"ADDED"
Small thoughts written off-the-cuff. Newest at the top.
Small thoughts written off-the-cuff. Newest at the top.
-- ARCHIVE --
Addendum 2012
Addendum 2011
"Man of Steel"
This may sound silly, but I just saw the new Superman movie....and I was so encouraged watching it. Good was portrayed as so simple, so obvious, so innocent, so potent -- wow.
Different Requirements
Dear Men,
You wish for a woman who is: attractive, educated, has a deep love for Christ, a sense of humor, femininity. That all sounds great. Catch me if you can. In return, I am: not-picky-about-your-looks, not-picky-about-your-job-but-I-assume-you-have-one-and-that-it-can-support-a-family, a deep love for Christ, kindness, masculinity. Yes, yours is the taller order I fear. But here's the deal: you don't have to shave your legs.
Sincerely,
Slightly Nicked but Still Pretty
Being 25
I remember thinking, "one day I'll be a quarter of a century and then folks will take me seriously." Yes, I'm still a musician. Yes, I still love Tolkien. Yes, I've kept my hair very long. Yes, I still like to draw and paint. Oh, those were the things I kept insisting upon when I was twelve? Ten? Goodness....nine years old?
Shocking.
The Extraordinary of the Ordinary
It's extraordinary we even play with the idea that anything is ordinary at all. An old fact that keeps coming my way, not in any kind of reminder but in the mouths of others. Look! Washing dishes is worshiping God! Of course it is, dear one, how were you ever persuaded otherwise?
Insomnia
I don't usually struggle with it. When I can't sleep there's a reason. A recurring reason, that is: an inexhaustible confessing heart that won't let me rest. Undeserving and thankless and overly blessed -- sometimes I don't like myself.
Outgrowing Friends
I find myself thinking of childhood friends sometimes. The last I heard from mine was, oh dear, seven years ago? And I hope they're well. And I hope they're happy. But as we got older we realized how very different we were, and simply lost touch. Lost interest, too. And that doesn't seem right.
G'day!
Today I had a blog reader from Australia! I don't know why, but sometimes seeing that an individual from so far away -- sometimes I even get a message from them -- enjoys something that I wrote really makes my day. Wonderful.
Estrangement
I've had a couple of friendships fizzle out to nothing -- just like any other person I would think. There are a couple of special cases that more exploded than fizzled; a girl who simply couldn't stand to be in the same room with me, another lass I couldn't trust, a guy who asked me out in front of all of his friends and, ah, well, that wasn't a good idea. One memorable fellow -- some seven or eight years older than myself -- wanted to consider himself as a special friend....and when I didn't encourage it he retaliated with curses on my family and my future wedding day....uh, wow, that was the end of that. And, sadly, I knew that ending must have been infinitely more painful for him than it was for me.
But, now, here's the thing. After all this time I still write unsent letters to these people, mutter a brief prayer, see something that brings someone's face to mind. I don't know when we'll cross each other's paths again, but I hope it's with better minds and better hearts in better times.
Disciplined Prayer
Presbyterians tell me that I'm "working for my salvation" sticking to my common prayer book morning and evening.
Saying our Lord's prayer twice a day is bad....because you don't say it even once? Say what?
Dear Certain Anonymous Commenters on My Blog,
Go away. I mean it. Unless you have something truly insightful to say, get an ID and log in to make a comment. It's not that hard. Otherwise, all this "HEY! I wrote a comment, now go visit my blog! NOW!" is bullying and I'll just continue to ignore it. This blog is not about how many followers I get, how good my stats are, or how many comments I can attract. So do yourself a favor and just go elsewhere.
I can be mean.
Contentment
n. The joyful state of mind, body, and soul desiring what God desires.
Distraction
I reach that point, sometimes, when I realize that I am so very bad that I must lie to myself in order to obey.
Can there be anything more messed up than that? I know I want to do x, I desire it with all my heart, I know that it would hurt others but I want it anyway, and yet I know how bad it would truly be.
So, I lie. "Anne, listen -- no, really listen -- look at me -- you're going to write some blog posts, or practice some Latin, or get back to work on Beethoven....choose something -- anything -- and go distract yourself with it to the point that you'll forget about the bad desire."
But I won't forget. And I know won't. It will be pulling at my sinful heart the entire time, but I'll pretend -- lie -- that I have forgotten as I try to keep my hands busy.
Selfless Love
For one, it never says "look at all I've done for you!" For another, it never says "why can't you be more grateful?" Or even "I don't feel appreciated." Worse, it never says to someone else "I'm hurting and it's all his/her fault..."
Selfless love has nothing to do with the self. Duh, I know. And yet I don't know. I, we, everyone...we're stupid like that. True, sacrificial love....selfless...does not focus on any aspect of the self: it suffers silently, bears patiently, continues humbly.
