Monday, January 31, 2011
Soundtrack to an Ordinary Life
Music speaks what cannot be expressed, soothes the mind and gives it rest, heals the heart and makes it whole, flows from heaven to the soul. ~author unknown
Music is the wine that fills the cup of silence. ~Robert Fripp
Music has been my playmate, my lover, and my crying towel. ~Buffy Sainte-Marie
Music is what feelings sound like. ~author unknown
I adore these quotes on music. I have always loved music - all kinds. Music truly enhances life, I can't imagine life without it. So much so that I have found myself throughout life assigning certain songs as the soundtrack for the many things encompassed in life: various experiences, people who have crossed my path, phases of life, big and small events - and of course the feelings and emotions that are tied into all of these things.
Often in my blogs, I'll include the lyrics to a song that speaks to me in direct relation to what I'm writing, or sometimes a link to the video. Today's blog about the soundtrack to my life was actually inspired by a friend's blog and my overly-long comment to it - sorry Adam! You can check out his blog here: http://adamwaid.wordpress.com/2010/10/28/music-is-life-part-2/ .
So, in an effort to let you know a little more about me, here are a few tracks on the soundtrack of my life...
When I was teased in elementary school, I loved http://youtu.be/Dbf2C39kNs0
When I remember my sisters and I putting on "shows" in the living room for dear ol' Mom and Dad, I think of my signature solo http://youtu.be/0gRaDlThvMs
When as a high school sophomore I finally realized that a pimply-faced boy named Larry didn't love me back http://youtu.be/abaJfuJbkgg (Oh yes, I was nine-kinds of dramatic!)
When I packed up myself and my daughter and moved to Atlanta to start life over http://youtu.be/TtGY4G7II6s even now when we hear this, Rebecca lights up and says "Mom, it's our song!"
When I’m driving, windows down, you will likely find me listening to http://youtu.be/MihFL56nq1U because nobody rocks like THE BOSS! His music *feels* like the pulse of our great country.
When I'm overwhelmed with life as a single person/single-Mom http://youtu.be/8F3JHN2H1bA , http://youtu.be/waYUzxK8TYA , http://youtu.be/qFg_EG4p8Q0
When I think of my Pawpaw & Mawmaw I think of http://youtu.be/xnKOVPXhlnE it's what visiting them in Louisiana felt like.
When I think of my usually darling daughter, I think of http://youtu.be/LwUWoMzuUsw (bring on the tissue!)
When it's been a tough work week and Friday won't get her soon enough http://youtu.be/cZcoQvtNYYs
When I think about life overall this is the song I think of http://youtu.be/MX5OqyBYKh4
What I hope other people will someday think of if they ever ponder my life http://youtu.be/7vt4y0aY-uA
When I need to jam, it’s probably something along the lines of http://youtu.be/iVxiHC9AJQw I mean, come on – That’s ROCKIN’!
That's the short list folks. I wonder, what are some songs that speak to you?
Friday, January 21, 2011
The Road To Hell
... is paved with good intentions. That's what "they" say, right? Well, watch out folks, I'm about to be intentional!
So, I'm a huge fan of resolutions. I've had a list of resolutions every year for the past 6 years, and have managed to accomplish in full, or 95% of each list. They've been very concrete/specific resolutions that I could measure pretty easily. This year, included in my short list of concrete "to do's," is a somewhat heftier resolution to become more intentional in my approach to life and how I am living it.
Anyone who knows me, knows that I tend to rush headlong into every endeavor. I've always tried to make this a positive as in "It shows I'm eager! It shows I'm not afraid of a challenge!" Many times everything works out just fine, once or twice even for good. As such, I’ve had folks say that my rushing in wasn't so bad, why even many Bible heros often made quick decisions! Me? I’m not fighting Philistine’s! I don’t have to approach everything as if I’m “going in like gang-busters!” I make quick decisions on everything, whether something big or small is at stake. That’s not wise. When my snap decisions haven’t worked out, there's usually been a long road to travel before I'm finished dealing with the consequences. I’ve mastered the “art” of I learning the hard way – even when what I’m doing is in and of itself good. This year I want to slow myself down and prayerfully and mindfully consider how I spend my time, my resources, myself. I want to become a humanBEING instead of a humanDOING.
