This Post Kept for the Comments (formerly, "Water")

This post was originally a link to a site at which viewers could vote on which projects would be supported by a big grant from American Express. That project is long over, and the link is now defunct.
However--
I am leaving this post up because of the comments, which have nothing to do with the post. Someone left a comment in response to a comment I made on An Inch At A Time (you'll find the link in my comment) on the subject of the presidential appointment and congressional confirmation of the Surgeon General, and I think what was said is important enough that I don't want to delete it.
It saddens me that "anonymous" did not return to the discussion after his/her original post.
The rest of you are cordially invited to weigh in, with this proviso: Do not be unnecessarily mean to each other. Or to me. We can disagree, vehemently, passionately, but try to remember we all came into this world naked and helpless and vulnerable. Just like the Baby Jesus. So play fair.

yours in the struggle,
Max

Queer Mermaid

Rating: QT

You Are a Mermaid

You are a total daydreamer, and people tend to think you're flakier than you actually are. While your head is often in the clouds, you'll always come back to earth to help someone in need. Beyond being a caring person, you are also very intelligent and rational. You understand the connections of the universe better than almost anyone else.

OK, but I'm not giving up my voice for some dumb-as-a-box-of-packing-peanuts pretty boy.

I'm not sure I actually understand the connections of the universe, but exploring them is pretty much what gets me up in the morning. Or afternoon, as the case may be.

Everything else is freakishly accurate. This may be the best personality quiz I've taken since the Sesame Street quiz told me I was Big Bird.

Anyone else tried this one?

yours in the struggle,
Max

Queer Ass Pain Gun

Rating: See below



This rating was determined based on the presence of the following words:
queer (8x) ass (3x) pain (2x) gun (1x)

Thanks to wild and precious for this bit of blogolicious fun.

yours in the struggle,
Max

Five Things I Dig About Jesus

Rating: GT, QGT

Brought to you by the letter Q and Kirsten. Check out the originator, where you can see a bazillion other responses if you want. Wander around the blog while you're there--lots of interesting stuff.
Only five? Randomly selected out of the many things I dig, and in no particular order:

1. Jesus gets really cranky sometimes.
It comes out most in Mark's Gospel account. Or maybe it just stands out more because of the author's rather terse, telegraphic writing style. Why do I dig this? Because it's just so bleeding human.

2. Jesus doesn't write people off just because they get it wrong sometimes.
He really doesn't. He can get really cranky about it (see item #1), but he doesn't cut them loose.

3. Jesus doesn't write people off just because they're right.
Which is, let's be honest, a far worse sin in the eyes of many great leaders. Most of them can't stand it when someone else is right. Jesus, on the other hand, shows a refreshingly remarkable willingness to listen and be affected by another human being. Case in point: the Syro-Phoenician/Canaanite woman, who challenges Jesus to broaden the scope of his compassion (Matthew 15:22-28, Mark 7:25-30).

4. Jesus is funny.
I mean, come on, that bit about "get the log out of your own eye before trying to get the speck out of your neighbor's" is classic. Also calling the Pharisees--who seem to be friends of his, given the number of times he's having dinner at one or another of their homes--a bunch of snakes; actually, he calls them a "brood" of snakes, which is pretty much a "yo mama" joke. And let's not forget his response to Thomas's "unless I put my fingers in the print of the nails, and put my hand in his side, I will not believe." Put your finger here... Now, that's comedy!

5. Jesus is both an impeccable host and a gracious guest.
Lots of people can do one or the other, but many can't do both. Now, my mother was a fabulous hostess, but feeding 5000 hungry people on 5 loaves and 2 fish was beyond even her extraordinary talents. And I like to think of myself as an appreciative guest, but I've never turned my host's water into wine. And I don't always accept every invitation. The thing I dig the most about Jesus? He always shows up. To every party, whether it's just 2 or 3, or 100 or 1000. You invite him, he's there. Even if the music sucks and the food is dry and tastes like styrofoam, even if the decor is lousy and people are uptight, even if the liturgy is boring or messy or incoherent or just plain dumb, Jesus shows up like it's his birthday or something. I just love that.

The rules are that I now must tag 5 other people, but everyone I know who would do this meme has already done this meme. Maybe I should tag some people who would normally never do this meme. Hmmmmm. Have to ponder the relative obnoxiousness of doing that to someone.

How about this: if you're a person who normally would not, in your usual day-to-day life, consider doing this meme, then you are tagged. Leave a comment with a link to your site, or just play in the comments. Or both.

yours in the struggle,
Max