I must be on a youtube “commercial” posting kick…or something…
trees falling in the forest…
September 27, 2008 at 9:00 am (Mid-life Crisis, Ordinary Time, random musings)
Tags: trees falling, writing for love, writing for money
I’ve been thinking a lot about my writing.
This particular angst fest falls into that “What do you do?” conundrum I’ve spoken about before. I actually know some ‘real’ writers, ‘professional’ writers. These are people who make a living writing books, newspaper articles, magazine articles, web content, song lyrics, poetry, what have you.
Me, I write because I love to write. I love the sound the words make in my head, the cadence, the rhyme, the white space between the lines. I write because I have thoughts in my head that have nowhere else to live. Homeless thoughts which need a change of clothes and a warm bed. I can offer them that, I think, so I write them down, fatten them up and here they are.
The sticking part is figuring out “what to do” with all this. Once these ideas have come into the written world what role do they play in it? Do they need a job, really? I suppose they only need a job if I’m discontent seeing them wander around my house all day eating my food, drinking my beer and leaving their dirty things on the clean couch. Perhaps to some writers this is endearing. Perhaps for some writers that is enough…something to bring out and show when people come around.
For me, though at this point in my life I have to wonder if in addition to writing because I must, because I can, if there could (or should) actually be some extension of that into the working world. I hesitate on it because this could potentially cause some difficulty in the quality of my art. Once I make my work a commodity, put it up for sale, put it out for hire…this changes the heart of it in some way, yes?
I’m just not sure yet. I suppose I’m waiting on the answer to this. For what, I do not yet know but I’ll be sure to alert you when I do.
beautiful…
September 24, 2008 at 7:45 am (Mid-life Crisis, Ordinary Time, Radical Thoughts, random musings)
Tags: beautiful, birthday
this morning while washing my face
i had this thought
it’s been a long week
a long month
a long year, truly.
i can see this year
written on my face
residing in my eyes
some sadness
some joy
some hopefulness
some peace
some worry
a few wrinkles
a few smile lines
as i washed away the night of sleep
i thought
‘beautiful’
even though i was not sure i meant it
or really believed it
still, i knew it was true
so i dedicated myself to that thought
and repeated it over and over
beautiful
beautiful
beautiful
because that is what life truly is for me
no matter what the circumstances of today
this moment
this day
this week
this year
it is, in the end
all beautiful.
Setting things right…
September 19, 2008 at 9:00 am (Ordinary Time, Radical Thoughts, random musings)
Tags: craig ferguson, speaking in truth, sweet and salty
Many of you probably already read the blog of my friend and pastor, Thomas here but juuuuuust in case you do not. He posted a video that blew me away and I wanted to put it out there as well.
This is a clip from Craig Ferguson’s Late Late Show program and it is awesome. No matter who you support in this election you will appreciate this piece.
I think Craig Ferguson is to comedy what “Sweet and Salty” bars are to snack foods. The perfect mix of content and comedy.
clothe yourself in love…
September 16, 2008 at 7:45 am (Uncategorized)
I am not entirely sure if I am imagining this but I have to say that I get an awful lot of snark and judgement from friends who are voting differently from my choice of presidential candidate lately. Not ALL of my friends, mind you but, erm…a whole LOT of them. They are, strangely enough, ALL professed Christians to boot.
I wonder what that is about.
I guess I am a little taken aback at some of the things that are said to me, to my face and via email when I tell them my voting choice for November. Jokes (mean ones at that), implications that my candidate is a member of Al Queda or Muslim (and meaning that as “Satan lover” rather than merely an expression of faith, mind boggling to me) or even, honestly, saying that he is the Anti-Christ.
Now, frankly I do find the other candidate to be unsavory. That is my impression of him but that is not why I choose to vote in another direction. I do have my reasons but I do not defend my choice to these friends. They do not ASK me why. They seem content to TELL me what they think of my choice and to defend their own choice.
I leave conversations like this confused…not about my choice of candidate…but about my friendships, about my choice in “organized” faith structures. Don’t get me wrong, I still love these friends immensely, with great deepness and grace and I still love my Jesus, with the greatest deepness and faith. What I am unsure of is WHY this judgement presents and how that can possibly reconcile with the words of Christ. I just don’t understand.
Now, if in response to my post you feel defensive of your choice I’d ask this. Stop for a moment. Ask yourself why that is…I’m not saying you are wrong in your choice….NOT AT ALL…I’m merely saying that by examining your defensive stance you may understand more about yourself and in so doing, perhaps you will be able to cast that stance away…and perhaps be able to be present…to listen…to hear….to love more fully.
I do not expect everyone of my friends to love my choice of candidate but I do require them to respect me and to love me in that moment. Part of that for me is to toss off the defensive coat, the suit of armor as it were and take up the mantle of love and respect…to be clothed in it.
that is what I require.
Radical Thoughts: Model Grace
September 14, 2008 at 6:14 pm (Radical Thoughts, random musings)
Tags: forgiveness, grace, too bad politics does not include grace
I was driving today and I felt a real sense of shame over a conversation I had recently. I trashed somebody and it was appallingly uncalled for. Here is the sticky slope…the person I was speaking to also had an issue with this mutual friend. We were basically dishing about a problem we both had had with this person.
It was not loving. It was not edifying. It was not gracious.
It was wrong.
Perhaps choosing someone who also had an issue with this friend was validating…but it was stolen validation. It was counterfeit.
I did go to this friend and make apology for my actions. I feel horribly about this. And no, it’s not you…so don’t sweat it, please.
I do my best, truly, to walk in grace. I do. This is why it tears me up when I behave this way. I know I am forgiven and that I am still loved when I catch this stuff and come to repentance. I just was thinking today though that above all else I wish I would model grace.
When someone does me wrong I want to model grace. I know there is a moment for justice and a moment for grief in this and yet, in speaking with other people this is not what is required. I want most to model grace because I think this is what leads back to love…not dishing, not trashing, not hating…none of this leads to love. It just doesn’t.
So, this is our radical thought this week…model grace. Choose the path to love. This is where we have to walk no matter how rocky the path. yes?
sweeter than this…
September 12, 2008 at 1:04 pm (Ordinary Time, random musings)
Tags: buy this record, katie herzig, new music
I discovered Katie Herzig’s music a few months ago…ok I admit, once again that I have well connected, hip friends who know good music and they are very kind in sharing the love.
So I’m sharing too because that’s just the kind of Mrs that I am.
Here’s the thing I’ll tell you today. Sometimes when I hear new music that knocks me out I am nailed to the floor for a minute or two with the enormity of it all. How can there be ONE MORE song I love so much? How can it be? It’s just one more reason to believe in God as far as I am concerned.
I want a garden and you want a coke,
Living is simple when love isn’t broke
You can fix anything, with a kiss
we interrupt this moment of silence…
September 11, 2008 at 7:01 am (Ordinary Time, Radical Thoughts)
Tags: 911, breathe, hope, pray, remember
today you will be asked probably many times to pause for a moment
a moment of silence
what I would ask of you
rather
than a moment of mere silence
is a moment of remembrance
because it’s due
take a moment today
at the very least
perhaps
several moments
as it were
to remember
and pray
and feel
and hope
and breathe
breathe it in
and pass it on
metaphor
from the Latin. metaphora, 
