It's All About Secret Places, People, and Things

Dear America,

"...For you created my inmost being;

 you knit me together in my mother's

 womb.  

I praise you because I am fearfully and 

wonderfully made; 

your works are wonderful, 

I know that full well.  

My frame was not hidden from you 

when I was made in the secret place.  

When I was woven together in the 

depths of the earth, 

your eyes saw my unformed body.  

All the days ordained for me 

were written in your book 

before one of them came to be..."

Psalms 139:13-16

give the guy forty days and nights, and look at him go...

even without coffee! Amazing... 

Trump marches onward, one day at a time, with or without the press -- and with a quick glance back to our opening Psalm, it's all of no surprise to the Almighty.

God saw it all, even before day one.

IN the meantime, this girl has done everything conceivably possible but spend much time on the blog.  Until now, February has been a no-show; filling my days with a trip to the right coast, the obligatory filing of taxes, and the completing and submitting of the necessary documentation to finance my girl's final year of college, plus, of course, the showing up for my afternoon nanny gig, time flies when you're having fun.  Again, it's just the stuff my days are made of -- albeit none of it as important as being president of these fine United States --  while none of it is a surprise to the Lord of All Things seen and unseen.

What a load, though, lifted joyously off my shoulders.  It's good to get things done and off our plates, isn't it?!  We arrive at a place fully liberated to do whatever we want....almost.

I almost showed up yesterday.... here.... on the old G thing; and then the fridge called out to me in desperation. Not really sure what that was all about, for my love for the blog is just as great as my love of a clean refrigerator; both of these things supply me with something...something intangible and valuable, and totally unique.  But let's not get stuck on deciphering which is more important -- the relieving of the back forty of the bottom shelf of the leftover dulce de leche that somehow puddled into the corner, or the relieving of the back forty of my mind of the strains and pains and reigns and gains through the day in the life of this American girl -- shall we....

The thing is, today is about this thing called supply.

Where does it come from?  How many ways does our supply manifest itself, either enriching us in the physical, tangible -- like bread and water....
Or in spirit, of an enigmatic quality, untouchable, and yet oh, Lordy, how we recognize it when we get smack dab in it, right?  That feeling after meeting a challenge with strength and grace....that feeling of finishing something we worked hard and long and tirelessly to complete...that feeling of seeing our patience blessed with something truly great, and worth every second of angst in the wait.

And honestly, it may just be that eating comes at the bottom in the hierarchy of needs when we find ourselves in the thick of things; our supply comes from a deep seated urge to create, to build, to make, to do, to protest, to repeal, to clean, to renew, to blog, to speak -- we will eat, maybe even celebrate, when its done.

I know for myself, my heart feels heavy when things stack up on my shoulders, when more than one thing is unfinished, when the list of things to do seems insurmountable, when the future looks bleak and the light at the end of the tunnel is no where to be found.  Large and small, we let all kinds of things bury our spirit, and sometimes even take us into dark places of our soul, wallowing in self-pity, or feeling incapable to find even one more day to take courage...Can you just imagine what it is like to be president?    Here's a slice from the pie of that link, courtesy of National Review:

"A president is “authoritarian” not when he’s angry or impulsive or incompetent or tweets too much. He’s authoritarian when he seeks to expand his own power beyond constitutional limits. In this regard, the Obama administration — though far more polite and restrained in most of its public comments — was truly one of our more authoritarian."

Truth carries the potential to heal or hurt, if looked upon through political eyes.  Hell hath no fury like the truth...

Some people are especially worried about the future under this president, President Trump -- those some being mostly left leaning free radicals, Hollywood fools, mainstream media, and community organizers far and wide and fully funded by George Soros supply of billions (oh sure, you can also count dimwits like John McCain, too...for the establishment just has no idea whatsoever).


My Jesus Calling book, by Sarah Young, hits our trust issues with nothing but clarity:

speaking as Jesus...she says.... 

"I am leading you, step by step, through your life,  Hold My Hand in trusting dependence, letting Me guide you through this day.  Your future looks uncertain and feels flimsy -- even precarious.  That is how is should be.  Secret things belong to the Lord, and future things are secret things. When you try to figure out the future, you are grasping at things that are Mine.  This, like all forms of worry, is an act of rebellion:  doubting My promises to care for you..."

God has already seen how this day works out -- as well as the next one, and the next one.

