The Violet Burning - Invitacion Fountain

Cross the pond...

Someone said that once you cross the pond, you are never at home on either side. Someone was right. You don't. When I fill up the Jeep with gas, I long for living in a pedestrian environment with accessible public transportation. Then I remember being in England and lugging my groceries home in the rain, tripping on the cobblestones. Oh, how I would have given anything for my Jeep then. This is just one of many examples that I think about almost daily.

I have similar musings about giving up the producing position at my church. I thought that I would have a sense of relief and fulfillment. I didn't expect to feel lonely or without purpose. It's like I am standing on the edge of the pond, looking over at what used to be and wishing I was there and still not wanting to leave the shore I am on.

It's kinda like I don't fit -- no matter what I do or where I go. Peter writes that we are strangers in this world -- temporary residents whose real home resides in heaven. It makes sense. I love this world -- blue skies, friends and family, my garden, the way Linus lays his head on my lap when he's tired -- I could easily be seduced by the goodness around me. Then I turn on the news or the radio, or pick up the paper and quickly realize that I am not at home. I don't fit here and I'm not supposed to. I'm so thankful that God provided us with a purpose...something to occupy our time until we can make a final crossing, stand on the opposite shore, and not look back with longing.

Invitacion Fountain

All who are weak, all who are weary
Come to the rock, come to the fountain
All who have sailed, on the rivers of heartache
Come to the sea, come on and be set free.

All who are weak, all who are weary
Come to the rock, come to the fountain
All who have climbed, on the mountains of heartache
Reach to the stars, come on and give your life.

All who are weak, all who are weary
All who are tired, all who are thirsty
All who have failed, all who have broken
Come to the rock, come to the fountain

If you lead me Lord, I will follow
Where You lead me Lord, I will go.
Come and heal me Lord, I will follow,
Where You lead me Lord, I will go.
I will go.

Oh happy day!

Happy Birthday to me! Happy Birthday to me! Happy Birthday dear
Wa-Wa! Happy Birthday to me! Ahhh.....guess what? God gave me the
best gifts ever...a great earthly life, a better eternal life, and
amazing family and friends to share it with. I have so much to
celebrate! Thank you, thank you, thank you!!!!!
Sara

Lost for three more years...

For those of you who love Lost as much as I do, never fear -- there is a resolution in sight! Apparently, the networks have already decided when the show will end...in 2010. The good news is that it means 3 more years with 16 episodes each...which should run consecutively. No more of this 4 episodes in September, repeats through Christmas, 4 more in February and then the conclusion in May. The bad news is that we will probably have to wait until January 2008 for the fourth season to start. How will I survive without my guilty pleasure of being Lost?

Read the whole article here.

I don't want to be left out!

Even though I didn't get the e-mail, I thought I'd post my answers too!

