Uphill idealist

I'm getting ready to depart from my abode and go to Emergent Pittsburgh's Saturday Retreat with Tim Keel from Jacobs Well - I'm sure I'll have a ton of pics and inspiration upon my return. Get your blogging glasses shined up and ready - I'm packing my bags! Tara

Yes we can! I accomplished writing two, nine page papers for my outstanding courses from last semester and I'm giving out a blogging cheer! One more to go and I'm caught back up... Keep the prayers going please. Tara Image@ http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://ec1.images-amazon.com

This morning the alarm went off all to early. Actually I don't think it was the time that was the problem, but my dislike of ordinary (snowy in march!) Monday mornings. I'm grateful that at the end of the weekend, I accomplished completing a project for an outstanding college course. I spent some fun time on Friday night watching old episodes of Lost's first season with my kids and husband. I had all day on Saturday to play with some art projects, reflecting, retreating and absorbing. Sunday I spent a wonderful time in worship and community with my new church: Singing, discussing scripture, and being encouraged. I am grateful beyond words for all of this. Sleep was not high on my list of things this past weekend, but after having the flu last week I'd felt I'd slept a lifetime away. So here's the catch as I think upon what I'm most and least grateful for today. I'm grateful for the things ( like this weekend) that fill my life. In fact, I'm one of t

Loosing someone you love has a way of changing the way an individual sees the world. Before my older sister passed away, I was still encapsulated in the stage of childhood that feels as if you are standing at the very center of the world. Life was simple. I was living in a loving supportive home with my two siblings, hard-working salt of the earth father and dutiful devoted mother homemaker and a home cooked meal every night of the week. We even had the tradition of Pot Roast and all the trimmings every Sunday. My life was in balance. The summer of 1983 marked the point in the shift of my life perspective with the earthquake that was the death of my sister. While I was always aware of the health problems that she had with her heart, I wasn't aware of the severity of her illness that July that I was packing for my annual trip to my church camp in Ohio. There was a conversation that I held with my sister before I departed for my "week away", where I asked her if she was ok