"let there be light"

35.

That is how many light switches there are on the first floor.

Every time I go to turn a light on or off I end up turning at least 2 or 3 of the wrong ones on or off first. Not to mention the occasional surprise ceiling fan...

I do not like being in a dark home. Especially when I'm alone. But I am trying to get better at turning off lights because I know it's something Lance wants me to do.

My house in Minneapolis had...maybe 4? I might be forgetting one...so let's say 5.

With this many light switches it should be possible to...

"Live in rooms full of light." ~Cornelius Celsus

If I can just figure out which ones to use...

a taste of cher and pinky live!

I tried to add this to my last post but it wouldn't work...and now it will :) so watch and enjoy if you want!

only say nice things though okay? lol we were having fun and wearing wigs so no serious critiques allowed.

jessilynn.com is my sisters website if you want to check her out. I recommend you do!

"there were never such devoted sisters"

Spent the weekend with my sis.
A little bit country and a little bit rock and roll.
We had some fun.
We wore wigs.
I channeled Cher.
Jess and I in so many ways are opposites, but we love a lot of the same things.
We add things into each others lives that wouldn't be there without the other sister.
Some of it good, some of it bad. Depends on which one you talk to ;)

Lance was the official Elvis impersonating Cher and Pinky videographer/photographer for the weekend. Thus the all access pass worn proudly on his shirt...

We know how to have fun.

fill

At the leadership summit a couple years back, one of the speakers talked about how when you are in ministry you are always giving out. He used the visual of a water cooler where the spout was at the bottom and the top was open. He talked about how it was important to be constantly taking the time to refill so that your giving out spout never dropped your water level below a certain line. Your water level being an indicator of what was a full life, and an indicator of burn out.
The question then became, what fills me up?
Well...the answer for me was...Being alone. Reading. Writing/blogging/pictures. Being alone. Not doing anything. Just being quiet with my thoughts and enjoying my surroundings. I became intentional about only putting things in my house that I found lovely or inspiring. I did a terrible job of having alone time. Maybe one night a week. Reading this last year was not possible with my mono issues. I did a ton of writing/blogging that kind of thing. So why do I still feel so incredibly empty? Maybe I was giving to much and not filling fast enough. I don't know. But I feel like I need to go back to the drawing board and figure it out again.

I still know that the alone thing is a big deal. I like contemplation and silence and being peaceful. That is usually the first thing to go. Typically others don't understand it and demand your time be spent differently, they think you are lonely or boring or unproductive when they find out. And then in typical guilty people pleasing fashion I fill my time with other things and the emptying happens fast again.
I know that writing is something I need to do. Partly because it's one of the only places where I feel like I can clearly communicate what I'm thinking and feeling. And it helps me get some of the things that race around on the inside of me out of my head. Which can be very filling.
I recognize that I crave God's word but again, the things that fill are usually the first to go when busyness and pressures to be busy creep in. Why is that I wonder? Because it's easier to stop doing something for yourself than it is to stop doing things that impact others directly would be my guess.
One other thing that always fills me up is being near the water. A week near an ocean beach and I can go months feeling filled up. In Minneapolis I would go to one of the lakes after a hard day at work and just sit. That was always refreshing. There is a healing quality in water.
Anyways, this devotional was something that I read this week and have been thinking about. I thought it was worth sharing.



