Last year, I experimented with a vegetarian diet for six weeks, just to try it. I have no ethical problem with eating animals; my foray was inspired by a desire to eat more healthily as much as by a curiosity of how difficult it would be. I abstained from beef, poultry, pork, eggs, fish, and even foods containing animal broth -- I wanted to make sure no animals died as a direct result of my diet. It was not nearly so difficult as I anticipated, since there are plenty of tasty substitutes for animal meat available these days.

An unexpected side effect was that I started paying attention (for awhile, anyway) to the fact that I was taking an animal's life when I ate meat. This is not intuitive for Americans. Our food is highly processed, and we are psychologically removed from that fact by the very design of our advertising. Not all cultures suffer this indifference, though. For instance, before eating a meal in Japan, one usually says "Itadakimasu" (いただきます for Hiragana readers). Literally, it means "I will receive," but it is understood that what will be received is two-fold: On the one hand, you are receiving a meal from a host who has prepared it. On the other, you are receiving nourishment from an animal that has given its life, or spirit.

I was reminded of this on Saturday night, when I had the opportunity to see Disney's new nature documentary, Oceans. Several scenes feature our oceans' complex food chains. Gargantuan Blue Whales swallow tiny Krill by the thousands. Bigger fish eat smaller fish, and smaller fish eat plants or even smaller fish.

Watching a Dolphin chase down a Tuna was not particularly disturbing to me. I noticed something, though: witnessing a Great White Shark hunt a Sea Lion was uncomfortable... and eating popcorn as baby sea turtles were carried off and eaten by seagulls just felt wrong. What's the reason for this disparity?

Maybe seeing lots of animals die at one time keeps me from viewing them as individuals and making a connection. Perhaps it's more difficult to identify with a fish than with a mammal. Definitely, it seems unfair that baby Turtles don't even make it to the water before they're subjected to the maw of a hungry sky rat Seagull.

It seems that I pick favorites (unconsciously) among animals based solely on how I can identify with them, and that thought is disturbing. However, it is symptomatic of a much more serious problem if it also describes how I relate to my fellow humans.

A close friend of mine shared with me recently that she looks at how humans value one another in terms of fractions. For instance, I might look at the guy who sells me a burrito at Taco Bell as 1/4 of a person. He is only valuable to me insofar as he will hand me with food that I request. I might feel superior to him if I think I am paid more for my job or if I think it requires more expertise to perform. Maybe I wouldn't take much effort in being polite to him or considering how his day has been. On the other hand, I might treat a good looking celebrity as 7/4 of a person if she needed something from me. Perhaps I would listen carefully to everything she said in hopes of making her happy.

If we don't automatically identify with someone because they are like us or because they can fill some need of ours, we have a tendency to treat them as less of a person and to be less concerned with their needs.

As it is in the ocean, so it is in life. Everyone suffers and is subject to the merciless nature of this world. Young children, the old and sick, the good looking and the undesirable will experience pain, loss, and death. Some go before they ever have a chance to build up their defenses, and parents are not there to provide protection. Some are hunted down in the prime of their lives by a calculated and merciless enemy. Some find themselves dying alone and friendless when age has taken a toll on their bodies.

It's easy for me to have more sympathy for children, or good-looking people, or those who it seems are making some sort of contribution to society. That thought worries me, and more so because I don't feel like it's one I have consciously developed. Perhaps if I notice this in myself, others may be in that situation, too.

For those of us who follow Jesus of Nazareth, we are called to a different Way:

As Jesus was approaching Jericho, a blind man was sitting by the road begging. Now hearing a crowd going by, he began to inquire what this was. They told him that Jesus of Nazareth was passing by. And he called out, saying, "Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!" Those who led the way were sternly telling him to be quiet; but he kept crying out all the more, "Son of David, have mercy on me!" And Jesus stopped and commanded that he be brought to Him; and when he came near, He questioned him, "What do you want Me to do for you?" And he said, "Lord, I want to regain my sight!" And Jesus said to him, "Receive your sight; your faith has made you well." Immediately he regained his sight and began following Him, glorifying God; and when all the people saw it, they gave praise to God.

