Perspective from Above

Take time to see the sky,
Find shape in the clouds,
Hear the murmur of the wind,
And touch the cool water.

Walk softly,
We are the intruders,
Tolerated briefly
In an infinite universe.

(Native American poem)

O Lord, our Lord...
When I consider Your heavens,
the work of Your fingers,
the moon and the stars,
which you have set in place...
You made (man)...
and crowned him with glory and honor.
You made him ruler over the works of Your hands;
You put everything under his feet..

(Psalm 8)

So which is it ~ interloper or caretaker? Finite man is valued above creation by God's command yet he is also custodian of this beautiful planet that we call home. That thought always hits me when I view the earth from the perspective of 30,000 feet in the air and am struck by the enormity yet fragility of the land below.

Thank You, Lord, for the gift.
Help me take care of the incredible works of Your hands.

Souvenirs

favorite souvenirs from my Arizona road trip ~

a smilelove
sunshine

A Culinary Adventure

still in Arizona ~

Whenever I visit my brother we spend most of our time filling in the time between eating. Honestly, I never eat so much as when I'm with him. Thanks to his speed-of-light metabolism, Mark is one of those people who has to eat every so many hours or he gets light-headed. Our dad was the same way. At 80 he could eat more than most high school football players.

Our mother, on the other hand, is a grazer. She eats just a little at a time all day long. And she is not an experimenter. She can eat the same food again and again. Eating is not an adventure for her at all.

The thing is, Mark likes to go out to eat. That means we are familiar with quite a few restaurants in the greater Phoenix area. Last night we did Thai food. We have already stretched Mom's culinary horizons over the past several days, but Thai food was the topper.

She was a great sport and ordered a curried dish, which she ate with great gusto and delight. Indeed, Mom was quite proud of herself for trying something so new and daring. Perhaps she dove in, however, with a little too much gusto because she woke up this morning with a bit of a food hangover. Or to quote her directly, "I could have puked."

Yep, her tummy was a little taken aback by the assault. I'm sorry that she awoke at 3 a.m. with the overwhelming urge to throw up, but the look on her face this morning was priceless when she was describing how she would "never, never eat curry again."

Thank You for Listening

on a flight to Phoenix ~

It always amazes me how etiquette goes out the window as soon as people step foot on an airplane. This is particularly noticeable if you happen to be sitting in an aisle seat.

If you have flown any time in the past ten years, you will have noticed how seat space has gotten smaller, aisles have gotten narrower and overhead space has atrophied. Yet passengers are dragging more and more stuff onto the plane. That means a turf war for overhead space.

Businessmen (and women) are some of the worst offenders. They drag their bulging overnight bags down the aisle as they yap on their cell phones. Worse yet is the backpack crowd who delight in slinging their pack over one shoulder. The upshot is that the passengers sitting in aisle seats get beaten up by these overstuffed, wayward bags. I don't know which part of my anatomy gets bruised more ~ my knee, arm, shoulder or head.

So I'd like to make a polite but sincere plea to those of you who insist on taking all your life possessions on board. Could you get off your cell phones and pay attention to your immediate environment? Could you make sure your bags are in a passenger-free zone and not molesting one of your fellow travelers? It will be much appreciated. (I'm not even going to ask you to consider that others might need to use the overhead bins, too.)

Thank you for listening.

Roots ~ the good, the bad and the ugly

Another senseless killing. If the developers had not planted trees that would grow too large for the lots, and had the city planners not approved, my neighborhood would not be in the painful process it is in now of having to remove 30 year-old trees from our front yards. Unfortunately, their roots are ripping up driveways, tearing apart sidewalks and threatening garage concrete slab floors.

We weren't one of the first on our street to do the dastardly deed, but now two more trees have come down in the matter of a few short weeks. It really is sad to see stately, mature, shade-giving trees that took years to grow, cut down in a few short minutes at the hands of a power saw. I can't watch as it literally brings me to tears.

