Reformation Day!

For those who are unaware of the significance of Reformation Day, it signifies the day when Martin Luther (note: not Martin Luther King) posted 95 theses, or statements for dispute, on the door of the Castle Church (Catholic) in Germany.

He noticed that there were a number of situations occurring within the Catholic Church that deviated from the Bible, and he intended to bring these things to light and try to fix them. It was never his intention to divide the church or to bring about another denomination, let alone an entire movement.

The Catholic church was teaching works righteousness and turned the Lord's Supper, which was God's gift to us, into our merit-earning offering to God.

In our bulletin this morning was a background for (Luther's) order of service. It was printed, "What was needed was a standard order for Communion on which churches and pastors involved in the Reformation could agree. Others determined that none could unite the churches better in this way than Luther, and so he published an essay outlining how the service should be done. His emphasis fell on retaining as much of the tradition as possible while modifying or eliminating objectionable parts."

In other terms, Lutherans (especially the LCMS, since I'm biased) have all of the good parts of Catholicism without any of the bad parts, like praying to Mary and the Saints, the unbiblical belief in purgatory, the selling of indulgences in order to "buy" forgiveness for sins, praying for the deceased, etc. The more traditional, confessional Lutheran churches resemble Catholicism in a number of ways, but the above elements are always eliminated.

I'm what you'd call a "cradle Lutheran," which just means that I've been a Lutheran my entire life. I was born, baptized and confirmed in the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod, and it is here I'll stay, lest the contemporary church-growth enthusiasts engulf this denomination entirely. It would be only then that I would consider leaving.

Sorry if that offends some people, but there are just certain things that I believe should not be changed, and compromising a system of beliefs just to make others feel more welcome or to be nice and open-minded is not a practice I or my husband, nor many others we know, would be willing to accept or participate in. Period. There are many who've fallen victim to this line of thinking, and they've been so open-minded that their brains fell out, so they can't consult them for reason anymore.

Anyway, to get back to Reformation Day: This is a day that a large number of Lutherans commemorate by participating in celebratory worship services, eating brauts with saurkraut and/or bierocks, singing and dancing. It's a lot of fun, and a cool way to learn about history and heritage that stems back to the 1500s.

If you want more information, check out some of the Lutheran links on the right-hand side of this screen.

Resume Posted

Even though I've been offered a position at the Eagle and am interviewing for another, I decided to post my resume on my former Edited Copy blogspot. That way, I can have it available for anyone who might know of something better out there. (Although preferrably in my area of the country.)

Ron helped me with some of the formatting changes, but neither of us can figure out how to eliminate the extra space between the bulletted items. It looks like I've double-spaced between the bulletted items, but I didn't. It just kind of showed up that way.

If anyone can suggest a way to fix it, please do. We're stumped.

I'm on Fire!

I'd never have guessed that after waiting for four weeks after applying for a job, I'd get a call for an interview, but I did.

Remember me talking about the job possibility at Kansas Public Telecommunications Service (KPTS)? Well, a lady from the HR department just called and scheduled me for an interview next Wednesday! This is a full-time position that, if I'm hired, would allow me to utilize more of my skills than would the Wichita Eagle. Also, if I get the job at KPTS, I might not have to quit reporting by contract for the Wichita Eagle, so that would mean more money, yet. But this time, I know there are several other interviews going on, and there's less of a possibility since there's more competition.

However, the first time I talked to this lady from KPTS, she told me she was scheduling interviews for next Thursday and Friday, but when I called her back (blonde moment--don't ask), she scheduled me for an interview on Wednesday! Hmmmm... Sounds interesting. We'll see what happens.

Even though I've been wanting to work for the Wichita Eagle, I've got way more skills that would fall by the wayside if I were to work there instead of KPTS. Don't get me wrong: if I don't get the job at KPTS, I'll be satisfied with the position I've been offered at the Wichita Eagle.

I can't believe this, though! Two years without much of a possibility, and then one place offers me a job and the next day, another's calling me for an interview! Amazing! I'm totally stoked about this. I mean, I don't want to get my hopes up just to face disappointment again, but what if KPTS offers me a job, too? Well, let's see: part-time work where I'd only use a fraction of my skills, or full-time work where I'd use practically all of them... Which one do you think I'd pick?

