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Amanda's Occasional Musings
  
Random thoughts, unrestrained meanderings, occasional rants, and joyful enthusiasm.

My Faithful Father, Enduring Friend
Your tender Mercy is like a river with no wind
It overwhelms me, covers my sin
Each time I come into Your Presence
I stand in wonder once again

(chorus)
Your Grace still amazes me
Your Love is still a mystery
Each day i fall on my knees
'Cause Your Grace still amazes me

Oh Patient Savior, You make me whole
You are the Author and the Healer of my soul
What can I give You? Lord what can I say?
I know there's no way to repay You
Only to offer You my praise

Your Grace still amazes me
Your Love is still a mystery
Each day i fall on my knees
'Cause Your Grace still amazes me

Its deeper, its wider, its stronger, its higher
Its deeper, its wider, its stronger, its higher
Than anything my eyes can see

Your Grace still amazes me
Your Love is still a mystery
Each day i fall on my knees
'Cause Your Grace still amazes me
Your Grace...still AMAZES me.

P.S. My name isn't really "Grace". But don't tell anyone, cause we're supposed to be traveling incognito here, and it's a big secret.

P.P.S. Just because heaven is a gated community, doesn't mean that God is a republican!
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Count YOUR blessings...An invitation and a challenge Aug 5, 2008 6:22 pm
Mood: Blessed indeed, 178 Views
My last blog post was just a short list of joys that I have been blessed with. I was in a thankful mood, and just typed them out and here they landed.

I invite everyone on blog land to make a list of their own little joys, and put it in their own blogs. Let's see if we can "out joy" each other, shouting out our thanks and praises to Dad!!



Any takers???

Feel free to put a link to your joys here. I'd love to read about them.
5 Comments
The greatest joys I have ever known Aug 4, 2008 10:33 pm
211 Views



Holding a sleeping child in your arms

A sunburn that was SO totally worth it

A campfire

The first whiff of salt air after a 2-hour drive

A big plate of saucy, messy, barbequed ribs, with lots of napkins

A small child barreling into you and nearly knocking you over, throwing their little arms around your knees, grinning up at you and saying, “I love you, grandma!”

Listening to foghorns and the sound of the waves from inside a tent late at night

Roasting marshmallows

Topping a hill and catching the first glimpse of open ocean.

Watching your grandchild pulling a fish out of the water

A swimming pool

A grandchild graduating high school.

Hot fudge sundaes

Praising God

Baiting a hook

The uncontrollable laughter that erupts when 3 smart alecks occupy the same room

The sound of surf

Mo’s clam chowder

A smile on your best friend’s face

Taking pictures while your grandsons and best friend pick apples off a tree and feed them to a small gathering of deer in the back yard (seriously)

Getting OVER it!

Being greeted at the door by your dog

Cooking a meal for someone you love

Singing

Eating the first ripe apple from the tree in the back yard

A phone call from a friend

Dancing in the kitchen

Walking through the woods

An inside joke

Knowing that you are never alone

Maybe not knowing what the future holds, but trusting the One Who holds the future

Love in all its incarnations, those I’ve known and those I’ve yet to discover
10 Comments
Great advice Aug 4, 2008 10:18 pm
Mood: Happy, 203 Views
An Old Farmer's Advice:

* Your fences need to be horse-high, pig-tight, and bull-strong.
* Keep skunks, bankers and lawyers at a distance.
* Life is simpler when you plow around the stump.
* A bumble bee is considerably faster than a John Deere tractor
* Words that soak into your ears are whispered...not yelled.
* Meanness don't jes' happen overnight.
* Forgive your enemies. It messes up their heads.
* Do not corner something that you know is meaner than you.
* It don't take a very big person to carry a grudge.
* You cannot unsay a cruel word.
* Every path has a few puddles.
* When you wallow with pigs expect to get dirty.
* The best sermons are lived, not preached.
* Most of the stuff people worry about ain't never gonna happen anyway.
* Don't judge folks by their relatives.
* Remember that silence is sometimes the best answer.
* Live a good, honorable life. Then when you get older and think back, you'll enjoy it a second time.
* Don't interfere with somethin' that ain't botherin' you none.
* Timing has a lot to do with the outcome of a rain dance.
* If you find yourself in a hole, the first thing to do is stop diggin'.
* Sometimes you get, and sometimes you get got.
* The biggest troublemaker you'll probably ever have to deal with watches you from the mirror every mornin'.'
* Always drink upstream from the herd.
* Good judgment comes from experience, and a lotta that comes from bad judgment.
* Lettin' the cat outta the bag is a whole lot easier than puttin' it back in.
* If you get to thinkin' you're a person of some influence, try orderin' somebody else's dog around.
* Live simply. Love generously. Care deeply. Speak kindly. Leave the rest to God!
13 Comments
Consternation! Aug 3, 2008 2:04 pm
192 Views
My roomie and I have been discussing over the last several days all the frustrated preachers here lately, and worse, those who only seem to be here in order to bash the other people here. Who in turn, bash them back. Seems to be a bumper crop these last few weeks.

