I like hair in my coffee

Well, most of the time a prefer tea sans the hair, but I stumbled across a great blog called, "Hair in my coffee" by Kristin Russell. She is a writer, a hairstylist and a mom among a few things and offers (FOR FREE) her first novel, Recovering Ramona, for you to read.

I started reading a bit of it and think you might enjoy it too...visit Hair in my coffee today!

Who would have thought hair in my coffee would be a good thing???



Image from American Feast.

HC: Another story about turn-arounds

A few years ago, my son and I were home watching a movie. It was a science fiction thriller called, "Signs". It starred Mel Gibson and revolved around the idea of Alien invasion. Every time I watch this film it is profoundly moving for me, but this time in particular I was moved to tears.

In a particular scene, two brothers are talking about the two different kinds of people there are in the world. Are they the kind of people that feel life is a random collection of of happenings or does life really have meaning and purpose. Does synchronicity exist? Does the higher power really care what is going on on this planet and the lives of those who inhabit it? Do you believe in miracles?


As I sat watching this scene, I dabbed my eyes with a tissue and my son looked compassionately over at me. Usually when I cry at movies, my family will tease me over it, but not this time. Earlier that week, I'd been laid off from my lay-ministry position due to a budget deficit. I was feeling a loss of purpose after two years of trying to make things work. At that moment I did not know what my future vocation would be, and after fourteen years of working in ministry - I felt a little lost.

Nigel must have sensed that as I sat beside him watching that movie. He looked at me and said, "Mom, just because you don't work at a church doesn't mean that you can't be used by God."

Nigel was a person and a catalyst for me to repent from thinking God did not care what was happening to me. God did have a purpose and did work all things out for good - but I needed to be reminded of that fact in that particular moment of my life.

Repentance is necessary to move outside the shadow of doubt that works into our lives. Sometimes hope, by way of compassion, has to shift us back to center in order to renew our faith in, well- our faith, God and his love for us.

What fruit am I growing?

Image from Thompson and Morgan.
Spring is all around us. We see the trees budding, the daffodils are in full bloom and the tulips are just about ready to open their colors to the world. With all this growth and life bursting forth, you can't help to think of what other things might be coming to or already have come to the surface.

In my Sacred Space reading today, I was stopped by the question of reflection presented.

" Where do I sense hope, encouragement and growth in the last few months. What have been fruitful activities or occasions. How will I give those fruitful things the space and time needed to produce more fruit in the near future."

It's been a long winter, and due to that I think it's easy to think and stay in a place of frozen tundra spiritually, physically and intellectually. In the words of Ferris Beuller, "Life moves pretty fast. You don't stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it."

I don't want to miss the fruit of life. It would be a shame to allow the sweet, lovely and life-giving things in life to be missed, simply because I'm too busy or to focused on the not-so-sweet things in life.

So today, I challenge you (and me) to think over the good and fruitful things in your life.

How have you grown? What joyful times have you shared with family and friends? When have you laughed so hard you could no longer breathe?

Let's share some fruit today and prove that spring has sprung not only in our yards, but in our lives as well!
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Here's my start to spring fruit so far:

Having my Dad come out of surgery well and with humor: Nurse: "Where did you go on vacation last year Gary..." Gary: "Not the Pocono's!"

Playing scrabble with my husband and mother in law on a sunny Easter Sunday.

Learning from my son how to better play Mario Kart on the WII.

Running three miles on the first run of this week.

Getting started on spring cleaning.

Going shopping with my daughter and racing to buy her formal dress for prom before closing time.

Starting painting a mural in my daughter's room.

Almost wrapping up a mural I started working on at my kids' music school.

Sitting by the lake and asking God some big questions.

Seeing students starting to come to worship on Sunday's and having them love being there!

SWB: What do I want to be?

I happened to see an someone the other day that I had not spoken to in a while, and they asked how I was doing. We had the common conversational exchange that you have with someone that you need to catch up with. They had to be on their way, and said..." I'm still not sure what I want to do with my life." I responded, " I'm not sure what I want to be when I grow up either." We laughed at our pondering and went on our way.

Truth be told, I think I know more than I often say, "Who I want to be when I grow up." As a person who looks grown up on the outside, I should have some concept of the who that makes up me...right?

Being the kind of person I would like to be requires for me to make some choices in all sorts of areas. Do I choose to eat healthy and exercise daily - most of the time. Do I take the time to really be attentive to the people that are in my life? Do I pause and give G-d the space and time to move, lead and work in my spirit? These are big questions, but ultimately I think they lead me back to the center of Sleeping with Bread.

What do I hold on to and what do I let go of? What do I leave in G-d's hands and what do I continue to work on with my own? What ingredients do I need and desire in the bread of my life - and what ones need to be left out?

In this last week, I had some time to examine the status of some close relationships, and I happy to say I've found more good bread there than I expected. That good bread even had enough yeast in it, to migrate to another person's life and begin to take root and heal some old wounds. That is good bread.

What do I want to be when I grow up? Well, as a grown up, I know I still have plenty of room to grow, but I want to be the person with love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, humility and self-control as part of the ingredient list. As for what I am, I'm first a child of God and that is a blessing no matter my vocation or place of service.

Good bread to you all.
Lamont

HC: More chances to turn-around

To have opportunities for repentance, it is necessary to have insight or new perspective on things. Sometimes, it's a sudden moment of "Wow, things could be different." or it can be a gradual coming to awareness as well.

How can you be the kind of person that brings insight to others, the kind of insight that opens the way to change?

What parables, illustrations, songs, films or pieces of art illustrate what repentance is all about?

Who or what has been a person or catalyst of repentance in your own life?

This weekly question is part of an online and face-to-face discussion group called "Holy Conversations". It is based on a small-group study book by Richard Peace. Feel free to comment here or to visit our group at the Holy Conversations Group on Facebook.