Why is the sky so important?
I wish I could write about that,
But I feel so sleepy
And my nose is stuffy
And runny and raw
And I keep getting distracted
By the tea bag label hanging over
the side of my mug.
It is wildly flapping and twisting
under the ceiling fan,
Changing from green to white
and white to green,
From Peppermint Herbal Tea
To Stash Premium Tea,
And I've decided that brushing my teeth
again after I drink it is unnecessary
Because my mouth feels minty
(and I didn't add sugar).
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad
Thursday, February 23, 2012
Sunday, February 19, 2012
This I Believe
I have just become acquainted with the concept of the "This I Believe" essay, because my oldest daughter Abby had to write one for her GT sophomore English class. It is essentially a brief (under 500 words) essay declaring why you believe in something that you submit to the This I Believe website and the best are chosen for publication.
Great concept. There are some fabulous titles like "I Believe in Coolness to the Pizza Delivery Dude" written by a community college English professor and "I Believe in Lunch Breaks" both of which take you on surprising journeys far beyond their humble titles.
Of course I now can't stop thinking about all of the things I believe in...
But I can't get beyond the fact that I believe in them. I can't seem to fully develop an idea even to only 500ish words.
So what follows is a brief list of beginnings, because that's as far as I've gotten:
I believe in blogging, although you wouldn't know it.
I believe in looking at the sky everyday.
I believe in date night with my husband.
I believe in running outside.
I believe in sleeping in on Saturdays.
I believe in 100% whole wheat bread.
I believe in quiet.
I believe in think time.
I believe in taking my make-up off everyday.
I believe in grief and joy.
I believe in knowing my daughters (at least trying).
I believe in poetry.
I believe in Good Friday.
Maybe I'll develop one of these into an actual essay, maybe not. It's a start. If only I believed in finishing...
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad
Great concept. There are some fabulous titles like "I Believe in Coolness to the Pizza Delivery Dude" written by a community college English professor and "I Believe in Lunch Breaks" both of which take you on surprising journeys far beyond their humble titles.
Of course I now can't stop thinking about all of the things I believe in...
But I can't get beyond the fact that I believe in them. I can't seem to fully develop an idea even to only 500ish words.
So what follows is a brief list of beginnings, because that's as far as I've gotten:
I believe in blogging, although you wouldn't know it.
I believe in looking at the sky everyday.
I believe in date night with my husband.
I believe in running outside.
I believe in sleeping in on Saturdays.
I believe in 100% whole wheat bread.
I believe in quiet.
I believe in think time.
I believe in taking my make-up off everyday.
I believe in grief and joy.
I believe in knowing my daughters (at least trying).
I believe in poetry.
I believe in Good Friday.
Maybe I'll develop one of these into an actual essay, maybe not. It's a start. If only I believed in finishing...
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad
Friday, January 27, 2012
A Necessary Friday
Sometimes you just find yourself happy it's Friday and perhaps a little more energized than usual in light of it... Or you've had a horrible week or a crazy busy week and you are ready to celebrate Friday like it's a national holiday that demands observance...
Or you feel a little foggy most of the day, happily stumble into the house with your children after work, try to make sense of the new, albeit super easy recipe you hope to have the mental capacity to complete, and 45 minutes later your husband brings you the keys that were in the minivan you left parked and running in front of the house - for 45 minutes...
That is a Friday you need.
Our church, Chase Oaks Church has a Friday night service that I love to attend as a family. It is such a great way to kick off the weekend and it's honestly a fun Friday night gig. I grabbed coffee as soon as I got there tonight, but I think I'm deluding myself. I am just too far gone.
Due to this, I will be brief with any thoughts in my own head.
I leave you with my new currentlies and a prayer...
CURRENT CURRENTLIES:
Exercising - on the "Something's Better Than Nothing" Plan (designed it myself). Working out twice a week at a gym for some strength building with Greg and running twice a week... When able, because on the SBTNP, pressure and guilt are nonexistent, and I can't be derailed if I miss a week.
Watching - the BBC show Sherlock with Greg and the older girls. Good stuff. Tried the premier of Touch from the kitchen while making lunches, not so impressed.
Listening to - the new David Crowder Band album entitled Give Us Rest. Haven't heard everything yet, but that's on my weekend to do list. Love what I've heard so far.
