Preoccupied...

When I stand outside, I don't feel like I'm standing out from the Earth right now, I'm just thankful I'm stuck to it! I have a head cold and it tends to take over all my thoughts and feelings for intervals of time. I believe anyone can get preoccupied: money concerns, personal illness, grief, loss, conflict in relationships, conflict of any sort... Anything could preoccupy us. Right?

Since when do we decide to give our living moments away to unaccompanied thought?

Everything we experience deserves some time, but nothing is worthy enough to take all of our thoughts and time. Preoccupation is a thief! It not only steals the moment, it robs us of making a memorable past. How can we take in any of our blessings if we walk around with a bag over our head?

Here's the remedy for preoccupation: Hand the ball of concerns to Jesus. He will gladly hold all your concerns while you live fully in the moment. When it's time for some concerns to be dealt with, He will hand you what you can resolve. He will wait with you and live with you, and guard all our concerns until the time is right for us to live them fully. What can describe how amazing it is that our God of the Universe will guard our concerns? I know that "Love" is the describing word -- it just doesn't seem big enough.

So if you find yourself struggling with preoccupation, try gargantuan love. :)

The speed of light

The blink of an eye. How many blinks a day? Dunno. The speed of light-- that's crazy. There are so many magical systems in place; the world keeps turning, living things constantly growing, the many systems of a living being, the sun continuing to rise for us... and we don't even notice.

Did you ever stop to think that we're actually standing "out" from the earth? We're not really standing up-- that's an illusion. If we looked at the earth from a stellar viewpoint, it might look like a fuzzy ball with so many people sticking out from it. Then again, that would be if we saw it without buildings or trees, etc. because they are all much taller than a person. Even so, next time we stand outside, let's envision us standing out from the planet Earth! Just for fun--

Transitions

There are transitions in everything- writing, music, life. Sometimes I love the time I'm having and I just want it to "freeze" in the moment. But it keeps moving along, like a slow running stream.

When I was 23 years old, I asked Great Grandma if things slow down when you get older. She said, "No, they just get faster and faster." Fair warning- I took it to heart. I decided to enjoy where I'm at and remember that it only gets faster.

... That has proven to be mostly true. When I was little, a day seemed like a week. A summer seemed like a year. Now summers breeze by and I think they feel like weeks, not months. It's only those stolen precious moments with those we love that can make time stand still. When I'm absorbed into the moment, when I can later remember the smells and sounds, that's when time runs just a little slower for a while.

Smokes

I get this feeling, craving really, every single fall: I want a cigarette. I think it's that beauty, the serenity, the ideal campfire mode. I want to take it in. I want to bring something in internally-- that's not sweet.
Soooooo, I bummed a cigarette from a friend. I told her that if she gave me the cigarette, I wouldn't have to buy the whole pack, but I would indeed buy a pack. MMMmmm, I had a smoke. First I (I, me), I get to light it. That's one of my favorite parts. The fire, the spark to the tobacco- making my cigarette start to burn it's leaves. Then you take the first puff. That's awesome. Then I'm smoking - similar to drinking a great cup of coffee. There's nothing like the first sip. After that, there's just more. Then... a buzz. Yep, I got a buzz. I laughed!; felt like I was woozy.
That's only the beginning of a cigarette though. My hands stunk. I washed several times when I got home and they stunk until the next day. gross. My breath turned sour, and I couldn't smell a thing. I was driving home and the view of the autumn splendor was tainted! I couldn't smell the crispness, I started an immediate headache, and I could feel it in my stomach that nicotene was real.Then I got home and tried to eliminate the after-effects. The night was tainted. I needed headache medicine, I drank water, and my hands stunk. Then, early a.m., was the 5 minute fart. I tell you what- smoking one cigarette isn't worth it!!

I like campfires.

Really???

Who would have guessed that tonight I would start a blog. I can hardly navigate my way around simple emails let-alone starting a BLOG. Well, here I am! Is there a purpose to this blogging? Is it mind-clearing on public display??

I'd best behave. No opinions from me tonight.