Birds flying high you know how I feel
Sun in the sky you know how I feel
Reeds driftin on by you know how I feel

(refrain:)
Its a new dawn
Its a new day
Its a new life
For me
And I’m feeling good

Fish in the sea you know how I feel
River running free you know how I feel
Blossom in the tree you know how I feel

(refrain)

Dragonfly out in the sun you know what I mean, dont you know
Butterflies all havin fun you know what I mean
Sleep in peace when day is done
Thats what I mean

And this old world is a new world
And a bold world
For me

Stars when you shine you know how I feel
Scent of the pine you know how I feel
Oh freedom is mine
And I know how I feel

How I came to find this is convoluted, but ultimately, I have Natalie to blame and THANK! Moved me to tears… Enjoy!

My dad, Amira & I walk the pier at the Kingston Ferry Terminal this afternoon. The sun had broken out and we could see clearly through the water to the sea floor. We were amazed to see an enormous jellyfish with an orange center (Amira said the jellyfish had an orange butt). I looked it up when we got home and found this photo (and below a video). Introducing the Phacellophora camtschatica or the egg-yolk jellyfish.

I sped read through the book of Job night before last. It hit me hard. What a troubling and challenging book! Paul covers very well in his blog what it opened up for me. I went away from the book both encouraged and shaken. If you’ve never read the book of Job… Job was a wealthy, respected man with a beautiful wife and family. The book describes him as the greatest of all the men in the east. An yet, in one day, Job lost his livestock (his wealth), his servants (his status), and his children (his heart). I was shaken because Job went through the hell on earth that he did because God was proud of him. Doesn’t that seem like a shitty bass-ackwards reason to end up going through the pain and suffering Job went through? Job responds to these tragedies: Then Job stood up and tore his clothing and cut the hair from his head. And he fell to the ground and worshiped. He said, “Without clothing I was born from my mother, and without clothing I will return. The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away. Praise the name of the Lord.” In all this Job did not sin or blame God.”

Can you imagine? I can’t. But that’s only the first of 42 chapters. In the second chapter, and on the second day, Job loses his health too. It’s at this point that his wife looks at him and says: “You are still holding onto your faith in God? Curse God and die!” Job replies: “Should we receive good from God and not receive trouble?”

Um, yeah. That sends a shiver (and not a good one) down my spine. I’m clear that I’ve thought and believed for, well, my entire life - that there is (or should be) some sort of protection around my life because I believe in God. I had a working premise that if I had enough faith, loved God and did what I was called to do — that I would be given a “Get out of jail free” card from the pain and suffering this world doles out willy-nilly. But it’s as Paul said in his post… “Calamities happen. They are senseless and they can come in waves, and they can come on those who least deserve them… But that’s the way it is. If one of your reasons for being spiritual is to cozy up to a Higher Power so as to guarantee you and your family’s safety, I hate to break it to you but you’re outta luck. We are vulnerable simply by virtue of being human, and no ritual, icon or amulet is going to make things otherwise.”

You can understand why I finished the book shaken. But why encouraged? This may be where you find it more difficult to follow me. Job honestly cries before God. He demands an answer as to why, when he had been blameless, that he is going through this pain and suffering. And God spends 4 chapters saying, in a nutshell, Who are you to ask? Do you think you can understand what and who I am and what I can do and do? I am God. And Job? He replies: “My bad. You’re right.”

Then Job answered the Lord, and said, “I know that You can do all things. Nothing can put a stop to Your plans. ‘Who is this that hides words of wisdom without much learning?’ I have said things that I did not understand, things too great for me, which I did not know. ‘Hear now, and I will speak. I will ask you, and you answer Me.’ I had heard of You only by the hearing of the ear, but now my eye sees You. So I hate the things that I have said. And I put dust and ashes on myself to show how sorry I am.”

