Steaming Toward the DuPonts

Walter drives steam cars for fun, he took me, his parents and my grandpop on a Steam Car Tour Wednesday. One of the stops was at one of the home of a DuPont... you know Teflon, black powder, "Safety First"...

What a thrill to be there and bring my Pop.

I come from a long line of DuPont employees. My great-grandfather Luigi Fabiani worked at the Repauno dynamite factory for 40some years, my grandpop was a supervisor at Jackson Lab -and prides himself on knowing the names and spelling of everyone who worked there. And my dad was a draftsman for 30some years at DuPont. For my whole life, I have been influenced by the importance of "Safety First," something my dad brought home as a lesson for his family to learn. So what an opportunity to meet one of the ancestors of a man whose chemistry advancements and business sense has financially supported the Fabianis for well over 50 years.

Our gracious hosts provided lunch on the lawn under a tent for the group of 60+ Steam Car Tour participants. Our lovely hosts coupled with the weather made this one of the most delightful days -at times I felt like I stuck in an extra long Eden Moment! Billowy clouds, refreshing breeze, warm sun but not too hot, stunning views and just this sense that I was in a special moment for so many reasons. The only thing that was missing was an organza dress and flower-donned hat, but even that was ok.

Mr. DuPont took Pop and I for a tour of his pipe organ, and he shared personal family stories. We had the opportunity to wander around this first floor, which revealed a couple who are classy and yet very down to earth and family orientated!

It was a wonder full day and I am glad I was able to spend this time with my Pop.

A Fedex to....

So you'll never guess who I sent a Fedex to today?

Hillary Rodham Clinton!

Not that I am a fan... but you know when you live a simple life and you get to send a Fedex to a presidential candidate who has the potential to turn the United States into more a liberal country than it already is well... it is certainly something to blog about.

So you know what, I was thinking about the most the whole time I was in the Fedex shop?
Is my hand writing neat enough???

I don't think it was very neat. Mostly, I am concerned someone at the Senate office say, "What idiot wrote this scribble out?" Ultimately, it is legible enough for the Fedex guy... I guess that's the most important part.


I also saw a very large man walking a very tiny dog. That struck me as funny!

Hope Abounds Even for the Over 30?

In Unprotected I read (on page 120-121) about Amanda who is 38 and now wants children. This is her reality...

"Even if she soon falls in love and marries, ... her chances of conceiving
each month have decreased by 75%, compared to when she was 30.
Of course, it could still happen, if she's lucky. But if she does conceive,
the possibility of miscarriage has tripled, the rate of still birth has doubled,
and the risk of genetic abnormality is six times as great. Her pregnancy is
more likely to be complicated by high blood pressure or diabetes and her
baby is more likely to be premature or low birth weight, conditions associated
with neurological impairment as well as sudden infant death."

If you are over 30 and want kids but are missing a husband, you probably know some of these statistics. If you are over 30 and want a career and still think you have time for kids after your career is established you may not know these statistics... welcome to the over 30 reality.

Ok so where is the abounding hope? God opens the womb and He closes the womb and we should trust His will for our life. Well yeah...

Still when I read about Amanda, I got nervous for myself. I certainly haven't chosen singleness. I mean I wanted to be married with kids by now, that's not been my lot in life so far. I am one headed for "high risk pregnancy." This of course made me think of some of my girlfriends who are in the same boat - some a little older some a littler younger than me.

And yes God is sovereign and we need to trust Him, but sometimes its really hard. And sometimes what God gives us doesn't make us happy.

But I am encouraged, because stirring within me is an urgency to double my efforts to pray and encourage hope. A couple months ago, I purchased 4 copies of The Allure of Hope (my favorite book) to give away. I feel that strongly about that book. I wanted my friends to be challenged and encouraged by it the way I was.

Recipient #1 called me the other day and was surprisingly impressed with the book.
Recipient #2 told me tonight "it is the best book I have ever read. It is drawing me to close to God. Every page has something..."
Recipient #3 is waiting for school to let out
Recipient #4 will be receiving her copy soon.

Recipient #4 has my heart aching for her because she is just so frustrated. She wants a good man and to have children and she is seeking God and praying, but still having to deal with the reality of age and seeing other people get what she wants.

