Remember the List....

This morning I took a moment to look back at "the list". You know, that list from the beginning of the New Year. One of my goals was to remember the list, so at least I have done that! We also got a grill, knowing how to use it has still eluded me a bit, but the season is just beginning and I still have hope for that. Dan and I have been able to hang out a little more together and have taken in some cool, small-scale concerts at C2G. So...I still have a long way to go. Hopefully the weather will start to improve and with that my motivational level.

Today the kids and I are heading to Illinois to meet up with Dan for the wedding. Hopefully all will go well, but it will be good to have us all in one place again. Bogie was so happy that Isaac came home some time during the night, that he finally ended his hunger strike. He even ate again this morning and when he realizes he is getting in the car with us it may be more happiness than the poor little thing can take.

Speaking of Bogie - I almost became his twin last night. How you ask? It all started on Wednesday evening when I decided to add a few highlights to my hair. The amount was fine- but the color was somewhat orange and I really didn't like it too much. So, I decided to try some stuff I found at Walmart that was to remove artificial color from your hair so that you could recolor it. Perfect. Well, after I put the color remover on and rinsed it out - my hair was exactly the color of our dog. I will call it pumpkin. Not a good look although the family would have had something to talk about at the reception. So, I put the new color on and although it is at least a natural hair color, it isn't exactly what I was going for. This however will stay as I think one of these things burned right through to my brain.

Maybe this trip back to Buda will help with the restless feeling I have had. It has been one of those times when some things just don't seem to be quite as they should be. I was thinking about this time last year when we were into the full swing of Isaac's graduation plans. There have sure been an awful lot of big events in a year's time in our lives - some good, some bad. Maybe things just haven't quite gotten back into the correct flow for me yet and I guess that is okay - just a bit unsettling at times. But, the suitcase needs to be closed, the car packed and the adventure began.

Peace and hope to all of you -
JAH

Choices

I am reading a book entitled It's Not My Fault but I think it is mostly about the choices we make in our life. Sometimes I think we feel that we have no choices - that our lives are somehow controlled by factors outside of ourselves, but in most cases, when you get right down to the heart of the matter - we do have a choice.

I can choose whether or not to eat the candy bar or the granola bar. I can decide what really needs to be done today and what could wait until tomorrow. I can say "yes" or I can say "no". I can lay on the couch or I can walk on the treadmill. I can make decisions or I can be passive. I can care or I can not care. The list could go on forever, but I will choose to stop it now.

Now don't get me wrong, I believe some things that we can agonize over probably really don't matter - like what kind of candy - I mean granola - bar to eat. But there are some things that really do matter in this life. There are things that we really should care about - our faith, our family, our environment, social justice, others, just to name a few. Yet, it would seem that so many of us just go through life, not thinking about what is going on around us. Not seeing that there is a hurting world that needs us to care about them the way Christ did. When will it all stop - and how? What will help us to make the choice to make the difference? ? ? Okay, some questions don't have simple answers, but could we all at least start asking the questions.

Enough for now...

JAH

Thinking

Today is Sunday and I have a few minutes before it is time to head over to church for worship practice. I am actually waiting for the timer to go off on my hair color, so thought I would write about a few things that I've been thinking about lately - I have gray hairs to prove it...

Talked with Dan the other night about what it means to be Christ-like. We were sharing at our Bible Study about what it means to be Christian - and it really is an interesting question when you think about it. Everyone has a different idea of what that means and maybe we make it way too hard because the word has taken on a life of its own. Maybe we should think more in terms of what a disciple is. That is really what we are told to be - followers or maybe "learners" of Christ. Dan and I discussed that too many of us want to be "God-like". We want to be the controllers because we think we know what is best for ourselves, others and the world.

If you stop to think about it - Christ could have taken control of things. I believe He was God incarnate and I think He had all of God's power at His disposal - and yet He didn't do it. He could have stopped fighting and hunger and disease and hatred and, well the list goes on and on. Instead He just loved and cared about people in their situations and told them of a better life that would ultimately come to them even though their life here on earth may really be awful from time to time. He told people not to worry about being the social and or religious police, but to share with others about the possibilities that come with helping those in need. He brought a little of heaven down to earth and wants us to strive to do the same thing in our world.

Those of few of the things I've been thinking about. The timer has went off - time to go. Hope all is well with everyone.

Searching for Spring

I hope springtime comes soon. There is something about putting your winter coat away and knowing that a fair amount of time will pass before you have to take it out again that makes you feel hopeful.

Dan and I went to C2G last night for open mic night. It was pretty interesting. There was one girl who read a poem that took a person's heart right out of their chest - at least it did mine. It was about "An Abused Angel". She was probably in middle school and ended the poem by saying "....An Abused Angel - it's me" or something along those lines. I cannot imagine even reading that poem let alone writing it and then reading it. Courage comes in all forms.

School has been on my mind quite a bit. I printed off the Excel program info from Huntington. I think I could use some of that young girl's courage. Maybe it is just that I want to be able to see farther down the road than we are allowed to, but I hate to go back to school still not knowing exactly what I want to do. I tried taking a mental inventory of things I like to do and the way I see myself. Not too helpful. There are certain things that I really enjoy talking about and even feel excited about, but not too sure where they fit into the job market. Maybe that isn't even the point. I don't know...

Tonight I am taking a friend out for a belated birthday supper while Dan has a council meeting. Her mom passed away a couple of years ago while we actually were working together. So, it will be nice to visit with her for a little while.

I guess mom is on my mind a bit more than usual as her birthday is Monday. She would have been 82 this year. It's funny how you miss someone that you really didn't see all that often. I guess that's the way family is. Even though you don't talk or see each other all the time, you always think they are just a phone call away. I guess there are still times that I can't quite wrap my mind around the fact that I have no parents anymore. At least I will always be thankful for the life that they gave me. I only hope and pray that our kids feel the same way.

It was a beautiful morning today, but the clouds have rolled in. I know spring will be in full swing soon and that gives a person hope. If I don't get back here before - have a blessed Easter. That will always be our ultimate hope - and a radical hope at that.