Two pieces of advice my mother hammered into us kids growing up ~ never let a dentist remove a tooth unless it's absolutely necessary because the replacement is just not the same as a real tooth ~ and never cut down a tree in its prime unless absolutely necessary because its stature will never be replaced in my lifetime. Wow, both have roots than anchor and give life. And both are typically removed because of root damage. My mother was definitely a wise woman. Now where's the Biblical application?

Make sure there is no man or woman, clan or tribe among you today whose heart turns away from the Lord our God to go and worship the gods of those nations; make sure there is no root among you that produces such bitter poison. (Deut 29:18)

I Double Dare You

Hey Groovies, how is your Love Dare coming along? I must admit that I got stuck on Day One - patience/no negativity. Yikes!

Day Two - kindness/an unexpected gesture. Now that I can do.

Day Three - not be selfish/buy my husband something. I don't know about the not be selfish part but I can certainly buy him something.

Day Four - thoughtful/ask him if there is something I can do for him. I'll make sure I catch him at a time when I have nothing else to do.

Day Five - no rudeness/ask him three things that I do that make him uncomfortable or irritated. Hey, wait a minute! This is getting personal!

I guess it wouldn't be a "dare" if it was easy to do. So I think I need to up the ante and double dare myself on the "easy" days and really try on the "hard" ones.

Wrecking, Stirring and Spotlighting

I've been watching our Spring sky this week turn from crystal clear to a muddied haze. I've been watching Spring flowers gasp for breath under the blazing hot sun of which they are unaccustomed. I've been pulling down the blinds instead of letting in the fresh Spring air. I've been watching as unseasonable 90 degree temperatures have been wrecking havoc at a time of year usually reserved for gloriously temperate days. And it got me to thinking.

It got me to thinking about how we/I wreck perfectly good things in our lives. Maybe "wreck" is a harsh word when "stir up the pot" might better describe it. Maybe you know what I'm talking about. We might not do something intentional but sometimes ignoring something that needs tending to is even worse.

Anyway, sit with the idea and see if it rings true in your life. I'm not giving advice, just making a friendly suggestion. Trust me, I've turned the spotlight on myself already.

I Have a Question for You

I'm just going to quote someone else today who makes my point much more eloquently than I can.

The Christian who desires more than mere religion...must make a personal decision to restore the centrality of God's presence and authority in the epicenter of his/her life...As we incorporate Him into our lives, He changes us on a very practical level. (Priscilla Shirer)

So I have a question for you ~ Is He your Sunday God or your everyday God?

Back on the Soap Box

At 44, actress and model, Brooke Shields, confesses that she hates her wrinkles. Still, she was quoted on the internet as saying, "When you see certain women that we knew when we were younger, like Angelica Huston and Isabella Rossellini, and they've grown older in the public eye, what you're responding to is their whole life imprinted on them."

That's the whole point, Brooke. I want to look like I have lived, not like someone who is desperate to cling to my youth. I want to feel vital and alive, but not be obsessed by a number. I want to look like my whole life is imprinted on me. Guess that means I'll look like I've been run over by a Mack truck by the time I become a woman-of-a-certain-age (whatever that means)!!! Although from the above photo of my mother, who is a month and a half shy of 93 years old, I'd say looking like a woman-of-a-certain age ain't so bad!

However many years a (woman) may live, let (her) enjoy them all. (Eccles. 11:6)

Look Up

Over the weekend I attended an art show sponsored by the local veteran's hospital. It's in a beautiful and serene setting on a hill overlooking the entire valley. Deer and wild turkey roam the grounds. As you approach the buildings you have would have no idea that the men who live here are physically, and sometimes mentally, broken from their service to our country. The juxtaposition of the peaceful backdrop against the harsh reality inside is jarring. But some of the men in this building have found their way back to personal fulfillment and expression through art.

