Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving -- giving thanks -- a time to count your blessings and give credit where it's due. This Thanksgiving I have much to be thankful for. I am 42 and in relatively good health, considering I don't take great care of myself. I still have both my parents and my in-laws living. I have an incredible husband, who is constantly adding more and more blessings for which I am thankful. . . . I have a job -- not a perfect job, but a great job with good pay and (sometimes, at least) a feeling of fulfillment -- and in these economic times, that is a gargantuan blessing! I have lovely family -- a brother, who, although zany, would do anything for me if I needed it. A sister whom I love more than words -- she is my "twin" separated by 13 years, and as different as night and day. A brother-in-law who seldom ceases to make me laugh and is as much a part of my life as any blood kin. An 8-month-old nephew who is pure joy. . . . Two parents who have been supportive in every way possible and continue to listen to my successes and challenges on a regular basis. A house -- a roof, 4 walls, some heat, some air conditioning, comfortable furnishings ( and some not so comfortable, but still usable :~) A hearty group of friends on whom I can truly depend, the top of the list being Rachel and Randy and Paul and Janet. They enrich my life more than they know, along with their children: Linda, Jeff, and Connor are as much a part of our family as if we'd grown up in the same house. Katherine, David and Daniel have been a sheer joy to watch grow up and I am so blessed to have watched Rachel and Randy as parents. I look forward to incredible things from all three of them, and I am so thankful to be part of their lives. A plethora of acquaintances and work associates who share my life and bring challenges and blessings of their own. In-laws with whom I get along and share emotional experiences with: MIL Sheryl, who is so full of love and encouragement. FIL Charlie, who is a constant surprise. Grandma Nita, who has fulfilled every grandmotherly role in a tremendous way since my own passed away in 2000 & 2001. BIL Randy, currently serving in Afghanistan -- I am so proud of the man -- husband, father, soldier, grandfather he has become. His wife (and my Sis) Marina -- a special friend as well as family. Their children: Sophia (married to another soldier serving in Afghanistan) and currently living in Italy with her darling baby -- Braden, who is a cutie-patootie (and my first "great nephew", Nelson, who is graduating from Basic Training, Julia, who is a beautiful dancer and a beautiful person, and Mason, who loves us with all his being -- and the feeling is mutual. SIL Kelli, who has grown into one of the most beautiful women I know -- inside and out. . . her hubby Daniel, who is a walking encyclopedia!, and precious Wylder, who I can't wait to spend some holiday time with! For aunts and uncles and other extended family who brighten our days! For our two precious kitties, Lancelot and Merlyn who make us smile and snuggle with us and remind us to always care for others. . . .For Cars that get us where we need to go and usually where we want to go. For a comfortable bed, and time to sleep. For laughter, For music, For dreams. . . .For everything!!!!!!!! Thank you, Great God of Heaven for these and all the other innumerable blessings you've placed in my path -- especially for the ones that don't seem like blessings right now, because they are probably the ones that will help me grow the most! Happy Thanksgiving, Everyone! What are you thankful for?

Oatmeal Cream Pie Reflection

Sometimes it happens. Not every time, but it's so clear when it does. I stopped yesterday for a snack -- an oatmeal cream pie. Every now and then, when I open the package, get a whiff of that distinctive scent and take the first bite with the crispy chewy edges and just a hint of fluffy white cream, I am magically transported back to first grade. I am standing, waiting for bus 161, where I get to read words from a science book for a middle school kid because he is so impressed that as a first grader I can sound out all those words. I am carrying my little blue and red "booksack". I am in Ms. Meachem's class, folding a paper into 8 boxes, drawing a little picture in each box. I am singing the color song and standing and sitting at the appropriate time. I am struggling with greater than/less than in Ms. Ellis' class. I am in reading group reading Dick and Jane. Ms. Harper is fussing because I don't make my a's properly. I am watching videos (read filmstrips? probably. . . ) Ms. Caldwell is my principal. I am amazed by the library. Cheryl Graham is my best friend -- we sit on the bus singing Top of the World by the Carpenters. She spends the night and is somewhat afraid when my dad gets home; hiding under my bed. I find the prize egg at Easter, with the help of Terri's mom (even though Terri is in my class). I spend the night with Terri. (That house is now a gift shop. . . ) I am harrassed on the bus by Leon -- he even rips my dress. I go with my mom to talk to the guy in charge of the buses. I ride with my dad to school, and he is amazed to learn that he knows my teacher (I have a much more interesting version of that story perhaps I'll share sometime). I stand at the edge of the road waiting for the bus and I can see my breath, dressed in school clothes for fall, and the air is cool and crisp and there are leaves on the ground. I am walking the hallways of a school for the first time -- first grade -- playground, snacks, nice people, people disappointed in me, books, people who need friends, writing, people who are really nasty, good, evil. It is my first foray into the real world, and it all comes back with one bite of an oatmeal cream pie.

