I'd be stylin!

Day of the Dead Beads

Michele Goldstein

Oh, how I wish that I had one of Kate Mckinnon's ring shanks and one of Michele's slammin Day of the Dead buttons!

I'd pop that button in the shank, slap that ring on my finger and I'd be the hippest old bird in the neighborhood!

Waaahoooo!

I'd be stylin!

Jerri's Top 40!

How quickly would you be able name 40 of your favorite songs?

Here are the first 20 that popped into my head....

Some of mine surprised me in a pleasant kind of way.

"Buring Down the House." for example, brought back fond memories of The Top Hat bar in Missoula, Montana.

I can still remember shaking my booty to the nitty gritty blues of such artists as Tag Mahal and BB King (both of whom often performed live at the Hat)....

Those were the days my friends.....but hey, that's another great song (by Mary Hopkins) from long ago, isn't it?

Yes, well, read on McDuff!

The first 20 of Jerri's top 40, in no particular order:

1) "Fat Bottomed Girls" Queen

2) "Tangled Up In blue" Bob Dylan

3) "Frog Kissing" Chet Atkins

4) "What if God Was One of Us?" Joan Osborne

5) "Tainted Love" Soft Cell

6) "Burning Down the House" Talking Heads

7) "Whip It" Devo

8) "And They Will Know We Are Christian, By Our Love" Jars of Clay

9) "Neighborhood #1" Arcade Fire

10) "If I Should Fall Behind" Bruce Springsteen

11) "Did You Feel The Mountains Tremble?" Delirious

12) "Stairway to Heaven," Led Zeppelin

13) "Imagine" The Beatles

14) "Light My Fire" The Doors

15) "California Dreamin" The Momas and the Papas

16) "You Can't Always Get What You Want" The Rolling Stones

17) "The Power of Two" Indigo Girls

18) "Yesterday" The Beatles

19) "Fire and Rain" James Taylor

20) "The Sound of Silence" Simon and Garfunkel

Labyrinths

Labyrinth is a strange word.

It rolls uncomfortably off the tongue, almost as if it doesn't really belong in the human mouth in the first place.

It is a hard word to say. You can't just rush it out of your mouth the way we Americans have a tendency to do with our words

It's one of those "slow " kinds of word, that demands a certain amount of effort on the part of the speaker.

Labyrinth, is one of those tongue twisting kind of words, which requires the whole mouth.....lips, tongue, everything, in order to roll and form the word sounds before pushing the word out.

It seems fitting somehow, that labyrinth is also a term used to describe the portion of the middle ear that is responsible for balance. Just saying the word requires a certain balance....

This morning I spent the better part of a half hour, walking a mediation labyrinth. Well, I didn't actually walk the labyrinth. It was a cyber jouney, done online, accomplished inside and out of the cold Oregon rain.

Would you like to know more?
Click here!

Perhaps you are ready to walk the labyrinth now?
Then, click here!

I personally found the experience very interesting...centering, and I would do it again!

Why not give it a try and see if this ancient meditation practice holds the power to speak into your (post) modern heart?

It did mine.

God loves you.

If you read my blog on a regular basis, then you know that Rick, the writer of "A New Life Emerging", is my blog idol. On Wednesday, Rick shared a powerful message about loving the world and about moving "beyond the fear and control of shame and into the messiness of love."

I encourage you to go to Rick's blog and to read his Wednesday message; but I'd also like to share a recent experience of my own.

The other day, I was helping a young woman with her GED studies. We've been meeting together for several months now. We study, we laugh, and sometimes we even cry as we share our lives.

Recently, "Margie" shared some particularly painful experiences that had occurred in her life which were related to spiritual abuse and abandonment. She was crying softly throughout and when she had finished she stopped crying, looked at me and asked, "Jerri, why do you keep meeting with me week after week? I'm such a freaking mess."

I took her hands in mine and I simply said, "The reason I meet with you Margie, is because God loves you and because I love you too."

"What?"

"God loves you."

