My Dinner Party

DISCLAIMER: I must confess that I didn't think of this blog topic on my own. But, really, the originator should just be flattered that I liked the idea so much!

If I could invite eight people whom I've never met over for dinner, who would be sitting around my table? Melanie excluded Jesus because, well, she's met him. So I'm going with those rules too. Plus I don't want to get into a deep spiritual conversation right now about how really God, Jesus + the Spirit are three but really one + God is everywhere + His Spirit lives in me ... so really wouldn't Jesus technically already be there?!

OK, moving on. In no particular order ...

1. Albert Pujols. And not just because he's the National League's Most Valuable Player. Yes, he's a baseball player, but he's also a father, husband + Christian who probably has amazing stories to tell.

2. Rick Reilly. I actually haven't read his columns in awhile. But have you ever read them? They're about sports. But usually life too. And he's hilarious.

3. Mac Powell. He'd sing to me.

4. Donald Miller. He's practical. He's spiritual. He's quotable. He's bound to make for great conversation.

5. Rick Bragg. Forget the plagiarism scandal. I want to talk about growing up in the South, dreaming about writing for the New York Times, writing for the New York Times and returning to the South to tell his hometown stories for a national audience. Plus his books are good. Surely his conversation would be too because, in his words, "...to tell a story right you have to lean the words against each other so they they don't all fall down." (From "All Over But the Shoutin'")

6. Beth Moore. The woman can tell stories that have you laughing, crying + learning about God -- all at the same time.

7. Joey Potter (aka Katie Holmes). I don't think it's too big of a secret that I love "Dawson's Creek." I've watched the entire six-season series twice from start to finish. It's even quotable. OK, I need to stop admitting stuff like this. Anyway, I think we'd be friends. Plus she's married to Tom Cruise, so that's bound to be interesting enough to talk about. I don't know about all that Scientology stuff, but we can talk about being Joey Potter, who cuts her hair + being moms. (Side note: Twice random strangers -- once at Wal-Mart and another time at a yard sale -- people told me that Cate looked like Suri. I think it's just the eyes + hair.)

8. Ali Edwards. She's inspiring for my creative process. She's a life artist, as she calls it, + even writes about scrapbooking for a magazine. Plus she's a mom + married to a Oregon state representative.