Digging in

Hello again! 

It's been a year since I have really had anything to say. (well, at least here)

I have been in a holding pattern of sorts, which may or may not be a good thing.

Have you ever contended for something? Stood your ground, fought the good fight, kept your eyes on the prize and all that? All the while, you watch your phone, emails, and mailbox for answers? 

Digging your heels in, you hold your breath in anticipation, sure that the answer is just around the corner? 

As time resolutely cranks past, the answer is too glaringly evident. It's a "NO." Whether it's sonorous or a whisper, it's still the same. 

Disappointment sets in the cracks of your heart, as you struggle to make sense of it.

It is at that very moment that I have a choice to make. 

I can become bItter, or I can become bEtter.. 
One little letter, so many facets.  

God tells me over and over that I need to trust Him. Especially when things don't make sense. When the bills are in collections, and I lose my job. When the doctor comes in with a terminal diagnosis. When the car is totaled. When I am betrayed. When "he" breaks my heart. 

Trust in Someone I can't even see? 

If I choose to look at this problem as a drop in the bucket of eternity, it looses the paralyzing grip on my heart. 

I love the Psalms, they always speak to my heart. 

Ps. 37:23 says "the steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord, and He delights in his way." 

Ps. 62:8 "trust in Him at all times, you people; pour out your heart before Him; God is a refuge for us." 

and 

Isaiah 26:3 "You will keep in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in You." 

Be encouraged, for those that are His, there is GOOD to come out of it, somehow. it might not start there, but it will get there. 

"and we know that in all things God works for the good for those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose."  Romans 8:28 

Have a GREAT day, and keep on keepin' on! 

<>< 

Fill 'er Up!

Gas prices have dropped by a minuscule hair breadth... and, of course,  I am profoundly thankful. I figure any expense that actually drops is moving in the right direction. 

So, of course, my thoughts travel. Now would be the time to RUN sit back and endure enjoy this week's diatribe. 

As I am thinking of full gas tanks, I reflect that there are other "fulls" too. 

As the holidays approach with the usual sneak and stealth, I am thinking of full stockings, full plates, and then consequently, full bellies.

You can fill up your mind, your heart, and be full of a lot of things... not all of them good - i.e. be full of pride, bitterness, anger, drugs, alcohol, etc...

It's so easy to fill up your day, your house, credit card balances, wardrobe, and your calendar. 

The problem with a lot of "fills" is that they leave you emptier that you started. It's like trying to drink nail polish remover. It looks like water, it pours, but it evaporates and won't satisfy. In fact, it will make you sick! 

When you drink to escape, eat to numb, run on empty, and shop til you drop, you aren't helping.That problem, that hunger, that lonely won't go away at the end of it. 

We live in a society that breathes microwave-instant-now! We want full, and we want it NOW!!!! 

Can I tell you what satisfies? Every time? No lie... 

It's not a what, but a Who... 

Check this out... 

Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness (in effect, Jesus), for they will be filled. Mathew 5:6

They will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream. It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green. It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit. Jeremiah 17:8 

Then Christ will make his home in your hearts as you trust him. Your roots will grow down into God's love and keep you strong. And may you have the power to understand, as all God's people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love is. 
Ephesians 3:17, 18

So, let God open you up! Running over and spilling out to all those that are hurting right about now. 

Trust me, there's nothing like it <>< 

God bless!!! 

The Lost Art of (Meaningful) Conversation

Hey! Thanks for stopping by!!! Or more likely, stumbling in and scrambling for the mouse :P 

I have, of course, been thinking again. This pic was taken at a Pizza place in New Haven that SHOULD be famous. I cannot understand why it isn't. But that is another rabbit trail for another  diatribe story. 

If you look closely, you can see that we are all communicating. Just not with each other... actually, this pic was staged... by me... to prove a point.

That point being that good stimulating (audible) conversation is rapidly becoming a lost art form. 

I am old enough that I remember a time before cell phones... and no, I wasn't born during the first world war...

When I was a kid we played outside. We got dirty. We made tree forts, played with Barbies... roller skated with our neighbors... we actually knew our neighbors. We colored, jumped in giant leaf piles, and had no idea what a video game was, since that hadn't been invented. We waited all week for Saturdays and cartoons! 

