TGIF...& thoughts on cats and shrimp...

It's been a stressful week here....thankfully the pool days have gone pretty well....hard but good. (I'll not be posting lovely pics of us in our swimwear!) I'm glad it's Friday!! After feeling like Spring for a few days, we're having some more cold weather...I'm looking forward to a quiet evening of staying warm and snuggling into clean sheets tonight.

I was so amused at Charity's blog about cat-shopping, that I decided to share my own travails with that species. (well at least this recent one!) If you know me at all you know I am not an "animal lover" (mildly put). Fine for you if you are, but not so much for me! Well, for the last month or so, we have had a Black Cat skulking around the neighborhood...even at one point made a headlong dash straight towards me as I was getting home and getting out of the car. Now, cats are OK in their place, but that place is NOT dashing straight at me!....some yelling thwarted that potential assault, and things have mostly calmed down. Yesterday the blasted thing was back out on the patio, so now I am back to checking doors before opening them, as it has also seemed to want to get into the house. So annoying! And while not too superstitious, I definitely think there has been enough bad luck around here and we surely don't need black cats even hinting at more!!!:)

One consolation....at least it was a cat and not a pig yesterday....that's a whole nother story....but suffice it to say there was once an escaped pig in our backyard. Now the poor thing rests in the neighbor's freezer!! (I'm not kidding!) From that escapade, I have a great title for a children's book There's a Pig On My Patio!....but no idea for a story-line (how could the freezer ending be put nicely for children, I ask you?!) and sadly, while I love reading children's books, not a creative enough writer to do one myself. At any rate, if anyone of you from my small audience steals that title, I will sue you!!! (on this subject, I recently read the book Not A Stick (Antoinette Portis). This is a really wonderful new children's book!!)

Finally, there was a great story on npr the other evening about La. shrimper's. Take a listen. The best line from this report... "Talking about imported shrimp in South Louisiana is like talking about Toyotas in Detroit or S. Korean Steel in Pittsburgh!" Amen to that! and Yay for delicious La. shrimp! and a happy weekend to ya'll!

Monday Feelings...

Psalm 23: Shepherd Me, O God
(Marty Haugen)
"Shepherd me, O God,
beyond my wants,beyond my fears,
from death into life.
1. God is my shepherd,so nothing shall I want,
I rest in the meadows of faithfulness and love,
I walk by the quiet waters of peace.
2. Gently you raise me and heal my weary soul,
you lead me by pathways of righteousness and truth,
my spirit shall sing the music of your Name.
3. Though I should wander the valley of death,
I fear no evil,for you are at my side,
your rod and your staff,my comfort and my hope.
4. You have set me a banquet of love

in the face of hatred,
crowning me with love beyond my power to hold.
5. Surely your kindness and mercy
follow me all the days of my life;
I will dwell in the house of my God forevermore."

* feeling grateful for these words...this truth...this promise that God's presence is with me...beyond my wants, fears, hopes, disappointments, successes, beliefs, opinions, questions, confidence.

*feeling overwhelmed as I look into the week ahead...we are rejoining a "pool wellness" program this week...our "solution" to dealing with the lack of insurance coverage for needed therapy. This means i am the pseudo-physical therapist...(self: refer to Psalm 23)

*feeling aware that while we always seem to be looking for the "Happy ending" of every story, that is often not the case....the real task is appreciating His Presence in any circumstance...and seeking to keep our vision clear and open to the realities of our fallen world, both the beautiful and the distressing. (self: refer to Psalm 23...dwelling in His house is the present and future real happy ending!)

*feeling a necessary growth in my understanding that joy is possible even in tedious times. Here are some words from Dennis Kinlaw: "It is fantasy to believe that there can be any true joy in life without obligation. On occasion we may enjoy freedom from obligation, but to take our wishes seriously-as if they were possibilities for real life-is illusion, and illusion is deadly. True joys are always and only rooted in reality. Life's greatest ecstasies are found within life's most binding and sacred commitments." (This Day with the Master)

Mirrors...Friends

I feel like I've had an "embarrassment of riches" when it comes to friends...both in recent days and in general. It was so good to have Brent here for a long visit and then to spend a long weekend with Jenny and company. It just happened that these visits were so close together but it turned into a stretch of blessings for me. Now it's "back to normal"...and that's fine, too.

