Praying

by: Mary Oliver
It doesn't have to be the blue iris,
it could be weeds in a vacant lot,
or a few small stones;
just pay attention, then patch a few words together
and don't try to make them elaborate,
this isn't a contest but the doorway into thanks,
and a silence in which another voice may speak.

Throwing the Atlas out the window

There is something ever so blissful about getting lost with people you love.
Some mix of adventure, spontaneity, and desperation.
You begin to realize that it doesn't really matter what time it is, how much gas you're using, or how long it will take to get back home.
You are lost, you have company, and you have no control over where you end up.
I think some of the best times I have ever had have been spent getting lost.

Things to ask yourself

In the movie "The Family Man"
there is a scene in a gas station.
A girl is purchasing something for 99 cents.
She hands the attendant 1 dollar.
The attendant takes nine dollars out of the register and counts it out to the girl, giving her way too much change.
The girl doesn't correct him.
She sees that he is handing her way too much money- change for a ten- yet she picks it up and puts it in her pocket without saying anything. As she walks to the door the attendant stops her to give her another chance. He asks her if there is anything else she needs. She shakes her head no and walks out.
The attendant looks to the next client (Nicholas Cage) and says, "Did you see that? She was willing to sell her character for nine dollars. Nine dollars!"

The heard and loved lately's

1. "Our society does not know how to grieve well"... We have forgotten that it is okay to cry, it is okay to mourn, it is okay to feel.
2. All things lead to relationship.
3. The Lord cares more for who we become, not what we accomplish.
4. "Becoming aware of what is true and false about ourselves is essential for spiritual growth, and is not always comfortable."
5. Knowing about someone is not the same as knowing who they are.
6. Sarcasm can kill a persons spirit.
7. I don't have to let my personality define me.
8. Resting does not come naturally, I must consciously decide to make it happen.
9. "It's not enough to assume that every relationship is a triangle (2 people and the Lord) rather than a line (2 people), because assumptions go by the way side. You must consciously choose to put him there on a moment by moment basis."
10. Organic Chai Tea mix does not taste good when it is over a year old.

This makes me cry every time I listen to it

Lord I have a heavy burden of all I've seen and know
It's more than I can handle
But your word is burning like a fire shut up in my bones
and I cannot let it go

And when I'm weary and overwrought
with so many battles left unfought

I think of Paul and Silas in the prison yard
I hear their song of freedom rising to the stars
And when the Saints go marching in
I want to be one of them

Lord it's all that I can't carry and cannot leave behind
it often overwhelms me
but when I think of all who've gone before and lived the faithful life
their courage compells me
And when I'm weary and overwrought
with so many battles left unfought

I think of Paul and Silas in the prison yard
I hear their song of freedom rising to the stars

I see the shepherd Moses in the Pharohs court
I hear his call for freedom for the people of the Lord

And when the Saints go marching in
I want to be one of them
And when the Saints go marching in
I want to be one of them

I see the long quiet walk along the Underground Railroad
I see the slave awakening to the value of her soul

I see the young missionary and the angry spear
I see his family returning with no trace of fear

I see the long hard shadows of Calcutta nights
I see the sisters standing by the dying man's side

I see the young girl huddled on the brothel floor
I see the man with a passion come and kicking down the door

I see the man of sorrows and his long troubled road
I see the world on his shoulders and my easy load

And when the Saints go marching in
I want to be one of them
and when the Saints go marching in
I want to be one of them
I want to be one of them
I want to be one of them
I want to be one of them

♪ ♫ ♪ ♫ ♪ ♫ ♪ ♫

Today has been a breath of fresh air.
God has been blessing me lately with a lot of immediate positive responses.
I have been a lot more careful about what I ask for when I am in prayer and if I am counting right, he has given or granted me the past 5 things I have asked for within 24 hours or less of asking.
I know that God doesn't work that way all the time... but I won't lie... I love it when he does!!!
Today was full of wonder, appreciation, great conversations, beautiful and wonderful people.
I am so thankful for my friends.
I am so thankful for my roomate.
I am so thankful for honesty.
I am so thankful for vulnerability.
I am so thankful.

Thank you God.

quite the find

Before I rush into this blog let me preface a few things.
1. I am not in any hurry to get married.
2. Even if I was in a hurry, that wouldn't change anything because I have no idea who in the world I will end up with.
3. Despite the fact that I have not put a whole lot of thought into what I want my wedding (when the time comes) to look like, I have always had a thing for rings.

OKAY

Here's the dealio...
For quite some time now I have been very disenchanted with diamonds in general. I would love to have a ring that is unique, special, and thought through.
My only exception to this desire I have, is a family ring. I would be totally happy with a ring that has been passed down, I just don't see the point of and would never want someone to go and buy me a "new" diamond ring.
Here is my reasoning... Diamonds are not worth anything. They are stockpiled and over priced. (Watch 'Blood Diamond' if you haven't) Everybody else has a diamond etc.
I know, I know, "Diamonds are forever, Diamonds are a girls best friend" blah blah blah

No thank you.

Anyway, today a friend of mine was looking at jewelry online and I happened to see this ring.
I know it's probably not intended to be a wedding ring.. but I kind of think it's fantastic. (I know it has diamonds in it... but it is unique enough to where I can look past that. :)

(http://www.thisisauto.com/detail/3,5,26/)

The coming of light

by
Mark Strand

Even this late it happens: the coming of love, the coming of light. You wake and the candles are lit as if by themselves, stars gather, dreams pour into your pillows, sending up warm bouquets of air. Even this late the bones of the body shine and tomorrow's dust flares into breath.


Ever have those mornings where you wake up and you feel like you never actually went to sleep...like yesterday kind of rolled into today and you don't know how to separate the two in your mind?