So as I was out walking tonight, God laid it on my heart to fast for her. One of the other struggles of being over 30 is the few extra pounds you never had before. You may not be able to see it but I do. I can say "no" to cookies and cakes, but I don't. But I will, I'll do it for you #4 because I know and understand your pain and frustration. And I don't want to see you facing what "Amanda" is facing... anymore than I do!

So hope is abounding, the Allure of Hope is doing its works among many hearts, I am planning to say "no" to cookies, cakes, sweet breads and pancakes, God is at work in matching me & my girlfriends with men who will love, adore and walk the paths of righteousness with them and He does open the wombs... so apparently hope is abounding even for the over 30

So Cool

Walter and I were brousing Barnes and Noble Sunday, when I spoted a familiar pink book.
Cup of Comfort for Women. I have 3 devotionals in this daily inspirational book. What a marvelous thrill to see you name in print in the middle of Barnes and Noble! Its pretty cool!

Best Chain Letter Ever

One of the best email "fowards" I have seen in a long time.
I got a really good laugh out of this one!

The Chain Letter We've Been Waiting For
by Nora Ephron

Dear Friends,
This chain letter was started in hopes of bringing relief to tired and discouraged women.
Just send a copy of this letter to five of your female friends who are equally tired and discontented.

Then bundleup the man in your life, send him to the woman whose name appears at the top of the following list, and add your name to the bottom of the list. When your turn comes,
you will receive 15,625 men. One of them is bound to be better than the one you already have, if you have one.

At the writing of this letter, a friend of mine had already received 184 men, all of whom were better than the sad example she starte out with. An unmarried woman living with her widowed mother was able to choose between a Chippendale dancer and an Olympic swimmer.

You can be lucky, too, but DO NOT BREAK THE CHAIN! One woman broke the chain and got her own husband back! So let's keep it going, ladies! Just add your name and address to the list below: Laura Bush 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue Washington, DC

Ok so its a little twisted... but you got to admit its funny... though I for one wouldn't trade my Walter in for any of the 15,625 men I could get...

World's Colliding

Tonight was social night for the Bible study girls -destination the Devon Horse Show.
While waiting for everyone to show up we watched the end of Seinfeld.

In this episode, George was freaking out because his "worlds" were colliding. His friend Elaine started hanging out with his girlfriend and George wanted to keep his friends separate from his girlfriend. George said, "World's are colliding! George is getting upset!"

I've never been to the Devon Horse Show. However, I have been to the 4-H fair. It didn't take too long to figure out that there is a pretty big difference. At a 4-H fair you'll find the usually farm animals, as well as plenty of kids and adults in jeans and boots or sneakers. You'll find people from average middle class families - real down to earth types. But at the Devon Horse, I noticed that worlds were colliding before my very eyes! Just like George I kept saying, "World's are colliding!" I can't say I was getting upset but I was overly visually stimulated! I wish had been able to take pictures... but here is a visual snapshot of worlds colliding it might make for an interesting tale... maybe a horse tale.

I'll start out there... with the horse's tale... The horse's tale was dragging on the ground! I never saw a tale so long before! He was the Crystal Gail of horses! The horse's rider wore a shirt with large sequins. They won. But honestly, all the horses were doing the same thing I don't know how they pick a winner.

Throughout the show/competition there was someone playing an organ, which reminded me of Larry Ferrari who none of you will remember or even know about but... it was a fond memory from childhood.

Then, there was green pants guy... He wore kelly green pants, a non-matching striped shirt and one of those scarf things that men who drink port and smoke pipes wear. He walked around like he drinks port and smokes pipes too.

There was yellow dress girl... Her dress was too short and her bosoms were hanging out. She was walking around with a good looking guy who was wearing seersucker shorts. I don't know a single guy who wears seersucker shorts. (Ok maybe I have seen my Grampop wear something in a seersucker.) Clearly though this guy fell into the preppy world of which apparently I am not a part of... was I ever?

Cowgirl... like you would imagine... jeans and dusty boots but not like the type of boots that look like she is trying to prove to the world that she is a cowgirl... but rather some dusty boots and a radiating sense that she just loves horses.

