Did You Know?

Some of you may not know I am a music freak! I love music and my parents used to get mad at me because I "loved" a different song every other day. If I counted the songs I claimed as favorites, I am sure the list would be in the tens of thousands! I must apologize for those of you who are expecting a well written and entertaining blog. I feel as if I am coming down with a cold. My head hurts and this is the second day I have been in a bad mood. Let me ask you this - if a person has sick time, why do some look down on you for using it? How I would love to go home since my visitors have plans for all day (and even dinner). I would be joyous to go home, crawl in bed, and watch The Full Monty while dozing. We are celebrating my mom's birthday tonight, so I still need a gift. I could wake up later (around 3) and have time to shop at my leisure to find her the perfect gift. Instead, I am stuck sitting here with my right nostril plugged (which is the most annoying thing in the world), waiting for a beep in my hear so I can either be hung up on, hear a SIT code (which tends to blow eardrums), or talk to an insignificant other who says they are sending money, but you know they never will nor will they give the person the message in the first place. The whole day is looking dreary and monotonous.
Anyway, back to music. It is one thing that I can find unlimited joy in. Do you ever have days you just want to be Oscar The Grouch? And there is always a perfect song that helps you feel more grouchy and might even make you feel better because the song is so depressing? Yeah, you guessed it! (And you wondered why I have such eclectic taste!) Today is very much a Nine Inch Nails (older album), but could also easily qualify for Tori Amos or at a minimum Sara McLaughlan. Usually Nine Inch Nails is reserved for really bad days which classify more as mad days. They are easier to handle then depressed days. There are a lot of good mad groups out there. This I find funny. There are even Christian mad groups - doesn't that kinda defy their overall purpose? I could always put on a happy album, such as The Point, which is an album written by Harry Nilsson when we was high about a town of people who all had pointed heads (except for Oblio who was banished to the Pointless Forest). But what is the reason to being cheery when you feel crappy? To be honest, it is one of those days I see no hope in changing my attitude or trying to. It is so draining to make the "happy day" effort.
This song classified as a favorite about 6 years ago. It is not a well known song, but it is very melodic and fits my mood today. (And, let's face it - it's not like I will be pasting Nine Inch Nails lyrics or anything).

BON JOVI LYRICS

"(It's Hard) Letting You Go"

It ain't no fun lying down to sleep
And there ain't no secrets left for me to keep
I wish the stars up in the sky
Would all just call in sick
And the clouds would take the moon out
On some one-way trip

I drove all night down streets that wouldn't bend
But somehow they drove me back here once again
To the place I lost at love, and the place I lost my soul
I wish I'd just burn down this place that we called home
It would all have been so easy
If you'd only made me cry
And told me how you're leaving me
To some organ grinder's lullaby

It's hard, so hard - it's tearing out my heart
It's hard letting you go

Now the sky, it shines a different kind of blue
And the neighbor's dog don't bark like he used to
Well - me, these days
I just miss you - it's the nights that I go insane
Unless you're coming back for me
That's one thing I know that won't change

It's hard, so hard - it's tearing out my heart
It's hard letting you go

Now some tarot card shark said I'll draw you a heart
And we'll find you somebody else new
But I've made my last trip to those carnival lips
When I bet all that I had on you

It's hard, it's hard, it's hard, so hard
It's hard letting you go
It's hard, so hard, it's tearing out my heart
But it's hard letting you go

THERE'S A WITCH IN MY BED!