Reading - Southern Living and Country Living every month (like a party in my mailbox when I find one) and trying new fast recipes.
The Hunger Games - still too early to tell, engaging.
Outliers as an IBook - have a hard time putting that one down, fascinating! What is my 10,000 hours thing? I need to know!
Reflections for Ragamuffins Daily Devotions by Brennan Manning - I love this. Each day holds a poignantly refreshing and accessible focus on truth I can digest over cold cereal at 6:00 am before the madness takes over.
I leave you with a beautiful, now dog-eared prayer by Brennan on January 22nd:
Jesus, my Brother and Lord,
I pray as I write these words for the grace to be truly poor before you, to recognize and accept my weakness and humanness, to forgo the indecent luxury of self-hatred, to celebrate your mercy and trust in your power when I'm at my weakest, to rely on your love no matter what I may do, to seek no escapes from my innate poverty, to accept loneliness when it comes instead of seeking substitutes, to live peacefully without clarity or assurance, to stop grandstanding and trying to get attention, to do the truth quietly without display, to let the dishonesties in my life fade away, to belong no more to myself, not to desert my post when I give the appearance of staying at it, to cling to my humanity, to accept the limitations and full responsibility of being a human being - really human and really poor in Christ our Lord.
Amen.
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad
Or you feel a little foggy most of the day, happily stumble into the house with your children after work, try to make sense of the new, albeit super easy recipe you hope to have the mental capacity to complete, and 45 minutes later your husband brings you the keys that were in the minivan you left parked and running in front of the house - for 45 minutes...
That is a Friday you need.
Our church, Chase Oaks Church has a Friday night service that I love to attend as a family. It is such a great way to kick off the weekend and it's honestly a fun Friday night gig. I grabbed coffee as soon as I got there tonight, but I think I'm deluding myself. I am just too far gone.
Due to this, I will be brief with any thoughts in my own head.
I leave you with my new currentlies and a prayer...
CURRENT CURRENTLIES:
Exercising - on the "Something's Better Than Nothing" Plan (designed it myself). Working out twice a week at a gym for some strength building with Greg and running twice a week... When able, because on the SBTNP, pressure and guilt are nonexistent, and I can't be derailed if I miss a week.
Watching - the BBC show Sherlock with Greg and the older girls. Good stuff. Tried the premier of Touch from the kitchen while making lunches, not so impressed.
Listening to - the new David Crowder Band album entitled Give Us Rest. Haven't heard everything yet, but that's on my weekend to do list. Love what I've heard so far.
Reading - Southern Living and Country Living every month (like a party in my mailbox when I find one) and trying new fast recipes.
The Hunger Games - still too early to tell, engaging.
Outliers as an IBook - have a hard time putting that one down, fascinating! What is my 10,000 hours thing? I need to know!
Reflections for Ragamuffins Daily Devotions by Brennan Manning - I love this. Each day holds a poignantly refreshing and accessible focus on truth I can digest over cold cereal at 6:00 am before the madness takes over.
I leave you with a beautiful, now dog-eared prayer by Brennan on January 22nd:
Jesus, my Brother and Lord,
I pray as I write these words for the grace to be truly poor before you, to recognize and accept my weakness and humanness, to forgo the indecent luxury of self-hatred, to celebrate your mercy and trust in your power when I'm at my weakest, to rely on your love no matter what I may do, to seek no escapes from my innate poverty, to accept loneliness when it comes instead of seeking substitutes, to live peacefully without clarity or assurance, to stop grandstanding and trying to get attention, to do the truth quietly without display, to let the dishonesties in my life fade away, to belong no more to myself, not to desert my post when I give the appearance of staying at it, to cling to my humanity, to accept the limitations and full responsibility of being a human being - really human and really poor in Christ our Lord.
Amen.
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad
Thursday, January 5, 2012
One stinky little thing
Sometimes you have a great day and a great outlook and a decent energy level. Sometimes your mental and creative energy is flowing pretty well and then one stinky little thing throws you off... One stinky little thing, just one - but there goes your "great" and there goes your energy. Yeah, well, I hate when that happens.
And even though that might have happened at work today and I'm tired now (and my family got the leftovers of me after the stinky little thing), I still need to tell you about a simple story I heard.
