Interests:A writer writes not because he is educated but because he is driven by the need to communicate. Behind the need to communicate is the need to share. Behind the need to share is the need to be understood. The writer wants to be understood much more than he wants to be respected or praised or even loved. And that perhaps, is what makes him different from others. -Leo Rosten Occupation:servant of the most High God Industry:every day life
Recently, I read a book that touched my heart. I hope you will read my thoughts on it and consider reading it yourself.
In Mary Demuth’s memoir Thin Places, she recounts the painful
experiences that marked her life growing up and the restoration God
granted. Nearly every chapter begins with a raw memory filled with
trauma and woe yet her story is one of triumph and overcoming. Taking
her cues from the Celtic culture, Mary Demuth introduces the reader to
the concept of a thin place. This is a moment when the presence and
reality of God shines through the current difficulty removing the veil
that separates God from his people. In these moments, Mary can almost
see God face to face. One of the most poignant ways Mary shows this
experience is seen in the way she allows Jesus to step into her
memories to reshape them. They are no longer filled with shame,
abandonment, betrayal, and hurt but they take on an ethereal quality as
Almighty God comes in the form of a loving father to fill the void left
by her childhood.
This book is a must read for anyone who has lost hope that God can
overcome and change the past to reshape it for his glory. Whether the
reader knows firsthand of rape, abuse, divorce, insecurity, the death
of a close family member, or the general discouragement of a difficult
childhood, they will be given a reason to keep holding onto God’s
promise to make all things new. Thin Places is a beautiful tale of the
greatest news the world has ever received, that Jesus in fact does love
us and he came to redeem us.
My cat passed away. She got cancer on her neck and large tumors were growing on it. They cut them off but they grew back quickly. She could not longer swallow well. It was hard for her to eat even the soft food recommended by the vet (cat version of baby food). I also had to feed her water with a water dropper because she could not drink. She would walk around all day trying to get water but not being able. She couldn't swallow or get it on her tongue or slurp. She would pace around the pool trying different spots to see if she could drink better at another location. She went to the toilet bowls and cat dishes. She was continually thirsty. When I fed her the water she swallowed painfully letting her 2nd eye (a slimy blue colored lid) close as she did. It was sad to watch her waste away. She lost so much weight and finally stopped being obese for the first time. My sister originally found her in a Walmart parking lot. We know she was abused because of how she would recoil from everyone. Even later when she trusted us she still freaked out at the sight of a trash bag. One of her fangs was broken. She would eat all the food in the dish at once when no one was in the kitchen. She was a fearful closet eater. It was sad. Even with all the love and attention she received I don't think she fully forgot her first life. We finally had to put her down because she was wasting away. It happened quickly. She went in for tooth surgery and they discovered the tumors. In less than a month she was too sick to continue. I never missed any other cat so much. She was always around and ready to cuddle and be pet. Every member of our family thinks about her often. I am glad she isn't suffering anymore and I hope I get to see her again.
Last night I went to the most fun party. I have not had this much fun at a party since slumber parties in elementary school. Clearly I have been partying with the wrong people in my adult years. I should have had a party to top those times by now! I did charaoke for the first time ever and loved it. I sang multiple songs and sang along to many others from the wings. I also carved a pumpkin for the first time in my life. I ended up being my most extroverted self. This means screaming, laughing, giggling, shouting, and being crazy all around. I don't think people are going to see me the same way now that they have seen what is under the shell. I always knew it was possible to have this much fun at a party without an ounce of alcohol but I never met a group of people who could... until last night. I think I found a new group of friends that I would like to get more involved with socially.