Kind of a no-brainer, if you ask me.

In the meantime, I need to get some new dress clothes and shoes, and fill out some paperwork for the Wichita Eagle today. We'll see what happens with KPTS. I'll let you know.

When God answers prayers, he does it in a big way! I'm seeing that now!

I GOT THE JOB!!

I got a call this afternoon from the Wichita Eagle offering me a part-time position in the Celebrations section! I'll probably start next week, pending the completion of a background check and drug screening. (Better hold off on the poppy seed muffins!) ;)

Around the first part of the year, they're going to cross-train me to fill in for the Obituary section, too, so I can get more hours. The guy who offered said, "if you want more hours." Of course I want more hours! Who wouldn't want more money if they were offered it? I thought to myself.

Thank you to everyone who's been praying for me. Now, hopefully, Ron can finish his schooling (one more semester) without us having to worry as much.

By the way, my section will only show up in the laid-out fashion in print, not online, although you should be able to access the Celebrations section via the Internet. Just click on my link to the Wichita Eagle.

Unfortunately, I won't be able to cover city council meetings for the Eagle anymore. That was a contracted position, and one cannot be an independent contractor and a regular employee for the same company, I guess. I'm letting go of a six-day-a-week job I've held for the last 18 months! Wow!

Once again, thank you for all your prayers and well wishes. I'll still be blogging, so keep coming back!

Resurrected Blog

In light of the fact that some abandoned blogs have been snatched by frauds, I took back my Edited Copy blogspot. On that site, I'm going to post my resume so that those who know of openings in my neck of the woods can see if it's something for which I would be qualified, and also, possible employers can view my resume online and give their comments.

The background is different than the previous one, which looked like a sheet of paper on a blue background, but it works all the same. After I've posted my resume, you can go to this blog address to view it. Keep checking back to see if I've posted it, because I probably won't blog about having posted it.

Mentally Disabled Become Naked Slaves

This story is just too bizarre to leave alone. Police have investigated and arrested a couple who operated two homes for the mentally disabled and found that those they cared for were being forced to perform slave labor in the nude. Here's an exerpt from the KAKE News e-newsletter story (edited for mechanical errors):

"The affidavit lists in detail some of the crimes which a Newton [KS] couple is charged with. They include forcing mentally disabled adults to perform manual labor in the nude without compensation. The report also alleges the Kaufmans took social security payments from the adults and even used a stun gun on an individual's stomach, testicles and feet. The investigation stems from a November 1999 incident in which two disabled adults were found on the Kaufmans' property pulling nails from a board."

Even more shocking are the couple's occupations! Read the story here for the details.

Journalist Finds Hope in Job Search

I had an interview this morning at the Wichita Eagle, the local newspaper (yes, there's only one here). They have a part-time opening for a Celbrations (section) Coordinator. I took my portfolio and my best smile with me this morning, along with the prayers of those who knew about my interview.

It went really well. My interviewer all but handed me the job. He asked me to come in tomorrow to meet the other lady who works in the Celebrations department because he said he doesn't like to hire people without giving them a chance to meet those they'll be working with.

He said he really wished he had someone with my background and experience working in the obituary department, but that the Celebrations job could lead to a full-time position either there or with the obits. I'm hoping that they'll pay me at the top of the pay range for this position, but I'm still hoping for something in a full-time capacity with benefits and better pay yet.

The position is supposed to be filled by the middle of this week, and I'm thinking that there's a pretty good chance I'll be given a job offer tomorrow or Wednesday. Keep those prayers coming!

Before...

Before...
Originally uploaded by Edited Copy.

Okay, I couldn't take it any longer. (Pardon the pun.) I used to have short hair, and I liked it. Long or short looks good on me, but it feels so much better to have short hair. Less time to dry, and much fewer tangles.

I decided a long time ago that since I have naturally blonde hair that's never been colored, and it's thick and healthy, that if I got the chance, I'd donate my hair to Locks of Love. It was time.

