Give Me an Unlikely Hero Anyday

My husband and I have settled into a very comfortable routine.  Our children are all in college, hundreds of miles away; he is no longer working extra hours as a lay-clergyman.  It's just the two of us.  Did you hear my sigh?  It was a good sigh....

We are enjoying nightly home-cooked, healthy meals, a generous time given to reading the scriptures together, and then we settle into our pre-selected favorite spots.  He takes the chair with an ottoman for his feet.  We no longer have to elevate his legs due to blood clot swelling and pain (most of the time).  So that progress has been encouraging.  I am on the couch with two pillows and my favorite blanket.  If it is a particularly chilly evening I might grab the leopard snuggie that my son-in-law gave me.

We are quite the picture, I would guess. 

Then comes the fun part.  Each night we have a pre-selected show that we enjoy.  Sunday evening has been "Worst Cooks in America".  But we just watched the finale, so I guess Sundays are open again.

Monday night is a "Chuck" night, and we DVR "Hawaii Five-O" to be watched another time because I can't stay up that late. 

Tuesdays are nothing without some "White Collar".  Love that.  And then I try to sit through "NCIS", but often the blood and the gore drive me away to some other activity.

Wednesdays are "Top Chef" nights, with some "American Idol" thrown in when available.

Thursdays we watch more Idol.

But easily the highlight of the week is Friday's offering, the only show that I get so excited about when I settle in with my blanket on the couch:  "Merlin!"  I love it.  There is something about its combination of likeable and hateable characters, beautiful scenery, lovely music, and compelling storyline.  Having always been a fan of Arthurian Legend, this brings familiar names to life and invites cheering for the good guys and booing the bad ones.  Merlin is delightful as the gawky, awkward humble servant to Prince Arthur who, with an undeniable good heart, must always quietly save the day, never getting credit for his heroism.  And who doesn't swoon over the Arthur/Guinevere chemistry?  Ah! This is good television.

Merlin Photo Albums - Merlin TV Show

Saturdays are open.  That is the time we will often go out to a movie, or go to dinner with friends. 

I am thoroughly enjoying these quiet evenings with my husband.  I look forward every day to spending time with him. It may not sound like an exciting life to most of you, but how delightful it is to have a husband who works hard during the day so that we might have such a lovely peaceful home to relax in.  I have always had a thing for unlikely heroes.

And we are just waiting patiently to add "Psych" back into the line up.... ;-)

"Words are things, and a small drop of ink"

These are a few of my favorite things!  ;-)

Yesterday I stumbled upon --( do we really stumble upon things by chance, or are they somehow put in our path directly purposed for us to discover them?.....)---ahem---Yesterday I stumbled upon a little poem by Lord Byron that I found utterly inspiring.  It perfectly illustrated what I have been thinking about recently, and I instantly fell in love with it.

Words are things, and a small drop of ink,

Falling like dew, upon a thought, produces

That which makes thousands, perhaps millions, think.

                                          ~Lord Byron

Now I will admit to not thinking on as grand a scale as Byron did, but I certainly believe there is great power in the written word, OUR written word.  And I also believe that inspiration comes in many ways and should be given the attention it deserves.

I find myself with the desire to identify and cherish the inspiration I receive, as whisperings from heaven, and feel that the best way to honor these, is to write them down.  There are so many ways to learn and acquire knowledge, and we are inhibiting that endeavor if we fail to use inspiration as part of that learning.

It then becomes our responsibility to utilize these directives, and most importantly, to remember them.  The best way I have found to remember these impressions is to write them down as soon as I am able.  We all should be recording these enlightening paths of thought upon which our minds are coaxed to wander.  Perhaps our little drops of ink, falling like dew upon our thoughts, will not influence millions, nor even thousands, but they may have direct influence upon our families, upon our posterities, as our humble little journals which hold our most tender and intimate feelings are sacredly passed down to be read, and to be cherished, and perhaps to induce thought as well.

I also "stumbled"  upon a quote from Thomas Jefferson that describes the value of this inspiration that can come our way:  "The glow of one warm thought is to me worth more than money".

Are we recognizing the worth of these whisperings, which often are manifest as "warm thoughts"?  They are not happenstance; they are not accidental, coincidental, nor merely fortuitous.  We can receive directives to guide our lives, which will be of infinite worth to us if we heed them.

Your words needn't be eloquent to have power.  They needn't be flowery nor trumped up in any way.  Their simplicity and clarity will carry the message effectively.  They only need your sincerity.

May we seek to receive this guidance, and as it comes, to honor it by recording it; that we might be inspired today as we write it down, tomorrow as we look back upon our words, and in the future as it speaks to the generations that follow.
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Gentle On My Mind

My mind seems to be consumed with thoughts of Miranda lately.  I think about her all the time.  I am so inspired by the metamorphosis occurring in her life.