It began with me driving to Fate which is a tiny town 45 minutes away from my house. I had to drive on roads and mini highways I had never even heard of into barely lit areas. I made it after some calls to Young and a final call to Matt at the house. When he came out I saw a big dark wig. I thought it might be a lion's mane but when I found him he was dressed as a woman. Oh my! His name was "cotton candy" and he was wearing cotton balls, candy, a big curly black wig, and a dress over sweats. When I took a picture with him he wanted us to pout and point! I was laughing too hard to do it properly. The hostess who invited me loved the sandwiches I brought- cheese, deli meats, and french bread cut in sections. We spent the first few hours mingling and eating from the giant amount of food everyone brought. The charaoke began with a bang. It lasted until 1 am. Then we went on the patio to carve pumpkins. It was so much harder than I expected! The knives were flimsy, the inner stuff was slimy and hard to remove. Most of all, I discovered why people use triangular shapes to create the pumpkin face. Those are the easiest shapes to create with the resistance of the pumpkin flesh. Angles and straight lines are simple. Sadly I did not know this and tried ovals for the eyes and a circle for the mouth. It turned out very sad looking. My pumpkin kind of looked like he was yelling when he was supposed to be surprised. Since I have never carved a pumpkin in my life, I was happy with my first try. He is proudly displayed on my kitchen table at home. During the carving there was singing, crazy voices, eating of the contents we scooped out (gross!), and pumpkin sabotage when Christina put many seeds and innards back into Matt's pumpkin after he finished scooping it out. She was also the one force feeding him the disgusting contents of it! She is the hostess and she is fast becoming one of my new favorite people. I wish I had gotten to know her sooner.
Then after pumpkin carving around 2 am we went upstairs to a home theatre to play Mafia. I had not played it since a childhood slumber party and I didn't realize it would be so much fun. I got more and more hyper in there becoming louder and crazier. Louie dressed as the kid from "Where the Wild Things Are." Earlier in the night he used his tail to try to scare me. It was touching me on my side when his hand closest to me was in his lap. Then he ended up beating me with it a few times. When we got into the theatre I sat on the couch next to him pretending to make his tail wag for like ten minutes. I ended up making myself laugh so hard that I fell on the floor. Throughout the night, since the first hour of the party, I had laughed so hard my stomach ached. Then everyone arrived in the room and we all played Mafia. It started getting hot in there and I got very red. People decided it was guilt and killed me off in one of the rounds. Then I noticed a section of guys always going after me. I knew some of them from my hermeneutics class and thus far we had not talked or been buddies. I was kind of sad because I thought they must not like me to be picking on me. As I drove home I realized there might be a very different reason that they were after me in the game. I was blonde with cute, curly hair, wearing a flowing goddess costume (Athena- goddess of wisdom and war), I was laughing giggling and being extroverted, and I screamed and pleaded everytime people accused me and tried to kill me off. All of this adds up to a cute, loud girl that is fun to pick on. I thought they were after me because they didn't like me when in fact they might have been showing extreme like for me. All of those guys were nerdy, some of them are known for their beards, and in real life they have shown themselves to be shy and often quiet. I think I was a fun target because I was entertaining and cute. I felt relieved and surprised when I came to this conclusion. I not normally "that girl" that guys bug because she is cute and gives fun reactions. I really had turned into the life of the party by the end. I was completely unwound from any of my normal reservations. At one point, I was almost killed off by the townspeople and then the mafia killed me on the next turn to throw everyone off. It was an interesting little strategy game. We ended around 4:45 in the morning. Then I drove home. When I got into bed my clock turned 6:00 am. I am normally waking up at that time for work! I had such a wild time and I haven't stayed out that late in years. The party was awesome and I can't wait for next year!
I feel like this party was a big present from God. I think he decided to send me there knowing I would laugh the entire night. Then the next morning as I woke up I remembered the night and started giggling in bed! It is as though God decided to "reboot" my whole system with joy. He was just speaking to me and reminding me that life will not always feel broken and frustrating. There is light at the end of the tunnel. Weeping may last for the night but joy comes in the morning (Psalm 30:5).
I just spilled apple juice on papers that I spilled water on yesterday. I think I might be losing my mind. I am stuck in my head so much that I have walked into (as in splat) the guy I liked twice. Get a grip! This year has been so tedious, arduous, disappointing, and unexpected. I have no idea what to make of my life. I am utterly confused why things are happening the way they are and I sure hope God has a brilliant plan.
I really like this verse I found in an email today: "Sow
with a view to righteousness, reap in accordance with kindness; break up your
fallow ground, for it is time to seek the LORD until He comes to rain
righteousness on you" (Hosea 10:12).
CONTROL has three distinct dimensions:
MANIPULATION - which tries to trick you into something.
INTIMIDATION - which tries to scare you into something.
DOMINATION - which attempts to force you into something.
I found this in an email. It describes people I know all too well. I hate being controlled. Lets keep this as a reminder to ourselves to not control others and not submit to any yoke of bondage.
Lifetime