My friend who talked about fractions said she thought Jesus never viewed people that way. Everyone else tells the blind and the hurting and the forgotten to be quiet and to leave Jesus alone, but He looks at things differently. As His followers, should we not try and do the same?

In the end, we still live in a dog-eat-dog world. People are going to suffer and get knocked down by the world... but if every follower of Jesus tries a little more to love the unloved and to treat them like Jesus would, the ocean will become a little less scary.

Brandon wanted to try the new deli in town, McAllister's. Apparently, when a restaurant opens up with a brand new staff, they go through a test run, like a recital or something. I'd never heard of that before, but it seems like a good idea. Joy explained that they typically do this by invitation, but tonight they let us in anyway. Brandon always was a smooth talker.

Hands down, the best thing about this rehearsal dinner (beside the fact that it's not for a wedding) is that they provide free food... and there is a lot of food. I had veggie chili and a veggie baked potato. In retrospect, that was too much food. These baked potatoes are gigantic... easily as big as two or three of the normal-sized variety. For those who feel more carnivorous, there is a fine selection of roast beef, chicken, and even salmon. If you can manage to eat anything else when you're finished, you may also take on one of their eight desserts (yes, there is cheesecake, freaks).

I'm wagering the entire staff was on hand for this ordeal, because they were on the ball. I dare anyone to try and finish a glass of their sweet tea (of mythic proportions) before a server offers to refill it. I'm not kidding, three different servers offered us refills in the space of 60 seconds. As for the tea, it may not be Philip's addiction from Starbucks, but it's very good if you like Southern style sweet tea.

At the end of our meal, Yolonda and Haley (forgive me if I've misspelled the names) introduced themselves, asked how we enjoyed our meal, and then got to know us. In addition to her work with McAllister's, Yolanda runs a cleaning business and interacts with some of the Harding professors on a regular basis. Haley just returned from a year long mission trip in Honduras. I suspect I'll be seeing more of them, as I intend to return after they have their grand opening. Yolanda told me that they even offer free WiFi, so I can do my homework or stalk facebook from there.

If you have the opportunity, I recommend checking them out. Now, if you'll excuse me, I need get going... too much sweet tea.

Claira, doing her thing.

Left to right: Yours truly, Yolonda, Haley

Could God, who would not suffer an ox to be muzzled while treading grain, be pleased with this? I think not.

The main reason for my patronage is that every day, they offer the "wrap of the day" at only $2.69. You can also order a fresh fit meal if you wish, for which the total comes to $4. I like Wednesdays because that is when they offer the Veggie Delite wrap. I'm not quite sure why that isn't a perennial "wrap of the day," since it is the same as any other wrap, minus the meat. I've been tempted to order the daily wrap and have them leave off the meat, but I digress.

This week I noticed that they put a sign up, advertising a new flavor of Miss Vickie's chips (buttermilk ranch). Let me give credit to my Canadian friend Dan (not my old roommate, for those who know him) at church because he told me all about these chips from Canada. They are kettle-cooked, which is a northern thing, I guess (thanks, Sara).

I usually don't even eat chips anymore because I'm trying to eat healthier, get in shape, and rid my body of the chemicals that reside in so many of our foods. However, I feel pretty good about recommending Miss Vickie's buttermilk ranch chips, for a few reasons. First, they are delicious. I'm going to have to be careful not to go buy a cart-load from Kroger and chow down all night. Second, they contain no HCFC. This means that I've found a tasty chip that I can feel comfortable indulging in moderation.

Thank you Canada, for contributing this great snack food to our society, and for having a very catchy national anthem.