A guy who spoke at our church last Sunday closed his message with a story about his 4 year old son who wanted him to come into his room and say "goodnight" after he got home from a late meeting. Turned out the meeting went much later than planned, so by the time he came home, his son had been in bed for several hours. Jason (our friend who was speaking) dutifully went in to his son's room anyway and was amazed to see that he was still awake.
"Why are you still awake?" he asked his bleary, squinty-eyed 4 year old.
Barely able to hold his eyes open, he said "Daddy, I kept my eyes open so I could see you."
O my goodness, he went a different direction with the poignancy of that comment, but I suddenly had my desperate prayer penned and my daily goal illuminated.
I wish I had the grit of that sweet 4 year old, but my prayer would be,
Father, please help me keep my eyes open so I can see You.
...even after one stinky little thing.
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad
And even though that might have happened at work today and I'm tired now (and my family got the leftovers of me after the stinky little thing), I still need to tell you about a simple story I heard.
A guy who spoke at our church last Sunday closed his message with a story about his 4 year old son who wanted him to come into his room and say "goodnight" after he got home from a late meeting. Turned out the meeting went much later than planned, so by the time he came home, his son had been in bed for several hours. Jason (our friend who was speaking) dutifully went in to his son's room anyway and was amazed to see that he was still awake.
"Why are you still awake?" he asked his bleary, squinty-eyed 4 year old.
Barely able to hold his eyes open, he said "Daddy, I kept my eyes open so I could see you."
O my goodness, he went a different direction with the poignancy of that comment, but I suddenly had my desperate prayer penned and my daily goal illuminated.
I wish I had the grit of that sweet 4 year old, but my prayer would be,
Father, please help me keep my eyes open so I can see You.
...even after one stinky little thing.
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad
Thursday, December 29, 2011
Back to the Beginning... Again
I should be de-Christmassing, but I generally hate that part of the holiday season.
In truth, I like the fresh start it represents and the opportunity to maybe have things organized once I'm done, but it's the process of getting there that troubles me.
Soooo, instead of getting started right away, I'm pondering the new year, Greg turning 40 and starting a new decade (one he's really looking forward to, I might add), and the unique wonderfulness of beginnings.
And seeing as how Grace got wind of my plans to de-Christmas soon and is consequently frantically reading all of the Christmas books one last time before they are locked away for a year, it seems only fair that I give her a moment.
I guess I love that as lost in a moment as I can be, a new year is still a new calendar that no one has written on - and it remains so until I take a pen in hand and start writing.
And regardless of cynical thoughts about my bajillion past ideas or dreams that have never come to fruition, that calendar stays clean with no plans or failures documented - until I try again, with my pen to own my new calendar.
And at the end of every year when I agonize over which new calendar to purchase (must have an emotional attachment), I am overwhelmed with it's newness.
I am overwhelmed with grace - the opportunity to begin again, again.
Posted using BlogPress from my iPad
In truth, I like the fresh start it represents and the opportunity to maybe have things organized once I'm done, but it's the process of getting there that troubles me.
Soooo, instead of getting started right away, I'm pondering the new year, Greg turning 40 and starting a new decade (one he's really looking forward to, I might add), and the unique wonderfulness of beginnings.
And seeing as how Grace got wind of my plans to de-Christmas soon and is consequently frantically reading all of the Christmas books one last time before they are locked away for a year, it seems only fair that I give her a moment.
I guess I love that as lost in a moment as I can be, a new year is still a new calendar that no one has written on - and it remains so until I take a pen in hand and start writing.
And regardless of cynical thoughts about my bajillion past ideas or dreams that have never come to fruition, that calendar stays clean with no plans or failures documented - until I try again, with my pen to own my new calendar.
And at the end of every year when I agonize over which new calendar to purchase (must have an emotional attachment), I am overwhelmed with it's newness.
I am overwhelmed with grace - the opportunity to begin again, again.
Posted using BlogPress from my iPad
Thursday, December 22, 2011
The Bathroom, The Nutcracker, and Prisoners
Yep, life has been a little nutty around here (as is typical for every American household in December)...
We are PRETTY excited about the bathroom makeover that has been taking place this week in the bathroom that Emma and Grace share. It was the only room in our wonderful home (that we snagged for an amazing bargain as a foreclosure that needed moderate love) that actually freaked me out when we first saw it. It was kind of creepy and dingy and had carpet.
