This next week, May 31-June 4, I will be in Abilene for a class. I doubt I will be able to post anything, but I'm sure I'll have lots to say when I return.
While I'm gone, you can look back over your favorite post here and direct your friends and neighbors to the site.
Thursday, May 27, 2004
Tuesday, May 25, 2004
Magical Morning
Don't you hate mornings? I do! I have never understood those people who jolt out of bed and bound around the house before 6:00 am each morning. Are they crazy? Do they not have good dreams? My wife works with a woman who wakes up every day around 4:00 am. She practices her piano--which I'm sure her husband loves,--eats breakfast, reads the daily paper and gets to the office before 6:00. Why? Surely there must be some mental dysfunction going on there. But, I guess some folks are just morning people.
I am not one of those people! I am a night person. In my view the world is backward. We should sleep in the day and be up at night. I understand why our inner clocks work the way they do, but I'm not a farmer or a rancher. I don't need the daylight to get things done. The earliest anyone needs to get up is 10:00 am. Anything that needs to be done before that can wait. Right?
Well, that's how I used to feel.
Now our daughter, Malia, wakes up every morning between 7:30 and 8:00. From the living room we can hear her begin to stir. Turning, stretching, yawning and sighing are signs that her new day is about to begin. My first instinct is to race in to get her, but to do that would mean missing the magic. When she first stirs, she's not quite fully awake. The patient man is rewarded if he can wait for those few minutes when she is fully awake but she hasn't realized she is alone. If you go in her room then, you will see the glory of the sun in her eyes. Standing there, I watch her roll over when she senses the presence of someone in the room, her eyes blink as she recognizes a familiar and loving face and then a smile only given to angels inches across her face. It is magic!
Right then, a overwhelming feeling of joy and love floods from the heavens into my heart. My only responds is to pick her up, kiss her and tell her how much she is loved. It's a feeling so far beyond words, that one feels silly even trying to describe it. No matter how difficult it was to put her to sleep the night before, or how much she fused the previous day, nor how many diapers there were to change, the love greatly outweighs the pains (if those things can even be called pains).
There is something mysterious and magical about the morning, something glorious. Each day is a new beginning, a fresh start to revive our lives. Malia has taught me that mornings are God's perfect painting of renewal and blessedness.
Standing over her this morning, these words came to mind:"Because of the Lord's great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness."
I am not one of those people! I am a night person. In my view the world is backward. We should sleep in the day and be up at night. I understand why our inner clocks work the way they do, but I'm not a farmer or a rancher. I don't need the daylight to get things done. The earliest anyone needs to get up is 10:00 am. Anything that needs to be done before that can wait. Right?
Well, that's how I used to feel.
Now our daughter, Malia, wakes up every morning between 7:30 and 8:00. From the living room we can hear her begin to stir. Turning, stretching, yawning and sighing are signs that her new day is about to begin. My first instinct is to race in to get her, but to do that would mean missing the magic. When she first stirs, she's not quite fully awake. The patient man is rewarded if he can wait for those few minutes when she is fully awake but she hasn't realized she is alone. If you go in her room then, you will see the glory of the sun in her eyes. Standing there, I watch her roll over when she senses the presence of someone in the room, her eyes blink as she recognizes a familiar and loving face and then a smile only given to angels inches across her face. It is magic!
Right then, a overwhelming feeling of joy and love floods from the heavens into my heart. My only responds is to pick her up, kiss her and tell her how much she is loved. It's a feeling so far beyond words, that one feels silly even trying to describe it. No matter how difficult it was to put her to sleep the night before, or how much she fused the previous day, nor how many diapers there were to change, the love greatly outweighs the pains (if those things can even be called pains).
There is something mysterious and magical about the morning, something glorious. Each day is a new beginning, a fresh start to revive our lives. Malia has taught me that mornings are God's perfect painting of renewal and blessedness.
Standing over her this morning, these words came to mind:"Because of the Lord's great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness."
Thursday, May 20, 2004
Inspiration
I was glad to see American Idol reject, William Hung's new music video. It's a cover of Ricky Martin's mega-dance hit, "She Bangs." I remember watching the audition show of American Idol this season. In particular, I remember seeing William. Let's all face it. He can't sing! But that's okay, he's a engineering student at Stanford University. I'm sure he'll be fine in the long run.
