Dream•sync

and then some...

So I woke up this morning after a great Sunday evening and a late drive home with that raw feeling in your throat right behind your nose...  not good.  That usually means I'm getting sick.  Again.

It was easier when I lived by myself when the 'sick' season came around.  Mostly because my interaction with people was extremely limited so I avoided sinus things very easily.  Now not so much.  However, if I had a choice between isolating myself in my apartment and hanging out with friends I'll choose the latter.  It's worth it :)

So the fact that I'm not feeling so hot is clouding my judgment.

It just makes it harder to ignore comments like 'will we ever see you on the weekends?' and 'why would you ever get involved with that music group when there is so much to do here?'

Discouraging.  And hard brush off when this music thing has come so far so quickly.  This past weekend on the drive to practice I was praying that the Lord would give me lyrics.  Give me a song.  Sometimes I feel like I have so little to offer and other times I feel so full of my own pride that I feel useless because I'm in the way.  It's a constant back-and-forth wrestling against my prideful flesh and against the lies of the evil one who would try to shame me into silence.

The good news is I think I have at least one chorus.  And the beginnings of another song that I woke with on Sunday morning. Funny thing is it's like I was writing in preparation for this trial...  I've been reminded of late of Paul and the 'thorn in his flesh'.   And of the Lord's response to his request, "My grace is sufficient for you..." And I woke up early on Sunday with a melody and the beginnings of lyrics for this song.  Which I've been singing to myself for the last few days as if I heard it on the radio.  Kinda weird, but a blessing nonetheless.

Your grace is sufficient for me, Oh Lord;
Your grace is sufficient for me.
Help me remember when the trials come
that Your grace is sufficient for me.

So you can't hear the melody, but it's clear as a bell in my head... and now comes the fear that it's already been written and I'm just regurgitating it :)

Anyway, working on verses for it.  And I'll still need melody and music help, but it's a start.  And it's a message that apparently I need to remember. 

"My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

II Corinthians 12:9-10

and another verse that brings comfort...

But we have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us. We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed...

1 Corinthians 4:7-9

So a slightly discouraging day.  But not enough to make me discontinue the path that I believe the Lord has me on...

Listening to: "Fool For You" by Nichole Nordeman on FLN
Reading: 'Vitals' by Greg Bear. Just started and it's rough plot is the modern search for immortality.
Studying: 'Living Beyond Yourself' by Beth Moore. Week 5: Peace Be with You. Still catching up on homework :)

For those of you at Prayer & Praise last night and for those of you who are just interested in the chocolate pie recipe :)  My family makes these pies every year for Christmas.

This recipe is usually found inside the Baker's German's Sweet Chocolate box, but as microwaves came out they modified the recipe.  This is the 'old school' stove top method.  Something about nuking chocolate doesn't seem right to me...  Next time I make something for a recipe I'll post pictures... Enjoy :)

Prep Time:

• 10-15 minutes to make
• 3-4 hours to set
  

Ingredients:

• 1 Baker's German's Sweet Chocolate Bar (in the green box)
  
• 4 oz cream cheese, softened
  
• 1/3 cup milk, divided
  
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 2 cups cool whip
• 1 graham cracker crust
  

Directions:

1. Place the chocolate bar and 2 tablespoons of milk (taken from the 1/3 cup) in a medium to large sauce pan.  Heat on medium, stirring often till the chocolate is melted and the 2 tablespoons of milk are mixed in.  Be careful not to burn the chocolate as it will ruin the taste of the whole pie :)  Remove from heat.
   
2. Add the cream cheese, sugar and remaining milk.  Stir until smooth.  
3. Fold in the cool whip until the color is consistent.
   
4. Pour into graham cracker crust and add a dollop of cool whip to the top.  I like to add either mini chocolate chips or chocolate curls to garnish the top.
   
