We are in CO!  Not home yet, but we will do the last 1 and 1/2 hours in the morning.  We are in a motel at the place where my parents have to go one way to get home and we go another.  Hubby will be picking us up tomorrow.

Apparently we have one child who gets carsick.  

Other than that it was a nice drive home.

friday evening ramble

I love it that my son calls me sweetheart.

We will be leaving in the AM.  

The kids caught some fireflies tonight, which is cool because we don't have them where we live.

Last night they were catching toads.  I suppose we might have those at our house, but I haven't seen any.

Missouri climate promotes a lot of beautiful green stuff.  But I am savagely allergic to some of that stuff.

I forgot to tell you that on the way here, as we went passed the Air Force Academy, we saw the Tunderbirds practicing for the graduation.  That was cool.

I'll try to post tomorrow night when we get in to Colorado.

fun and silliness

Julie and I tried to take a nice picture of us together with each other.

But we just kept looking silly.

Maybe one of us more than the other.  Ahem.

Or not...

Finally, we just gave up.

thursday thirteen

Thirteen things I've done at my sister's house in 24 hours.

1. taken goofy pictures with my sis

2. been kissed by a Cockatoo

3. been kissed by a cat

4. ridden in a 62 Ford Falcon

5. played Sorry and tried not to get irritated with those mean people who kept putting me back at start

6. spun the spinner for the kids to play Twister

7. talked to the police

8. listened to Julie tell stories about when my kids were little

9. met my nephew's girlfriend

10. picked a strawberry

11. sang a couple of duets with my niece

12. whacked my head and forgot to cry about it

13. saw a firefly close up.  They aren't pretty unless they're lit.

how it went down

The trip was pretty much as I predicted, but different.

We didn't see any tornadoes, but we did see a lot of tornado damage.  I was surprised.  I've never seen that much damage - or really any - on any of my other trips across.

We went through two towns that were hit hard last year.

We saw a place that was hit just a week or so ago.  Lots of broken trees.  And we saw some flooding as well.

We had one sick kid.  We thought it was just nerves before we left, but more than halfway through the trip we discovered just how real the sick really was.

The van very nearly didn't make it all the way.  The engine light came on and the engine sputtered and coughed.  So we may be in MO to stay.  

We did see a lot of trucks and a lot of those feed lots.  And a lot of COOP silos.  Several turtles, a couple of pheasants, and an armadillo.

It is good to see family and we are planning on having fun any time now.  Some of us have started, but others hit their head really hard today and thus are still a bit grouchy.  I'll get over it.

13 long hours

This is what I've predicted my day to be like.  I've made this trip before.  If you've never driven across Kansas, well... try to keep it that way, if you can.  I have done it more than a dozen times.  Although south Kansas - which is the route we are taking, does have a little more interest than I70 does.

There are a few scenic highlights.

Hopefully nothing as exciting as this!

plans

It is a cool, cloudy day today.  I feel bad for all the cookouts that have been planned.

We aren't doing anything special.  I will spend the day packing and getting ready for a trip.  Tomorrow my kids and I are riding with my folks to Missouri to see my sister, Julie.

It will be great fun to see her and her family, but not so much the longggg ride to get there.

If you think of us, please pray for happy attitudes and no squabbling or boredom.  Please pray for safe travels and good weather.

I've already written tomorrow's post and it will auto post in the morning.  I won't have a chance to do it tomorrow.

I'll be blogging from MO, though, for the rest of the week!

Have a blessed Memorial Day, today! And don't forget to take a minute to remember what it's all about.

In Memory

Memorial Day has been observed since 1868.  It was established to honor those who died during the Civil War and was called Decoration Day for many years.  It later expanded to honor all who died during war or military service.  The name was officially changed to Memorial Day in 1968.

Flanders Field 

John McCrae (1915)

In Flanders fields the poppies blow 
Between the crosses, row on row
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly 
Scarce heard amid the guns below.

We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved and were loved, and now we lie 
In Flanders fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die 
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow 
In Flanders fields.

matters of life and death

When I was in college taking nursing training, the head of the department told us that we needed to determine our values then.  We needed to know where we stood on ethical issues so that when one came up, we wouldn't have to think about it.  It is a miry, confusing place - medical ethics.

