Category Archives: Good lines

Stuff I’ve heard and want to remember

For my own amusement…

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If I haven’t mentioned it before, my husband and I have sort of gotten hooked on the new NBC show “Chuck.”

It’s got some great lines, and I’ve been collecting some, and finally making “my” list. Naturally this will be very inside-jokey.

Which is to say, if you’ve seen the episode, you *will* be laughing, and if you haven’t you just… might be laughing. Or scratching your head.

~ Chuck ~
Okay, well that– now that’s just a picture of a turtle.
Why are these people sleeping?
I’m going to go fix some hard drives. Good luck with the spy stuff!
[To high-ranking Chinese spy holding him at gunpoint:] Or you could– you could… defect!
Are you two crazy? I’m not gonna have a guy rubbed out just because he upsets our lunch routine!

Crossbow? What, aren’t slingshots good enough?
“Are you coming to the toga party?”

Ellie! You’re alright. Thank God you’re alright! I mean, of course you’re alright. Why wouldn’t you be…

[Under the influence of a truth-serum/poison:]
(to Sarah) You are so pretty!!!
(to Casey) Your jaw could have been chiseled by Michelangelo himself. (Casey, solemnly, “Thank you.”)
Okay, I’ll take this antidote, and pretend to drink it, then I’m going to run like mad and give it to my sister instead. Why did I just say that out loud?

I am not running away. I don’t know what you think this is, but I am having a rare moment of courage here.

Pretty… pretty… Ho! Not pretty! Not pretty! Ugly!
One girlish scream from me and the cavalry arrives.
“Pineapple.”
Some kid could’ve found that! [Casey just opened a gun cache in the store’s home theater room]

Can someone else be the human shield for a while?
One question? Shoot– Not you!
No one ever says how much those things hurt.

~ Major Casey ~
If you run I’m going to point my gun at you and threaten to shoot you in the head.

Chuck: Are you actually going to do it?
Casey [in his *duh* voice]: No.
Chuck: Great. [Runs]

I’m feeling a little pasty.
Don’t puke on the C4.
Now thats what I call moving appliances.
[impressed] Smart. Do that again, and I’ll kill you.
[Shooting out a lock after Sarah expertly picked one]: We all have our skill sets.

~Chuck n Casey ~
Chuck: Soooo, in this plan, I basically do nothing?
Casey: Yep
Chuck: Let’s do this.

Casey: You did really good last night, Chuck.
Chuck: Oh, come on Casey, enough with the sarcasm, okay?
Casey: No, I’m serious. You did good. [Chuck begins to smile] And that tux looks good on you.
Chuck [big goofy grin by now]: Well, thanks, Casey!
Casey: That was sarcasm.

Chuck: Anna didn’t pay you to rub out Tang, did she?
Casey: No. Do you want me to?
Chuck: No! No!

Casey: Stay in the car.
Chuck: My four favorite words.
:Scene cut:
Morgan: I’m going home now
Ellie: My four favorite words.

Ellie (succumbing to being drugged): Words… taste… like… peaches.

~ Cheesy but cute ~
Chuck: Phone Trouble again ?
Sarah: Yeah, I’m not sure I’m able to receive calls….cause I never got one from you….

Sarah: Well, the good news is that we’re alive. The bad news… is this is a very awkward moment now.
Chuck: Not so much for me. Kinda nice, actually.

~ Other~
Tang (control-freak store manager): Now it is mine. The one remote to rule them all. The master remote.

Bryce: You should go for the head next time.

Deli man: He had me at ‘pastrami’.

What a Privilege!

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As much as needing air and being subject to gravity, or being able to bleed, it seems that one of the inevitable things about being human on this earth is that we all must be stretched.

We all are made uncomfortable in some way that forces us to acknowledge our personal inadequacy for the task at hand. Because I’m a Christian I believe this is so that (ultimately) we may learn the inexhaustible resources that are in Christ.

For some people their trials are actual suffering, for some it is mental anguish, and for some (usually of a particular age) it is less-than-perfect skin. The spectrum of what may “throw” us is enormous. We each have our own burdens to bear.

