Hello friends!! A Friday Morning Post(hopefully that’s not plagiarizing Dad’s blog) that I decided to quickly write. Sitting here at Starbucks. Greatly enjoying my “Best of Enfield” playlist on iTunes. I really need to listen to this one more often…so many lovely amazing, truly awesome hymns that lift up my soul to heights of wonder and praise. “There Is A Fountain”, “And Can It Be?”, “Crown Him With Many Crowns”, “Jesus, I My Cross Have Taken”…”Holy, Holy, Holy”…etc, etc. Simply lovely. Anyways, I shan’t write much else. My heart is full but fingers incapable of speech. I will continue to sip on my mocha americano and rest in the love of my God. Truly – sometimes it’s hard to trust in God and that He shall continue to guide my paths. But I need only look to the divine promises in His word for encouragement and comfort. My God shall always be with me. Forever and always. I trust Him and Him alone and rest in His awesome love.
Tag: life
The Baseball
So I have a little time and I thought I may as well write now even though I am tired(and yet don’t feel it). Mocha americano and adrenaline still pumping through my veins…last night watched one of the greatest games of baseball I’ve ever seen, not even taking into account the fact that it’s Game 5 of the World Series with my Astros in it. (And yes they’re my third team after Rays and O’s – but gosh if I can’t help but love them!) Last night though – so many moments of ups and downs I can’t even describe them all. It’s starting to all run together now…but I still vividly remember the end…we had been down so many times(4-0…7-4…8-7…each time we battle back). Finally we had the lead 11-9 in the bottom of the 8th but I know our bullpen too well and I am not satisfied…we need insurance runs, I tell Emily! And happily enough – McCann(the beast) provides – solo shot – exhilaration! 12-9 going into top of the ninth. Surely that is enough. And oh no. The Dodgers(pesky foe that they are) scratch and claw and even when we’re one out away from winning we cannot put them away. They tie the game. We fail to do anything in bottom of ninth. 12-12 extra inning time. We go into the tenth and I’m thinking there’s no way our beleagured bullpen stops them. Somehow we do. Bottom of the tenth. First two hitters go down. 2 outs. Then McCann is up again…hit by pitch! He’s on first. Springer is up – what a hero. He’s seeing the ball well…battles for a walk. McCann is on 2nd and now Hinch pulls him and puts in a pinch runner(Fisher). I’m a little nervous at this point, commenting that McCann is such a good catcher…we’ll regret not having him if this goes deeper. But oh me of little faith. Hinch and the Astros are playing to win *now*. And Bregman comes up. World Series Game 5, 12-12, bottom of the 10th, 2 outs. You dream of this. And…he hits to shallow left and Fisher is flying around the bases and oh he scores and oh it’s game over. 13-12 what a game. What a night! We all kept looking at each other saying “This game!” each time something crazy happened…a roller coaster of baseball I’ve never experienced before! So much cheering ecstatically – so many groans and heads bowed…but the end. Oh the end. I guess I’ve neglected to mention the fact that this game was a home game…I was with Erica and Emily and Michelle and friends downtown at a little establishment known as HTX Fan Tavern. Literally right across the street from Minute Maid Park! We decamped to an outdoor viewing area around…the 8th inning I think? And as we stood(and shivered) and watched the last few innings(me wondering if I’d get any sleep tonight at all – oh wait it’s morning now, hello midnight!)…I realized how rare a chance it is to get to be a part of such an epic World Series. The last hit that Bregman got…as we were watching, we heard some shouts and screams from people down the street…I’m wondering why they’re shouting when nothing happened…then thought…wait…is our game broadcast slightly delayed…wait…and then it happened and Fisher flew around the bases and everyone’s screaming and jumping up and down and and and baseball. Truly my first sports love and now I remember why. I may always remember this Astros line-up – such a special group – Springer, Bregman, Altuve, Correa, Gurriel, Reddick, Gattis, Gonzalez, McCann. Team of dreams. Go Astros.
