This survey article describes a method for choosing uniformly at random from
any finite set whose objects can be viewed as constituting a distributive
lattice. The method is based on ideas of the author and David Wilson for using
``coupling from the past'' to remove initialization bias from Monte Carlo
randomization. The article describes several applications to specific kinds of
combinatorial objects such as tilings, constrained lattice paths, and
alternating-sign matrices.Comment: 13 page