Once upon a time... Actually about ten years ago, I went to a Christian festival called The Inside Out Soul Festival (now www.thesoulfest.com) on my own. I knew little to nothing about Christian Rock and had never worked a stage before in my life. God willing, entirely, I got on crew. I met so many people, two of whom have become family, many I still love today.
This was July 31, 2001, and on August 3rd, I declared I to my new friends that I, the aspiring photographer and adventurer that I was, would hike to the top of Loon Mountain at midnight and await the sunrise. Shockingly, no one wanted to come with me. Yet, behold! Jesse, mild-mannered (okay, thick-tempered at times) introvert, sees this foolishly outgoing girl ready to throw herself into the wilderness alone and speaks up, "I'll go." In hind-sight, I think the group may have smirked and taken an additional step back at the invitation. Honestly babe, in your head were saying, "WTF did I just agree to?!"
Well, the whole story is written out elsewhere, but that night Jess was my hero and still is today. We married five years later, August 12th, and I think we're more in love now than before. Cheesy yes, but true. I've already got my daughter saying that Daddy is Mama's best friend and that's the kind of person she should marry. My son, well, right now wants to marry either hockey or a motorcycle.
So buck up all you lonely-hearted! True Love still exists today! And buck up all you tiredly-married! It can still be what it was or something else, good and new and happy! And carry on all you Love Birds! I do have friends out there who are still in love years later! Raise your glass to True Love my friends! And I also raise mine to the love of my life, Jesse! No other guy could put up with me, nor could another have held my heart so long ;)
Feeling the Beat
We all need a little more Tobymac and Peter Fuller in our lives. Take it from someone who knows the power of positive thought. I had some pretty nasty 'down' times (and still have them occasionally) but I came through with prayer and focus on the positive. No grubby little status post of how much life sucks helped (although it did feel good to vent that way) nor did stewing to myself and reminiscing on all my problems and stress. No, seriously the best thing to pick yourself out of a stoop (besides having an amazing BFF <3!) is to plug into some positivity! I like 108 and 90-whatever the frequency is now, but jamming to the upbeats of Christian Rock really gets me in the right place.
I was bummed when we couldn't even make it to Soulfest (www.thesoulfest.com) for even a day visit, but it was heartening to see everyone's updates through social networks through load-in, during, and through load-out. I saw some friends pick up their usual banter into positive words, others simply proclaimed the joy of being there, and yet others gave thanks to each other for the generous work that made the event happen. I must say Jess and I had an amazing experience at Creation with Ron, but Soulfest, no matter what life brings, will always be our alma mater. I hope someday our children can experience that.
Yet even when I'm far from those wonderful Christian events and people, the beat lives on when I simply plug in a CD with worship or praise or any message that strums Christian values. I need only sing along to Toby or Jars or Newsboys or Peter to feel what I need to feel which contrary to what's felt everywhere else in the world: I belong and it feels good!
The world of music has its ups and downs in terms of lyrics and messages. We can only pray our children find the positive beat in the roller coaster of sounds as they grow. We Christians don't belong to the world; we belong to Christ and we are only here to minister to those who will listen. Make a good sound my friends.
God Bless.
I was bummed when we couldn't even make it to Soulfest (www.thesoulfest.com) for even a day visit, but it was heartening to see everyone's updates through social networks through load-in, during, and through load-out. I saw some friends pick up their usual banter into positive words, others simply proclaimed the joy of being there, and yet others gave thanks to each other for the generous work that made the event happen. I must say Jess and I had an amazing experience at Creation with Ron, but Soulfest, no matter what life brings, will always be our alma mater. I hope someday our children can experience that.
Yet even when I'm far from those wonderful Christian events and people, the beat lives on when I simply plug in a CD with worship or praise or any message that strums Christian values. I need only sing along to Toby or Jars or Newsboys or Peter to feel what I need to feel which contrary to what's felt everywhere else in the world: I belong and it feels good!
The world of music has its ups and downs in terms of lyrics and messages. We can only pray our children find the positive beat in the roller coaster of sounds as they grow. We Christians don't belong to the world; we belong to Christ and we are only here to minister to those who will listen. Make a good sound my friends.
God Bless.
Size Matters... At Least Sometimes
We, as humans, generally like things to fit, right? From shoes to jobs, we like things to fit just right, or at least good enough. I've certainly bought of pair of sneakers I loved even though they didn't have my exact size. Of course sometimes we have to make do with what we've got. For example, I'm sitting at my desk (which is about 30" high) on a little ottoman from the living room which serves as the only chair I've got (that will fit) and it's only about a foot high. Hooray for laptops! Although uploading photos to the iMac does get a bit cramping as that doesn't fit on my lap.Well we haven't had the time to reconfigure the living room to fit the desk top to get it off my desk and there just isn't room for a computer chair in our bedroom. I just have to make do, which is fine.