Right now, young William has new CD entiled, "Inspiration" and apparently it's selling. My hope is that Willie knows that the world does not think he's the second coming of Luther Vandross, but rather a new type of circus sideshow. If he does know--great. I hope he makes a killing singing at Six Flags Magic Mountain, and at AAA baseball games. If he doesn't know, someone close to him should tell him. Because not to would just be mean.
William dances a lot too. He can't dance either.
But the thing about William' singing and dancing that is great is that he looks like he's having so much fun. Wouldn't you love that? Just to cut loose, let go and have fun and forget, or learn to appreciate, that other people are watching. William is living his dream of singing in front of thousands, though no one thinks he can sing. He's going on tour. He's doing interviews. He's making videos.
Only singers do that! Oh, yeah, and William Hung. William wasn't designed for singing, but he certainly has the desire, and he's living the dream--if only for his 15 Minutes.
Do you ever wondered what life would look like, if just for 15 minutes, you could chase your dreams? If you could sing in front of the crowd or make up your own dance. Wouldn't that be great? Wouldn't you be free?
I wonder what dreams the rest of us would pursue if we could follow William's "Inspiration."
Right now, young William has new CD entiled, "Inspiration" and apparently it's selling. My hope is that Willie knows that the world does not think he's the second coming of Luther Vandross, but rather a new type of circus sideshow. If he does know--great. I hope he makes a killing singing at Six Flags Magic Mountain, and at AAA baseball games. If he doesn't know, someone close to him should tell him. Because not to would just be mean.
William dances a lot too. He can't dance either.
But the thing about William' singing and dancing that is great is that he looks like he's having so much fun. Wouldn't you love that? Just to cut loose, let go and have fun and forget, or learn to appreciate, that other people are watching. William is living his dream of singing in front of thousands, though no one thinks he can sing. He's going on tour. He's doing interviews. He's making videos.
Only singers do that! Oh, yeah, and William Hung. William wasn't designed for singing, but he certainly has the desire, and he's living the dream--if only for his 15 Minutes.
Do you ever wondered what life would look like, if just for 15 minutes, you could chase your dreams? If you could sing in front of the crowd or make up your own dance. Wouldn't that be great? Wouldn't you be free?
I wonder what dreams the rest of us would pursue if we could follow William's "Inspiration."
Wednesday, May 19, 2004
Never Safe!
"Who is Aslan?" asked Susan.
"Aslan?" said Mr. Beaver, "Why don't you know? He's the King...It is he, not you, that will save Mr. Tumnus...."
"Is he a man!" said Mr. Beaver sternly.
"Certainly not. I tell you he is the King of the wood and the son of the great Emperor-Beyond-the-Sea. Don't you know who is the King of Beasts? Aslan is a lion--the lion, the great Lion."
"Ooh!" said Susan. "I'd thought he was a man. Is he--quite safe? I shall feel rather nervous about meeting a lion."
"That you will, dearie, and make no mistake," said Mrs. Beaver, "if there's anyone who can appear before Aslan without their knees knocking, they're either braver than most or else just silly."
"Then he isn't safe?" said Lucy.
"Safe?" said Mrs. Beaver. "Don't you hear what Mrs. Beaver tell you? Who said anything about safe? 'Course he isn't safe. But he's good. He's the King, I tell you."
"I'm longing to see him," said Peter, "even if I do feel frightened when it comes to the point."
"Aslan?" said Mr. Beaver, "Why don't you know? He's the King...It is he, not you, that will save Mr. Tumnus...."
"Is he a man!" said Mr. Beaver sternly.
"Certainly not. I tell you he is the King of the wood and the son of the great Emperor-Beyond-the-Sea. Don't you know who is the King of Beasts? Aslan is a lion--the lion, the great Lion."
"Ooh!" said Susan. "I'd thought he was a man. Is he--quite safe? I shall feel rather nervous about meeting a lion."
"That you will, dearie, and make no mistake," said Mrs. Beaver, "if there's anyone who can appear before Aslan without their knees knocking, they're either braver than most or else just silly."
"Then he isn't safe?" said Lucy.
"Safe?" said Mrs. Beaver. "Don't you hear what Mrs. Beaver tell you? Who said anything about safe? 'Course he isn't safe. But he's good. He's the King, I tell you."
"I'm longing to see him," said Peter, "even if I do feel frightened when it comes to the point."
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