How I’ve operated thus far: I don’t want to turn down anyone’s dinner invitation. I don’t want to turn down anyone who is asking me to dog-sit. I don’t want to turn down any request to help or serve whether it’s at church, work, or at community service. This is not to say I don’t want to do any of these things at all – quite the contrary. Aside from work these are all things I enjoy doing.
What I know and want now: I have a strong desire to serve at church, but I can’t serve any area well when I’m trying to serve too many areas. I want to do a good job at work, but I can’t perform at my best when I don’t say no to any project, when I work 50-60 hours a week and become exhausted, or when I bring work home. I can’t effectively help in any community service endeavor when I am meeting myself coming and going, 24/7, 365 days a year. No matter how much I want too - I can’t be all things to all people in my life, so I must learn to be more comfortable saying "No."
DINNER INVITATIONS:
First let me say this, life is pretty darn good when you’ve got so many loving friends that a “problem” is too many dinner invitations. I honestly do not view this as a problem at all. The problem lies in the fact that when I try to accept every dinner invitation I receive, I’m not spending enough time with any friends to truly develop a deeper, stronger relationship. Let me be clear people: Please DO NOT STOP inviting me to dinner! I want to come and eat with you! Food and friends are pretty much my favorite things. Most of you are really gifted cooks. That said, when I have been away from home 6 nights in any given week, and I’m invited to dinner on the 7th, sometimes I need to be honest with myself and with you by admitting that I need to keep my behind at home! (Another option: Maybe we can plan dinners with more friends - I know, that’s technically a party – but who doesn’t love a party?)
WORK:
I am no longer going to work myself to death at my job. I’m going to do a good job, but I work so many hours in an effort to make more money. Even so the money always runs out, I don’t ever have enough to pay my few bills – necessities, not shopping bills. They way I’ve been working myself is evidence that I am not even close to trusting God to provide – though He promises me he will. When I am spend all my time at work, I don’t leave anytime to do His work. Oh, and ask me if I’m a good example of Christian loving-kindness in my workplace. (That would be an easy “NO”.)
To be totally honest, I’ve worked so much that I have denied myself and my daughter the necessary “time out” from daily life that we all need called “vacation” for years! The last time Rebecca and I took a bonafide vacation, she was seven years old. Rebecca will be 15 in four short weeks. That’s too long folks. This is my official notice that we will be on vacation the 2nd week of October. Why so far away? I’m actually PLANNING the trip (see, that’s me being more intentional right there!). Oh, and funding. A single-mom’s gotta save up, ya feel me? (How I’m planning on saving will be another blog for another day in the near future.)
CHURCH/COMMUNITY SERVICE:
I am going to continue to serve at church as a Middle School Youth Leader, Small Group Coordinator, take my turn in visitors reception each month – I enjoy each of these, and feel they are where I can be best used at church. I’ll even continue to dismiss the children when I’m asked too! Chances are I’ll say yes to the random need here or there. Someone recently asked me if I was going to take back any of my “Coffee Angel” duties. Nope. No. Nada. Not because it’s a horrible task – it’s not, in fact, it’s a cool task because EVERYONE loves the Coffee Angel! But it’s neat to walk in on Sunday morning and never know who is going to be there making coffee – great to see different people being able to serve our church.
I am going to spend more time in prayer, more time being still, more time being quiet (don’t roll your eyes! I can do it – really I can!). I want to surrender more of myself and my time to God so that I'm a better reflection of what He can accomplish in a person’s life, and a truer reflection of His love to others as I serve His people and my church family. In doing less, I think I’ll serve more – more effectively. He’s a Big God, but when I serve while running on empty, people don’t know it.
THE SHORT LIST:
Run two half-marathons this year.
Write more personal letters and thank-you ‘s.
Clean out the clutter at home , minimizing stuff to maximize peace and comfort.
Get the porch kitty neutered, vaccinated and inside - he’s cold out there!
Finish reading Anna Karenina and maybe, just maybe, tackle some Dostoevsky…
So, I'm a huge fan of resolutions. I've had a list of resolutions every year for the past 6 years, and have managed to accomplish in full, or 95% of each list. They've been very concrete/specific resolutions that I could measure pretty easily. This year, included in my short list of concrete "to do's," is a somewhat heftier resolution to become more intentional in my approach to life and how I am living it.
