ARE BLISTERS INEVITABLE?
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Posted:Sep 14, 2008 8:06 pm
Last Updated:Apr 27, 2024 12:2 pm 2453 Views
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Know what I just realized?
I began guitar lessons last week.
I'm afraid to practice.
I don't like the idea of living through the blisters.
After all I've been through, I'm afraid of blisters on my fingers. I feel ridiculous.
I can't tell anyone. They'd think I'm cuckoo.
I don't know what to do.
But it seems crazy to me to cause myself more pain, just to learn a musical instrument. And let's face it, so many people play the guitar, and so well, the universe won't crack in two if I don't learn.
But I wish I knew an instrument that I could take to the park, that played chords. I'd need to be able to transport it on my bike. I already take my conga, but that doesn't play chords.
My keyboard is too much for my bike.
So I'm fated to cause myself blisters?
As a friend of mine would say: "Kind of a bummer".
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LESSON FROM THE GRAPEVINE; PATIENCE
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Posted:Sep 14, 2008 4:14 pm
Last Updated:Sep 15, 2008 2:09 am 2520 Views
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A few years ago, I purposely planted a grapevine I had never heard of before. Why? Because it ripened the earliest.
I am not always a patient person.
White himrod grapes ripen mid-August.
So I went out in mid-August and began munching grapes.
They were real pucker-makers.
For two days, everyone thought I wanted a kiss.
I don't like tart grapes. I like 'em sweet! I thought, "Oh, boy, the catalog lied about this one!" I wasn't angry, just disappointed. I made plans to plant a sugary-sweet grape nearby. Maybe they'd cross-pollenate or something.
What I hadn't taken into account was the late start we got on Summer.
NOTHING is on time this year. Well, after all, they LOOKED good!
But ewww....
Then, a few days ago, I tried some grapes off the grapevine again. These grapes are good! They aren't blandly sweet, like in the store. They're sweet, with just a bit of a kick. Perfect.
So all I had to do was...be patient.
Hmmm....I dunno....that's asking a lot.
Maybe next year I could roll them in sugar...
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GOD KNEW
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Posted:Sep 13, 2008 2:27 am
Last Updated:Sep 14, 2008 4:00 pm 2083 Views
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And once again I see a plan seeming to fall into place in my life.
I didn't know what to do when I had to leave the church I grew up in.
So I went church hunting.
I found nothing for years.
Until I tried the church five blocks away.
But the worship minister has interesting ideas about music. Ideas that caused me to have a friend suggest I try another church.
The church my friend suggested is the church attended by the guitarist in the heavy metal band I used to be in.
The guitarist wanted me to join this church as an ad for the band. (I didn't know that.)
The guitarist doesn't attend this church any more.
I am now a member.
The drummer, who used to tour with Metallica, asked me to paint a picture for his friend's birthday. The friend is the sound man for Metallica.
The painting is finished.
I said don't worry about payment. Maybe a dinner out.
Since my drummer friend will be taking his friend out for his birthday when he gives him his painting, he loved the idea.
So now I'm going to meet the soundman for Metallica.
I never would've imagined all the things that are happening in my life the last year or two.
But God knew.
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WHERE ARE THE BC MODERATORS???
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Posted:Sep 1, 2008 12:37 pm
Last Updated:Sep 8, 2008 10:24 pm 2464 Views
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What happened to the moderators on this site?
If a person says too much in their initial contact with a person, they are removed for abuse. I know, because once I said something about one of my hobbies or something without thinking about it, and got removed. I had to call bc and get it straightened out.
That was AFTER I discovered I had been removed for "abuse".
They put me right back in, explaining that the minute a rule is broken, the computer or a moderator removes a person.
There was a time, when saying a bad word on bc got a person in trouble.
Now, we have some on here who are doing nothing but going from blog to blog and insulting people, calling them names, arguing, etc. Yet it goes on and on and on.
Where are the moderators?????
Are they watching, getting a kick out of seeing just how poorly "Christians" can behave?
Or are they on vacation?
What's the deal?
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A SIMPLISTIC GOD
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Posted:Aug 29, 2008 10:04 am
Last Updated:Sep 13, 2008 2:30 am 2248 Views
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I find that a lot of people measure God by how He talks to us.
God uses poetry in the Bible.
God talks about nature.
God discusses the limit of our existence, using
"time words"
God presents pictures---sneak peeks---of the
after-life
God lets us see stories of peoples' lives.
God lets us read parables told by Jesus.
And people look at the Bible, say, "See, if God were really GOD, He wouldn't be so simplistic."
But God is simplistic BECAUSE He is God.
He wants us to be able to know Him. He wants us to have interaction with Him. So He has spoken to us in terms we understand.
Too often, we don't appreciate what has been done:
The Creator, who decided we would exist, could "talk down" to us. He could "talk over" us.
Instead He chooses to "talk across" to us. He talks to us in terms we will understand.
Not because HE is limited, but because WE are.
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WHAT COMING CLOSE TO ETERNITY HAS TAUGHT ME
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Posted:Aug 28, 2008 2:22 am
Last Updated:Aug 28, 2008 3:15 pm 2034 Views
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I've come close to eternity.
Several times.
At 9, when I was injured badly enough that I have been epileptic ever since.
