New Beginnings

So here we are 2010. Can you believe it? I definitely can't. 2009 seemed to be the fastest year of my life. They tell me it's a sign of me getting old, but I have a different theory. I think I let it fly by. I find myself asking, "What did I do this year?". Sadly I don't have any good answers. So with the start of the new year, and the enthusiasm it brings, I vow not to let this year be a repeat of the last.

Now I know everyone feels this way every new year but therein lies the point of this particular post. We all make our declarations, and resolutions, and goals but how many of us see them through? How many of us make them for the sake of making them? How many of us really acknowledge the reason for making them and then muster up the determination to achieve?

A new year equals a new beginning, a clean slate, a fresh start. A chance to forget past mistakes and failures. I don't think as humans we fully grasp that concept. We've been given a wonderful and free opportunity to let the clay be re-molded and find ourselves. I encourage you to wholeheartedly embrace this new year and don't worry if you falter on your course because you can start over whenever you need to. So whether you're calling this year Two Thousand and Ten or Twenty Ten, live it, love it, and make the most of it. You won't regret it!

Floored by Revelation

My husband showed me this today and after seeing it I really don't know what to say. I feel like it's so true. Please give yourself ample time to watch this. I promise it will stike a chord. And I think it's time we make some music.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pBhqrtMqrv8

What I learned about bubbles

Years ago, I couldn't tell you when exactly, I was watching an episode of a show called Dharma & Greg and something one of the characters said stuck with me.

"Put it in a bubble and blow it away."

That little statement from a silly sitcom is advise that I think all of us should take to heart. We've all suffered hurt, pain, and humiliation . Felt, angry, jealous, resentment, betrayed and even abandoned . We've held a grudge (or still do), been unforgiving, and have blamed others for the bad things that have happened in our lives. But what have any of us gained from this. Nothing but daughters and fathers who don't speak. Wives who hate their husbands because they don't feel equal in the relationship. Brothers and sisters who don't trust each other because of things that were once hastily said or done. Friends who feel alone in the world.

Carrying all this has kept us from fully experiencing and sometimes completely missing the happiness that is so available to us. When it comes right down to it we are the ones in charge of how we feel. It's up to us to decided if life will shape us or break us.

So I implore you, when others wound you and situations beat you down and you think you'll never be able to get over what just happened, please choose to.......

"Put it in a bubble and blow it away".

Dancing with God

Someone sent this to me today and I wanted to share it with all of you because it really spoke to my heart. I hope it does the same for you.




Dancing With God
When I meditated on the word Guidance,
I kept seeing 'dance' at the end of the word.
I remember reading that doing God's will is a lot like dancing.
When two people try to lead, nothing feels right.
The movement doesn't flow with the music,
and everything is quite uncomfortable and jerky.
When one person realizes that, and lets the other lead,
both bodies begin to flow with the music.
One gives gentle cues, perhaps with a nudge to the back
or by pressing Lightly in one direction or another.
It's as if two become one body, moving beautifully.
The dance takes surrender, willingness,
and attentiveness from one person
and gentle guidance and skill from the other.
My eyes drew back to the word Guidance.
When I saw 'G': I thought of God, followed by 'u' and 'i'.
'God, 'u' and 'i' dance.'
God, you, and I dance.
As I lowered my head, I became willing to trust
that I would get guidance about my life.
Once again, I became willing to let God lead.
My prayer for you today is that God's blessings
and mercies are upon you on this day and everyday.
May you abide in God, as God abides in you.
Dance together with God, trusting God to lead
and to guide you through each season of your life.

Musings @ Starbucks

Food for thought. Or should I say coffee?

I'll explain. The other day I went into Starbucks because I absolutely needed a Caramel Frappuccino. Yes "needed" is the proper word because I don't know what I would have done without the jolt of creamy caffeine and sugary goodness. But I digress. As I said, I was in Starbucks and the following sign caught my eye.

Now, I understand what Starbucks is saying here, but am I the only one ever so slightly disturbed by this sign? Again, I'll explain. Since when is it necessary to broadcast that one is responsible and ethical? And secondly, are we so corrupt as humans that we can't even grow and sell coffee to each other in a way that respects and cares for the earth God gave us and the people who inhabit it? Lastly, why do we have to pay more for something that should have had the qualities of "Responsibly grown and Ethically traded" from the very beginning.

Just a thought.

The Derailment of the "Plan" Train

Life is a process, a jouney, with lots of ups and downs and twists and turns. One second things are going great and then "BAM!!", life slams into us and completly derails our plans. It seems that no matter how much we do to prepare it's not nearly enough. And that's so true. We can only do so much to prepare ourselves for life and it's little surprises. We can plan every detail and check and double check but the only guarantee that we have is that it won't go according to plan.

Now I realize all this sounds really depressing. Like why should we plan anything if its all going to go wrong anyway. But just because our plans go awry it doesn't mean that planning is bad. Just the opposite is true. Planning is essential. It gives us something to look forward to, to hope for. As humans though we cling to what we think is the right path and forget that God has bigger plans for us. I like how The Message Bible translation puts Proverbs 29:18 "If people can't see what God is doing, they stumble all over themselves;But when they attend to what he reveals, they are most blessed."

Don't be so scared of change and uncertainty. Of surrendering all you know and understand. Don't be afraid to go off the beaten path. Like Robert Frost wrote:

Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—

I took the one less traveled by,

And that has made all the difference.

God's vision for us will more often than not be the road no one wants to take and sometimes that's hard to accept. But remember this, it will always be the one that makes us who we need to be, and better than we ourselves could have ever imagined.

Exactly Where I Am

So this is me.... writing a blog. Now I've never done this before so I struggled to figure out where to start. Do I sit here and tell you my whole life story; or talk about what my long term goals are for this blog? Then I wasn't sure what to write or how to say what was on my mind. Do I choose the wax eloquent approach or my run on sentences habit? (I think you can tell which style I've gone with). And then the "Why?". After racking my brain and freaking myself out over it I came to a conclusion. Why do any of those questions matter?

Well in reality they don't. I'd bore you with the details of my life. And I'm pretty sure you'll get plenty of insight into who I am thru my little posts here. When it comes to the writing approach I know I'll have days when I seem brilliant, and deep and profound (In the Land of the Deep but not Profound there are Bubbles but no Soap), and there will be days when what I post makes no sense. I'm doing this because I want to and I know writing things down helps me sort myself out. Maybe my ramblings will start some wheels turning in your head, or just make you laugh that day.

Basically what I'm trying to say is that this is exactly where I am and it's just as good a starting place as any. I don't know how often I'll blog but I promise it'll at least be weekly. I hope you'll follow my journey and leave me feedback, comments, questions, and suggestions. You never know maybe you'll find that we have Life in Common.