Several dedicated volunteers come faithfully every Monday to teach an art class to these men. For some, it has released them from depression. For some, it has given them a way to use their very limited physical abilities. And once a year, the veterans host an art show where awards are given out to every participant. Mom and I attended expecting to see their works of art; what we received were speech after speech of encouragement from these men to the audience to never give up and make the most of what you have. Honestly, I was in tears for most of the awards ceremony.

The youngest veteran artist was a woman who had served in Iraq. She arrived in a coma and her parents were told she would never wake up. Upon awakening, she was told she would never walk. Today, this young woman walked up to the podium to receive her awards. Oh sure, she needed a walker and had difficulty saying her words, but she was very, very clear on her message.

"Keep your head up," she said. "Don't look back and don't look down. Keep moving ahead. You can do it."

I bought a painting from a man who could only make brush strokes to the left and to the right. He grinned a mighty grin when I asked permission to buy his beautiful work. He didn't care about the money, it just tickled him that his painting gave me pleasure.

I left that place much richer than when I arrived. I received words of inspiration and a work of art from ordinary people with an extraordinary gift to live beyond their circumstances.

I lift my eyes to the hills ~ where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth. (Psalm 121)

An Arresting Idea

HOW did it get to be April 20th? I mean where the heck is time flying to without me? It's just scooting along, every once in awhile popping its head up to let me know it's still scooting. I have been trying to live in the NOW. It doesn't stop time but at least I experience it as it comes. I still plan for the future and reminisce about the past, but I'm striving to LIVE in the now.

I would, however, appreciate time slowing down just a smidgen. Do you think we can pass a law that puts time under house arrest if it goes too fast? Hey, maybe I should run for Congress and make that a campaign promise! It wouldn't be any less bombastic than half the stuff we get promised from politicians. How did this blog about time turn into a jab at politics? I guess that's what happens when I just ramble around in the now. No idea where my brain is headed. Maybe I should put it under house arrest instead.

She Brings Me to Tears

In case you have been off the planet or in the rain forest for the past week, you may just now be catching up on the newest "sensation" out of Great Britain. Susan Boyle is an ordinary woman of extraordinary talent whose voice is a sheer delight to listen to. She was "discovered" by the world on a television show that features amateur talent and wanna-be's.. This rather non-descriptive woman literally stunned the judges and the audience when she began to sing.

What makes me terribly sad is that before she opened her mouth, she was judged by her appearances. Deemed to dowdy and unattractive to possibly be worth looking at let alone listening to, the judges (including the infamous Simon Cowell) gave her a so-you-wanna-be-famous-are-you-kidding look before she launched into her performance. I loved the jaw-dropping look on Simon's face when he realized how incredibly she could sing. And of course, the audience quickly reversed it's "what you?" stance to "say what?" and gave her a standing ovation one minute into her performance.

How sad that we continue to judge others by their external packaging. She was interviewed by Diane Sawyer who, in a condescending voice, noted that the television show usually does make-overs on the contestants who make it through the ranks. Boye's response should have made the former beauty queen blush at asking such a vacuous and superficial question. It seems that Susan Boyle isn't so eager to undertake an extreme makeover. Her respone:

"I wouldn't want to change myself too much because that would really make things a bit false," she told American Morning on Friday. "I want to receive people as the real me, a real person."

You go Susan Boyle! Be yourself and not someone else's idea of how you should be packaged, particularly since you are a woman. We know that the standards for women are much more demanding than for men. Who made up these rules anyway?

Take heart. You, too, have been gifted in some way that makes you uniquely you. Don't try to fit into society's very narrow definition of who is "worthy" to be heard, seen, etc. Blossom right where you are.

And now, I will step down from the soap box I have been occupying the past couple of days. I just wanted you to know how very special you are.

You Are Not Your Body

I am not a fan of Eckhart Tolle but I came across something he wrote that absolutely resonates with me. In essence, you are not your body. Read on...