At 15, when I had---and was miraculously cured of---lymphoma.
During my marriage, when I was almost killed.
At 29, when I was stabbed by a Crip.
At 37, when I was in a car accident, and had to be "brought back" five times.
There are other times. The times I've listed are when Death and I have bumped heads.
The other times, I consider times that Death and I simply brushed shoulders.
So I think about death without flinching.
I have had a lot of my thinking changed by my head-bumps with Death.
One thing: after I "die", and I'm standing in Heaven, I'm going to see that a lot of the things that I thought were dreadfully important---aren't.
Like being right all the time.
Like always proving my point, right NOW.
Like making sure the house is clean before I go out and feel the sun on my face.
Like watching my favorite t.v. show.
Like being on time everywhere, every time.
So what is important?
A lot of things.
But to name just a few:
To stay close to my God
To show His love
To experience the good things God meant in the beginning for us to enjoy---
the touch of a loved-one's hand,
the sun on my face,
the intimacy of praise,
the smell of a flower,
beautiful music,
the excitement of a challenge.
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WAVING GOOD BYE
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Posted:Aug 26, 2008 2:27 am
Last Updated:Aug 28, 2008 1:51 am 1751 Views
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I rode my bike to the church again today. Only today it wasn't for "church". It was to see someone off.
A lady who was a member for quite awhile. She used to play the organ.
She and her husband were missionaries, so they moved around a lot---every year or two.
Toward the end of Margaret's life, she developed Alzheimer's. I'm not sure I got the spelling right, but...
Her said, at the funeral, that the disease stole many things from Margaret. But there were a few things that not even Alzheimer's could steal. Her deep spirituality, her way of looking at the world as important and whole, her 's identities, and her love of music. He said that right up to the end, she was playing the piano for chapel in the nursing home. When she couldn't quite "get" what song they were about to sing, she'd tell them to just hum or sing a little of it. And off she'd go, playing the rest of the song on the piano.
At her funeral, someone sang "I Can Only Imagine". The song that talks about when I come face to face with Jesus, living with Him for eternity, what will I do? Sing? Dance? Will I be unable to do anything but stare and worship for awhile? And I pictured Margaret there, with Her beloved Jesus, and the music she loved so much.
And, of course, I thought of my . I hope no one saw the tear I wiped off my cheek.
Hope he's having fun.
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THE BLESSING BIKE
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Posted:Aug 24, 2008 7:19 am
Last Updated:Aug 25, 2008 6:33 pm 1751 Views
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I'm about to leave for church.
Which doesn't seem so big...
Except that this morning, for the first time, I'm riding my bike. Well, it's a three-wheeled trike for adults, with a huge basket for carrying things. It's Metallic blue. Someone at church heard me say, when I saw one, "There goes my bike." They asked what I meant. I told them how I would feel so much more "human" if I didn't have to call crip trans 24 hours ahead of time, or pay for a cab everywhere.
And a couple weeks later, I was told that a few families had got together and bought me one!
I was planning to get one, but with a in college, etc., it was taking a l-o-n-g time.
My "bike" is truly a blessing. I'm going all over town, shopping, visiting friends who have been ill, and now---going to church.
Oops!
Gotta do my hair!
See ya!
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AFTER THE ACCIDENT
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Posted:Aug 22, 2008 11:59 am
Last Updated:Aug 24, 2008 7:09 am 1752 Views
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I was thinking about all the things I do now that I didn't do before my car accident.
I play new instruments---synth, congas and symphonic recorder.
I sing solos.
I paint and help support my family with my paintings.
I started a new business.I always made my own purses, but now I design and sell handbags, diaper bags, cell phone covers, etc.
I compose music. I tried and tried to write music before, but it always came out a jumble. Now it's real music.
I have a book published.
I joined a Christian rock band.(A lot of people were surprised at that one)
I ride a bike. Yep, now that I don't walk as well, I'm riding a bike again. I couldn't have done that before the accident because I was too heavy.
I lost 100 lbs.---that was the hard one
I learned that more than just one church is going to Heaven, which I suspected, but wasn't sure of before.
I found a congregation where they didn't try to change my musical style. They have actually been praying for me to come along.
I became much more empathetic and sympathetic.
I learned to wait, while at the same time never giving up.
Thank you, God. I didn't enjoy the accident.
I still cry about my . But, like Abraham, I know I can trust you to keep your promises. And I know that you know what is best.
So---in everything...thank you, God.
  
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I THINK THE OLYMPICS ARE SEXIST
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Posted:Aug 20, 2008 1:41 am
Last Updated:Aug 22, 2008 12:27 am 1960 Views
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My think I'm a little old- fashioned, or maybe just nuts, but I think the Olympics are
sexist.
Yep, you heard me right.
Let me ask you something...
When was the last time you saw a man in the Olympics run a race in a muscle half-shirt and a Speedo?
Or play beach volleyball in what amounts to a little more material than a jock strap?
And no, I'm not exaggerating. Did you look at the USA team's beach volleyball outfits? The rest were wearing bikinis, true. But our outfits, for the bottoms, at least, were netting with some material covering you-know-what.
I didn't see any men dressed that way.
I know the weight lifters wear speedos.
I'm talking about everything, though.
Is it against the law for the women to wear clothes?
I mean REALLY.
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