Taken from The Valley of Vision
"Journeying On"
Lord of the Cloud and Fire,
I am a stranger, with a stranger's indifference;
My hands hold a pilgrim's staff,
My march is Zionward,
My eyes are toward the coming of the Lord,
My heart is in thy hands without reserve.
Thou hast created it,
redeemed it,
renewed it,
captured it,
conquered it.
Keep from it every opposing foe,
crush in it every rebel lust,
mortify every treacherous passion,
annihilate every earthborn desire.
All faculties of my being vibrate to thy touch;
I love thee with soul, mind, body, strength,
might, spirit, affection, will,
desire, intellect, understanding.
Thou art the very perfection of all perfections;
All intellect is derived from thee;
My scanty rivulets flow from thy unfathomable fountain.
Compared with thee the sun is darkness,
all beauty deformity,
all wisdom folly,
the best goodness faulty.
Thou art worthy of an adoration greater than
my dull heart can yield;
Invigorate my love that it may rise worthily to thee,
tightly entwine itself round thee,
be allured by thee.
Then shall my walk be endless praise.
Thursday, February 26, 2009
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
Doing my part
As the "going green" fad gains speed, I find it difficult to keep up. I think the planet is a great place, I just don't know how much we can honestly do to stop whatever crisis threatens the horizon. But, I'm all for recycling, carpooling, candles instead of lightbulbs... and growing plants indoors.
One of my new year's resolutions was to buy a plant and watch it grow, which essentially means it remains alive. The resolution was actually to keep it alive, because I have an embarrassing track record. Most living things I take care of end up dying, and far sooner than they're supposed to. Maybe this is why I'm afraid of having children. :) Last year I had a beautiful orchid that died within three weeks. The only plant that's still alive is under the care of my mother. But I'm determined. It's not that I don't take care of them, I really do. I put them in pretty pots, make sure I read the instructions and put them in the right light and water when I'm supposed to. I don't have a green thumb. That's the bottom line. I've decided to give it another try.
This one isn't exactly what I wanted for the space it's in, and it needs a pot, but it will do just fine. All the different colors keep it interesting. Colors: this means it's not brown! Only a few leaves have fallen off so far, but I think that's normal...
I'll keep you posted.
One of my new year's resolutions was to buy a plant and watch it grow, which essentially means it remains alive. The resolution was actually to keep it alive, because I have an embarrassing track record. Most living things I take care of end up dying, and far sooner than they're supposed to. Maybe this is why I'm afraid of having children. :) Last year I had a beautiful orchid that died within three weeks. The only plant that's still alive is under the care of my mother. But I'm determined. It's not that I don't take care of them, I really do. I put them in pretty pots, make sure I read the instructions and put them in the right light and water when I'm supposed to. I don't have a green thumb. That's the bottom line. I've decided to give it another try.
This one isn't exactly what I wanted for the space it's in, and it needs a pot, but it will do just fine. All the different colors keep it interesting. Colors: this means it's not brown! Only a few leaves have fallen off so far, but I think that's normal...
I'll keep you posted.
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
A Spectacular Place
This is one of those nights I wish I lived outside. I ran with the downtown running club tonight and parked far away because it was so nice out. The windows were down on the drive home. The route from downtown to my house is mostly a ridge, with valleys on both sides and the Rocky Mountains to the left. The first stars winked above the mountains, and the breeze was just right: not too warm, not too cold, not too soft, not too hard. Those of you who like variety chose the right planet. No two minutes are the same, and if you're observant, every time you open your eyes you'll see something you never saw before. Bring your travel mindset with you tomorrow on your daily routine. It will turn bland tedium into spicy adventure.
Saturday, February 21, 2009
10 a day
Yo. Been thinking a lot and that last post is what happened. Thankfully all my thoughts have not been that severe. Today I serve a lighter fare.
Life is fantastically good. Every day is filled with a new sense of hope and purpose as a greater piece of me is taken up in adoration. I'm writing this because this is new -- up until a few months ago the opposite was true. Two weeks ago I embarked a new Bible-reading plan. I know, a plan...yikes. But relax, this one is quite different, and has me begging for more. I read ten chapters a day: one chapter from ten different sections. Today I read from Genesis, Joshua, Job, Psalms, Proverbs, Isaiah, Matthew, Acts, Romans, and 1 Timothy. My awareness of God in the world has decupled. He has accomplished mind-boggling things, and all because ordinary people had faith. Two blind men asked Jesus to heal them, and He asked them if they really believed He could. They said yes, and Jesus told them it would be done according to the measure of their faith. According to the measure of their faith! What is the measure of my faith when I ask for things? Sometimes I wonder if I were one of those men, maybe only one eye would've opened half-way if part of the bargain was that I have 100% faith in this Healer. He IS capable, wait -- more than capable. I believe supernatural things would happen if we asked for them...and then believed they would. For example, a moral about-face in America (had to say it). That seemingly impossible [fill in the blank] would somehow be possible, and not because of anything you or I did (apart from whole-hearted belief).