I decided that I am for life.  I don't care about "quality of life"; that's not mine to judge.  I've just determined that everyone needs to be given the opportunity to live.  Life is the breath of God.   God breathed life into us and all humanity has that.  And no matter the quality of life, we each have only one.  I don't think its for us to decide anything about when it ends.   Besides, there's the whole slippery slope deal, but I don't want to talk about that.

It is always difficult for me when someone decides to "pull the plug" on someone.  Even when it looks hopeless.  But I try not to judge because I know that in most cases it's done out of love.  The Terry Shaivo case was a different story, but I don't want to talk about that.

Anyway.  It has been my decision that I won't pull anyone's plug and I do not want mine pulled because many times someone has been declared dead - even brain dead, and still survived.  

On the other hand, you can't keep someone on those machines indefinitely.  

The good news is that God is ultimately in control of life and death.  No matter how big for our britches we get - He is still God.  If it is time for someone to go, all of our interventions aren't going to make any difference.  If He still has a purpose for someone on earth -- if it isn't their time to go, then nothing we do can change that either.

*side note: I saw a story of a man who had shot himself point blank in the head and lived.  Not once, but two or three times.  Its absolutely heartbreaking that he was so desperate to die, but it shows that we don't have as much control over things as we think we do.*

Anyway, please go read this short, amazing story that demonstrates that diagnosing death isn't as cut and dry as we may think - and also the fact that it ain't time until God says its time.

what I'm doing

Right now I am in a coffee shop/bakery with the famous author Megan DiMaria and we are writing.  Writing, I tell you.  And I have met my goal for the week and I am happy.  I am very happy.  I can write.  I can do it when I set my mind to it.  And even more, it's fun!

Go to Megan's blog to see a picture of us.

weird day

First thing, I learned of SCC's tragedy which had me broken hearted all day.  

I had a wonderful coffee talk with a friend, but we talked about some thought-provoking things.  

There was caffeine in the coffee that I had ordered de-caf.  I became pretty sick from that.  I just can't do caffeine on an empty stomach.

Then I heard about the tornado that struck north of here and we were under a watch as well.  I feel for the family of the one person killed, but thank God there wasn't more life lost.  That bottom picture is of what is left of a tractor trailer that blew across that field off of the Interstate.

My daughter had her continuation program from sixth grade!

We went out for a celebratory dinner, even though I still felt very odd from the caffeine.

I talked to a cousin to be sure she hadn't got tornadoed or anything.  It is always fun to talk to her.

Then I talked to a friend that I hadn't talked to for nearly a year.  She has been through some major life changes and had some real difficulties and heartbreaks since I last spoke to her.  Her most recent thing was being attacked by a 130 pound dog in a pet store.

She said some very kind things to me and it was good to talk to her.  We finally hung up about midnight and I went to bed.

It was a very life-filled day.  Life is full of ups and downs.  Good news and bad.  Grief and hope.  Friends, laughter and tears.  Encouraging and being encouraged.  

It was a weird day, but you all know how I feel about weird.  

tragic loss

Most of you know Steven Curtis Chapman, the grammy winning musician.  Please pray for his family today and in the weeks to come.  You can read more about the tragedy that struck his family at Jen, Angie, and Cindy's blogs.

thursday thirteen

Once I did a TT on my favorite actors and they were all from the old days.  Jan asked me who my favorite contemporary actors are, so here you go:

aloha

Here's something entertaining.  We watched this at our Glen Eyrie conference.  I think every writer should have one of these.

great news

So today I am meeting a friend, maybe two, at a coffee shop to write.  We will probably have to sit at separate tables because I would pretty much rather talk than write.  But here's the cool thing --this morning while getting dressed, I had some really great ideas for some really great changes.  I wanted to change the beginning and I knew the basics of that change, but not the specifics.  I got some great specifics today!  And I'm going to write them in at the coffee shop!  Isn't that great?!

a kick in the pants

My friend Danica is doing a writing challenge.  She is even giving away prizes!  Go over and check it out if you feel you need some motivation.

you can call me ray...

you can call me Jay...

Remember that guy?

I've been called a lot of things.  A couple of different people called me Mary.  One guy called me Kim.  You can't shorten Kay, so one of my pastors and my grandma called me Katherine.  My grandma also called me Katy, as did my cousin and my dad.  I've been called Kelloggs, (because I'm flaky), Special K, (because I'm special), K-bee, K-bird, Kay Kay, and Cake.  My friend's mother is Spanish and apparently can't say Kay, she called me Cake.

