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Sunday, September 30, 2012
More on tiny houses
Wednesday, September 26, 2012
Real Intent -- an inspirational new group blog
A Comfortable Dead Watch
My eyes darted across my dresser one last time as I rubbed frantically at my left wrist. Where was it?! I could not leave without it, but the clock on the wall was fairly shouting that I was going to break my word if I did not go right then. I would have to choose between wearing a watch and being on time. I set my teeth and left watchless.
Today's post by Bonnie.
Visit. Read some more posts. Be inspired.
Saturday, September 22, 2012
On being forever broken
I work very hard at trying to be positive. At looking for good and for hope.
Often, I am certain, I annoy those closest to me by seeing positive things that may not be there. I often focus on the trends that are rising or improving, in myself and in others, in reasons to be positive.
When I'm sick I try not to burden others with it. Usually, with a little medicine and some rest, it will pass. Sometimes it doesn't (ok, I admit, it took me almost three years to go in to see someone about an inflamed rotator cuff. It took less than a week of following the advice I got for it to go away).
It that regard I have to admit that I also see the negative. I am not unaware that there are counter efforts. I see my own failings and hear them.
That is, because, in my heart I am certain that I am permanently broken.
Some of that is real. When I heard in grief groups that the pain of the loss of a child stays with you forever, it did not really sink in. You cope and you recover, but the loss remains. My three girls, Jessica, Courtney and Robin are with me in the change of the seasons and in every evolution of my life.
Some of that is just a personal failing because I can not improve fast enough, understand quickly enough, meet other's needs well enough, be enough. Part of that is multitasking, as I think through and put things together for work in my mind. I often spend an hour or two before work fitting things together in my mind.
Some of that is a lack of aptitude, though I am getting better at mechanical things with practice. So many areas of my life I lack aptitude.
Some of that is wasting time with reading or television equivalents (more reading -- I admit, I read essays and on-line material instead of watching television) or games. I'm probably consuming about ten hours a week on that sort of thing, in recreation that I really do not need.
But much of it is that we are all broken, which is why we all need Christ. Without him we are forever broken. But with him, our hope is not in vain. Our sorrow is not forever. The negative can be overcome.
By and of myself I am nothing. But in Christ I have hope that does not fail. Forever.
Often, I am certain, I annoy those closest to me by seeing positive things that may not be there. I often focus on the trends that are rising or improving, in myself and in others, in reasons to be positive.
When I'm sick I try not to burden others with it. Usually, with a little medicine and some rest, it will pass. Sometimes it doesn't (ok, I admit, it took me almost three years to go in to see someone about an inflamed rotator cuff. It took less than a week of following the advice I got for it to go away).
It that regard I have to admit that I also see the negative. I am not unaware that there are counter efforts. I see my own failings and hear them.
That is, because, in my heart I am certain that I am permanently broken.
Some of that is real. When I heard in grief groups that the pain of the loss of a child stays with you forever, it did not really sink in. You cope and you recover, but the loss remains. My three girls, Jessica, Courtney and Robin are with me in the change of the seasons and in every evolution of my life.
Some of that is just a personal failing because I can not improve fast enough, understand quickly enough, meet other's needs well enough, be enough. Part of that is multitasking, as I think through and put things together for work in my mind. I often spend an hour or two before work fitting things together in my mind.
Some of that is a lack of aptitude, though I am getting better at mechanical things with practice. So many areas of my life I lack aptitude.
Some of that is wasting time with reading or television equivalents (more reading -- I admit, I read essays and on-line material instead of watching television) or games. I'm probably consuming about ten hours a week on that sort of thing, in recreation that I really do not need.
But much of it is that we are all broken, which is why we all need Christ. Without him we are forever broken. But with him, our hope is not in vain. Our sorrow is not forever. The negative can be overcome.
By and of myself I am nothing. But in Christ I have hope that does not fail. Forever.
On hearing different things from the Spirit
There is an old joke.
The glimmer of truth behind the joke is that if the scriptures are meant to be likened or applied to ourselves, and each of us is different, God will give each of us a gloss that fits the scripture to our needs and lives.
That is much like my asking for a google map to Plano from Dallas and you asking for a google map to Plano from Fort Worth. Each of us will be getting a map from the same source, and each of us will have the same destination, yet each of us will get a different map.
In addition, there may or may not be a deeper truth (the fifth interpretation) that applies and that we can learn together and share together.
I try to keep this in mind when I realize that other people are getting other messages from the Spirit of God. They have different needs, directions, intermediate goals and lives than I have. Of course they might well hear different things.
Of course, like the new Apple IOS ^ map to Mordor, they just might be getting the wrong message too -- or I might.
If four people read the same scripture without the help of the Spirit, they will get four different interpretations.
If four people read the same scripture with the help of the Spirit, they will get five different interpretations.
The glimmer of truth behind the joke is that if the scriptures are meant to be likened or applied to ourselves, and each of us is different, God will give each of us a gloss that fits the scripture to our needs and lives.
That is much like my asking for a google map to Plano from Dallas and you asking for a google map to Plano from Fort Worth. Each of us will be getting a map from the same source, and each of us will have the same destination, yet each of us will get a different map.
