11.30.2010

Absolutely Amazing

I've been privileged today to see two incredible videos.  One is a repeat, I saw it several weeks ago but the second one was shared with me today.  Both of them are worth watching several times. 

This first one features a young lady named Lola.  She's 11.  And she's incredible.  Watch the story to see why. 

Eric's Little Heroes

The second one was put together by the 15 year old daughter of a listener of my radio station, Spirit 105.3.   This one is also incredible. 

My Own Little World Stop-Motion Video

Amazingly talented and gifted young women.  God never runs out of gifts, does He?

Enjoy!


11.27.2010

All over the place...

I broke a couple of toes the day before Thanksgiving.  It has been an incredibly painful couple of days.  Come Monday I'll be calling my podiatrist, there are pins in my foot and I need to make sure they weren't compromised with my great kick.  That's probably how I'll refer to it.  It wasn't even much of a kick but "my great toe stubbing" doesn't sound as glamorous.

Since I'm bound to sit as much as possible because standing causes incredible, painful pounding, I've been reading a few blogs and catching up.  The thing is?  I really wish I hadn't started.  I'm reading about so little beyond pain and hurt feelings and ministries having to close down and.. well..  very little in the way of "good" news.

It has me thinking.  It has me realizing that I'm not the only one dealing with a mother who is battling cancer (and not winning that battle), I'm not the only one with broken bones or pain in my heart because of family difficulties. 

I mean... I knew that.  On an intellecutal level.  But on a heart level?  I really have been focusing more on me than on anyone else.  I've given up my two nights a month doing devotions at the local homeless shelter.  Why?  It was just too difficult for me to get up there.  I haven't really made an effort to find out about babies and moms who need showers there, either.  Why?  Too much for me to coordinate.  There just isn't time.  I need to focus on my family.

And any one of a dozen other reasons that are starting to sound just a little whiny and a bit like excuses.

Thanksgiving day I got to see my newest niece in person for the first time.  She was born June 6th.  She lives less than 10 miles away but my sister & brother-in-law haven't spoken to me in over 2 years and they've been using this latest child to punish me.  It's childish and ridiculous and all I could think as I looked at this little face was... nothing.  There was no deep connection and when that hit me, it broke my heart.  She is blood, she is family and my heart didn't leap at the sight of her.  All I could consider was my anger at her parents for their inexcusable behavior.  Their cowardice.  And my family's apathy in dealing with it all.  And how angry I am that they've taken these relationships away from me (my sister & brother-in-law have 3 girls, 13, 9 & 5 months), used these children against me.  How wrong it is.  How unfair it is.  How childish it is.

At least...that's my perspective.

Who knows what their thoughts are.  We never did share anything on a deeper level.  Sometimes I don't think I have a real relationship with anyone in my family.  And I wonder - is that me or is it them?  Probably both but I can't do anything about their part in it, all I can do is ask God to help me examine myself.  And I'm not really sure what He's telling me most of the time.  There are so many things He has changed in me, so many areas in which I have grown.  So why is it all still so messed up?  Why can't I seem to get being me right?

Perhaps it isn't just what I need to learn.  Maybe... just maybe... all of this "ugly" that so many people seem to be going through is something we all need to learn together.  Maybe, as much as we like to "think" we're a community, we still have so much missing.  Maybe...just maybe... we're relying on this online community a bit too much.  I don't know.  I really don't.  Perhaps we think we're more balanced then we are and we don't think we're turning to the internet too much but maybe God is pushing us back to interacting more with those people who are genuinely in our lives instead of those who are only superficially in our lives.  I could most definitely be wrong and that could be my problem, my problem only.  After all, I used to be quite addicted to AOL chat rooms.  I was a "regular."  I was "popular."  I could be slipping into some old habits.

I don't know but...

How many times do I read "I consider you my friends, even though I wouldn't know you if I passed you on the street."  Or something like that...  How is that "real" community?  Isn't there more to Christ's teaching than us realizing who "we" are?  Aren't we supposed to become less so He becomes more?  Am I really doing that or am I assuaging some guilt somewhere by "learning" about myself so God can make me better?  Isn't that still making it about me?  I read an absolutely brilliant post that has me thinking about how I react, or think about things and I start wondering...does it really matter what I think?  What does God think?  And then...I put that thought process down because it really is a pretty tough road to walk.  It means ignoring what I want and that is pretty tough to do.

I don't think this is finished.  Not by a long shot.  And perhaps, just perhaps, I'll have the guts to look at it closer, dive into it deeper.  Clear out all of the fuzzy stuff I just wrote and have it be a bit more understandable.  Maybe.  Then again, if I stay true to form, I'll think it far too difficult and not enough about me and I'll move on to something else...

God, I pray not.



11.25.2010

Happy Thanksgiving!

Family  - Thanksgiving 199?
May your turkey be beautifully golden brown and juicy.
May your stuffing be plentiful and moist.
May your veggies be butter-covered and yummy.
May your bread be warm and tasty.
May your pumpkin pie be the best you've ever tasted.

And may you be amazed at all you have to be thankful for this year...

Blessings to you & yours!!