Lately I've noticed that  a lot of people call me Kay Day.  That's cool.  It's kinds like the opposite of Cher.

But the other day I heard a new one.  We were at The Cheesecake Factory for my belated mother's day lunch and the guy called a name that sounded like mine.  So we went to him and I said, "Did you say Kay?"  He said something, (it was noisy in there) and I said, "Kay?" Then he showed me his piece of paper.  It said HAY.  Ok, I said.  Close enough.  But then we laughed.  He said he felt very unprofessional because it sounded like he was saying, "Hey!  Party of four."

So you can call me Kay, you can call me Kay Day,  you can even call me Hay.  But you doesn't have to call me Mary.

Prince Caspian

I really enjoyed this movie!  I loved the first one better, I also enjoyed the first book more.  Prince Caspian is a good story, but not one of my favorites of the Narnia series.  There are a lot of battles and that's not really my thing.  This movie does have a lot of killing in it, but nothing graphic or bloody.  Still, you might keep that in mind if taking your children with you.

It's been a while since I've read the book, but as far as I could remember the movie stayed pretty close to the book.  It did add in one little facet that isn't in the book, but movies like romance.

The book of course goes into more detail as to the spiritual reasons why some people could see Aslan and others couldn't.  But it's always harder to get those things across on film.

One part I love in the story is when Aslan asked "But why didn't you follow me anyway?"  Good question.

But later in the story she has the opportunity to demonstrate her faith as she stands alone against a massive onslaught.  Alone, but for the mighty Lion at her side.  I loved that image and I hope to keep it in my mind.  I want that kind of faith.  The armies coming against her appeared insurmountable, but she stood firm, her little dagger in hand.  She stood because she knew the one beside her.  She knew who he was and that all the power belonged to him.  She also knew who's fight it really was.  I want to remember that.

So, I recommend the movie.  It was very well done and very exciting!

wine

I like wine.

I don't really like to drink it.  I haven't acquired the taste.  And I don't think there is anything wrong with drinking wine.  Jesus drank it.  His first miracle was making it.  And no, I don't think it was grape juice.  Sin is in drunkenness, not in drinking.  The same way that sin is in gluttony, not in eating.  Sin is in the misuse of the good things God has given us.  Sex isn't wrong, sex outside of marriage and adultery are.

Anyway, back to my topic...

I first had wine for communion at the Anglican church we attended, and I liked it.  The church we've been going to offers both wine and grape juice.

Here's why I like wine.  It symbolizes the blood of Jesus. The blood of the New Covenant.  And the blood of Jesus is not impotent.  It has power.  The blood of Jesus has the ability to change your behavior.  Wine has the potential to change your behavior.  Not for the better necessarily, but it is not neutral.  Grape juice can only make you fat, it has no other power.  There is power in wine and there is power in the Blood.  Wine tastes alive.  

I am not against using grape juice.  I just found that there was a great significance to me when I tasted the rich, tangy wine as the person holding the cup said to me, "This is the blood of Christ which was shed for you."  Last night at communion the man said, "This is the blood of Christ, the cup of salvation."  

fear of failure

Who me?

I keep telling myself that the only way I can fail is to not finish.

Think I'll listen?  Think I'll ever believe it?  Got a lifetime of a fear of failure to overcome here.  

friday's feast

This is my second post for the day, so keep reading.

I haven't done a Friday's Feast in a long time.  This is actually the one from last week, but it looked like fun, so I'm going to do it.  Rules are for breaking, right?  Just don't tell my daughter.  She's a rules kind of girl.

Appetizer

When someone smiles at you, do you smile back? Yes.  Unless it is a creepy guy coming on to me or something.  I can be quite stuck up when I need to be.

Soup

Describe the flooring in your home.  Do you have carpet, hardwood, vinyl, a mix? We have carpet in the bedrooms and the family room and the dining room, which I use as an office.  We have hardwood in the kitchen, eating area, and living room.  And we have those big stone tiles in the bathrooms.

Salad

Write a sentence with only 5 words, but all of the words have to start with the first letter of your first name.  This is why I wanted to do this.  K isn't easy.  Kindheartedly kissing kangaroos kicks karma.  I did it!

Main Course

Do you know anyone whose life has been touched by adoption?  Off the top of my head I can think of six families I know who have adopted children.  Four of them also have children that they gave birth to.

