Milky Way Time Lapse

Substitutes

Substitute - instead of ... in the place of...an alternative

Splenda...sugar;

Margarine...Butter;

Coke...Pepsi...Dr. Pepper?

Silk...Milk

Instead of sugar - Splenda; 

Instead of Butter - margarine; 

Instead of milk - Silk;

Instead of being there - skype.

This is not a mark against substitutes - some of my more memorable teachers were substitutes.

Substitutes, instead of, alternatives have their place

drawing instead of a photo

A beach sunrise

Psalm 100


1- Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth.

2- Worship the Lord with gladness; come into his presence with singing.

3- Know that the Lord is God. It is he that made us, and we are his; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.

4- Enter his gates with thanksgiving, and his courts with praise. Give thanks to him, bless his name.

5- For the Lord is good; his steadfast love endures forever, and his faithfulness to all generations.

"How Great Is Our God"

"How Great Is Our God" - Chris Tomlin

The splendor of a King,
clothed in majesty
Let all the earth rejoice
All the earth rejoice

He wraps himself in Light,
and darkness tries to hide
And trembles at His voice
Trembles at His voice

How great is our God, sing with me
How great is our God, and all will see
How great, how great is our God

Age to age He stands
And time is in His hands
Beginning and the end
Beginning and the end

The Godhead Three in One
Father Spirit Son
The Lion and the Lamb
The Lion and the Lamb

Name above all names
Worthy of our praise
My heart will sing
How great is our God

How great is our God, sing with me
How great is our God, and all will see
How great, how great is our God
 
photo by Doug Roane

The Way I See It...

1. Action is one of the best remedies for fear
2. If you want happiness for a lifetime, help the next generation.
3. Worth asking: Where in my work is the opportunity to improve the world, even in the smallest way?
4. Making waves may be riskier than treading water--but it's also more productive.
5. Going green is like protecting your health; it comes down to respecting the place you inhabit.
6. Often it's not our values that are faulty, but our priorities.
7. It's impossible to learn to swim, without jumping in the water.
8. Follow what makes you naturally curious, it will lead you to your passions and purpose.
9. Try not to confuse one defeat with total defeat
10. Each time you turn on the faucet, let it be a reminder to go with the flow.*

*Whole Living magazine - April 2012 - pg. 93

The Real Thing...

I saw a hummingbird. A real one. He (she?) flew right up to me, flew backwards, flew closer, flew left, flew closer still. Checking me out. Was he staring? I was. Mouth open. silent. Wishing I could point him out to someone. Wishing for my camera.  Taking a hundred mental pictures.
Don't go - not yet.

Until then I'd never seen one.  A real one. Photos, of course - that's how I knew what he was. Photos and National Geographic specials. Not...a real one. He was grey with blue ... was that turquoise? Didn't see the wings. Heard them though. Woaung-Woaung-Woaung-Woaung.
I sing, "Ain't Nothing Like the Real Thing".*

  

* "Ain't Nothing Like the Real Thing" - Marvin Gaye and Tammy Terrell - http://youtu.be/svAs-6MiqxE

Devil's Backbone...

Perspective...the worst traffic ever

Outer loop... Inner loop... The Beltway... 495...no matter the name it equals the worst traffic ever* unless... you live in Nigeria .

 
 *Apapa-Oshodi Expressway, Nigeria  "World's Worst Traffic Jam - How a 40-mile Trip to Lagos took 12 Hours" -Joshua Hammer July/August 2012 The Atlantic

7 Responses to the Beltway

1. I no longer enjoy driving...well, maybe I still do...since sitting in traffic isn't driving.
2. I understand road rage - though there is seldom road to be seen. 
3. I stock up on audio books in the same manner as those who race for bread and milk before an impending snow storm. It's the only way to manage--resign to, if not accept--the reality.
4. I realize the value of the Traffic Jam Factor - a traffic rating scale of 1 through 10:
•  with one never being the case
•  and ten being jammed; not moving; make-sure-you-use-the bathroom-before-you-head-out. 
5. I never make pleasure trips that require leaving or arriving in the area after 3PM on any weekday; and yes, Sunday afternoon is a weekday. 
6. I always, always have my GPS...yes, even as a passenger. 
7. I keep snacks in the car.  

Defining Home and Friendship

My friend Beth has an incredible way with words--always has. But for years she was waaay too modest about it and poo-pooed any suggestion that she should write a book, much less a blog. Her reasons and rationale were numerous. I begged. I gave ideas, feelings, responses and I-don't-know-just anything and everything I could think of to convince her, that even her letters from Iraq* were worthy reading for the masses. FINALLY, she has written a blog ("If Beth had a Blog")** and the title still makes me chuckle since I know the "back story". I have many favorite entries, but my most recent favorite is entitled "Where You Can Simply Be".  My favorite line?  "...the place where you can simply be who you are . . . without explanation, without back story, without grinding out the details of your life to explain the now of things. . ."  This is a perfect definition of home and friendship.

* Beth traveled annually to Iraq with the Christian Peacemaker Teams http://www.cpt.org/. She emailed those of us who worried about her, while she was there.

** http://ifbethhadablog.blogspot.com/2012/08/where-you-can-simply-be.html - check it out!

Update - August 12, 2012

Good morning friends

please forgive the mass email but  I have yet to master  the computer with one hand.  I really want to let you know how I am and to thank you for your prayers and words of encouragement.