Satin Sheek woman... she was actually the first woman I noticed that indicated to me that worlds would be colliding. She was perfect elegance in olive green satin and black lace and chiffon and a fancy black hat. She probably had heels on though I didn't see for myself. No one with any sense would wear a getup like that with anything but black heels... and there she was hovering around a horse. You know a horse... big strapping beast ...

I must not forget... big old honking diamond ring woman... if I were a fearless thief with a knife... I could retire with that finger. Oh my gosh that's really gross I know. I can't help myself that's what I thought though when I saw it. I also wondered if it was really real...

Oh yeah... 80 year old woman in heels... nuf said.

I could go on about all the women in sundresses and pumps verses the women in shorts or capri's and sensible sneakers (like me ;-) or turquoise & cowgirl hats verses the bobbly pearls and feathery hats...

Men with bow ties or should I say men who would wear bow ties...

There were lots of dogs too. Oh and one lady was pushing her dog around in enclosed stroller just for dogs. So people really do that!

I have also wondered who are the people who buy the capris that I see in catalogs with dragonflies and palm trees embroidered all over them... I found out who they are tonight!

Get this, at the concession stand you could get hummus and pita -now where have you ever seen that? I won't complain it seemed like a good idea... but you can tell that a hotdog and funnel cake isn't going to be sufficient for some of their clientele...

You know I've heard about some of these types of people existing, yet I have only heard about or seen them on TV. I've rarely if ever seen them in my world! And there I was seeing them all collide together Old Money and new money... and no money. Horse lovers and prestige lovers. Sensible sneakers and slip on pumps. General admission and boxed seats! People who just like horses or funnel cake and people who actually know what they are watching!

This was all in just 2 hours. I wonder what it feels like to be the cowgirl surrounded by elegant hat-topped women in heels at every horse show... ?

This is why subcultures are so interesting to me... people gathering together for a common goal or interest whether it be rocks and minerals or Star Trek. In tonight's case its horses... and I was just amazed at the type of people that horses bring together. Or should I say horses bring many worlds into collision... Maybe someone more involved in this subculture could say how they all get along with each other. Maybe its all fine for them. As for me, I was exhausted from this evening of people watching and worlds colliding and I have retreated into the world I know. I think I will stick with going to the 4-H fair... its more my speed... more of my own people there.

But maybe it is a good thing that so many different people can be united or collided together ... because there are certainly a great many things that people of various backgrounds still need to come together on. There are important things and we don't want to end up freaking out like George saying, "World's are colliding! George is getting upset!" But Rather "World's are colliding! Isn't that wonderful!"

A Picture is Worth a Thousand Words...

P.S. I blogged on the CWP...I thought it time to breath some life back into it!

In the clouds? in the pond... in the news!

I don't have my head in the clouds... but it sure does look like I have my head in the azaleas! Some random thoughts from the day...

During my I-need-fresh-air-walk, as usual I stopped to check out the fish in the pond next door. There was a lady feeding the fish crushed up potato chips. It was fun to watch the fish feed in a frenzy, but I couldn't stop thinking about whether it was good for the fish and the goslings that later came on to the scene to eat potato chips. The pond had a rainbowy oil slick from all the potato chip grease. It kind of took the pleasure out it for me and then I started to think about the fact that I eat potato chips... maybe I have an oil slick in me!

Tonight, I read an article on Prince and his plans for the future... on cnn.com.

It said:

The 48-year-old, who said he was getting his inspiration these days from
"prophets from the Bible", added that he did not expect to be back in London
performing for some time after the 2007 visit.
"That's another reason why we're trying to stay so long. I just need to take some time off for study and travel." When asked what he was studying, he replied: "The Bible".

So I couldn't but think this was very interesting. The Word is alive and perhaps his studying will change his life for eternal good. It also occurred to me that maybe his former background singer/dancer Shelia E. has a part to play. She is a Christian perhaps she still is in contact with him. Perhaps she prays for him...

Mill & Bryn Mawr Ave.

Its not the first time I have had revelation and/or startling at the intersection of Mill and Bryn Mawr. There was the time I blanked out and had know idea where I was -now that was very startling!