–Job 42: 1-6

Once again, can you imagine? The story ends with God giving Job double his previous wealth, more status, beautiful children and a long life. (Sidenote: the story makes a special note to mention that Job included his daughters in his will when he died… that was unheard of in Hebrew patriarchal society. Just thought it fascinating!) Certainly, while this was sweet recompense for Job, any parent knows that the loss of a child couldn’t be made right by another child. So while God blessed him, it’s clear that the pain and heartache of the suffering he went through was not erased or forgotten.

The fact that we are defenseless against this kind of horror shakes me and leaves my heart trembling looking for a safe shelter to duck and cover. But, in another strange bass-ackwards way, I finished the book encouraged. Trouble happens. Suffering happens. Pain happens. It does. Getting clear on this, accepting it and not railing against it as unjust, unfair or unwarranted, there’s a settling of the spirit possible. A new way of being in the middle of my life opens up and it’s more powerful than I expected. It’s the bumper sticker, “shit happens.” And then what? It’s up to me who I will be in the shit. Open, honest, angry, confused, and yet still reliant, believing in God, praising God and knowing that God is with me - if Job is the example I use.

It’s the ultimate living in the moment. The ultimate zen. The ultimate peace.

God is, well, God. The Lord gives and takes away. Praise the name of the Lord.

It Couldn’t Be Done by Edgar A. Guest

Somebody said that it couldn’t be done,
But he with a chuckle replied
That “maybe it couldn’t,” but he would be one
Who wouldn’t say so till he’d tried.
So he buckled right in with the trace of a grin
On his face. If he worried he hid it.
He started to sing as he tackled the thing
That couldn’t be done, and he did it.

Somebody scoffed: “Oh, you’ll never do that;
At least no one ever has done it”;
But he took off his coat and he took off his hat,
And the first thing we knew he’d begun it.
With a lift of his chin and a bit of a grin,
Without any doubting or quiddit,
He started to sing as he tackled the thing
That couldn’t be done, and he did it.

There are thousands to tell you it cannot be done,
There are thousands to prophesy failure;
There are thousands to point out to you, one by one,
The dangers that wait to assail you.
But just buckle in with a bit of a grin,
Just take off your coat and go to it;
Just start to sing as you tackle the thing
That “cannot be done,” and you’ll do it.”

Driving home from the grocery store today, I spotted a sign posted to the stop sign that read: “lost jackhammer”. Not exactly what I was expecting to read. It went on to describe it, the year, brand, make, color and so on. But what it neglected to say is if it had been on leash or not when it got away…

Anybody want/need a lightly used LeapFrog refrigerator magnet set? You can check out information on it here at Amazon.com. Amira loved this set, but has outgrown it. I’m happy to give it to anyone who could use them for free, I just ask $5 for shipping. If you want it, let me know and I’ll send you my PayPal information to send the money for shipping.

What you see and hear depends a good deal on where you are standing; it also depends on what kind of a person you are.

–C.S. Lewis

Two men from Georgia are holding a press conference in California today at noon (PST) to reveal what they say is Bigfoot.

Matthew Whitton and Rick Dyer, a pair of Bigfoot-hunting hobbyists from north Georgia, say they found the creature’s body in a wooded area and spotted several similar creatures that were still alive.

The carcass of the furry half-man, half-ape is 7 feet, 7 inches tall and weighs more than 500 pounds, they say. However, the two are not disclosing the exact location of their discovery to protect the remaining creatures.

Tom Nelson, chairman of the biology department at North Georgia College and State University in Dahlonega, said he’s “pretty skeptical” the world will feast its eyes on a new species Friday.

CNN

Iconic Bigfoot footage from back in the day:

Did you know that gorillas went undiscovered except by local folklore until the mid 1800s? The folklore and unbelievability of the existence of gorillas was the comparable then to what we hear about Bigfoot now. Wouldn’t it be fascinating to discover Sasquatch? Given past history on this, chances are high its a hoax — but wouldn’t it just be so incredible if it wasn’t?

By the way, one of my favorite children’s books is Searching for Sasquatch by Nathaniel Lachenmeyer. I love this story as a parable for faith, a encouraging example of how to deal with differing beliefs, and peer pressure. It’s a fun story, with colorful and playful illustrations. Amira & I both love it!