Getting Refueled
TGIF Today God Is First Volume 2, by Os Hillman
"Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed" (Mark 1:35-36).
How do you get refueled? When our cars run low on fuel, we simply drop by the local filling station to get more fuel. When our bodies are hungry, we feed them. How do we refuel our spiritual lives? We can learn from the example Jesus modeled in His life.
In the New Testament we see that Jesus had a very demanding schedule. He traveled from town to town, often walking many miles between the towns. He spent a lot of time with people. As a speaker and teacher I can tell you that it is very draining to minister for extended periods. Your body and your spirit becomes fatigued.
The day before the above scripture was recorded, Jesus had a full day of ministry healing the sick, delivering people from demons and walking to different cities (Mark 1:29-37). The following day it says Jesus got up before the sun rose and went to pray. The disciples were wondering where He was.
When Jesus was on earth, He was fully man. Everything He did was based upon receiving specific directions and power from His father to do them. He was not operating as God, but as a human being with the same limitations you and I have. So, Jesus knew one of the key ways to refuel His mind, body and spirit was by spending time in prayer to His Heavenly Father.
This is a critical discipline for every follower of Jesus if you expect to have power and victory in your Christian walk. We each need to find a solitary place to focus upon the Lord, His Word and His input for our lives.
If this is not a part of your daily experience, why not start tomorrow with a few minutes of focused time of reading and prayer. You will be encouraged with the new spiritual focus you will have by making this a priority.

I am not immune

I didn't want to be homesick. I am happy to be here. Very happy...even if I'm a little out of sorts. Heck, a lot out of sorts. But I am a little homesick. I miss going to work and having a paycheck. I miss my red living room. I miss my friends. I miss my babies. I miss knowing where to find things in my own home. I miss feeling like I know anything.
Nothing here is familiar. The pictures on the walls, the street names, the babies, the people, the restaurants, the Targets. Nothing. It is like being in a foreign country. New language, new streets, new new new.
I can't wait for the day when something feels comfortable. Like it's mine.
I've done this before. It's just been a long long time. I have not complained, I have been doing my best to take it all in and not be overwhelmed but today was hard.

My closet is full of clothes that only make sense in MN. I need to pull half of it out, get rid of two thirds of that half and store the third that's left over for the "mild" winters I hear so much about. But that leaves me with very few outfits. I am trying to be creative in the meantime.

I was finally able to pull out my books and put them on a shelf in one of the guest bedrooms. Those books are like friends to me. I spent most of my childhood with my nose buried in a book. Besides the last year and a half where I lost some of my tracking ability because of Mono, I have always had a book nearby. I reread books too. There's something very comforting about the familiar story lines and characters. Maybe that's what I need to do. Read a book with something familiar in it. I'd be less homesick with them as friends.

This week I reconnected with a friend, Katy, who lives here. She will introduce me to people I'm sure. I am becoming friends with our neighbor, Hannah, she even invited me to go with her to look at wedding gowns (she's getting married next year). Things are good in a lot of ways.
I am going to get involved at church. The job search will kick into high gear once we get back from Canada. I know this is just a short season of transition. It just feels long and not as restful as I hoped it would be. But I guess that's life.

I couldn't sleep tonight. So here I sit, in a dark room with the computer staring at me and an urge to write. I'm sure things will look better tomorrow in the light of day. But sometimes i just can't turn my mind off enough to sleep. And on that note I guess I will make another attempt to sleep.

pieces of me

See my flickr badge?
Here's what ya do to make one of your own.

Type your answer to each of the questions below into Flickr search, using only the first page, choose your favorite image, copy and paste each of the URL’s into the mosaic maker (3 columns, 4 rows).

The questions:
1. What is your first name?
2. What is your favorite food?
3. What high school did you attend?
4. What is your favorite color?
5. Who is your celebrity crush?
6. Favorite drink?
7. Dream vacation?
8. Favorite dessert?
9. What do you want to be when you grow up?
10.What do you love most in life?
11. One word to describe you.
12. Your Flickr name.