The key to life is to show up, to stay in the flow -- whether one day we write..... or rather, choose to clean out the crusty corners, the spilled milk, the sticky wicket jam pools of the refrigerator.  It's all good.

The key to life is to show up with gusto, no matter what it is we choose to do. And in this arena, I do believe this president's got this one covered like Covered California and then some...

The key to life is to show up and take the time to listen to that still small voice that gives us direction, offering each and every one of us --- in equal portion, by the way! --- what may be called a major assist in the making of decisions....like whether to go left or right, to go all in or all out, for the truth lives.  And you know what they say about truth -- it sets us free!  There is a right way and a wrong way to go each and every time, every single day, feel free to test it.

The key to life is to not only show up, but to grow up...meeting each day with a sense of recognizing that God has supplied each one of us with a purpose, a reason to be here on this earth, in this day, at this very moment.  As mind-boggling as that may be, prophecy and stories written thousands of years ago tells us so.  For God "knit us together" in the womb (more than likely, with a perfectly clean fridge, too)...

"My frame was not hidden from you 
when I was made in the secret place.  
When I was woven together in the 
depths of the earth, 
your eyes saw my unformed body.  
All the days ordained for me 
were written in your book 
before one of them came to be."

Secret things belong to the Lord, and not only are future things secret things -- but WE are; for we were made in a precious, secret place, and now, our destiny is knitted into the future of America  (even Trump's).  How powerful and remarkable we are, to be here in this moment, together.  And how essential it is for us to uncover our secret destiny for all the world to see.

[Here's an example that shouldn't be kept a secret...weaving a story of another girl named Gretchen and a room full of kindergartners and a community of babies in need;  this is what you get.    Oh yes, the All-Knowing Lord saw it coming long before the idea was conceived in the heart...just sayin']

What are you made of...what will you do with your supply?  What is the secret inside your heart that is only for you, in this knit and pearl kind of world made expressly and lovingly by God?

Will you live a life part of the problem, or break the chains that bind you, break you, bury you, and keep you from creating a life you were meant to live according to every purpose under heaven? This girl is pretty sure unity, along with cleanliness (tee hee), wins the day every time.

And One Last Thing...
returning to the siren of the fridge calling to me...
Even though this girl aims to eat every little thing I buy and not waste a thing...at the end of the day, garbage was made.   And it reminded me of a saying, 'garbage in, garbage out.'    And all of a sudden, the answer to what's going wrong in America came ringing in loud and clear.

For lost are the ways that have truly enriched us, generation after generation.   It's kinda like the latest Panera Bread commercial that goes something like this, 'since when did mixing food with non-food become food?'

Sure, it is about feeding our bodies with good, solid, real food -- in a balanced way, in moderation; for garbage in makes big fat bags of garbage out.

But let's take an honest look at what we feed our minds, our hearts, our souls, eh?

shhshshsshshh
It's a rhetorical question; for I know, that you know, that I know, that you know the right answer.

Enough said.  And perhaps, if the good Lord willin' and the dirty laundry gets done, this girl will see you tomorrow.

Make it a Good Day, G

Dear America,

First let's clean house a bit:

The opening page of yahoo, told of a different headline than what was really going on... declaring, oh my gosh... something that is terribly untrue -- oh, the shock, the horror, be still my broken heart.

Bristol Palin was not "out for revenge" on the "haters" -- and she did not think ill of Jennifer Grey winning the shiny sparkly globe of dancing jubilation, okay; when she said she had "the time of her life" it wasn't a dig, alright.  She was gracious and probably, very happy it was all finally over.

And you know, I really can't understand the controversy; when you have a show that allows voters to stem the tide, and sway a certain way, for whatever reason -- popularity or skill -- then you just have to two step with it; it's what it is.  You think Emmitt Smith got the big dancing ball by just his dancing shoes?   Against Mario Lopez? ...who were side by side with identical scores in the end? when it came down to "popularity" -- or who's got a bigger "fan base."  Pulleeze.

 America, we can't be a bunch of poor sports now, we've come too far, for too long, to have a bad attitude and snide comments get in our way.   Fair and balanced means anything goes, competition doesn't play  favorites, except sometimes, maybe it does!


Some could say, Jennifer Grey had a clear cut, pointy toe advantage  -- is that fair?  really? to have made history making the moves on our dear Patrick Swayze so long ago?  Who came from the family jewels of a rather famous father, a dancer and choreographer, Joel Grey, no less.  C'mon.

