Phew, what a roller coaster. The last few days ended up being about the worst I have experienced in my life so far. No over-dramaticism. I'm trying to recover today in my introverted-self way, while trying to still let myself receive from friends. It is very difficult to navigate this season of joy when you are emotionally and physically exhausted and just seriously in pain. (I don't think I am even aware of how tired I am--I just feel kind of wrung out.) I want to be real and honest about where I am at, but I don't want to dampen anyone else's happiness.
Tomorrow I have to lead worship at church, so help me God! Actually, thanks be to God still. My drive back to Waterloo was once again good for me to "release all" and to receive from God. This song came on the radio and I'm thankful. (I'm not a huge fan when people make cheesy videos, so maybe just listen to the song!) :)
By Your Side, Tenth Avenue North
Saturday, 27 December 2008
Wednesday, 24 December 2008
This Year's Christmas Tune Fav
Not able to find a great video for this one, but here's the song that I stumbled upon this year and am digging this Christmas. It also happens to be in one of my fav keys to sing and play (capo'd). Check it out!
"How Many Kings" by Downhere
"How Many Kings" by Downhere
Tuesday, 23 December 2008
Family Foto Flashback
Leafing through some photos here and doing some up as gifts...thought I'd share some with y'all.
1980
Me and Daddy with the '81 Lynx (I think)
Me and Timmy
Mommy and Me. This is at the start of the bad hair era
Four Generations. Five if you count Judy, my adopted daughter from the Cabbage Patch
Wearing Christmas wreaths. I think I'd like to make a Christmas card out of this or something!
1980
Me and Daddy with the '81 Lynx (I think)
Me and Timmy
Mommy and Me. This is at the start of the bad hair era
Four Generations. Five if you count Judy, my adopted daughter from the Cabbage Patch
Wearing Christmas wreaths. I think I'd like to make a Christmas card out of this or something!
Monday, 22 December 2008
A poem
I'm at The Beach again and instead of a miserable rant, I have a hopeful poem to share--reflecting my present feelings and some Christmas carol lyrics floating around.
The clouds have lifted
There is still light
Awake this morning
A restful night
Heavy shadows
Pierced by the dawn
Unrealized burden
Until it's gone
Dismayed no longer
You knew my need
You know my weakness
You do not sleep
Hunger for words
Refreshing and new
Tidings of comfort
And joy from You
Peace on the earth
And in my heart
All is not well
But it's a start
Expectant hope
For each new week
Comforted waiting
Knowing You speak
The clouds have lifted
There is still light
Awake this morning
A restful night
Heavy shadows
Pierced by the dawn
Unrealized burden
Until it's gone
Dismayed no longer
You knew my need
You know my weakness
You do not sleep
Hunger for words
Refreshing and new
Tidings of comfort
And joy from You
Peace on the earth
And in my heart
All is not well
But it's a start
Expectant hope
For each new week
Comforted waiting
Knowing You speak
Friday, 12 December 2008
'Tis the Season
Just thought I'd share this video of my favourite Christmas song from last year (and still holding strong). Jill Phillips again, but singing Andrew Peterson's song, Labour of Love. Someone on YouTube added edits of The Nativity Story and it's pretty good. I was sharing it with my fellow church worship leaders and my pastor wrote back to say that it brought tears to his eyes! Enjoy.
Sunday, 7 December 2008
Still here
I think about blogging. I think about journalling. I think about reading. I think about composing. It takes enough for me to keep praying: without falling asleep. I go to bed at decent hours, but sleep in, dragging myself out from under my cozy flannel sheets. Never getting up early enough to bother with yoga, sometimes early enough to shower or maybe just do that later. Sometimes with motivation enough to scrounge together some breakfast, but really it's brunch time. (Besides I have to eat at strange times now since I tutor English so much over dinner time.) I think about walking to the office, but it's so snowy and cold already that the car just seems best. (Besides I have to drive further after work to my students' houses.)
I keep saying, "I'm ok. God is good and I'm ok." I've had some nice revelations about how I've never felt alone and God has always been here helping me. And there are all these people to whom I come across admirably strong, but I have a new realization that any strength I may have appeared to have has always been from God. I am not particularly strong on my own. And thankfully, I have never been on my own. So yes, God is good. And I am feeling much better about him and his involvement in my life.
But life is hard for me right now and has been for some time. Last night after I left our church's annual Christmas dinner, I was reminded again how I am not enjoying social gatherings right now and how I am generally not that happy. I am not feeling able to join in on people's celebrations (engagements, pregnancies...), or even in on normal and general conversation. No, I have nothing new to report. No, I do not have guys lining up to ask me out and the last date I had a few months ago was lousy. No, my mom is not getting better. No, the marriages of those I care about are not getting better.
