Uphill idealist

There is a trough in waves a low spot where the horizon an only sky and water are our company. And there we lose our way unless we rest, knowing the wave will bring us to its crest again. There we may drown if we let fear hold us within its grasp and shake us side by side, and leave us flailing, torn, disoriented... But if we rest there in the trough in silence being with the low part of the wave, keeping our energy and noticing the shape of things, the flow then time alone will bring us to another place where we can see horizon, see the land again regain our sense of where we are, and where we need to swim. by Judy Brown

As a youth minister, I have to admit it's really hard to choose my favorite age of kids to work with. The teens are all questions, the middle school kids are ALL energy, the grade school kids are wide eyes open, and the kindergarten kids - they are not afraid of anything. Today, I asked a two group of kids to help me write some new lyrics to the song "He's got the whole world in his hands". The grade school kids needed some serious encouragement, but once they got started they had fun with the process. The little kids were so excited about the project, they could barely take a breath to tell me what they wanted to put in the song next. It bothers me that as we all get older, sometimes our enthusiasm fades. Ask a six-year-old if they can be a dancer, singer, astronaut and artist and all of them will say "YES!" It's my hope that making songs with these kids will help me stay enthusiastic about life and help the kids I work with to never let go of the enthu...

The Halti headcollar has made walking my once-a-stray-beagle mix shelter dog so much easier. No more pulling or tugging since I started using it. This is especially good since its' been icy around here.:)

I'm working today, and I remembered this song and how it captures the fun of a a free Saturday. Maybe it's the horn section, but this song even makes a working Saturday feel like a day off.

Image from D and G Autocare LTD. 3# Picking up my car from the mechanic It's not that I enjoy the expense or the necessity of car repairs, but I do relish the moment when I'm handed back my car keys and walk out the door of my wonderful-miracle-working-on-a-dime-mechanic's-shop and head to my Buick Skylark, open the door, sit down, and turn the ignition to hear the sound of the engine turn over, the car click into gear and feel the wheels carry me onto the road and back to the place of freedom that is given behind the wheel of a car. The open and even snow-covered road is better than slush trudging on foot any day in January in Western NY. So yes, my favorite thing #3 is picking up my car from my mechanic.

Image found at kecute@wordpress . It doesn't have to be the full turkey and trimmings kind of meal, but I do love a good stuffing, mashed potatoes and gravy. I especially like how preparing a big turkey for my family can catch me a few days break in the dinner category. Turkey dinner is a nice way to gather a crew of people, have some tasty leftovers for a few days, and make the house smell so good when you come in the door. Maybe I'll cook a turkey as a wind-up-the-holiday tradition from now on. Here's to favorite things and the blessings they mark in our lives.

Image found at redfinblog . Favorite things Raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens Bright copper kettles and warm woolen mittens Brown paper packages tied up with strings These are a few of my favorite things Cream colored ponies and crisp apple streudels Doorbells and sleigh bells and schnitzel with noodles Wild geese that fly with the moon on their wings These are a few of my favorite things Girls in white dresses with blue satin sashes Snowflakes that stay on my nose and eyelashes Silver white winters that melt into springs These are a few of my favorite things When the dog bites When the bee stings When I'm feeling sad I simply remember my favorite things And then I don't feel so bad Sometimes as the holiday season begins to wind down, the gifts have been exchanged, the tree is ready to come down and the decorations need to be packed away; I begin to feel a little blue. I don't think that I'm alone in this phenomenon, in fact another friend was talking to me abo...

Waking up to sunshine instead of an alarm, going for a morning walk with my boys, discussing youth ministry efforts in the near-future with a newly assembled team of folks in my small city, putting the plumbing guts of my mother-in-laws above ground pool together with the WHOLE family, eating the first grilled burger of the season outdoors, and topping it all off with watching two episodes of Dr. Who: the Christmas and Easter Specials. The only down side, the massive sunburn on my back and shoulders from misjudging the strength of the spring sunshine. Ouch! Thank God for chilled aloe in the fridge. Ahhhh. After such a long, cold winter - summer is almost, almost here.

(Image from I mmanuel Lutheran School web page ) Sigh... a busy morning at church is over and we load up the Toyota with bags of food. Garlic bread wrapped in foil and already sliced; ready to go into the oven and fill the house with garlic butter goodness. Spicy Alfredo Pasta in a deep dish pan and topped with shredded mozzarella. A lidded and bagged pan of red sauce with meatballs is ready to go. The friendly decorated birthday cake and 20 cupcakes with fresh fruit on top are secured in foil and a cupcake carrier. Two kinds of soda and ice cream are ready and waiting to accompany the dessert. They make good company. Birthday pasta dinner at Grandma's house is on us this week. The tossed salad is there all ready and waiting for us - oh and the family is waiting for us too. Oh, oh and the presents - don't forget the brightly wrapped PRESENTS ! The birthday-mobile is on the road with everything we need to celebrate: Food, the birthday girl and even the candles. Yes, can you beli...

It's my favorite. When I was about 12 I discovered the joy of Earl Grey tea and have loved it ever since. It's comforting, does not make me jittery , and if it's decaf it helps me get close to drinking the fluids doctors say you should every day. Did you know that there is a Tea Appreciation Society ? Indeed there is, and they offer any number of trinkets for the tea lover in your life. For Valentine's Day, they are promoting memberships in the organization that come with a certificate, a tea bag, a note book and some other tea worthy trinkets. Speaking of tea, isn't it about tea time already? "Thank God for tea! What would the world do without tea! How did it exist? I am glad I was not born before tea." - William Gladstone, British Prime Minister.