1. pointless nostalgic, 2. there's nothing better than summer, 3. Atomic City, 4. The Photographer, 5. DSC08462, 6. 7 2 gatorade, 7. One of each, 8. Daddy, where do brownies come from?, 9. FIRE SHOT, 10. Little Flower, 11. Amazing Thailand, 12. air

lost

I get lost easy. I get lost easy going places I have been repeatedly. For someone who never gets lost this is a hard thing to understand but it is my reality. I take step by step directions with me everywhere I go. I used to keep a notebook in my jeep that had directions written out in it for people's homes or places I went to regularly. Because as someone who gets lost a lot you feel stupid asking how to get to someone's home you've been to 3 or 4 times before. So I tried to make a way to keep my getting lost to a minimum. (and my feeling stupid)

Now here I am in a new city. I've been here roughly 18 days. I do not know my way around. I barely recognize the names of streets that we've been driving on. I feel very much at the mercy of my husband and at the mercy of others who might be directing me places or expecting me to be somewhere. My husband can get to the same destination at least 5 different ways, he does not get lost. I'm sure he finds me very annoying. As do most people who don't get lost. I boggle their minds and their patience I'm sure.

I guess I will just have to figure things out as I need to know them. There is no way I am going to know my way around the whole city in less than a year. But I can find where to get my emissions tested. If I need to go to target I can find my way there. I will figure out how to get to church eventually and when I get a job that will be in my path as well. Everything else I will figure out as I go. And mapquest will be my new bff.

friends

I am here making new friends.


I am here reconnecting with old friends.


And I am here having so much fun with my best friend.



I am enjoying myself here in my new town. We had a barbeque and invited neighbors over, so much fun entertaining together in our home. I was able to go out tonight with a friend from college who is wonderful and have dinner. And of course Lance and I always manage to have a good time together no matter what we are doing. And it's fun to get pictures of all the fun too!

out and about

My chipper early morning person doll of a husband decided we were going garage saling this morning and gave me roughly 9 minutes to get ready.  It took more like 20 but we got out the door and had a nice morning finding deals and I was only slightly annoyed by all the chipper.   Shopping helped me get over it :)

We ran across a couple random things that I just had to take pictures of.

Here ya go...

Where am I?

My husband started this fun game on Facebook called "Where am I?"  He was posting pics from all his trips and people were guessing where he was.  It was pretty low key.  But it has kicked into high gear now.  He started a group on facebook and the membership roster is growing and so are the contributions from others.  It's fun to guess where people are and it's really fun to be right!  I added a handful of pictures from the last couple years but most of the interesting places I've been happened before I got a digital camera.  I may have to get a scanner!  lol Anyhow, if you are on facebook and have ever been somewhere interesting you should join the group and add pictures.  I feel like the world is my playground!  Someday there are many of those places that I would love to travel to and this game makes it seem more possible.

Anyhow...enough about where I want to go!  Where am I now you ask?  well...

Yesterday was my day for waiting in line.  Not a favorite activity of mine but that's okay.  It was interesting to people watch, that never gets boring for me.  I now have a TN drivers license and my new SS card is on it's way.  I am starting to feel like this is home too, probably leaving and going to Dallas and returning helped with that.  And the fact that my stuff is starting to intermingle with my husbands stuff is helping too.   I feel like this month of taking time off has been good for me to get my bearings.  We are going to visit my sister in a couple weekends and then it's a trip to Canada to visit family...after that I have a feeling my life with take on more of a routine and hopefully I can find a job that will be interesting and play a role in my nashville life being a good one.  We shall see!  lots to be thankful for and lots to look forward to.

magnificent man flying mighty machines

I have never known much about what it means to be a pilot. Training, day to day operations, requirements for success. It just wasn't on my radar. I flew maybe 2 times a year and thought more about my destination than how I was getting there or who was taking me. I knew one person at church who was a pilot and what I knew about him was that he was a great dad and that his schedule was a little crazy for regular volunteering.

And now here I am married to a pilot. I understand that I have a very limited knowledge of what it means to be a pilot. But what I do know is my husband. I know that he is a hard worker. I know he does things with excellence. I know that he is invested completely in the things he loves. I know that he is very intelligent aka-smart and I don't mean SMRT. I know he has good judgement and can asses situations quickly. I know that he can do things with ease that others find mind boggling. I know that he pays attention to details. I know that he is one step ahead all the time, constantly looking forward at all the possibilities.