With long hair, people would always tell me that I looked like I was about 15 years old. I got carded at the movie theatre for a rated R film! And I got treated like a kid, too. (Some guy at church who didn't know Ron and me saw me hugging him Wednesday evening and said -- as if referring to what I might say-- "I'm so tired, Dad!" Ron and I just gave him a look like "Ron's not my dad!")

I'd had enough! Plus, I have a job interview on Monday, and I want to look professional -- like I know how important it is to take care of myself, that it means a lot to me to be well-groomed.

So here I am in my before picture, just so you can see how long it was. The half-smirk shows how unhappy I was with it.

After!

After!
Originally uploaded by Edited Copy.

Tah dah!

My new profile!

DSC00276.JPG
Originally uploaded by Edited Copy.

Okay, so tell me honestly. Do you like it? I sure do! No more getting in my way, getting tangled, or being pinned to the couch when Ron has his arm around me!

It's a wash-and-go hairstyle, and I got it for free when I donated my hair. It's part of the Locks of Love promise!

FYI

Because someone has taken Tentatio's abandoned blog, and I know it's not him, I've removed the link to his former blog. The same is happening to many abandoned blogs, so be careful if you abandon yours at any time.

A Brand New Lutheran

Rob and Devona have finally had their baby. Rob managed to sneak away from the hospital long enough to post a picture of their new daughter and a brief writeup of her newborn statistics (weight, length, time of birth, etc.) on their blog.

May God bless their new family!

A Clearer Vision for the Future

It turns out that not as many people are dyslexic as one would think. I was surprised when at my eye appointment yesterday, my doctor told me that one of the tests he had done disclosed to him the fact that I have a problem with my visual convergence, meaning that my eyes see things differently than other people's.

He's aparently only one of about four doctors in Kansas who's certified in this area, but it's because he has experience with it, himself. This is what I'm talking about:

When reading something, I frequently get tired, lose my place, skip lines and don't have good comprehension of what I've read, not to mention the fact that it takes me forever because I read one word at a time and "hear" myself reading it in my mind. But that's the only way I can get any comprehension of what I'm reading at all.

I thought I was partially dyslexic, because that's what a doctor told my dad was wrong with him. My dad is a very poor reader, but whether it's dyslexia or the problem I have (which, by the way, is genetic), I don't know.

The good news is that it can be fixed. I was sent to a doctor today that specializes in vision therapy. She sent me home with a home-based kit that's supposed to help about 60-75% of the people who use it. If that doesn't work, in-office therapy works about 96% of the time, she said.

As if one could guess, this isn't covered by most insurance companies; they just aren't as "with it" as they need to be.

It's especially important for me to try to fix my problem because #1, I'm a graduate student who's doing a lot of reading for comprehension and application purposes, and #2 because I'm a journalist, more specifically a journalist trained to be a copy editor.

I'm putting this on my blog because this is a problem that so many people have but don't know they have, partially because many eye doctors aren't certified and don't know how to check for this kind of problem. It's easier if it's caught when you're a child, but doesn't take as long to correct as an adult, if that makes any sense to you.

This isn't a mental problem or a reading problem, but a vision problem, and it's treatable within less than six months, in most cases. So if you're having some of the same problems that I am, ask your doctor if he/she can test you for it.

I'll keep you posted on my progress, too, so you can know how it's working for me. Bonus: I get to wear cool 3-D glasses to do the exercises!

Should This Man Go Free?

In 1990, a 9-year-old girl named Nancy was kidnapped when she walked across the street to a gas station to buy a bottle of pop. She was found weeks later, having been raped and killed. Why do I remember this so well? She was the same age as me, or just slightly younger.

Now, the man who was convicted of the crime 14 years ago is up for parole for the second time. The first time he was up for parole, Nancy's family circulated a petition to keep him in prison, and his parole was denied. Now, both Nancy's family and the family of the accused have petitions going around: Nancy's family's is to keep her accused killer in prison, and his family's is to allow him to go free. They say the wrong person was accused and locked up.

