Seeking Authentic Voice

Yesterday, my so called "day off" was a flurry of activity - way too busy. From seeing an attorney in the morning regarding my illness and whether I ought to pursue a law suit (I don't want too, but it seems I do have a case of dentist neglect which made the condition worse). Then a lunch meeting, then a Dr. appt with my son, then a long phone interview with the search committee for a potential new call. Geez . so today, while not my day off, will be much more relaxing. I only have to pay bills on line, write a sermon, organize my thoughts for the annual meeting on Sun. exercise, maybe go to dog park (cold and snowy, so not muddy). And then another Dr. appt with my son (chiropractor, TMJ and headaches).... Here's the topic: When your day off isn't a day off, do you take another one that same week? How do you find the space and time for rest and renewal when really busy? Can one find sabbath time in just a few minutes or hours of a day? Does it "count"...

My friends have encouraged me to see an attorney regarding the infection I got last fall which landed me in the hospital for 11 days. I see one today to determine if the dentist treating me at that time is culpable for the severity of the infection. I really hate to do this. I am not a litigious person and think that sometimes things just happen, not every circumstance in life has someone to "blame." On the other hand this infection was really bad and I was quite sick, and it may have been avoidable if the dentist had given me antibiotics from the get go.... So this morning I see an attorney and we'll see what happens. Then tonight I have a phone interview for a job search, a potential new parish call. I need to spend time preparing for that. My sweet kitten is laying on my lap sleeping and purring, I'd rather just sit here. But I need to get up and exercise and get ready for my day. Monday is supposed to be my day off.

The headlines on Monday said Windy v’s Indy! The Bears are going to the Super Bowl, and they’re playing the Indianapolis Colts. Tony Dungy is the head coach of the Colts, and Lovie Smith is the head coach of the Bears, and as it turns out these two have a long history together in the NFL. Eleven years ago Tony Dungy was the head coach in Tampa Bay and he gave Lovie Smith his first coaching job as the Buccaneers linebacker coach . They worked together for over 4 years. Now, on Feb. fourth these two men are and their respective teams are headed for the Super Bowl. In Tuesday’s Daily Herald Lovie is quoted as saying: “A dream of mine was a chance to play the Colt’s. My dream was for Tony to get to the Super Bowl. That dream has been fulfilled. Now it’s about the Chicago Bears winning that Super Bowl.” All around this part of the Midwest, is Super Bowl fever – on the news, in the papers, even making national news, and in our every day conversations, young and old, men and women, alike. Win...

Self Care: list four things I do for self care and one thing I'd love to do but never have 1. Meditate: I use to do this twice a day for twenty minutes. Now I do it once a day for 30, usually in the afternoon. 2. Exercise: I use to (before I got sick and landed in the hospital) exercise about 40 minutes a day. Now I am working that back into my daily (almost) routine, I work out about 20 minutes. Once winter leaves I'll increase it because we can go back to Dog Park, which is just too muddy these days. 3. Afternoon Tea and Chocolate: most days I stop for a cup of Earl Grey with skim milk and a few pieces of dark chocolate. I usually blog while I sip the tea and eat the chocolate 4: I am seeing a Chiropractor for the first time in my life. He is doing acupressure and various adjustments to help my body heal from being sick, and build up a healthier me so I don't get sick again. Usually I get monthly massages but I haven't been able to afford that lately. And I do have a ...

I spent a small part of my morning wandering through a music store looking to use a gift card from Christmas. Thursday mornings I have a standing appointment about 40 minutes from my house. It's a good time to listen to music while I drive, and I'm always looking for new music and groups to listen too. I thought about buying an Elton John (oh, too many choices since I don't have any CD's of his, just old albums). I thought about Red Hot Chili Peppers, one of my fav groups...I have their best of and love it, but no, not exactly what I had in mind. I looked at Dixie Chicks, another fav , but I only have their new one, Home By Another Way, and I don't know if I'd like their older stuff. I briefly considered ColdPlay , but couldn't find them (didn't look very hard). Eventually I settled on the new Indigo Girls two disk CD. I chose this because I heard them interviewed on the radio about the CD and I've been meaning to pick it up...I heard a few tracks...

Is this a good idea, to spend Wednesday's wondering about what ifs? Somehow I doubt it, but it is where the stillness led me so I'm willing to check it out and see. May be a very short lived segment of my writing and musings... I use to think that God had a plan and that all I had to do was figure out God's plan for me and I could make the right choices and decisions in my life, and all would be good. But as a result I would also struggle over decisions, should I do this or that? Then one day a good friend of mine said, "You know, God gives us choices, and God will go with us wherever we choose to go. In this way God continues to create and re-create with us as co-creators in the process." So, now I worry less about making the one "right" decision. Instead I aim to spend time discerning where God is in my life and making the best decision I can with the information I have, trusting that God will go with me. But that also means there is lots of possibilit...

1. Why would a Doctors office charge a $25. oo yearly Administration Fee that appears to be for no other purpose than for the office to collect an additional $25.00 from each patient. 2. Why would people so willingly pay this fee, no questions asked? I saw young and old do this, over and over. Me, I protested. And I hate to raise a fuss. 3. If they are going to charge this fee (well, and they do), the least they could do is have good magazines to read while waiting (forever) to see the doctor. 4. My doctors office is not a club or some other organization I join, but this annual fee insinuates that it is. 5. WHY does this bug me so much? 6. Isn't it just a little unethical or at least in bad form to charge this?