I am in the mountains of Virginia with my friend Beth. I am so far away from everything that there are NO cell towers!   so feel free to call me here since I can't call or text you. (phone number was here) (and she doesn't have long distance so I can't call you).

Yes to your question, it is kinda weird not to be able to text or call but once that anxiety passes (grin) the silence is quite wonderful.  

Friday the doctor said that I am healing nicely. no infection and normal swelling. he says the easy part was the surgery. he is adamant that I start physical therapy not later than Monday so I have a 2:45pm appointment in Staunton VA; which is an hour away --or as they measure distance here-- two mountains away.   I am looking forward to getting the PT started but anxious about the pain. The drugs make me sluggish and loopy. so I space them as far as possible. the doctor .suggested Motrin in between if the pain was manageable and to avoid the "drugged" feeling.

please don't hesitate to call or write or email. I appreciate  each of you. 

Tree Geometry

a ragged Rhombus (1) in the bush

circles woven make the nest

the evergreen an Isoceles (2)

 semi circles from mountain trees

(1) has four sides both pairs of opposite sides parallell and all sides the same length
 (2) a triangle with at least two equal sides

 

Heal Me by Sunrise - Daniel Hasselburg

Wiser on Wednesday - Dance...Souza

“Dance as though no one is watching

Love as though you've never been hurt

Sing as though no one can hear you

Live as though heaven is on earth.”   

 

Afred D'Souza

On The Night Before Surgery

     I'd rather be doing anything other than having surgery tomorrow. Anything. I'm sure many people get nervous, lose sleep, change their minds. It's not that I am unprepared. I've written an Advanced Directive - basically saying,  "If you don't put the plug in, then you won't have to pull it out." (Clearly, brain dead for me is dead. Besides I don't want DD and DS to have to think or decide or worry or fight about when to do it - pull the plug. Brain dead is dead. Nice and simple for them and for me).

     While I'm not worried about dying - actually the description I received of the recovery sounds worse - I am realistic, practical and a planner. There's a list of all the accounts I can think of and the locations of all the money (ha-ha) that I have hidden under virtual mattresses.   I've packed a bag with things to read, listen to and do. I've chosen a chair and an ottoman covered and positioned it. I've lined up friends and family for help and support and of course sent them each others' phone numbers in texts and emails. I've attempted to get approval for an out-of-network physical therapist (don't get me started on that exercise), so I could stay with a friend who lives out of state.  

       I've prepared for just about every thing that I possibly could. Those of you who know me well, know. This is who I am. This is what I do. Prepare. Make lists. Plan. It helps...me. So image my - what shall I say - surprise? when the pre-opt nurse called and in the midst of that conversation gave me push back about which arm I was to have the procedure performed? She asked and I answered "left." She corrected " you mean right."   I said "no" - drawing it out as my brain caught up with the implications and responded to the nurse's...was that...arrogance? I mean shouldn't I know which arm? Wasn't I the one counting the blessing that at least it wasn't my right shoulder, my dominant side? Why did she think that she, the paper or anyone else knew better than me?  This is what I thought. What came out of my mouth was one word repeated multiple times in ever increasing volume.  Left, LEFT!! LEFT!!! LEFT!!!!

   It was a calm freakout only to be matched by the controlled calm of the nurse requesting that I calm down No I'm due this freakout if I never get another!  She stated that she was making corrections to the chart and this might have been her attempt at humor that she was writing in the chart left the total number of times I had said it.  I'm sure I screamed it. She continued by telling me that I would be asked several times which shoulder once I arrived at the hospital; that my arm would be marked and pleased don't mark the arm myself.  What?  It's my arm. I'll mark it if I want, excuse me, seems I need to . Okay, okay I'll try not to be difficult. But if I must comply, I'll write on the other arm something clever that I heard from a friend "if you're reading this, you're on the wrong side!"

Success is...Earl Nightingale

"Success is the progressive realization of a worthy goal or ideal.” 

Earl Nightingale

Not many of you know that I am self -conscious. I try real hard not to be. I'm good with people I know in small gatherings or settings. Not so much in settings--especially large settings--where I know, no one.

Last night I was in a meeting and the person I was to meet wasn't there. I didn't really need them to be there--well I did sort of --but not for the purpose of the meeting-- for support, encouragement. I tried to be less...well self-conscious. I looked at people smiled at people. At the break I even moved closer to the front. I sat there I looked interested and tried to make eye contact with perfect strangers. I bolted. Maturely, professionally. But it was a "bolt" just the same. I made myself re-enter, couldn't;t see any further value in the effort and turned around and sought the safety of my car. I tried. I really did. Maybe I should return to the no-one-knows-I'm-self-conscious person I have been and just leave it alone. I mentioned it to the person I was to meet--the one who is  encouraging me on this new journey and apparently hearing the "I didn't do so well last night" tone in my voice, said  "and so you were successful." Me: quietly thinking - must have missed part of the story - but saying "successful?". "Yes. Small steps nothing of consequence was achieve overnight. Success is the progressive realization of a worthy goal."

The way I see it, success is progress and progression. Progression toward a worthy goal. I like this perspective.



Wiser on Wednesday - Happiness...Souza

"For a long time it seemed to me that life was about to begin - Real Life.

But there was always some obstacle in the way, something to be gotten through fiirst,

some unfinished business, time still to be served, a debt to be paid.

At last it dawned on me that these obstacles were my life.

This perspective has helped me to see there is no way to happiness.

Happiness is the way.

So treasure every moment you have and remember that time waits for no one.  Happiness is a journey, not a destination!"     - Alfred D'Souza