Lesson learned in Sunday School today:
To walk with God in Prayer
Means to be Aware
That he's There.
I need to go to Sunday school more often.
Peace out.
Sunday, July 19, 2009
Sunday, July 12, 2009
Lyrics
So, we went to Oklahoma City today to see this movie.
I had seen clips for it somewhere, and being long-time Bela Fleck fans, I thought "we should see that movie!". Then, I forgot about it.
Until yesterday.
Looking through the paperwork that was sent to DD#4 to prepare for her trip to Tanzania, I found a list of books/films to watch to become familiar with the culture. This movie was listed in the films to see. A scheme was hatched.
A great day in so many ways - a one day, relatively inexpensive get away, with DD#4, who rarely joins us on family outings anymore. OKC has a great museum district, and alot to see.
No surprise, the movie was full of music, and songs. The music that was played sounded so complex to me - I'm no musician. Yet, the lyrics were what struck me. Simple. Not songs about girls, clubs, dubs or dollars... The lyrics - happiness (the one word in a whole song), mother, father, death (it was once for chickens... it counts your ribs), songbirds, war, poverty, allah or the gods. I mean, that's it. One or two words per song. Beautiful complex music from the simplest instruments - sticks, strings, gourds, skins. The singers teeth and tongue, hands and feet. Simple lyrics from such amazing voices.
I had seen clips for it somewhere, and being long-time Bela Fleck fans, I thought "we should see that movie!". Then, I forgot about it.
Until yesterday.
Looking through the paperwork that was sent to DD#4 to prepare for her trip to Tanzania, I found a list of books/films to watch to become familiar with the culture. This movie was listed in the films to see. A scheme was hatched.
A great day in so many ways - a one day, relatively inexpensive get away, with DD#4, who rarely joins us on family outings anymore. OKC has a great museum district, and alot to see.
No surprise, the movie was full of music, and songs. The music that was played sounded so complex to me - I'm no musician. Yet, the lyrics were what struck me. Simple. Not songs about girls, clubs, dubs or dollars... The lyrics - happiness (the one word in a whole song), mother, father, death (it was once for chickens... it counts your ribs), songbirds, war, poverty, allah or the gods. I mean, that's it. One or two words per song. Beautiful complex music from the simplest instruments - sticks, strings, gourds, skins. The singers teeth and tongue, hands and feet. Simple lyrics from such amazing voices.
Wednesday, July 8, 2009
Movies
Due out in August.... Can't wait!
Julie and Julia Trailer
Tonight...
Star Trek
... gonna have to DVR Wipeout.
Julie and Julia Trailer
Tonight...
Star Trek
... gonna have to DVR Wipeout.
World News
We came back from the long, relatively unplugged weekend in Louisiana. I was surprised to see that Michael Jackson was still dominating the news. To an astounding degree. I mean, Katie Couric has a ringside seat and a good part of the ABC World (World) News is devoted to covering the memorial service at the Staples Center in LA. I thought for sure that we would be back to living out the disaster-in-a-fishbowl that is Jon, Kate, and their kids.
I liked MJ back in the day when I was a young teen... I liked MJ back in the day when I was a young adult. As he grew older and changed radically, I didn't think much about it, except that his private life as a whole must have been pretty "out there"... I remember when Elvis died and people were just devastated. I didn't get that any more than I get this. As they say on American Idol, "Yo, Dawg, I'm just not feeling it".
Annnnywayyy...
What was interesting was that when I changed to the BBC news, I was reminded of what Katie Couric might have been telling me - That the president of Honduras had been overthrown and that there was violence and unrest in that country. That in China, riots were going on between Muslim Uighurs and the Han Chinese, leaving over 100 people dead. That Sarah Palin had resigned as Governor of Alaska... The BBC unapologetically throws in names like "Zelaya", "Urumqi", "L'Aquila" and expects that the viewer knows who or what they are referring to. They report news from Eastern Europe, South America, India, Africa... Africa!!... all as if it were local news! The last time US news even mentioned an individual, non-mid eastern country on the African Continent was Somalia in '94.
I found out that our president will be going to Africa in a few days. Somebody should tell Katie.
I liked MJ back in the day when I was a young teen... I liked MJ back in the day when I was a young adult. As he grew older and changed radically, I didn't think much about it, except that his private life as a whole must have been pretty "out there"... I remember when Elvis died and people were just devastated. I didn't get that any more than I get this. As they say on American Idol, "Yo, Dawg, I'm just not feeling it".
Annnnywayyy...
What was interesting was that when I changed to the BBC news, I was reminded of what Katie Couric might have been telling me - That the president of Honduras had been overthrown and that there was violence and unrest in that country. That in China, riots were going on between Muslim Uighurs and the Han Chinese, leaving over 100 people dead. That Sarah Palin had resigned as Governor of Alaska... The BBC unapologetically throws in names like "Zelaya", "Urumqi", "L'Aquila" and expects that the viewer knows who or what they are referring to. They report news from Eastern Europe, South America, India, Africa... Africa!!... all as if it were local news! The last time US news even mentioned an individual, non-mid eastern country on the African Continent was Somalia in '94.
I found out that our president will be going to Africa in a few days. Somebody should tell Katie.
