Uphill idealist

Just when I thought the ground would be frozen forever. Just when I thought I'd never be able to wear sandals again. Just when the gray around me couldn't be any grayer and gloomier. I heard it first. A faint honking in the sky. In the V formation that reminds me of the victory of spring almost forgotten. The geese from Canada are passing though town today. They are heading home, for a season of warmth, welcome and rebirth. One goose straggles behind the group. Beating its wings as hard as it can to catch up. I feel like the bird lagging behind. Spring, hurry up. Don't forget me.

God is moving performed and written by Jon Abel . Take up the hope in this song, God is moving in ways we can't even imagine. I especially like the part that asks God to open our eyes... that must be my lesson currently, asking for eyes to see and ears to hear. I'm still asking. Creator, redeemer and comforter - Help me to see, help me to hear.

Image from Cartoon Stock The last week has been full of car drama and the rescheduling of plans due to the reduction of independent transport. I've learned a couple things the last few days as a result of all this juggling. There are people around me that are more than willing to help me get to were I need to be. Sometimes relying on others and adjusting schedules makes opportunity for new perspectives. Relying on others - Although it can be difficult for me to ask for help, its a blessing to know that the people in my life are not annoyed with my requests for help. Thank you to everyone for that - you've made the last couple of days much easier. New perspective - As to the adjustment of schedule and such, this morning I rode downtown with my husband as he took all of us to our appointed places. What a nice taxi driver he is. Instead of being dropped off directly at my office, I told him I'd get out at the high school with my daughter. My office is less than a block away,...

Cartoon found at Cartoon Stock . While driving up the steep hill to work the other day, I was looking all round as I waited for a long red light to change to green. I looked towards the sky and noticed that even from the valley I was idling in, I could see the cross at the very top of the bell tower of the church I work at. My first thought was, "Wow I wonder if there are any other buildings that surpass the height of the cross up there?" I looked across the skyline as I puttered up the hill, and could only find one building that could possibly be taller that the bell tower. City hall is one of the tallest buildings in town, but the communications antenna tower on top of the building looked to be close to the height of the cross of the church. In looking the two highest points in my point of view that morning, I was amazed to consider how in practice and correspondence to each other how important faith and communications positions actually are. Faith should be a venue of upli...

There are certain things that send me over the brink and into a sea of fretting. Most of those things have to do with worrying over a family member or friend, but this time I'm fretting over my current means of transportation and what to do about it. I can have it fixed, true. But should I put more $ into it? Should I sell it outright or trade? Is going to a newer used car going to make sense for me financially? If I don't make a change, will I be in the same repair boat in a few months? Arrrgh. I know there are much bigger issues in the world than me getting from point A to point B, but why am I put so off track by this? I wish I could blink my eyes and click my heels and have the right answer. Where did those ruby slippers get to? Truth be told, I think I'd hope I'd do something better with ruby slippers than solve my own car problems. Hmmm... I wonder if they work more than once?

Twenty one years of birthdays Twenty one years of talks Twenty one years of mystery Twenty one years of walks. Time holds our memories of days long past, of what we're doing this very moment, what we ponder, dream, scheme and plan. Twenty one years of candles, Twenty one years of cake, Twenty one years of wonder, Twenty one years of awake. Life lived together, in the challenge, in the victory and in the joy. The best gift you can give back to me is just twenty-one years and more. T.L. Eastman 09' Happy Birthday Ian , my sweetheart, my husband and my partner in time. I love you and hope you have a great birthday!

Less than myself/more like myself: This last weekend, I had an unusual opportunity to step out of my routine and life as I know it and attend a woman's prayer/book retreat at Camp LCLC . Originally, I had two friends that were planning to go with me, but due to scheduling conflicts, sadly, they could not make the weekend. Last Thursday I had a decision to make: Go bravely to the retreat without them or chicken out and stay home. Don't get me wrong, I'm social and love to meet and be with people, but having a shift in my purpose for the weekend was where I felt least myself. That is until when admitting my thoughts of bowing out to my husband, Ian , he said - "Part of effective and necessary to ministry is the ability to simply be with others." The next day, my friend Jay quoted a line from the book The Shack (Which the weekend was based on),"Child, you have no idea what I'm doing - Papa." Their words gave me the push I needed. Be with others. Those...

Lent is a season where out of devotion to God so many of us give something up. Some of the most popular things to give up are: Chocolate, junk food, TV, and Internet surfing. While letting go of habits that are not particularly healthy for us can be good and teach self-discipline, what if during lent we considered adding a habit or practice that would be helpful to our spiritual health and wellness? Last week I finished reading a book called, The Sacred Echo by Margaret Feinberg . The Sacred Echo discusses the challenge and promise of a life devoted to prayer. Margaret tells stories from her own life honestly shares her own challenges in pray and her relationship with God. She suggests that a chronically disrupted prayer life can be symptomatic of our own misdirected perspective and attitude towards God. If we subconsciously perceive God to be angry or vengeful or disinterested, we will not be very likely to pursue a relationship with God. Margaret says this in regard to times of sile...