"Equating the body with the physical 'I,' the body that is destined to grow old, wither, and die, always leads to suffering. To refrain from identifying with the body doesn't mean that you no longer care for it. If it is strong, beautiful or vigorous, you can appreciate those attributes ~ while they last. You can also improve the body's condition through nutrition and exercise. If you don't equate the body with who your are, when beauty fades, vigor diminishes, or the body becomes incapacitated, this will not affect your sense of worth or identity in any way" (from A Happier You by Eckhart Tolle published in the January 2009 issue of O Magazine.)

And to quote a source of which I am a fan...

For You created my inmost being...I praise You because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Your works are wonderful, I know that full well. (Psalm 139:9) How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are. (1 John 3:1)

So dwell on the fact that you are not your body. Far from it.

The Green Eyed Monster

A heart at peace gives life to the body, but envy rots the bones. (Proverbs 14:30)

Envy~ to be discontented at the possession of another of what one would like for oneself; malicious grudging. It's the green-eyed monster that creeps into every woman's life at one point or another, and for some of us at more points and more times than we care to admit.

Nancy Beach, in her book, Gifted to Lead, writes more eloquently about envy than I can, so I am quoting her for the rest of my blog.

"We envy because there is a difference between who we are and who we feel we should be or who others insist we should be. Our culture is obsessed with comparisons...Betsy Cohen writes that, 'we encourage everyone to earn more money, to look better, to do better, to learn more, to have more. Our society creates inevitable comparison and inevitable dissatisfaction.'

Where does our envy come from and what can we do to combat this green-eyed monster?...Each of us is most susceptible to envy in the arenas in which we feel most vulnerable or weak. Women...who are not at peace with their identities or confident in the choices they have made can doubt themselves to the point where they tear down others in an effort to boost their own worth.

Envy is such an embarrassing sin because it is petty and it creeps around with such subtlety that we often don't realize it's there until it has morphed into a simmering bitterness....Our coveting creates a distance between us and God and between us and others. When I am envious, I can't truly be grateful or productive because I am too busy feeling deprived...

Our path out of envy will require us to come out of hiding, redirect our thoughts and energy, and believe the best about other women (and ourselves!!!)."

(from Nancy Beach, Gifted to Lead, Zondervan publishing, pp 155-157)

Shall We Dance ~ Role Models

Someone is watching you. Someone is watching how you value yourself. Someone is watching you how you honor the very things that make you uniquely you ~ your heart, your mind, your body.

Someone notices if you obsess over your weight. Are you about a number on the scale ~ or are you about being healthy?

Someone notices if you obsess over aging. Are you about attacking every wrinkle and sag on your face until you become a caricature of who you are ~ or do you take loving care of your face and age gracefully in the process?

Someone notices whether you value your life experiences. Are you about trying to look, sound and act like the woman of your youth or do you embrace the sum total of your life to date?

Someone notices how you speak about yourself. Are you constantly putting yourself down or do you honor the natural talents and abilities that you have been given?

Someone notices if you even embrace the very idea of being female. Do you speak disparagingly about a woman's lot in life or do you acknowledge all that you can be as a woman?

That someone is your child or children or other young people whom you influence on a regular basis. Are you keenly aware that you pass on your weight, aging and self-worth issues ~ whether an obsession or healthy attitude ~ to others close to you?

It's a heavy responsibility but if you dance through life knowing that you are a beloved, cherished child of God, then others will pick up the tune and dance along side you. Sounds like a party to me and I love to dance!

Truth in Beauty

Get the next issue of the French version of elle magazine, which is due on the news stands this weekend. It promises to be controversial. Why? Because it features several movie stars sans make-up and airbrushing. You read that right. These women are appearing in the magazine with unretouched faces. Granted, the lighting was extremely flattering and the photographer knew how to take the best shot of his subjects, but never-the-less, these women have taken the bold step of telling the world that real is often better than made-up.

I wish more women realized that the celluloid role models who they try to emulate are phony baloney. Real women, famous or not, cannot possibly live up to the unrealistic standards of beauty that has been accepted by our culture. Yet I see women of all ages buying into the notion that they can be beautiful and forever young if they go on the right diet, take the right supplements,use the right skin care, wear the right make-up, have the right hair-do, and oh yes, have the right plastic surgery.