Look at the time: time to walk the dogs. Be back later, buenas noches.
Life is fantastically good. Every day is filled with a new sense of hope and purpose as a greater piece of me is taken up in adoration. I'm writing this because this is new -- up until a few months ago the opposite was true. Two weeks ago I embarked a new Bible-reading plan. I know, a plan...yikes. But relax, this one is quite different, and has me begging for more. I read ten chapters a day: one chapter from ten different sections. Today I read from Genesis, Joshua, Job, Psalms, Proverbs, Isaiah, Matthew, Acts, Romans, and 1 Timothy. My awareness of God in the world has decupled. He has accomplished mind-boggling things, and all because ordinary people had faith. Two blind men asked Jesus to heal them, and He asked them if they really believed He could. They said yes, and Jesus told them it would be done according to the measure of their faith. According to the measure of their faith! What is the measure of my faith when I ask for things? Sometimes I wonder if I were one of those men, maybe only one eye would've opened half-way if part of the bargain was that I have 100% faith in this Healer. He IS capable, wait -- more than capable. I believe supernatural things would happen if we asked for them...and then believed they would. For example, a moral about-face in America (had to say it). That seemingly impossible [fill in the blank] would somehow be possible, and not because of anything you or I did (apart from whole-hearted belief).
Look at the time: time to walk the dogs. Be back later, buenas noches.
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
History Repeats Itself
Once upon a time, there was a land where people were made of valor and strength. They fought for noble causes that triumphed for the greater good. Depth of character and a strong sense of morality guided them. Those few that didn't acknowledge God at least understood the concept of authority and morality.
People still fight for causes that are said to be for the greater good, but the very idea of "good" has flipped inside-out. Good is determined by a feeling produced in an isolated moment. If you want to do something and you will get brief or prolonged satisfaction from doing it, it's good! Life has been reduced to whatever we want to do at any given time. It's good to allow children to eat whenever and whatever they want and end up 400 pounds at eight years old. Oops, at least they're happy. It's good to dismiss the majority of misbehavior and irresponsibility as a medical condition that can only be subdued with medication. It's good to abort your baby, especially if it will free you up to research new methods on how to save the planet.
Nonsense is the new common sense. Let me give you a heartbreaking example. A young mother, unable to care for her new baby girl, gave her to a gracious family member who agreed to care for the child. The new parents fell in love with their new little treasure, giving her stability, attention, and a proper home. Almost a year later, her mother came back for the baby and said she'd changed her mind. She'd recently married a former registered sex offender of children and wanted her baby back. The court ruled that the mother was the rightful caretaker of the girl, despite the drastic drop in the quality of the child's daily environment. Not to mention she would now be living with a former child sex offender. Of course the "adopted" parents are devastated, although not for themselves. They love the girl, and are devastated at the thought of her in this new life.
I can't comment much on the political scene, as President Obama still has time to show the world what he's made of, and to bring this Hope and Change that he so boldly prclaimed. There is a growing sense of uneasiness in my mind as I watch things unfold. I've never known more corruption in the government nor in the business world. It's strange. When I watch the news, I feel like I'm back in history class watching old videos of corrupt governments and societies that crumbled on their own or were defeated by countries like America (pre-moral-downturn). But here we are in present-day America, and I'm unsettled by it. Clear thinkers -- and I don't claim to be one of them, although I try -- are a rare find. The standards have been severely lowered on all accounts, and it's frightening. When everything seems backwards, I have to ask myself if I'm the one that's backwards. The reason I don't think so is this: we live in the land of nearly the greatest amount of information and education. We know history, and we know the saying "history repeats itself." My dear America, take note. History repeats itself, and we are no exception.
People still fight for causes that are said to be for the greater good, but the very idea of "good" has flipped inside-out. Good is determined by a feeling produced in an isolated moment. If you want to do something and you will get brief or prolonged satisfaction from doing it, it's good! Life has been reduced to whatever we want to do at any given time. It's good to allow children to eat whenever and whatever they want and end up 400 pounds at eight years old. Oops, at least they're happy. It's good to dismiss the majority of misbehavior and irresponsibility as a medical condition that can only be subdued with medication. It's good to abort your baby, especially if it will free you up to research new methods on how to save the planet.
Nonsense is the new common sense. Let me give you a heartbreaking example. A young mother, unable to care for her new baby girl, gave her to a gracious family member who agreed to care for the child. The new parents fell in love with their new little treasure, giving her stability, attention, and a proper home. Almost a year later, her mother came back for the baby and said she'd changed her mind. She'd recently married a former registered sex offender of children and wanted her baby back. The court ruled that the mother was the rightful caretaker of the girl, despite the drastic drop in the quality of the child's daily environment. Not to mention she would now be living with a former child sex offender. Of course the "adopted" parents are devastated, although not for themselves. They love the girl, and are devastated at the thought of her in this new life.