Dessert

Name 2 blue things.  My son's eyes.  My writing table.

giving up the fight

If you've been reading my blog long, or if you know me in person, you know that I have not particularly wanted to be a writer.

I have always loved reading and have always had story ideas in my head, but have never really liked putting the pen to paper.  I don't keep a journal regularly or write letters.  I got bad grades on all of my compositions and essays and such in school.

But...God has called/directed/guided me to write this story.  I have always said that I am willing to do whatever He wants me to.  But being willing and doing something willingly are apparently two different things.  I can do it and still fuss and whine.  I guess that's not really the right way.

I have always asked Him to use me to do things that are bigger than myself.  To do things through me that go beyond my own capabilities.  I would say this is one of those things.  This is an answer to prayer.  Because when this book gets finished, it will be a miracle!

So, I am giving up the fussing and whining.  I am going to write a novel.  Probably another one after that.  And a next one, too, if that's the way it goes.  And I am going to do it with an eager and joyful spirit.  I am declaring this for all of the world to read.  So if you catch me whining. If you hear me say, "I never even wanted to write a book."  Then remind me that I am no longer fighting it.  Remind me that I have decided to embrace this new part of my life with gladness.

It is hard work.  I have been shocked at how difficult it is.  And it is frightening because to really write, I have to put myself into it and be vulnerable in new ways.  And to learn to separate myself from my work when it comes to rejections, etc, will be a difficult thing to do.  Is it even possible?

Anyway.  I am a writer.  I am writing a novel and I am going to have  blast doing it!  

There, how's that?

thursday thirteen

Thirteen things I want to do when I grow up.

1. Be a florist

2. Be a Funeral Director or Mortician.  Really.  I liked this idea even before I read Angela Hunt's Doesn't She Look Natural.

3. Be a college professor

4. Be a(n) historian

5. Be an archeologist

6. Be a horse rancher

7. Be a photographer

8. Be some kind of scientist - biology or chemistry.  Or astronomy.

9. Be an interior designer

10. Be an event planner

11. Own a book store

12. Own a restaurant that uses natural and local foods.  Fresh, made from scratch.

13. Be a novelist.

easily amused

I really am.  

Today I saw a big ol' teenaged boy with the long skater hair and a hat crammed down on that hair sitting in the passenger side of an SUV.... blowing bubbles.  Blowing bubbles like a bubble fiend.  

Made me happy inside.

wiley

I can't think of what to blog about today.

A dozen deer just walked through my yard.  Very nice.  

Yesterday a friend and I went walking with her dogs and had to fight off a vicious coyote.  Ok, "fight off" may be over-stating it a little, but it sounds exciting doesn't it?  There was a coyote, a big coyote, who was eyeing her dogs.  I shooed him off once, but as soon as our backs were turned he ran right back at us.  After about three times of us yelling and throwing things, he finally left.  But sure'nuff, we ran into him again.  He had just circled around.  So when we saw him at the end of our trail, we decided to go back home.  Her dogs were off leash and I was afraid one of them would get eaten.

There, I did have something to say after all.  For what it's worth.

I'll let you provide the spiritual application.

grace

encrusted and mired

by the grime

my heart struggles to beat

my lungs grasp and gasp

for clean air

the sticky slime

impedes me and yet

I cling to it

I want it

It fits me like a glove

I feel the first few drops

and then some more

a fierce torrent

falls gently on my head

the sludge works free 

it begins to slip

and slide

down my face 

off my body

I see clear, clean skin

and watch the oily slick

run in rivulets

making trails in the dirt at my feet

puddles form and worms die

stains are gone

and I

am clean

happy mother's day

To those of you who have birthed your own.

To those of you who love children birthed by another.

To those of you who have no children but help in mothering other's by stepping into the gap, offering your time, your advice and your love.  

All women have a life-giving spirit.  We nurture and love and give life, whether physical or spiritual.  

Happy Mother's Day to you all!

Keep reading for a post about my mom.

being my mother's daughter

Meant spending about half of my childhood in nursing homes.  Every Sunday we had a service in a nursing home and my sister and I had to go from room to room inviting people to attend and helping them to the service... by ourselves!!

The only Christmas parties I can remember attending were those at school and those at nursing homes.

My mom later worked in a nursing home and that's where we went after school until she got off work.  We have oh so many stories to tell about that.

We picked up people from the nursing home and gave them a ride to church in our car.  Mr. Cooper, Gracie - maybe, And Galen who had Down's Syndrome.