• "The best mirror is an old friend." 
  (George Herbert)

There are certainly various ideas about what defines a valuable friendship. I very much value finding kindred spirits who are honest...both with themselves and with me. In this way, just being together serves as a mirroring affect....both for what is positive and for what needs changing. I'm not talking about righteous confrontation here...(maybe that is sometimes needed, although I would think rarely)...but more of a soulgazing that prods and inspires the other into Spirit guided self-reflection. Lest I'm sounding too serious, plenty of fun was had by all (I think!:)....but amidst the fun, and while engaged in honest relationship...was an awakening of my own need to slow down...take a breath...reassess judgments...be more joyful...pray more...and rely more on Grace. The potential to impact each other in healthy ways is powerful in all of our lives and communities...and how thankful we should be when that happens! I also did a great deal of plane-reading of Kidd's When the Heart Waits...will have to write more on that later...a somewhat "providential" reading for me in seeing how my heart needs to be truthfully involved in pursuing authenticity.
What a privilege spending time with these dear friends...and now here are just a few pics. for your enjoyment...

• Because this pic amuses me...With "Gingy", a Valentine's Day cookie gift from my Dad:)
  
  With Brent...the very best picture taker of them all...and, not a bad musician!:) Seriously, his music and writing keeps getting better and better!
  
  
  With Jenny...one of the friends who keeps me sane.
  

• The whole gang at Chicago's Art Institute...we were only there a short time, but enough to see "art, art, and more art" as Cole put it!:) so very fun to discuss Monet with these two young men! Tom and Jenny are beautiful parents and being with their family was a joy!
  

• At a really cool tea room...so good to meet Amy.
  

• Breakfast with Maddie...the adorable and very girlie one!
  
• I think this picture is so cute! (at the JellyBelly factory)
  
  

Maddie actually took this one, and I really like it! There you go...a little look at my very good visits!

Happy 2008 Valentine's Day...

....dear friends! Just wanted to share a few thoughts (before getting all ready for tomorrow's "big chill trip to WI"!!!:) on this somewhat melancholy but mostly "what you make of it" sort of day. (nothing very deep, I promise!) Love is a beautiful thing...I salute those who have plenty of it...and commiserate with "we" who are lacking in it! I hope that if you have been lucky enough to find someone, you hold on tight for all you are worth. Yes, I could pretend to be "above" all the emotion of the day...not realistic about missing this very important part of how we are created...could logically act as if admitting this difference makes me weak....(believe me, I'm weak enough, don't have to manufacture it!!)

On the bright side...I am not despairing!...but neither I am necessarily rejoicing today!:) And in case anyone is worried, I am TRULY overwhelmed by the love of Jesus....I'm so undeserving and so aware of the "fulfilling" presence of His love. That Love stabilizes and satisfies any thirsty soul. This past Sunday, I played for a very sweet kid to sing "He Loves Me"...he sang it beautifully and with a blessed spirit. (I think this is a Brooklyn Tab. song, but we patterned after the Collingsworth's.) This song....and it's truth...has been playing to me this week.

Due to "decorating reasons" explained in the last post, I have been listening alot to Michael Card's "Poiema"....it is my favorite project of his, I think. These lyrics are beautiful (so is the melody!)...This is the type of thing I would want...why bother with anything less?

Consider this my contribution to "things to ponder" on this Valentine's Day!:) (is there such a category?)

"Earthly Perfect Harmony"

Lately it seems All our dreams

Have slipped right through our hands

And I've become both doubt and also doubter

It's hard to ask If love has passed us by

Or if it's simply gone to sleep

To slumber till our hearts decide to wake it

Or could it be that we

Forgot the Source of our special love

Turned our backs upon The One who made it burn and glow

If we choose Not to lose the light

That made us shine in each others' eyes

If we decide that life alone's no life at all

Then we must see That love can be

The earthly perfect harmony

The Lord composed for children Of His own to sing

But I need to understand And love you with a nail scarred hand

And you must touch and see The frightened child inside of me

If we go on We'll shine our light upon

A world that badly needs to know

A human soul Can love another human soul

Lots to say...Little time

So much to say...so little time! I have company coming and then will be heading to WI for next weekend...both very exciting things, but adding busyness to life...still, must take the time to blog!:)

• Cleaning:
  I've been busily cleaning......why is it that things that need to be done seem to really get done when motivated by the thought of someone seeing it all!! The company usually doesn't even notice or care but you know! My Dad has been helping me, bless his heart. I finally have rearranged the mantel from Christmas, and this is the new look. I like it. The added benefit to this decorating is often thinking of that Scripture: "Unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it produces much grain." (John 12:24) Not a bad verse to think on. (also has made me think of that Michael Card song where his grandpa quotes that verse...aren't you glad to know all these details!)
  