So today, I waited at the red light as a woman turned the corner coming around what felt like dangerously close to me! I said to myself, "We put so much trust in our fellow drivers not to kill us, maim us, or at the very least damage our car or catch our heart in our throat when just nearly scrape by all the above!"

It hardly seems possible to me that I could have so much trust in so many people who for moments in passing have my life in there hands and yet I have a hard time trusting God!

Why is it that it is so difficult to trust God, yet we trust our fellow drivers as they weave in and out and maneuver these machines in and out of parking spaces with such apparent skill. When really haven't we all learned it by trial and error?

Perhaps... we trust God more than we think we do because we trust fellow drivers. And isn't God in control of each of them? Or perhaps its not that we trust fellow drivers, its that we don't fully comprehend that we aren't the only people on the road! We drive around these people coming in and out of their lives running into anger, frustration and impatience and not enough waving people on who want to turn left.

Maybe its not so much that we put our trust in so many drivers but that so many drivers put their trust in you and me -the driver.

I Guess its that time of year again...

Vote for me signs are everywhere lately. I have know idea who they are. I have only lived here little over a year... What struck me as funny other than the awful green signs with the blue lettering (they are very unreadable) is the fact that none of the signs tell you when election day is. Unlike my hometown this town doesn't send sample ballots... so I am really at a loss.

Strange thing is as I was driving into work today, at a major intersection there were about 6 people on 4 corners -all walks of life- holding "vote for me signs." One guy just held the sign up straight in the air never giving his arms a break.... he could give Moses a run for his money!
Another guy was holding two signs giving them both a shake shake. The whole thing was just weird; I thought I had stumbled into a strike or a political protest. Never have I seen anything like this! Though I could see it happening on Election Day maybe.... which begged the whole question of when the heck is Election Day and I hope it is soon because I have no patience for "elect me" lawn signs for the rest of the summer! Today's not Election Day is it? There wouldn't be elections on a Friday!

What it boils down to is spring elections create little enthusiasm and maybe that was the purpose of the human held elect me lawn signs -making the election a little bit more personal... But I don't need that on my morning commute... anymore than I need a guy standing on a corner with sign reading "Going Out of Business- Everything must go! No offer will be refused!" It amounts to the about the same thing drumming up business...

What Would Jesus Drive?

So I woke up today thinking about left hand turns. This lead me to thinking about Jesus as a automobile driver and wondering whether he would let left hand turners make their turns or not. This led me to thinking about what kind of car Jesus would drive if he was on earth today.


Initially, I decided it would be a Honda Hybrid for personal use -because they are fuel efficient and though I highly doubt Jesus would be a radical environmentalist I do think he would be conscious of being a good steward of the earth he created- and also a white 15 passenger van when taking the guys out.


Walter was thinking more along the lines of a Jeep. In response to my Hybrid notion he said:


"He wouldn't be foolhardy and wasteful, but if you knew how wasteful
hybrids are in the grand scheme of things (such as increased energy
invested towards manufacture and disposal of large and
expensive batteries every 5 to 7 years) they don't look as
appealing as the environmentalist types would like you to
think. More goes into making a car than what the car can recover itself.
Manufacturing is a funny thing. .... maybe a Subaru Outback?"

Yes of course an Outback!The perfect compromise!

I did also suggest that since he was a carpenter maybe some kind of truck maybe a Dodge Ram or something but then again maybe he would drive a Suburban just get a rise out of the Pharisaical environmentalists!


So what of the question of whether Jesus would let the left hand turners turn or not. For that I came to this conclusion, as he is driving down the road he knows who needs to learn patience and who doesn't, he knows who can't afford to be late, he also knows who should be late. Simultaneously, he holds up traffic and lets it go with each persons route in mind. (He does this even when he isn't driving ;-) The fact that he recently let me turn left still has me a little surprised.

Left Hand Turns

Left hand turns - perhaps its the area I live in but I see an awful lot of people trying to turn left amidst commuter traffic on back roads with lots of houses and very few traffic lights. Its a wonder anyone makes it to work for all the people being held up by left hand turners.

