Tuesday, August 25, 2009
Wednesday, August 19, 2009
45 Lessons Life Taught Me by Regina Brett
"To celebrate growing older, I once wrote the 45 lessons life taught me. It is the most-requested column I've ever written. My odometer rolled over to 90 in August, so here is the column once more:
1. Life isn't fair, but it's still good.
2. When in doubt, just take the next small step.
3. Life is too short to waste time hating anyone..
4. Your job won't take care of you when you are sick. Your
friends and parents will. Stay in touch.
5. Pay off your credit cards every month.
6. You don't have to win every argument. Agree to disagree.
7. Cry with someone. It's more healing than crying alone.
8. It's OK to get angry with God. He can take it.
9. Save for retirement starting with your first paycheck.
10. When it comes to chocolate, resistance is futile..
11. Make peace with your past so it won't screw up the present.
12. It's OK to let your children see you cry.
13. Don't compare your life to others. You have no idea what
their journey is all about.
14. If a relationship has to be a secret, you shouldn't be in it.
15. Everything can change in the blink of an eye. But don't worry;
God never blinks.
16. Take a deep breath. It calms the mind.
17. Get rid of anything that isn't useful, beautiful or joyful.
18. Whatever doesn't kill you really does make you stronger.
19. It's never too late to have a happy childhood.
But the second one is up to you and no one else.
20. When it comes to going after what you love in life,
don't take no for an answer.
21. Burn the candles, use the nice sheets, wear the fancy lingerie.
Don't save it for a special occasion. Today is special.
22. Over prepare, then go with the flow.
23. Be eccentric now. Don't wait for old age to wear purple.
24. The most important sex organ is the brain.
25. No one is in charge of your happiness but you.
26. Frame every so-called disaster with these words
'In five years, will this matter?'
27. Always choose life.
28. Forgive everyone for everything.
29. What other people think of you is none of your business.
30. Time heals almost everything. Give time time.
31. However good or bad a situation is, it will change.
32. Don't take yourself so seriously. No one else does.
33. Believe in miracles.
34. God loves you because of who God is, not because of
anything you did or didn't do.
35. Don't audit life. Show up and make the most of it now.
36. Growing old beats the alternative -- dying young.
37. Your children get only one childhood.
38. All that truly matters in the end is that you loved.
39. Get outside every day. Miracles are waiting everywhere.
40. If we all threw our problems in a pile and saw everyone
else's, we'd grab ours back.
41. Envy is a waste of time. You already have all you need.
42. The best is yet to come.
43. No matter how you feel, get up, dress up and show up.
44. Yield.
45. Life isn't tied with a bow, but it's still a gift."
By Regina Brett, 90 years young, of The Plain Dealer, Cleveland, Ohio
1. Life isn't fair, but it's still good.
2. When in doubt, just take the next small step.
3. Life is too short to waste time hating anyone..
4. Your job won't take care of you when you are sick. Your
friends and parents will. Stay in touch.
5. Pay off your credit cards every month.
6. You don't have to win every argument. Agree to disagree.
7. Cry with someone. It's more healing than crying alone.
8. It's OK to get angry with God. He can take it.
9. Save for retirement starting with your first paycheck.
10. When it comes to chocolate, resistance is futile..
11. Make peace with your past so it won't screw up the present.
12. It's OK to let your children see you cry.
13. Don't compare your life to others. You have no idea what
their journey is all about.
14. If a relationship has to be a secret, you shouldn't be in it.
15. Everything can change in the blink of an eye. But don't worry;
God never blinks.
16. Take a deep breath. It calms the mind.
17. Get rid of anything that isn't useful, beautiful or joyful.
18. Whatever doesn't kill you really does make you stronger.
19. It's never too late to have a happy childhood.
But the second one is up to you and no one else.
20. When it comes to going after what you love in life,
don't take no for an answer.
21. Burn the candles, use the nice sheets, wear the fancy lingerie.
Don't save it for a special occasion. Today is special.
22. Over prepare, then go with the flow.
23. Be eccentric now. Don't wait for old age to wear purple.
24. The most important sex organ is the brain.
25. No one is in charge of your happiness but you.
26. Frame every so-called disaster with these words
'In five years, will this matter?'
27. Always choose life.
28. Forgive everyone for everything.
29. What other people think of you is none of your business.
30. Time heals almost everything. Give time time.
31. However good or bad a situation is, it will change.
32. Don't take yourself so seriously. No one else does.
33. Believe in miracles.
34. God loves you because of who God is, not because of
anything you did or didn't do.
35. Don't audit life. Show up and make the most of it now.
36. Growing old beats the alternative -- dying young.
37. Your children get only one childhood.
38. All that truly matters in the end is that you loved.
39. Get outside every day. Miracles are waiting everywhere.
40. If we all threw our problems in a pile and saw everyone
else's, we'd grab ours back.
41. Envy is a waste of time. You already have all you need.
42. The best is yet to come.
43. No matter how you feel, get up, dress up and show up.
44. Yield.
45. Life isn't tied with a bow, but it's still a gift."
By Regina Brett, 90 years young, of The Plain Dealer, Cleveland, Ohio
Thursday, August 6, 2009
Musical Spirituality
My mom is a piano teacher. When I first learned to play the piano, the keys, learning the notes and then chords, inversions, and scales were drilled into my head. One octave - two octaves - three octaves - accenting keys accordingly. These were the building blocks that my love of music, of playing music, and of listening to music was built on.