Don't buy into it!!! Don't be a slave to advertising that doesn't give a rip about you but is only very, very interested in your wallet. You were created uniquely and beautifully to be YOU and no one else. Know yourself. Make the most of yourself. But don't become a freak trying to live up to a standard that you will never successfully attain over the long run.

"So American magazine editors, I plead to you: It's time to step up your game. American readers would like to see some real, healthy women who actually look like themselves. Please stop with the whole Frankenstein thing: We know you attach your cover models' heads to skinnier bodies. We know you slim down their thighs and their noses and you lighten their skin. We know you smooth out all of the facial "imperfections" that make them look human. We're tired of fembots. We can handle the truth." (follow this link for more) Jennifer Romolini, Shine staff

Punked ~ or a New Meaning for Titus 2 Woman

...teach the older women to be reverent in the way they live ...then they can train the younger women (Titus 2:3-5)

Oh yes, the Groovies are Titus 2 women alright. I just don't know if we are setting the right example!!!

We made a concerted effort recently to train our younger women in the art of punking others and being punked in return. (punk ~ to play a trick on someone in order to tickle their funny bone) It was all in good fun and our students learned well. In retaliation for being on the receiving end of being duly and soundly punked, they gifted the Groovies as a thank you for their "education."

What follows is the contents of their gift basket and their heartfelt words of appreciation.

Dear Groovies, A little gift from us to you to thank you for all you do for us!

Depends: We depend on your years of wisdom.

Granny Panties: For teaching us to put on our big girl panties and to stand firm in trials.

Magnifying Glass: To help you continue to see things "clearly."

Ear Plugs: To help you ward off the lies of the enemy.

Large Print Crossword Puzzles: To keep your mind sharp in your aging years.

Moments for Grandparents Book: An example of God's promises for your "golden years."

Denture Cleaner: To keep those pearly whites even whiter!

Hair Rollers: To keep your hair perfect, pretty and polished!

Pink Bib: To keep your clothes spill free when you eat and to wipe your drool.

Pill Box: To help you remember to take your daily pills to stay healthy.

Bladder Pads: For those little "oh-no" moments
.
Sewing Kit: To mend those little holes or fallen off buttons.

Wind Chimes: To keep you company in the assisted-living community.
Can't wait for next year!!

Now wasn't that sweet of them? The Groovies are equally and eagerly looking forward to next year when we take our young women through their "graduate course."

Believe Without Seeing

8 days after the Resurrection of Jesus Christ

But Thomas...was not with them when Jesus came. The other disciples told him,
"We saw the Master (He is risen from the dead)."

But he said, "Unless I see the nail holes in His hands, put my fingers in the nail holes, and stick my hand in His side, I won't believe it."

Eight days later, His disciples were again in the room. This time Thomas was with them. Jesus came through the locked doors, stood among them, and said, "Peace to you."

Then He focused His attention to Thomas. "Take your finger and examine My hands. Take your hand and stick it in My side. Don't be unbelieving. Believe."

Thomas said, "My Master! My God!"

Jesus said, "So, you believe because you've seen with your own eyes. Even better blessings are in store for those who believe without seeing."

(The Message Bible, John 20:20-31)

Simply a New Face or an Entirely New Life?

Surgeons are now able to replace someone's face with one from a dead donor. "Some of the successes have been dazzling. People who couldn't speak, speak normally, or go out in public now can walk the streets without being recognized as someone who got a new face." (quote from Marilynn Marichone, Associated Press)

Science is woefully behind the surgery performed by Jesus. He isn't content to give us simply a new face. He desires to give us a new life. That was and is the whole point behind His crucifixion and resurrection. He died so that we may have life. Everlasting life.

