“Where words fail, music speaks.” I don’t know who said that but it’s true. There are no words that can adequately express the heartfelt sympathy so many of us wish to offer to the families and friends who have had their worlds shattered on Friday. My heart is turned inside out. Our family has been praying.
Author Archives: zookeeper12
Dear Blog
Dear Blog,
Remember me? Have you missed me at all? I’ve missed you bunches!Here’s the dealio: We had to drop Verizon like a lead brick due to their constantly increasing fees and horrific customer service. Heretofore…we have no internet at home. Additionally, to replace our connection with clients and the rest of the world, we opted for a smartphone. Yea, I know, we’re catching up with everyone else. Well, the phone I ordered started crashing immediately upon activation. SO, I have been trying to remedy that while getting my geek on to keep the phone breathing until Straight Talk, ATT and ZTE all figure out whose warranty this gadget is covered by…sigh. Moreover, I have been unable to access my Quickbooks files which are “sort of” needed when prepping for your appointment with your accountant for taxes. My laptop had to have surgery so I was without that for a week and just got it back a few days ago. SO, you see, I haven’t been deliberately ignoring you. I have been held hostage by technological difficulties. I have missed you and will figure out how to make our estranged relationship not so strange. Excuse my boohooing. I just want you to understand that if I could be here, I would! Please be patient; wait for me. Nothing but love!
What’s not shared is lost,
Michelle
Music Monday – The Last Bison/ Switzerland
I’ve been expanding my musical horizons over the past year or two. Partly due to the fact that when we opened our catering kitchen, we discovered that we had G101.3 parked, pretty much, in our backyard and we rarely can get anything else in on our little radio/I-home. For years, I’ve stuck pretty much to Christian music (especially, of course, my all-time favorite band Third Day, duh), which isn’t a bad thing at all. There’s a lot of crappy music “out there.” On the other hand, there are some amazing musicians in this world that aren’t in the Christian music genre and they are worth listening to. My horizons have also been expanded by friends who are music aficionados like my friend Brian who has a pretty nifty music blog over at Something For Your Ear Hole which is where I was introduced to Bison. Besides being a great read, Brian has an ear for great music and shares his opinions of the good, bad and ugly with honesty and wit. That being said, thanks for providing new and interesting waters to dip our feet in (as well as warning us of dangerous or boring waters to avoid). Back to The Last Bison; their website describes their style as “… an alternative folk band that refers to their music as Folk-chestral! Their spiritual and lyrical strength combines with authentic rootsy hooks that keep you singing along. Switzerland is the first song on the band’s debut album titled Quill.”
Without further adieu, I have been enjoying Switzerland immensely!
Let me know what you think – unless you don’t like this then go tell someone else because you, obviously, don’t have very good taste in music.
What’s not shared is lost,
Michelle
Ugly
I’ve been putting off blogging until all is right with the world but that’s looking to be a pretty long wait. Go figure. So, I’m going to have to be real and write where I’m at and where I’m at ain’t pretty.
Because it’s become very popular to a have picture at the beginning of a blog post to set the “mood”, I went searching for SOMETHING that would suit my needs. This one was a possibility:
The problem with that one is he’s happy, regardless of his issues so that doesn’t fit. I also came across this guy:
He’s just creepy. I’m not dealing with creepy so we’ll pass on him. On the other hand, our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms (Ephesians 6:12) and that’s kinda creepy so this could work.
I went looking for this guy. This pic used to hang in the dressing room hallway at Richmond Civic Theatre with the caption, “I will not complain about my costume. I will not complain about my costume.I will not complain about my costume.” Yea, the worst kind of ugly is self-inflicted, no doubt.”
There were a gazillion others but this one fits my purposes:
U-G-L-Y
You ain’t got no alibi.
You ugly, uh-huh, you uglay.
Remember that cute little edifying ditty from our youth? Ugly happens to everyone at sometime or another. Even though that is a truth of life, nobody wants to be ugly. As I mentioned earlier, I’ve been wanting to blog but that person who wants to write about the lovely and be inspirational is procrastinating until “the time is right.” It’s tempting to wear a mask and be all syrupy sweet gushing with optimism, oozing Biblical wisdom and displaying all the qualities of a spiritual rock. I could lay that on but I’m writing as much for me as anyone else and I sure won’t be fooling myself with that nonsense. No, I’ll just be real and say, “Hey, we all go through hard times, we don’t always respond the way we should, other people in our lives don’t respond the way they should and life is full of what we call “growth opportunities.”
I have read those blogs offering Biblical wisdom, quick-witted humor and/or Titus 2 admonitions. And let me not forget the brilliant photography and delicious recipes with step-by-step photos not to mention the consistency of regular blog posts. Sigh…I want to be all of those bloggers. Where God has me, though, is in the middle of yuck. Some of it is my own – my attitude and spiritual struggles. Some of it is the unpredictable stresses of owning a business still in the “losing money phase” of start-up. Some of it is the on-going saga of being a mom. Moms take an emotional beating, dontcha know? There’s plenty of other stuff I could boo hoo about but I’m not here to whine or make excuses. I just want to take a minute and be real.
We all expend a lot of energy in hiding our ugly. I know I do. I smile and say “I’m fine.” I avoid friends while I wait until I have my act together. I don’t invite people over when my house is a wreck. I don’t blog because I think I need to have something beautiful to write. I don’t go to God because I know what a disappointment I must be when that’s the exact opposite of what He wants.