Halloween poem III

Leaves crunch and crackle
Beneath my frightened feet
As I run harder, faster
To the rhythm of my racing heartbeat.
Running from the headless horseman,
Something flies through the air. . . .
A pumpkin at my feet. . .
My horse was scared and ran away,
And now I stand alone
To face a certain death

Or an uncertain life. . .
AAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHH. . . . . .

Halloween poem II

I see the stars on a moonless night
I taste the crispness of fall
I hear the voices of children
Yelling "Trick-or-treat!"
A bonfire smokes the air, lending its scent.
Marshmallows --
Icky, sticky, gooey, toasted delight. . . .
A scream pierces the air
In the dark on Halloween night

Halloween poem I

I see a jack o'lantern
I hear the wailing wind
I smell the smells of autumn
As cold air brushes my skin
When I eat a caramel apple --
I taste Halloween!

A Little Bit of Life

This summer I've been adding tons of music to my IPOD and trying to get it organized in such a way that it is the most useful for me. I've created genre files and artist files to make my music accessible, but my favorite thing to do is to put it on shuffle, and let it mix up all my eclectic music, one bizarre song after another. Yes, I have over 300 Christmas songs alone, so I end up listening to alot of Christmas music -- even if it's August! And I have a couple of files that some people would find strange. (For instance, I have probably 30 different versions of Somewhere Over the Rainbow.) I have bagpipes, classical, ocean surf, and children's pirate tunes humming alongside Elvis, a huge country file, tropical music, oldies, bluegrass, and John Denver. I have 3 different religious files -- A capella christian, General christian (mix of contemporary, southern gospel, black gospel, whatever else I have. . . ), and bluegrass gospel that has many of the old hymns. I love it when they mix, because it "sounds like life to me". Everything about our lives is so segmented. We do "church" things at "church" (and nowhere else). We do "school" things at school; we do Christmas only at Christmas (as if Jesus weren't important except at Christmas --oh, yes, and Easter); dance music is relegated to the "dance halls", and we pull out our country/pop/rock/contemporary stuff when we're with our friends. But regardless of how society seeks to segment our life, it all belongs to God who gave it. He gave us the joy of the dance, the heart of contemporary Christian, the reason for the Christmas gifts, the lack of fear at Halloween because He conquered death;He gave the variety of cultures the world over with their wondrous diversity. He blessed Elvis with his incredible voice, and The Platters with their amazing harmony. There are lessons to be learned amidst it all, because God is in the middle of it. And as I think about it with my music, maybe I should think more about it with my life. Maybe, as Todd Agnew so adeptly put it, we need, "a little more You in the middle of me!" A little (lot) more God in the middle of our daily lives instead of making Him wait until Sunday. A little more Christian music mixed in throughout the week to encourage us to walk the walk every day. A little more Bible in our daily reading material. He's there -- beside you right now. Whatever music you're listening to, He's hearing it. Whatever movie you're watching, he's hanging out on the sofa, too. Let Him into the daily grind. Live out loud. Be salt. Be light. Jesus bids us shine. He bids us to turn up the music. Turn it up loud. . . .but make sure He's in the mix.

Moonrise. . . .Sunrise

From the East, a glowing sphere rose
From the darkness of the night to kiss
The water below.

The barely waning moon
held captive the dark waves as we walked along
the sand, holding hands -- laughing, chatting,
Being together. Looking out, it
Appeared the moon painted the fingernails
Of the ocean, and now it crept forward
With provocative playfulness, tickling the
Sand with silver-tinged tips. Night
played peek-a-boo with light as shadows
Danced on the sparkling strand, punctuated
By occasional fireworks up and down the beach.

The man in the moon smiled down on lovers and families
As he lit their way and moved across the sky.

As he neared the West, the light appeared again
In the East, a gray light with shades of pink
That darkened the waves into an angry froth
and began the battle for the sky. Soon
a neon sphere emerged from the horizon,
Announcing its arrival with hues of lavenders,
Pinks, and reds, releasing daylight to cover
Our world with light and heat and sunshine.