"What's your point,"  you ask warily?
"Why the trip down memory lane?" (and half way to the Twilight Zone)

My point is this... 

That everything has a price... This glorious time of technology, social networking, and instant information costs us something... 

While we are busy documenting our lives on "Insta-It'sallaboutme.com", we are missing something... 

The elderly guy on the park bench that wants to hear a pleasant voice, not necessarily you texting... 

The woman with three screaming and overtired children in the grocery line who could use a smile or a kind word...

Maybe the waitress that comes to bring your sandwich and fries is so lonely that she can't see a reason to live anymore...

While it's true that technology can bring distant people "closer", it usually misses with regards to people in the same house, or room, or at the same table for that matter...

I am working on my boundaries with regards to how much I use my cell phone when I am with people. I even put it AWAY, especially at meals :) Even with growing dependence on electronic devices, I want to keep balance. Board games are a great way attempt your transition into "being WITH people." Slooooowly but surely, I am making progress...

Make that difference!!! Those around you will be glad you did, and you will too!!! 

God bless! 

Lori 

A New Day

What an absolutely gorgeous day!!! With dew point and humidity actually cooperating - it's perfect!

Yesterday was humid, icky, and uncomfortable. 

But today is a new day... Carpe Diem!!!

That means seize the day in Latin. 

Seize, according to the incomparable wisdom of Google: 

Verb: 1.to take hold of suddenly and forcibly.

2. Capture (a place) using force. 

Wow, that is intense! 

Therefore, with all the passion I have, I am going to make the most of this gift, today. 

So I will love hard and make the most of who and what I have been given. 

I am learning to live in the moment, rather than worrying, fretting about things in the future - which usually don't end up happening anyway,  and dwelling in the mistakes of yesterday. 

Chew on this promise from God's Word: 

The faithful love of the Lord NEVER ends, 

His mercies NEVER cease.

Great is His faithfulness;

His mercies begin afresh EVERY morning!

Lamentations 3:22,23 

So, as you are loved,  go out and do the same!

God bless! 

Lori  

 

Hope for tomorrow

While I don't generally get "preachy" I wanted to give you a wee bit of encouragement. This seems like a pretty good place to start :) 

At a time when so many are grappling with depression and some really hard things, I am finding myself torn between two extremes. 

While I am excited about the promise that a new year brings, I am also feeling bittersweet. 

This was a hard year, both for Connecticut, and for me, personally. 

Our state saw extreme devastation with Hurricane Sandy wreaking havoc with countless communities. We had a crazed gunman snuff out precious little and not so little lives - most of them never had a chance to grow and thrive. 

Personally, I have watched cancer spread it's ugly dark canvass over many of my dearest and closest. 

As I have watched people in my region by and large  retreat into fear and suspicion, I am struck again and again by the Words of Jesus - "Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold." Matthew 24:12

It sure seems to be the way of things lately, doesn't it? If you are like me, you are wondering where in the world the love is lately... 

I have some good news for you... in fact, some really Good News...

Real Love hasn't gone anywhere! He's still here, in the hearts of His followers/children, looking to be unleashed on this lonely, fearful, suspicious, and hurting world. 

Wherever you see love overcoming evil, there He is. In the smile of a stranger, in the eyes of a humble bus driver, or the caring hands of a hospice nurse. Or, in the arms of a soup kitchen volunteer giving food to the hungry. In the voice of a tenderhearted preacher, or the overworked and very underpaid teacher. 

God says in Scripture that if you look for Him with all your heart, He will let you find Him... "If you look for Me wholeheartedly, you will find Me." Jeremiah 29:13

"For God loved the world so much that He gave His one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish, but have eternal life" John 3:16. (yes, THAT'S what those signs at football games mean ;) 

He loves you way more than you can even imagine! 

With that thought, I wish for you a New Year that brings more joy and hope than you ever thought possible! God bless, make beautiful music,  and stay safe!  <><

**If you would like more information on how to have a relationship with Jesus, leave me a note and I will help you in your search! 

A Long Wait

Do you ever stand in line wondering what else you could be doing? OF COURSE you do! There are some lines that I wouldn't wish on my worst enemy - namely the D.M.V... 

