Also, THIS!

Hoping for a Facebook Friend in This Guy

Tonight at church we honored (yet another) staff person who was being laid off--Allen Belton. He directed a Reconciliation and Mentoring Program and collaborated with other urban ministries throughout Seattle. John Perkins sent him a farewell message, along with at least five other famous/cool people. So he's a pretty big deal. :)

Anyway, there was a really lovely moment at the end of the service, all about warm and fuzzy spiritual matters, and then we headed upstairs to chow down on BBQ. Delish. The Gospel Choir (what I like to call the Soul of UPC) got up to sing, and it was a clappity, happity party. And through the crowd I saw a homeless man, who had probably come in for dinner, since that's what happens every other Sunday night, and he was BEAMING. Bopping his head, grinning. He kept turning his head to stare out at the crowd (at least 500 people, packed), and he just smiled the biggest rickety smile!

So in that moment of warm and fuzzy spirituality, I suddenly realized that the warm fuzzies were contagious, and that this man who may not feel all that welcome in most places he walks, he felt a little bit of joy singing along with us tonight. He was part of the crowd, the laughing, clapping, bopping crowd that hummed and sang. And it was all in celebration of one man's life work and the joy he brought to our community. The zest that sometimes lacks in place that is in and out Presbyterian. So Allen, for all the times you called me Sister Harris, for all the times you broke in SONG, for all the ways you have showed UPC another corner of the world, and for all the disenfranchised people you welcomed in when the rest of us looked away, I'll sure miss you.

I Know I am, I'm sure I am

About a year before we got married (two years ago? really?), I told Dustin that I really wanted something that our family could latch onto together--a hobby, a sports team, a vacation destination, whatever. Growing up in the Harris house, we were pretty into college football, but then my brother wasn't that interested in it, and by high school it seemed to have peetered out. No longer a weekly "gather round" event.

So when I say I wanted something for Dustin and I to latch onto, I meant something along the lines of... our firstborn will come home from the hospital sporting a t-shirt from said obsession and will, later in life, want personalized license plates boasting "This is my thiiiiing." Get it?

All I can say is this: Be careful what you wish for. Because we (read: Dustin) have become so thoroughly attached to the Seattle Sounders FC, life literally has more meaning since the Inaugural Game on March 19. And I wasn't so sure it would be something I could love forever, but now that I've had three months to get the hang of it, I can proudly sing along:

I'm Sounders 'til I die,
I'm Sounders 'til I die,
I know I am, I'm SURE I am,
I'm Sounders 'til I die!

Here's what makes it so much fun...


We get to have an outing at least twice a month that is something besides a movie.


We get to hang out with some of our favorite friends!


We see famous people and their cute children.


We get to spend two hours screaming at the top of our lungs with 30,000 other people. Who also live and breathe Sounders love.

So it's not exactly what I expected, and it's certainly not what I know best, but being a Sounders fan has become something that is so cathartic, so community-oriented and SO much fun, I don't think I'll ever give it up. We have officially found Our Thing.

Fuuuuuunny

Target Women

Sometimes I love Sarah Haskins more than words can say. Delight.