Sometimes I keep on driving too and let them sit there with their turn signal blinking, my excuse being that I am still partially asleep and don't have the wherewithal to stop and wave them across. But when I do -like today- I all but have to send a personal invitation that "you may now turn." Perhaps the suddenly stopped car and a wave of the hand aren't enough. Oh no they want a hearty wave of the hand or a flash of the lights. So is it the fine print in our minds that says, "You can't trust other drivers" or perhaps it is more like this we don't expect people to actually let us cross or make the left turn. So you just sit there in a daze and wait for some break in traffic while 20some cars wait frustratingly behind with terrible thoughts directed toward the left hand turner rather than all those passing by on the opposite side of the street. And you can be sure most of the 20some being held up wouldn't left the left hand turners turn either if they were on the other side of the road!

So today I tried. I stopped. I waved. I waved again. I flashed my lights. All the while hoping those behind me didn't decide to keep on going!
And the left hand turner -with a surprised look on her face- finally made the turn!

Why so surprised I thought? Is it just my neck of the woods? Morning rush hour drivers? A narcissistic society with only thoughts of personal schedules and not the common good?

So I traveled on convicted because of the fleeting surprised look on the left hand turners face. Also I recalled all the others surprised looks I have gotten when I have occasionally stopped the flow of traffic to let someone make their turn and I saw myself!

Life's circumstance seem to have conditioned me not to expect someone to come along and let me turn! I have sat and waited hoping for a break in traffic. So when someone comes along I am surprised and bewildered. Therefore a little slow to move and not ready to make my turn because I have been waiting for something and all but had given up hope of it happening.

Busted

So Friday I got into a little bit of trouble. For months now we have been under construction and watching from the lunch/work room. I have been wanting to climb through the window into the construction zone since there was a floor installed! So Friday we did it. (I'll protect my accomplice's name;-) We tromped through the window as we took a look-see at the drywallers, sprinkler installers and HVAC people. When we were done, we came back to the window and it was closed. We banged on it till someone came to let us in. Someone wasn't pleased. Not only had we tracked in drywall dust but we were a liability. Yeah, I know not too smart.

I have always been a rule follower. I can only remember a few times in grammar school when I knowingly did something wrong. Invariably I got caught and I hated the feeling I being caught. I felt like that Friday- sheepish. Although, I am glad I got the urge to climb through the window out of my system! I was remembering an old boyfriend who took me hiking at Bushkill Falls -many years ago- he wanted to go off the trail. I would have no parts of it because their rule was "Stay on the Trail." He thought I was a killjoy. Perhaps.

Rules are there for a reason, common sense said I shouldn't climb through the window into a construction zone. I did and I got caught. Listening to our common sense is just as important as listening to the still that small voice speak. If we use our common sense then it isn't necessarily necessary for the Holy Spirit to speak.

Tonight the Holy Spirit did speak, he said, "Go see cousin Pat." I know better than to argue with him when he says stuff like this, I argued anyway. I tried to fain "I am too tired" or "maybe she doesn't want guests at this hour." I was even straightforward with the Holy Spirit when I said, "I just don't want to!" Naaa none of those excuses would eliminate the nudge to go. It was the right thing to do. She is sick and lonely and a visit is the least I could do... (I should probably be happy that the Holy Spirit choose to speak to me.)

Its probably worse to disobey the Holy Spirit's urging than to get caught covered in drywall dust outside of a window you shouldn't have gone through...
Even for a notorious rule follower like me, I find that I still have a long way to go before I come close always do the right thing or using common sense!

Hotenough.com

I've just been reading on cnn.com Dating site asks 'are you hot enough?

Hotenough.com ... how about justnormal.com ?

This might be why the world is amuck... or more likely just a symptom of a world in a muck.

The article says:
"HotEnough.org is for "fit, good-looking" people. Prospective members must submit pictures and must be rated an 8 or higher by people already in the club." "The 33-year-old said he and his partner, Sean Cohen, created the site after concluding that Internet dating sites attract a lot of brave and desperate people but not particularly attractive ones." "Candidates must send in three pictures, including one full-body shot. Active members rate the pictures online without knowing anything else about the people in them." "People can say that the site is shallow, they can say it's superficial, but I think we're all a bit superficial when it comes to dating," Pellegrino said.