But the pure beauty of His gift to us is that we do not have to wait until death to receive it. We can have a new life here on earth. We can experience joy despite circumstances, patience, love, and all the other fruits of an abundant life if we choose to accept Christ as our Lord and Savior. It's a simple trade-off that is supremely difficult to do as long as we live in ourselves, for ourselves, by our own strength and ego.

I know. My pride, arrogance, intellect and self-sufficiency kept me from a new life in Christ for longer than I care to admit. I look back now and am astounded at how my stubbornness kept me from accepting a gift that was freely given and more expensive than I could ever pay back. A gift of new life. A gift of everlasting life. A gift of unconditional love. I'm on my knees thanking God that I opened my arms and my heart to receive Him. Life is sweeter for knowing Him.

So on this Easter Sunday, I choose not to be someone who can walk the streets without being recognized as having received not just a new face, but a new life thanks to Doctor Jesus. Instead, I want my life to be a very public reminder that I am His. I want to shout from the roof tops, "Halleluiah! Jesus Christ is risen from the dead!"

His Death is Not the End of the Story

In one week Christ was praised as Lord and then crucified for claiming to be their Lord. Jesus confronts humanity for who and what they are, then dies for humanity because of who and what they are. But that is not the end of the story.

Good News ~ If You Can Take It

Warning. This blog post is not for the squeamish.

These next three days ~ Good Friday through Easter Sunday ~ are rubber-meets-the-road stuff for followers of Christ. His death on the cross and subsequent resurrection are the basis on which we have been saved.

The Cross is not the cross of man, but the Cross of God, and it can never be fully comprehended through human experience. The Cross is God exhibiting His nature. It is the gate through which any and every individual can enter into oneness with God. (Oswald Chambers, My Utmost for His Highest)

It's hard enough for some to believe that Jesus is the Son of God. It is hard for some to believe that He came to earth as the Son of Man, conceived and born of a virgin through divine intervention. It is hard for some to believe that He rose from the dead three days after he was buried. But it is exquisitely hard for many to believe that He had to die for our sinful nature in order for us to live.

...the world hates Me, because I testify of it that its works are evil (John 7:18)

Jesus came to reconcile us to God. He came to save us from sin that causes eternal separation from God unless we are washed clean and pure enough to stand on holy ground in front of an almighty and Holy God.

We all sin. That's the part that makes most everyone squeamish. Even worse, most everyone doesn't like to hear that all sin is vile in the eyes of God, from pride to corruption, from gossip to the taking of a life. All of us have fallen short of the Holiness of God. It is our nature.

However, the beauty of Christ is that He did the hard work on the cross so that none who believe will perish. In suffering an agonizing death, an innocent Christ paid the ultimate price for our individual and collective sin. Eternal life in the presence of the Alpha and Omega is ours for believing.

So as believers are confronted with the brutal, dehumanizing persecution and death that Jesus Christ suffered, we choose to memorialize this day as Good Friday because it is through His death and resurrection that we are saved. The love that the Lord God has for all people is so great, that He gave His only begotten Son to die for us so that we could live. That's cause for celebration. That's Good News. That's nothing to be squeamish about.

Home

road trip

Home. Nothing like walking back into a clean house that is awaiting my return.

As I sat at my kitchen table looking out into my tiny backyard, I was greeted by the signs of Spring that had arrived while I was gone.

A small bird landed on the patio then flew into the hydrangea bush. Evidentially, it found the freshly sprouting leaves more appealing than the weeds that have raised their heads between our patio bricks.

A pigeon got landing clearance and it, too, first explored the patio and then headed to the hydrangea where it settled in and tested out an old abandoned nest.

The world turns. Cycles continue. Life renews.

It's somehow familiarly comfortable and refreshingly new at the same time.

Settled on My Heart

road trip

Despite traveling through three states to ski a renowned mountain that we had never skied before, we decided after two days of freezing rain to pack up, cut our trip short and go home. I wanted to stay one more day just in case but got out-voted. We were to bid adieu and leave at 5:30 in the morning.

