I've been thinking a lot about words lately, and whether or not they really have power anymore (if ever). I know the answer to that question, but I don't always live by that answer. Still. . .

I've been revisiting some old favorite books and came across this quote just a minute ago. Thought I'd share it tonight before hitting the sack. It's from Donald Miller's first book, Prayer and the Art of Volkswagen Maintenance. Forgive me if I've shared it before.

Do waves lap up on the shore to dazzle neighboring waves? Do mountains life their summits to endear other mountains? Do birds command the sky to transcend their flock? If it is the whole of life to bring glory to God, have I not wasted my efforts in ill motive? And how does one revive sincerity on its deathbed? And how does one become something never practiced? How does one begin to love God? That is, after all, the goal of my journey; to find a Joshua Tree within this desert, hang a rope from its limbs and do an end to my old self, never again to impress with false righteousness; to become something new, a new creature whose heart beats sincere.

Yesterday I mentioned Chris Rice's new album. Today, over at Andrew Osenga's site I find that a new song from Caedmon's Call's new album is on the web. It's called "Share in the Blame," and you can check it out here.

A lot (well, more than a little at least) is being made of the changes happening in how we watch TV and listen to music and such. With downloads and TiVo and DVD sets, everything's a little crazy and the entertainment execs don't know what to do. Shows like Lost andJericho have lost regular viewers, but they have a significant jump in numbers when it comes to DVR and digital downloads. People like me like buying one or two songs more than whole albums these days.

There's another trend coming, I think. Maybe it's been around for a while and I'm just now seeing it. It all started with the newest Derek Webb album a month or two ago. You could "buy" the album online and have it mailed to you as soon as it dropped. In the meantime, though, you could download the entire album (since you paid) onto you digital music player. So I the album for a few weeks before the album actually came out. I also got a nifty book in the deal. The music is good, though I haven't given it the listen that it deserves.

Today I check my e-mail and find out that Chris Rice has a new album dropping in July. Now, Chris has been a little hit or miss for me lately; perhaps it's because he's good but so much can sound the same. Still, he's a Union grad and he has a great heart and he's a creative guy. So I went to the website and found that I could order the album now and even listen to it now, even though it doesn't drop for another month. This time, though, there's no downloading to ye olde iPod.

"The times, they are a-changing," Dylan sang. And that goes for those who sing and are sung to as well. The music on Rice's album is pretty good so far. It's funny. Sometimes it's all about the title song. This one is called "What a Heart is Beating For." Good stuff. A good while ago Smitty reminded us (quite effectively, I might add) that "love isn't love til you give it away." Now Chris here reminds us of another side of love, it seems, as "love isn't love unless someone pays." Strange to think about, I guess, but true.

Oh yeah, check out the album here. Or at least learn a little more about it.

Perhaps it never ends.

This morning, I made it to the bottom floor and realized that I had forgotten something in the apartment. On my way back up, I found myself in the elevator with the Honolulu Advertiser guy. He, who when last we met thought my "Hawaii" shirt said "Harvard," was nice enough to give me a free copy of the Sunday paper. When I put it on my bed to look through and find the comics, the Nation section fell open and what do I see but the faces of kids from my C and G period classes, all smiles and looking funny in a four-color kind of way. Everywhere you go, there's a grad!

This has been a nice lazy-day Sunday. After church I went home, had some Subway, and ended up taking a serious nap. No swimming today, though I'll get back to it tomorrow. Spent some quality time flipping channels, which reminded me that sometimes television doesn't have all of the answers. Now I'm watching the end of the recent Democratic Candidate debate. It's all frustrating to me, politics. But I want to be involved, to at least know the faces and the key points. The Republican candidates are all very "slick," which is interesting to me.

No school tomorrow, which is nice. I still have at least one or two things to do before the semester is a total wrap. That's what Tuesday is for.

The school's graduation commenced this afternoon. It was my first time to have a class graduate that I actually taught, which I find makes a huge difference. Somewhere along the way, I lost my Master's tassle. Thankfully, I was able to borrow a friend's and be "in dress code." What's funny is that a kid or two really thought it was cool that the faculty got all fancied up in their caps and gowns. I suppose it had a bit of a Hogwarts feel.

It was good seeing the kids, most of whom I had not seen since last week. I really enjoyed "making the rounds" before the ceremony began. Got to catch up with a couple of kids that I'm really going to miss.

The ceremony went well. All of the student speeches went well. There was a good balance of humor, sentimentality, and challenge in them. The main speaker did an amazing job. This class really inspires anecdotal stuff, more than any class I remember since I've been here. It was great watching the kids walk across stage and receive awards and have their "thank you" messages read aloud. And then, for pretty much the first time since I started teaching, I got to enjoy the whole "mingle outside as the students get all kinds of leis" thing. Got to speak to the kids again, shake hands, give hugs, take pictures. I even got a few leis myself, which was cool. Got invited to a Doctor Who viewing party, which I think is funny (especially since I just finished season two last night). Then, when it was all over, it was time for the mostly annual "faculty dinner," which is different all of the time depending on who is advising and who has left. Sometimes it's almost a dozen, sometimes it's two, tonight it was seven.

So it's all over except the final faculty meeting and luncheon. Even shaved my beard tonight. I had planned on doing it over spring break, but decided to go on and keep it through the end of the school year. Over and done now, though.

Never thought I'd connect with a bunch of kids twelve years my junior. But I did. And that's a cool thing. I'm really glad that it happened.

Not sure you'd heard this yet, but word is that the gates of Hell were recently opened. According to the news, "history's worst villains" have escaped and there's chance that Jack the Ripper is coming after each of us. . .

On top of that, seems like there's a new wireless bra that allows its wearer to access the internet.

And then there's the man who just hang glided into heaven.

At least that's what this week's issue of the Weekly World News (the world's only reliable newspaper) had to say to me this morning at the store before my church council meeting. I was so taken aback by it (as it is both hilarious and disturbing) that I had to buy the thing. Anything that gets the imagination going, eh?

I wasn't kidding when I said that this past Sunday felt like a "finishing" moment for me: in so much as you can try to divide time and compartmentalize life, which doesn't work very well. Life, I feel, is really just a series of dangling plot threads that keep popping up. Still and all, last Sunday was a moment for me, and some of the "moments" of this week have been like after-shocks. I've gotten to see some seniors a few times. One was out last night, which was interesting. Twice this week I saw speech-making students as they were working on their own parting words to their classmates (tomorrow's graduation should be interesting). I got to write one final message to the kids yesterday, the results of which I will never know.

I was trying to explain to a friend tonight this sense I have of "finishing" and the need to "begin again." To say that I have no new tricks to share is a bit misleading: I don't think anything I've done has been a "trick" in any proper sense of the word. But I do feel the need to do something. . . not reinvent myself, though that phrase has come to mind. I think this summer will be about revisiting some things that have shaped me. Life's not just about dangling plot lines, I think. A lot of it comes down to losing and finding yourself and being reminded of who you are at the heart of things. It's a constant rediscovery, I think, and it's a good thing. Even listening to friends talk recently has reminded me of how we are who we are and what it means to be who we are. Or something like that.

So tomorrow is graduation. It will be a good day, I believe. And even though there will always be a lingering (and a good lingering, I hope), the bulk of the what is over and done. Threading in and out, I suppose. And what becomes of what is next? That's an exciting thing to imagine!