What a glorious Thursday morning it is outside! I hate Thursdays. They are the slow moving stepping stone to Fridays. Getting through Thursday is like a turtle trying to race through peanut butter. (Stole that saying from an email from Miss Sara this morning). This might be long, because I am stuck in a slow work mode and am quite bored.
Anyway, something very absurd happened to me on Tuesday. Jay and I went to eat at Broadway's Deli for dinner. (If you happen to know the area, the little restaurant is in a shopping strip with a few other restaurants, a frame store, and a salon. Across the street there is a Michaels and many other larger stores.) Well, when we came out of the restaurant, I noticed something in the bed of my truck. There was a witch! One that talks and her eyes light up and everything. Now, if I was a Halloween lover, I would be excited to see this strange free item I was graced with. It looked as if it had been layed ever-so-gently into the bed, was not in the slightest dirty, and still had the tag on. Right away I figured it was compliments of my crazy in-laws who are constantly dropping dollar store type gifts at my house. I had Jay call them up and they had no clue about the thing. Of course, that started rantings about how it got there, who it was from, and all sorts of annoying questions we couldn't answer. Very unlike my parents to invade my personal space, let alone give a gift without expecting some sort of appreciation, I decided to give them a jingle to be sure. As expected, they had no clue what I was talking about, nor did they really care. I thought back to where I had been: to work, and home. Not much to work with. It could have been left a few days ago and I didn't notice it, but I had moved some hay last weekend, and there was still a pile of hay blowing around in the corners of the bed. There were no grass pieces stuck to the thing, either.
So, here's what we conjured up as a story: There was a little old lady who was decorating for the upcoming Trick-or-treaters and decided to go to Michaels to buy some decorations. Since she is older, she decided against taping streamers and lacing cobwebs in the windows and settled on the $19.99 three foot witch that cackled when someone approached the door. Very satisfied with her purchase she was walking back to her car when - BAM!- she decided she also needed a shower cap to protect her newly made and sprayed bun in the bath this evening. So, figuring she could walk for some exercise, she walked to the salon across the street. By the time she had dodged the cars and strange teenagers wearing spiked collars, she was exhausted. The witch was getting very heavy and she saw my truck and decided she would just leave it in the bed for a minute while she ran in to the store to grab a cap. While in the store, she got sidetracked and decided to get a makeover with the expensive make-up that she dreams about. When midway through the application of the rose eyeshadow, Jay and I had finished our meal, jumped in the truck and drove home. When she came out of the salon, she knew something was missing but couldn't remember what. She pulled out her wallet and saw the receipt for the witch she had bought not only an hour before. Knowing that she was jipped and the store didn't give her the merchandise she had payed for, she went back to Michaels and demanded another witch. The staff was very busy, so they didn't remember if she had forgotten it at the register or not. They gladly supplied the old lady with another Halloween witch.
Of course, I could think that someone put it in my truck by mistake, or worse yet - they stole it and was trying to loose the evidence. So, I decided my dreamed up story was better. I think the thing is still in the bed of my truck! Now, how many people do you can say they had a witch in their bed and didn't know it?

The D String

It seems that I have been taking guitar lessons forever. Not only taking lessons forever, but feeling as if I have been getting nowhere. So far I can play the blues version of "Mary Had a Little Lamb" and still struggle through "Skip to My Lou." Not that I don't have a great teacher (and getting a good deal), but I feel that I am just not a string instrument kinda person. My whole life I have been involved in a band of some kind. When I was in third grade I started playing the flute. I played so long and got so good that in 10th grade I picked up the bass clarinet for a challenge. I even toured Europe with the band. To say the least, I was awesome! It is the one thing in my life I feel justified to brag about.
So, when I got the long awaited acoustic guitar for Christmas three years ago, I was ecstatic. I thought I would learn it like a snap and be leading a worship group by summer. After all, I knew how to read sheet music and the whole nine yards. Boy was I wrong! First, I hired a Flying W Wrangler for lessons. Come to find out, the dude couldn't even read music! So, I kinda dropped the ball until I started working at Compassion and met a guy who could play rather well. We started lessons and even though it was challenging, I was at least hopeful.
In the beginning I felt confident, and it wasn't too hard. Yes - I was catching on rather fast! The patterns on each string I had learned were open, first fret, and third fret. Three strings over, then it was open and second fret, which I could deal with. Next came the D string which is open, second and third fret. YIKES! I felt like I had hit a brick wall! I can't seem to get the notes learned and have my hands in the right place. Plus, it is getting more evident that I am needing to be double jointed in my wrists because I am having to contort myself into strange positions that cramp my fingers instantly. In addition, The tips of my fingers are getting callous.
When I first started, I wanted to learn Pink Floyd's "Wish You Were Here". Simple, right? Well, the melodic part is easy to learn. The second high pitch solo is difficult and learning the strumming pattern for the chords is impossible. Not to mention I think there are three guitars involved and I don't know how to get that effect on my lonely instrument. I also was looking forward to learning "Dead or Alive" by Bon Jovi, but I am thinking that is at least a decade away.
I envy those who play the guitar with ease. It would be a perfect Mastercard commercial:

Guitar, case, picks, neck strap, music stand, tuner, and beginner books: $700...
Guitar lessons $20 an hour for two years: $2,000.00...
Manicures for callous fingers and constant nail trims: $500.00...
Being able to play the intro to Pink Floyd's "Wish You Were Here"? Priceless.