She started crying again and I just sat there, not quite sure what to say or do next.

"No one's ever told me that before." she sobbed.

This time it was my turn to ask, "What?"

"No one's ever told me that God loves me before."

At this point I jumped up, wrapped my arms around her and I whispered over and over again, "God loves you! God loves you! God loves you!"

I later took some time to be alone and to process the enormity of what had happened earlier that day at my kitchen table. A beautiful young woman, who has loved and served God, who has been faithful to her husband, her family and her church, had never been told that God loves her.

But then, I don't think I've ever heard another human voice say, "Jerri, God loves you." either.

I had a different experience. My experience went like this....

I was having eggs and toast with Jesus. (Yeah, sounds crazy, but I do this often.) I was feeling especially low that day. I felt unloveable, worthless and I was very surprised that Christ had even shown up for our morning date together.

So there we were. I was crying in my coffee, literally. Wondering why Jesus would waste his time with me, when so many were worthier of his time than I.

I don't quite know how to explain this, but it's almost like there was a little bubble that began to well up from within in me. Call it what you will, a "soul bubble", a "love bubble", it doesn't matter. What matters is that when that bubble hit the surface of my consciousness, the words, "Jerri, God loves you!' were whispered into my very soul.

I don't know if other people have experiences like this; but I know that because I have, I cannot resist those unexpected moments when I feel compelled to grab a hold of another and whisper, "God loves you."

I don't know many things. I'm not a theologian. I don't even have a college degree; but I do know this much.

I know that God loves you.

I know that God loves me.

I know that God loves all of us.

Someone told me once that my "theology" smacks of the doctrine of universalism.

I'm not sure what to think about that. I only know what I know.

God loves you,
....me,
.....all who have ever been or ever will be.

We can make a difference!

In Faith and Hope the world will disagree, But all mankind's concern is charity.

- Essay on Man (ep. III, l. 307)

Alexander Pope

We may never agree on issues of faith, or politics; but what remains indisputable, is the urgency of human need as it exists in so many ways, and on so many levels.

Individually and collectively, we are capable of great and miraculous acts of giving.

Click here if you would like to see one beautiful example of collaborative art created entirely for the benefit others!

If you are in a position to bid, please bid generously!

If nothing else, share the link. Pass it along.

Together we can all make a difference!

Company's coming

We have family flying out to visit us from a state far, far away.

I've spent the day rocking out to old U2 tunes and mucking out the ground floor of our home. I'm somewhat chagrined to admit that I spent more time shaking my bootie and howling with Bono and our sheltie than I did cleaning....

Yikes! The house isn't clean, the shopping isn't done and you know what? That's just the way it is going to have to be.

Oh well, there are worse things, right?

Anyhow, I probably won't be around to update the bloggedy blog for the next week or so.

I'll try, but you know how it is when company visits!

Thank goodness the continuation of this world does not depend upon the cleanliness of my home, or the regularity of my blogging.

We'd all be SOL!

No greater joy...

This beloved child of mine turned five today.

There are no words to describe the exquisite pleasure of sharing the life we share.

If I were to say...

Today, we ate Jumbo Jack burgers and drank pumpkin spice milk shakes for dinner.

We feasted upon homemade carrot cake with cream cheese frosting, and we played pin the tail on the donkey until our sides ached with laughter.

......well, those words would not capture the joy of our laughter, the sweetness of our smiles, or the strength of this love that is shared between us.

There is no greater joy, no better life, than the life of shared love.

Language cannot capture what must be lived.

So love.

Be it,

give it,

soak it in.

There is no greater joy than to love and be loved.

Music to my ears...

Yesterday I overheard my 15 year old daughter say to a friend on the phone, "Oh I don't know, I kind of like my Mom."

I smiled inside when I heard her say that. Not in a self-congratulatory way mind you, but in a grateful, I-love-you-too kind of way.

My teen daughter and I still enjoy a warm relationship. We don't always agree, we argue sometimes, and we even embarrass one another on occasion; but all in all, we genuinely love and respect one another.