Every second is an interminable Chinese water torture moment, suspended in eternity. Other lines are long and arduous, but at least there are perks. In the grocery store, they often have samples, eating while you stand there can be a small consolation. There is also reading the beyond believable Rag-Mag headlines. 

There are also the occasional lines where you will gladly wait no matter how long you have to endure the standing. 

Here's a line I stood in this weekend- it was the Apple Harvest Festival in Southington, CT. They make a delightful gastric feast in the form of a fritter.  A heavenly warm rolled in cinnamon-sugar fluffy puff. With real apples. Decent sized chunks o fruit... :) 

But in all seriousness, when you are trapped in a line, use the time to sow some "seed."  Some eternal seed - look for opportunities to help someone in need.

The Bible says something pretty cool about the subject: 

"They share freely and give generously to those in need. Their good  deeds will be remembered forever. They will have influence and honor." Psalm 112:9

So, sow some good seed and watch for great return! Peas out!

So you are still single, huh?

Oh my-lanta... 

Have you ever had one of those days where you desperately wished that you could bring a fake tree around with you to hide in or behind all day?!?!?

Sometimes people mean well, but say the most unhelpful things... you know them, the "WMC"s, or 'Well Meaning Christians'; if they are not Christian, you can call them WMS' or "Well Meaning Souls". (shake my head) 

With them, you need extra grace... generally a bottomless supply. 

I got a great video from a friend that hit the nail on the head. "Things People Say to Singles" ... all.the.time. and yes, they do. I can personally attest to that. In fact, I could have added half dozen more. 
http://www.godtube.com/watch/?v=FC1M1CNU

With another  tidal wave proportion of my friends "Tying the Knot" and taking the plunge, it seems that my circle of friends has gotten abysmally smaller. We that are left seem to cling together like drowning souls on a life raft. 

While I am vehemently vexed at the onslaught of platitudes assailing me, I can take comfort in ONE thing and ONE thing alone. 

Jesus is with me. He knows I am sometimes really really tired of taking this trip "alone". He knows how it is to ache for a hug or just someone to come home to. He gets it... He knows the desires of my heart. In fact, I might even go as far as to say, HE PUT a whole bunch of them there! 

Laughter has been a saving grace for me, and the love of my growing friends and family is refreshing! 

So, one day at a time, one moment at a time, I choose to let Him love me in the lonely times as much as I know He does all the other times. 

I try and let Him, day by day, shift my often all too selfish focus onto Him, and I find that He sends me sooo many signs that He loves me and is with me :)   


God bless you as you row closer to Home! 

Love and Other Such Nonsense

So....you are forgetting things...no matter how hard you try, you can't seem to be in the present tense...

If you are like me, you avoid Single's events like the plague, stay uber busy, and have even worn your mom's diamond on either hand to stave off suitors. The thought of dating makes your blood run cold.

When it happens, it knocks you out like Tyson's left hook...reeling, you desperately cling to what sanity you can muster, trying to fathom how you left yourself vulnerable to that insidious little flying monster- the one that wreaks havoc on the innocent. Defenses all at once blasted to the outer stratosphere... another hapless victim of...

The LOVE Bug

Pic from Babyfavors.com

Keep Digging!

Hey there! Thanks for stopping by. I can't stay long, though.. I have some digging to do. Yeah, it's spring, and that means gardens everywhere are being delved into with rigor and gusto. The fragrances and blooms are enthralling. While there is much to be said along those lines, I have something else in mind as far as "digging" goes.

I suppose I am thinking more along the lines of spelunking, or caving. Exploring the depths of something to determine the contents.

Imagine the anticipation of the team as they clear the mouth of the cave. Winding and ominous, the stalactites drip a cadence echoing onto wet floor of the cave. Deeper in the explorers venture, away from the fresh air and light.

While it's true that "mining" here in the US is generally far from dangerous, the thrill of finding some weighty treasure is a lure for many!

Coal mining is pretty regulated here in the US and a lot safer than it ever was. There are two types, surface and underground. Much of the best mining is underground. That requires some digging.

If you want to get past surface knowledge of God, and discover the amazing wealth of knowledge, insight, and extraordinary character of the Creator of all life and matter - then you have to dig.