Anyone who knows me, knows that I tend to rush headlong into every endeavor. I've always tried to make this a positive as in "It shows I'm eager! It shows I'm not afraid of a challenge!" Many times everything works out just fine, once or twice even for good. As such, I’ve had folks say that my rushing in wasn't so bad, why even many Bible heros often made quick decisions! Me? I’m not fighting Philistine’s! I don’t have to approach everything as if I’m “going in like gang-busters!” I make quick decisions on everything, whether something big or small is at stake. That’s not wise. When my snap decisions haven’t worked out, there's usually been a long road to travel before I'm finished dealing with the consequences. I’ve mastered the “art” of I learning the hard way – even when what I’m doing is in and of itself good. This year I want to slow myself down and prayerfully and mindfully consider how I spend my time, my resources, myself. I want to become a humanBEING instead of a humanDOING.
How I’ve operated thus far: I don’t want to turn down anyone’s dinner invitation. I don’t want to turn down anyone who is asking me to dog-sit. I don’t want to turn down any request to help or serve whether it’s at church, work, or at community service. This is not to say I don’t want to do any of these things at all – quite the contrary. Aside from work these are all things I enjoy doing.
What I know and want now: I have a strong desire to serve at church, but I can’t serve any area well when I’m trying to serve too many areas. I want to do a good job at work, but I can’t perform at my best when I don’t say no to any project, when I work 50-60 hours a week and become exhausted, or when I bring work home. I can’t effectively help in any community service endeavor when I am meeting myself coming and going, 24/7, 365 days a year. No matter how much I want too - I can’t be all things to all people in my life, so I must learn to be more comfortable saying "No."
DINNER INVITATIONS:
First let me say this, life is pretty darn good when you’ve got so many loving friends that a “problem” is too many dinner invitations. I honestly do not view this as a problem at all. The problem lies in the fact that when I try to accept every dinner invitation I receive, I’m not spending enough time with any friends to truly develop a deeper, stronger relationship. Let me be clear people: Please DO NOT STOP inviting me to dinner! I want to come and eat with you! Food and friends are pretty much my favorite things. Most of you are really gifted cooks. That said, when I have been away from home 6 nights in any given week, and I’m invited to dinner on the 7th, sometimes I need to be honest with myself and with you by admitting that I need to keep my behind at home! (Another option: Maybe we can plan dinners with more friends - I know, that’s technically a party – but who doesn’t love a party?)
WORK:
I am no longer going to work myself to death at my job. I’m going to do a good job, but I work so many hours in an effort to make more money. Even so the money always runs out, I don’t ever have enough to pay my few bills – necessities, not shopping bills. They way I’ve been working myself is evidence that I am not even close to trusting God to provide – though He promises me he will. When I am spend all my time at work, I don’t leave anytime to do His work. Oh, and ask me if I’m a good example of Christian loving-kindness in my workplace. (That would be an easy “NO”.)
To be totally honest, I’ve worked so much that I have denied myself and my daughter the necessary “time out” from daily life that we all need called “vacation” for years! The last time Rebecca and I took a bonafide vacation, she was seven years old. Rebecca will be 15 in four short weeks. That’s too long folks. This is my official notice that we will be on vacation the 2nd week of October. Why so far away? I’m actually PLANNING the trip (see, that’s me being more intentional right there!). Oh, and funding. A single-mom’s gotta save up, ya feel me? (How I’m planning on saving will be another blog for another day in the near future.)
CHURCH/COMMUNITY SERVICE:
I am going to continue to serve at church as a Middle School Youth Leader, Small Group Coordinator, take my turn in visitors reception each month – I enjoy each of these, and feel they are where I can be best used at church. I’ll even continue to dismiss the children when I’m asked too! Chances are I’ll say yes to the random need here or there. Someone recently asked me if I was going to take back any of my “Coffee Angel” duties. Nope. No. Nada. Not because it’s a horrible task – it’s not, in fact, it’s a cool task because EVERYONE loves the Coffee Angel! But it’s neat to walk in on Sunday morning and never know who is going to be there making coffee – great to see different people being able to serve our church.
I am going to spend more time in prayer, more time being still, more time being quiet (don’t roll your eyes! I can do it – really I can!). I want to surrender more of myself and my time to God so that I'm a better reflection of what He can accomplish in a person’s life, and a truer reflection of His love to others as I serve His people and my church family. In doing less, I think I’ll serve more – more effectively. He’s a Big God, but when I serve while running on empty, people don’t know it.