• Radio/Voting:
  So annoyed these days with radio personalities. I do enjoy listening to a wide radio array (in small doses) but have been so frustrated with (in my opinion) the self-seeking power agendas that I find it almost unbearable to have on at all. The arguments are so impractical in their "all or nothing" approach to politics. Maintaining control seems to be the main goal. I can only imagine the foolishness that must be happening on cable TV. And it's alarming how easily information can be manipulated. We vote this Sat. in the La primary. It is highly likely that the 3 members of this household will vote 3 different way! As my Mom said, "That's the great thing about America!" Gotta love her! We're all quite calm about this probability. (And while I refuse to become too opinionated here, I will say that NOT voting in the general election seems absolutely irresponsible to me...how easy it is to confuse "politics" with "truth.")
  
• Summing Up the Houston Trip:
  Our trip to Houston last week was quite tiring...including treacherous weather and a bad hotel experience. And it's debatable whether or not the benefit of seeing this truly fabulous doctor outweighs the costs or not. What is indescribably frustrating is that while this renowned stroke-rehab. specialist can suggest lots of things that would benefit Mom, neither he nor I have any power to make the insurance company pay for it. And he was quite honest about that in our discussions. It is becoming increasingly difficult for doctors to implement for patients what research and knowledge clearly shows is in their best interest. Something is really wrong with this scenario. I wish I could do more...but objectively know I'm pretty much doing all I possibly can.
  It was great to hear this doctor have positive things to say about Mom's progress in this past year. Other fun times on the trip were going to the Galleria, shopping at Half-Priced Books, eating at two of our favorite places (Pappacito's and The Cheesecake Factory) and having coffee at Diedrich's Coffee (only city I've enjoyed this great coffee in....thanks, Rhonda!) How could all of that be fit into basically one day you might ask?! I can only say where there's a will there's a way!:)
• At Pappacito's...awesome Mexican food!

• Excited to be at Diedrich's!
  

• Ash Wednesday:
  Finally, it was good to play for the Ash Wednesday service this evening. I have been enriched to learn the importance of this Lenten season in the church calendar. Not for the sake of ritual, but to pursue a heart that understands the importance of repentance, self-denial, and anticipatory preparation for that great Easter day. We could never do enough to make ourselves ready; but how blessed we are to be called to participate in both His suffering and His Resurrection!
  
• The song is very commonly used in Ash Wednesday services and we did it tonight.

"Ashes"

(Tim Conry)

1. We rise again from ashes, from the good we've failed to do.

We rise again from ashes, to create ourselves anew.

If all our world is ashes, then must our lives be true,

An offering of ashes, an offering to You.

2. We offer You our failures, we offer You attempts;

The gifts not fully given, the dreams not fully dreamt.

Give our stumblings direction,give our visions wider view,

An offering of ashes, an offering to You.

3. Then rise again from ashes, let healing come to pain;

Though spring has turned to winter, and sunshine turned to rain.

The rain we'll use for growing, and create the world anew,

From an offering of ashes, an offering to You.

4. Thanks be to the Father, who made us like Himself.

Thanks be to His Son, who saved us by His death.

Thanks be to the Spirit, who creates the world anew,

From an offering of ashes, an offering to You.

Yay Giants!!
Yay Eli!!
Yay for heart, perserverance, and good guys winning!

This article ("Memory Refill") (by a Judith Warner) is why some people are paid good money to write articles while others of us have free blogs!:) That, my friends, (to quote dear McCain) is the bitter truth!:) Really good writing. I will say that I beat this lady in when my coffee addiction was started...in La. we are actually given "coffee milk" in bottles...I am not kidding!! Also in this culture, you can pretty much solve the world's ills over coffee with chicory...it's a real affront if you question the "stoutness" of the brew...and I doubt real ministry is possible until you've been inside a home and been offered a cup. Smelling coffee on Dad's breath as he kissed me goodbye each morning was just part of a safe, reassuring childhood. In college, we loved the parody "Listen to the Rhythm of the Coffeepot"...I'm sad that I can't seem to find that tape tonight! I loved that rhythm. Ahh, coffee....truly one of the best reasons to get up every morning...and one of the best ways to organize memories.

*Just as an aside, I had a good evening playing violins with two sweet men (one in his 70's, the other in his 80's)...both took up the violin as older adults...the one (Uncle Willard..who besides playing has actually made several violins!) is my "student", (not that I'm much help) and the other (Mr. James Ray) is self-taught. They are amazing! And it truly is a privelege to have a front row seat to see what "lives well lived" look like. And even the music wasn't half-bad! But what a very, very funny social scene I run in!:) Talk about hoity-toity!