There are folks who know “of me” who think I have it all together because I have twelve kids AND we homeschool AND we own a business, etc., etc. WELL, I don’t. Just ask my kids. I wish I did but I’m struggling right along with everyone else. I’m a normal person just asking God to use me then turning around and begging Him to stop because I can’t take the pressure. So, I put on my mask, quote just the right Scripture, smile and say, “I’m fine,” then go home, take off my mask and wonder what the Lord sees in me. I know that’s satan whispering in my ear. It doesn’t make me feel any better at the time. I know I’m a child of the King but sometimes the only ball this princess will attend is a masquerade due to her desire to be ambiguous.
Beauty is in the eye of the beholder but ugly is in the eye of anyone with an eye. We’ve all had defined for us by our culture what’s defined as lovely but there’s something in all of us that KNOWS ugly. No one wants to be ugly, we don’t feel lovable when we’re in an ugly place and it’s hard to love others when they’re in an ugly place. I’m ugly, you’re ugly, all God’s people get ugly. Wisdom is seeing through God’s eyes and seeing what God sees. Jesus ain’t ugly. Let’s take off our masks and love each other where we’re at.
What’s not shared is lost,
Michelle
This looks so unbelievably yummy, it’s worth saving here if for no other reason, so I can find it when I’m ready to dig in and make some of this craziness. DANG!
Music Monday – Proud Mama Moment
Yea, I know this is going out on Tuesday but Monday was busy so I’m getting this up while there’s barely a Music Monday left but I have decided to send it out Tuesday when people are more likely to be, I don’t know, AWAKE?
I had A LOT of live music this weekend: Saturday night was Mosteller, Matt Maher, Warren Barfield with Brandon Heath and it was AWESOME!! I have to say, though, that my favorite live music moment was Friday at a young “up-and-comer’s” debut concert and CD release. Noah Back, a young friend of ours, rarely comes to our house without his guitar and Natalie has been known to tote her bass & amp over to his house OR they both drag their instruments and mic over to my FIL’s and have great fun with Elvis, John Denver, Flogging Molly, 4 Non-Blondes and a plethora of other artists. One of my favorites the “kids” sing is The Civil Wars’ Tip of My Tongue.
SO, when Noah surprised us by asking Jillian to join him onstage, I was thrilled! Jillian has such a rich, sweet voice. Yea, I loved this!
What’s not shared is lost,
Michelle
Praying for our Kiddos
NOBODY else loves our kids the way we do. Of course, God loves them more but I’m talking in the human realm. NOBODY knows our kids like we do and in many cases, we know them better than they know themselves (especially when they’re young). NOBODY can or will pray for our children the way we can. It’s easy to get busy and forget but our children need us praying for them from the time we know they’re there to pray for. I have a morning routine that includes pulling out my prayer journal that’s only purpose is to jot down my prayers for my children (I do have another one for general prayers but this is just for my kids). I do this to help hold me accountable. I know one day, at least one of my kids is going to get a hold of these journals (if you start this, you’ll go through several) and I don’t want them finding skipped dates. They will, though. I get into funks like everyone else. If I have a breakfast catering gig and have to get up at 4:30 am, I don’t sit down with coffee and my Bible – I run out the door inhaling coffee through my nose and putting mascara on at stoplights. SO, there are MANY times I fail to pray deliberately.
I’ve taught myself, since I know those days are going to happen, to give myself visual cues to remind me-self to pray for my kids throughout the day: The Speed Limit 70 sign reminds me to pray for their safety, the bars remind me to pray they will stay from temptation and for their choice of future spouse! You can pick your own but you get the idea.
When I am able to sit with my journal, I pray either according to what’s going on in their lives, what’s going on in the world or I use a prayer guide I picked up from a church some time ago but it’s hard to come by. It’s called the Holy Spirit Helps Us Pray for our Children by Charlotte Parker. I found some newer versions on Amazon and Abe Books. It’s 31 days of prayers and some are kind of wordy. I break it down and either pray one of the Scriptures over my kids and/or just one of the areas listed. You can get a book like that OR Tom Harmon has a simple list for praying over your children. You can get a WHOLE bunch of other stuff at his website and I highly recommend you add him to your favorites, GO hear him speak and read anything he has written.
Anyhoo, here’s his list:
I have conveniently linked the above image of his list to his website so you can cruise on over there after you’re done here with very little effort. You’re welcome.
Pray for your kids. Pray for your grandchildren. Pray for your children-in-law. Pray for the family you will never meet.
What’s not shared is lost,
Michelle
Simple but brilliant ideas that make me feel stupid that I didn’t think of them.
I found this on accident but the original site had ucky stuff on it so I didn’t just want to send y’all there. SO, I’m posting it. Sue me. (original site is credited below). But’s these are GREAT ideas. I’m finally getting around to a Tips Tuesday post and I can’t even take credit for it. Lame. Worth sharing, nevertheless.
In this case, even if I didn’t share it, I’m sure it wouldn’t be lost because it’s on the internet somewhere but I didn’t want to keep this to myself. 🙂
Michelle
Music Monday – Rise Up
So on Wednesday after a discouraging election, I got online and hit Twitter. Twitter does provide information, laughs and conversation but what I needed I found via Matt Maher. A simple blog post for November 7. A couple of Scripture passages. I found encouragement and then I found the challenge, the call – his video for Rise Up. There are some who don’t understand why some of us see dark days ahead. Don’t worry, you will. Then you will need encouraged and empowered to push through. Come back here and join the rest of us in rising up with Mr. Maher.
Thank you and God bless you Matt Maher!
What’s not shared is lost,
Michelle
http://thethinkingcloset.wordpress.com/
Recipe For A Wild Thyme 