a heart that knows you

Something just for fun. I got this at Aneta's Blog.

RULES:
1. Put your MP3 player, iTunes, Windows Media Player, etc. on shuffle.
2. For each question, press the next button to get your answer.
3. YOU MUST WRITE THAT SONG NAME DOWN NO MATTER HOW SILLY IT SOUNDS.
4. Tag at least 10 friends
5. Have Fun!
IF SOMEONE SAYS 'ARE YOU OKAY' YOU SAY?
"Wandering Pilgrim" Twila Paris (maybe)
HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE YOURSELF
"Rock of Ages" David Crowder (um, probably not, unless the rock is made of silly putty)
WHAT DO YOU LIKE IN A GUY/GIRL?
"It's Not Unusual" Tom Jones (Well, actually, I kinda like unusual)

HOW DO YOU FEEL TODAY?
"This and That" Tom Jones (That's exactly right!)
WHAT IS YOUR LIFE'S PURPOSE?
"Ain't No Sunshine " Tom Jones (That's just a lousy life's purpose, though I think I know some people who live for that)
WHAT'S YOUR MOTTO?
"Amazing Grace (My Chains are Gone)" Chris Tomlin (AMEN!)

WHAT DO YOUR FRIENDS THINK OF YOU?
"Lamb of God" Twila Paris (And they'd be right. I'm his precious little lamb)

WHAT DO YOUR PARENTS THINK OF YOU?
"Every Road Leads Back to You" Bette Midler
WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT VERY OFTEN?
"P.S. I Love You" Bette Midler ( yes, I guess I do)
WHAT IS 2 + 2?
"What's New Pussy Cat" Tom Jones (Must be new math)

WHAT DO YOU THINK OF YOUR BEST FRIEND?
"I Remember You" Bette Midler (You bet!)
WHAT IS YOUR LIFE STORY?
"My Jesus I Love Thee/Tis So Sweet to Trust in Jesus" Bart Millard (Yes!)

WHAT DO YOU WANT TO BE WHEN YOU GROW UP?
"Fairest Lord Jesus" Natalie Grant (Well, I don't want to be him, but I sure want to be like him!)

WHAT DO YOU THINK WHEN YOU SEE THE PERSON YOU LIKE?
"I Need Thee Every Hour" Jars of Clay (Well, I am a bit co-dependent)
WHAT WILL YOU DANCE TO AT YOUR WEDDING?
"Oh Lord You're Beautiful" Keith Green (Well, since my next wedding will be the Wedding Feast of the Lamb, I guess this would work)
WHAT WILL THEY PLAY AT YOUR FUNERAL?
"Green, Green Grass of Home" Tom Jones (Hopefully I won't die in prison, though)
WHAT IS YOUR HOBBY/INTEREST?
"Holy, Holy, Holy" Steven Curtis Chapman (An interest, yes. Hobby?)
WHAT IS YOUR BIGGEST FEAR?
"Sweet Victory" Twila Paris (I wonder...)
WHAT IS YOUR BIGGEST SECRET?
"In My Life" Bette Midler (Well, I guess it's staying a secret)
WHAT DO YOU WANT RIGHT NOW?
"You Bring me Down" Leona Lewis--chipmunked by my daughter (yeah, that's what I want. Riiiiggghhht)
WHAT DO YOU THINK OF YOUR FRIENDS?
"She's a Lady" Tom Jones (Yes, they are, well, except for that one...)
WHAT WILL YOU POST THIS AS?
"A Heart that Knows You" Twila Paris

This thing didn't shuffle very well. We didn't get a single John Denver or Louis Armstrong!

If you read all the way through, and nodded or chuckled at least once, you’re tagged!

getting married

I read an interesting article this morning about a man who is having to defend his decision to get married at age 22. Apparently people think that's too young.

That used to be the average age for marriages.

Back when the divorce rate was lower.

I fully intended to be married by the time I was 25. I didn't get married until I was 27, though. Obviously, one can't just jump into it if the right person hasn't come around. And getting married for the sake of getting married isn't a good idea.

