Of all the liars in the world...

It's been a bit of a strange day again.

Nothing I can elaborate on. Just strange.

Here's hoping this doesn't keep happening!

If you haven't read my previous post, you should read it first. You can find it here. (or you could just scroll down a little!)

As I picked myself off the floor, and began to move on with my day, I came across the song "Born", by the band "Over the Rhine". I'm finding it poignant in the midst of the spaces I'm living in right now.

Born
(Bergquist/Detweiler)

I was born to laugh
I learned to laugh through my tears
I was born to love
I'm gonna learn to love without fear

Pour me a glass of wine
Talk deep into the night
Who knows what we'll find

Intuition, deja vu
The Holy Ghost haunting you
Whatever you got
I don't mind

Put your elbows on the table
I'll listen long as I am able
There's nowhere I'd rather be

Secret fears, the supernatural
Thank God for this new laughter
Thank God the joke's on me

We've seen the landfill rainbow
We've seen the junkyard of love
Baby it's no place for you and me

I was born to laugh
I learned to laugh through my tears
I was born to love
I'm gonna learn to love without fear

Just when I think I might actually get a break for a couple of days from the intensity of some of the stuff that's been going on over the last while, just when everything seems like there's a possibility of stuff calming down for a day or two, another wave breaks.

I'm beginning to become an expert at surviving the waves that have been crashing over me this last while. I'm getting quicker at moving from stunned to picking myself back up.

Another wave broke this afternoon - smaller this time, but still enough to knock my feet out from under me yet again and leave me reeling.

And I found myself clicking through my itunes library, randomly choosing songs, hoping to find something to provide a soundtrack that fit my mood, that would let me start talking with Jesus about this latest thing, that would let me pull my feet back under me.

The song I came across? "Sweet Mercies" by David Ruis.

It's our confession Lord, that we are weak
So very weak, but You are strong
And though we've nothing Lord, to lay at your feet
We come to Your feet and say, "Help us along"

A broken heart and a contrite spirit
You have yet to deny
Your heart of mercy beats with love's strong current
Let the river flow by your Spirit now, Lord we cry

Let Your mercies fall from heaven
Sweet mercies flow from heaven
New mercies for today
Shower them down Lord as we pray
Let Your mercies fall from heaven
Sweet mercies flow from heaven
New mercies for today
Shower them down Lord as we pray

Call for the rain
Call for the rain

And so, I lay facedown on my living room carpet, and let this prayer flow over me. Let the song cry out, and my heart echo it's cry. It helped a little.

Jesus send your rain. Shower mercies on me today. Send peace and light and hope. I'm weak - send strength. My heart is broken, piece me slowly back together.

I'm home sick from work today. (that probably has something to do with my inability to keep food down.) So, I'm sleeping and reading and watching television and movies. And I'm catching up on some news headlines.

These are the ones that caught my attention today:

Riding the Waves of Peru

Journey through Israel

Prepare for Bigger, More Frequent Floods

Cyclone Death Toll Raised to 22,500

Chile Erruption Spurs Evacuations

News Blackout at Everest Base Camp

Some headlines catching my eye today:



Darfur school "bombed from air"



China virus toll continues to rise



France Reveals British WW1 Cave Camp



Burmese Storm Toll Tops 10000



Jerusalem Diary: Monday May 5



China approached Vatican about concert for pope

I hung out with some friends in Canmore for the weekend, and took care of their children overnight on Saturday.

I'm not a kid person, but I do love those three children.

The youngest is a three year old boy - a ball of energy and intensity who communicates with his whole body.

He told me, at several points through the weekend "Isa, me ike you." There's something about the love of a child that is penetrating my heart deeply right now, and bringing warmth to me, and a smile.

I'll be involved in a meeting about my current job situation this afternoon at 1:30.

Given the way things have been going, the trouble there's been as a new member who is not a good fit has been added to our team, I'm concerned for how the meeting will go.

I suspect it will be "explosive".

I could have done without that today.

Nothing quite like being blindsided by an email "inviting" you to attend a meeting where you're to "talk about your feelings about working together and how we can work better together."

It's a definite Monday.

See you on the other side!

Friends and Their Unique Gifts

No two friends are the same. Each has his or her own gift for us. When we expect one friend to have all we need, we will always be hypercritical, never completely happy with what he or she does have.

One friend may offer us affection, another may stimulate our minds, another may strengthen our souls. The more able we are to receive the different gifts our friends have to give us, the more able we will be to offer our own unique but limited gifts. Thus, friendships create a beautiful tapestry of love.

The Mosaic That Shows Us the Face of God

A mosaic consists of thousands of little stones. Some are blue, some are green, some are yellow, some are gold. When we bring our faces close to the mosaic, we can admire the beauty of each stone. But as we step back from it, we can see that all these little stones reveal to us a beautiful picture, telling a story none of these stones can tell by itself.

That is what our life in community is about. Each of us is like a little stone, but together we reveal the face of God to the world. Nobody can say: "I make God visible." But others who see us together can say: "They make God visible." Community is where humility and glory touch.

I'm in the mountains for the weekend.

In the midst of people and things.

Glad that I'm here.

See you late Sunday or Monday!

Sometimes it’s the little things.

This has not been a particularly smooth day in a lot of ways. I continue to struggle.

But sometimes it’s the little things that make a day do-able.

Things like:

Wild, curly hair that is making me feel pretty.

Funky hippy earrings made of brown and white wooden beads.

Getting to run an unexpected errand from the office, and spending 10 minutes outside, walking to and from the grocery store.

A sunny sky.

Subway lunch with a coworker.

Casual Friday.

Taking a three day break from fasting.

Enjoying that first bite of a chocolate chip cookie after 7 weeks of fasting from desserts and chocolate.

Burying my fingers in the dirt while potting a plant I’ve been rooting on my desk for the last few weeks.

Putting a beautiful new plant in a very cute pot on my desk.

Cutting new plant slips (of a different sort) to root over the next few weeks.

Counting down (4 hours or so) until the work week ends.

Certain work tasks going more smoothly than expected.

This article about a windstorm in Damascus and Bee Branch, Arkansas.

This very cool optical illusion billboard from India.

One more link for you - a thoughtful article on Holocaust Memorial Day, which is being marked today.

Never Again

I not only get a daily email from the Henri Nouwen society, I also get several others, including one from Sojourners, who used a great quote from Henri Nouwen as their "quote of the day" today. I liked the quote enough to pass it along!


Precisely where we feel most present to each other we experience deeply the absence of those we love. And precisely at moments of great loss we can discover a news sense of closeness and intimacy. This is also what the Eucharist is about. We announce the presence of Christ among us until he comes again! There is both presence and absence, closeness, and distance, an experience of at-homeness on the way home.- Henri J.M. Nouwen (Sabbatical Journey)

I know... nothing of substance written by me today... maybe later! In the meantime, check out these two articles.

The first one made me smile. The second one clarified a bit of confusion for me.

Things I Wish I'd Known

5 Minute Guide to the Food Crisis

Have you seen the blog "Stuff White People Like"? If you haven't, you should definitely check it out. It'll make you laugh. And nod your head in pathetic agreement.



Today's installment "#97 - Scarves" made me laugh.



Because, you, see, I wear scarves. Often. In all seasons. Around my neck. Sometimes in my hair. With or without jackets. As reminders of friends. As statements about people and places I love. Because I just happen to like scarves.

I found this article interesting. Because I've attended a number of events in the last little while that have referred to the ongoing situation in Sudan. And because Peru lays heavily on my heart and mind.

Talisman Learned Lessons From Sudan