Opions please
Thinking about this for a small tattoo on my left hand

Celebrating Freedom!

Freedom... funny word - sounds like it would be "free"... but it never is. 

As Americans our "free"dom was purchased by the blood of thousands of soldiers - in countless battles throughout our history.  From the Independence war to the War to End all Wars - to the forgotten wars of Korea and Vietnam and to the current wars against terrorism... our freedom has come at the highest of prices... the lives of young men and women. 

As a Christian, my "free"dom has come at an equally high price - the blood and life of my savior, Jesus Christ.  Christ paid the ultimate price for you and I to live free from sin and condemnation - to give us the gift of forgiveness.  Funy thing is we often don't receive it as freely as it is given.    We tend to put our own mis-guided values on these gifts - we could never deserve it and so we have a hard time receiving it. 

But, can we ever deserve any freedom?  How can we be worthy of any man's shed blood - whether it be that of the American soldier or of our Savior?  Thus the definition of sacrifice and love.  "Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends."  John 15:13

Happy Independence day!

Regrets

I was having a conversation last night with two friends about regret.  The question put to me was – “do you have any regrets”.  My answer was no. 

 

Now that’s not to say that there aren’t times that I look back on my life and wonder what it would have been like if I had made a different choice – but I do not regret the choices that I have made.  Here’s why…

 

My parents raised us with a high level of personal accountability.  Mom said everything in life is a choice – even not choosing is a choice.  And, she said that if you were going to do something, choose those things you didn’t need to hide from your family, your friends and most importantly yourself.  She told me once that if I wasn’t hoss enough to say I did it, then I didn’t need to be doing it.  And, I took that to heart.  Dad said that if you couldn’t be at peace in making a choice you shouldn’t make it.  It took me a long time to realize that being at peace did not mean being satisfied with the status quo or settling for less than what you want or deserve.  It simply meant that you could live with the outcome or consequences of a choice.  And so I set out in life to look for the choices that would allow me to have peace of mind and that I would not be ashamed of. 

 

Additionally, I have come to believe that as a Christian – to have regrets does not honor God.  If I am going through my Christian life praying and striving to be in the center of God’s will – and making choices I believe I am led to make – how can I regret them?  Isn’t that like saying that God misled me?  And if I earnestly make a mistake in following God’s will for me and regret it – does that not question the grace God has to cover my mistakes?  The Bible tells us that God can bring good from any circumstance.  If I regret the circumstances in my life – does that not cast doubts on whether I believe God is big enough to fulfill that promise? 

 

I am who I am because of where I’ve been, the choices I have made, the mistakes, the trials.  To regret my past is to regret who I am today.  And, I don’t.  That’s not to say I don’t have a lot to learn and that I do it right every time.  But isn’t it nice to know that God has the grace and mercy to cover me, warts and all?

 

Pastor Dave says that God’s mercy protects us from what we do deserve and His grace gives us what we can never deserve.  I love that.

Hi. My name is Cindy and I'm an emotional junkie.

There I said it.

You know what I’m talking about – the person who is never still long enough to think about their life.  The one who is either the life of the party or in the pits of despair.  I see you nodding out there. I’m the one who is always trying to make the people around me smile – no matter the cost – because I love the way it feels.  I generally don’t care if I look stupid as long as someone is laughing or it puts someone at ease.  On the flip side, I can suffer great bouts of fatigue and the blues when the good feelings wear off. 

 

Now, I have to say I’ve got a program working for me.  I have come to realize the power of the verse that says “Be still and know that I am God”.  Some days it’s my mantra.  Be still… be still… be still…  breath…  ah, there it is – peace.  Some times my therapy includes a couple verses of “Jesus Loves Me” or “Tis so Sweet to Trust in Jesus”.  And, occasionally those choruses have been sung rather loudly to silence the voices of fear, anxiety, loneliness or just the jagged edges of my mind.  But, it always comes – that peace and how sweet it is when it does.

 

The good news is, once you start working the “program” it becomes a part of your daily routine and sometimes you even forget that you’re doing it – it just comes naturally.  But it’s good to know it’s there and it works in those moments I fall off the emotional wagon and that peace isn’t far behind. 

 

Yes, I am an emotional junkie – but finding God in the still has brought me out of the depths and into recovery.  Yea God!