But, I'm personally not real fond of this trend to put it off longer and longer by choice.

I think that waiting adds to the difficulties of adjusting to life with a spouse. You've had more time to form your own habits, opinions, and independence.

You should read the article.

And tell me how old you were when you got married. What are the pros and cons that you see in your decision? And was it your decision? If you were older, was it because you deliberately waited or because it just didn't come together before then?

an imposition

I'm still thinking about Ash Wednesday.

Specifically I'm thinking about the fact that putting the ashes on the foreheads is correctly termed "Imposition of the ashes."

Why not "Applying of the ashes?" Or "Distributing of the ashes?" "Dusting of the ashes?" "Putting on of the ashes?"

An imposition is generally a negative thing. We don't like to impose on people. The government imposes taxes on us. Someone asking us to give them a ride in our already full car can be an imposition.

So why is this act of applying ashes an imposition?

Because it is a reminder of our sinful nature? Because it is a reminder of our mortality?

Isn't death the greatest imposition of all?

I think it's an interesting choice of words. If anyone knows why this terminology is used, I would love to know, too. If you have any thoughts about what that word means to you, I would love to hear that, too.

i know you! i think.

I love blogs, Facebook, e-mail lists, this whole world of internet relationships.

There are drawbacks, of course. Athol Dickson and Robbie Iobst both blogged about how easy it is to either be offended or to offend when using this type of communication.

But I love the relationships that form. There are people that I truly consider among my best friends even though I've never met them. People I've communicated with for more than a decade. We've shared the best and worst of ourselves and our lives. In some ways that's easier to do in this communication medium.

But I think we can also feel a false sense of familiarity. Many people are using that to replace true intimacy in their lives. If you spend time socializing online, but never having a chat over coffee with someone you can physically touch, then you need to consider trying to build that type of relationship into your life.

The intimacy can be real, but often it's not. I read about your life and begin to feel that I really know you. Yet, I once met someone who's blog I had participated in and talked to her as if we were long lost friends. She looked like she wanted to call 911. I don't really know her. She recognized my name, but she didn't really know me. For all she knew I was a crazed stalker. And I could have been.

It got me thinking, though. I took it as a warning to keep these things in perspective the next time I meet someone I "know" in this way. And if I meet one of my blog readers who seems overly familiar, I need to remember that I've put a lot of myself out here for the world to read.

When have you become someone's friend? When you've exchanged x number of personal e-mails? When you've commented x number of times on their blog? When you get friended on Facebook? Maybe we should coin a new term--"e-friends."

This affects all of us in cyber space. What do you think about it?

ash wednesday

Today some friends went with me to Ash Wednesday service at the International Anglican Church where we attended when we lived in Colorado Springs.

It was a blessing to hear the sermon given by the Bishop from Rwanda. It was humbling to have that Rwandan man place the ashes on my forehead. A man who has seen so much. A man who ministers to people who have survived genocide, ministered to me.

This is what I got out of the sermon today:

Seek God rather than seek to please God.

True fasting is giving of myself to others.

I am an ambassador of the Kingdom of God and I need to be readily available when the King calls me for service.

It's all about focus.

Lent is a new thing for me. This is the third year I've observed it. It has been a time of renewed focus for me each year as I spend time thinking about who I am and who I would be apart from God.

From dust you came, to dust you shall return. Meanwhile...

I'm from

There is a contest at Chrysalis blog for this poem and it ends tonight. She has the template and all you do is fill in your own memories. I actually wrote this a year or so ago but I want to take part in the contest, so I'm posting it again.

(By the way, this is my second post for today. Two in one day! So don't miss the other one.)

Where I'm From

I am from cigarette scented pickups. From black and white TV and

Pyrex bowls – yellow for the popcorn and red for the Jell-o.

I am from the squeaky, the dusty, and paneled.

From three bedrooms, green carpet, and doors that open

by themselves.