And yes this is an atypical post full of sports and possibly a bit too much gushing over athletes…and it’s terribly sloppily stream of consciousness written…but I don’t care and shall still leave it for posterity just so that I shall remember what a fun amazing night this was. My (probably) sleep-deprived brain is not that great at writing eloquently. Alas. Somehow I still don’t feel tired yet. Apparently my strategy of telling myself when I went to bed that I was just going to sleep for a nice hour and a half nap worked. I feel so fresh! Went in to Starbucks and got my drink(and I gave Jake and Katie some chocolate chip cookies I baked yesterday!) and now I’m at work and the office is all buzzing about the Astros. As is proper.
I’m off to attempt to work. Happy Monday, all. Peace and love.
Ragtime
Saturday morning time here(well – technically afternoon, 12:03 at the moment!) and I’m at Starbucks with my mocha americano and my will to write is flagging. Alas. I have had a lovely morning…it is nice and cold outside – in the 40s! – and I did mean to go for a nice run in the early morning dark. My body decided it did not want that and I slept through my alarm…woken up by the sun instead. Guess I needed the extra sleep!! And truly I did – stayed up late last night watching the Astros game with Jared. And by Astros game – I mean World Series Game Three. Because yes – Astros are in the WS! They’re up 2-1 at the moment. Two more games. If they win, Houston will go crazy and it will be magnificent! They may only be my third baseball team(after Rays and O’s) but I’m still heartily rooting for them. Anyways! That was last night and of course it was much fun watching it with Jared. This morning after I finally dragged myself out of bed, went and had a great breakfast time with Earnie and Jake. Oh so encouraging. And now here I sit at Starbucks and it’s already after noon and I probably should go soon because I do need to do a little shopping, stop at the dry cleaners and then get home to do cleaning and chores.
So…can I write as much as I planned? I suppose not. But…I think I do have time to share my latest CD tracklist…composed a few months ago and it is utterly fantastic(even approved of by Laura and Caisson!). It’s story? Well – I had planned to make a more “melancholy-lite” playlist but I had also wanted to put some new Needtobreathe songs on. And it then morphed into what it is now – a playlist that starts gloomily enough but soon morphs into some good old-fashioned toe-tapping fun. Because it has a few songs that could be considered a bit more country/folk…it’s title is thus influenced. There are quite a few songs that have glorious harmonica! I also chose the title from one of my all-time favourite verses from one of my all-time favourite chapters from one of my all-time favourite books. As lovely as this earth may be, I do confess that I am a stranger and an exile in it. So do I present…A Country of Their Own:
1. Solitaire – Marina and the Diamonds
2. The Last Time(feat. Gary Lightbody) – Taylor Swift
3. All Too Well – Taylor Swift
4. Call You Home – Mangas Colorado
5. Black and Blue – Drew Holcomb & The Neighbors
6. Funeral Beds – The Districts
7. Money & Fame – Needtobreathe
8. Unbelievers – Vampire Weekend
9. Happiness – Needtobreathe
10. Supercut – Lorde
11. Forget – Marina and the Diamonds
12. Born Again Teen – Lucius
13. Great Night(feat. Shovels & Rope) – Needtobreathe
14. Trustful Hands – The Dø
15. Postcard Memories – Drew Holcomb & The Neighbors
16. Feet, Don’t Fail Me Now(Live) – Needtobreathe
17. Wasteland(Live) – Needtobreathe
18. More Heart, Less Attack(Live) – Needtobreathe
And I am now all caught up on posting my playlists. Finally!! I guess that means it’s time to craft a few more. One more note on the above – I do truly love it. It ranks up there with eyes closed, Heart Open as a list of songs that mirror my heart and thrill my soul…shadows the melancholy I sometimes feel…and echoes the joy that overflows my cup when I remember my true home. May all my “creative” endeavours always be thus.
Peace and love, dear friends.
Conqueror
Sitting outside Transocean building on my lunch hour. Blazing sunshine. Brilliantly blue sky. Soft green grass. And the wind blows sweetly. There is beauty all around.
Early Morning Dreaming
Happy Monday, all! I have not much energy for writing at the moment…but still thought it’d be proper to write a few words. Nice 3:45 wakeup this morning, breakfast, reading(Ezra – remember the gravity and terror of sinning against the holy God), etc. A little bit emotionally weary – always that way after a busy weekend I suppose? But I was encouraged anew upon driving to work and hearing some good preaching by Dominic on 2 Kings 4. Then got to see Jake and Katie at Starbucks – always enjoyable chatting with both of them, for true. Now as I sip on my surprisingly delicious mocha americano(recommended by Katie – will have to remember to thank her!), I sit here at my desk at work, preparing for a busy week. God is my fortress, my song and my deliverer. I need not fret nor fear. Surely, my God is with me to the end.
