Road Trip Tomorrow

I'm headed to Tennessee tomorrow for a quick trip. My nephew Paul will be graduating from high school on Saturday. My sister Stacey and I will be driving down together. I am looking forward to seeing Paul graduate. It's been a long road for him and it will be time to celebrate.
I'll do my best to blog during the weekend. If not, I'll catch up when I get back.
Thanks for being a part of my journey!

Saturday Stories and Crafts

The May Saturday Stories and Crafts will be held this coming Sat., May 22nd at 2:00pm.

Kids in Kindergarten and up are invited to come hear some stories and make a craft.

Registration is required for this program, to register stop in at the library or call 585-924-2637.

New Family

I had the honor and privilege yesterday of calling a family and giving them then news that they had been approved as a new Habitat Partner Family. I love making these calls. Some people cry. Other people whoop and cheer. Others get very quiet and ask me if I am joking. The responses are so varied. Many feel a sense of joy, disbelief, and gratitude all at once.
When I make those calls, I feel so humbled. Those are like spiritual paydays for me. They fill my soul and remind me again of why I do what I do. They help me to move forward when I am buried in paperwork or trying to figure out someone's application documentation.
While the family has often waited for several weeks to receive this good news, I tell them that they are about to have a big lesson in patience as they move forward in the partnership process. They have to begin working on their sweat equity hours. They have to fill out paperwork. They have to attend classes. They have a lot of hoops to jump through before we can even begin construction of their home.
I ask for your prayers for this family and all of our families. Being a Habitat Partner Family is not for the faint of heart. They have to work, take care of their families, participate in Habitat programs, and help to build their home. For many families, this is a very exciting but also very stressful time. Yet, so many of our families amaze me with their incredible spirits and commitments to making their dream of home ownership come true.
Thanks for being a part of my journey!

Daris or Koli

 Well, I watched the next to the last episode of The Biggest Loser tonight. I can't believe it's almost over. I have seen every episode so far and it has been a truly amazing journey.
I am so shocked that Michael and Ashley are in the final three contestants. When I saw some of the video of Ashley at home, it seemed like she was slipping and was really struggling with being back home. However, she ended up having the highest percentage of weight loss for the month. Michael also did great. He looks good and broke out into tears when he realized that he was under 300 pounds.
I was really disappointed that Daris gained 2 pounds after being home for a month and training for the marathon. He won the marathon but may have endangered himself by gaining weight at this weigh in. I must say that I really identify with him. They showed him binging on food in the middle of the night when he was home. I can be like that and it makes me feel horrible. I felt bad for him as he pleaded with America, who has the power to let him be one of the final three contestants by voting via phone or Internet.
I think I am going to vote. I really would like to see Daris move forward and be given a second chance. I am not really very objective in all of this. I have never been a big fan of Koli. He kept talking tonight about wanting to have confetti fall down on him on the final episode. He seems to be more about the game at this stage than moving forward. I also didn't like it that he went to Las Vegas to stay with friends and work with a trainer rather than stay at home and experience what he was really going to experience when the show is over. Although he did lose weight and Daris did not, I am still pulling for Daris. I think he could win it all. To see him run that marathon was amazing.
I continue to be inspired by The Biggest Loser. It's been fun for me to watch.
I hope you are having a great week. Thanks for being a part of my journey!

Being Human

What are human beings that you are mindful of them, mortals that you care for them?
Yet you have made them a little lower than God, and crowned them with glory and honor.

- Psalm 8:4-5, NRSV

I watched another documentary yesterday through my Netflix subscription. The documentary was about the historical quest through archeology to discover the origins of humanity. I found it fascinating. I remember learning about Dr. Louis Leakey and his archaeological expeditions in Olduvai Gorge in Tanzania when I was in school. I still don't understand how they date these fossils and determine so much about the life and culture of ancient humans. However, I am grateful that there are people who commit their whole lives to the study of such things.
One of the things the documentary drove home for me is what amazing creatures human beings are. We are set apart from all other living things because of how we are made. We walk upright which frees our hands for use in other ways. This means that we eventually learned how to make tools out of stones. This helped us to chop wood and hunt animals for food. We also were able to control fire which increased our chances of survival and quality of life. We also are the only creatures to be able to reason and to create.
I was deeply moved by one segment of the documentary which talked about the discovery of a human leg bone from the very early period when humans lived in caves and were nomadic hunters. The leg bone showed signs that it was once broken and had healed. Now in other animal species, this would have meant certain death. Those animals who are not strong and able to outrun predators die. However, this human leg bone had healed. This could only mean that this individual was cared for by the rest of the community until he could walk on his own. They did not leave this weak individual to fend for himself. They helped him to heal. They helped feed him when he could not hunt for himself. They were compassionate for one who needed their help.
It is this one act, human beings stand out from all other species in the world. We are social creatures who have the power to heal and care for one another. Within us is the ability to be compassionate for those in need. In our actions, we can reflect the image of our Creator. In spite of our broken and selfish nature, God gives us the grace to bind up the wounds of the world in the name of love.
I hope you have had a great start to your week. Thanks for being a part of my journey!