From room to roam and dirt and trees.

I am from swinging in a tire,

playing Wonder Woman

and Barbies.

Reading in the sun, drawing and

listening to John Denver.

Cowboys and Indians and

hide-and-seek in the dark.

From piano lessons,

libraries,

and Christian school.

I am from cherry trees, grapes vines and rhubarb.

From pony hair, cat hair and chicken feed.

Gardens and worms and wild asparagas.

I am from reunions, Rosehips, and

big feet.

From Vera and Leo, Delmas and Beryl. Two girls and four girls and one boy.

The end of the line.

I am from the teasing and the stoic. I am from praying and bickering

and loving.

From I’ll give you something to cry about and

if your friends wanted to jump off a cliff…

I am from Jesus saves and lots of rules.

From Sunday morning,

Sunday night,

Wednesday night.

From loving the least of these and everlasting life.

I’m from Pueblo and the Arkansas Valley,

from the dust bowl and a soddy.

From ranches, farms, and railroads.

From Macaroni and cheese and Chicken and dumplings,

bread without salt and canned apples.

Frozen Kool-aid, Banquet chicken and Cheerios.

From the illegitimate son of a sailor, The War of 1812,

and an orphan raised by natives.

A bronc - bustin', homesteading grandma.

A migrant worker grandpa. A WWI vet who just missed hitting the frontlines

and survived the epidemic.

I am from heart attacks, brain cancer, and aneurisms.

From strokes and ninety-five years.

I am from old scrapbooks, grandma’s stored-away boxes,

from funeral receipts, birth bills and marriage licenses stuffed

in a bag.

And

memories that need to be mined before it’s too late.

invalid

Did you ever notice that invalid--"one who is sickly or disabled" and invalid--"not valid" are the same word.

I've become aware of it since having this back problem. I am far from being bedfast, but I am very limited in my activities and abilities. And you know, I'm really struggling with feelings of worthlessness.

I've blogged before on worth and where we get it. Everything from how big our house is to how big of a burger we can eat can be the standard we use to measure our value.

Job, position, wealth, the kind of car we drive, abilities, accolades, how clean our house is, education, letters behind our name... the list goes on, doesn't it?

Now, because I can't load the dishwasher without hurting myself I find I'm feeling invalid. We'll be moving in a couple of months and I can do nothing to help. It's frustrating and I feel the guilt and shame piling up.

It's all lies from the devil of course. God doesn't measure my value by any of these things. And even though I feel guilty because my family is having to take up the slack, I know they don't measure my value by these things either.

Lessons I am learning now can be remembered when I encounter others in a similar situation. Feeling like a contributor is important, but even more important is coming to understand the real source of our value. I'm working on that.

What about you? Have you experienced a time when you felt worthless? Want to share your story?

i'm not okay, you're not okay

In November the ligaments in my pelvic bones stopped doing their job. I was in severe pain and incapacitated for weeks. But I went to the doctor and am on my way to healing. Part of the healing process is doing physical therapy.

There are usually several people in the room doing therapy at the same time. I sit on a ball and take turns lifting each foot an inch off the floor. It looks easy but is not.

A guy sits in a chair and raises his arm just barely over his head. That's easy. I could do that.

A girl gets on the leg press and breezes through a set. Wow. I used to be able to do that without a second thought. It would be excruciating if I tried it now.

Obviously everyone has problems in different areas. Still, it's easy to measure myself based on what others are doing.

You've probably recognized the spiritual application. We tend to look at other Christians and think, why would she make a big deal out of the language in that movie? It didn't affect me at all. She really should be more mature than that.

Or, man, that sexy book really disturbed my spirit and caused a lot of bad thoughts. My friends read it and weren't bothered at all. Maybe I'm not as strong as they are...

We are each weak. We are each strong. We are each crippled in different areas. And sometimes, I think, we can become weak in an area that used to be our strength. And we certainly can become strong in a weak area. But how I want to stop measuring myself based on what others are doing.