1. What time did you get up this morning? I woke up at 4, laid in bed until 5 when the dogs decided they needed to go out.
2. Diamonds or Pearls? Diamonds ARE a girls best friend...
3. What was the last film you saw at the cinema? Meet the Robinsons
4. What is your favorite TV show? Just one? Veronica Mars
5. What did you have for breakfast? 2% Cottage cheese and two strips of turkey bacon and some coffee
6. What is your middle name? Jean
7. What is your favorite cuisine? Turf & Sod...Steak and Potatoes...and blue cheese!
8. What foods do you dislike? Seafood, eggs and beans
9. Your favorite Potato chip? Sun Chips please.
10. What CD is in your car stereo at the moment? Carrie Underwood -- I love the latest single (Before He Cheats)and I love to sing it with the windows down and my hair blowing like hers does in the video.
11. What kind of car do you drive? Jeep Liberty
12. Favorite sandwich? Chicken Finger BLT...or Cheese and Tomato mmmm....ooh I like bologna salad too.
13. What characteristics do you despise? Judgmental and condescending
14. Favorite item of clothing? Green winter coat
15. If you could go anywhere in the world on vacation, where would you go? Today? I feel like Rome...lotsa pasta and vino
16. What color is your bathroom? Smokey purple...I'm a girlie girl.
17. Favorite brand of clothing? ? I don't know if I have a favorite brand of clothing, but I LOVE Born shoes. I'll go out of my way to get them.
18. Where would you want to retire to? Heaven -- I'm sticking with LAW's answer
19. Favorite time of day? Right before the sun comes up.
20. Where were you born? Marion, Ohio
21. Favorite Sports to watch? It changes seasonally...right now it's the nephew's baseball games.
22. Who do you least expect to send this back? NA
23. Person who will respond first? NA
24. What laundry detergent do you use? Gain
25. Are you a morning person or night owl? Early birds DO catch worms :)
26. What size shoe do you wear? 9-10...depending on the time of month...ha ha
27. Favorite animal? I can't think of one I'm not fascinated with. There is usually an animal parade in the morning past my breakfast table...rabbits, squirrels, chipmunks, birds, sometimes even Mary Jane, the groundhog. Life would be so lonely without these fantastic neighbors. Of course, Linus & Sampson love them too!
28. Any news you’d like to share with everyone? mmm...I'm contemplating how to involve singing back in my life
29. What did you want to be when you were little? It changed daily, but it always involved taking care of other people (Psychologist, nurse, chef, B&B owner)
30. Favorite candy bar? Twix or anything Cadbury
31. What are your favorite childhood memories? Running back and forth between the pool and Grandma & Grandpa's House.
32. What are the different jobs you have had in your life? Fast food (GD Ritzys), Strawberry picker, video rentals, vocal coach, barista, day care provider, bill collector, real estate agent, office manager and of course, student of life.
33. What color underwear are you wearing? blue
34. Nicknames: Wa-wa, SaraT, WWSTD?
35. Piercing? 5. Guess where?
36. Eye color? Depends on what I'm wearing...blue, green, gray. One pupil is bigger than the other though.
37. Ever been to Africa ? No. But I've seen parts of 'Out of Africa'
38. Ever been toilet papered? Yup. Many times.
39. Ever loved someone so much it made you cry? Yup.
40. Ever been in a car accident? Yup.
41. Favorite restaurant? Too many to choose from...I love them all!
42. Favorite ice cream? I just discovered Ben & Jerry's Chubby Hubby. Chocolate covered, peanut butter filled pretzel bites in vanilla. Yumm-o!
43. Favorite flower? Daises and Lily of the Valley
44. Disney or Warner Brothers? Disney
45. Favorite fast food restaurant? Does Chipotle count? IF not, Wendy's
46. What color is your bedroom carpet? Grimy Gray
47. Can you parallel park? Perfectly. IT's a gift.
48. Before this one, from whom did you get your last Email? Ben
49. Which store would you choose to max out your credit card? Target. I love it.
50. What do you most often do when you are bored? Play video games
51. Bedtime? When I make it there, 10-11. I am notorious for spending the night sleeping straight up in my chair, with the lights and the tv and the candles all still going.
52. Who are you most curious about their responses to this questionnaire? NA
53. Last person you went to dinner with? Hmmm...I got to go out to dinner Saturday night with a couple from church. It's nice to have someone to eat dinner with.
54. What are you listening to right now? Mom's talking about what she watched on TV last night.
55. What is your favorite color? Green...orange
56. Lake, Ocean or River? Ocean
57. How many tattoos do you have? Just the one...
58. Do you have any regrets? I wish I hadn't spent so much of my life trying to please others and live up their expectations
59. How many people are you sending this Email to? No body!
60. Who sent this to you and what is something you didn’t know about them?
LAW -- I didn't know you don't like raw tomatoes! You always plant so many of them!
61. What materialistic thing would you ask for if you had one wish to make? A big house by the lake
62. Time you finished this email? 08:49
Phew.

Some updates because I'm not so consistant at this blogging thing...

Well, it seems like I have good intentions about blogging, but never follow through. Ugh. So here are some updates about things in Dozer-world:

1) My free-gan Lenten experience was completely successful. In fact, it is still carrying over today. Yeah!

2) The church Jubilee was this week. Gifts totaled 70% of our goal. Pretty amazing when you consider that the money being raised was to pay off old debt and there was no formal fund-raising organization involved.

3) I still have a room-mate. Sort of -- he's not spending everynight at my house. I'm hoping to rub off a little on him, but I don't know if I am or not. He's doing landscaping around the house though, so at this point, I wouldn't mind if he stayed all summer. I've always wanted a lawn boy.

4) hmmm...it seems like I'm missing something. I'll try to get back to it soon....