I can't comment much on the political scene, as President Obama still has time to show the world what he's made of, and to bring this Hope and Change that he so boldly prclaimed. There is a growing sense of uneasiness in my mind as I watch things unfold. I've never known more corruption in the government nor in the business world. It's strange. When I watch the news, I feel like I'm back in history class watching old videos of corrupt governments and societies that crumbled on their own or were defeated by countries like America (pre-moral-downturn). But here we are in present-day America, and I'm unsettled by it. Clear thinkers -- and I don't claim to be one of them, although I try -- are a rare find. The standards have been severely lowered on all accounts, and it's frightening. When everything seems backwards, I have to ask myself if I'm the one that's backwards. The reason I don't think so is this: we live in the land of nearly the greatest amount of information and education. We know history, and we know the saying "history repeats itself." My dear America, take note. History repeats itself, and we are no exception.
Sunday, February 15, 2009
Love, Sweet Love
Saturday was February 14, Valentine's Day, Love Day, SAD (Singles Awareness Day), or whatever you clever people want to call it. Every year, I break my personal record of consecutive years in a row without a valentine! This year was 23. Beat it. :) Really, I'm not one of those cry-babies about it, especially not this year. There was plenty of love to go around. My older brother got engaged!! I am so ecstatic about it that sometimes a tear sneaks out.
He and his beloved dated in college, split for a couple years, and in April were both in a friend's wedding party where the old flame was rekindled. She lives in Seattle, he lives in Atlanta. I don't know that you could get any farther away from each other, but they made it work, and very well. Weekend trips across the country, skype, and long phone calls made it bearable. Matthew flew up to Seattle last Thursday night to surprise her. He was at her family's home when she arrived there after work on Friday. He called her cell phone as she was walking in the door -- she screened the call -- and went straight to the kitchen (where he was) and yelped when she saw him. They went to dinner and then for a walk on the beach, where he read her a letter he had written her (*sigh*). He got down on his knee and asked her to marry him, and she said yes!
I couldn't hope for anything better for him. She is wonderful, just like her family.
Valentine's Day has even more history with the Forbes family. Grandma and Grandpa Forbes were married on Valentine's Day, and my parents met on a blind date on Valentine's Day. Dad's face was covered with beard, but Mom loved the fact that he had thought-out convictions. She could tell he was strong and had deep-rooted spirit. Dad still remembers what she wore that night.
Aaah, love. We're fools for it.
He and his beloved dated in college, split for a couple years, and in April were both in a friend's wedding party where the old flame was rekindled. She lives in Seattle, he lives in Atlanta. I don't know that you could get any farther away from each other, but they made it work, and very well. Weekend trips across the country, skype, and long phone calls made it bearable. Matthew flew up to Seattle last Thursday night to surprise her. He was at her family's home when she arrived there after work on Friday. He called her cell phone as she was walking in the door -- she screened the call -- and went straight to the kitchen (where he was) and yelped when she saw him. They went to dinner and then for a walk on the beach, where he read her a letter he had written her (*sigh*). He got down on his knee and asked her to marry him, and she said yes!
I couldn't hope for anything better for him. She is wonderful, just like her family.
Valentine's Day has even more history with the Forbes family. Grandma and Grandpa Forbes were married on Valentine's Day, and my parents met on a blind date on Valentine's Day. Dad's face was covered with beard, but Mom loved the fact that he had thought-out convictions. She could tell he was strong and had deep-rooted spirit. Dad still remembers what she wore that night.
Aaah, love. We're fools for it.
Thursday, February 12, 2009
Organizing?
Here I sit, under the covers, hair on top of my head in something resembling a top-knot, glasses on, trying to force ideas. It's not working, so I'll open a small window to my brain (which may explain why I can't write tonight).
I've decided to become a professional organizer. Because I'm still "in the blocks" as it were, I'm devouring as much information as I can possibly swallow. I'm reading books on running a business, and far too many books on organizing. I have a confession: I had a dream about organizing last night (laugh now). It's true. Either that's a really good thing because I love it and I'm on the right track, or I need to get out while there's still hope. I'm sticking with the dream. Every day, all day, I brainstorm. I'm ready to take action!
It may be cramping my writing ideas at the moment, but it will pass. It'll pass once the outlet for purging and sorting comes. And that's all I have tonight. Thanks for reading, bless your heart. I want this blog to be worth your time. Stay tuned...
I've decided to become a professional organizer. Because I'm still "in the blocks" as it were, I'm devouring as much information as I can possibly swallow. I'm reading books on running a business, and far too many books on organizing. I have a confession: I had a dream about organizing last night (laugh now). It's true. Either that's a really good thing because I love it and I'm on the right track, or I need to get out while there's still hope. I'm sticking with the dream. Every day, all day, I brainstorm. I'm ready to take action!
It may be cramping my writing ideas at the moment, but it will pass. It'll pass once the outlet for purging and sorting comes. And that's all I have tonight. Thanks for reading, bless your heart. I want this blog to be worth your time. Stay tuned...
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