I'm Lovin' It

Does anyone else see the humor that I see in the fact that Macdonalds is the official restaurant of the Olympic Games?

I have this ridiculous mental image of a highly trained, toned athlete sitting down to his Big Mac and supersize french fries.

Does it seem oxymoronic to anyone else that one of the least healthy fast food restaurants is the official food venue for an event that celebrates health and has "faster, higher, stronger" as it's motto?

My dad visits a little old lady and occasionally takes her out to eat. She passed the 90 year mark a while back now. Her dieticians have given her permission to eat the occasional hamburger at any fast food place except Macdonalds - apparently there's something in the way they cook and store the burgers that makes them absolutely one of the worst things around.

I'm Lovin' It!

On Hope...

Hope has been a major word in my life these last months, and I always perk up when a blog I like, or someone I respect uses it.

Renee Altson both has a blog I love, and is someone for whom I have much respect. She wrote this post today, and I think it's absolutely beautiful.

For Unity

I purchased a little booklet of prayers over the weekend, titled "Devotions to the Holy Spirit" and compiled by Jesuit priest Brian Moore.

This prayer, titled simply "For Unity" is catching at my heart right now:

One only Spirit of Father and Son
in whom all are baptized,
of whom all have drunk;
one Giver of many gifts,
one Tree of many fruits,
one Speaker of every tongue,
renew in our day
the wonders of Pentecost.
Grant that people of every race and nation
may understand one another,
and, as one, proclaim
the praises of God.
Grant that all may be one
as you, Spirit, with the Father and the Son
are one God, one Lord.
Grant unity to the Body of Christ;
grant unity to the human family.
Sole breath of every living thing,
may all be one who, in you,
live and move and have their being.

Tuesday Morning Smiles

I'm sitting here, with a cup of tea, eating a scone. I'm on the fourth day of this particular headache, and I'm having some other annoying symptoms as well. All that to say that I'm rather desperately in need of a "smile list" this morning.

So, here's my Tuesday, August 12, 2008 edition of "Things that are making me smile":

• This flower arrangement, which was a birthday gift from a dear friend.


• The lilies from aforementioned flower arrangement, which are making my bedroom smell absolutely fantastic
• passion tea
• that my ipod warranty hadn't expired (though three weeks without it while it gets repaired is a little much)
• Misty Edwards
• a certain teddy bear named Nelly
• a favorite soft blanket from ikea
• water
• plans to mail some gifts to a friend
• an evening with very little on the schedule
• that a certain troublesome colleague is still on vacation
• reminder stones resting on my desk.

Dove

Today I wore a dove around my neck. I bought a necklace at a fairtrade shop on the weekend. It was made in the Philippines. Just a simple cord, with a few beads, and a white dove, in flight, made from shell.

I needed the reminder it is for me today, and found myself fingering it often.

Peace. Doves are internationally a symbol of peace. I'm trying to find peace in a number of parts of my life again. Feeling unsettled.

But more than that, for me, a dove is the symbol of the Holy Spirit, of God descending and dwelling in us. I'm reminded of the Spirit descending "like a dove" on Jesus at his baptism. I'm reminded that God dwells with me, holds me. And these days I'm reminded too that the spirit intercedes for us with "groaning beyond words". I need that right now.

So I wore a dove today, and I'll likely wear it again tomorrow, and the day after that, for as long as it takes. I'm waiting for some things to change and I need the reminders of peace, and the presence of the Lord with me closely these days.