A Woman Inspired

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Some days just call for flowers

Then Sings My Soul - Something to Say, by Matthew West

I love when "Then Sings My Soul Saturday" dovetails with "Cafe Chat". Today I've been thinking about fulfillment, and how we are each called to fill a need. God empowers us, enables us and calls us. It's our job to listen and step out in faith. I've got something to say, and I'm saying it. I'm living it. Sometimes I'm writing it. I need to be doing more of that.

"Something to Say" by Matthew West

Wake up, 7:32 AM
Can’t believe it’s time to do it over again
Yesterday, it took all that you had
And you’re wondering if you’ll ever get it back
But the whole wide world is waiting for
Waiting for you to step out that door
Come on, and let your life be heard today
You’ve got something to say

If you’re living, if you’re breathing
You’ve got something to say
You know if you’re heart is beating
You’ve got something to sayA
nd no one can say it like you do
God is love and love speaks through you
Got it, you got it
You’ve got something to say

Listen up, I got a question here
Would anybody miss you if you disappeared
Well your life is the song that you sing
And the whole wide world is listening
Well the answer to the question is
You were created, your life is a gift
And the lights are shining on you today

Spring in Onamia

Trout Lily (an endangered Minnesota wildflower)
Dandelions
Trillium (this one was new for me - a wildflower of the north. Very striking. Grows in the drainage ditch along the side of the road.)
Dogwood Tree
Tulips in a planter in front of a flower shop. They were so strikingly beautiful they looked almost fake. Almost.

Family Reunion

We spent the weekend in Onamia, MN visiting with hubby's family.


Mostly 5 uncles he didn't know and an aunt in declining health. We left early-summer weather in TX and arrived at early-spring weather in MN.
We stayed at a joint called the Soo Line RV & Camping Hotel. Sounds like a good time? It turned out fabulous. The hotel was quaint.

I learned about things like "Off Sale Liquor" but completely forgot to ask about rutting. I think they mean the roads. I'd hate to think this was a warning about deer behavior.

Then Sings My Soul - "I am a Friend of God" by Israel

It turns out I should probably accept the fact that I don't travel well. We are in the middle of a quick trip to Minnesota for a mini- family reunion (on my husband's side). The last half of the flight involved me spending lots of time negotiating with my stomach. Negotiating that went something like "no barfing, please, no barfing, please no barfing...." And in the middle of that I kept reminding myself that I am friend of God.

Engineers are problem-solvers

The other day I arrived at the office about the same time as one of my engineers. He'd played racquetball on the way to the office and had forgotten to bring a belt. He scrounged up a cord from the box of discarded electronics in the "hardware reclamation bin" (otherwise known as dumpster diving). Here's a picture of the fashionable outcome of his efforts:

The only thing that might have topped this look would have been if he'd used a mouse cord, and left the mouse attached.

Then Sings My Soul: “Here I Am” by DOWNHERE

There is a long preamble in this video, with a story of how this song came to be. I love hearing the artist explain background, but if you don't – jump to about the 6^th minute of the video to just hear the song.

This week has been rough. In many ways I've felt inadequate. I've felt my failings, my shortcomings. I can only cry out to God that I'm still here. I'm still willing, with His help, to do whatever it is He wants me to do. I will continue to do my best, even if from where I'm sitting it seems I'm falling short – that's relative to my own expectations. From God's perspective, maybe I'm doing just fine. I trust His purpose and His vision.

Downhere - Here I Am
From the album Ending Is Beginning
Sometimes Your calling, comes in dream
Sometimes it comes in the Spirit's breeze
You reach for the deepest hope in me
And call out for the things of eternity

But I'm a man, of dust and stains,
You move in me, so I can say

Chorus
Here I am, Lord send me
All of my life I make an offering,
Here I am, Lord send me
Somehow my story is a part of Your plan,
Here I am

When setbacks and failures and upset plans
Test my faith and leave me with empty hands
Are You not the closest when it's hardest to stand
I know that You will finish what You began

And these broken parts You redeem
Become the song that I can sing

Chorus

Overwhelmed by the thought of my weakness
And the fear that I'll fail You in the end
In this mess, I'm just one of the pieces,
I can't put this together but You can

Chorus

Here I Am, all my life an offering to You, to You
Somehow my story is a part of Your plan
Here I am

How do you want to go out?

Pat was in his 60's. In the middle of a bunch of amazing activities. Brokering deals. Volunteering. Developing property. Snap. Gone.

I asked hubby - he said "as long as it's fast and painless." Me? Snatched up like Ezekiel. You? How do you want to "go"?

To Pat

Today, a member of our congregation suffered from an aneurism. He and my husband had been working together to coordinate some city planning activities. I'm very sad for our loss, but I trust that he is going to a better place.

I don't know his current status, but it wasn't looking good 6 hours ago. I hate sounding like I'm anticipating a fatal outcome. Doctors have been wrong before. I trust God's infinite wisdom and timing.

We are His.

Desperate for Flowers

I'm at work, wishing I was at home working in the yard. And not just because this has been a long day of dealing with folks not doing what they've said they're going to do.

Then Sings My Soul - Say, by John Mayer

To really appreciate how powerfully this song hit me this week, picture me drifting off to sleep at the end of a long and emotionally challenging day. I'd been praying for the spirit of wisdom to guide me to a response. To help me navigate as an apostle. To be a witness to God's love and mercy. To humble myself and give glory to God. "How?" I asked. And I felt the spirit with me and listened. On the radio a song played, repeating (almost) endlessly "Say what you need to say." And the spirit added, "with love, from the heart." You can read about it in this week's Thirst for Wisdom and Cafe Chat.

Say, by John Mayer

Take all of your wasted honor
Every little past frustration
Take all of your so-called problems,
Better put 'em in quotations

Say what you need to say [x8]

Walking like a one man army
Fighting with the shadows in your head
Living out the same old moment
Knowing you'd be better off instead,
If you could only . . .

Say what you need to say [x8]

Have no fear for giving in
Have no fear for giving over
You'd better know that in the end
Its better to say too much
Then never say what you need to say again

Even if your hands are shaking
And your faith is broken
Even as the eyes are closing
Do it with a heart wide open

Say what you need to say [x24]

Frants - Will the last one to leave please turn out the lights

First, this sign appeared on the vending machine at the end of our hallway. Someone decided it would be more efficient to have fewer snack machines. This is not really about what is efficient for the average employee. This is not about being able to grab a convenient snack when you're working through lunch. This is about a bean counter somewhere crunching the numbers on their end (the service provider) and deciding their bottom line was better served with fewer snack machines. Will they run the numbers in a year and determine that their margin was reduced because fewer snacks were sold as a result of less available tempting noshes? Probably not.
Then, soon after, this sign appeared on all of the bathroom doors. "A New Way of Office Cleaning is Sweeping Across 'The Company'..." How exciting? This is just the sort of message that really gets you feeling good about your situation. Who wouldn't love a housekeeping service that is more personalized, efficient and environmentally friendly? Who knew that what they really meant was that all employees would have to empty their own waste baskets. No joke. There are now centrally located trash cans in the main hallways and everyone is expected to make the trip from their cubicle to the main trash cans. And they cut the hours of the housekeeping staff. Stay tuned. I'm sure I'll soon have photos of overflowing waste baskets in the cubes of the slovenly.

It warms my heart to know how much 'The Company' is looking out for us. Not every employer would be so sensitive to our needs.