BASH!! You horrid person!! BAM!! You wicked person!! POW!! I'm right and you're wrong, you {bleep, bleep, blank, bleep bleep}!!! No, you're wrong, you stinky poopy head! Well, you're UGLY!! AM NOT!! ARE TOO!! AM NOT!!!!! ARE TOO!!!!

Lordy, some of us may as well be sticking our thumbs in our ears, waving our fingers, sticking out our tongues and singing, "Nan-uh nan-uh boo boo!!" How sad it is. Neither of us have seen that kind of behavior on any secular blog spaces we have visited.

Didn't Jesus say that the world will know we are His disciples because we have love, one for the other. Do you know that our blogs are searchable and viewable BY THE PUBLIC? Try googling your screen name. You are probably there. I found me, at least 20 different links, some even on other continents!

I truly hope that if the world comes here, at least to this blog, they will see something different from what is "out there". Something worth sticking around for and maybe even getting some for themselves. Like the Love of Christ. Seeing His Love sure made me want some.
5 Comments
Every 28 days...... Aug 1, 2008 1:34 pm
Mood: PPPhhhhtttttffffftttttt!!, 215 Views
Today is the one day out of every 28 that I do little but sit around and feel sorry for myself, and cry—a lot—and feel sorry for myself--then cry some more.

Some women will recognize this as perfectly logical and natural. Most men would shake their heads and chalk it up to hormones.

Gentlemen, I strongly advise you: NEVER EVER say that out loud. I don’t care how right you think you are, keep that little tidbit inside. Because, even if you ARE right, you’re wrong. Trust me.

I have perfectly logical reasons for crying. I have plenty of reasons why I feel sorry for myself. I do! Very real reasons.

What’s wrong, you ask?

Well, if you don’t know, I’m certainly NOT going to tell you!



Just kidding.

I know it’s hormonal. Sadly, it took me until I was 45 years old to realize it. Sorry for all the feelings I hurt before that. But these days, I know it happens, I know when it’s coming, and I warn everyone around me who might be affected, and keep to myself. (I do! Ask Kristy.)

Another sad legacy from Adam and Eve. If I had a time machine, I’d go back and SMACK those two! Every 28 days!!!!

I’ll feel better tomorrow.

P.S. Please pray for Kristy today!
10 Comments
What's under the carpet? Jul 31, 2008 8:09 pm
Mood: Loved, 177 Views
We are in the process of removing carpet from the house in preparation for putting in wood floors. We did the dining room and living room today.

Doesn’t carpet look nice? It makes a home look warm and inviting, a nice finishing touch. It also feels soft and comfortable under your feet, no “cold-floor” shock when you get up in the morning. Even though ours is old and worn, it still has those qualities. But we have pets, and a bit of an allergy problem, so we decided on wood floors.

So we began to roll up the carpet today. Holy cow….the SMELL!!! As we began to pull up the corners and roll it away from the floor, there was no doubt that we have animals; and those animals have little respect for the carpet in our home. “Feels like grass to us!” And then there is the mustiness, the old mildewy odor from years and years in the damp Pacific Northwest climate. Oh my! It was horrible!! The more we rolled, the worse it got!! No wonder the house doesn’t exactly smell like roses!!! We gagged and choked and rolled until the carpet was up off of the floor and out the door to be taken to the dump.

Then we started on the padding. Even more was to be revealed. As we pulled and tore at it, we realized just what a lousy job vacuum cleaners really do. Now, I swear, we are clean ladies! We vacuum. REGULARLY! But what was under that carpet astounded us.

Dirt. Lots of dirt. A relief map in Earth! Not a little dust. I’m talking sand dunes here! A thick coating of dirt that was practically wall to wall. Where spills and pet accidents had taken place, mud. By now, we are both a bit nauseated. As we surveyed this moonscape, pure revulsion welled up within us. We could not believe what we were seeing. We had been walking and sitting and lying and playing with kids on this, pretty much unaware. Oh, we knew that it was a bit dirty, but we had no idea that we could fashion a small galaxy out of the crud under there.

Once the padding had joined the carpet outside, we began to sweep…..and sweep….and sweep. Then Kristy went for the shop vac. Some areas required a bit of scrubbing. I think it took an hour to get the accumulated ick off the wood under the padding.

The flooring is plywood. It isn’t nearly as pretty as the carpet. But we know it’s clean. No hidden ookiness there. It’s clean. It took some doing, but that floor is clean.

