A life map - of sorts

Alex never fails to get me thinkin':

"Have you ever mapped out your life? Just recently I was thinking about the Ideas that have stayed with me over the years. Some of these are from books, while others are from conversations. Though some ideas are difficult to separate from the experiences that carry them, these are not primarily experiences that have shaped me. That’s a different list. Nor is this a list of my favorite books. Another list. These are ideas that have stuck with me over time."

Heck. Why not?

1995 or 96. My former prof. Dr. R said, the aesthetic sense is most transcendent. More than the religious or moral sense, or others. This makes a lot of sense to me. Though as individuals we have different standards of taste, our sense of (and our pursuit of) the beautiful is most arresting, most uplifting, most heavenly.

Dr. R also taught me to dedicate time and energy to asking the right questions. Finding the answer, which is the worthiest cause to be sure, isn't going to matter much if we don't ask the right questions. Dare I say: he started a revolution in my head.

Urbana, IL, 1996. (And so here are some questions:) If Jesus wasn't the One and Only, why did he have to die? Wasn't there another way? How come no one told me this before? And he wants me to go to the world, on his behalf? This changed everything I thought I knew; this grounds everything I now know.

PK, my friend JK's brother, when talking about marriage and future spouse, was quoted as saying, "I'd like my wife to be... captivating."

1997-8 At SU. Attending weekly meetings of Campus Crusade. Ric and his apologetics dossier. Know the reason you believe and be prepared to give an answer to those who ask. Barriers (intellectual or otherwise) can and should be addressed; don't fear them.

Took TRF 345 at SU. Prof. T believed in teaching critical thinking skills using low-brow, pop culture. Why not use texts that students are already familiar with, like The Simpsons, Friends, and Baywatch? Wow. And it was, believe it or not, one of the toughest classes ever.

The thing must be loved before it is lovable. Love hinges on the lover, not the beloved. From GK Chesterton's Orthodoxy. The revolution continues...

2001-2005. House on 6th St. Total unorthodox living with 3 other women. Building community by watching Alias and playing Settlers of Catan; throwing many different kinds of parties; letting people do laundry; no chores - ever; rotating rooms and "unfair" rent allocations; hosting small groups and guerilla filmmaking. Let's outserve one another. May everyone win.

2002/3, Los Angeles. StrengthsFinder. If only people know their strengths and play accordingly: we can all be happier AND we can all play together better! And yes, these are strengths! I'm not weird! I've been created this way for good reason.

"What you do as small group leaders is closer to Jesus' ministry here on earth than what I do," so said Erwin McManus, Lead Pastor, Christmas 2005.

Conversation about criteria:
Me: "#1: Someone I can serve with. I have fun serving with people. Fun is a must. #2: Speaking of fun, he should be someone I can hang out with, talk to, laugh with, etc. All the silly, daily stuff. I guess he should be a friend. #3: Someone who aspires to be like Jesus - and in doing so, inspires me. I need to admire him. In love-ness, after all, isn't going to last. #4... "
God: "Ehem, Fae, do you want to be the kind of woman who deserves this man?"
Me: "(embarrassed laughter) .... um,... yes..... ??? "
God: "Good. There ya go."
Me: "Ah, crap."