In addition, there may or may not be a deeper truth (the fifth interpretation) that applies and that we can learn together and share together.
I try to keep this in mind when I realize that other people are getting other messages from the Spirit of God. They have different needs, directions, intermediate goals and lives than I have. Of course they might well hear different things.
Of course, like the new Apple IOS ^ map to Mordor, they just might be getting the wrong message too -- or I might.
Friday, September 21, 2012
My not quite absence from the Bloggernacle
Some of you are a part of the Boggernacle and you may have noticed I'm not commenting as much as I used to.
Part of that is because things have been very busy. But part of that is that my handle and my e-mail address trigger spam filters all over.
Thanks to some people at FMH, I discovered why. Someone has been, err, "kind enough" to post for me, using terms and links that generate spam filter captures (when I've been lucky) or intervention by moderators.
As a result, both my handle/name and my e-mail address have become linked in filters.
I've done two things.
First, come up with a different e-mail address and dropped my handle.
Second, I have somewhat decided to stop posting, at least for a while, at sites that do not require validation of ID -- something I rather dislike (it is just one more hurdle for posting). But I'm not fond of finding out that my name has become linked with racist slurs and foul, Joycian, language.
Also, I have been doing is linking to posts I really like in my facebook account. Posts such as http://timesandseasons.org/index.php/2012/09/bmgd-37-3-nephi-8-11/ which give me a replacement for the Sunday School lessons I miss due to my calling I've been calling out in gratitude weekly.
I'm still working on what to do next. But if you've missed me, don't assume RAEBNC applies -- I'm just not getting through -- and it is not your fault. You didn't cause it, you don't control it, and I'm not sure there is anything I can do about the troll I offended.
At least it gives me more time to walk the dog. ;)
Part of that is because things have been very busy. But part of that is that my handle and my e-mail address trigger spam filters all over.
Thanks to some people at FMH, I discovered why. Someone has been, err, "kind enough" to post for me, using terms and links that generate spam filter captures (when I've been lucky) or intervention by moderators.
As a result, both my handle/name and my e-mail address have become linked in filters.
I've done two things.
First, come up with a different e-mail address and dropped my handle.
Second, I have somewhat decided to stop posting, at least for a while, at sites that do not require validation of ID -- something I rather dislike (it is just one more hurdle for posting). But I'm not fond of finding out that my name has become linked with racist slurs and foul, Joycian, language.
Also, I have been doing is linking to posts I really like in my facebook account. Posts such as http://timesandseasons.org/index.php/2012/09/bmgd-37-3-nephi-8-11/ which give me a replacement for the Sunday School lessons I miss due to my calling I've been calling out in gratitude weekly.
I'm still working on what to do next. But if you've missed me, don't assume RAEBNC applies -- I'm just not getting through -- and it is not your fault. You didn't cause it, you don't control it, and I'm not sure there is anything I can do about the troll I offended.
At least it gives me more time to walk the dog. ;)
Sunday, September 09, 2012
Miscellaneous updates
Blogroll Updates
I've been going through my bloggernacle blogroll, deleting everyone that no longer links back to my site or that is completely dead. If I've deleted you and you think it is a mistake, contact me.
A few blogs I link to are now closed, to me as well. I'll delete them next if I do not work through the permissions thing.
Blogging Updates
I am going to step back a little from blogging.
Robin
Ah, I still miss you. Most of what I had to say I said on Facebook.
Prior Posts
The one on mediation today, managed to change its update. I'm not sure what is up with the code I used. However, the correct link is LawComix: If Jack in the Box franchised Mediation Centers: Scribble-in-Law Archive
This is the link that I had before, have not the slightest idea why it updated to the currently displayed one.
I'm deleting the post that was there before.
Other
My oldest daughter's wedding, getting through the anniversary of Robin's death, Rachel starting at a school with help for her specific disabilities, and getting a dog (hey, first time I have had a dog for me, sot to speak), that has all occurred in real time, on Facebook.
Grief
I realize they say it never ends, but the reality is, it never ends, only grows more etched by time.
I am still working out what that really means.
I've been going through my bloggernacle blogroll, deleting everyone that no longer links back to my site or that is completely dead. If I've deleted you and you think it is a mistake, contact me.
A few blogs I link to are now closed, to me as well. I'll delete them next if I do not work through the permissions thing.
Blogging Updates
I am going to step back a little from blogging.
Robin
Ah, I still miss you. Most of what I had to say I said on Facebook.
Prior Posts
The one on mediation today, managed to change its update. I'm not sure what is up with the code I used. However, the correct link is LawComix: If Jack in the Box franchised Mediation Centers: Scribble-in-Law Archive
This is the link that I had before, have not the slightest idea why it updated to the currently displayed one.
I'm deleting the post that was there before.
Other
My oldest daughter's wedding, getting through the anniversary of Robin's death, Rachel starting at a school with help for her specific disabilities, and getting a dog (hey, first time I have had a dog for me, sot to speak), that has all occurred in real time, on Facebook.
Grief
I realize they say it never ends, but the reality is, it never ends, only grows more etched by time.
I am still working out what that really means.
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