i went with a few students to the castle of muskogee on saturday night. we went through domus horrificus and the trail of blood. i don't do "scary" very well. something about stuff like that causes me to revert back to my 12 year old self. i held on to students the entire time - except for the times i started to sprinting to get away from the guys with the chainsaws. i think i scared them with my screaming more than the chainsaws or crazy characters. as scared as i was, i had a blast.

last night i watched extreme makeover: home edition. i know i left it off my list of great shows a few days ago, but i love that show. except for one thing, i cry every single time i watch it. one of my friends, jananne was talking about how her whole family cries when they watch it, so i'm not alone. anyway, i started trying to really think about what it is about the show that makes me so emotional every time. this could possibly be really cheesy, so this is your cheese factor warning, but i think it has something to do with the kingdom of God or as i've heard it referred to lately, the revolution of God. in the kingdom/revolution, things are set right. they are restored to the way they were originally intended to be. things are renewed and made right again. in the bible, it is described as a time, a reign when the brokenhearted will be healed, there will be freedom for captives and prisoners will be released, there will be gladness instead of mourning. a time when the blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cured, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and good news is preached to the poor.

there is something about seeing people who have had things go wrong in their lives have something great happen in their life. there is something about seeing the physical transformation of a family's home from damaged and falling apart to safe and beautiful. maybe the reason the show does so well is that there is something in all of us, regardless of what we think about God or religion, that spots goodness and beauty in things that redeem and restore and set things right. i think that is why projects like habitat for humanity and compassion international appeal to me. they are an opportunity to participate in redemptive work or if you choose to look at this way - kingdom work or life in God's revolution. it's so beautiful. peace.