So while I am just getting an introduction to the job of pilot, I already knew enough about my husband to respect what he did because of who he is. And I do respect him. I also love him and I am proud to be his wife. I am honored to be included in his life. I know he has worked hard with little reward in the past, but I also know that people who work hard don't do it for the reward, they do it because it's the right thing to do. That is something I understand because I have also worked hard with little reward. In fact I've worked hard and ended up with a deficit in many ways but it was still the right thing to do. He understands this. His choices to work hard and keep excelling in a field that can really take it out of you has put him in a place to bless others. I know because he has blessed me.

If he quit his job and moved to a small town in Iowa and made rocking chairs I would still be proud to be his wife and I'd be thankful for what we have and who he is. Because I know he'd make the best rocking chairs around and all the qualities that make him a great pilot would still be his qualities.

I so enjoyed today, walking around the SWA headquarters, getting a little more of a glimpse into the job of pilot. A little more of a glimpse into my husbands world.
I may not have been at his side when he was working harder for less pay. And I may not have been there the day he was hired at SWA...but I am here now and I am proud of my husband and his accomplishments.

This is for my sister Jessi

The first time Jessi and I saw this we were on the floor laughing with in seconds. It is a good sister memory.

travel time

This is my first time traveling with Lance. Well, in flight anyhow, we've traveled by land many times together now. It was nice. Everything worked out great for traveling together and wouldn't you know it, our pilot for the entire flight was John, a friend who came to the wedding. My first southwest flight and John flew us. Kind of a fun story. The hotel is nice and I ordered up a little breakfast this morning and since I have a new camera I must take photos of even the mundane. I have been relaxing this morning but this afternoon I am going to start working on my resume. I may be enjoying my time as a woman of leisure (ha!) but all good things must come to an end...trade in good for better right? only time will tell.

star sighting

I saw LeAnn Rimes which I found to be a delightful moment for a couple reasons. First being she smiled at me when she saw me taking her pic and watching whatever they were doing. Second, her song "something's gotta give" was a bit of an inspiration in my dating life a while back resulting in me taking some chances meeting people resulting in meeting Lance resulting in my moving to Nashville resulting in me seeing LeAnn Rimes the first week I moved there. Full circle I guess you could say.

I'm no professional paparazzi but here's the best pic I have...kinda fun.




and here's the video from youtube of the song I referred to above...also kinda fun.

walking

I could have written this:

I asked God for strength, that I might achieve;
I was made weak, that I might learn humbly to obey.
I asked God for health, that I might do greater things;
I was given infirmity, that I might do better things.
I asked for riches, that I might be happy;
I was given poverty, that I might be wise.
I asked for power, that I might have the praise of men;
I was given weakness, that I might feel the need of God.
I asked for all things, that I might enjoy life;
I was given life, that I might enjoy all things.
I got nothing that I asked for but everything I had hoped for.
Almost despite myself, my unspoken prayers were answered.
I am among men, most richly blessed.*
Do we trust God to lead us even though we can't see the pathway in front of us? Do we trust Him to be all-knowing, all-loving, and all-powerful? Do we believe He does all things well? As Paul wrote, "Everything that does not come from faith is sin" (Rom. 14:23). That's why God leads us through the dark places.
Only in the darkness do we learn to walk by faith.

I am weak.
I have struggled with my health.
I have nothing.
If I dwelt on those things I would shrivel up. But I do know how to obey God. And through my sickness this last year and a half I was able to stop doing so many unnecessary things and focus on what was necessary and important. I have learned to be wise because I have nothing.
I don't always obey perfectly and I still get caught up in the unnecessary and sometimes I do stupid things. But I see how it all matters.

I don't know my next step and that is something I am struggling with right now. What is this place where I am? Why God? So many good things and so many unknowns. I have a hard time not worrying about the unknowns. A very hard time.