What is Not to Love?
Hello friends – happy Saturday!! I am posting at a later time than usual this Saturday…and a not-normal place. Currently sitting on my couch as I enjoy my raspberry/banana/spinach smoothie…most notably not at Starbucks, shocker! But I’ll explain why in a bit. It’s been a beautiful Saturday so far…starting off with sleeping in until 6, which was much enjoyed(and much needed). It’s been a long week, with work just being crazy busy and moderately stressful and most tiring all the way around. So last night was an enjoyable relaxing evening. Dinner of fish and potatoes followed by reading…started reading John Owen Vol 3 – “The Holy Spirit”. It may take me a year to read it but it will be glorious. Over six hundred pages of very small words…in sentences that are not easy to understand. But oh so worth it and oh so beneficial and encouraging to my soul. Thus continues my lifetime quest to read all of John Owen.
Anyways! This morning as said previously, woke up at 6, enjoyed a nice coffee and reading time here at the flat. Then went down to Black Walnut for a nice breakfast with Julie! We haven’t had time to get together in quite some time…so as I enjoyed my salmon eggs benedict and honey-sweetened coffee, we had much good chat(and at least on my side – I was much encouraged!!). Oh what a sweet friend is she. Following that, went to Men’s Wearhouse to get fitted for my suit for Julian’s wedding(which is in January and I can’t wait! Kelsey and him are perfect together – such a God-honouring couple. Truly glorious shall this wedding be!). After that, did a few other errands…then stopped at Starbucks where I truly meant to sit down and get some writing done. I got distracted by Katie who had just got off her shift and was having lunch before preparing to study for some of her classes. We ended up talking for over an hour about sundry topics…a totally unplanned conversation that was very enjoyable nonetheless! I do so love talking with someone that loves God and seeks to honour Him in all things. Very thankful to God for this random talk that He blessed me with!!
Following chat with Katie, I realized it was past lunchtime and I still needed to do my food shopping. No time to stay at Starbucks and write alas! So left Starbucks and went and did my HEB/Trader Joe’s run and finally made it home…talked with John and Camille for a bit before they ran off and I sort of enjoyed some leftover soup that needed to be eaten.
Now…I’m sitting here on the couch, half-watching the Michigan State/Indiana game(incredibly boring 3-3 game at the moment…) while I write this entry. This is a bit of rambling entry, but it’s been a while(I think?) since I’ve done one of these, so I will indulge myself. Soon I shall be off to Starbucks(yes, again!) to meet up with Earnie and Julian. It will be a sweet time of fellowship with dearest friends, of that I have no doubt. And because I really have nothing else to write…I guess I’ll sign off? Oh! I do have a poem that I need to finish and post at some point, but don’t think I have the muse at the moment. It’s the kind of poem that needs to be written at early-weekday-morning time…with the melancholy that can only come from brooding at work in the early dark. So – maybe next week you’ll get to see that.
Oh one more thing. Pizza Hut commercial just came on. I cannot wait until I can eat that again. It will be BEST NIGHT EVER.
Now I really shall end this. Peace out!
tEcHnO
A lunchtime update! Shocking!! But, I thought I might as well be random. Why not, right?
Firstly – I’m def enjoying my tuna fish sandwiches just now. I never knew sandwiches could taste so good…(plenty of Old Bay to assist with the awesomeness, of course). Secondly…past few work days I’ve been rocking out to assorted techno playlists on the youtube…surprisingly good work music, for some reason! Don’t be surprised if at some point soon I publish a new playlist with these influences. It’s coming. dance Vol 2. Of course – I need to figure out a catchier, more appropriate name. We shall see.
Now, gonna finish my lunch and then it’s time to drive over to Transocean for meeting times. Yay?
Peace.