Never has she been more self-assured.  Never has she been more focussed and determined and bold.

Always an introspective child, she is discovering the courage to open her mouth and finally express those depths of brilliance and perception that have been brewing over the years.

Always a beauty, she is now polishing and perfecting and placing the gem on a more prominent setting, enabling it to catch the light from all directions.

Miranda is unique.  She understands that she may see life from a different perspective than most, but isn't afraid to represent her unparalleled self.  Never one to follow the crowd, she will stand alone with her principles if she must.  Thankfully she is finding those that share her values, and are happy to stand with her as the crowds pass by.

This is the time of your life to stretch your beautiful wings, Miranda.  Explore your gifts.  Fine tune your offering.  The world is a better place for your being in it.  I am blessed to call you daughter.

This is What True Love Is!

I have a fan.  This fan, even amidst his busy workday schedule, anxiously awaits the posting of a new blog.  He will even telephone to remind me that I haven't put up a new blog yet.

Now this certainly is true love.  A phone conversation ought to be enough for him to get his "fix" of me, but he values just as much the expression of my thoughts on my blog. He enjoys my written words because they add a different dimension to his understanding of me.  He claims that it is a great way for him to learn what I have been thinking about and he likes to figure out what prompts one particular subject or another.  He often recognizes extensions from conversations we have had, noting what I have continued to chew on, or think about, from ideas we have previously discussed.

This is the greatest form of flattery or compliment that a writer can receive.  My true fan recognizes that I reveal the real inner workings of my mind in my day-to-day blogging. And he values that.  Rarely does my blog apply directly to the mundane monotony of everyday life.  He already knows what I think about those things.  This affords new clues to solving the mystery of Ardith, something he has been working on for 28 years.

But Is It Sustainable?

Ay-yi-yi!  Everywhere we go, it seems, we are being bombarded with the sustainability issue.  Is our food sustainable?  Is our energy sustainable?  Is our fashion sustainable?  Really?  Why now?  Why, after thousands of years into the earth's history, is this becoming so politically correct now?

I found the official definition of "Sustainability".  It is this:  "Development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.  This definition was created in 1987 at the World Commission on Environment and Development (the Brundtland Commission). It is enshrined in the Swiss federal constitution. It is similar to the "seventh generation" philosophy of the Native American Iroquois Confederacy, mandating that chiefs always consider the effects of their actions on their descendants seven generations in the future."  Found here.


Now I don't want to sound uncaring, nor irresponsible but I just have to wonder if it isn't all just too little too late.  Is our generation really capable of undoing all the effects of the careless living done up to this point?  Or is it really just license for industries to raise prices along with raising awareness?

I wish I was one that felt it was my calling to save the world.  I wish I felt my voice could be heard amidst the chaos.  I don't.  What I do feel as a calling is to protect and preserve my family and my own little corner of the world; to live cleanly and in good health, to nourish my body with real food, not imitation nor manufactured; to be conscientious of my carbon footprint, but not to let it inhibit going where I want to go, nor how often I go there.

So when I think of sustainability, do I obsess about farming or fishing practices, or fabric industry practices, etc. etc?  Honestly, not much.

I do think about lifestyle changes and their sustainability.  I do think about nurturing new habits and my ability to grow them strong enough to weather the storms of carelessness, boredom, and apathy.  Our lives naturally have an ebb and flow, with naturally occurring highs and lows.  Will my goals be able to endure the low points when my energy wanes and my enthusiasm takes a vacation?

My desire is to make long-range goals and achieve them; to look forward to the future and the livability of earth for my posterity.  I believe the best way for me to help my future generations is to establish firm foundations of faith, love, prosperity and responsibility.  If each of us thinks in terms of making the world a better place, not just by our energy choices nor our food choices, or whether or not we wear polyester or cotton clothing, then we can feel good about our efforts, which then are about improvement and not just about sustaining the status quo.

Are we teaching the values we know and believe in?  Are we supporting the wholesome and uplifting arts and literature that enlighten and beautify the world?  Are we encouraging our children to develop their talents and become productive hard-working citizens of the global community?

I just want to make improvements in my life, and then sustain them.  For more than a day, more than a week, more than a year.

I claim the responsibility to worry about my own progress.  I will let you worry about yours.

Getting off my soapbox now....  It's too precarious for me.

"My Dear Wormwood..." Leave Me Alone!

What a week I've had!  What began with only a vague awareness of a literary work, soon gave way to a rush of influence by the C.S. Lewis masterpiece, The Screwtape Letters.