Greg and I had been saving for an eventual remodel, and the time is finally here! It's a tad complicated when one upstairs bath is out of commission and the other is attached to our bedroom and closet which also happens to be The North Pole right now. The downstairs bath is doing triple time, and it works out with flexibility...
We had a great time with my parents who came last weekend for an early Christmas visit and to see Emma and Grace in The Nutcracker. I finished work before our break on Friday. Saturday was dress rehearsal ALL DAY and one performance that night. Sunday was the second performance, during which I volunteered as backstage mom for an abundance of little mice before and after their part in the performance. The bathroom guys started on Monday morning.
I've been shopping most of the week, because I have time off, for which I am grateful.
Greg works all day this week and has Christmas Eve rehearsals most evenings. He got home after dress rehearsal last night by 11:30.
I am not getting to Christmas cards this year, but we haven't changed all that much from our picture last year. I am loving the photos and catch up notes from many of you. Thank you for squeezing that into your own Christmas craziness.
I am finally feeling done and so overdue for time to JUST BE. Today was sunny and cool, a beautiful Texas winter day (which equals a good spring day in Iowa). I put on my running stuff, grabbed my iPod, and went for a jog.
My soul needed that time in the beauty with no one around. One of the albums on my iPod is Sara Groves, O Holy Night Tour, which is recorded live in a women's prison.
I was running and listening to her beautiful version of Angels we have Heard on High when my heart caught in my throat and surprised me with instant tears at the part when she said, "please sing with me, Gloria, will you sing that?"
The most amazing part of that song overwhelmed me as the lovely voices of the women prisoners sounded to me like angels joining in singing, "Gloria, gloria, gloria in excelsis deo..."
I don't know what is in the hearts of these women, but their voices were beautiful.
I wondered if I sing as beautifully as a prisoner who has been set free.
Or if I sing as one who feels contented with a comfortable life and comfortable Christmas that includes general happiness about eternity.
Or if I sing as one who is a prisoner still not aware of her freedom.
It all depends upon my state of mind, I suppose. I have sung as each.
Gloria, gloria, gloria in excelsis deo!
May we all sing as prisoners who have been set free this Christmas.
Merry Christmas!
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad
We are PRETTY excited about the bathroom makeover that has been taking place this week in the bathroom that Emma and Grace share. It was the only room in our wonderful home (that we snagged for an amazing bargain as a foreclosure that needed moderate love) that actually freaked me out when we first saw it. It was kind of creepy and dingy and had carpet.
Greg and I had been saving for an eventual remodel, and the time is finally here! It's a tad complicated when one upstairs bath is out of commission and the other is attached to our bedroom and closet which also happens to be The North Pole right now. The downstairs bath is doing triple time, and it works out with flexibility...
We had a great time with my parents who came last weekend for an early Christmas visit and to see Emma and Grace in The Nutcracker. I finished work before our break on Friday. Saturday was dress rehearsal ALL DAY and one performance that night. Sunday was the second performance, during which I volunteered as backstage mom for an abundance of little mice before and after their part in the performance. The bathroom guys started on Monday morning.
I've been shopping most of the week, because I have time off, for which I am grateful.
Greg works all day this week and has Christmas Eve rehearsals most evenings. He got home after dress rehearsal last night by 11:30.
I am not getting to Christmas cards this year, but we haven't changed all that much from our picture last year. I am loving the photos and catch up notes from many of you. Thank you for squeezing that into your own Christmas craziness.
I am finally feeling done and so overdue for time to JUST BE. Today was sunny and cool, a beautiful Texas winter day (which equals a good spring day in Iowa). I put on my running stuff, grabbed my iPod, and went for a jog.
My soul needed that time in the beauty with no one around. One of the albums on my iPod is Sara Groves, O Holy Night Tour, which is recorded live in a women's prison.
I was running and listening to her beautiful version of Angels we have Heard on High when my heart caught in my throat and surprised me with instant tears at the part when she said, "please sing with me, Gloria, will you sing that?"
The most amazing part of that song overwhelmed me as the lovely voices of the women prisoners sounded to me like angels joining in singing, "Gloria, gloria, gloria in excelsis deo..."
I don't know what is in the hearts of these women, but their voices were beautiful.
I wondered if I sing as beautifully as a prisoner who has been set free.
Or if I sing as one who feels contented with a comfortable life and comfortable Christmas that includes general happiness about eternity.