11.23.2010

Random Snow Thoughts

The view out my office window Monday AM

It snowed today.  It will probably snow quite a bit today.  It wasn't snowing when I left for work so I drove myself.  Crazy monkey lady.  I had to drive my van home at 9AM.  I live less than 2 miles away.  My boss came to get me and we were back here by 10AM.  One hour for less than 4 miles. 

We don't know how to deal with snow out here.  I know I don't.  I'm a total panic-crazed nut.  I know I shouldn't be on the road hence I do everything I possibly can to make sure I'm not.

It's only November 22nd.  What's it doing snowing anyway?  I live in Washington State.  The Pacific Northwest.  We don't GET snow.  WE get rain.

God is in a humorous mood, apparently...

I'm not sure I can match His humor, though.  Even if I do try.  I'm over 40 and snow still panics me beyond imagination.  What is with that?  I'd rather be put in a box with a thousand spiders than be in a car when it's snowing.  Or when there is snow on the road.

Out my living room window Monday PM
















Snow is beautiful and I do love how it makes everything look.  It is so calming and peaceful to watch it fall.  As long as I'm in my home, fire going, dog curled up at my feet and husband & son wrestling on the floor.  THAT'S how I love snow.

Any other way?  You can keep it.  You can have it.  Even from the time I was little I never liked playing in the snow.  A bit of a prima dona, I never liked being cold OR wet and combine them, well... that left me out.

Hopefully it melts enough so we can all head up to Mom & Dad's on Thursday.  Just what I'm bringing to share could feed a small army so we need the full small army to show up.

Here's praying God finds something else to amuse Himself before Thursday...


11.21.2010

Sunday Strength

I
remain confident of this:
I will see the goodness of the LORD
in the land of the living.
Wait for the LORD;
be strong and take heart
and wait for the LORD.

~Psalm 27:13-14





Daily Drop Cap by Jessica Hische

11.14.2010

Sunday Strength

F
or Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God. He was put to death in the body but made alive in the Spirit.

~1 Peter 3:18


11.10.2010

My oh My

Dave Niehaus died tonight.  He was 75 years old, suffered a heart attack in his home and is gone. 

He was the Voice of the Mariners.  Baseball.  From their first game in 1977, Dave had broadcasted almost every  game in the Mariners' 34 seasons. 

He is the only Mariner to have been inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame.

Dave-isms are a part of Mariner's baseball.  Anyone who has ever heard him broadcast a game has heard him say "My oh My," "Fly away" and "Grandma, get out the mustard & the rye bread..." (because that's a grand salami) or variations there-of and there are just so many others, I can't even begin to cover them here.

He IS the voice of the Mariners and replacing him will be impossible.  As one fan put it tonight - and it is oh so true - listening to the radio will never be the same.  Listening to a game will never be the same.

He had an amazing voice, a love of baseball (only exceeded by his love for his family and EVERYONE knew that!) and a way with turning a baseball game into a story.  You wanted to be in the booth with him and take that ride right by his side.

Words can't express how much he will be missed.  First, Harry Kalas and now Dave Niehaus.  The voices of baseball I've heard my whole life have been silenced.  How quiet - and a bit more dull - the world seems today.

11.07.2010

Sunday Strength

E ven though the fig trees have no blossoms,
and there are no grapes on the vines;
even though the olive crop fails,
and the fields lie empty and barren;
even though the flocks die in the fields,
and the cattle barns are empty,
yet I will rejoice in the Lord!
I will be joyful in the God of my salvation!

~Habakkuk 3:17-18




Daily Drop Cap by Jessica Hische

Daylight Savings Time Ends

You know...  it's 'fall back an hour' day.  Daylight savings time ends.  It'll be dark when I leave for work in the morning and dark when I come home at night for the next 6 months or so.  So sad...

Did you take advantage of that extra hour of sleep?  I did.  Then, of course, I'll turn around and lose it when I stay up until midnight tonight.

It would be oh so nice if the entire country were like Arizona and just didn't play with that whole time changing thing.

What do you think?

11.06.2010

Saxophone Day

Honestly?  The idea of writing a genuine, insightful or thought-filled post makes me want to cry right now.  I just don't have it in me.  I'm really praying that goes away soon because life isn't going to stop because my mother is ill and I don't want to miss important stuff because I didn't feel like participating.

In the meantime... today, November 6, 2010 is, according to my Oriental Trading Calendar....

Saxophone Day.

When my oldest was in 6th grade, he decided he wanted to learn how to play the saxophone.  One of my saddest days was when he decided he didn't want to play it anymore.  He was a natural.  He picked that thing up and within days he was playing as if he'd been practicing for years.  None of that horrible squeaking that comes with reed instruments, he was smooth and melodic from day one.  I could listen to him play for hours.

He gave up the sax to take up the drums...  Then he gave up the drums and took up singing.  Now, he's learning guitar.  Such musical talent and still, I keep praying he'll gravitate.  Someday.  Back to that saxophone...

It was magic. 

11.03.2010

Sandwich Day

L
ast year it was my Oh So Very Official Hoops & Yo-Yo Calendar (I may have to go back to that one for 2011).

This year - Oriental Trading sent me a calendar with an order I placed and IT says that today is... 

SANDWICH DAY!!!!

You read that right, folks.  I said Sandwich Day.

I'm a bit partial to Chicken Salad on Sourdough with Provolone, lettuce and tomato... 

How about you?





Daily Drop Cap by Jessica Hische