I had heard of this book.  I understood what it claimed to be.  In fact, I had purchased a copy of this book as a gift for my son-in-law for Christmas; not because I had thought it to be the perfect gift, but at the suggestion of my daughter on her husband's behalf.

A few weeks after Christmas I received an email from a friend inviting my husband and I to attend a theatrical performance of, what else?  The Screwtape Letters.  Being distracted by life, I failed to respond to the invitation and even forgot to tell my husband about it.

Two more weeks pass by.  My husband mentions a blurb he had heard on the radio about this particular show coming to Portland.  It jolted my memory of the email, and we then discussed the possibility of getting tickets.  He was eager.  I was impartial.

With tickets purchased and a week until showtime, we decided some preparation would add to our appreciation of the event.  With the new-fangled technology, I purchased and downloaded a digital copy of the book to be read on my iPad.

Together each evening, Brian and I would gather for study of The Screwtape Letters.  I read the challenging text aloud, hoping that Brian was able to understand at least some of what I was fumbling through.  It is the type of book that shouldn't be rushed through in a week.  It requires time to reflect, to ponder,to decipher, to chew on the intensity and the subtlety.  It is also the kind of book that begs for certain passages to be underlined and highlighted, with notetaking in the margins so amazing parts can be revisited, reevaluated, and re-appreciated.

None of which was possible for us while cramming on an iPad.

That said, we did get a lot out of our reading.  Our regret was that in our truncated study, our ultimate results were certainly truncated too.

Showtime came.  It was amazing; a two-person cast, with only one of those actually speaking, it was unique.  It was thought provoking.  It was humbling to recognize human foibles present in oneself, the results of Satan and his minions successfully understanding the natural man and effectively leading us astray.  I use the collective "we" loosely.  Perhaps I am the only one weak and impressionable....

I have since thought a lot about The Screwtape Letters.  I recognize it to be full of profound truths, with Mr. Lewis being directly inspired.  I liken it to sneaking a peek at the opposing team's playbook.  If we can understand their game plan, with all of their strategies and scheming, we are certainly better equipped to construct an effective offense, while fortifying our team's defense.  They play dirty. They intend to win. Our eternities are at stake, but we have God on our side.  Sorry, Screwtape.

Imagine my delight on opening my valentine gift and finding a hard copy of The Screwtape Letters.  My husband knows me so well.  He knows that I couldn't wait to get my hands on a copy that I could reread slowly and deliberately and make my own, with any amount of notations and scribbles.  It will become a treasure, for sure.

I feel like someone has been trying to get my attention to become familiar this book.  And it took nearly being beaten on the head with it in order to wake me up.  If your curiosity is piqued even just a little, I would encourage you to have a go at it.  It may not be the easiest book you ever read, but I guarantee it will be one of the most eye-opening.

A Time to Every Purpose

Cliche', I know.  And yet the reason certain phrases or ideas become cliche', or oft-repeated, is because they are eternal truths, whose time never fades because their meaning never fades.

As the timeless scripture from The Holy Bible, Ecclesiastes, Chapter Three,  goes: 

To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:
A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted....


Then I'm sure we could all sing along with the Byrds to finish that list.

Life is clearly divided into unique phases, when certain activities are called for and appropriate, and others may have to be either carefully scheduled in, or put on the back burner receiving no heat nor any attention at all.  Then thankfully, if we are patient and attune to changes, we realize that one season is diminishing and we recognize harbingers of the new.

For most of us, entering into new seasons becomes an introspective time and we find ourselves evaluating the past and treading cautiously on our new path.  Some roads have become very familiar to us for our having been detained on them so long.  They feel safe to us.  We hesitate to leave their structure and their comfort to embark on something strange and foreign.  It needn't matter that we are craving something fresh and new; we still proceed with uncertainty.

What new paths have you embarked upon?  How are you adapting?  Do you approach it as a gift and a challenge, or do you mourn the days when you had your feet planted firmly under you with determined direction and clear focus?

I welcome the challenge of my new season, but I often feel like I am living without a net under me.  I am learning to take risks but still feel unsteady and unbalanced.

The most notable blessing is that I don't feel altogether alone and unaided.  Clearly I am receiving direction and guidance toward my new purpose. 

There.  I said it.

I do feel like I have entered a time for a specific purpose, one which I have never felt before; one which would have been difficult before, but which now seems like a good fit.  It is as though I found a sweater on the back shelf of my closet.  It is familiar, but I must have forgotten it was there.  And now as I put it on, it feels pretty good.  I may need to grow a little so it will fit properly, but I'm up for that challenge.  I'm ready to stretch and become stronger.

I am ready to be a writer.