This is another story that should have been more carefully edited, but it's a lot better than the last one I posted that I said needed editing. You can read it here. What do you think? Should he go free or be sent back to prison?

I personally believe that this man is guilty and should not be set free unless he is given extensive counseling and made to report himself as a child abuser and sexual offender.

Wichita Aircraft Company is Up for Sale

Two years ago, more than 30, 000 Wichitans lost their jobs in the aircraft industry. Countless others were also lost because of the crashing economy. Many people lost their homes, went bankrupt or went into deep financial difficulties (like my husband and me), and hundreds left Wichita hoping to find better opportunities elsewhere.

Now that the economy is recovering again (slowly), there are several places that are hiring again, but because there are so many people looking and competing for jobs, the employers can raise their standards and have their pick from the dozens (at least) of applicants. This is true of not only the aircraft positions that have opened up, but it has also filtered into other industries, such as my own: print journalism. For the majority of the positions that are now available, one must posess some kind of degree (I have a BA) and at least five years of experience. Now, for a lot of people, that isn't a problem, but for me, it is. I graduated from high school in 1999. Though I have the education, it's not enough for most employers, and they'll choose someone else who has more experience. So how do I get the experience if no one will hire me?

Now, people are concerned that more people will lose their jobs in the aircraft industry. According to KAKE (an ABC affiliate), Boeing Wichita is up for sale. A memo was sent over company e-mail that raised more questions than it answered, and since not everyone has company e-mail addresses, not everyone has seen it yet.

Now that I'm looking for work again, I'm wondering how much more saturated the market is going to get with others looking for work. And to top that off, in December, there will be more college graduates for me to compete against, some with more experience than I have.

Some people (like us) can't afford to move, even if we wanted to. There may be great jobs elsewhere, but if they don't cover relocation expenses, it wouldn't work.

By the way, no word yet on my job possibility. I'm still waiting for a call to set up an interview time. I was told it would be sometime this week. I'm optimistic, but like I said, there's going to be a lot of competition for this job since so many people are looking. Please pray that they pick me out of the bunch to work for them.

"Killed"

I got a great new book a few days ago called "Killed: Great Journalism Too Hot to Print". It's about articles written for newspapers or magazines that were "killed" or scrapped for one reason or another.

In some cases, stories were killed because the publishers didn't want to offend the advertisers. Then, they paid for scrapping the stories when another publisher paid the author more money and ran the articles. What justice!

Some of the stories go back to 1942. The most recent included in the book were from 2003.

Here's a list of some of the publications that killed perfectly good stories for political or advertising or other reasons:

Esquire
Vanity Fair
The Washington Post Magazine
Vogue
The New York Times Magazine
GQ
The New Yorker
Rolling Stone
Detroit Free Press

One of the stories that I look forward to reading is called "The Clinton Legacy and America." Another one is "The Lay-Z-Boy Position", whatever that is.

It's 428 pages of interesting articles that never made it to press, and I might even get adventuresome and share some excerpts with you!

For instance, in the introduction, David Wallis, the editor, says, "In 1997, Playboy pulled Glenn O'Brien's piece, 'How to Pick Up Princess Di,' which was filed days before her fatal accident." What if that had actually been printed just before her accident? That could have been a really bad faux paux.

Okay, I know. I'm kind of a nerd for getting a journalism book instead of a good mystery or romance or something. OH WELL!! I don't like those books as well! If my hubby, the Terrible Swede, can get math, physics and chess books to read for fun, I can get books about journalism! He, he!

A Great Way to Rebel

Lots of teenagers get tatoos as a way to rebel against their parents, but not many get tatoos that spark the kind of reactions that Devona has after she and her husband posted a picture of a rather large tatoo that she has on the small of her back. And she's six days past due with their first baby.

I've never gotten any tatoos or weird piercings... I've pretty much been a square, doing everything I was supposed to without rebelling much at all. I guess some people could call me boring. But I've had lots of other things done that most people don't. The 17 foot surgeries are more than enough pain for me to have gone through in one lifetime.

