ENOUGH.

Thank GOD it is Friday! This week was enough to send me over the edge with outrages. I don't even have the energy to review them all. But I will say Americans get more outraged about the abuse of dogs than the sexual violence that women and child endure daily, every 2 and 1/2 minutes to be exact. Great, wonderful they finally caught the bastard (noun; something of irregular, inferior, or dubious origin) that taped himself raping a 3 year old. But that crap happens regularly, even here in our "Mayberry" county. Impress me when they put him away more than 5 years probation and time served!!! A month ago we saw images of angry protesters because of Micheal Vick fighting dogs, where are the protest now?? (It is pretty pathetic that I even know this guys name, seeing I've never watched a football game in my life!) I mean the media has given more awareness and education to the adoptive dog of Ellen, than to the education and awareness of sexual violence. By the end of the Vick media frenzy, we knew how to spot dog fight, what to do/who to report it to, and the effects on the dogs. Do we yet know warning signs of child abuse, or who to report it too, or the effects on the children???? Now I can't image hurting an animal of any kind. I don't want to think about a world without my best-dog & cat-friends. But I would love to live in a world where we respect each other enough that we don't have to advertise hamburgers with soft porn (check out any Hardee's commercial). Or live in a world where kids can be kids, not the sex toys of perverts.

The music of Brandi Carlile got me through the week as I drove and drove... So, to the happy moments, when you can get them. Enjoy the videos!

'til next time...
Respect someone, Respect yourself.
Listen and Pay Attention to the other life forms around you.

a Concept of GOD

For I desire mercy, not sacrifice,
and acknowledgment of God rather
than burnt offerings. Hosea 6:6 TNIV

Jesus referred to this verse in the calling of Matthew in chapter 9 verse13. He was responding to the Pharisess when they questioned Jesus for eating with the "sinners." The first part of the verse caught my attention when Jesus said..."Go and learn what this means." I thought okay this is important... Jesus made it clear that this is a verse we should know something about. So I sat up straighter and turned the switch on my brain that would allow me to shut off all distractions and the days mistakes, then I focused.

I must have read this verse a dozen times, in 3 different translations, then a commentary! The NLT puts it "I want you to show love (mercy); not offer sacrifices. I want you to know me (God) more than I want burnt offerings." So I focused some more and like God does from time to time, he smacked me on the back of the head! Here was the conversation, God speaking:
"It is simple you small human...I, the God of the universe, a Holy one at that, wants to know YOU and I want YOU to know ME! Sure the commentaries will teach you some cool stuff, but just use what I gave you ... think!!"

God doesn't want ...
our stuff, our conjured up education, us to give up our car for global warming, to hear our prayers where we quote back the bible to him, us to "fix" ourselves before coming, or for us to fill up our calendars "serving him"

God wants ... us and all the crap that comes with us (I think he/she is big enough to handle it). God wants realness, a relationship - Not rituals.

So many people look at God like he/she is untouchable and far away. The creator of the universe, who controls the sun and moon...God is up there and we are down here. But it is the contrary...God is right here; God is in the box with us. And we are spending all of our time finding clever ways to break out of the box!!

Yes, I already knew all that. Maybe the verse shouldn't have amazed me so much, but it did. I guess I needed it - to be reminded of who God is, who I should be and who I am and that God wants it all. To be reminded that God values mercy and expects us to show it to all. And to be reminded that God wants small-minded-me, to know him.

Just Plain Random...

Can't sleep!!! I got tried of staring into space, so for some reason, I challenged myself to name the best songs of all time. Why and where did this come from??? I'll probably laugh at the list in the morning, but here it goes...Hope you enjoy!
*Please note this list is in NO particular order!!!*

Best Songs of ALL Time ... according to ME!

1. Pride (in the name of Love) - U2
2. Message in a Bottle - The Police
3. It's a Hard Life Wherever You Go - Nancy Griffith
4. Country Road - James Taylor
5. Hunger Stays - Margaret Becker
6. Next Bold Move - Ani Difranco
7. My Heaven/Late for Your Life/Joe Doe #24 - Mary Chapin Carpenter (OK to many, she needs her own list!! - Best songwriter ever!!!)
8. Worlds Apart - Jars of Clay
9. Deeper Well - Emmylou Harris
10. I Don't Know Why - Shawn Colvin
11. Silent All These Years - Tori Amos
12. Smells Like Teen Spirit - Nirvana
13. What's the Matter Here - 10,000 Manics
14. Galileo - Indigo Girls
15. LOVE SHACK - B52's (Yep! I said it!!)
16. Let Him Fly - Patti Griffin
17. Damaged - Plumb
18. It's the End of the World - REM
19. Not Ready to Make Nice - Dixie Chicks
20. Fly From Heaven/I Will Not Take These Things for Granted - Toad the Wet Sprocket
21. Time after Time - Cyndi Lauper
22. Martyrs & Thieves/Refine Me - Jennifer Knapp (What happened to her anyway?? So sad!)
23. Glory of It All - David Crowder
24. My Glorious - ???? Passion?
25. Luka - Susan Vega
26. What I Am - Edie Brickell
27. In Your Eyes - Peter Gabriel
28. Times Like These - Foo Fighters
29. Jesus Freak - DC Talk
30. Always - Newsboys

Good Night and You Are Welcome!! I know you needed that to complete your day!! Now go listen to some music!!!