Use His word as a plumb line - and within it you will find nuggets that He hides just beyond the easy reach to propel you to KEEP DIGGING!

Wooing us closer and closer, He waits for us to find more and more about Him. As you hold a diamond in the light it refracts and reflects in a glorious display of tones and hues. In fact, we humans are only able to see a narrow range of electromagnetic wavelengths or light - just imagine the brilliance of a rainbow up close - seeing colors meld into one another!

Speaking of unimaginable colors- this is a small glimpse from the book of Revelation (chapter 4) about the throne of God... John, one of Jesus' disciples describes his vision -

¹ After this I looked, and there before me was a door standing open in heaven. And the voice I had first heard speaking to me like a trumpet said, “Come up here, and I will show you what must take place after this.” ² At once I was in the Spirit, and there before me was a throne in heaven with someone sitting on it. ³ And the one who sat there had the appearance of jasper and ruby. A rainbow that shone like an emerald encircled the throne. ⁴ Surrounding the throne were twenty-four other thrones, and seated on them were twenty-four elders. They were dressed in white and had crowns of gold on their heads. ⁵ From the throne came flashes of lightning, rumblings and peals of thunder. In front of the throne, seven lamps were blazing. These are the seven spirits^[a]of God. ⁶ Also in front of the throne there was what looked like a sea of glass, clear as crystal. *

All I can say is it kind of makes me want to see the colors of heaven RIGHT NOW! : )

Have a GREAT week! and get your hands dirty! <3

Real LOVE

I am, for once, going to cut to the chase and try desperately hard not to rabbit trail. Though it seems like an insurmountable feat... I. Will. Be. Focused. : ) What I am going to toss out there may be a bit controversial, but truthfully, that doesn't always stop me... :p

I want to talk about Love. Real LOVE. Not the 'I "love"you today, but tomorrow you will bore me to tears' kind of "love". That ISN'T even love. Not the "I love you cuz you liked me first' love either. Again...not the real deal. Or my favorite... "Well... if it's convenient, I will "love" you'...We are so fickle aren't we? : *

We live in a disposable society. If something breaks, more often than not, it's more expensive to repair something than replace it.... and FORGET printers... You are almost better to but a new one than replace those ink cartridges... and marriage? It's taken a beating...sigh... we get bored and move on...or worse..give up. We just don't 'get it' sometimes...

Real love costs something. Sacrifice!? yes... time, money, effort. It requires compromise (the GOOD kind) when you usually DON'T want to... it's about not giving up or in...

Real love doesn't care what you have done, what you smell like, what your income is, or how you dress. Real love doesn't even care how well you play the bass... (though I might - haha!!)

Real LOVE came down here two thousand years ago, and still cares about you! So if you want to know the real love that is beyond any human understanding, and can forgive you of any sin that you have done, or maybe are even in the midst of - 'For God so LOVED the world, that whoever believes on Him will not perish, but have everlasting life! John 3:16... if you want to know more about this love, I'm here.. send me a line!

This week, if you are thinking about love, think about this... unlike people, He (Jesus: real LOVE) won't ever leave you - you are NEVER alone... <3

I hope you have an amazing LOVE filled week!

Made for more

Hello again!

It's Tuesday, but feels like Monday. I was away in New Bedford, Sunday celebrating a 40th (c'mon, do we really celebrate getting older??? ) birthday... May your day rock, Kris! <3>

Anyway, this weekend seemed to have a theme running through it. Like a finely woven tapestry.

Everywhere I turned there was some great (what we in churchland call) fellowship. I have found I can't live without it. When I am with my God family, we have a bond that we can't even explain, really. It's that wonderful spiritual connection that keeps us close.

When I am with my physical family, we have other bonds, i.e. the bonds of experience that keep us close. We laugh with and at each other... : P we cry with and for each other. We get aggravated as heck at each other. And somehow, hopefully, get past it. : )

When I was out in the bars playing music every other thing, I had a bond with the people that I played with. That was family. We made great (usually) music together, and we almost always had deep friendships with each other. Common cause was another great factor.

We so crave belonging, don't we? We were made to belong. Especially to the one that made us... : D

So what's the point of all this reflecting and rambling? Go out there and get threaded in!!! It's good for you!!!