Our relationship is an incredible gift for both of us.

I know that relationships change and I expect that ours will as well; but for now, I'm just grateful to know that my daughter is transforming into a woman whom I both love and like!

Thinking out loud...

For some reason, I haven't been able to shake the dream I had several nights ago about the church physically uniting to surround my neighborhood with prayer.

I think about it all the time.

I find myself wondering what it would be like to actually do this.

Would the staff at my church be willing to entertain this kind of endeavor? Would they be willing to support those of us who want to participate? Would announcements appear in the church bulletin and be heard from the pulpit?

Would people even be willing to show up to pray? Would the neighbors join in? Would this be a truly effective way to "cover" our neighborhood in prayer?

And do you know what?

I think people would show up. I think neighbors would join in; and scarier still, I think I should do something to try to make this happen.

You see, I'm beginning to think Lavagirl had it all wrong.

"Everything that is or was, began with a dream."

should read,

"Everything that is or was, began with prayer."

Several nights ago, I had a dream that the people within my church joined hands with one another, and with others, to bathe our neighborhood in prayer.

Today, my heart and my soul are telling me that this dream is destined to become more. I do not know how this will happen or when; but I do know, that for this dream to become a reality it will begin and it will end in prayer.

What an amazingly beautiful thought this is to me. To breathe a dream to life through prayer...I believe that it can be done. It will be done.

And at this juncture, I believe the only thing left for me to say is, "Amen!"

The Human Prayer Chain

"Everything that is or was, began with a dream."

~Lavagirl

Last night, I had a dream.

I dreamt that my entire church joined together to surround my neighborhood with prayer.

Men, women, and children.....thousands of us, joined hands and formed a human prayer chain around the entirety of Grant neighborhood.

We prayed for healing in our lives, we prayed for peace, for strength and for hope! The entire neighborhood echoed with the voices of young and old, as the spirit of Christ moved and rumbled through the streets.

I live in an inner city neighborhood.

Addiction, murder, prostitution, domestic violence, children bringing hand guns into our elementary school...all of these things happen here.

Known or unknown, seen or unseen, these things happen here.

Wouldn't it be an amazing moment if the body of Christ literally rose up, and then showed up to surround this neighborhood with prayer? We could invite all people, of all faiths to join us.

I have this vision of the "saved" and the "unsaved", the "haves" and the "have nots", the english speakers and the nonenglish speakers, all of us joining together and uniting together to pray for blessings upon this neighborhood.

It would be a powerful thing and a good thing.

Which is precisely why it may never come to pass...but still, a person can dream, can't they?

Ode to Tad!

Tad, the triops

My children and I love to grow triops .

They are ancient, and uncomely creatures. (See what I mean by clicking here!)

Triops are much larger than their sea monkey cousins, and can grow up to three inches long. Yes, you read correctly, three inches long!

Recently our ever curious feline Maddie, ate two of our larger triops. Alas, with one deft swoop of her paw, Maddie snagged two clueless triops to consume as her morning kitty treat

Baaad kitty!

Tad, this ode is for you!

The Lance Family Ode to Tad

written by the Lance Family Children, 2005

Tad the triops, swam with glee

No happier triops was there than he.

Until one day, the cat took note

How Tad would bob, and dive, and float.

The cat began to plan her attack

determined to make poor Tad her snack.

Tad was so busy swimming and sunning,

that he never saw our kitty's paw coming.

And thus it was on this cloudless day

that Tad the triops passed away.

Boo hoo, poor Tad is dead.

Every day acts of heroism.

True heroism is remarkably sober, very undramatic. It is not the urge to surpass all others at whatever cost, but the urge to serve others at whatever cost.
Arthur Ashe

The other day, I was hanging out in the front yard blabbing away on the phone with my gal pal, Laura.

As our conversation ended, I noticed a couple of teen boys pedaling by the house. They were older kids, doubled up on one little bike. I didn't see how this happened, but one minute they were upright and the next minute both boys were sprawled in the street.

