I was invited to be a Bible Blogger. Weird. I got an email from a nice young man who asked if he could add me as a link. I was flattered. Then I read “under ‘Illinois.’” There are so many they’re divided up by state. Honored still, sure.

So I linked to them, ’cause I suspect that’s probably what they’re after anyway. I doubt this has as much to do with content as hit counts, but whatever. If you’re really bored and looking for some Jesus blogs there’s a link over in that side column.

That was the news. Here comes the insight:

It’s not my insight … well I guess it’s my insight about someone else’s insight. I finished a book at work today called MicroTrends by Mark J. Penn. Penn is a pollster who makes an amazing case for how the small, under-the-radar trends are the ones that really shape our society. The book basically goes through 75 of what he believes are the most important. It’s interesting. Certainly not mind-blowing, but interesting.

The very last “micro-trend” he discusses is educated terrorists, which – contrary to many western assumptions – is most terrorists. Penn identifies a micro-trend as a group of people that make up 1% or more of the population, so terrorists don’t actually qualify (they come in at .002). They have, however, proven that even a “nano-trend” can make an impact.

He discusses their culture, their behavior, their determination, and their possibilities (if al Quaeda could convince just 1% of Muslims in the world to join them, they would number over 10 million – a force larger than any national military in the world). At the end of the chapter, he makes this statement:

“The central terrorist movement of the twenty-first century, unlike communism, will not be defeated with washing machines. [long story] On top of the military and social efforts, it will take strong intellectual and religious cohesion – perhaps an interfaith movement dedicated to defining the true path to God that wins back as many converts intellectually as the military is able to find and destroy.”

Did a secular author just prophecy? Are we so in the last days that a man removed from the Church and the word of God, who simply studies social trends, can plainly see that the best solution to wars and rumors of wars is a single world religion? Weird.

And I finally put up some pictures of the house. Not many of the inside, but you’ll just have to be patient. You can see them here.

I’ve decided on my first book. Marianne actually pointed out what should have been an obviously brilliant topic for my first book a couple days ago, in her final stunning act as BGFF before moving half-way across the world. (Yes, I made that up. “G” for “girl” ’cause of course my hubby is my BFF.) It’s going to be wildly successful and, I suspect, inspire a prime time teevee show. Timothy and I will then live off royalties.

A college student freed himself from an Egyptian jail via Twitter.

Bite Back is a ministry that helps students save lives in Africa. They’re friends with Compassion. They provide treated insect nets for $10.

The Mocha Club is the latest project from Threads (a young adult ministry). Becoming a member simply means you commit to donating $7/month (the cost of two mochas) for missionary work in the Sudan. $7 a month is the smallest commitment I’ve ever been asked for.

And yes, the house is still amazing. Thank you for asking. We’ll have you over soon.

Oh, and I’m turning the comments back on for now – which apparently won’t actually happen until the next post. I think I’m over myself enough to handle enabled comments, but we’ll see.

Mm-kay. House updates (sans pictures because I haven’t uploaded them yet).

We bought a house. We’re almost all moved in, but we just don’t have the stuff it takes to fill it. The bedroom is looking good, so if you come over I’ll show you the bedroom.

And we have amazing neighbors.

Cool Neighbor Story #1: There’s an eight year old boy who lives across the street and has been skateboarding for four years. Yes, I said an eight year old who has been skateboarding for four years. His mother confirmed those numbers.

He and his 13 year-old friend who lives a few houses down lured Timothy out into the street Wednesday evening to skate. Timothy tried to resist, but the kids pulled out ramps. They fight dirty. Before I knew what had happened, small skateboarders had emerged from all over the neighborhood. And a little kid with a bike. It was cute.

Cool Neighbor Story #2: There is a retired couple who live directly across the street. The previous owners mentioned that they often bring the garbage/recycling cans back up the driveway for them. I smiled and said something like, “Oh that’s nice” as I secretly wondered if they left their garbage cans on the curb for two days.

Wednesday is garbage day. Wednesday at lunch the garbage collectors had not yet come. Wednesday after work, Timothy was home and the garbage/recycling cans were at the top of the driveway. I assumed …

No. Later, talking to the neighbors with the kid who has been skating for half of his life span, I found out that the nice retired man across the street collected our trash receptacles for us. She saw him do it only moments after the truck turned the corner.

Cool Neighbor Story #3: It’s been rainy lately. You’ve noticed. The cool neighbor with the afore-mentioned novice knocked on our door this afternoon between drizzles. He reached beneath his hoodie and produced an 8×10 wooden picture frame.

“I took this picture yesterday and it was kinda cool so I thought you might want a copy. It actually printed out pretty well.”

The picture – in a brand new (hardware still in the plastic bag, stapled to the back) frame – was of our house yesterday after a rain shower. There is a brilliant double rainbow that seems to touch both of the top corners of our roof. He thought it was cool.

I think our neighbors are stinkin’ cool.