For some reason, it doesn't really work, does it? Well, I will keep strummin' on.

A Prayer Warrior?

What a glorious Thursday morning! The sun is shining and Pikes Peak is absolutely beautiful. It snowed yesterday, so I can almost see it glitter..the sky is that clear.
I wanted to talk a little about prayer. I have never been one to go into my "prayer closet." Since I began working in a ministry, I have come to know that term quite well. But, I never had one before, other than kneeling beside bed when I was a kid, and I didn't even know where the darn thing was!
I have been struggling with some issues and realized I really needed to give it up to God and was told the best way was to go find my very own closet. Even I knew long ago I needed to give these things away, I didn't want to (I am the typical control freak). So, I found my "prayer closet" and went to work. Don't get me wrong - I have always been faithful and trusting and figured if it was in God's will it would happen sooner or later. And, when I did pray, it was usually brief and to the point. No sense rambling, right?
Let me fill you in on something. My sister had been with this guy for over two years. He's really a good guy, but she's been with a lot of duds in the past who have never committed, so she isn't one that is driven to be committed.
Anyway, after having some visitors from Africa for a week, they insisted we go to the World Prayer Center to check it out. I had never been. It is actually really neat. They are open 24/7 (and in this city, anything open 24 hours is a rare thing to find). Anyway, I was praying with them for various things; safe flight home, friends and family in Africa, and for my sister. (They had previously asked about any siblings I had, so I did fill them in. And, of course, they asked all of the "hard" questions.) They also told me I needed "power prayer" for her. I had never really considered this. I always left power prayer for the desperate situations. Like when someone was on their deathbed and such. And, even in my power prayer, there sure wasn't much power. Anyway, once we walked into the Center, the guys split away to pray in their corners, so I did the same. I was surprised by my intenseness in prayer. I prayed mostly for my sister... I have never seen wham-bam kinda results from prayer in my life, so I was not expecting any.
The next night we were all bowling (which was absolutely fantastic since the guys had not ever seen the sport) when my cell phone rang. It was my sister...and she was now engaged! We all celebrated the good news.
I had decided that there really is power behind prayer. Since then, I have visited the Prayer Center numerous times during each week. One of my friends has been in the ICU for a week after having numerous surgeries. She was on a ventilator and sedated so her body could heal. Things were not looking good, nor were they expecting to get better. I lifted her up in extensive prayer and the following day received word that she had been taken off the ventilator and the doctors were letting her wake up to heal. To say the least, I am humbled. I think of all the things I cast out because I figured little ole me couldn't make a difference.
Have you ever had one of those times where God goes, "You think you know it? Well, watch this!" It has been one of those months. A lot in my life has changed, and it is all for the better. Now note: it's not for the EASIER, it's for the better. There aren't many things that are for the better that make your life easier (at least in the moment).
I think I have needed to be open for His suggestions for a long time and was cutting off the most vital way he is able to give them to me. Makes me wonder what things might have changed if I had started listening a long time ago. But, I know better because living in the land of "if only" can kill ya.

The Gremlin

I was driving the other day and was stuck behind a person driving what looked to be (or what my husband calls) a "gremlin." The lady was going so slow I tailed her for a good mile or so to see if she would politely get out of my way. It was a Burgundy-rust-ish color (maybe it was rust) and was violently spewing black smoke from the tail pipe that eagerly made it's way upward to help ruin what is left of our ozone. She decided to make every turn I did so I followed her for about 10 miles up and down Black Forest Road which ultimately lead to more depletion of our planet. While contemplating our galaxy and it's intricateness, I happened to notice a beat up bumper sticker plastered crooked across the back of her hatchback that read: "THESPIANS DO IT ON STAGE." ACK! What would convince a person to make that kind of statement for everyone to read on the back of your vehicle? Not to mention I am sure a lot of gross men driving by read that and looked at her, and I just wonder what they were thinking about! Kinda turns your stomach, huh? Maybe, just maybe there is someone reading this that has a new perspective as to why strange men (or women) look in the window at them upon passing. After all, I do have faith that the old Christian fish symbol eating a Darwin fish (that I so proudly glued to my old Geo Prism when I was 16) made atheists quiver with fear!