Friday, January 29, 2010

On the TurnTable Today

Disc One - Leigh Nash - "Blue on Blue" favourite track: Ocean Size Love
Disc Two - Yo Yo Ma - "Soul of the Tango, the music of Astor Piazzolla" - Favourite track: the allegro of the Tango Suite.
Disc Four - By The Tree -"Three Days" the whole CD is soso...don't know why it's in there???

For some reason disc three and five were empty... I took the 33 Miles CD (One Life to Love) out to play in the car, needed some music to play real loud that I knew all the words to:)(Favourite track:Something Different. I also had a Selah CD, that I took to work, it has all hymns with different arrangements and awesome harmonies (favourite track: His Eye is on the Sparrow).

I heard a really good Pocket Full of Rocks song on the radio the other day, "Alive", I think it's called. I think I must go and ferret out that CD from among my friends!

Mostly though, Craig's USB stick is in play when I turn the stereo on, an assortment of Sean Kingston, Kanye West, Nickelback, Akon, Beyonce, Hedley, Kings of Leon....ecclectic....sounds like a dance party....and it's to the point where I'm so familiar with it that I can sing along when I step into clothing stores at the mall. Hmmm...speaking of Craig (and Joe), we're off to Saturday night hockey.

Saturday, January 23, 2010

Peace ....

Romans 12:18 says: "If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone." vs 16 "Live in harmony with one another."

All of Romans 12 has been figuring largely in my life this season. It seems to pop up all over the place, in a sermon, as devotions before a meeting, and in devotions at home. Occasionally that happens...this pattern....and I always interpret that as God's way of showing me something I need to hear, something to pay attention to. It's so cool when that happens, and often very convicting.

Living at peace with others, as much as it depends on you.... This is something to strive for, and would lead to a Utopian society if we all carried it out successfully. I have trouble reconciling with the reality where one person works so hard at peace and the next person wreaks havoc just getting out of bed in the morning. How can a person strive to live at peace with one individual but decide not to live at peace with a different individual? To me that's not living at peace with everyone. I don't get that! I can't stand it when I don't understand things!! But I have learned that when there are things I don't understand, I have to surrender them to God.

What about the peace in your heart? Living at peace with others doesn't always create peace within. For myself, the peace of my heart depends fully on focusing the eyes of my heart on God. When my path follows God's will it is amazing how quietly and simply the peace follows. A lesson so often learned the hard way, when all along it is the easier way. Some people are hard to love, and it takes a lot out of you, but when you love them because God calls you to love them(never mind liking them!) you ultimately have peace, in you and around you.

So much talk of peace, so many individual opinions of how to get "there"...when really all it boils down to is two simple things: Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. .... and Love your neighbour as yourself. Matthew 22:37 & 39


Peace out....

Tuesday, January 12, 2010

The "Age"....

My baby is growing up.

The other day Joe took over Craig's "The Age Dispatch" paper route. Craig has a "real" job and that is the criteria you need for giving up the paper route. At this house, until that day comes, the paper route is just about your only income. Trust me....you need the money!

Joe really balked at becoming the sole delivery person, but realized that he would also be the sole recipient of the proceeds. I gave him about a week to wrap his head around it, and he came up with many reasons why it was totally unreasonable for me to expect him to be able to hold up under the weight of Craig's half of the route. 12 extra papers (just the way the route is divided, fewer papers, longer distance).

I know.

He was relentless. I held my ground. I'm a stone.

He came home from school with a look of resolution on his face. I tried not to greet him...much. I was deeply engrossed in writing a post for my blog...go figure. I certainly wasn't up for another pail full of grief. He counted the papers, made himself a routine cup of "cavity-inducing-super-with-cream-AND-CoolWhip-triple-hot-chocolate", and set out on this almost epic journey.

He returned, out of breath, after 15 minutes. He'd sprinted almost the whole way.

I told him how impressed I was with his first solo mission. He beamed. I think there are only visions of dollar signs dancing in that boy's head.

They say that the apple does not fall far from the tree....but at this age he's still attached to the branch, past the blossom stage and just beginning to put on flesh.

Craig on the other hand will point out just how much flesh he's put on and is at the stage where he is straining to break free from the branch. Some days this is not a comfortable process. There is still a lot of ripening that needs to take place, but not all greenhorns appreciate it when you point that out. Funny how lately Craig seeks Ray out for counsel.

Funny...I always think of Ray as the tree, and have never thought of myself that way with this illustration. I'm always the long haired maiden, that you see strolling along the water's edge with the lovely long white gown and long wavy tresses, bare feet and a chain of daisies around her head....think "The Lady of Shalott" without the angst.

Today....

I was commenting to someone today about their "weekly column". I suppose this is mine, but it's readership is nowhere near the number of people that read his. His audience is clearly defined, mine could include just about anyone who happens to be surfing by.

Today is a good day. I feel awesome, super, like I could just about burst. I'm a sensitive person and I REALLY feel the lows, but I also REALLY feel the highs. Some days....being even keeled seems sooooo attractive, like something that would be easier to sustain, and maintain.

But today is a really good day. I painted with a friend. ( It was like old times. Such fun. And then we ran out of walls). I smell like Tim Horton's (maybe I should have Blueberry Fritters more often if they make a person feel this good:). Someone agreed to help on a committee after I got 4 or 5 'NO's. I listened to Christmas music ("Family Force 5's Christmas Pageant...ummmm not so "Christmas-sy"....but oh so much fun and so funky!!! You should listen to Carol of the Bells and My Favourite Things! ) I had a headache but it went away. My dog was soooo excited to see me when I got home...she does full body tailwagging and makes you feel like you're better than biscuits! And...there was email in my inbox!

I think God gets a kick out of bringing about days like this. Little treats. Some people might experience these same things and not give them a second thought. They're still little treats that God sprinkles about that go un-noticed.

Me? ...I am celebrating today...doing a little inward happy dance.

It doesn't take much and that's just the way I like it! :)

Monday, January 11, 2010

...A Vapour...

I am amazed at how time evaporates.

What is it that makes a day seem to fly by, and what makes it seem to drag on? I suppose it depends on what you are filling each day with. Some days there are things that are pushing you and other days things that are holding you back. Some days you accomplish many things and other days you waste time and regret the empty time that is forever gone.

I work on Sundays and really have to be conscious of taking time for Sabbath rest through the week. Is it really Sabbath rest when I sit and read a book, or watch my son's basketball game, knowing I should be making phone calls, or folding laundry? When I take time to make cards, am I really justifying the way I indulge in paper craft? (someone said that to me once.... )Call it what you want, but I always find it time "well wasted" when I've made cards for people placed on my heart. Nothing else gets done, but my spirit is at rest, true rest.

I also happen to REALLY enjoy shoveling snow so could I classify that as "rest" because that never feels like work?

Either way, you can only spend a moment once...and when God is in it, it is never wasted.