Yearly Archives: 2008

Life of greatness

Sayin’ it like it is

9 June 2008 – 8:43 am

Kirk Franklin came up in a conversation the other day.  I love him.  Sigh.  Seriously.  He’s a gifted singer/songwriter.  His songs come from the heart – a rarity at times in Christian music.  Seems too often nowadays spiritual songs are little more than regurgitation.  Everything we’ve heard before, with a little different twang.  Apparently, however, not everyone feels as I do (SHOCKING, I know).  The minute I mentioned Kirk Franklin, the face of the women turned grave.  “I was listening to Hero the other morning”, she whispered, “It’s good but … it’s so very depressing.”  She shook her head, emphasizing the pity of it all.  Depressing.  Huh.  As many times as I have listened to that CD, depression has never once come to mind.  Hope in the midst of despair, maybe.  But hope.  I can’t help but wonder if what she really has a problem with is the truthfulness.  Us Christians aren’t always comfortable with the truth.  How are you doing? one will ask.  Blessed! replies the other.  Yes, we are blessed; but here’s the thing, we live in a fallen world.  The simple fact remains, some times life is crap.  There’s pain and suffering, trials and disappointment.  Loved ones leave us, they let us down.  Dreams wither and die.  Our bodies fail us.  That’s life.  We cannot pretend the hardships of life are not there, or that they do not affect us.  Even David – a man after God’s own heart – admitted to the misery of life.  Only through acknowledging can we learn to live victorious.  As Kirk Franklin says in “Let it Go” … “Church taught me how to shout and how to speak in tongues; but preacher teach me how to live now that the tongue is done.”  Perhaps now, more than ever the church needs to rise up and allow for the true – to acknowledge that no, life is not always easy or fair; but we’re here for a reason. And we can live a righteous life, warts and all …

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Miscellany

Brush those teeth

7 June 2008 – 5:12 pm

I suffered from some sort of sleepy syndrome this past week.  I was exhausted all week long – with nothing to explain for it.  Last night I was so tired I could barely wash off my makeup, let alone work up the energy to brush my teeth.  [collective gasp!, I know]  So I fall into bed and, apparently, into some fairly bizarre dreams. 

Take this one for example …

I was getting ready to go hiking with some friends (that, in itself is just plain weird).  I’m in the restroom – somewhere – getting ready with my good friend Angelina Jolie.  She, of course, is looking gorgeous.  She’s even wearing a dress.  To go hiking.  “Gosh,” I say, eloquent-like, “you look so good!  Maybe I should change my clothes.”  Angelina looks at me with disgust.  “You better at least brush your teeth.” 

Needless to say, I was ruined.  RUINED.  So tonight, no matter how tired I may feel, I will brush my teeth before jumping into bed.  Promise.

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My life

Chicken with wings

29 May 2008 – 5:07 pm
I was the “guest” at a wedding last Sunday.  It turned out to be a lovely affair – amazing considering they had no flowers as of last week.  Proof you can do amazing things in a short amount of time, with a small legion of friends and family who care.  And I’m happy to report there were no incidents.  At least no major incidents.  I did have a renegade spicy chicken piece jump down the front of my dress.  That was a shock – to me and anyone who happened to see me reach down and retrieve it.  Sure, I could have left it there and everyone would have been none the wiser.  Unfortunately, it lodged in the middle of my bra and began burning a hole in my flesh.  Seeing how I’m none too keen on pain, I really had no other choice … 
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Life of greatness

Memorial day

26 May 2008 – 11:07 am

poppy_remember

You see them every year–veterans selling small paper poppies.  Every year fewer of us seem to take note–we simply haven’t the time.  We should take the time, however.  For poppies, you see, are rather amazing flowers.  Though they appear frail, they are quite valiant.  Their seeds can remain underground, sleeping, for years.  All it takes is a good churning of the soil to awaken them from their slumber.  And that’s exactly what happened on the fields of Northern France and Flanders during WWI.  Amid the death and destruction of the battlefield, red poppies began to bloom.  One day Lt. Col. John McCrae, a physician from Canada, looked out over the crimson blossoms and penned the following:

In Flanders fields the poppies blow; Between the crosses, row on row; That mark our place; and in the sky The larks, still bravely singing, fly; Scarce heard amid the guns below; We are the Dead.  Short days ago We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow, Loved and were loved; and now we lie In Flanders field…

McCrae died a few years later–joining those of whom he wrote, with a cross marking his place, in a sea of poppies, far from home.  But McCrae’s words continue to remind us of the countless men and women who have given their lives for freedom.  They paid the highest price.  The least we can do is be thankful for the sacrifice.  So this Memorial Day let us take the time.  Buy a poppy.  Say a prayer.  Remember.

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Miscellany

Stepford wives

19 May 2008 – 5:03 pm

So, I’m meeting a friend at the theatre on Saturday. We watch the movie and on the way out we chat about the Stepford Wives. We agree it’s creepy. We laugh. We part. I come back out to my car and parked next to me is a new Beetle. Now Beetles are usually friendly fellows – they tend to make you smile with just one look. This one, however, gave off an air of sinister. Why would you say such a thing? I will tell you why – because the whole back window was filled with mannequin heads. GASP! It was morbidly disturbing. So I did what any rational person would do – I took a picture. I ever-so-inconspicuously held up my cell phone, looked the other way, snapped the picture, jumped in my car and quickly drove away. Who knows what would have happened if I had stuck around …

Oh, and in case your wondering why said picture is not posted – here’s the thing: I got a new cell phone.  And I can’t figure out how to download.  Pitiful, I know.  Therefore, only close, personal friends get to view the alarming image – the rest of you must rely upon your imagination …

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