Later mom was in charge of a whole big bus with a lift on it that we used to take all kinds of people to church.  And I mean all kinds.

At the time, I so much disliked all of this.  I really did.  But I didn't have much say in it.

My mother also made us go to church.  Even on Sunday nights when Little House on the Prairie or Wonderful World of Disney was on.  We could have stayed home with dad, but no... we had to go sit through a sermon instead.  One of those nights when I was nine, I accepted Jesus as my savior.

So, when I went to college I had to have a "Christian Service."  I actually had more than I needed to, because I am my mother's daughter.  One of those...working on the bus with a lift that picked up all kinds of people at nursing homes and the local mental health home and taking them to Sunday School.  

I go to church now because I want to.

I know how to be compassionate toward people who aren't like me.  I know how to talk to someone who may have a mental illness or have Alzheimer's.

I won't even take the time to talk about all the animals my mom rescued.  But when I see a stray dog, or horse, or donkey,  I know what to do.

My mom, the defender of the weak and misunderstood.  Lover of the odd and displaced.  She doesn't believe that anyone is too old, too sick, or too mentally incapacitated for the Grace of God to reach.  People have come to know Christ through her ministry whom no one else would even think to talk to.  

Sometimes I see my mother in myself.  That goes for the good and the bad, but I wouldn't want to be any other way.

more randomness

Springtime in Colorado means asking,"Is that a pear blossom or a snowflake floating in the air?"

My mom and I met for lunch then sat for an hour in her van doing nothing.  Talked a little and yawned a lot, but nothing else.  Definitely not type A.

What is beyond the farthest star do you think?  God knows.  That may go in my next book.

On my 30 minute drive between here and another town, I pass shaggy scottish cattle, llamas, sheep, regular cattle, buffalo, and horses.  Many of which have young'uns right now.  

I'm thinking I may start pronouncing every letter in a word.  You know like the word know.  Or knight or knickknack.  O what about the word what?    I don't want to exclude any of the letters.  Exclusion hurts.

i'm ok, you're ok -- or not

I think it is important for me to know why I always have to be ok.  Why I feel like I have to be strong.  Part of it is cultural, I suppose.  And I certainly don't want to be that person who falls apart at every little bump in the road.  You know the one who always has a tragedy going on.  That person who is Never Alright.

But, all along I have been thinking that I am alright.  Not that I was only pretending to be, but that I truly was ok.  But it has come to my attention that I'm not really.  Why is that so hard, even at this moment, to admit?

Someone told me once that I am a strong woman.  That is a compliment that I cherish.  I loved hearing that.  But here's the thing - what is made perfect in my strength?  Anything?

What is made perfect in my weakness?  God's strength is made perfect in my weakness.  It is complete and perfect to cover all of the gaps and holes of my weakness.

But do I want to hear someone say, "I can see that you are weak, but in that weakness, I see God's strength in a way I never have."?  Can I be that humble???

I think I have thought I was ok, because being ok shows God's grace and how He has carried me and made everything ok.  Sheila Walsh once fell apart on live TV when she coanchored the 700 club.  She was deeply depressed and had been ''being alright" because it was the way a Christian should be.  But she said later, "God does not need  a PR rep."  It's not up to me to be sure that God looks good all the time.  Did He say anything about how our being ok brings Him glory?

He did say that He is strong in our weakness.  He is our defender, shield, protector, deliverer, He tucks us under His wing.  None of that sounds like something a person who has it all together would need.

I don't think I need to tell the world all of my problems and weep and wail to anyone I can get to listen.  But with the select few friends I have that I have an open and trusting relationship with, I need to be able to talk about the times I'm not ok.  Just say so.  And maybe even tell them why.

I don't have to be OK all the time.  Neither do you.

thursday thirteen

Random is the new word, you know.  My daughter and her friends say it a lot.  The baggers and checkers at the grocery store say it, too.  So, my TT for today is just random.

1. I'm feeling just a little bit homesick for my old town and my old friends.

2. I am more than ready for all four of us to feel healthy and happy at the same time.

3. My son will only have a little more than one month of summer vacation.  He returns to school the second week of July.

4. I've decided to change the beginning of my book.  I think it will make more sense logistically.

5. One of my kids frequently overdramatizes illness.  The other one not so much.

6. I was told that when I use the word "dude" it makes me seem like one of those people who isn't cool, but is trying to seem cool.  Whatever, dude.