You know, Dad uses the oddest things to teach me. You see, He’s been taking up my carpet for a while now. Darned dirty carpet too. Oh, it looked good. Nice and homey and comfortable, even pretty. But oh, the crud underneath. He could build a large galaxy with it.

Oh, don’t get all fretful. Dad is so very tender with me. He doesn’t rip out my carpet in front of the world and say “Look at this! What a filthy mess she’s hiding under there!!”

Nope. He only exposes my dirt to me. It hurts, but it’s private. He shows me the dust, and the mud, and the stink, and even the…..uuummmm…excrement. Yep, it’s there, and I’ve got plenty of it, too. But you know the best part? He doesn’t leave me like that. He loves me way too much.

He takes that filthy covering that hides only more filth out to the dump. Then He begins to sweep…and sweep…then He pulls out the vacuum to get every grain of ick. Then He begins to scrub. He washes all of the stubborn stains away, until He can't see them, or even remember them anymore. Then, He pronounces me “clean”. And “beautiful”. Even more beautiful than the “carpet” that was there before.

I love my Dad!
10 Comments
Prince Charming. Jul 30, 2008 12:25 pm
Mood: amused, 231 Views
An old “friend” popped up on my IM today. We had dated a few times quite a while ago. It’s been a while since I heard from him. We had an interesting conversation. He can be a wonderful conversationalist, and I really used to enjoy talking to him; but our “friendship” has sort of dwindled down to his occasionally popping up to see if I’m lonely enough to allow myself to be taken advantage of. (UUhhhh----no.)

Today wasn’t much different. He tried, I rebuffed, as usual. We have a difference of opinions. You see, I think I’m a living doll. He thinks I should be a blow-up doll.

Now, this man is a college professor with a Ph. D. Brilliant man. BRILLIANT!! The reason I once enjoyed his company and conversation so very much is because he is so brilliant. Absolutely brilliant. Did I mention that he is brilliant? Because he is brilliant. He is also very much my physical “type”. But mostly, he is brilliant.

We sort of bantered back and forth a bit. He telling me how good it would be to “see” me, my telling him how much more I deserve. Toward the end of the conversation, he gave me his phone number and told me he was free all day should I change my mind. Tired of it, I simply said “I have a roommate.” His response to that was “I have a suburban.”

How very charming.

WTH!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!!!!!

UN—BE—LIEVE—A—BLE!!!!

How can anyone that smart POSSIBLY be THAT stupid????

I assure you, when I turn 16, and I want to drive up to Lookout Point to watch the submarine races, I’ll call “the Fonz”.

My closing statement was, “I’ll just let you figure out what is wrong with that picture.”

Jerk.
10 Comments
A day at the beach part 2 Jul 30, 2008 9:27 am
Mood: Counting it all joy, 149 Views



My roomie/best friend, Kristy, her dad Jim, and I went to the beach Monday. It was a beautiful day for it. What a blessing the day was. Time simply enjoying each other doing my favorite thing.

After dropping Jim off at the casino (Why do people like to gamble?? I mean, you could wad up a $100 bill, drop it in the toilet, and flush; and you would get the exact same action with the exact same result! Right?), Kristy and I went down to the beach. The weather was perfect. I took off my sandals, rolled up my jeans (I never remember my shorts or capris. NEVER!), and walked into the surf. It was perfect. My feet and ankles went instantly numb from the cold, but it was still perfect!

We wandered north. Lots of people were out. Children were laughing and building sand castles and romping in the water. Couples were strolling hand-in-hand or with their arms around each other (ENVY, ENVY, ENVY!!! Sigh.), or lying side-by-side in the sun.

I watched the surf, and looked through the rocks for interesting shell or agates, waded across the D River---aaahhhhhhh—15 seconds of warmth!---and wandered on. In the surf I saw a large rock rolling back and forth in the waves on the beach.

We walked on a ways, stopped, just admired the ocean for a while, then turned around and slowly wandered back. I noticed a pretty large agate in the sand. I picked it up, washed it in the surf, examined it, then handed it to Kristy as a remembrance of the day. Slowly we made our way further south.

Once again I noticed the large rock, still tumbling in the surf. I stopped and looked at it, watching it rolled back and forth with the waves for a couple of minutes. I decided it had to be one of those light volcanic ash type of rocks and bent down to pick it up. NO WAY! I couldn’t budge it! What on Earth! I stood back up, watched it roll up the beach and then roll back down again with the waves as if it were drift wood. When it stopped, I tried again. Nothing doing. I could barely shift it even an inch.

Not far away were piles of rock that were deeply buried in the sand. The waves still crashed but they didn’t move. This rock didn’t seem much smaller, but here it was, back and forth, going where ever the water took it.

I received a bit of a disappointment today. I got some really sad news yesterday. And I’ve been frustrated lately over something that just hasn’t been going quite the way I wanted it to. Human beings can be fickle. Circumstances can change in a heartbeat. Life doesn’t always work out like we want it to.