Monday, July 6, 2009
New Roads...
Jim's Dad has made some observations about the holiday on his blog "False-River"
We always enjoy heading south to "the river" for any reason. Enforced relaxation - no internet, sketchy phone service. Good food, no where to go other than the camp so the kids tend to stay put. Swimming, reading, puzzles, games, sleeping in, fireworks, and of course family.
Swimming in the river is a process. At first, when the kids are little, it takes some coaxing and encouragement to get them in. The water is green, and can be murky. They have to wear a life jacket at first. As they get older, they get in more readily, eventually jumping in from the low side of the pier. Then there's always the year they jump from the high side of the pier, and this was the year for DS#1.
We always enjoy heading south to "the river" for any reason. Enforced relaxation - no internet, sketchy phone service. Good food, no where to go other than the camp so the kids tend to stay put. Swimming, reading, puzzles, games, sleeping in, fireworks, and of course family.
Swimming in the river is a process. At first, when the kids are little, it takes some coaxing and encouragement to get them in. The water is green, and can be murky. They have to wear a life jacket at first. As they get older, they get in more readily, eventually jumping in from the low side of the pier. Then there's always the year they jump from the high side of the pier, and this was the year for DS#1.
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
Grocery Stores
A lot of my life has revolved around grocery stores. Many of the inside jokes between my mom and I were spawned at the First National in Brewster or the Pathmark in Danbury, and later at the Krogers, H.G. Hills and Piggly Wiggly in Nashville. (Right here, I could stop and veer off on a tangent entitled "North and South : Compare and Contrast Grocery Shopping Cultures"). My favorite Erma Bombeck column involved the grocery cart that had three wheels that wanted to go shopping and one wheel that wanted to go to the parking lot. We spend most of our lives sleeping. The second biggest chunk of my life has doubtlessly been spent in grocery stores.
I have learned lessons at the grocery store. Slower traffic stays right, pass on the left. Don't walk in front of a 10 year old who is pushing the buggy. Patience and a smile go a long way. Dress in layers. Milk is always in the corner farthest from the door. Check the eggs before you commit to them. Nothing is ever as good inside as it's packaging would make you believe. Most of the time, blue is not a color you want to eat. If you go to the grocery wearing the YMCA t-shirt that has the spaghetti sauce stain dribbled down the front, there is a 100% chance that you will run into the freshly coiffed high dollar neighbor wearing her mink.
God sometimes chooses to give me moments of absolute clarity about my life when I'm at the grocery store. Maybe it's because I'm there so much. A few weeks ago, there was a mom and her daughter getting out of the suburban. The mom was lifting the daughter out, they were giggling and rubbing noses... Don't get me wrong, I'm not weepy or nostalgic about my older girls growing up. Yet, there was a moment - I panicked - was I ever like that? Did I ever giggle like that with my daughters? Did I rub noses with them and lift them up like that? If I did, in that moment I was absolutely sure I that didn't do it enough.
Today at the grocery store I saw a younger-ish (not too young) woman with a small-ish (not too small) child and an olderish (not too old) woman. The ages I guess weren't as important as the roles they played, the youngish woman was out shopping with her mom and her child. The youngish woman was the one who needed the groceries, and the mom and kid were along for the ride. There are often women like this, with their children and their moms, all shopping together. In my mind, I've always seen myself as the younger women - not the moms. Today at the grocery store, for the first time, as clear as day, in my mind I became the mom. In a split second and just like that, my frame of reference and my idea of who I am shifted .... just along for the ride.
I have learned lessons at the grocery store. Slower traffic stays right, pass on the left. Don't walk in front of a 10 year old who is pushing the buggy. Patience and a smile go a long way. Dress in layers. Milk is always in the corner farthest from the door. Check the eggs before you commit to them. Nothing is ever as good inside as it's packaging would make you believe. Most of the time, blue is not a color you want to eat. If you go to the grocery wearing the YMCA t-shirt that has the spaghetti sauce stain dribbled down the front, there is a 100% chance that you will run into the freshly coiffed high dollar neighbor wearing her mink.
God sometimes chooses to give me moments of absolute clarity about my life when I'm at the grocery store. Maybe it's because I'm there so much. A few weeks ago, there was a mom and her daughter getting out of the suburban. The mom was lifting the daughter out, they were giggling and rubbing noses... Don't get me wrong, I'm not weepy or nostalgic about my older girls growing up. Yet, there was a moment - I panicked - was I ever like that? Did I ever giggle like that with my daughters? Did I rub noses with them and lift them up like that? If I did, in that moment I was absolutely sure I that didn't do it enough.
Today at the grocery store I saw a younger-ish (not too young) woman with a small-ish (not too small) child and an olderish (not too old) woman. The ages I guess weren't as important as the roles they played, the youngish woman was out shopping with her mom and her child. The youngish woman was the one who needed the groceries, and the mom and kid were along for the ride. There are often women like this, with their children and their moms, all shopping together. In my mind, I've always seen myself as the younger women - not the moms. Today at the grocery store, for the first time, as clear as day, in my mind I became the mom. In a split second and just like that, my frame of reference and my idea of who I am shifted .... just along for the ride.
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