Or if I sing as one who is a prisoner still not aware of her freedom.
It all depends upon my state of mind, I suppose. I have sung as each.
Gloria, gloria, gloria in excelsis deo!
May we all sing as prisoners who have been set free this Christmas.
Merry Christmas!
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad
Friday, December 2, 2011
Ponderings and Plans, not necessarily in that order
Looking forward to a busy but fun weekend ahead. Greg and I are running in the City of Allen Rudolph Run 5K tomorrow, weather permitting. Abby has an all day service project with her youth group at a local food pantry, and Emma has ballet and then she'll be serving at her ballet company's Tea with the Sugar Plum Fairy. I am finally going to see The Help with my niece and sister-in-law in the afternoon, which I am pretty excited about.
And the Big Event of the weekend is...
Our annual Christmas Tree Decorating / Eat Chinese Take-out for Dinner Thing tomorrow night! Of course it is always frought with tangled, burned-out lights irritation, "that's my ornament!"itis, little welts where the fir needles poke us, sap from the trunk on our hands for about a week, general exhaustion from the whole experience, some repositioning after Grace is in bed, and needles everywhere, but honestly, the Chinese food makes it all better.
We've had this tradition for at least 9 years - enough to validate it with a red Chinese take-out box and chopsticks ornament. Our beautiful tree is standing in a bucket of water in the backyard for the time being, quivering in anticipation, I think.
Deep thoughts and/or quotables from the week (the ones I can remember):
Grace is a big Beverly Cleary fan, and she particularly loves and feels a kinship with Ramona as the youngest. Her comment after reading a portion of Ramona Quimby, Age 8 together tonight - "Beverly Cleary just knows how life really is."
I think I need to start my own bubble bath company. I am almost out and put it on the Christmas wish list that Grace started for every member of the family. I really do appreciate the wonderful aromatherapy scents I've had (relax, sleep, etc), but sometimes I need bubble bath called "Kick in the Rear" or "Get up and go organize a closet, already!". Haven't quite figured out the scents yet, but I'm working on it.
My Current Currentlies:
I am...
Currently reading: To Kill A Mockingbird and loving it (haven't read it since high school). That Harper Lee can craft a sentence - every one, in fact.
Currently listening to: Gungor's latest album Ghosts Upon the Earth - they are musical geniuses, amazing to listen to while running.
Sara Groves' new album Invisible Empires - love her voice and thoughtfulness.
And that's about it for now, because it's Friday night after a long week and my eyelids are getting droopy.
Happy Weekend to you.
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad
And the Big Event of the weekend is...
Our annual Christmas Tree Decorating / Eat Chinese Take-out for Dinner Thing tomorrow night! Of course it is always frought with tangled, burned-out lights irritation, "that's my ornament!"itis, little welts where the fir needles poke us, sap from the trunk on our hands for about a week, general exhaustion from the whole experience, some repositioning after Grace is in bed, and needles everywhere, but honestly, the Chinese food makes it all better.
We've had this tradition for at least 9 years - enough to validate it with a red Chinese take-out box and chopsticks ornament. Our beautiful tree is standing in a bucket of water in the backyard for the time being, quivering in anticipation, I think.
Deep thoughts and/or quotables from the week (the ones I can remember):
Grace is a big Beverly Cleary fan, and she particularly loves and feels a kinship with Ramona as the youngest. Her comment after reading a portion of Ramona Quimby, Age 8 together tonight - "Beverly Cleary just knows how life really is."
I think I need to start my own bubble bath company. I am almost out and put it on the Christmas wish list that Grace started for every member of the family. I really do appreciate the wonderful aromatherapy scents I've had (relax, sleep, etc), but sometimes I need bubble bath called "Kick in the Rear" or "Get up and go organize a closet, already!". Haven't quite figured out the scents yet, but I'm working on it.
My Current Currentlies:
I am...
Currently reading: To Kill A Mockingbird and loving it (haven't read it since high school). That Harper Lee can craft a sentence - every one, in fact.
Currently listening to: Gungor's latest album Ghosts Upon the Earth - they are musical geniuses, amazing to listen to while running.
Sara Groves' new album Invisible Empires - love her voice and thoughtfulness.
And that's about it for now, because it's Friday night after a long week and my eyelids are getting droopy.
Happy Weekend to you.
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad
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