The heart can be like that rock, and life can be like that surf. If I’m not deeply anchored, I can be tossed back and forth over the shifting sands of life as if I were a piece of driftwood.

I could be pitching a real hissy-fit right now. But I have an Anchor. He holds me firmly, and I know that whatever the surf might bring, I’m staying right here, tightly wrapped in the Arms of my Heavenly Father. Let the waves come!
2 Comments
A day at the beach Jul 29, 2008 9:43 am
Mood: Fascinated, 197 Views
Kristy, her dad Jim, and I went to Lincoln City OR to visit the beach yesterday. It was such a beautiful day, not a cloud in the sky, about 70 degrees, soft breeze. What a terrific day to go to the beach!

We dropped Jim off at the casino for a couple of hours and then we went down to D beach, onto which flows the D River-the shortest river in the world. The Pacific Northwest fascinates me with all its odd records. World’s shortest river, world’s smallest natural harbor (Depoe Bay), world’s largest sea cave (Sea Lion Cave), world’s longest continuous beach (appropriately, Long Beach, WA—oh, and it’s driveable, just in case you get the urge!), the tallest volcanic peak in the contiguous 48 states that is NOT in Colorado (Mt Rainier), (Yes, ladies and gentlemen, she is a storehouse of useless information!)

After about an hour’s walk on the beach, we went south on 101 to the Alder House glass blowers. (Go there if you get a chance!) I had been there a couple of times last year, but Kristy had never been there. Watching a glass blower is fascinating. I warned Kristy before we got there to make sure she blinks while the process is going on. I learned that the hard way. I was so enthralled the first time I went that I stopped blinking. Now a glassblower’s work space is hot and if you don’t blink, your eyes become as dry as the Sahara; and that hurts! Sure enough, even being warned, she forgot! LOL!


It’s wonderful to watch. This shapeless blob of nothing on the end of a rod; then a lot of heat, a little turning, a bit of breath, a little pressure here, and little pressure there, (get where I’m going here???) a few new colors added (but you cannot see the true colors at first, it still looks like a colorless blob), a little more heat, a little more breath, a little more pressure, a little cooling off; then suddenly ---PRESTO!— an incredibly beautiful, unique work of art. No two pieces are alike.

Now, I am not a hot weather person. Not at all. That is part of the reason why I like this part of the country so very much. I don’t like heat. I really don’t like pressure. I really don’t want to be molded into someone else’s idea of what I should be. Yet, as I saw the beauty of each piece as it came from the master’s hand, I understood that MY Master knows what He is doing, even when all I see is fire and a colorless blob in His Hands. He sees the finished piece; even before He begins the work. It’s a fascinating process, if you step back and watch. He knows what each tiny turn, each small movement, will create in His work.

Bring it on Lord! I may hate it right now, but I submit. I want to be a truly beautiful, colorful, unique work of art from Your Hands. (But I bet I’m still gonna whine……)
9 Comments
Not what we think it is... Jul 27, 2008 1:37 pm
Mood: thoughtful, 199 Views
We had a guest speaker at services today. His teaching was very rich, and made so many good, delicious points about Jesus and faith and our walk in Him.

One of the most interesting truths I learned (God seems to be on a campaign to "unteach" me everything I "know"! LOL ) was the real meaning of the book of Job.

Now, I have read this book a number of times. How frickin depressing that "God could do all that to a good man!" And like many, if not most of us, I always took it as "Why bad things happen to good people." But the point this wise man made is that the book of Job isn't about that at all. And it isn't.

This is a book about why people worship God. As I began reading with new eyes, I found I have to agree.

Satan was discussing Job with God, and God noted how faithful a servant Job was. Satan's answer was along the lines of, "Well, SURE he is! You've really been good to him and You've made him rich and given him all this stuff and You have protected him from any harm. He only serves You because he gets all that GOOD stuff from You. But I just bet if I take all that great stuff away, he'll curse You to Your Face!!

So God says, "OK, let's test your theory."

Satan set upon Job with a vengeance. Satan, NOT GOD, set upon him. Job lost everything, his possessions, his wealth, his home, his children, his position, his physical health; everything but his wife (and wasn't SHE a piece of work!) and his three "friends" (tormentors?).

But, while Job may have asked what was going on and why, his faith and his worship of God Almighty never wavered! "Though HE slay me, yet will I serve Him!"

Nothing in the story about why bad things happen, but God proved to Satan (who is NOT omniscient) and to all of creation that God's people worship Him for who HE is!

I have found this true in my own life. It hasn't been any sort of bed of roses. But MY GOD is GOD. Worthy of my praise and worship, because of who He is. Whatever my circumstances, I will worship Him. And thus it will ever be!
10 Comments
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