I guess this was a timely message for me as I am walking and trying not to be so weary. I am believing that my strength and joy will come from my only true source. Jesus.

a delightful day

I had a delightful day with my husband tooling around nashville going to yard sales and antique shops. We saw Leann Rimes and she smiled at me...my first official star sighting. I took pics, I'm to tired to find them right now.

We ended the night grilling our first dinner on the new grill. I set a lovely table and lance did his manly grilling thing. What a great day.

I hate...

...when I do stupid things.

Today we went to bb&b to make a return and use up a gift card. We traveled miles to unknown territory to find the bb&b and when we got out of the car I checked to make sure I had the gift card and wouldn't you know it. I hadn't grabbed it at all. I felt so stupid. Where has my short term memory gone? I don't know. It is frustrating though. Lucky for me I have a patient husband who gives me grace. I wish sometimes I could give more of it to myself. But I guess I'm not wired like that for some reason. No one ever has to yell at me because I do it for them. Might seem like a silly thing to some to forget something like that but for some reason it was a big deal to me today.

Other than that big reveal of my stupid thing of the day, it was a nice day spent with my husband. We finally did settle on a king size bed and it arrived today. I am excited to go to sleep tonight. Partly for the bed and partly for a new beginning tomorrow.

I am

I got this from a blogger friends site...looked like fun to me...and it was...this appears first but I wrote it last :) check it.


I am: enjoying my new home and just being here
I know: that it won't be long before I am busy again
I want: every day to be good
I wish: all the people I love could be in one place
I hate: mean people
I miss: so much.
I fear: dogs
I feel: restless
I smell: nashville
I hear: nashville
I crave: sugar
I search: for interesting things/people/moments/quotes/blogs you get the idea.
I wonder: what my kids will look like
I regret: ug
I love: love
I ache: to hold brand new babies.
I am not: sure about the future
I believe: the children are the future, teach them well and let them lead the way...oops...song lyrics interupted me..
I dance: in an uncool manner
I sing: because I'm happy
I cried last: saying good bye
I fight: as a last resort
I write: to stay inside out
I win: rarely
I lose: my keys all the time
I am never: happy when a dog licks me
I always: laugh
I confuse: people's names a lot
I listen: to people talk
I can usually be found: smiling
I need: understanding
I am happy: every day
I imagine: that there are many places in the world I would love that I've never been to before.

just for fun

I can't remember if I told Mrs B I wouldn't share these pics or not...so I'm going to share them :) hehe

They make me laugh laugh laugh.

Every pic we took Beck would scrunch up his face and say "Eewww Yucky Jamie" or "Eewww Yucky Beck". Little miss Evie would touch her face as if to check and make sure she didn't really look that scary. Ash and I laughed and laughed. We got Mr B to join in the fun momentarily, he mostly thought we were nuts though.

A gift from Hong Kong

"If only God would give me some clear sign! Like making a large deposit in my name in a Swiss bank."  -Woody Allen

Well, it's not a large deposit in a swiss bank but it is a street sign in Hong Kong and my friends thought of me and took pictures which is worth more than money if you ask me :)

"she must be a real princess"

So somewhere down the road my prince and I will be investing in a king sized bed. He didn't know when he married me that I was the princess from the princess and the pea story.


'Oh terribly bad!' said the princess. 'I have hardly closed my eyes the whole night! Heaven knows what was in the bed. I seemed to be lying upon some hard thing, and my whole body is black and blue this morning. It is terrible!

I have never truly slept well. It took me about 3 yrs to get it sorted out in my little house alone and now here I am in a new home, with new noises (there is a train somewhere near by...) and a sweet man laying next to me who breathes. Yup. I know, sleep freak. That's me.

So yesterday we began the process of finding a king sized bed. I must say it felt like something out of my imagination...my imagination inspired by mattress commercials over the years. I probably never would have imagined it otherwise...good job mattress marketers.

We laid on bed after bed after bed, I'd turn onto my left side to see if it would fall asleep and my hip would start hurting and he would check to see if his feet were above his heart. lol. How the sales lady kept her composure I do not know. And when he started rolling across all the beds we had already tried to retry them...I did not keep my composure. I giggled. Go figure.