But Devona is also a brave woman. She's got four tatoos, and the one I referred to in the first sentence is my personal favorite. Of course, most Lutherans should be able to appreciate it just as much as I do. Check it out!

With the Elections Coming, Remember This

I was able to watch the Presidential Debate on Friday. This was the first debate I've been able to watch. Every evening, I've got something going on, but Friday was free. I think most people could agree (I don't care what media "professionals" say) that Bush won. He pounded Kerry on just about every single point. Sure, Kerry said something smart every once in a while, but he couldn't give a single answer without referring to his opponent. Most of the time, he didn't answer the questions posed. In Bush's retorts, he came back at Kerry and answered the questions asked.

There are just certain things I look for when considering my vote. I was able to vote for president for the first time when Bush and Gore were going at it in 2000. Of course, this was before the terrorists took out the twin towers and a big chunk of the Pentagon. Now, one of my greatest concerns is who will do the most to keep me safe. I want someone in office who's trustworthy. I don't want to hear something one day that I agree with just to hear one or two days later that the whole plan has changed because our leader has changed his mind. Again. I can't trust someone who's always changing his mind!

Also, in light of recent events, I need to make sure that whoever ends up in office is going to do everything in his power to protect this country from further attacks. I (and you should, too) have had to ask myself, "Who would the terrorists want to be the next president of the U.S.?" Of course, they'd want someone whose policies toward terrorism were more relaxed. Which of the candidates fits that profile? That's not who we want!

Some of my newer readers might not have seen the post I wrote in June about America basically being under constant attack by terrorists since 1979, so I've decided to repost the text of the speech that I referred to in that post, just to make us think a little more about the elections coming up and who we really want to be in office for the next four years.

This speech was given by U.S. Navy Captain Ouimette, the Executive Officer at Naval Air Station, Pensacola, Florida.

Here it is:

AMERICA NEEDS TO WAKE UP!

That's what we think we heard on the 11th of September 2001 (When more than 3,000 Americans were killed ) and maybe it was, but I think it should  have been "Get Out of Bed!" In fact, I think the alarm clock has been buzzing since 1979 and we have continued to hit the snooze button and roll over for a few more minutes of peaceful sleep since then.

It was a cool fall day in November 1979 in a country going through a religious and political upheaval when a group of Iranian students attacked and seized the American Embassy in Tehran. This seizure was an outright attack on American soil; it was an attack that held the world's most  powerful country hostage and paralyzed a Presidency. The attack on this sovereign U. S. embassy set the stage for events to follow for the next 23 years.

America was still reeling from the aftermath of the Vietnam experience and had a serious threat from the Soviet Union when then-President Carter had to do something. He chose to conduct a clandestine raid in the desert. The ill-fated mission ended in ruin, but stood as a symbol of America's inability to deal with terrorism.

America's military had been decimated and down-sized/right-sized since the end of the Vietnam War. A poorly trained, poorly equipped and poorly organized military was called on to execute a complex mission that was doomed from the start.

Shortly after the Tehran experience, Americans began to be kidnapped and killed throughout the Middle East. America could do little to
protect her citizens living and working abroad. The attacks against US soil continued.

In April of 1983, a large vehicle packed with high explosives was driven into the US Embassy compound in Beirut. When it exploded, it killed 63 people. The alarm went off again and America hit the Snooze Button once more.

Then just six short months later, a large truck, heavily laden down with over 2,500 pounds of TNT, smashes through the main gate of the US Marine Corps headquarters in Beirut and 241 US servicemen are killed. America mourns her dead and hits the Snooze Button once more.

Two months later in December 1983, another truck loaded with explosives is driven into the US Embassy in Kuwait, and America continues her slumber.

The following year, in September 1984, another van was driven into the gates of the US Embassy in Beirut, and America slept.

Soon the terrorism spreads to Europe. In April 1985, a bomb explodes in a restaurant frequented by US soldiers in Madrid.
Then in August, a Volkswagen loaded with explosives is driven into the main gate of the US Air Force Base at Rhein-Main; 22 are killed and the
snooze alarm is buzzing louder and louder as US interests are continually attacked.