Here's to Weekends!

It's been one of those weekends that you wish you just had one more day before going back to work!! One of those weekends when I walk around asking God why do I deserve this:

• My week ended with a round table meeting of colleagues from around the state - it was great being with like-minded and purpose driven people. I was inspired!
• Lunch with my mom, grandmother, nephew, and brother - good food and good to catch up.
• Guitar shopping with my super-talented, big brother (I didn't play much because I really suck compared to him!!)
• I love long drives alone - sometime you just need to go 75 mph, listening to Ani Difranco, and figure things out, or think about absolutely nothing.
• Back home Friday for date night!! Out to eat, pick up my very long awaited 10 year anniversary ring.
• Being reminded again, I am married to the most incredable man in the world and he just gets better with age!
• Small outrage about work stuff (won't go there because I didn't think about work again...until now)!
• Saturday...Marcus and I made a trip to Greenville - Atlanta Bread Co. (mmm...cheesecake!!) and to the Guitar Center!!! Hee, Hee...I bought a Taylor T5! :^)
• Played music ALL DAY!! No house cleaning, no yard work, and forgot all adult responsibilities. Lots of dishes in the sink, and it was all good.
• A great service at Capstone.
• Good times spent with new friends and their awesome new baby!
• Ended the day with more music, time with the pets, and cuddling while channel surfing!

What more could you ask for!...one more day off???

Looking out for each other!

Meet George! We literally walked up on him this weekend in Nantahala. Walking back to our cabin Saturday morning Marcus pushes me over as the bottom of my foot rolls over on to this incredible little turtle. I almost crushed him; he totally blended in with the walkway! I would have be one miserable woman...turtles are one of my favorites of God's creation. But no harm was done to this little guy. So spending a little time with George was the highlight of my weekend.

But I could imagine for many people they would have kept on going about their vacation, missing the point. This is what taking a break is all about. Actually noticing the stuff around you...humm...that's an unique idea! Humans just don't do that kind of stuff anymore. We are so wrapped up in ourselves and our stuff- the fact some turtle is just looking for a place to warm up and dry out after inches of rain the night before doesn't matter to me as long as he doesn't get in my way. The sad thing is we do that kind of stuff to each other all the time. We don't really think about why someone is sitting alone, seems distracted, or is looking down all the time. We just say, "what's wrong with them today" or "they are a piece of work." I've done it and shame on me for not asking if everything is OK or not wanting to intrude on them. Sometimes we need to intrude, we need to ask, we need to actually send a card - the paper kind, or God forbid...pick up the phone.

Who knew that an encounter with such a little turtle could remind me that we need to look out for each other. Sometimes we need to look down to find where to go. People need to know we care, people need to know we respect them. So check out Philippians 2:3-4 and pay attention to others today.

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HAPPY BIRTHDAY MOM!!!

Noticing Changes.

Marcus and I have had this long running outrage, that we've recently tested again. Anytime I have the itch to buy a new guitar, we go to this one particular store in Anderson (I'll refrain from using the store name here, but feel free to ask if you are interested!!) It started while we were dating and we have been married now for 10 wonderful years of complete bliss!! ;^) OK so the point is this hasn't changed for 12 years.

This is how it happens...we walk in look around sometime together, other times we go our separate ways. I am usually the one who picks up a guitar first and starts to play. And here comes the salesman...straight to Marcus!!! I am strumming, picking, examining, comparing and NOTHING, no one comes to ask if I need help or if I am interested. After this had happened a few times, I mention it to Marcus. Being the positive guy he is, he says no way and agrees to play along the next time we go in. So here we go again, together looking and now he is obviously showing me and handing me guitars. Enter Mr. Salesman...again NOTHING. All questions directed to Marcus and enters into conversation about how long Marcus has played guitar????

Sexism?!?! Well, walk into a music store and there are pictures of guitar legends past and present and maybe one women is represented, usually Bonnie Raitt or Heart. (Not to say those aren't great female guitarist, they definitely are...next time you are in a music store just look around.)

So we went in again last week just for fun. (This time I am looking for an electric - Fender or Gibson. Any sellers??) And yep, it happened again. But this time something different happened. I LAUGHED...all the way to the car. Though it still bothered me, it just didn't seem like a big deal. After all we have been through in the past few months, outrages seem different now. I am not saying that sexism in the community isn't important (0f course you know I will speak against it in every opportunity). We laugh harder at blatant ignorance's like that now. Before I would have seen that as an attack almost, now I walk out the store and think I still have a couple of hundred dollars in the bank and they don't.

Silence

No real outrages since Friday. It's a good thing...because elevated blood pressure and increased heart rate daily could be a bad thing! But here's a great quote to think about...

"Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about the things that matter."
- Martin Luther King

What matters? What's relevant?

• God, spiritual matters
• family
• friends, acquaintances
• co-workers
• beliefs, values
• respect
• equality
• self-worth
• compassion
• integrity
• calling

I could go on and I am sure you have your own list. But don't become silent - don't let the opinions, the stares, or status of someone else stop you from being who you were created to be. Silence is an awful, lonely place. When we allow someone to take our voice, we allow them to take part of our soul with them. That's not grabbing the abundant life God has for us either. So stay strong, speak up for what matters to you, and defend those you love.

'till next time...