Well, I had been going to go to sleep, but this is more important.

(From way back at Bethel)

So, on Saturday we set up at a church in preparation for the 'morrow and went to a Baymont Inn to sleep.  (It was really nice).  I had been wearing my new necklace that I had bought.  As usual for that necklace, I took it off before showering.  I set it on the nightstand with my hair-elastic.
 Bus call was 9:00 the next morning.  I set my alarm for 8.  There was a wake-up call (very loud and obnoxious ringing) shortly after 7:30.  We made it shut-up and went back to sleep.  Timing was bad.  I woke up, looked at my cell that had made its way from on top of my computer to right next to my hand and freaked--"8:52!"  I was up.  I alerted my sleeping roomy to the time.  We were dressed and downstairs on the bus by 9:06.  We went, we sang, we ate (lunch was delicious.  I was very hungry) and packed up. And then I realized, I don't have my necklace. 
It was not a happy thought.  But I realized something else.  Ultimately, it was a piece of jewelry, I liked it, I bought it, but --it's a piece of jewelry.  So, I talked to God about it.  It turned out someone else left a mac, so Peter was going to go back to the hotel to ask after that.  I asked him to ask about my necklace. 
The mac was "not found," (rumour chain info) but I heard nothing about the necklace.  I released it.  It was fine, I mean, I was wearing the necklace Samuel gave me (turquoise cross) and that's the main one I wear. 
We sang, shouted, I lost my voice a bit (it's mostly back, courtesy of being not particularly loquacious).  We came back to campus and began to unload.  I went to open the van to pull out the light stuff in there, and Peter handed me a small clear-ish bag with a stiff paper in it, "Here, this is for you." 
"Ok, thanks."  but my voice went from "ok" to "thanks!"  (as much as scratchiness would allow).  The bag held my compass necklace!  I thanked God also.  I was pretty tickled.

Tonight, I was in a poetical-philosophical mood.  Earlier I had thought slipping....hmmm.....<insert image of page with scrolling illegible words>....slipping and since I was on facebook (randomly), I opened a note and started typing (edited and posted it).  Anyway.
While showering, I poeticized about humanity and grace and the cross, and as I scrubbed I heard a "ting!"  I looked around and saw nothing.  Then I saw my chain hanging.  Then I saw it was not broken but the cross was gone.  Teaches me to wear jewelry to shower.  But I've never--almost never taken it off for anything! Why this time . . . but I couldn't find it around the drain or in the shower. I had just dealt with a similar situation--but this was different. 
This was my cross.  I could feel it or see it and it served as a reminder of The Cross.  That's partly why I liked to wear it.  Again, I realized it was still an ornament, a piece of jewelry, but I told God that it was still different and special because my brother gave it me, and I wanted it back.  I don't know where my other cross is, and I suppose I could get a replacement, but this one was more special--it's the one my brother gave me. 
A thought niggled forward in my brain.  Last week, I was impressed that I needed to deal with my concept of personal property.  Not that God was sitting up there saying, "you need need to deal with this, so--let's see--unclasp now and--ha!--down it goes into the drain!  Now what are you going to do?"  But, thinking of it, I've been risking that happening all these years (not thinking of it, but, still).  Anyway, it was an opportunity to act.
What could I do?  I guess I could send maintenance an e-mail. . . .Ok.  whether it gets results or not, I can do that.  and if you do find a little silver and turquoise (light blue-ish) cross, could you--first sanitize!--return it?  Then i told God that I realized I didn't have to have it and moved on--poeticizing about sin and judgement and forgiveness and mercy between people because the mercy God has given as I dried up and began to gather the shower stuff to leave.
Then I saw it.  On the tiles outside the shower was that little cross.  Lord!  you really are merciful!  Thank you, Lord.  I...just, thanks! I stooped and picked it up. 
How like God.  He knew I valued it more than I would value a replacement.  He also knew that I needed to realize that I didn't need it or any thing aside from Him.  He let it vanish, long enough for me to realize it and long enough for me to surrender it to Him.  Then God showed that it hadn't disappeared into the abysmal sewage, but had just gone out of sight for a moment.  
Then I almost cried, now I did shed a few tears. In any case, as I wear that necklace, I will remember, it is a gift from God, too. 