I guess to some looks really are all that matter. Now granted I too have seen some pretty unattractive people in my online dating exploits but to have an online dating sight that is solely based on looks feels like discrimination mixed with narcissism to me. Never mind that a beautiful woman may have the attention span of a goldfish or a handsome guy may be cruel and enjoy kicking dogs across the room... as long as they are good looking who cares.

Ok so maybe I am still a little bitter that there persists this "pretty people" population who think that they can perpetuate their species beyond the doors of high school thus continuing to condemn and judge the world of average looking beauties not pretty enough for them...
Granted I wouldn't want to be with someone who looks like Attila the Hun or the Elephant man.

I think it might be better to have a dating website called justnormal.com.
In which only normal people are admitted. Those with social disorders such as fear of commitment or fear of having children need not apply nor should those who are afraid to leave their house or who have piles of newspapers and beer cans lining their walls. And to protect the guys from women running around like loose emotional canons, women would be blocked from participating during PMS... its just safer for everyone that way!

I guess it is just indicative of a world that centers on "me" and what "I" want versus being open to what God wants... or being open to God at all.

It's a shallow world full of shallow godless people and it just becomes more and more evident in the dating world everyday. However, at the same time I am becoming more and more convinced that those who seek God can rest assured that He has a plan to bring people together whether He chooses to use the online dating site you've signed up with or not is entirely up to Him.

The Symbolism Behind Car Accidents

As a writer I look for symbolism in life. There is symbolism in car accidents that warrant some exploration or discussion.

In 2001, I was in accident but I saw him coming and all I could do was try and get out of the way. I went up a curb and he still hit me. Providentially, a tree was cut down 3 weeks earlier so I would have a clear place to drive my car rather than wrapping it around a tree AND getting hit by an uninsured driver with a suspended license!

Compare that to last month, where I didn't know what was happening until after it happened. There was no warning. There was no screaming at the deranged driver hoping that would change what was about to happen. There was no chance to try and get out of the way.

I think of where I was in 2001 and where I am in 2007. In 2001, I was dating someone who just wasn't the right one for me. I knew this and I ignored it as long as I could because sometimes its just easier to be with someone even if they aren't the right someone! But after the accident, I realized that I had to get off that road! I needed to make a drastic turn and I did that when I saw behavior in him that couldn't go unmentioned. Mentioning it brought out even worse behavior and so there was no turning back. I got off the road. I still got "hit" but it could have been worse.

On the day of the 2007 accident, something monumental happened earlier in the day. Some of you who will read this will know what I am talking about. For the rest of you, just know that when Jesus says you will know the truth and the truth will set you free he wasn't kidding. Compound this monumental event with the life of a single working woman who who has been in a rut for so long because of God's silence and who wrestles with God because he keeps her still single. I knew I needed something dramatic to happen; things couldn't go on like this. And there wasn't anything I could do -like break up with a boyfriend- to change things. I needed a jolt! I got just that. And I just can't go back to the way things were and had been. The jolt made sure of that it. Its like the truth came out and the jolt shut down the road I was on for good.

In 2001, I needed to get off the road and I did. In 2007, the jolt helped get me out of the rut I was in. When truth sets you free you just can't go back to living among lies again or lack of information. I think for me, the car accident jolted this deep into my soul. And I thank God for the jolt.

Blurred Beauty

I had this dream last night that I was at my friend Scott's new apartment. And when I looked out his windows I saw great big castles on little islands in the river. They were beautiful but he was up so high that it appeared like everything around me was moving and swaying. So I couldn't even enjoy the view. I had to look away because it was making me sick to my stomach.

After a day of pondering this dream, I think the interpretation is something like this... the circumstances in life are keeping me from seeing the beauty that is all around me. So I can either look and steel myself until I don't feel as affected by the movement of circumstances or I can continue to look away and not see the beauty all around... even the beauty in the circumstances.

My Poor Car

It looks a little better than it did Sunday night... but this is after the mechanic started checking out the damage and taking things apart. It was almost considered totaled. almost...

I am extremely thankful it was the wheel and not my door! Please continue to pray for me and Mel as we are both suffering from sore necks. Please also pray for the Bolton family -a Bolton hit me and was cited for a DUI. They seem to be well known by the police. And the fact the guy was high and driving with a baby in the car goes to show you that this family and the guy need alot of prayer and maybe prison time! I just hope his car insurance is paid up. I'd really like to use my tax return for a vacation not a deductible!