Happy Birthday Don!
Mood:  celebratory

Today is Tuesday, June 05, 2007.  The day before my brother Don’s birthday!  It’s hard to believe we’re as old as we are and we just keep getting older every year.  How does that happen? 

 

I thought I’d share some of my favorite memories of growing up with Don.  The first ones that come to mind are from our trip to Europe.  We went through London quoting Monty Python’s Holy Grail… “What is your name?”  “What is your quest?”  “What is your favorite color?”  “Aaaaaaaagh”!  We thought we were so clever!  I’m sure no one in London had ever been so funny as the two of us!  In Paris, Don entertained with his unique “Dr. Pepper hunchback” at Notre Dame Cathedral.  In Italy, he knew more about the Forum and Coliseum than our guide did.  But, he never could give us a good explanation as to what all that stuff was on the side of the gondolas and why it looked so much like the stuff on our pizzas for dinner – YUCK!  And, I’ll never forget standing outside the tour bus with Don at the top of the Swiss Alps.  So magnificent! 

 

I miss Thursday nights with Don – watching “Must See TV”.  He always made us a special dinner and we were always at home together to watch “Friends”.  He makes the best chicken and dumplings!  We used to watch Cowboys games together too, we’d turn down the sound and listen to Dale Hanson call the games.  Those were the years of the Triplets – Michael, Emmit and Troy.  We went to some kickin’ concerts together too – Neil Diamond, Madonna, Bill Cosby.  And, he would always use a couple of his summer musical tickets to take me to see some great musicals – “Cats”, “Les Miserables”, “Annie Get Your Gun”, “Oklahoma”… and then we’d wander out into the State Fair of Texas and eat corn dogs! 

 

“Madness is on TV”!  Ha!

 

Happy Birthday, Don!  I love you and miss you more than you could know!

Keith Anderson @ the Wildhorse

Emily and I went to the “world famous” Wildhorse Saloon last night to see Keith Anderson.  Keith’s hits include “Picking Wildflowers” and “Every Time I Hear Your Name”.  It was a listener-appreciation concert from 95.5 The Wolf here in Nashville, the same station that booked Sawyer Brown at the Hard Rock last year! 

 

The show was very enjoyable.  It was acoustic and they had set up three rows of couches / loveseats on the dance floor in front of a smaller, more intimate stage.  I think he played for about 45 minutes.  He did his new song “Sunday Morning in America”.  I’ve heard it on the radio a couple of times and I really like it.  We had great seats just to the left of the stage and it was a fun evening. 

 

Oh, and did I mention that Keith Anderson is HOT?!  Wooohooo!

My First Entry
Mood:  a-ok

Well, here I am, starting my blog site... Go figure.  I don't know much about blogging but how hard can it be... everyone’s doing it!

May has been a good month!  I've seen 3 Sawyer Brown Concerts, had a visit from my nephew in Denver, been to the beach and am going to see Keith Anderson tonight at the Wildhorse Saloon. 

 The Sawyer Brown concerts were great.  I got to see them on May 10th at the Wildhorse with Bucky Covington.  That was fun.  Shayne, his wife Kristin and Hobie from SB sang background vocals for Bucky and it was a real treat.  Then SB did a full show.  Then we traveled to Vicksburg MS for two shows on Friday and Saturday night.  Shayne and Hobe did new solos there and it was a hoot! 

Earlier in the month, my nephew Benjamin came down from Denver for a visit.  We had a wonderful time - went to Carnton Plantation and the Carter House - to pivotal sites in the Battle of Franklin - very fascinating.  We also went to see Spider Man 3 and spent some time at Dave & Busters - where he promptly beat me at skeeball, air hockey and racing... but I did have the high score in skeeball that he never beat... Yeah ME!  We went to a Nashville Sounds baseball game with some friends as well.  Bk's an awesome young man and his visit was such a treat. 

Later in the month, Leli, Emily and Linda and I went to Virginia Beach for our annual "Girls trip".  It was a blast.  I went parasailing for the first time - and can't wait to go again!  I also rode a ride called the skyscraper - that went 16 stories up and flipped you around backwards and forwards!  It was a scream!  We visited Ambiance Day Spa and Salon again - where I got a hot stone massage - HIGHLY recommend.  On Sunday, Linda and Emily went to see Billy Currington!  Emily is still grinning! 

 Guess that's May.  Hope this blogging thing is as fun as I hope it will be.  Welcome to my world!