random 12

I've been very remiss in posting. Sorry about that. Here's something I got from Aneta at The Progressive Lens.

1. How old is the oldest pair of shoes in your closet?

I wouldn't know. Several years at least. I don't think I've bought new shoes for almost a year. I always buy cheap shoes, but I'm starting to suffer for that. I'll soon have to start dishing out the dough for them. It's hard to find shoes in extra long and narrow.

2. Did you buy Girl Scout cookies this year? If so, what variety?

No, I didn't. I would probably get the Thin Mints or the caramel ones.

3. . Do you know how to ballroom dance? If not, would you like to?

I would love to! Although I'll have to get my back in better condition first.

4.Were you a responsible child/teenager?

Mostly. I was always very concerned about doing right.

5. How many of this year's Oscar-nominated movies did you see?

Well, I had to look them up because I didn't watch the Oscars. I only saw Up. There are a couple of others that I plan to see, though.

6. If you're going to have a medical procedure done, such as having blood drawn, is it easier for you to watch someone else having the procedure done or have it done yourself?

Getting blood drawn is no big deal either way. But if it's something worse I'd definitely rather watch it than have it done. Unless it's one of my kids.

7. What is your favorite day of the week and why?

Sunday usually is because I normally love going to church so much. But since we've still not found a church we love, it's not the same. But Sunday is still a pretty good day.

8. Do you miss anyone right now?

I miss some friends I don't see often. I miss my cousin who died. I miss my sister who moved out of state.

9. Do hospitals make you queasy?

Well, if I'm there in some kind of pain or a family member is, I feel queasy, but it's the situation that bothers me, not the place. I am an RN and used to work in hospitals, so they don't bother me at all.

10. At which store would you like to max-out your credit card. Not that you ever would, you responsible person, you.

I don't know. I don't shop a lot. To pick just one store would be hard. Someplace where I could get clothes and stuff for the house.

11. Are you true to the brand names of products/items?

Some. But only because I've tried other brands and not liked them. For the most part I shop the lowest price.

12. Which is more difficult: looking into someone’s eyes when you are telling someone how you feel, or looking into someone’s eyes when he/she is telling you how he/she feels?

It is much more difficult when I am doing the talking, I think. More vulnerability.

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.