7. I'm so so so tired of people being sick!

8. I get to hear the lovely Meadowlarks all the time here at my house.  Click the play audio button to hear it.

9. Last week was such a lovely week.  I felt all sunshiny and glowy.  But, dude, not so much this week.

10. I'm going to think happy thoughts all day.  Really.  I am.

11. I'm a little bit addicted to Star Trek Voyager reruns.

12. Dude.  One of my kids keeps whining.  *Happy thoughts happy thoughts*

13. There is a person on the trail behind my house just standing there taking in the glorious beauty of this morning.  It is a gloriously beautiful morning.

being nice

It's raining!  I love the rain!

How often do you think something nice about someone, or maybe you even say something nice, but to someone other than the person it's about?

I tend to do it a lot.  

But I have been trying to make an effort to actually tell people the nice things that I think about them.  Why is it difficult to do that?  Is it because people often have an awkward reaction to compliments.  We don't want to make them feel uncomfortable -- which will make us feel uncomfortable? 

But we've all been on the receiving end and even those compliments that make us feel weird, make us feel really good, too.  There are words people have spoken to me that I take out and savor from time to time.  Things said years ago, even.  We all want to hear them, even if we don't know how to respond.

So, if I think someone is pretty, I want to tell them.  If I think someone is wise, I want to tell them.  It is hard for me, but it shouldn't be.  That's just silly.  I'm sure the devil knows the power that kind words have and he has done his best to deceive us into keeping them to ourselves.

*edited to add* We have to make sure that our praise and kind words are true.  If we just say nice things, that is flattery and that is deceitful.  True compliments have to be true.

ack

Oh, tooo cute!  Tooo cute!

Go look at deese itty bitty tutsy wootsy wittle fings!

a or b?

I still want to post about being nice, but the truth is, I really need to be in a nicer mood to do that.  Yes, I'm cranky.  Got a problem with that?

Ok, so instead I want to talk about Type A and Type B personalities.  I am strongly Type B.  What are you?  You can take a short quiz to find out.  I didn't need the quiz to know which I am.  But I scored a 17 on this.  

Ok, I will admit that there are downsides to being Type B.  I do struggle with procrastination and finishing things that I start.  Sometimes events go by that I had intended to attend, but somehow missed.

But Type B isn't all bad.  And it's hard being Type B in our society.  Type A are the driven ones.  The ones who get things done and make the world a better place.  Type B is looked upon as lazy and wasteful. 

But I wouldn't trade it for anything. I love literally smelling the roses.  Watching the birds and right now, watching the leaves unfurl for the summer.   I would like to have just a bit more A in me.  Just enough to help me overcome the procrastination and other issues.  But I really don't want to be like all the people I see with their schedules cram packed and buzzing about like bees.  It makes me nervous.

If you are a Type A person who would like to slow down a bit I recommend reading the book Margin by Richard A. Swenson M. D.  It's a wonderful book for helping you find time in your life to live.  In the meanwhile I am reading a book called Overcoming Procrastination by Neil Fiore, PH. D.  

So tell me about you.  Which type are you and what do you like about it?  What would you like to change?

being nice ....or not

I wanted to post something really snide about insurance companies, but I also wanted to post about being nice.  What to do, what to do...

Well, I got this letter from my insurance company addressed to Kay Day telling me that they need to know whether a patient named Kay is enrolled on my plan.   Ummmmm....... Duh?  So there is a blank for me to fill in the patients name.  I really wanted to say Kay Day - DUH.  But I figured that would only throw them into more confusion.  They definitely don't have a Kay Day-Duh listed on my plan!

Ok, let's just be honest.  Not everyone is smart.  They wouldn't have the Darwin Awards if that were the case.  *warning, don't view the site if you hold common sense in high regard*  But those people need not fear for their well-being.  They can always get a job with an insurance company!

my jesus

I'm sorry for all the videos.  I am being over-run by germs right now.  

This is one of my favorite songs by one of my favorite artists.  The footage it from The Passion and the song is 

My Jesus by Todd Agnew.

Which Jesus do you follow? 

Which Jesus do you serve? 

If Ephesians says to imitate Christ 

Then why do you look so much like the world?  

Cause my Jesus bled and died 

He spent His time with thieves and liars 

He loved the poor and accosted the arrogant 

So which one do you want to be?  

