Cats and Dogs

Cloudy today in Phoenix.
Early morning thunder and heavy drops.
Reminds me of home.

paint = omg

So...we have a new place...AGAIN...and I need some serious inspiration. Ever since my independently married state, I have lacked any real motivation to style our living quarters. My excuse had something to do with the impermanence I perceived in our future. But I have now realized that this ISN'T a GOOD EXCUSE. Who cares if we are only somewhere a year? Or two? How long do I have to be somewhere before I slap some paint on a wall? Maybe I still have this idea that we will -settle down- soon...make a house a home. What if that takes ten years? Or...heaven forbid...it never happens? Shouldn't I forget all this waiting around and get busy? YES! There might be a teentsie other reason for my style procrastination...practical use of cash-ola. Spending $30 @ grocery = reasonable / spending $30 on paint = omg. Is this really just about buying paint? OMG. Time to get out of the rut. And where better to start than Design*Sponge? I already found a post that has to do with my current city of residence, Phoenix. Pretty great to think that most of the places mentioned are VERY CLOSE to my new spot. Click on the pic to read more...
Now, the pressure is on. Mistakes (I just threw up a little) inevitable. Not spending the next several years of my life looking at white walls...priceless.

Dawn to Sunrise

Morning began with "Great Is Thy Faithfulness" singing sweetly in my mind. As Adam hopped in the shower, I shoved off the covers and headed to the kitchen. Making his lunch, I sang happily the hymn that woke me up:

Great is thy faithfulness, O God my Father;
there is no shadow of turning with thee;
thou changest not, thy compassions, they fail not;
as thou hast been thou forever will be.

Great is thy faithfulness! Great is thy faithfulness!
Morning by morning new mercies I see;
all I have needed thy hand hath provided;
great is thy faithfulness, Lord, unto me!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JJHao_5N9d8

The words are truly perfect for the beginning of the day. Though, not simply meaningful in the morning---but from dawn to another sunrise. It reminds me of "I Met God in the Morning"---a poem read by my grandpa Frank at our wedding, and most recently by Adam at Katie and Isaac's:

I met God in the morning
when the day was at its best,
And His Presence came like sunrise,
Like a glory in my breast.

All day long the Presence lingered,
All day long He stayed with me,
And we sailed in perfect calmness
O'er a very troubled sea.

Other ships were blown and battered,
Other ships were sore distressed,
But the winds that seemed to drive them,
Brought to me a peace and rest.

Then I thought of other mornings,
With a keen remorse of mind,
When I too had loosed the moorings,
With the presence left behind.

So, I think I know the secret,
Learned from many a troubled way:
You must seek Him in the morning
If you want Him through the day!

By Bishop Ralph Cushman

Here's to today and a peace that endures!

Shiver Me Timbers!

Baby, it's hot outside! A scorching 115 with a heat advisory. Though, you probably wouldn't need to be adviiiiiised.

Hey! How hot is it?

It's so hot... that I'm pretty sure I saw several mirages from my apartment to the car.

It's SO HOT...that even reptiles are turning on the AC.

That's all I got. Well, actually I have another-- but I've already embarrassed myself enough today.

Say A Little Prayer For You

Recently, Isaiah has furnished my mind with many excellent thoughts for meditation. As our friends take their first step today in a long journey to the Middle East, I feel compelled to remember them. Isaiah 58:10-11 seemed appropriate:

10 If you extend your soul to the hungry
And satisfy the afflicted soul,
Then your light shall dawn in the darkness,
And your darkness shall be as the noonday.
11 The LORD will guide you continually,
And satisfy your soul in drought,
And strengthen your bones;
You shall be like a watered garden,
And like a spring of water,
whose waters do not fail.

Show and Tell

Yesterday, I discovered two "meaningful-to-me" passages through very different sources. My first little treasure came from facebook. I added a NEW friend (I could DIE of happiness) and decided to glance at their info section. Always riveting stuff like, "I love hanging out with my friends, music, giving hugs, exercising and reading." You know, the usual nonsense to let people know that you aren't lazy, stupid or dull. So for the most part, I never find anything worth remembering. BUT THIS TIME...a few lines from C.S. Lewis:

Indeed, if we consider the unblushing promises of reward and the staggering nature of the rewards promised in the Gospels, it would seem that Our Lord finds our desires, not too strong, but too weak. We are half-hearted creatures, fooling about with drink and sex and ambition when infinite joy is offered us, like an ignorant child who wants to go on making mud pies in a slum because he cannot imagine what is meant by the offer of a holiday at the sea. We are far too easily pleased.

On to "meaningful-to-me" passage number two. This next snippet is from a more honorable use of my time: reading a book. In the first few pages of Opera's Second Death, the author relays lines from Monteverdi's Orfeo:

I am Music, who in sweet accents
can calm each troubled heart,
and now with noble anger, now with love,
can kindle the most frigid minds.

This concludes my "meaningful-to-me" show and tell. Next time, I'm bringing a pony.

4-7-8

Each day, I receive an e-newsletter from Dr. Mercola. Sometimes I delete them, but most of the time I click them open and peruse the articles and videos. Adam can always TELL when I've made a visit to mercola.com, because I tend to become very afraid of petroleum, plastic products, chemicals, processed food, etc... While I don't want to live my life in fear, I'm convinced that Dr. Mercola brings up many valid health concerns and issues. Most of us would do well to practice what he preaches. Today, the topic was a beneficial breathing exercise. It's pretty straightforward:

The 4-7-8 Breathing Exercise

The key to this exercise is to remember the numbers 4, 7 and 8. It’s not important to focus on how much time you spend in each phase of the breathing activity, but rather that you get the ratio correct.

Here’s how it’s done:
1) Sit up straight
2) Place the tip of your tongue up against the back of your front teeth. Keep it there through the entire breathing process
3) Breathe in silently through your nose to the count of four
4) Hold your breath to the count of seven
5) Exhale through your mouth to the count of eight, making an audible “woosh” sound

That completes one full breath. Repeat the cycle another three times, for a total of four breaths
You can do this exercise as frequently as you want throughout the day, but it’s recommended you don’t do more than four full breaths during the first month or so of practice. Later you may work your way up to eight full breath cycles at a time.

I listened to the video and tried it out. He tends to ramble (takes one to know one)... but gets to the exercise after a few minutes. Any technique that promotes CALM and RELAXATION gets a star in my book.