THE SHORT LIST:
Run two half-marathons this year.
Write more personal letters and thank-you ‘s.
Clean out the clutter at home , minimizing stuff to maximize peace and comfort.
Get the porch kitty neutered, vaccinated and inside - he’s cold out there!
Finish reading Anna Karenina and maybe, just maybe, tackle some Dostoevsky…
Tuesday, December 7, 2010
If I Could Give Everyone Just 5 Books...
I'm an avid reader (understatement of the century), and so, if I were to overthink this topic, this blog would never get written. The top three on my list are the standing top 3, they'd never change, and would always be on my list in this order. Probably a blog on "If I Could Give Everyone Just 10 Books" would have been more accurate, but most folks won't read one or two, so shoving 10 at you would just be overkill.
So, If I could give everyone just 5 books, I'd give these:
1. "The Bible", by God - Red Letter of course, probably New International Version or the New Living Translation, for teens I'd give "The Way" Bible, it's what I used as a teen myself and is my most used and abused Bible to date.
2. "To Kill a Mockingbird", by Harper Lee - I can't say enough about how beloved this book is to me. The story is never old, it always touches a deep place inside the heart and conscience. No wonder Harper Lee never released another book to the world, she didn't need to. It doesn't get better than this.
3. "The Littlest Angel" by Charles Tazwell - the family tradition for my immediate family of two, is to read this book every Christmas Eve night. I dare anyone to read it outloud all the way through without at least choking up a little. Me, I bawl. Give yourself the gift of this book, you'll be glad you did.
4. "A Tree Grows In Brooklyn" by Betty Smith - full of hope and inspiration, a story of a family living in less than ideal circumstances, how one sucummbs to those circumstances, how some survive them, and one who overcomes them. *
5. "Blue Like Jazz" by Donald Miller - I have such an intellectual crush on Donald Miller I can barely stand it. His writing is just like cool, soothing water. Ever been disillusioned with church? With a parent? With life? Yeah, well so had Don - and he ain't afraid to tell you about it and to also tell you how he moved through it and on to the brighter side. I LOVE THIS BOOK. (Thanks Kelly!)
* Number 4 was really a toss up. I could have easily included "The Grapes of Wrath" by John Steinbeck here. If you haven't read any Steinbeck, do yourself a favor and add this book to your reading list. It will take some real effort, and a copy of the Cliff Notes (there's an entire chapter on Dust - deeply moving believe it or not), but it will be worth it. I promise.
What 5 books would you give?
So, If I could give everyone just 5 books, I'd give these:
1. "The Bible", by God - Red Letter of course, probably New International Version or the New Living Translation, for teens I'd give "The Way" Bible, it's what I used as a teen myself and is my most used and abused Bible to date.
2. "To Kill a Mockingbird", by Harper Lee - I can't say enough about how beloved this book is to me. The story is never old, it always touches a deep place inside the heart and conscience. No wonder Harper Lee never released another book to the world, she didn't need to. It doesn't get better than this.
3. "The Littlest Angel" by Charles Tazwell - the family tradition for my immediate family of two, is to read this book every Christmas Eve night. I dare anyone to read it outloud all the way through without at least choking up a little. Me, I bawl. Give yourself the gift of this book, you'll be glad you did.
4. "A Tree Grows In Brooklyn" by Betty Smith - full of hope and inspiration, a story of a family living in less than ideal circumstances, how one sucummbs to those circumstances, how some survive them, and one who overcomes them. *
5. "Blue Like Jazz" by Donald Miller - I have such an intellectual crush on Donald Miller I can barely stand it. His writing is just like cool, soothing water. Ever been disillusioned with church? With a parent? With life? Yeah, well so had Don - and he ain't afraid to tell you about it and to also tell you how he moved through it and on to the brighter side. I LOVE THIS BOOK. (Thanks Kelly!)
* Number 4 was really a toss up. I could have easily included "The Grapes of Wrath" by John Steinbeck here. If you haven't read any Steinbeck, do yourself a favor and add this book to your reading list. It will take some real effort, and a copy of the Cliff Notes (there's an entire chapter on Dust - deeply moving believe it or not), but it will be worth it. I promise.
What 5 books would you give?
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