PSALM 84

 Sometimes God tells us to do something. The thing seems good enough. The issue with obedience isn’t assent but discipline. This has been my story with several things… for decades! Success First! So back in my NY days I knew God wanted me to work out. I’ve been one of those people who can just eat and eat with little change. Though I did get chunky in NYC. Liz had told me not to eat the school lunch! I had to see why for myself in the mirror! Anyway not seeing the need to work out, I regularly made excuses. Once I had moved back to DC I told God I needed an Eliptical. I never used it to hang laundry (a promise I kept to myself) but I rarely used it for well anything… Eventually after years of just not being obedient I got honest with myself.  I like to work out in community! A membership to a gym with workout classes? I’m there! I had started before the pandemic but obviously my schedule was interrupted. Back in August I got a membership to the Y, and I am there. When I know m...

  Tonight as I was walking my dog, I found myself admiring the beauty of the flowers. Even in the dark their colors radiated and captivated my attention. It was like a choir without a congregation, the flowers serenading the night.  In many ways my job is like those flowers. It is so full of radiant moments. I beamed today as two of my kids tried to outwit one another in Monopoly. Witty investors mustering up the right amount of suave to broker the next deal; both had told me of racially motivated incidents. Incidents that had occurred at my job. Day in and day out these incidents find their way to me. It’s the darkness that eases itself around the beauty with hopes to smother it.  The beauty wrestles with the dark. And some days it appears to win   To be continued…

  Recently on my drive to the beach I noticed signs on the expressway that said "right lane be prepared for a sudden stop". There were three lanes and I figured there must be a stop light coming up. I resolved to stay watchful as I cruised along at the speed limit of 65 mph. Sporadically the sign was repeated "right lane be prepared for a sudden stop". However, as I drove there seemed to be no stop light and even though more cars joined the expressway, we all were able to cruise along at 65mph. I had been traveling in the middle lane but eventually the far right lane disappeared. The warning sign continued to pop up, "right lane be prepared for a sudden stop", but I HAD been watching and seen nothing to cause such a stop. Seamlessly my brain began to assimilate these brightly colored orange warning signs into a part of the scenery. I had seen the signs for miles, at least for the last 5 miles!  K Love was playing, the sun roof was open, the skies were blue...

  That's what this blog was supposed to be about. But as I searching for the video that went along with it- I found this! https://drive.google.com/file/d/1wvx1qXYfRzfcJbe4PVbVP-2z8KnN7JjW/view?usp=drivesdk Thoughts were right on point for today. I hope you enjoy it!

  In Uno you may form a flexible allegiance. You my save that Draw Four and those Draw Two's for a time. You may even Reverse the play in order to protect one elbow mate. But at the end of the day, the commitment in Uno is to yourself and yourself only.  In the game of Spades there is a commitment that is established for the entire game. That commitment to your partner has to weather both the ups and the downs, the setting and the being set. The commitment supersedes the frustration of your partner's inattention or careless mistakes. The decision to partner is a decision to commit.  Marriage is Spades, it's not Uno. The partnership has to weather storms. Beware when your allegiance begins to switch up in your marriage. Return to your original commitments. Marriage isn't Uno, so you must look beyond yourself. In what ways have you noticed your allegiance shifting from your spouse to someone or something else? If there is no allegiance shifting, how can you celebrate your...

When life sucks, don’t forget to do things you love. Sometimes life itself, or someone in it, is kicking us until we gasp for air. When there is a brief intermission, if you’re like me, you try to handle business. Maybe you sure yourself up for the next attack, maybe you try to hide or lay low. And all of this may be necessary. But do something you love.  The thing about abuse is that it steals from you. Not just the obvious hopes and dreams for the future, but your self confidence. Your love for self. Your confidence in your worth. Doing something you love can be a great reminder of who you are, your value, your worth, and the fact that you deserve better.  Today I wore something I love. I went to dance class, which I love. I drove down Blue Ridge Mountain Parkway, which I love. I went to the Dollar Tree, which I love. I got candy that I love. I bought myself flowers, which I love. I chose the cashier whose convo I loved last time. I sat outside in the midst of apple blossoms...