Blessed are the poor in spirit 

Or do we pray to be blessed with the wealth of this land 

Blessed are they that hunger and thirst for righteousness 

Or do we ache for another taste of this world of shifting sand  

Cause my Jesus bled and died for my sins 

He spent His time with thieves and sluts and liars 

He loved the poor and accosted the rich 

So which one do you want to be?  

Who is this that you follow 

This picture of the American dream 

If Jesus was here would you walk right by on the other side 

or fall down and worship at His holy feet  

Pretty blue eyes and curly brown hair and a clear complexion 

Is how you see Him as He dies for 

Your sins 

But the Word says He was battered and scarred 

Or did you miss that part 

Sometimes I doubt we'd recognize Him  

Cause my Jesus bled and died 

He spent His time with thieves and the least of these 

He loved the poor and accosted the comfortable 

So which one do you want to be?  

Cause my Jesus would never be accepted in my church 

The blood and dirt on His feet would stain the carpet 

But He reaches for the hurting and despised the proud 

I think He'd prefer Beale St. to the stained glass crowd 

And I know that He can hear me if I cry out loud  

I want to be like my Jesus! 

I want to be like my Jesus!  

Not a posterchild for American prosperity, but like my Jesus 

You see I'm tired of living for success and popularity 

I want to be like my Jesus 

but I'm not sure what that means to be like You Jesus 

Cause You said to live like You, 

love like You but then You died for me 

Can I be like You Jesus? 

I want to be like my Jesus

engineer's guide to cats

inner critic

No one asked what I meant by saying my, as well as your, life is a joke.  I guess you knew that already.

I am going to give you an assignment that we had.  Nancy Rue got it from some lady's book.  But I don't remember who.  So sorry.  But the assignment is to draw your inner critic.

We all have one.  You don't have to be a writer or an artist or anything to have one.  You know you do.  She follows me around and tells me I don't keep house like I should, parent like an amateur and don't know the first thing about being a wife.  You don't even want to hear what she says about my writing.  

So doing that project is how I discovered what my inner critic looked like.  It doesn't have to look like a specific person.  I could look like a blob with a big mouth or something.  Only you know.

Tell me about it when you are done.

thursday thirteen

Thirteen things I learned at Glen Eyrie.

1. Don't compare myself to anyone else.

2. I am elfin and pixy-ish.  Who knew?

3. I don't have to always be "alright".  I learned that in a very round about, strange way.  And I hadn't even realized that I am sometimes phony in my alrightness.  I had my own self fooled.

4. Writing is supposed to be fun.  Play!  Who knew?

5. If it's all about God, then it needs to be All About God.  Not me.  Not my insecurities.  Not my shortcomings.  Not my talent or skill or creativity or lack thereof.  God.

6. My inner critic is Cloris Leachman playing Nurse Diesel.  Mean, ugly, and ridiculously funny.

7. I need to nurture an inner cheerleader who will beat up my inner critic.

8. My life, as well as yours, is a joke.  

9. Creativity is not an intellectual activity.  It is a spiritual activity.

10. Enthusiasm means God Within.

11.  Excellence is precision meeting passion in a way that exploded through mediocrity and complacency.

12. The setting of a story should be rich enough to be a character in it's own right.

13. People like me!  And I can write!

calling all weird people

An editor who attended a Q&A forum at the Writers' Summit believes that there is an unmet need in Christian fiction.  That is the need for Sci-fi, Fantasy, Spec-fic, and anything "weird".  Apparently it is difficult for new writers to get this stuff published.  So he is starting up his own press!  It is called Marcher Lord Press.  It will be very professional.  He is using top notch cover designers and giving them free reign in the expression of their art.  He is allowing a way for Christian  authors of "weird stuff" to publish while getting around some of the restrictions of the CBA.

Here's something I got directly from their webpage:

"Marcher Lord Press publishes only the coolest speculative stories from the Christian worldview. So if you've got one you think is amazing but you realize the traditional Christian publishing industry is not the place for you, you're in the right place."

I think their web page could be better, but I don't think it's any reflection on the quality of their books.  They will be a real publisher, using real printers and real artists and only accepting good writers.  This man has been an editor for some time and he knows how to judge good fiction.  So if you are a reader, don't hesitate to buy books from them.  If you are a writer, don't expect to be accepted unless you are good!

  The books they publish will only be available for purchase online.  He will establish his own Amazon type store.  So go look and help support Jeff Gerke in his endeavor to get more great books into our hands!