Friday, March 28, 2008

When All Else Fails

A friend asked me why I hadn't been posting lately. The short answer - I got nothin'. Lots of drafts, nothing finished. Like soup, still simmering. La de da and you really don't want to know all the thoughts running through my brain on that one right now (actually they've kind of burrowed their way into my heart I think!)

In the interim, till I come up with something worth sharing, here's a hodgepodge of stuff - a lone flower poking it's head up through the thawing ground, just to let you know I'm still alive!

How's this for a great quote?

Earth is crammed with heaven,
and every common bush afire with God
but only he who sees
takes off his shoes. ~ Elizabeth Barrett Browning

My dad had quad bypass surgery last week. Although it seemed kind of sudden, looking back we can see God's perfect timing. He is doing well, thanks to my mom's wonderful care.

My dad is getting a new best friend . . . a Yorkie puppy! My mom read somewhere that people, men especially, who own a pet, have a much greater life expectancy. And voila! They're getting a dog! I just thought that was so sweet and can't wait till we're called upon to dog-sit! Here's a picture of Sir Buttons!


The other morning I awoke to a terrible surprise. My favorite morning show that I always woke up to was GONE! (That would be Gary and Beth on 92.9 FM for you 'Burghers!) Gone. Just. Like. That. I remember about 17 years ago the same thing happened . . . Dusty Rhodes hosted a great morning show on what is now WORD FM and one morning he was just gone.

Yesterday my friend went to get us coffee at lunch and ! our favorite place (Caribou Coffee) was no more. Just like that! Is it me? Reminds me of that terrible year in which my doctor, dentist and ob-gyn all quit. They were kind enough to send me letters at least. The coffee shop just closed.

On the topic of going out of business, what do you think when you see this happen? I hate to see it happen but I always think to myself - hey, at least they started something! How many of you have started your own business? Oh yeah, that reminds me - I have! (Really . . . I just need to get busy with it!)

Did you know that traditionally Easter is/was celebrated by the church as a season, not just a single day? Kind of makes sense, doesn't it? I mean one day people see Jesus hanging on the cross, his body bruised and bleeding beyond recognition. Days later he is walking amongst them, talking and eating with them. Do you think they went on living life as usual the day after the Resurrection? So why should we? Learning to view "holidays" as seasons has been a big on-going "a ha" moment for me of late.

Speaking of seasons, can I tell you how happy I am that spring has finally arrived (although she still seems a bit iffy on a 40F day in Pittsburgh)! I am convinced that the seasons, be they spring-summer-winter-fall or rainy/dry, are God's way of teaching us how to move through the seasons of our lives. We only get one chance at that, but every year God gives us a refresher course in how to adjust to transitions.

Lastly, speaking of transitions, I came across some thoughts I jotted down from our Bible study last summer that seemed worth sharing (and I apologize I can't recall the exact source). Some questions to ask yourself when you realize you're in a time of transition:
What are you grateful for?
What do you need to let go of?
What do you need to take hold of?
And who do you trust?


And to my 2 blogger friends who are still waiting in the wings . . . what are you waiting for, girls? (you know who you are!!) Come on and join the fun!

12 comments:

Unknown said...

Aha! Good to see you back for a bit.

I hope your dad is healing nicely. And you are not going to believe this, but I think you are helping me decide to get my Butler a dog.

Our beautiful Abby died a year ago next month, and I have not wanted to re-enter that realm. But alas ... it is not for me. HE was the one who took care of her and walked her and really ... when he came into the house at the end of the day and said, "I sweetie, how are you?" he was NOT talking to me.

I need to get it together and stop being selfish.

Ugh. Stay tuned.

Girl Raised in the South said...

This is what you post when you have nothing?! Goodness gracious! More than I post when I'm plumb full. So I heard about the dog, completely amazed me. Your mom and a dog, but then it is a little dog and your mom is wee little too. And a new business? What on earth?! and your two blogger friends waiting in the wings, 'you know who you are' - I'm clueless to that one too. Wow do we need to meet for coffee or what!

Tami said...

For somebody who had nothing to say, you said quite a bit! Actually I found it entertaining. I could imagine sitting in an airport with you passing time! Keep it comin', friend!

gail@more than a song said...

I would say you had plenty! I like these kinds of posts.
I've really had nothing at all lately so I usually resort to pictures and am happy when my kids send pics of the little ones!
Hope your dad heals up nicely!

Amy Jane (Untangling Tales) said...

I've always loved the EBB quote. It's sort of a "life verse" in poetry.

I recently adopted a different one, so (naturally) I wanted to share:

"I think this is the prettiest world-- so long as you don’t mind a little dying." --Mary Oliver

Courage and peace bless your day!

Katrina @ Callapidder Days said...

I love hodge-podge posts, and this was a great one! I feel like I just caught up with you.

And Sir Buttons? Absolutely adorable! I'm sure MacGyver will love his new cousin (or however they're related). :)

I'm with you about spring -- horray that it is here!

And as for your two blogger friends -- I don't know who they are, but I encourage them to come out and join the fun as well!

L.L. Barkat said...

Sorry to hear about your dad. Hard, yes?

I love that quote from Browning. And it struck me as especially wonderful because I have written something (well, a book just out) that opens with this little aside...

"Just let me take off my shoes."

So the quote is particularly special to me just now! :)

Stacy at Exceedingly Mundane said...

Great post :) You had me worried at the beginning with this hogwash about "got nothing". Goodness, this was an awesome, filled, hearty, newsy kind of blog post, hehehe!

Glad your dad is doing ok, I bet it was scary there for a while. Hope he and your mom and their new baby do really well for the next few days, weeks and months.

Bummer on all the good things in your life closing shop or changing gears. The coffee shop closest to our house, a local one in an old Victorian house, closed last year, so I know how you feel. They're supposed to be re-opening under a different owner soon, but then again, that 'coming soon' sign has been up since December and still no coffee there. Ugh.

Hope you have a wonderful, blessed day :)

Joan Baumgartner Brown said...

This was too much fun to read! And about starting a business - I only think about it every day. Just can't decide if I should start a consulting firm (like there aren't enough of those) or open a diner. The lure of just being on our own to make all the decisions and reap the rewards! Anyway, thanks for sharing your great nothings.

Christina Tarabochia said...

I wasd riving to highschool years ago, listening to my favorite station which then played "It's So Hard to Say Goodbye" by Boys to Men--I think--and then a horrible constructin sound came one with random bouts of thunder. Everyone listened to the "construction" for days. Pre-internet here. No way to find otu what had happened.

A week later, a country station called The Thunder Rolls came on. No warning. Absolutely bizarre.

Christina Tarabochia said...

So sleepy. Can't spell. Going to bed. :-)

Unknown said...

I enjoyed the hodgepodge! Hate it when businesses go out of business unexpectedly.