It was a fun process. One I am sure we will repeat a few more times.

goodbye hello

Said goodbye today to my little sweeties and their fabulous parents...



Said hello to my husband and new home...



What a day!

three cheers!

yipee!!! yipee!!! yipee!!! for fireworks and family and fun times!

And a good night story for miss evie! it took her a couple days to warm up to me and now I'm leaving in the morning... figures :)

Parade fun!

When we got home from the parade it was nap time. I put Beck in his bed and he said "pray?!" so we folded our hands and he prayed...it went like this..."Jesus! thank you candies!". I believe he probably was dreaming about all the candy falling from the sky while at the parade. So fun and so yummy!

Here's a few pictures of all the delightful parade fun...

fragrance of life

They say your personality is formed completely by the time you are 3 years old. I always found it intersting but didn't know if it was really true.

When I was visiting my mom she had my baby book out and I took a look. She had this little chart of personality traits where she kept track of me for different years. And you know what? It is pretty much right on.

2 yrs old. I thought it was funny that next to "affectionate" my mom wrote "don't touch to much" and next to "bossy" she said "very!" And all the other things she circled as part of my character were pretty much right on too.

I also thought it was interesting that I wasn't happy when I was six. I was happy every other year. Then I thought about it. What was going on in my life at age six? Ira. That would have been what was going on. LOLOLOL. That made me laugh. It was also kindergarten and maybe we moved or something too...but I like to blame Ira. hehe. It makes me happy now.

Well now here I am going into a time of life where nothing really defines me other than me. So it was a good reminder of who I am.

I also read an interesting devotional today...I'll copy and paste it in here...it's about Joy. The scripture verse it uses is one that I have quoted for myself often over the years. "The joy of the Lord is my strength" I like the verse because it talks about joy as a source and it also talks about strength coming from God. That is what I want to come out of my life when it's squeezed.

How's Your Joy Quotient?
TGIF Today God Is First
Volume 2, by Os Hillman07-03-2008

"Do not grieve, for the joy of the LORD is your strength" (Neh 8:10).

One of the overriding evidences that someone has a genuine relationship with our living Savior is their consistent attitude of joy and outlook on life. A follower of Jesus should not be a person who always looks at life as if the glass is half full. Instead, we should be the most positive people on earth. We should see opportunity in the midst of challenges.
The light that resides in you should be like the beam of a lighthouse to a ship that is seeking direction. Our lives should have the fragrance of Christ. People should be attracted to our lives just as the bee is attracted to the nectar in the colorful flower.
The apostle Paul understood this when he said, "But thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumphal procession in Christ and through us spreads everywhere the fragrance of the knowledge of him. For we are to God the aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing. To the one we are the smell of death; to the other, the fragrance of life" (2 Cor 2:14-16).
I must admit I've been with some believers whose attitude toward life is more like a porcupine. It's painful to get too close to them because of their negative and poisonous view of life that criticizes the world around them.
No matter what circumstance you may find yourself in, the joy of the Lord must be your strength. Paul learned this truth even in the midst of his adversities. "I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do everything through him who gives me strength (Phil 4:12-13).
How would others describe your joy quotient? On a scale of 1 to 10, where would they rank you? Today, make a commitment to greet every circumstance knowing that the joy of the Lord is your strength.

a little family time

Beck's lip was sticking out far enough for a rooster to land. I asked him if he was sad about something as I plopped down on the couch across the room. He was so cute when he told me he wasn't sad, he was hungry. I just happened to be eating cereal. I was a mean aunty and said "that's to bad" and kept eating :) his dad is feeding him tuna right now.

I so enjoy sitting around Ira and Ash's house while life happens around me. I napped on the couch while Ira and Evie played and watched tv. Not super restful but peaceful for sure.

next!

I have several blogs in my head ready to type out but no time.