Exhausted
2013 has been....something else. I am now a Master of Music, for one. I'll try to write a bit this summer. Life has been full of living.
Addendum 2011
"Man of Steel"
This may sound silly, but I just saw the new Superman movie....and I was so encouraged watching it. Good was portrayed as so simple, so obvious, so innocent, so potent -- wow.
Different Requirements
Dear Men,
You wish for a woman who is: attractive, educated, has a deep love for Christ, a sense of humor, femininity. That all sounds great. Catch me if you can. In return, I am: not-picky-about-your-looks, not-picky-about-your-job-but-I-assume-you-have-one-and-that-it-can-support-a-family, a deep love for Christ, kindness, masculinity. Yes, yours is the taller order I fear. But here's the deal: you don't have to shave your legs.
Sincerely,
Slightly Nicked but Still Pretty
Being 25
I remember thinking, "one day I'll be a quarter of a century and then folks will take me seriously." Yes, I'm still a musician. Yes, I still love Tolkien. Yes, I've kept my hair very long. Yes, I still like to draw and paint. Oh, those were the things I kept insisting upon when I was twelve? Ten? Goodness....nine years old?
Shocking.
The Extraordinary of the Ordinary
It's extraordinary we even play with the idea that anything is ordinary at all. An old fact that keeps coming my way, not in any kind of reminder but in the mouths of others. Look! Washing dishes is worshiping God! Of course it is, dear one, how were you ever persuaded otherwise?
Insomnia
I don't usually struggle with it. When I can't sleep there's a reason. A recurring reason, that is: an inexhaustible confessing heart that won't let me rest. Undeserving and thankless and overly blessed -- sometimes I don't like myself.
Outgrowing Friends
I find myself thinking of childhood friends sometimes. The last I heard from mine was, oh dear, seven years ago? And I hope they're well. And I hope they're happy. But as we got older we realized how very different we were, and simply lost touch. Lost interest, too. And that doesn't seem right.
G'day!
Today I had a blog reader from Australia! I don't know why, but sometimes seeing that an individual from so far away -- sometimes I even get a message from them -- enjoys something that I wrote really makes my day. Wonderful.
Estrangement
I've had a couple of friendships fizzle out to nothing -- just like any other person I would think. There are a couple of special cases that more exploded than fizzled; a girl who simply couldn't stand to be in the same room with me, another lass I couldn't trust, a guy who asked me out in front of all of his friends and, ah, well, that wasn't a good idea. One memorable fellow -- some seven or eight years older than myself -- wanted to consider himself as a special friend....and when I didn't encourage it he retaliated with curses on my family and my future wedding day....uh, wow, that was the end of that. And, sadly, I knew that ending must have been infinitely more painful for him than it was for me.
But, now, here's the thing. After all this time I still write unsent letters to these people, mutter a brief prayer, see something that brings someone's face to mind. I don't know when we'll cross each other's paths again, but I hope it's with better minds and better hearts in better times.
Disciplined Prayer
Presbyterians tell me that I'm "working for my salvation" sticking to my common prayer book morning and evening.
Saying our Lord's prayer twice a day is bad....because you don't say it even once? Say what?
Dear Certain Anonymous Commenters on My Blog,
Go away. I mean it. Unless you have something truly insightful to say, get an ID and log in to make a comment. It's not that hard. Otherwise, all this "HEY! I wrote a comment, now go visit my blog! NOW!" is bullying and I'll just continue to ignore it. This blog is not about how many followers I get, how good my stats are, or how many comments I can attract. So do yourself a favor and just go elsewhere.
I can be mean.
Contentment
n. The joyful state of mind, body, and soul desiring what God desires.
Distraction
I reach that point, sometimes, when I realize that I am so very bad that I must lie to myself in order to obey.
Can there be anything more messed up than that? I know I want to do x, I desire it with all my heart, I know that it would hurt others but I want it anyway, and yet I know how bad it would truly be.
So, I lie. "Anne, listen -- no, really listen -- look at me -- you're going to write some blog posts, or practice some Latin, or get back to work on Beethoven....choose something -- anything -- and go distract yourself with it to the point that you'll forget about the bad desire."
But I won't forget. And I know won't. It will be pulling at my sinful heart the entire time, but I'll pretend -- lie -- that I have forgotten as I try to keep my hands busy.
Selfless Love
For one, it never says "look at all I've done for you!" For another, it never says "why can't you be more grateful?" Or even "I don't feel appreciated." Worse, it never says to someone else "I'm hurting and it's all his/her fault..."
Selfless love has nothing to do with the self. Duh, I know. And yet I don't know. I, we, everyone...we're stupid like that. True, sacrificial love....selfless...does not focus on any aspect of the self: it suffers silently, bears patiently, continues humbly.
Exhausted
2013 has been....something else. I am now a Master of Music, for one. I'll try to write a bit this summer. Life has been full of living.
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