Is it a myth?

So...When I was in high school, or maybe middle school, someone told me the horrific "fact" that if you gave a seagull an alcaceltzer, he would blow up. They even said they had seen it! Now kids lie all the time...I believed for a time that a giraffe had two hearts too until someone told me I was fooled. So my question is, have I believed another lie all these years? I just went to the beach this past week in Ocean City NJ and every time I go I wonder about this...although I will say, as I sat in my beach chair, minding my own business, eating a wonderful turkey and cheese sandwich...a seagull swooped down from ...with a mission in mind...and grabbed the entire sandwich out of my hand. I felt violatd in a way and at that moment...I wished I had some alcaceltzer in that sandwich!

Moments worth freezing...

Have you ever had a moment that you wish you could freeze? Or have you anticipated a moment with such intensity that you feel like your heart is going to pop out of your chest? I just had that. I googled my friend's work address and mapquestd it to locate exactly where she was. I have not seen her in years and her work place was on the way as I traveled from Philly to Charlotte, NC. I told the recpeptionist what I was doing and she called her out from her office...it took her a moment and then she was shocked by my standing there in her office! We hug out for two hours and it was such a shot in the arm...friends like that are rare finds. But it seems to me when you truly let people in and show them all your colors--weaknesses as well as strengths--you can expect a lifelong, "pick-up-where-you-left-off situation." And that is how it was with her...my stuff surfaced during the course of knowing her and she embrace me in my mess...They are few and far between, they are keepers for sure. Good to see you Pam. Really good.

Recalling grace once again.

"So if i stand, let me stand on the promise, the you will pull me through...and if I can't, let me fall on the grace that first brought me to you." --Rich Mullins.

I love this song, "If I Stand" by Rich Mullins, who lived his life by the daily outpouring of God's grace. He knew it could be no other way for him. Here is a musician, well known, who never knew how much money he was making. He would ask his financial manager to get his check, figure out the average income for a man during that time, and give him only that amount. The rest he would give to the poor. He actually at one point made his own vow of poverty and lived on the bare bones of what his needs presented. I want to live like this: desperate for grace and driven to live out of what I know to be true of the promises of God. Every day I live as though I am an orphan with no one looking out for me or caring for the details of my life. But He does. I am not alone, though I feel lonely at times; I am not empty though at times the pit in my stomach leaves a feeling just like that. He is more than enough, and He is faithful to carry me and sustain me. It's like Paul said, in weakness we are strong in the strength of God. And when life throws me for a loop (as it has) and I can't get my barings, I will look beside me and see that I can trust someone greater, who knows better for me than I know for myself.

She's gone after 13 years!

My cat, Peeks, in the previous post was hit by a car on Saturday and was killed. I have had her for 13 years...I found her as a tiny kitten my senior year of college and have not gone long without her around. She goes home with me whether by car or plane, she was a part of every corner of my life. It was not odd for her to even get in the shower with me! I don't know if you can relate, if you have ever had a pet that you have gotten attached to, but this is deeply painful to me. There is nothing that will fill this space...for those of you who knew her, who are many, I know you know why I am so sad....