Uphill idealist

October's NABLOPOMO blogging theme is "between". NaBloPoMo is a blogging group that encourages an works to foster daily blogging. If you would like to join in, please visit the NabloPoMo site for prompts, contests and more.

Image found at Starts with a Bang Blog. Climbing, stretching, pressing on; we're almost at the point that we've been working towards. There are lessons along this road that we'd never learn if we stay inside our houses. What was it that called us out into the streets? Where did this desire to climb come from? How did we get to this place? One step at a time was how this happened. Don't become disheartened now - the downhill is just a few steps away. We did not get here alone, and we won't get any further that way. It was the haunting melody of love - Peregrinatio pro amore Dei that wooed us out of our cocoons of self, fear and loneliness. Keep singing the song of love. Its the tune you've been learning with each step you take and its time to share that song with someone else. T.L. Eastman Sept. 2011

Image from Bestuff. You turned on the light "The love you give brings so much light, like a beacon in the night. removing the fear and the fright. Confronting shadows, blacked strife, defeating death, reviving life, fanning the ash, defending my heart. Hearts are breaking, souls are aching, but you turned on the light. You turned on the light, and made things right when they were broken and you removed the dark and lit a spark that was smoldering. How can it be I have a life? How can some good come from such strife? Something in me can turn out right. Giving value to the slight. Fueling dreams, inspiring sight - burning a path to realties might. Lives are changing, hope is gaining - because You turned on the light You turned on the light, and made things right when they were broken and you removed the dark and lit a spark that was smoldering. Hearts are breaking, souls are aching, but you turned on the light. Lives are changing, hope is gaining - because You turned on the light....

Read the following scripture: "Just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, so in Christ we who are many form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. We have different gifts, according to the grace given us." (Romans 12:4-6a) What word or phrase stands out to you in the verse above? Why do you think this is? Think about the different gifts in the Scripture references listed below: (Romans 12): exhortation, giving, leadership, mercy, prophecy, service, teaching, (Corinthians 12) administration, apostle, discernment, faith, healing, helps, knowledge, miracles, (Ephesians 4) evangelism and pastor. Is there a gift that stands out to you or that you have interest in? Circle the ones you might like to learn more about. Think about the responses on your affirmation cards (Ie. See group activity on earlier blog post): How might those affirmations be clues to some of your God given gifts? Take some time to write a...

Image from Min.tool.com "There are different kinds of gifts but the same Spirit. There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord." (1 Cor. 12:4-5) Imagine for a moment that you are going to a party at a friends house. You're group of friends have all decided to meet at a friend's home on a certain day, at a certain time and bring some food for everyone to share. As you walk up to the house and ring the bell, you'd probably think of all the good food you were about to eat and all the laughter and fun that you would take part in all evening. Your friend opens the door and says, "Who are you and what did you bring?" The expectant smile on your face has turned to a confused expression. You try to think of something to say, but you stammer responding to the odd question, "I brought cookies?" The friend you thought knew you, says "Oh, ok.", snatches the plate from your hands and slams the door. You are shocked and stunned. How could...

Image from Homemaking blog. There are three different Christmas gifts I'd like to tell you about today. One was a mystery, another was unexpectedly good, and the third was good - but spoiled by my sneaking to see it too soon. If you could have one amazing thing for Christmas this year. what would you ask for? I suppose if I could ask for something besides something ideal like world peace - that was purely for the fun of it I'd ask for a full supply of paints, canvas and new paint brushes as well as the time I'd like to spend working on various art projects. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- Question to ponder: What did you say you'd like to have and why? What about this thing makes it so desirable to have? ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Mystery Gift: One Christmas morning, a long time ago in a land not so far away, I walked down to the living room to find a large shiny box under...

Peregrinatio pro amore Dei is Latin for the phrase - "Pilgrimage for the love of God". I was recently introduced to this phrase in the paper pilgrimage of Unnoticed neighbors by Erina K. Ludwig. Unnoticed Neighbors Trailer from The House Studio on Vimeo . The love of God is something grander that I can ever comprehend; yet I feel the call to share it in more and more practical ways. As followers of Jesus we are at times called to speak God's love to others, but it's imperative to never forget the quieter call to be the hands and feet of grace in the slice of world we happen to live. This life of grace can involve our voices and ears, but it's purpose is not for ourselves - its for the benefit of others. It's not just speaking, listening, doing or being quietly present - but a combination of all of these means structured in the grace of God that we are called to as Jesus-followers. The pilgrimage may or may not take us to far away lands - but the call to lo...

This coming weekend I'll be giving some talks with a group of middle schoolers surrounding the topic of gifts. I've begun some pondering and broken down the segments into three categories: gifts received, gifts identified and gifts given. Below are some amazing quotes on gifts to help get the juices going.... You give but little when you give of your possessions. It is when you give of yourself that you truly give. ~Kahlil Gibran, The Prophet What is bought is cheaper than a gift. ~Portuguese Proverb A wise lover values not so much the gift of the lover as the love of the giver. ~Thomas á Kempis The only gift is a portion of thyself. ~Ralph Waldo Emerson We should give as we would receive, cheerfully, quickly, and without hesitation; for there is no grace in a benefit that sticks to the fingers. ~Seneca We do not quite forgive a giver. The hand that feeds us is in some danger of being bitten. ~Ralph Waldo Emerson, Essays But it is a cold, lifeless business when you go t...

I had a moment in this unexpectedly warm weekend of fall where I thought, "After all this hair growing, I think that short pixie cut I used to have was perfect." What do you think... Cut the locks or keep em? Here's where I'm at... Here's where the process just about started... Which look do you like?

As I was sitting in a restaurant flipping through a copy of a book I'm rereading for a book group; my friend leaned over and said... "Hey, who's Suzi and why do you have her book?". I stared at the inscription by the author for a moment, totally perplexed as to why I was hold my friend Suzi's copy of the book in my hands. Then, the AHA moment came. A year and a half ago, (yes that long), I'd picked up a copy of " A Million Miles" by Donald Miller when he was on his book tour when it stop over at my church for a book salon. Susan Issacs was also on the tour with her book, "Angry Conversations with God." Thankfully, I did not forget to forward signed copies of her book - one oversight like this is plenty! ( Donald Miller and Susan Issacs were so kind to agree to taking a photo with me after their book readings.) One of the main ideas discussed in Don's book is working through the action and intent in how one builds their "lif...