We awoke to ~
rain frozen on the ground,
crystal clear skies of the pre-dawn morn,
moon and stars aglow,
the promise of a good day.
The die was cast.
We left anyway.

So close I could see the slopes. Over 1,000 miles of travel and not one inch on the Idaho ski slopes. I put on my big girl face and tried not to let disappointment cast a gray shadow over the fabulous skiing the week before at Big Sky, Montana. Sun Valley would have to wait for another time.

However, as we drove away and the sun arose to the start of a glorious day, I struggled silently with expectations and disappointments. I pondered the idea of joy despite circumstances. I visited the meaning of contentment. I pouted until we left Idaho. And then the verses that had been swirling around in my head finally settled on my heart.

give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus. (1 Th 5:18)

the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience (Gal 5:22)

godliness with contentment is great gain (1 Tit 6:6)

A smile broke out. I couldn't help myself. Life was good again as I recalled the pleasures of friends,countryside and endless roads to journey. Yes, it was definitely going to be a good day.

I Reap What I Sow

road trip

Day two in Ketchum. We awoke to more freezing rain. So what do you do on a cold, miserable, down pour kind of day in a ski town? Certainly not ski! You shop the cute boutique stores instead.

Our traveling buddy, Teresa, commented that the shop keepers in Bozeman, Montana were much friendlier than those in Ketchum, Idaho. That comment pricked my conscience. I think the fault was mine, not theirs.

For every shop keeper who greeted us with, "Hello, how are you?", I grumbled back, "Disappointed and bummed that it's raining so we're not skiing." I was surly and they responded in kind after an attempt or two to say, "There's nothing I can do about the weather but how can I help you?"

I reap what I sow.

Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. (2 Corin 9:6)

I Tried

road trip

Goodbye beautiful Big Sky. We are Sun Valley bound and have spent most of the day driving in a snowstorm to reach our destination. Imagine our complete dismay as snow turned to wet flakes turned to just plain, cold rain. It didn't matter that the forecast called for exactly the weather we were getting We did not travel this far to see fog and rain on the ski slopes, or worse yet to hear the locals say, "Wow, it just never rains like this this time of year." That's almost as bad as, "Dude, you should have been here last week when we had the big 12" dump of fat, fluffy flakes!"

Ooooh, what a disappointment. What a bummer. What a waste of a mountain.

So we did the next best thing, we went shopping. Well,honestly, it wasn't the next best thing but it was better than sitting in our beautiful lodge across the street from the beautiful mountain and whining about things.

I tried, I really tried to get into the spirit of what-can-you-do-so-let's-explore-Ketchum but I must admit that I was a pill most of the day. At least the evening ended with a fabulous dinner at the Ketchum Bar & Grille. We highly recommend it.

Learning Curves and Performance Anxieties

road trip

One of our travel buddies, Teresa, is a professor of music at Fresno State College. While in Big Sky, she took a day off to travel to Bozeman to give a mini-concert and conduct a master class at the local university. She practiced every night after skiing ~ a self-discipline that was beyond my reach during vacation time. On the night before her presentation she performed for us because she was nervous about her upcoming gig. Here we think the "experts" are so confident in what they do, yet they too, have learning curves and performance anxieties.

I lift my eyes up to the hills ~ where does my help come from? (Psalm 121:1)
Surely God is my help; the Lord is the One who sustains me. (Psalm 54:4)

Trophies

road trip

Hunters often brag about their "trophies" of the hunt. Well, let me brag about mine. I bagged (photographed) 1 painted plaster bison, 2 stuffed taxidermy bears, 1 metal moose and 1 watch for stock (cattle) sign.

Ruminations on the Road

road trip

When you are on a road trip, there is lots of down time to ponder the condition of life. What follows are a few of my random ruminations on the road.

Word of caution ~ Don't leave a flow-foam pillow in a freezing car overnight. Heat is its friend. Cold is, well let's just say stiff as a board is a kind description of what happens to your faithful pillow when it spends the night in a dark, freezing car instead of on the bed under your warm, toasty head

What's wrong with this picture? ~ My husband has a photo of me as the wallpaper on his computer and I have a photo of our dead cat on mine.

