The Clock is Ticking: July 2008

B.W.O.--Blogging Without Obligation

Posted in Labels: BWO Thursday, July 31, 2008

Yes, I know I've been exceedingly absent from my blog for nearly a month.

Again.

But that's okay. I've been writing. In fact, I've got a document open in the other window with the scribblings for a new book concept I was attacked by this afternoon. I have the croonings of a former student and trip to the Christian bookstore to thank for this one. And, I think, since I've already got 6 pages of scribblings and chapter ideas in about 45 minutes, that this will be the one I actually convince myself to send off. Maybe. We'll see.

Anyway, Watch this space. I'm about to get busy. *grin*

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Five on the 4th for Friday (Fireworks Edition!)

Posted in Labels: Five for Friday Saturday, July 05, 2008

Alrighty, so over at RevGal, Sally tells us that it seems a little strange that she, a Brit, is posting questions for the 4th (ahem)...but so what! It's all in good fun, anyway.

So lets have a bit of fun:

1. Barbeque's or picnics ( or are they essentially the same thing?) No, they aren't the same. Barbecue's have hot meats--brisket, burgers, hot dogs, maybe chicken or porck chops. Picnics have buckets of fried chicken.

2. The park/ the lake/ the beach or staying at home simply being? If I could find a quiet beach park or lake this weekend, I'd be there. Instead, I'll take the hammock at mom's.

3. Fireworks- love 'em or hate 'em? Love 'em. I think they're beautiful and they make me feel like a kid.

4. Parades- have you ever taken part- share a memory...Last year, with The Man's family, we were supposed to watch the neighborhood parade, which we discovered, just as we got settled in our spos roadside, had been cancelled. So, his sisters, DD, and I took the little ones back to the house and made paper plate masks and used kazoos and made our own parade down the stairwell in the house. (It was his dad's birthday, too, so the parade was all about "Poppa.")

5. Time for a musical interlude- if you could sum up holidays in a piece of music what would it be?

To see some other fireworks displays, check out RevGalBlogPals this week.

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What Peter Had

Posted in Labels: philosophizing, searching for myself Wednesday, July 02, 2008

Over on Eternal Echoes, Sally poses an interesting question.

"I wonder, do we still have what Peter had? Do we have the faith to believe in a God who heals, that as we go about our everyday lives and are surrounded by suffering and needs are we able to reach beyond ourselves and place our faith in a God who has such compassion upon the suffering of humanity that he will bring healing there and then?"

It's made me think, because in my meditations during the last few weeks, I've asked for some healing myself.

Here's what I said on Sally's post:

I think that we often assume that we need to do something to kick-start the miracle. We've got to do something more than just pray. It's a human condition to "fix" things, to feel that inaction means no action will take place at all.
I also think we have a convoluted concept of healing--it doesn't have to be physical to be miraculous.

I think the miracle is in that God hears us at all. That I can say anything to someone who actually has the power to do something at all. Often, that is all I need. Sometimes, I think the fact that someone felt moved to speak to Him at all opens the door to move in someone's heart or to have Him stir the pot, so to speak.

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Tuesday Thankfulness

Posted in Labels: blessings, pictures, Ten Things Tuesday Tuesday, July 01, 2008

Ah, here it is....another lazy day. I'm in my mid-summer week off. Teaching summer school means I don't have all summer off (though I will admit working only half days is pretty nice.). I've been watching old movies on AMC (Like "The Ghost and Mr. Chicken!"). I just enjoy the opportunity to sleep in, since I never get to (seriously, even on Saturdays I usually get up with an alarm) and just laze around.

Blessings this week...

1. I'm thankful for nice weather. We've had afternoon storms, but that's only served to keep it a little cooler. I get to sit in the evenings with the windows open and enjoy the cooler breezes.

2. Sleepy WonderDog...we've been seriously power napping both on our new couch and in the recliner (that we recently rediscovered...who knew it was a great nap zone?).

3. The Man...I don't write about him often anymore, mostly because being too introspective about him is painful, but this week he really helped me out. Someone who I consistently have an up/down relationship with poked me in the eye. I whined to him about it, and he sent me a text back telling me I'm awesome. I do love him to pieces.

4. Swiss cheese..serious comfort food. I had to do some comforting before I got the text from The Man. Swiss cheese helped. *grin*

5. People with the guts to do what's right. And not out of guilt or a feeling of obligation. Just because it's what right.

6. Free books. I'm on a committee that gets boxes (and boxes and boxes) from publishers. They feed my habit.

7. Running. This has been a meditative God-send for me. I'm so glad to be able to do this, and to enjoy it so much.

8. Like-minded people in my life. When it comes to prayer, social issues, religion, all of it. I'm glad to know that I'm not alone in the way I think and feel.

9. I'm thankful for the country that I live in. I don't know what to say beyond that.

10. Our soldiers. All of them, the ones overseas, the ones stateside. The ones who have lost their lives defending us and for causes that don't always make sense. Happy and blessed 4ths to each of them and their families.

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