The keys are the same wherever you may go, but what people do with them, the musical compositions, from classical to rap and metal to hymns to rock-n-roll to jazz...they are all different styles, just in different arrangements of the notes.
That is a simple way of how I view Christianity. In this analogy, the notes would represent foundational Truth, core concepts about the nature of Christ and such, the virgin birth, and the Resurrection, etc. The way the "notes" are presented in composition varies from fellowship to fellowship.
In a Lutheran congregation, you might find those notes in more of a classical style similar to Mozart. In a reformed congregation, these notes might take on an arrangement similar to that of a waltz. A non-denominational congregation could vary from rap to 70s rock-n-roll to - dare I say it? - jazz (with a nod to Don Miller)in their presentation of "the notes." And biker churches? Gotta be similar to Stevie Ray Vaughn:) But the notes are still the same.
How would your walk with God appear musically? A symphony? A waltz? A great 70s guitar solo? Something that you could slam dance to? Or sadly, a dirge?
Just my random thoughts for this morning, and if you have read this far, you might enjoy the following from Keith Giles...
"What I think we fail to realize is that, conversion to Christ is really a process of falling in love with Jesus over a period of time. When we make this process about a series of steps and a progression of words, we have seriously interfered with something that is far outside our ability to grasp and coordinate."
Read The Entire Article.
This excerpt also reminded me of another quote that I have written in the front of my Bible...
"I think the most important thing that happens within Christian spirituality is when a person falls in love with Jesus." Don Miller in Blue Like Jazz
The keys are the same wherever you may go, but what people do with them, the musical compositions, from classical to rap and metal to hymns to rock-n-roll to jazz...they are all different styles, just in different arrangements of the notes.
That is a simple way of how I view Christianity. In this analogy, the notes would represent foundational Truth, core concepts about the nature of Christ and such, the virgin birth, and the Resurrection, etc. The way the "notes" are presented in composition varies from fellowship to fellowship.
In a Lutheran congregation, you might find those notes in more of a classical style similar to Mozart. In a reformed congregation, these notes might take on an arrangement similar to that of a waltz. A non-denominational congregation could vary from rap to 70s rock-n-roll to - dare I say it? - jazz (with a nod to Don Miller)in their presentation of "the notes." And biker churches? Gotta be similar to Stevie Ray Vaughn:) But the notes are still the same.
How would your walk with God appear musically? A symphony? A waltz? A great 70s guitar solo? Something that you could slam dance to? Or sadly, a dirge?
Just my random thoughts for this morning, and if you have read this far, you might enjoy the following from Keith Giles...
"What I think we fail to realize is that, conversion to Christ is really a process of falling in love with Jesus over a period of time. When we make this process about a series of steps and a progression of words, we have seriously interfered with something that is far outside our ability to grasp and coordinate."
Read The Entire Article.
This excerpt also reminded me of another quote that I have written in the front of my Bible...
"I think the most important thing that happens within Christian spirituality is when a person falls in love with Jesus." Don Miller in Blue Like Jazz
Wednesday, August 5, 2009
Q&A on iMonk
Internet Monk - Saturday Is For Asking Questions
Interesting reading this past Saturday morning, and some of the Q&A hit on things that I have been pondering.
Interesting reading this past Saturday morning, and some of the Q&A hit on things that I have been pondering.
Monday, August 3, 2009
Barnes and Noble and Birthday Gift Cards...
My husband truly loves me:) For my birthday he gave me a $150.00 gift card for Barnes and Noble. Yes, I could take the time and use it online and have the books sent to my rural home, but doing that negates the whole B&N experience. So this past Saturday we made the 90-mile drive to B&N, walked in the door, and promptly ordered our caramel fraps. Then, with suitable coffee in hand, I headed straight to my favorite section...theology. I firmly intended on just purchasing one book, but as with any bibliophile, that was clearly not an option. I keep a running list of books that I want to read/purchase, and fortunately (or not:) I was able to find each of those books.
For those interested, here are the books that I purchased...
>The Great Divorce - C.S. Lewis...(This is actually a repurchase. I keep buying this book and then giving it to people to read cuz I just love it:)
>The Jesus I Never Knew - Phillip Yancey
>Reimagining Church - Frank Viola
>Something Beautiful - Leonard Sweet
Well, there they are. I am two chapters into Reimagining Church and one chapter into Yancey's book.
And for those who think that I have a one-track mind, Auntie Mame: An Irreverent Escapade is also on my list of books to read. The movie version (w/Rosalind Russell as AM), is one of my all-time favorites.
For those interested, here are the books that I purchased...
>The Great Divorce - C.S. Lewis...(This is actually a repurchase. I keep buying this book and then giving it to people to read cuz I just love it:)
>The Jesus I Never Knew - Phillip Yancey
>Reimagining Church - Frank Viola
>Something Beautiful - Leonard Sweet
Well, there they are. I am two chapters into Reimagining Church and one chapter into Yancey's book.
And for those who think that I have a one-track mind, Auntie Mame: An Irreverent Escapade is also on my list of books to read. The movie version (w/Rosalind Russell as AM), is one of my all-time favorites.
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