Lifesong

Wow...as tired as I am, knowing that my dossier is on the way to CA and will be there by 10:30 tomorrow (Monica, I know you are laughing at the probable lack of necessity for that to be the case :) has put me in a great mood. It has even given me extra energy, because I must say, working like I have for the recent back-to-school and subsequent first-day-of-school (today)extravaganzas, I am tired. The dossier took so much time last night...matching certifications, collating, verifying, falling off desks (the bruises are AWFUL!) writing big checks and watching John stand clueless in it all...I didn't get to bed until very late and got up very early, but I was fine today! I seem to have (so far) a lovely class and as my motto for this school year is, "I like everyone, and everyone likes me, so this is going to be a SUPER fabulous year!" I have no worries about the next 179 days of school. Yes, we start counting to the last day on the first day...teacher sanity saver!

Yesterday, as I was driving to school, I was listening to a song on XM's The Message. I am a lover of pretty much ALL music, and my program buttons are very varied and full! The song was called LifeSong, and I loved the message--to let my life be something pleasing to God and an example to others. Church usually gives me messages that speak directly to me and very much so lately in the last few weeks. Hearing that song yesterday was a nice way to reinforce my desire to show not only how I have been blessed, but how thankful I am for all the blessings. Keep reminding me of this desire, as my propensity for ranting is quite strong and I need to continually keep myself in check!

I *met* another blogger friend who is putting together a cookbook as a fundraiser for their adoption. I love this idea and am submitting recipes. She is looking for more, as well as a little story/blurb to go with it and if you are interested, she'd love for you to click here! I know that there are things like this that have been done, and contributed to, but I can't see how there are ever enough fabulous recipes and people to go with them! In any event, Emma will be a little part of her book and I'd love to see others I've *met* be so as well. Jengish told me that a dish there is sheep's eye balls, and was described as the second grossest thing in the world, according to the Travel Channel. I TOTALLY want him to submit that recipe!!

Speaking of Jengish, he said I could post his story about a man he saw. It really touched my heart, and I really found his analogous observation as so insightful for a young man. I'll end with it, but talk about someone's lifesong being a glory to God...Jengish is walking the walk in his efforts to help and love all of God's children. From Jengish:
One time I was riding in a bus, and this gnarly looking man walked in.
He didn't look clean. His hat was made by someone that seemed like didn't really know how to make hats, and he was wearing a dirty tank top that bared his gross hairy shoulders. And oh by the way, he was huge. He was one of those guys you never want to mess with. He looked like a criminal that could ring somebody's neck and go drink a cup of tea afterwards.

But then I saw he had a cutest little girl sitting in his huge arm.
She was resting her head on his shoulders, and she didn't really care that his shoulders were gross and hairy. For her it was her daddy's shoulders. And she knew that even if the whole world was falling apart her daddy would protect her. And when you looked at her dad you could tell that he will easily give his life for her.

All of a sudden from looking like a criminal, he changed and now he looked like a... Father.

Our Father is the same way, He died for us and He loves us so much that it's hard to imagine.

I didn't have my camera with me and I still regret that I didn't take it with me. But I still do remember that guy and his daughter. A pure love. Amazing.

Amazing indeed.