September
29 Hey that's one week that flew by. James Taylor was great but
I'll get to that in the newsletter. It seems like just keeping up takes
so much time that life is like the view of the ground from the window of
a speeding car: just a blur. It is so good to take time outs and watch
the sunset. Camping out with Dale and Kathy and playing guitar and singing
to the stars. That was a good thing. Meeting responsibilities is a big
part of the day to day' but the beauty that God offers freely everyday
( if we take the time to look) is what makes life special. I still think
about Cabo San Lucas nearly everyday, Jim & Penni, Randy & Terry,
many friends, and the beauty of the Sea of Cortez and the Pacific Ocean
right outside our door. It was not hard to pay attention to the wonders
of the world when we were down there. So my office is a little Nature's
Wonders kind of space and I listen to trickling water in the fountain against
a background of server fans, one must have balance and thank God that I
am able to breath in and breath out and hang in there for another day.
September
23 It's another lovely day in the great northwest. I love the
coolness of the mornings and the sun. But I truly love the rain here in
Washington. I love the deep greens and blues. Rain on the roof is a comforting
sound to me. It is peaceful to my soul. I dream while I am awake when
it is raining. It has a cadence that stirs melodies and harmonies in my
heart. It is somehow soothing to the blues for some reason. I love the
smell in the air after it rains. It is great to have shelter from the
rain and also great to to have the choice to work out in the garden and
feel renewed from the water falling from the sky. Sometimes it is a good
thing to not come in out of the rain. I love the late summer but I am
ready for the Northwest rain. It also helps me sleep and I am sorely in
need of some of that right now. Ah, to sleep and dream of rainbows, that
would be nice right about now.
September
20
I am doing the morning fog today after playing last night. Put the speaker
up at church at 8 am this morning and couldn't get it together to make
it to church. It is such a beautiful day today. The sun is shining augmented
by the guns going off at the firing range. I am making a goal of at least
one home improvement task each day. It should keep me busy for the next
several years. I am looking forward to the concert in Bellingham next
Sunday and Saturday at the Gorge watching James Taylor perform. My hands
are a mess from work and I am having a very difficult time playing my
guitar. In the words of that obscure songwriter, Greg Murat, Something's
gotta happen, something's got to give. I am going to try being a pin cushion
and see an acupuncturist. Wah hoo!
September
19
Well here we go again with a music weekend. I am making the big honey
do list of all the day to day things I need to get done. Sarah is working
on her song this weekend. Liz is doing well. Josh is hanging with the
Love Israel family and seems to have folded in well. I heard Freedom is
in Las Vegas. Chani is busy as ever and has moved closer which we like.
Andie and I are still trying to squeeze time for each other into these
busy days. Go go go. I have been working on attitude posture. If you walk
briskly with your head held high and move with purpose it fools your brain
into thinking you know what you are doing. Try it, it works pretty good.
Looking forward to the weekend. God bless. G.
September
12 The
month is half over already. I've been feeling pretty scattered. There
is so much to do and so little time it seems. The sunrise was beautiful
this morning. Sarah and I drove in together and had a few good laughs
on the way. There was a great message at church yesterday about supersizing
our lives. It really made me stop and think about faith. How do we really
believe God will provide for us and provide abundantly if we are true
in our hearts. I think the true in our hearts part is the key to that
question. Too often I poke at faith from a distance and don't really stop
everything and listen for that still small voice. I have a loud still
voice giving me lots of negative messages all the time. I need to shush
that voice and listen for the Lord. His abundance is sitting and waiting
for me to have the faith to make a withdrawal. Thanks Lord for another
day and for all the many blessings we have.
September
12 I haven't taken the time to write
lately. That means I need better time management. I have been heavy of
heart in reflection and remembrance of September 11. Humble prayers to
all souls lost on that day, and for those left behind. May we someday
learn to love each other the way, I believe, God intended us to do.
I
am going to Acupuncture treatment. Chani and I did this before and the
doctor's name was Dr. Au. (Pronounced ow) It is very helpful but not much
fun. I am getting some relief from the pain in my arms from all the repetitious
work I do. I need some down time with Andie or should I say up time. We
love doing things together but always put that on the back burner. Well,
there is always something cooking so we are going to have to change our
strategy because "we" makes everything else worthwhile. We need
to get up and move and shake more. Get out in the fresh air and maybe
splash around in the Puget Sound. We need exercise. It is funny that when
you feel tired all the time you need to do more, but activities that are
good for you. We do not do enough of that. We going to, I mean it. Right
after I have a little nap.
September
8 Seems like time is going by at
the speed of light. Parenting is the thing on my mind just now. Life is
choice if you get the chance to live it. We have all these people in our
lives who have their own paths and choices to make. God doesn't bully
us to come to Him. I love each and everyone of our children so much and
pray for them silently everyday. We are all so human. It is too often
the labels we place on each other, from Mom and Papa to Son and Daughter,
that leads to forgetting that we are all just human beings trying to find
our way. Life goes better with God. We have free will and sometimes we
have hardship and that is our chance to learn. Growing is not all about
making things easier. Sometimes we get shaken by a sudden illness like
our friend Dale. Sometimes we have injuries. Sometimes we make dumb choices
and have to make amends. Sometimes we just sit on our behinds and wait
to see what happens. My Uncle Frank used to tell me "Everything comes
to those who wait." I believe that old age and death is what comes
to those who wait. If you want to get somewhere you have to do something.
Work like it is all up to you and pray like it's all up to God. So Andie
and I feel like we will go nuts with frustration when it comes to being
parents. It helps to find others struggling with the same issues. We do
all we can to be the best we can, but our children's lives are in the
end, their lives. So one day at a time we will continue to be there, with
boundaries, and unconditional love.
September
1 Sitting in line at Guitar Center
waiting for the Labor Day Sale. I have only made it to one other of these
sales. It gets me up early on my day off and gives me plenty of the rest
of the day to get things done. I have a list of nick nacks. Andie did
say she wants her own PA to practice her singing in the living room. They
did serve us Starbucks coffee so I am happy. We have been scrambling to
get things done on the house all weekend. We are painting the outside
and winterizing and also hoping to get some winterizing done on the windows.
I love working on our "fort" together. We just plow away at
whatever we have to do. It has come so far since we started. Andie is
bringing in fresh flowers every day and herbs from her garden. I love
this time in my life very much. I am looking forward to new horizons in
music and life. Andie wants to learn to wind surf so I guess I will too.
It will get my circulation going.
Journal
July 2003
Journal
June 2003
Journal April-May 2003
Joules
Graves Freedom Taxi Riverpeople Smokin'
Gun