Even my friends who are twenty years older than I, have not had to put their mother in a nursing home. And I don't know anyone who has had to listen to irrational, mentally unhealthy words come at them from a mother as I have. (Thank God, that He takes away the words that could seriously hurt me.) And I don't know anyone who has had to hear and bear the pain and the tears of their parents.
Now I know that everyone has had their own doses of pain and their own hard things, but right now, it is striking me that no one my age who I know is having to handle this type of stuff and most are celebrating and anticipating a joyous Christmas. I am not anticipating such a Christmas. There will be one missing at our Christmas table and there will be remaining a broken, depressed, exhausted family with a possible time bomb of fury and irrationality waiting to go off at any moment. Thank God for my nephew, who surely will be a lovely delight over the holiday.
I am at the Beach tonight. My dad turns 64 on Tuesday and I came to visit. I saw my mom today and it actually was a fairly good visit. We played the piano together and I don't think we've ever done that. I was emotional as I left and thought and said, "I miss you."
That's kind of all I have to say, but I don't want to end on that note. I bought an old and a new Jill Phillips cd recently and on my drive last night I found myself singing loudly along to her song "Steel Bars" where she is "fighting back to gain control" from the "rock bottom of despair". I think our little band could do this song well. I'm really enjoying it. Then there is the other little new anthem of hers I'm digging: "Oh I believe, though its hard sometimes: You are the resurrection and the life....I know the words of life to come are true, but sometimes they feel like salt upon the wound. When I’m asking in these moments where are you? Where are you? Oh I believe, though its hard sometimes: You are the resurrection and the life."
At this same Christmas dinner last night, I was complimented on my voice a few times. That always makes me feel happy (see, there is happiness to be found even when you're sad), yet it also always makes me wonder. There were a couple questions posed to me about blues and jazz and once again, I am pondering if there is something more I can be doing with music....
Friends. Friends are a good note to end on too. They are loving. They are supportive. Even if no friend really knows what I am feeling, they know pain and they care. Thanks.
I keep saying, "I'm ok. God is good and I'm ok." I've had some nice revelations about how I've never felt alone and God has always been here helping me. And there are all these people to whom I come across admirably strong, but I have a new realization that any strength I may have appeared to have has always been from God. I am not particularly strong on my own. And thankfully, I have never been on my own. So yes, God is good. And I am feeling much better about him and his involvement in my life.
But life is hard for me right now and has been for some time. Last night after I left our church's annual Christmas dinner, I was reminded again how I am not enjoying social gatherings right now and how I am generally not that happy. I am not feeling able to join in on people's celebrations (engagements, pregnancies...), or even in on normal and general conversation. No, I have nothing new to report. No, I do not have guys lining up to ask me out and the last date I had a few months ago was lousy. No, my mom is not getting better. No, the marriages of those I care about are not getting better.
Even my friends who are twenty years older than I, have not had to put their mother in a nursing home. And I don't know anyone who has had to listen to irrational, mentally unhealthy words come at them from a mother as I have. (Thank God, that He takes away the words that could seriously hurt me.) And I don't know anyone who has had to hear and bear the pain and the tears of their parents.
Now I know that everyone has had their own doses of pain and their own hard things, but right now, it is striking me that no one my age who I know is having to handle this type of stuff and most are celebrating and anticipating a joyous Christmas. I am not anticipating such a Christmas. There will be one missing at our Christmas table and there will be remaining a broken, depressed, exhausted family with a possible time bomb of fury and irrationality waiting to go off at any moment. Thank God for my nephew, who surely will be a lovely delight over the holiday.
I am at the Beach tonight. My dad turns 64 on Tuesday and I came to visit. I saw my mom today and it actually was a fairly good visit. We played the piano together and I don't think we've ever done that. I was emotional as I left and thought and said, "I miss you."
That's kind of all I have to say, but I don't want to end on that note. I bought an old and a new Jill Phillips cd recently and on my drive last night I found myself singing loudly along to her song "Steel Bars" where she is "fighting back to gain control" from the "rock bottom of despair". I think our little band could do this song well. I'm really enjoying it. Then there is the other little new anthem of hers I'm digging: "Oh I believe, though its hard sometimes: You are the resurrection and the life....I know the words of life to come are true, but sometimes they feel like salt upon the wound. When I’m asking in these moments where are you? Where are you? Oh I believe, though its hard sometimes: You are the resurrection and the life."
At this same Christmas dinner last night, I was complimented on my voice a few times. That always makes me feel happy (see, there is happiness to be found even when you're sad), yet it also always makes me wonder. There were a couple questions posed to me about blues and jazz and once again, I am pondering if there is something more I can be doing with music....
Friends. Friends are a good note to end on too. They are loving. They are supportive. Even if no friend really knows what I am feeling, they know pain and they care. Thanks.
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