Ordinary Life

In the movie, a young girl covers the song of a faded superstar who is paralyzed by loss.  By the chorus, the audience is on its feet, singing in unison "...I still haven't found what I'm looking for..."  :: The jaded old timer is rallied and joins in song. ::  "...I believe in the kingdom come Then all the colors will bleed into one Bleed into one But yes I'm still running  You broke the bonds And you loosed the chains Carried the cross Of my shame Oh my shame You know I believe it But I still haven't found what I'm looking for..."  I felt my heart break a little- for humanity; for all of us longing to know -and feel- that we are truly loved. I'm convinced it's what we're all seeking, every last one of us: love that knows us fully and keeps us forever.  That's the Good News of Christmas.  We can stop running.  No more hide-and-seek, we've been found.  And we are already so very loved.  For keeps.      ...

Before the decree, my marriage ended in a thousand works of literature. We've been listening to an audio drama of ' A Christmas Carol' by The Merry Beggars as an Advent activity and came to Scrooge's exchange with Belle this week.  I love 'A Christmas Carol'  for so many reasons, one of which is this scene. It has been a friend and strange comfort to me for many, many years.  When I first encountered it, while homeschooling my children, it gave me vocabulary for an underlying understanding that my partner and I were using different currencies based on vastly varying values. Without knowing all that was to come, my heart reflected Belle's even then: I release you to pursue your true passion and hope you find the happiness that now eludes you.  Merry Christmas to all and thank God for the miracle of hearts that say yes to being changed.  >> Belle's Farewell << For again Scrooge saw himself. He was older now; a man in the prime of life....

"Bwahahahaha!" Her cackle pierced the drone of usual student activity in the combination gym/chapel/lunchroom.  The victim, unaware she had been selected as today's target, looked to see if everyone was alright. It was such a loud and sudden noise, she thought someone had been hurt.  What she saw was laughter. Great big gobs of gossipy guffawing hee-haw. And they were laughing at her.  Unwilling to explain what was so funny, they only pointed out that her chair was in the wrong place.  "I won't tell you what I WAS going to say" one of the mean girls jeered in-between guffaws. Then, lifting her hand to create the shadowy working conditions necessary for vile lips to spew, she  whispered to her loyal and listening friend whatever it was she had not been going to say.   They laughed the wrong-chair-sitter back to her classroom, embarrassed and dismayed.  ~~~ This story is true.  The bullies portrayed are not little girls.  But they...

Some days, we just survive.  And we try to hide which days. Make them all look alike. " I'm fine, (Just fine. This is fine.) thank you, and how are you?"  No one will know.   And that's noble, right? It's what we're supposed to do: think on things lovely, good and true; count it all joy, my brethren, when life drops the other shoe.  For me, I have noticed "struggle days" tend to follow highly productive, happy moments.  Like shadow, stalking light.  It is true that gratitude lifts our mood, but what do you do when the dark slinks in even in the midst of joy and celebration ?  HOLD ON.  Like a sudden thunderstorm, let it pass.  If you can dance in the rain or jump in puddles, go right on out and do that.  But if it is dangerous and scary,  with flashes of lightning, stay put.  It is ok to curl up and wait. It can be comforting to talk with a friend when the power goes out.  One way I've learned to pray over the last few yea...