Fifty-nine days later, a cruise ship, the Achille Lauro, is hijacked and we watched as an American in a wheelchair is singled out of the
passenger list and executed.

The terrorists then shift their tactics to bombing civilian airliners when they bomb TWA Flight 840 in April of 1986 that killed 4, and the
most tragic bombing, Pan Am Flight 103 over Lockerbie, Scotland, in 1988, killing 259.

Clinton treated these terrorist acts as crimes; in fact, we are still trying to bring these people to trial. These are acts of war. The wake-up alarm is getting louder and louder.

The terrorists decide to bring the fight to America. In January 1993, two CIA agents are shot and killed as they enter CIA headquarters in Langley, Virginia.

The following month, February 1993, a group of terrorists are arrested after a rented van packed with explosives is driven into the underground parking garage of the World Trade Center in New York City. Six people are killed and over 1000 are injured. Still, this is a crime and not an act of war? The Snooze alarm is depressed again.

Then in November 1995, a car bomb explodes at a US military complex in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, killing seven service men and women.

A few months later in June of 1996, another truck bomb explodes only 35 yards from the US military compound in Dhahran, Saudi Arabia. It destroys the Khobar Towers, a US Air Force barracks, killing 19 and injuring over 500. (*Editor's note: Ron predicted that these living quarters were prime targets when he was there in 1991. He mentioned the possible threat, and no one listened.)

The terrorists are getting braver and smarter as they see that America does not respond decisively. They move to coordinate their attacks in a simultaneous attack on two US  embassies in Kenya and Tanzania. These attacks were planned with precision. They kill 224. America responds with cruise missile attacks
and goes back to sleep.

The USS Cole was docked in the port of Aden, Yemen, for refueling on 12 October 2000, when a small craft pulled along side the ship and exploded, killing 17 US Navy Sailors. Attacking a US War Ship is an act of war, but we sent the FBI to investigate the crime and went back to sleep.

And, of course, you know the events of 11 September 2001. Most Americans think this was the first attack against US soil or in America. How wrong they are. America has been under a constant attack since 1979 and we chose to hit the snooze alarm and roll over and go back to sleep.

In the news lately, we have seen lots of finger pointing from every high official in government over what they knew and what they didn't know. But if you've read the papers and paid a little attention, I think you can see exactly what they knew. You don't have to be in the FBI or CIA or on the National Security Council to see the pattern that has been developing since 1979.

Our President is right on when he says we are engaged in a war. I think we have been in a war for the past 23 years and it will continue until we, as a people, decide enough is enough.

America needs to "Get out of Bed" and act decisively now. America has been changed forever. We have to be ready to pay the price and make the
sacrifice to ensure our way of life continues. We cannot afford to keep hitting the snooze button again and again and rolling over and going back to
sleep.

After the attack on Pearl Harbor, Admiral Yamamoto said "...it seems all we have done is awakened a sleeping giant."  This is the message we need to disseminate to terrorists around the world.

Support Our Troops and support President Bush for having the courage, political or militarily, to address what so many who preceded him didn't have the backbone to do, both Democrat and Republican. This is not a political thing to be hashed over in an election year; this is an AMERICAN thing. This is about our Freedom and the Freedom of our children and grandchildren in years to come.

Please forward this, especially to the young people and all those who dozed off in history class and who seem so quick to protest such a
necessary military action.

If God is your Co-Pilot---Change seats!

We're So In Love!

We're So In Love!
Originally uploaded by Edited Copy.

This picture was taken at our wedding reception a little over two years ago. Don't we look great together?!

My grandma made my dress. She had it sewn up for me in a week! Ron's youngest sister made our wedding cake for us -- the BEST I've ever had!

And yes, that is a carpeted wall behind us. Our reception was at the University Lutheran Center, Wichita State University, a building built in the 1970s. That's where Ron and I met!!

Testing a new photoblogger

DSC00272.JPG
Originally uploaded by Edited Copy.

This picture was from our trip to Oregon this last January when we visited Ron's parents. The very next day, there was a huge ice storm that closed the Portland airport for about three days -- the longest it had been closed in history.