Just yesterday I was thinking of this, as I (nearly) ignored my children while fighting 1/3 of my house into shape. At this point in my life the challenges I face– the thing that stretches me most– is mothering three young children and maintaining my home. And learning to do those things no matter how I feel.

More than the house (because my gracious husband will understand my “letting it go” for a time) is the always-on of my children, and seeking a balance between meeting their needs and teaching them how to meet their own needs.

When I think (especially this time of year) about believers who are persecuted for their faith, or those with cancer, or of being forced by necessity to live with a job one hates, I find myself so *thankful* that this is the challenge God has chosen for me in this season of my life.

What a privilege to have the greatest challenge in my life be also one of my greatest joys!

30-20-10 (Years Ago)

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So it’s a meme (Kaye tagged me), but it’s a story too, so I’ll have it here.

Where were you 30, 20, and 10 years ago?

30 years ago I wasn’t even a twinkle in my father’s eye. Not even old enough to be a big sister’s wish.

20 years ago I had been in Alaska for two years, loved homeschooling, and was a new believer.

While I have vague memories of “asking Jesus into my heart” any number of times before (I remember once nodding knowingly as another boy explained he had to do it more than once– because Jesus was always going out of his heart to go into the hearts of others), it was at 8 that I knew I knew what I was doing.

I remember laying under a small quilt someone gave me when I was a baby, and talking awkwardly into the dark, Jesus, I want to accept you because you’re You– not just because of what you’ve done or *can* do, but because of *who you are.* I’m sure this had been the focus of some sermon or talk shortly before, and my developing intellect was just becoming able to make the distinction in motivation.

In the end it was (to some extent I think all things must be) by reflecting the concept through the prism of myself that I *got* it.

I have, several times in my life, been very performance driven. That is, I found too much of my value in what I did or how I thought others perceived me. Already at 8-years-old I was realizing I didn’t want to be accepted or loved because of what I could do. I wanted to be loved for *me,* because someone found me love-able.

And I could really imagine God feeling the same way. So that was the best way I knew to honor Him.

Continue reading »

“Oh Lord, help me forgive those who sin differently than I do.”

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Have you ever noticed how easy it is to be incensed over certain sins?

As football season was starting there was flap about the player involved in dog fights, and my husband (not the least bit sentimental over animals for various reasons) asked what the big deal was.

That is, he knew why people didn’t like dog fighting, but was asking why this particular fall from grace was drawing more vehement and widespread criticism than any of the other stupid and sinful things public figures are exposed as being involved in.

In my typical way I launched into an off-the-cuff explanation as though it were a prepared speech. It went something like this:

Dog-fighting is something it’s safe not to like. It’s been reduced to a fringe activity in recent days, so you can be outraged and unrestrained in your criticism without having to worry about offending or provoking defensiveness in any of your acquaintances.

Or, even if you did, you’d feel on high moral ground that you wouldn’t be threatened by their disagreement. Nothing they can say would make you weaken your stance.

Anyway, people will rarely pass up a chance to look superior.

Other things, like a temper, say, or adultery, lying or arrogance– all these touch much more widely and deeply in our “civilized” world.

People get a “who are you to throw the first stone?” mentality, or (to invoke another stone cliché) realize they’re probably living in a glass house, and so refrain from throwing stones.

I don’t know enough about football to know how good a player Michael Vick is, so I don’t know how seriously to take it when commentators say he’ll have a hard time getting reemployed. They make out that it’s the league “taking this offense seriously” and I think more than that it’s a “rising star”(to quote one article) who hasn’t risen fast enough to make owners/coaches/whoever think he’s good enough to be worth the bad press.

I don’t know if I’m defending him or not– I just know that all I could think of was a quote I read recently:

Stephen Covey was asked after a speech about how to forgive someone who has committed adultery. He said the question made him think of the old prayer, “Oh Lord, let me forgive those who sin differently than I do.”

We are all in need of redemption (I wrote a post earlier about wanting to understand or redeem the villain reflecting an understanding of evil in our own hearts), and we shouldn’t try to fool ourselves that one sin is less of a stench in God’s nostrils than another.

Home Again…

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Was gone much of the last week for our last (immediate) family wedding.