There is probably a lot more I could say but I'll let the picture say the rest for now!

Passionate Celibacy on a Snowy Valentine's Day

For Valentine's Day-
"...here's wishing you, as Oscar Wilde says, a 'passionate celibacy!'" so said my friend the other day.

2 years ago I wrote a devotional that would be published for the winter quarter of 2007. The specific day I wrote for was today February 14, 2007 -Valentine's Day! In it I stated I thought it rather ironic that I got to do the Valentine's devotional, me a single woman who at the time of writing was suffering a rather fresh broken heart.

So for the last 2 years I have thought of all the people who would one day read today's devotional and be moved to pray for me -perhaps that I would get a Valentine for next year! I have been looking forward to this day, for some reason I have been depending on this powerful host of prayers and prayerers to bring about a breakthrough of some kind! And as I sat thinking about Valentine's Day 2007 I know I felt those prayers all day.

Valentine's Day was eclipsed by a SNOW DAY! So it didn't really feel like Valentine's Day much at all. There was no room for feeling sorry for myself or disappointed in any way because the day was so full of cozy loveliness and roommate camaraderie.

The day went like this:
The sound of sleet or freezing rain hitting against my window was a sure sign that I would be sleeping in... All 4 of us were home! By 9ish we started to make our way to the kitchen. What followed was homefries with sausage and eggs. Then, some connecting with the bosses to figure out if I could in fact stay home all day. The 4 of us cleared the driveway and came into chicken noodle soup and brownies. We watched "The Illusionist" - excellent movie I highly recommend it- I clapped at the end. I lite my first fire in the fireplace and all night we sat cozily by the fire beading, quilting, surfing the Internet, sipping Lambrusco to the tunes of Frank Sinatra and Michael Buble' which at times inspired a little cha-cha-cha hip action! Did I mention I spent the whole day in my pjs! At one point, we ran out of logs so I put on my boots to gather more. It felt strangely exhilarating, the chill of the night and the thrill of gathering wood as if I were
momentarily an Ingles or a frontierswoman...

I couldn't have asked for a more perfect day ... a snowy Valentine's Day with my roomies.
And I have had at the back of my mind this "passionate celibacy" that my friend jokingly wished for me... my response to him was "But if I must have celibacy... then it might as well be passionate!"

I'm pleased to say it was a passionate day... a Passionate Celibacy on a Snowy Valentine's Day... it is possible and it is simply lovely...

Reflections

It was cold and sunny and a glorious Saturday. Because hope, glory and wonder abound my afternoon walk at the creek refreshed and ushered me into the presence of God.

The stirring sound of the moving water and the way the water reflected the sunlight on the underside of the "Monet" bridge as I like to think of it was just gorgeous! (I tried to get this to play as a video, but no such luck.)

When my fingers started to go numb I decided to sit in the car with the heater on! From my car seat, I looked over at the opposite side of bridge and I could see more reflections on the underside of the bridge and then I saw 2 deer -one of which was dripping wet. I thought to myself: if I had come a little later or a little earlier or if I parked in a different place or left right away I might not has seen either. What a loss that would have been!

And the song that played in the background of these thoughts and the deer and the sunny reflections went like this, "...Here in your presence heaven and earth become one..." That's what it felt like heaven and earth were melding together and I was in God's presence and his reflection could be seen all around.

On Dying Well

This week I have witnessed from a far -through the intimacy of blogs- the triumphant homegoing of Al Groves a professor at Westminster Theological Seminary.

Although I met him only once and emailed him a couple of times for work I have been greatly touched by his dying so well. He was a man that was loved by all those who knew him. I remember my heart broke with the Westminster community when they found out last year that Al had terminal cancer because I knew how important he was to them.

Over the past year, I witnessed through his blog what happens when a Christian gets cancer.
His wife blogged on his final days and hours that there was much storytelling, laughing, singing, praying, and the blessed assurance that soon Al would see Jesus face to face.

He died well because he lived well.

http://algroves.info/ If anything read the entry for 1-16-07...