All is fair in love and dancing, especially when it is made for TV (and you know who really benefited, was ABC -- if anyone wants to get after somebody, how about we take a look see at the corporate media mogul over there sitting pretty on a table for what, five million, sipping champagne).  FYI, just guessing on how many people actually watched the series...I have NO idea, so don't quote me.

So, having said all that, I feel better; but let us move into other feats of journalistic wonderment, and review an article simply titled: FOUR IN 10 say MARRIAGE IS BECOMING OBSOLETE...November 18, by HOPE YEN, of the Associated Press.  Hmmm Hope, is that really what is happening?

Oh, and it's not just Hope who carried this drumbeat, much of the media picked this story up...kind of like a big mass of haters, sneering at the sacred tradition with contempt, as if marriage is soooooooo nineteen eighty-nine.

The article went on to note "in 1978, just 28 percent believed marriage was becoming obsolete..." after claiming it was "indeed, about 39 percent of Americans said...obsolete" only a sentence before. So in thirty two years, the idea that marriage is becoming obsolete is up by 11%.

after decades of divorce, Hollywood, and the ever so popular use of a cultural and relationship killing phenomenon -- none other than the arrow through the back by way of a sordid affair of the heart and soul, or after decades of children being raised with virtually one parent, trading weekends (myself included in this group) at about the rate of "29 percent of all children under the age of 18",  or after distancing ourselves from God, as a culture, slowly, recklessly, mindlessly, over the last several years to maybe an entire century -- the IDEA that MARRIAGE is becoming OBSOLETE is only up by about ten percent???  THAT IS AMAZING ...have God's grace on thee.

Personally, and being a half full kind a girl, I don't know how we did it.

I think that is remarkable, given where we have taken our culture, meandering the streets of dirty dancing, drugs, selfish ambitions, personal careers at the expense of family, greed, loss of spirituality and a connectedness to Something greater than ourselves, only to name a few.

Having said all that, Hope does make some alarming, but well thought out observations of the changes we are making, as a people: pointing out the effect of the "changing views of family are being driven largely by young adults 18-29, who are more like than older generations to have an unmarried or divorced parent...have more liberal attitudes when it comes to spousal roles and living together before marriage."

Hope also mentioned the number of people who would be sitting around the table this Thanksgiving could be in the range of about twenty people -- a family more than likely piecemeal-ed together with extended family, friends, step parents and siblings, and maybe even both parents -- but then again, maybe not (got about a fifty-fifty chance).

The thing is, not until you get about two-thirds of the way in do we discover a number that really counts:

"Still, the study indicates that marriage isn't going to disappear anytime soon. 

Despite a growing view that marriage may not be necessary, 67% of Americans were upbeat about the future of marriage and family. 

That's higher than their optimism for the nation's educational system (50%), economy (46%), or its morals and ethics (41%)...

about HALF of all currently unmarried adults, 46% say they want to get married. Among those unmarried who are living with a partner, the share rises to 64%."

You can read more at http://pewsocialtrends.org

Make no mistake, and let me be clear, now:  67% of Americans were upbeat about the future of marriage and family, according to the same survey, the same study, who declared Four in Ten say marriage is becoming OBSOLETE.  wow.

I guess it's all in how you look at it.

Funny could it be that the same haters of Bristol Palin (who really hate her mom) be in the same group as those declaring marriage as going away some time soon??  perhaps even, hoping and wishing and praying that marriage itself might meet it's ultimate fate, dancing off the stage, in a runaway bride sort of way, along with any and all family tradition whatsoever, in a warped Cinderella style Disney destiny...

Now, could it be that those who are upbeat about marriage and family --  the 67% crowd -- might actually be the ones who were voting for the underdog, in droves, that kept Bristol dancing, and smiling, all the way to the very end?  Just sayin'

And looky here, full circle, isn't this just a perfect week to give thanks and praise for what really works in society  (and what doesn't) in everything from marriage, to family, to faith, to humanity rising to the levels it really needs to be, in order to make a more perfect UNION...we can always strive AS A PEOPLE OF MANY OPINIONS and VIEWS to be better, in all we do, in all we say, in all we think about, as we go about dancing about in our own little world.

We can only hope, and give thanks,  and maybe even try a little harder from now on.

Make it a Good Day, G