My 10 year old and four year old daughters were with me at the time and both exclaimed, "Mom, did you see that?"

"Yup, I sure did." I replied.

I called over to the boys to ask if they were all right. One kid responded with a request for some bandaids, while the other just kind of stood there looking sheepish and slightly dazed. The girls and I disappeared into the house to get some bandaids and the injured boy stood on the front porch. He had dirt and gravel embedded in his bloodied hands.

"Why don't you come on in and wash the gravel out?" I invited.

"Thanks"

"The hand towel in the bathroom is clean and don't worry about getting it bloody." I hollered after him.

When he had finished washing up, I gave him a tube of antibiotic ointment and a huge bandaid to cover the gashes in his palm.

"Thanks so much!" he said, "I'm a drummer you know, and this is going to throw off my beat for a while."

"Yeah biting the pavement will do that to ya." I replied.

"Thanks again and have a great night!" and off he went.

"Hmmmm, he was cute!" said my four year old.

"And very polite" commented the ten year old.

The four year old was quiet for a moment and then she said, "Mom, you were a hero to that boy."

I don't necessarily believe myself to be a hero; but I do believe that the world abounds with opportunities for everyday acts of heroism. More often than not, these moments require very little of us. After all, what did I do? All I did was offer a kind word, access to some soap and water, and a bandaid.

Does it get any simpler?

What kind of coffee drink are you?

I am a Soy Latte Yeah, I've got a bit of that healthy hippie thing going on But I'm more Kate Hudson urban bohemian than Phish groupie I'm worldly and well traveled... and I know where to get the best coffee in town. All my experience makes me a compassionate person - and a caring girlfriend. What Kind Of Coffee Are You? Take This Quiz :-) Ok, so I think I'm a vanilla soy latte, but this test came close enough! Silly little online tests...what would our lives be without them?

Glosoli, what?

I've watched this Icelandic music video twice, and I'm still not quite sure what it's all about, but check it out!

The landscape is gorgeous, the faces are gorgeous and the music isn't bad either.

http://www.sigur-ros.is/sirkus.html

Let me know what you think!

Adios for now

Last Friday, I had a skin biopsy.

In the grand scheme of things, it wasn't a terribly difficult procedure. All that was involved was a little needle stick, a little slicing and dicing, and the sizzle of the cautery tool. The breast biopsy last Spring hurt a whole lot more.....

I've been having some issues with breast and skin health since last Spring. It's a saga that just seems to drag on and on without any resolution or substantive diagnosis.

I should have married a doctor instead of a lawyer, huh?

Anyhow, I may be a little more sporadic in my blog posting over the next few days. I've developed an infection in this new biopsy site. Not fun, and painful given it's position.

I'm going to give myself permission take a break from the computer and let the antibiotics do their work. I should be back in a few days, if not sooner!

I'll try not to post any photos of my oozing sores, like I did the last time...

Adios for now and be well!

Prissy Balls!

The Prissy Patriot is putting the balls back into politics!

What the heck am I talking about, you ask?

Don't be afraid, click the link and you will see!

I cracked up when I saw this gal's Prissy Balls.

Too funny!

Comforting smells, good friends, and meaningful words

My friend Debb passed this blogging idea along to me and I thought that I would use it this morning. Thanks Debb!

Since this was a rather short blog post, when you are done here, hop on over to Keri Smith's place and let your eyes soak in wonderful sentences like:

"The places we visit change us forever. Joshua Tree is a part of me now."
and,
"That fly on the wall will tell you the truth."

and now, the aromas I love the most.....

Waiting to Inhale

1) New baby:

Life! A new baby smells like life!

2) Apple cobbler:

Home! Apple cobbler smells like home feels.

3) The Ocean:

God! For me the ocean smells like God!

4) The first lilacs of spring:

Lilacs smell like life renewed, rebirth, rejuvenation.

5) Rain:

Rain smells like forgiveness....sweet, cleansing rain!