Why is mathematics important to theology?

According to Roger Bacon in his Opus Majus there are seven reasons.  One of them has to do with geography.  Basically, his theory is that we cannot rightly understand the scriptures if we do not understand the geographical situation of its histories.  Because, if we cannot understand that, we cannot understand the literal sense of the scripture, and if we cannot grasp the literal, how can we hope to understand any spiritual meaning? 

This was one example offered:
" We note that the Jordan flows down from north to south to the east of Jerusalem, which lies to the west, a little way from the Great [Mediterranean] Sea. Between these two, on this side of Jordan, is Jericho, a city surrounded by its plain. Next comes Mount Olivet, then the Valley of Josaphat, and after it Jerusalem. Now the saints tell us that the world is represented in their method of interpretation by Jordan, both symbolically and because of the river's characteristics. For one thing, it flows into the Dead Sea, a symbol of the Inferno; there are also many other reasons. Jericho, in the view of the saints, symbolizes the flesh. Mount Olivet signifies the loftiness of the spiritual life, because of its own loftiness, and the sweetness of devotion, as sweet as its oil. The Valley of Josaphat signifies lowliness through the meaning of valley, "a low place," and true humility in the presence of majesty, (186) since the translation of the name Josaphat is "in the sight of the Lord." Jerusalem itself means "vision of peace"; in its moral interpretation it points to the holy soul which possesses peace of heart. Allegorically it signifies the Church Militant; analogically, the Church Triumphant.
We all hope to pass with peace in our hearts from the beginning of our life (the dawn of our physical birth and the sunrise of reason's theory and practice) to its end, the sunset of old age; this is our hope expressed in moral terms. We all hope to be true and faithful members of the Church, beneath whose shade we may rest, untroubled by the malign assaults of our enemy; this is the same hope expressed as allegory. We hope that in this life our thoughts may be turned [by analogy] to the heavenly Jerusalem, and that at our death we may pass to that heavenly city, there to dwell in the beauty of peace, in the tents of faith, in rest and in fullness. Whoever hopes for all this must first leave Jordan-this world-behind, either by reducing it to his control, like the saints who live in the world, or abandon it completely, as the monastics do. This is the first stage of progress to a spiritual life, a stage easier than the others.
Having achieved this, he must next do battle with the flesh, something not as easy to overcome as the world, being very close to us and never abandoning its subject.[isn't that the truth!] He must not, therefore, charge it by brute force and destroy it, but must bridle its arrogance slowly and tactfully. This is why it is figured by Jericho and the plain around it; one must advance in penitence along the level road, thus justifying the reasonable obedience of his flesh. For if he foolishly overwhelms his flesh by violence, his spirit can never attain the greater heights. In acting patiently he will be unlike most people who have been turned to penitence, who for a year or two humble their own bodies, but thereafter are good for nothing, unable to benefit themselves or anyone else.
But after a man has put down the world under his feet and has overcome the flesh in the way he should, then-and not until then-he is ready to rise up to the heights of spiritual life and the sweetness of true devotion. From then on he will be able to climb up to Mount Olivet and gain the pinnacle of human perfection and immerse himself in the delight of prayer and contemplation of God. But even when he has trained himself by the ascent from all sides of that height, he must still cross the valley of Josaphat-that is, he must finish the course of his life in complete humility and make himself poor and humble of spirit in the eyes of God, not merely his own or those of his fellow men. For many look humble to themselves and to other men, but in the presence (187) of God and his angels are puffed up with arrogance.[never thought of that]
When at last he has ended his whole life in perfect lowliness, then he has entered Jerusalem, in all three senses of the word. He will possess peace in his heart, the peace which follows perfection of the life of the spirit. "To the ungodly there is no peace," says the Lord. But the saints possess the peace of God, which transcends the senses of mankind. Free from all troubles, he will rest in the peace of the Church Militant-the peace unknown to the faithless and sinful, who drag on in the state of damnation, plagued by the Devil and driven from one sin to another, punished for one, then tormented for another. Even in this life he must play his part, as it is said, by sure and certain hope and by revelation, in that blessed vision of the peace of Jerusalem that is above, which by the grace of God he will win after his death."
I never thought of geography that way . . .