I Dreamed a Dream

John Michael Talbot - The Pleiades and Orion

Johnny Cash - Flesh and Blood

“Is 'fat' really the worst thing a human being can be? Is 'fat' worse than 'vindictive', 'jealous', 'shallow', 'vain', 'boring' or 'cruel'? Not to me.”

-- J.K. Rowling

"I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision"

"The only test as to whether we ought to allow an emotion to have its way is to see what the outcome of the emotion will be. Push it to its logical conclusion, and if the outcome is something God would condemn, allow it no more sway. But if it be an emotion kindled by the Spirit of God and you do not let that emotion have its right issue in your life, it will react on a lower level. The higher the emotion is, the deeper the degradation will be, if it is not worked out on its proper level. If the Spirit of God has stirred you, make as many things inevitable as possible, let the consequences be what they will. We cannot stay on the mount of transfiguration, but we must obey the light we received there; we must act it out. When God gives a vision, transact business on that line, no matter what it costs."

-- Oswald Chambers, My Utmost for His Highest

Faith that has Stood the Test

"The final stage in the life of faith is attainment of character. There are many passing transfigurations of character; when we pray we feel the blessing of God enwrapping us and for the time being we are changed, then we get back to ordinary days and ways and the glory vanishes. The life of faith is not a life of mounting up with wings, but a life of walking and not fainting. It is not a question of sanctification, but of something infinitely further on than sanctification, of faith that has been tried and proved and has stood the test."

-- Andrew Murray

WWII vet's love letter found in thrift-store record sleeve

You've Got a Friend

“Human stories are practically always about one thing, really, aren't they? Death. The inevitability of death."

-- J.R.R. Tolkien

Photograph - Ringo Starr

"But if I turned from every show of love lest it should be feigned, how was I ever to find the real love which must be somewhere in every world?"

-- George MacDonald, Lilith

You Really Got A Hold On Me - Smokey Robinson & The Miracles

I don't know what's going on. Just been digging on Motown lately.

I got two babies, I got two babies...

Finally got to see Hanna. It's surprising how easy it is to slip back into that role: taking care of them, solving problems, buying things they need, making sure they get enough kisses....

Dad Competes In Triathlon With Daughter Who Has Cerebral Palsy

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/08/13/team-maddy-triathlon-rick-van-beek-cerebral-palsy_n_1773662.html

"She functions like a 3-month-old, and one of the very few things that we know she enjoys is being outside, being in the water, feeling the breeze in her hair and in her face," van Beek, 39, told Midland Daily News.
So, in 2008, van Beek -- then terribly out of shape and a heavy smoker -- decided he would start training for outdoor races.
In his blog, van Beek admits that getting into shape was initially extremely difficult.
However, he was determined to live a healthier life for Maddy and to share the fruits of that labor with her.
"I run for and with my daughter,"

Now that's love.

It's a Beautiful Day

There's something in the air. Can you feel it?

Bonhoeffer on Sorrow

"...they [Christians] do not go out of their way to look for suffering, or try to contract out of it by adopting an attitude of contempt and disdain. They simply bear the suffering which comes their way as they try to follow Jesus Christ, and bear it for his sake. Sorrow cannot tire them or wear them down, it cannot embitter them or cause them to break down under the strain; far from it, for they bear their sorrow in the strength of him who bears them up, who bore the whole suffering of the world upon the cross." 

-- Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Living Together 

I came across this as part of an old post, while going back through my blog looking for something else. And realized that I needed to be reminded of it. It's soooo easy to slip into that place of self-protective contempt and disdain, which is the first step on the path of hardness of heart, which will eventually lead you into Hell. That is, the Hell of being truly Alone here on earth, to which the actual Hell is just the natural consummation.

"It was as if the splendour of her eyes had grown too much for them to hold, and, sinking into her countenance, made it flash with a loveliness like that of Beatrice in the white rose of the redeemed. Life itself, life eternal, immortal, streamed from it, an unbroken lightning....Her beauty was overpowering; I was glad when she turned it from me."

-- George MacDonald, Lilith

Bill Withers - Ain't No Sunshine

"The business of the universe is to make such a fool of you that you will know yourself for one, and so begin to be wise."

-- George MacDonald

Hoʻoponopono

I just learned of this today. In their traditional culture, Hawaiians practice a ceremony of familial and community reconciliation, effecting "mental cleansing: family conferences in which relationships are set right through prayer, discussion, confession, repentance, and mutual restitution and forgiveness." 'Hoʻoponopono' is a combination of the words for moral uprightness and rectitude as a verb. The main feature of the ceremony is the parties repeating the prayer to each other:

"I am sorry.
Please forgive me.
Thank you.
I love you."

Lovely.