Meanderings
Happy Monday, all!! I have a couple minutes to write and thought I’d just share a few thoughts. Right now, enjoying my peppermint mocha – and realizing how blessed I truly am. Sometimes it’s easy to feel alone(a la Elijah in 1 Kings 19)…and then God reminds us how false that presumption is!! “I have reserved yet 7000 that have not bowed the knee to Baal”…and I’m comforted by that. Even today, as I’m waking up and preparing for another day and another week of work and not feeling entirely joyful about the prospect, I had a good chat with barista Katie at Starbucks…spent a few minutes talking about our respective churches and fellowships and struggles and joys…and how good it is to have close friends that worship the same God, even if we don’t get as much time with those friends as we would like! So even a chance encounter with a fellow sister in Christ at Starbucks encourages me so – as God knew it would and as God knew I needed!! I have been continually reminded of how many reasons I have to praise God and thank Him for His abundant lovingkindnesses!
Now…just a few thoughts on a few various verses I read this morning…
But as for me, I shall sing of Your strength;
yes, I shall joyfully sing of Your lovingkidness
in the morning, for You have been my stronghold
and a refuge in the day of my distress.
O my strength, I will sing praises to You;
for God is my stronghold, the God who shows me
lovingkindness.
-Psalm 59:16-17
I do love these verses – how easy is it in the “day of our distress” to sink into ourselves and moan and complain and feel that “woe is me”. But no, our response – even in the morning when we are sleepy and not entirely coherent – should be to sing of our Lord’s lovingkindness. For He truly is our stronghold and our refuge and the only One in whom we can put our trust. He showers love upon us and so even when we feel that is not the case, remember that the Lord’s lovingkindness is everlasting nonetheless and sing.
He who gives attention to the word will find good,
and blessed is he who trusts in the Lord.
-Proverbs 16:20
A reminder to trust the Lord…which is oft so needed(at least by me!) – when all else fails and withers on the vine, we are told to heed the word which has been given to us…and trust in God. In God and in God only is our trust, our hope, our song.
When the kingdom of Rehoboam was established and strong,
he and all Israel with him forsook the law of the Lord.
-2 Chronicles 12:1
A chilling verse. This is how the chapter begins – it comes after a chapter in which the kingdom was prosperous and Rehoboam was building fortified cities and all was well. And then we see something that should give us pause. We think that in times of peace and prosperity – surely that means God is blessing us and we can relax! And yes, we can and must thank God for all He has given us, but we must be vigilant and not lean on a staff of our own uprightness. How scary is this – a king and his whole kingdom were happy and prosperous and safe. And what did they do? They…forsook the law of the Lord. May it never be. Long to obey God in all things as His beloved children. May we beware of complacency and laxness in the things of the Lord. Keep yourselves from idols.
And there will no longer be any night; and they will not
have need of the light of a lamp nor the light of the sun,
because the Lord God will illumine them;
and they will reign forever and ever.
-Revelation 22:5
Not much commentary on this verse, other than I really like it a lot. “And there will no longer be any night…” Oh what a glorious thought – no darkness or foulness or bleakness or night. Never again will the curse of sin blight the land and darken our souls on that glorious day when returns the King of kings and Lord of lords. Indeed come quickly, Lord Jesus. (Note the last part of that verse…*we* will reign forever and ever under the authority of our God!! Most thrilling and most humbling indeed)
Moved with compassion, Jesus stretched out His hand
and touched him, and said to him, “I am willing; be cleansed.”
-Mark 1:41
Lastly but not leastly…how does Jesus feel toward those who are desperate for Him? He here is moved with compassion. Oh to know that Jesus is not just all-seeing and all-knowing and all-powerful…he is all-loving. Who would ever even want to be in the same room with a disgusting leprous person? And what does Jesus do? He reaches out. He touches him. He heals him. Because he wants to. So is it with us…Jesus has compassion upon us – we who are foul and unclean and impure and utterly hostile to Him – and He reaches out to us and heals our hearts and purifies our souls and makes us His. Oh what compassion – oh what love!! The worst that we have done…He has forgiven us. Think on that, this morning – if you will. And if you do not know Jesus and wonder if this is truly for you…well, I just ask you this. Do you know that you are a sinner? Do you understand your filth and the darkness in your heart has sunk you utterly and separated you from the God of the universe? Do you realize there is nothing in you that is any good? Oh how that should horrify you. Oh how that should frighten you. Oh how that should make you tremble. But fear not – because despite the yawning gap between you and God – there is a Way to Him. Jesus reaches out to you – He longs for you to be with Him forever. Indeed He does more than reach out – He died a horrific death over two thousand years ago…so that He might bring people into communion with Him – so He might save their souls. He died yes. And then three days later He rose again – proving that He is indeed the Son of God and the One who has power over death! So this Jesus is full of compassion…for you. Yes, you may be lost and drowning in a pit of despair. But fear not – there is hope. Repent of all the evil deeds you have done and call upon the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. And you shall be saved to life eternal with God on High. There will be no more night, ever again.