Road signs and billboards encountered along the way ~ Prison Area Hitchhiking Strictly Forbidden. (We wanted to get out of the car and pose by the sign but decided it was risky business.)~ Find Out What Rhymes With Varmit at the National Cowboy Gathering. (I'm intrigued enough to want to go back and find out.) ~ Keep Your Dirt High in Iron (clever advertising for off-road Harley Davidson motorcycles) ~ Buy Hashbrowns.com (An entire website devoted to hashbrowns?)~Ho Hum Motel (Wow, that sure makes me not want to stay there.)~ Frost Heaves (but only after 10 beers). I swear I am not making these up.

Hot tubs ~ A moment of silence in praise of slipping into a hot tub to ease away the kinks of travel.

My impression of Nevada ~ I've got to look really hard to find redeeming geographic qualities. I know the good Lord made heaven and earth but I think He ran out of ideas when it came to this state.

April Poster Boy for God

I interrupt this road trip to bring you our April poster boy for God. Doesn't he have the most angelic hair? Angels have had their eye on this poster boy from a very young age. Indeed, he was chosen and protected by the Lord long before he chose God back.

At about 15 or 16 years of age, our poster boy was invited to a church barbecue and baptism at Lake Del Valle. He had not regularly attended church, but thought that the event sounded like fun. After a game of softball and the picnic, there was a baptism service down at the lake. The pastor gave an invitation for anyone who wanted to accept Christ and be baptized right then and there to step forward. Moved by the Holy Spirit, our poster boy found himself walking forward to receive baptism and in doing so, receive Jesus Christ as his Lord and Savior. He didn't even know what he was doing, but God did! And it was no coincidence, but divine providence, that his future wife was there to witness the event that changed his life and has defined their lives together.

Chosen by the almighty God. Chosen before choosing back. Chosen to bring teens and young adults to Christ. Chosen to bear fruit for God's kingdom. And all our poster boy had to do was step forward and say, "Yes, I choose You back."

Hope

road trip

One of the things I like about road trips is the USA Today newspaper that greets my hotel room doorstep. I know, I can get it daily by subscription, but I prefer thinking of it as a perk of travel. The reason I like USA Today is its chock full of blog worthy articles to comment on. For a case in point, read on from the March 16th edition.....

Psychic business senses fortune, says the header. Uncertain economic times have more looking to different sources for guidance, says the subhead. I don't know whether to laugh or cry on this one. The article goes on to quote Maryanne Fiedler who works for an on-line network of psychics. She says, "We're trying to ease their anxieties by offering reassurance." Hmm, I think my mom could give me just as much reassurance and she doesn't cost $85 for half hour consultation.

The article goes on to quote marketing professor Thomas Kramer. "In times of uncertainty or stress, people tend to rely on superstition or magic. They want to get a sense of control over what is happening in these uncertain economic times and reduce the levels of stress or induce hope."

Turn to psychics, superstition and magic, and you return empty handed. If you follow my blog, you know where I turn to ~ the Bible. Yes, I look to the Lord God as a fair greater, more reliable power for reassurance and hope in uncertain times.

Why are you downcast, O my soul? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God...my Savior. (Psalm 43:5) Find rest, O my soul, in God alone; my hope comes from Him. (Psalm 62:5)

Put your hope in the Lord, for with the Lord is unfailing love and with Him is full redemption. (Psalm 130:7)

Be strong and take heart, all you who believe in the Lord. (Psalm 31:24) We wait in hope for the Lord, He is our help and our shield. (Psalm 33:20)

You are my refuge and my shield; I have put my hope in Your word. Psalm 119:114) You answer us...O God...the hope of all the ends of the earth and of the farthest seas. (Psalm 65:5)

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in Him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. (Romans 15:13)

Therefore, since we have such hope, we are very bold. (2 Corinth 3:12)