Random “over-heards” from the weekend:

A tee-shirt on the groom:

No, I don’t have a girlfriend.
But a know a girl who would be pretty upset if she heard me say that.

After the wedding:

60-something uncle: So, [Groom] what are you planning on doing tonight?
Unbelieving stare from groom.
40-something uncle: Has it really been that long since you were married?

Of course the question was more about where they were spending their honeymoon than what they’d be doing.

And then there was the one on the drive home where my oldest asked,

Are we going to Fairbanks and real-Alaska, now?

And here we are, at almost 1400 miles of driving in less than a month, five in the Subaru Legacy.

Family 8/07

Do we look a little dazed to you?

Now, Lord willing, my goal is to really set up house and find a balance now that sickness, dog (yes, dog :( ) and crazy-fast weekends across the state are over for the present.

Modernizing an Old Warning

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The men’s Sunday school class at church is studying Mark, so I’m sure Nate (who is teaching the class) had this in mind when he wrote in an e-mail:

And remember: If your high speed Internet connection causes you to stumble, cut the wire. It’s better for you to enter life with dial-up than have 10 Mbps but end up floating face down in the sewer.

iPod Meme

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I’ve already got the feeling I’ll have at least as many book chapter titles as song titles.


Instructions:

1. Put your music player on shuffle.
2. Press forward for each question.
3. Use the song title as the answer to the question even if it doesn’t make sense. NO CHEATING!

How do you feel today?
The Passing of the Grey Company–The Return of the King (JRR Tolkien)

What’s your outlook on life?
Riddles in the Dark– The Hobbit (Tolkien)

What does your family think of you?
Soulin’ — Astra Kelly

What do your friends think of you?
He is a Song– Twila Paris

What do your exes think of you?
Sunrise– John Michael Talbot

How’s your love life?
Savior of my Heart– Sheila Walsh

How will your love life be in the future?
The Prophet– Michael Card

Will you get married?
Where Does My Help Come From– Shalom Jerusalem

Are you good at school?
The Queen of Narnia– The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe (C.S. Lewis)

Will you be successful?
Stranded– Plumb

What song should they play on your birthday?
In the House of Tom Bombadil– Fellowship of the Ring (Tolkien) There is a *neat* instrumental with a similar title by Nickel Creek (is it?); a rollicking, lively tune that would be excellent for my birthday if someone wanted to send it my way…

What song should they play at your graduation?
The Black Gate is Closed– The Two Towers (Tolkien)

The Soundtrack of your life?
Happy all the Time– Baby’s Best Bible Songs

You and your best friends are?
Two Tragedies (Ouch!) — The Last Battle (Lewis)

Happy times:
Be Our Guest– Beauty and the Beast soundtrack (the stage musical)

Sad times:
Journey to the Crossroads– The Two Towers (Tolkien)

Every day:
Talking Beasts– Prince Caspian (Lewis)

For tomorrow:
The Storm and What Came of It– The Voyage of the Dawn Treader (Lewis)

For you:
Murlough Bay— Iona

What does next year have in store for me?
Let the River Flow– Darrell Evens

What do I say when life gets too hard?
Tradition– Fiddler on the Roof

What song will I dance to at my wedding?
The Lord Reigns (Actually it was “We Rejoice in the Grace of God,” but this works too.)

What do you want as your career?
The Window on the West– The Two Towers (Tolkien)

Your favorite saying?
Be Bold and be Strong– Hosanna/Integrity

How will I die?
The Gentle Healer– Michael Card

This was a *kick*! Some of these are sooo thought provoking… others are just provoking ;o)

Know Your Audience

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At a family dinner last night there were fourteen children 8 and younger.

Twelve of them are 4 or younger, and six of those are under 19-months.

One of the dads works construction in the summer, which (if you don’t know) generally involves early mornings and long, physically-demanding hours.

He joined in a conversation his wife and three other moms were having about sleep-deprivation, chiming in with how tired he was with work and sometimes getting up with the kids, and how his wife got even less sleep than he.

“I don’t know how she does it,” he said, with the proper admiration in his voice. Nobody said anything. “I’m just exhausted,” he repeated.

Somehow we ladies all seemed to be waiting for his point. He looked around at us all and cringed theatrically.

“Tough crowd!”