Therefore, last month I took a week off visited a lot of old friends. I spent about 40 hours driving through Florida, Alabama, Mississippi, Arkansas, Texas, and Tennessee. I saw some of my closest friends and spent some time walking around, in the daylight. It was nice.

As a part of this, I stopped by Harding. I wasn't sure what to expect. Would I be called back to the enthusiasm I felt back then? Or might I feel the remorse of not being where I thought I'd be by now? Perhaps I would be reminded of poor decisions I made? Thankfully, it was a totally positive experience. I talked to some old professors and some old friends. I felt a renewed sense of purpose and a desire to follow that which led me to study Bible in the first place.

So big decision #1: I've decided to apply for the Master of Ministry program. I've already been in contact with Harding about it and have nearly completed the application. The next step is to find a Church to work with (hopefully full time so I don't have to get a separate job). Classes for the summer start in June, and I intend to move as soon as I can find a job and get the logistics settled. I solicit your prayers as I work toward getting this together. I prayed about the decision before I made it, and I feel good about it.

Big decision #2: This is more in the long range goal department, but my brother and his wife are planning on going to Japan to do mission work starting sometime in 2010. I plan to be finished with the masters program by then, and I'd like to go with them. This is not concrete yet, but they're having some preliminary talks with missionaries who are already there and hoping to get a team together at some point. Anyone want to go to Japan?

Big decision #3: I've decided to go all hippie and eat like a vegetarian for a couple of months. I'd been considering it for some time, but never made the effort until now. So today was my third totally vegetarian day. Mostly this is just an experiment to see if it is actually as healthy as everyone claims. I feel good so far, and I'll keep you posted. I'm not going to go totally vegan, but I will be eating no meat (including eggs and fish) for awhile, and very limited dairy.

As a side note, I always secretly disdained the various veggie subs at quiznos, subway, and the like. I always wondered what the point was. Well, today I had a veggie sub at quiznos, and I feel vindicated. A sub without meat is pointless. Get a salad and some garlic bread from Olive Garden, I say!

Big Decision #4: I'm officially a registered voter. I'm a little slow on the uptake, but I will now be able to add to the confusion of the Florida ballot counting. Honestly, I was just feeling left out.

Finally, I have some fantastic news to announce. I'm going to be an uncle!! Sara is pregnant and I'm very excited. I couldn't be prouder of Leslie and I know he'll make a great father. I'm so thankful that he married a Christian girl who will make a great mother as well. Of course, I've spent the last few weeks plotting ways to spoil my future niece or nephew in the most annoying ways possible. So far I'm thinking a drum set, a pack of kazoos, and a bag of heavily sugar-laden candies. Any suggestions?

Last week we had a seminar of sorts at my Church. This resulted in me being at Chris' house pretty much every night of the week. In turn, that produced 1) a lot of ping pong, and 2) the discovery that I can record from an instrument onto my macbook without a preamp. (it's not perfect, but it can be done.) I'm thinking of laying down some tracks. If I do, I'll put them up for your listening pleasure. Me and Daniel are also planning to release some songs as the Pinney Taylor Experience. Prepare to be amazed.

Rosie is off the Spew (as Alison calls it). I think this is probably good for the viewers of that show and the country in general. However, it's time to stop besmirching her on the news. Let's get on with our lives.

Beulah introduced me to the music of Kristin Andreassen. I highly recommend that you check out her website -- particularly you should listen to Crayola on her myspace page.

If you're one of those people who has been thinking about trying soy-based foods, but has been scared because it just doesn't seem natural, I'm here to tell you as a non-vegetarian that it's okay. Try it out. Silk's vanilla soy milk actually tastes better on cereal than regular milk. I've also been trying some of the soy hamburger and chicken variants. On the meat, I probably wouldn't notice a difference unless someone pointed it out to me. That's also true of the chicken patties. I'm not about to go vegetarian, but I think I will eat more soy-based foods just for health reasons. I get more than enough meat to keep me healthy.