From Utah’s Daily Herald review:

“Arlo loves the time he spends in the woods with his dad, looking for Sasquatch. He loves it so much that he can’t wait to tell everyone about his summer when school starts. But first his teacher, then the class bully tells Arlo that Sasquatch doesn’t exist, and Arlo begins to feel ashamed about his adventures with his father. Are they right? Is Sasquatch only a myth? And if so, does that mean that Arlo’s trips with his dad are a waste of time? The subtle message of being happy with who you are fits in well with the delightful illustrations. Be sure to watch for the proof that Arlo and his dad might really know more than the teacher and those bullies give them credit for.”

Here’s one way to whittle away 5 minutes.

How many of the 100 of the most common words can you guess in 5 minutes?

Me?… only a paltry 38 out of the 100. Although can I claim a handicap of a 3 year old wanting (read: demanding!) a snack while I was playing?…

I’ve been out of corporate America for 10 years now. And for nearly four years of that, I’ve been home with Amira. These first years with her are blessing beyond measure. I can’t think of a single thing that I would trade it for. And being out of the 9-to5 system… the beauty of being the boss of your own time is amazing freedom and flexibility. I’ve had that. So, it’s with gratitude and my situation in mind that I humbly begin my next sentence with a ‘but’. But… my life is getting away from me. Hours, days, months and even years move faster than I can account for. I know this is a typical complaint of adults and we wish for the long days of our youth. What I’ve come to realize though is that my short days are my own doing.

After I left Microsoft, 10 years ago now, I became my own boss of my work days, my time and how I spent my each moment of my life. It felt like the ultimate luxurious indulgence to not use a daytimer, have a to do list or a document of job deliverables that I continually striving for. I reveled and rolled around in it. It was so delicious. And the first couple of years were pretty good. The farther away from Microsoft and the work culture I have gotten; the more my days have become amorphous. What was so delicious is now sitting heavy in my stomach like too much candy eaten at Halloween.

At the beginning of August, I expressed disbelief at how it was already a new month. It’s almost the middle of August, and I’m feeling that same disbelief. My days slip through my hands. The way my life feels now, I could crawl into bed tonight and it could very well be September 1st when I wake up. It moves that quickly. That’s a problem. A problem that needs to be resolved. These days, all days, are too precious for them to wash past me without a sense of place, mark and importance.

The solution, I’ll be honest, is one that I’ve known about for a while and have resisted. I’ve had this hesitation and reluctance to go back to living a life like the one I had while working in corporate America. But in that reticence, I’ve overlooked and thrown out what worked. And what works is having a context, a routine and schedule… an intentionality about my time. In the desire to not live a rigid life, I threw my life into a form of aimlessness.

I have been looking into schedules. Even when we read physics, we inquire of each least particle, What then shall I do this morning?

How we spend our days is, of course, how we spend our lives. What we do with this hour, and that one, is what we are doing.

A schedule defends from chaos and whim. It is a net for catching days. It is a scaffolding on which a worker can stand and labor with both hands at sections of time. A schedule is a mock-up of reason and order — willed, faked, and so brought into being; it is a peace and a haven set into the wreck of time; it is a lifeboat on which you find yourself, decades later, still living. Each day is the same, so you remember the series afterward as a blurred and powerful pattern…

There is no shortage of good days. It is good lives that are hard to come by.

–Annie Dillard, The Writing Life

Thank you Annie - as always, you say it so well.

It’s almost 2am. I’m tired but my mind is sound and clear. I promise. I’m certain of what I need… which means, in the morning, I’ll be digging out that old burgundy leather daytimer first thing.

Click here to read the complete article: ‘Make Your Body Hum: Metabolism, Part I’

I was certain I had posted this in the past, but searching my archives, I don’t see it. Gwen brought it back to my attention again today. Worth seeing again.

For more information, visit GirlEffect.org

For my friend, Amy!