5. Freeze for 3-4 hours and pull out 15-20 minutes before serving to allow it to thaw for cutting. 

Usually you want to eat these when they are just starting to thaw. Last night they had a chance to soften up a bit too much. Still tastes good though :)

Finally set up my stereo in my office, so I can actually listen to the radio - specifically FLN.  At one point I started listening to my 'old' radio stations - the ones I grew up with...and though I liked hearing some of the same songs I remember from way back when, it reminded me why I walked away from listening to those types of stations.  The world view they project is not Biblical by any stretch of interpretation.

Which is why I'm careful about the music I choose to listen to.  And why I've come to believe knowing the lyrics of the songs I listen to is so important.  Words are powerful.  And why listening to FLN is so refreshing :)

And now the real reason for writing today after such a long blog pause - I just heard a Sidewalk Prophets song and it really struck me today, so I thought I'd put the lyrics up.  I pulled them from their website which you can find here:  Sidewalk Prophets - The Words I Would Say

The Words I Would Say

Three in the morning, and I’m still awake
So I picked up a pen and a page
And I started writing just what I’d say
If we were face to face

I’d tell you just what you mean to me
Tell you these simple truths

CHORUS
Be strong in the Lord
And never give up hope
You’re gonna do great things
I already know
God’s got His hand on You
So don’t live life in fear
Forgive and forget
But don’t forget why you’re here
Take your time and pray
These are the words I would say

Last time we spoke you said you were hurting
And I felt your pain in my heart
I want to tell you that I keep on praying
That love will find you where you are

I know cause I’ve already been there
So please hear these simple truths

CHORUS

Say… from one simple life to another
I will say… come find peace in the Father

Be strong in the Lord
And never give up hope
You’re gonna do great things
I already know
God’s got His hand on You
So don’t live life in fear
Forgive and forget
But don’t forget why you’re here

Take your time and pray
And thank God for each day
His love will find a way
These are the words I would say

Felt like someone would need to hear these words as much as I did today :)

Listening to: "Revelation" by Third Day
Reading: 'The Body Farm' by Patricia Cornwell. Just finished '206 Bones' by Kathy Reichs and started on this novel.  Stuck in the forensic murder mystery genre lately.
Studying: 'Living Beyond Yourself' by Beth Moore. Week 5: Peace Be with You. Still working through the homework for this week even though my friend and I already met and watched the video (which was good). She's gone for a few weeks so we won't meet again until early December.  That gives me plenty of time to catch up on my homework :) 

Edit - I've just fixed the comments section - hopefully you can see the captcha words and enter them on the posts now... Thanks Traci for pointing this out :)

It's been an odd Monday.

First, I woke up from an intense dream about someone purchasing the land next to ours and building a huge complex - to the point where they started building on our property and were claiming eminent domain. Marble tiles planted directly in the ground, a multi-level castle-like complex, and a foreman dressed in a full suit with broad shoulders.  More on this later I suppose...

Got up at a normal time, and was in the office early because of the time change.  Started working and enjoying the day.

Lunch - I did 24 'clean & jerks' - essentially lifting 24 1/2 inch sheet rock panels  from the first floor of the barn up to the second for my Dad to grab and pile.  Let's just say I was happy when the last one made it to the top.

Back to work, tweaking code and getting ready for a benefits meeting.  In the meeting and a very shocking thing happened outside my window...  but I should preface this first.

Before I get to that event, a few quick tidbits to document - first, I hit a deer on my way to the finger lakes on Friday evening.  Or rather the deer hit me.  Two little 'knee' dent in the driver's side front wheel fender, a dent behind my door, and another dent on the driver's side rear wheel fender.  All minor, and some my dad even got out this morning.  So very thankful to the Lord that He spared my car (and me) from a lot more damage :)

Second - I went down and grouted the cabin today.  Dad came when we laid it, and I went back down later after it had set to wipe it off.  It looks good.

Ok - back to the crazy thing that happened...I have many squirrels that frequent my feeders.  And chipmunks.  And deer. And a curious red-bellied woodpecker that apparently likes corn.   Here are some recent shots...be sure to click on them for a high res version.