That was far too many words…but sometimes it is good to write. And even if my words are all too feeble – as they truly are – my heart whispers continually of longings to be with my God and I cannot help but scribble down these cries.
Third Quarter
So…I came to Starbucks with the intent to write and maybe create something beautiful. Instead – I ended up running into a couple friends(hello Earnie and Kevin!) and now that they’re gone, I’ve most definitely not done anything creative at all. Instead, I realised I haven’t copied over my poetry from livejournal into my word file for a while so I went ahead and did that. Now, getting a hankering to perform some analytics on my poetry…clearly work is affecting me. Ah well, since the creative side of my brain is sulking and not cooperating, I suppose I’ll let the engineering side have some fun. Looking at all the poetry I’ve written since…a long time ago – here’s the count of “poems” by year. Obviously many of these both were and are not that well written, but I still do so love writing. An outlet of my emotions. A window into my heart, my soul….
2004: 5
2005: 7
2006: 6
2007: 6
2008: 9
2009: 4
2010: 6
2011: 8
2012: 10
2013: 9
2014: 5
2015: 3
2016: 9
2017: 11
So those numbers don’t really tell me that much, except for things I already knew(my Scotland period was extremely inspiring!! and…this year has been an interesting one. I’ve already hit my record and I have over two months to go!). I have some other poems I’ve hand-written in various notebooks but I don’t have the desire to dig through all of those to add to my file!! Maybe someday(probably never). Also – if I write two more poems, I will hit 100. Fascinating. (Ok, not really). I hope this poetry analytics hasn’t bored you all too badly!! I’m now going to stop indulging myself and will sign off and go off to store for shopping time! Have a most beautiful day, my friends – my love is with you all. Always.
A Candle Carried Up the Steps
I will yet catch up on my mix CDs…(as long as I don’t make more anytime soon)…so here is another one. This one is a bit of a different style for me yet again – I could call it my punk/rock mix, which it kinda is. I’ve for a while wanted to have a “Best of Greenday” CD…but I don’t quite have enough songs for a whole CD for that. So I decided to just make a whole punk CD. Why not, right? Consequently though – this isn’t the most “cheery” playlist. It’s a great soundtrack for driving furiously through Houston though!! And how do I explain it thematically…? Well, I could say it’s the cry of a heart that knows something is missing but knows not what. Or the rage of a girl who just thinks she has it all together…until she doesn’t. Or the tears of a boy who is breaking on the inside and no one knows and no one cares. Or I could let the title speak for itself. I cautiously (and somewhat guiltily) present…Lost and Not Yet Found:
1. Girlfriend – Avril Lavigne
2. The Best…Thing – Avril Lavigne
3. Sk8er Boi – Avril Lavigne
4. Complicated – Avril Lavigne
5. Hitchin’ A Ride – Greenday
6. She’s A Rebel – Greenday
7. Holiday – Greenday
8. Boulevard of Broken Dreams – Greenday
9. Jesus of Suburbia – Greenday
10. Homecoming – Greenday
11. Hello Again – Lost Prophets
12. Wake Up – Lost Prophets
13. Last Train Home – Lost Prophets
14. Last Summer – Lost Prophets
15. Embers and Envelopes – Mae
16. Christie Road – Greenday
17. Wake Me Up When September Ends – Greenday
18. Time of Your Life – Greenday
I did send this CD to Laura and Caisson and I don’t remember their thoughts on it. Must remedy that and see what they thought! Also, this playlist is an interesting one for me in how many of these songs nostalgically take me back to late high school and early college days…fascinating how music does that, mm? Last Summer and Time of Your Life in particular recall very specific and special memories from end of high school…some twelve years ago now! Ah how my God has blessed me and will continue to do so. To Him be all glory – always.
