That's What Jenni Said

Something my sister Suzie taught me before she died was the restorative power of love. Most (maybe all?) people are marked with emotional wounds and scars that were inflicted upon them at earlier points in their lives. Sometimes the wounds are still open and very painful and cause torment, like a painful sliver in your palm. The self-help industry is booming with books, audiobooks, and live seminars on how to heal these wounds and move into a position of strength. And thousands and thousands of people flock to therapists annually to take a more formal, doctor-patient approach to healing. When Suzie lived with me during the summers late in the last decade, we would sometimes find ourselves having face to face conversations that lasted hours. In these interactions my sister and I were able to give each other a measure of unconditional love and support that healed emotional wounds and upended twisted, irrational, "broken" thinking in ways that traditional talk therapy or cogniti...

Today a new acquaintance thanked me for the time and grueling effort I put into working with the mentally ill back in my days as a counselor (my first career before I got into IT). Nobody has ever acknowledged or thanked me for this before and I didn't realize how much I needed to hear that. The world of mental hospitals and physical restraints and Ativan and trying to help people who struggle with helping themselves is a horror story that I'll never forget. When I have bad days at work now (which is rare btw) I think back to what it was like working in those mental health facilities - scraping human feces off the walls, dealing with violent outbursts, or trying to comfort a little boy who was kept in a cage and fed nothing but dog food and table scraps till he was 9 - and I count my blessings. My thoughts and prayers go out to those who are dealing with mental illness as a patient, family member, or health service provider.

Many years ago I read the following prose penned by an African pastor and was immediately convicted by the Holy Spirit. It embodies the life of the disciple I want to be for Christ and illustrates so clearly how wide the gap is between who I am and who I want to be:  I’m a part of the fellowship of the unashamed. The die has been cast. I have stepped over the line. The decision has been made. I’m a disciple of His and I won’t look back, let up, slow down, back away, or be still. My past is redeemed. My present makes sense. My future is secure. I’m done and finished with low living, sight walking, small planning, smooth knees, colorless dreams, tamed visions, mundane talking, cheap living, and dwarfed goals. I no longer need preeminence, prosperity, position, promotions, plaudits, or popularity. I don’t have to be right, or first, or tops, or recognized, or praised, or rewarded. I live by faith, lean on His presence, walk by patience, lift by prayer, and labor by Holy ...

There is something really special about having a window into the lives of people who are following after God and living according to his will. Our God is no cookie cutter; he has designed each person to contribute to his kingdom in their own unique ways and so each story of purpose plays out a bit differently. Despite this variance in application, every story of purpose evidences the joy and peace of being in alignment with the Creator.  I am blessed; I have the pleasure of counting among my acquaintances several people who are earnestly following after Christ and making something beautiful of their lives in partnership with God. Particularly on my mind this week are a couple we’ve known for a handful of years who recently welcomed a new baby into their family. With one brilliant, well-behaved, and sweet natured child born to them already, they’ve managed to make parenthood look effortless and fun. The same beauty and moving in step with God can be seen when I view the experience...

Can I just write again how much I love having the Garmin FR60 as a ‘partner’ for my sessions? It is really exciting to track HR (especially as my cardio fitness improves), calories, distance, speed, and pace. Midway through the week of workouts and my peak and avg HR during the workout has gone down, despite an increase in running time over last week. My heart is getting stronger! I am beginning to feel as if I can hold a conversation during the jogging segments, which is great cardio progress. Here are my technical stats for this session: Garmin Connect I ran this morning’s session in haymarket at 7:30am, making laps around the fields on the grounds of an elementary school across the street from Literary Elly May’s home. One more session for w2 to go (on Sat) and then I graduate to week three which means 3 minute runs. Truth be told I am a bit panicked about increasing from 1.5 minutes to 3, but will give it my best shot. This is probably my first go in all my life with sti...

So here we are in October. Looking back, I realize I've not posted an update since August. I've been traveling, working, and keeping up with friends though facebook, email, and meetup. I have so much to write about now that I'd love to have an audience digest. But in order for that to work itself out I must actually have an audience. The question is, do I still have one? I suspect that much of my readership may have fallen off during my 2 month hiatus from active blogging. Is there anyone out there reading this, or will my question echo into the silence of the internet? I'd like to know before I invest time in posting entries here at http://songsofgratitude.blogspot.com