let the living begin

"So, I see why people settle and why people start calling how I'm living 'life'. Because it's alot easier to just live than to live. Because God doesn't really give any clear-cut directions on what living entails." (sara)

Do you ever feel like you can cast off the old junk, run as fast as you're able, and end up God-only-knows-where? This is the best feeling ever.I wrote this post before I read Sara's entry, but it seems that we are all struggling to know what living really is. So often, I start feeling like I have lost all feeling, all meaning. Then I remember that life is so very short...

And I'm not suggesting you all have to sell your stuff and move 500 miles away. Maybe we just have to move our hands, tilt our heads, shift our focus. Or maybe we're used to all the moving and it just means stopping. So stop or go, move or stay...

we feel we can fly
when we see with new eyes
all the beauty so hidden
for days upon years

but what's stopping you now
is the slight change of tone
that your voice can never attain

build up your strength
muster your best
and head for highway
before it's too late

Now is all we've got.

the glory of God is man fully alive. (St. Irenaeus)

Advent/Christmas thoughts

The mall's sign flashed, "Only 7 shopping days until Christmas!!" And I remembered that it doesn't even feel like Christmas. Minus the fact that most days it is above 70 degrees here, (excluding this lovely day, with only a high of 62!) there are many years that it doesn't "feel" like Christmas. And it hasn't really felt that way since I left for college. Before that, I could count on being at home, sleeping in and eating lots of baked goods, for the entire Christmas break. I could count on the fam being together, eating breakfast casserole on Christmas morning, and getting cool presents. THIS certainly felt like Christmas. And going to Christmas Eve communion, I can't forget this. This was the ultimate unifying experience, to go kneel at the altar and being given the most amazing opportunity to take the body and the blood.

I'm a bit disheartened that this was Christmas, that my feeling came from presents and lights and cozyness. I am not suggesting that being with those you love isn't Christmas--it is certainly a part of it, celebrating love and family. I just don't think it's the point of it all.

But now, that feeling doesn't come around. I'm not really sad about it. I'm just in search of the new feeling--the Advent feeling. Christmas begins to mean something different when you read the "7 shopping days" from inside your car in morning traffic, instead of reading it from inside the department stores. Christmas means something different when you don't have much money to buy presents and when you are reminded that God came as a baby and put on flesh.

A friend posted once that she's always in search of a certain feeling. I guess we all are, even if that isn't right to do. But sitting in traffic this morning, I confess, I wanted it to feel like Christmas. I wanted to drive around and look at lights and be cozy and unwrap some gifts with family and have Christmas back once again.

And I want Advent, too, I really do. This anticipation should be stronger. God sending a son--his son--to bridge a gap, that's something to be excited about.

Only 7 shopping days. I better hurry and find the feeling.

Oh, Winter, where art thou?

Christmastime. 80 degrees. Sweat and the need for air conditioners.

This is Mississippi, folks. :: Sigh :: You never get used to it.

So, instead, you run the AC and put Christmas lights up (both inside and out) in hopes that you can trick yourself into believing it really is wintertime. But I guess we can't ask too much, because technically winter doesn't start until December 22nd (this year, at least.) You can bet I'm going to be one unhappy camper if the temperature doesn't plummet at 1:08 AM on December 22nd. (see here :: http://home.earthlink.net/~ellozy/winter-start-end.html#tocref2 )

Jeff's begging me to move north.

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On the other hand, if you missed out on the swimming weather in June-August, there's always.... now.

Dear Christians,

Stop buying so much!!!!!!!!!!!!


This moshpit of consumerism can drive me so insane sometimes. Watching television is even more unenjoyable now (except for Rachel Ray and Alton Brown) than it has ever been. Apparently credit cards help you save money and live life to the fullest, shampoos and running shoes make you to look much more physically appealing to the opposite sex and will probably increase your chances of being slipped a phone number in a bar, and prescription meds will cure your herpes, though you'll probably develop arthritis or gastrointenstinal dysfunction in the meantime (but these are "rare" and only "moderate" side effects.)

And still we are swiping those cards like madmen.