I'm driving to visit my gram today for lunch and then off to St.. louis for a couple days with Ira and Ashley.

I have so enjoyed my time with my parents.

dearest readers

I am going to be a little needy for a while.  And here's what I need.  If you read my blog and you call yourself my friend...would you please leave a comment now and then?  More now than then...It will help me feel connected and less like I'm speaking into a dark void.   If you don't have a blogger account just leave an "anonymous" comment and sign your name so I know who you are.  It's easy and it doesn't have to be like a great thought provoking comment, just say hi or something.  And I will comment back...almost like a real conversation!  And if you really really want to you can call me or email me.  yup.  I told you.  A little needy.

face pressed up against the glass

I keep checking my CVC email.  I feel like someone with their face pressed up against the glass...peeking in for a few last glances before I completely move on.  I think I'll just stop checking it now cause it will be a little depressing when I can't check it because it goes away...yup. 

Put me in the dryer and spin me around!  Life is going to be so different now.

I merely watched in fascination

Health is a state of complete harmony of the body, mind and spirit. When one is free from physical disabilities and mental distractions, the gates of the soul open. ~B.K.S. Iyengar



So yesterday.

I woke up in WI and went off with my parents to their weekly chiro appt. I brought a book and thought I'd have some time to wait while they went and got their adjustments and whatever else they do at the chiro. yeah. I so did not read my book.

When we walked in there were people hanging from a wall. Something to do with keeping your neck curved. I wanted to laugh but I didn't. I merely watched in fascination. They would walk up to the wall, put their neck in this harness type thing and lean back...hanging from the wall. As if it were the most normal thing in the world.

The rooms where people went to have their adjustments were open and you could watch everyone else get their stuff done. I also watched in fascination as the doctors scooted from room to room and did their chiropractic thing.

After my parents were both adjusted and I met the doctor (very nice man) my mom said they had time to "wobble". oh yeah. that's what she said. I said "what the wobble are you talking about?"

She then proceeded to put a thing on her head with weights on it (the picture above) and grabbed this thing that looked like an oversized bike seat and put it on a chair. And then she proceeded to "wobble". Apparently it lubricates your spine or something. I merely watched in fascination. Before I knew it there were like 12 other people sitting in chairs also "wobbling" Remember that commercial for the toy that said "weebles wobble but they don't fall down" ??? somehow that applied.

Just when I thought I had seen it all.

And now for my opinion on everything.

As crazy as it all looked...there is a method to all the madness. This particular chiropractic center is a christian based place and between the music playing worship songs, the doc's being so kind to their patients, the community that was clearly evident between the people there doing these crazy things..there was a lot of healing going on. I even saw one lady sobbing into the shoulder of another woman who was holding her and being so gentle in the midst of whatever pain was being experienced from the inside while she was waiting for a little healing for her outside. It was very touching.

I have personally always been a fan of chiropractic's. I have curvature of the spine and had to go lots when I was a kid. Every baby I know of who has been born the natural way and has been held in the gentle hands of a chiropractor has benefited and had things solved like unstoppable mystery crying and sleeping through the night. I wore wrist braces in college because randomly I would lose range of motion and experience intense pain in my wrists and a chiropractor friend of mine offered to look at my wrist on a sunday morning and after about 2 seconds and a gentle tug I have never had wrist problems since.

So crazy as it may all be, I actually really agree with the principles behind chiropractic's and have seen the benefits. Before I left the clinic the doctor made sure to get me the contact information for a good friend of his who is also a christian and has a clinic in Nashville. I might just go and meet people. And I might go and experience a little healing too.

Plus, it all made me laugh. And they say laughter is the best medicine right?

that was one of the healthiest places I have been lately ;)

My mom's flower bed

In my garden there is a large place for sentiment. My garden of flowers is also my garden of thoughts and dreams. The thoughts grow as freely as the flowers, and the dreams are as beautiful. ~Abram L. Urban