I work at a credit union, in case any of you don't know. What you are about to view is good, solid financial advice. Tim Gotkiewicz linked to this video from his myspace page. I love it. This is the best way to get your debt under control, people. Watch this video; save yourself some heartache.

Time to go get some O.J. Who needs antibiotics?

sunday night i took the church van out to crestview with the youth group for the ignite youth rally. it was much like other events of the sort, and the spiritual boost always helps. i did realize something though. i really love working with teens, and i think i'm going to start looking for a youth ministry job somewhere. this was taken from the hood of the church van. Jarrett enjoys the gangster pose.

These kids are basically how I stay this side of sane... whichever side that is.

What else? Friday night I went swing dancing with Sara out at American Legion. I love it there, because the dancing is not of a promiscuous nature. Smoking and drinking are not allowed, so the people who are there are basically there just to dance and have fun. I am rhythmically challenged, but I am learning, and I really enjoy it. DDR is helping me work on the whole timing thing.

About a month ago I realized I was fatter than my liking, so I started on a diet and some light workout routines. So far, I've lost about 8 lbs (started around 215). I'm not so much worried about what the number on the scale says, but I would like to get in shape.

My diet has revolved around trying to limit my daily calories to a maximum of 2000, and breaking up my meals into 5 or 6 per day, every 2.5 hours or so. I try to drink nothing but water, and the really important part is getting 8 hours of sleep a night if possible. Workouts have been mainly limited to about 30 min of DDR daily, some light free weights, and for a few days I got up and jogged a mile first thing in the morning. (This last week I've been horrible, not working out, not getting enough sleep, and generally being lazy.) I seem to have plateaued, so I think soon I'm going to start on an actual weight routine. My starting goal was to reach 180lbs before the end of May. I'll keep you posted.

For those of you who don't know, on Saturday I'm leaving for Guatemala again. I'll be returning on 2/25, Lord willing. If you give me your address, I'll send you a postcard. I'm looking forward to the visit, practicing my espanol, and hanging out with my good friend, Mafer. Que buena onda!

One other thing that is just warming the cockles of my heart is that I got my phone back today. A few months ago, my Sony Ericsson Z520a that I bought unlocked and (ostensibly) unused from ebay. It worked great for a month, and then one day just stopped picking up signal. I put my SIM card in my old Nokia (despite its age, it seems to be the only reliable phone that works no matter what). On 1/30, I finally FedEx'd it out to the good folks Sony Ericsson hired to do their repair work. I did not have high hopes. Long story short, it arrived back on my doorstep today. It works like a charm and I'm pleased as punch. I'll cover this story in a separate blog, for the purpose of reviews and others who might have similar problems with this model phone. By the way, if you are reading this and have my phone number, give me a call. I lost all my phone numbers from my SIM when I put it in the old phone, so I am low on numbers at the moment.

God has blessed me. Please be praying for me, friends. I want to make sure that I rely on God every step of the way, even when things seem like they're under control and i don't "need" to pray about it. (I always need to pray about it). In closing, let me share some familiar lyrics, courtesy of Switchfoot:

I'm learning to breathe
I'm learning to crawl
I'm finding that You and You alone can break my fall
I'm living again, awake and alive
I'm dying to breathe in these abundant skies

This last couple of years, it's like I've been in some sort of fog. God is faithful, and he has continued to provide light for my soul, even when it was devoid of faith and full of sin. The path is getting brighter every day, and for that I am most grateful. Thank you, Lord for your tireless mercy and forgiveness. And thank you for loving me and seeking me out when I don't deserve it. Dust and ashes never could have hoped to have it so good... yet in Jesus, I do.

Let me take this opportunity to invite you to learn about Jesus, if you have not committed your soul to His care. I can promise that it will never be a waste, and though I will let you down, He never will.

oh, and apparently it's Valentine's Day. May it be a good one, and may chocolate fill your mouths. the end.