♥ ♫ I Believe in Love ♫ ♥

It starts. Tonight is our first "HAIR" rehearsal. I have a feeling this will be one of those plays. More than a play. A life changer. One of lifes magic moments. I have waited so long. I want to give in, give over and give to this and get from this.

Today is a new day.
There's been a lot on my mind lately that I've been pondering and wanting to change and I think today is the perfect day to begin.

In our profession we are so critical, catty, full of judgement. We're all narcissistic and think our way is the only way. That's the negative side. And I need a break from it. I am going to try my hardest to knock it off when I'm guilty of it and to not let the negativity of others in.

I need to remember we create our own reality and "nobody can make you feel inferior without your consent". If you have that, you have it all.

I want to live in positivity. In good. In love. That's all.
Just simplify and be vibrant and believe in me and what I have to give, and give it.

And relax. And enjoy the ride. And be kind. And draw kindness to me.

I want to savor my experiences, not stress so much. I choose to choose happiness at all times. Live peacefully. Everyone needs a reminder that we can't control what others will think or do, but we can control our actions and reactions. At the end of the day, we can be whoever we dream to be, to get all out of life that we want, to be happy...if we create it for ourselves. We can all use a reminder to stop and let the dust settle and focus on what matters most.

For me, I need to once again learn to go slow. To say no.

Yes. I think this is the perfect day to begin.

A Still Small Voice

I attended a wonderful worship service today. I enjoyed it very much and the message really spoke to my heart and life. The pastor talked about the story recorded in 1 Kings about the contest between the followers of Baal and the prophet Elijah. The people of Israel had turned away from God and followed the false god of Baal. Elijah was the last prophet of the Lord left. God calls him to speak God's Truth in the face of persecution and possibly even execution.
Elijah answers God's call and there is a wonderful scene where the prophets of Baal pray and cry out and even cut themselves as an act of worship to this false God in order to get Baal to send down fire on an altar of sacrifice. Of course, Baal doesn't send fire because Baal doesn't exist. Then Elijah lays out an altar of twelve stones and places the sacrificed meat on the altar. Then he orders that the altar be drenched with water as well as a trench dug around the altar and filled with water. Then, Elijah prays and God sends down fire and burns up the offering and the rocks and all the water in the trench is dried up.
Elijah then orders the prophets of Baal to be killed. This gets Jezebel, the Queen of Israel, mad at Elijah and she wants him dead. Elijah flees and ends up hiding in a cave. This is where we find Elijah in verses 11 and 12. He has been running and he is scared and he feels alone.
God then calls to him in the cave and tells him to get up and stand on the mountain to see God pass by. A very strong wind or storm blows through but God is not in the wind. Then an earthquake rumbles the earth but God is not in the earthquake. Then a fire breaks out but God is not in the fire. Finally, God speaks to Elijah in the gentle whisper of a still small voice.
The pastor at the church attended today reminded us that God often speaks to us in quiet ways but we have to be listening. We have to be taking time to listen to what God is saying. We have to be willing just to be in God's presence. While our temptation is to do all the talking when we pray, God also has blessings for us when we are still and quiet and ready to receive.
This was a good message for me to hear. I have felt like I've been going full speed ahead in my new job and now in my new apartment. I feel like I've not really taken the time to stop and listen and really hear what God is saying to me. I am all too eager to have quiet days to watch movies but I have not taken much time to really be present for God and to listen to the still small voice that calls me.
You might find yourself in the same kind of situation. Many of us hit the ground running each morning and we never really stop to listen to the voice of God. It seems like our world is spinning faster and faster and life just doesn't slow down. I know this was true when I was serving in the local church. I was often so busy DOING the work of the church that I found it hard to slow down and just BE present to God.
So, this week, I am going to intentionally take time just to be in God's presence. I want to be a better listener. I want to tune into the voice of God in my life. I want to always go deeper in my relationship with the God who loves me and will never stop calling my name.
I hope you've had a great weekend. Thanks for being a part of my journey!