I feel like I'm always making do or making adjustments. My husband and I are not the same size. He's a decent height and broad-shouldered while I'm rather average for a woman in terms of height. We always have to readjust the straps on backpacks and diaper bags. I can't stand it hanging down my butt while he can't get his arms in after I've used them. I also have a hard time readjusting the mirrors in the truck, which I seldom drive. I have to reach so I'm off the seat to adjust the mirror and by the time I'm settled again it may or may not be where I want it yet. I also have to lift my heel off the floor to press the break all the way, but I'd be too close to the steering wheel if I moved close enough to not have to do that. The truck is simply not my size. I love my little car, though I'll admit we could use a slightly larger vehicle given the two kids and all we do. If only our budget fit that size requirement.
As for fitting into things like situations, how many jobs do people hold before they find longevity? I lost count of my jobs from high school till now, but there were a fair amount of trades involved before I found my current job. Even with it, Jesse and I had several schedule changes before we found the right fit between the two of us (in order to not need daycare, which also didn't fit the budget). It still isn't what we wanted but it works for now.
I never would have imagined myself in a house as tiny as we have, but I love the Love Shack! I've been saying lately that it's a good thing the house isn't any bigger because I already lose things on a regular basis and have a hard time keeping it clean. It's simply the perfect fit for us. That's another thing: I thought I'd found a good fit in men a couple times but when I found Jesse I knew I didn't want to do any more shopping around. Awww... Isn't that romantic? In all seriousness, it's true. We're honest-to-God best friends and there's no better fit.
Sure there's times when I wish I could reach above the fridge, or that the trunk of my car fit the double stroller a little more easily, or that we didn't have to stretch the budget so thin just to take the kids on an outing to the beach. We need one of those portable zipper closets to keep our dress clothes in the basement since there's no room upstairs. We play around with ideas for the kids' room when they get too old to share a bedroom, whenever that will be. What if we don't have the ability to expand and add a floor with more bedrooms? For now, they love sharing. Besides, what can we do right now? We have to make do with what we have.
Well, I've expended my night and still haven't folded laundry. That's a job the size of which I wouldn't mind cutting down. I guess I'll have to put my little laptop aside, shut down the desktop, and get folding. Hopefully I'll get a long, restful sleep tonight, a good fit for what the day brings tomorrow.
I feel like I'm always making do or making adjustments. My husband and I are not the same size. He's a decent height and broad-shouldered while I'm rather average for a woman in terms of height. We always have to readjust the straps on backpacks and diaper bags. I can't stand it hanging down my butt while he can't get his arms in after I've used them. I also have a hard time readjusting the mirrors in the truck, which I seldom drive. I have to reach so I'm off the seat to adjust the mirror and by the time I'm settled again it may or may not be where I want it yet. I also have to lift my heel off the floor to press the break all the way, but I'd be too close to the steering wheel if I moved close enough to not have to do that. The truck is simply not my size. I love my little car, though I'll admit we could use a slightly larger vehicle given the two kids and all we do. If only our budget fit that size requirement.
As for fitting into things like situations, how many jobs do people hold before they find longevity? I lost count of my jobs from high school till now, but there were a fair amount of trades involved before I found my current job. Even with it, Jesse and I had several schedule changes before we found the right fit between the two of us (in order to not need daycare, which also didn't fit the budget). It still isn't what we wanted but it works for now.
I never would have imagined myself in a house as tiny as we have, but I love the Love Shack! I've been saying lately that it's a good thing the house isn't any bigger because I already lose things on a regular basis and have a hard time keeping it clean. It's simply the perfect fit for us. That's another thing: I thought I'd found a good fit in men a couple times but when I found Jesse I knew I didn't want to do any more shopping around. Awww... Isn't that romantic? In all seriousness, it's true. We're honest-to-God best friends and there's no better fit.
Sure there's times when I wish I could reach above the fridge, or that the trunk of my car fit the double stroller a little more easily, or that we didn't have to stretch the budget so thin just to take the kids on an outing to the beach. We need one of those portable zipper closets to keep our dress clothes in the basement since there's no room upstairs. We play around with ideas for the kids' room when they get too old to share a bedroom, whenever that will be. What if we don't have the ability to expand and add a floor with more bedrooms? For now, they love sharing. Besides, what can we do right now? We have to make do with what we have.
Well, I've expended my night and still haven't folded laundry. That's a job the size of which I wouldn't mind cutting down. I guess I'll have to put my little laptop aside, shut down the desktop, and get folding. Hopefully I'll get a long, restful sleep tonight, a good fit for what the day brings tomorrow.
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