This came to me this morning. I reserve the right to change the name. Any ideas what I'm talking about? Scroll to the bottom read my daughter's interpretation.

The Kingdom

All is not well in the kingdom,
Though king doth rule complete.
All is not well in the kingdom,
Though queen doth serve humbly.
All is not well in the kingdom,
Though knights obey till death,
All is not well in the kingdom,
Silence speaks the threat.
Rally ye tongues!
Make dissent known.
Proclaim injustices speech.
Hide no deed in the name of honor.
Highlight the cord that is weak.
Bow to none less than worthy.
Let actions tell no tale.
Permit no room for doubt or fear.
Valiant slaves to noble cause.
Unite in purity for the kingdom.
Scared your scepter and crown,
Rebuke, rebel.
Embrace discord ye men.
Cry war, and fight again!

"It means whatever you think it means." I couldn't agree more. Ya gotta love "tweenagers."

Update

This was literally an answer to prayer.  Almost immediately after I finished yesterday's post, the phone rang. It was someone from our local library.  He informed me that I had in fact lost my keys (I got a laugh out of that). My library card (on my keys) was used to tracked me down. They gave me the contact info of my good Samaritan. I gave him a call. Turns out he's our UPS man. 

On Monday ("our holiday") my husband decided to patch our driveway. We had several thousand pounds of concrete in the truck bed. We were limited on time. I decided to move the truck to the patch site, instead of logging the weight manually. Great idea. 

Next, I decided that I'd leave my keys on the hood (or roof can't recall which) of the truck. That way, they'd be in plain site, and I won't lose them. Poor idea. We needed another load of concrete. The hubby took the truck to fetch it. My keys went bye bye. For hours we searched the streets of my neighborhood, and town. No sign of the keys. 

Turns out the UPS man saw them first. They were in the middle of the intersection nearest my house. He decided they were worth picking up (I couldn't agree more). He had his wife play secretary and tracked down the owner. What followed was more thank you's to Tim (that's his name) than I can count.  

We discussed arrangements to return the keys. I wasn't going to tell him where I live, but he's my UPS man, and our neighborhood isn't exactly huge. He knew my house before I even finished speaking in vague terms.  He dropped the keys off without my knowledge. I didn't even get to thank him in person. 

Funny thing is. I saw him on Monday delivering packages. Usually, I wave at everyone that passes. It's an island thing. That day I didn't wave to him. I was preoccupied.  He waved to me.  I'll tell you this, the next time that UPS truck comes by, I'll be standing in my driveway smiling and waving like it's a parade :)

Francesca Battistelli - "This Is The Stuff" Official Video

My Stuff: Part One

I'm just doing enough to get by. The "to dos" of today are covered well enough, so that I can cope with tomorrow's whatnots. Actually, "coping" is the perfect word. That's my life in a nutshell, "coping." I don't appear to be making significant advancements in any one area.  Funny, because twenty years ago (wild that I can now refer to anything in terms of twenty years ago) I thought age was the answer to all my problems. When I was a child, I believed if I was old enough, I'd have all the skills it took to effectively, and victoriously run my life. The years have revealed the lie of that thought. Life management is best when  there are plans. That doesn't mean having all the details figured out. It means having a belief system from which to approach life. My system has been my faith in Christ. Lately though, I've been feeling like that faith is on an IV, buried somewhere deep inside me. It needs resuscitation  The passion that once flowed from that faith to all aspects of life, is gone. Well, not gone entirely, more like lethargic. The simple answer is pray, read the Bible, and believe. Affirmative, and not guilty on all counts. Still, no cure. In fact I believe this unrest in my spirit is God given, and is necessary for change. There is something He wants for me. It's like I'm waiting for that "something" to happen, something big. I don't mean "something" flashy, more like life changing. There's the problem, the waiting. Patience is a good thing, but his isn't patience. This is more like I've been on pause,or  hold. It's like I've been hanging out on the sidelines of a really good game, but can't play.  Or for the shoppers among us, it's like waiting outside Saks during a 95% off sale. You'd have to be nuts, NOT to get involved. I'm nuts. I'm not really involved with life. I'm detached from it some weird way. I'm not living in excellence, and doing anything to the best of my ability, just functioning it seems.


Please don't hear me saying my life isn't full. That's just it. My life is VERY full.  I'm at odds with what's filling it, and what the filler is costing me. If I'm honest, I can do more, be more. I'm not talking about making money (although that wouldn't offend me). I'm talking living with purpose, and passion, and vision. Heck, living with energy would be nice! Also, I'm not claiming that I have answers, only that I see a problem which I'm unwilling to live with any longer. I refuse to surrender to anything that isn't apart of my God given destiny. The courage to write, and post this is in keeping that destiny. I believe I'm called to an honest life. No more living in the shadows, and shallow streams of reality. I abhor the shallows anyway. It's time to get real. This is my life. God gave it to me, and nothing shall rob me of my joy in it. I will live it by His might, via the fearlessness of His Spirit and truth.

In case you are curious, the catalyst for this post was something benign.  Yesterday I lost my keys.  That means that my "coping" today will be impacted by yesterday's mishap. It occurred to me, I'm tired of playing/functioning on the defense, and reacting to life's junk. What if I had a predetermined course of action?  It's time to go on offense. Yes, I know that losing one's keys is but a minor irritation. That's really not the point. The point is that I've spent much of my life looking, and waiting for something and as a result I've been asleep, deaf, and blind to other things. I've been looking for that "something" like it's something I've lost, or in fact never had.  I intend to STOP looking. I'm complete. God has given me EVERYTHING I need to live victoriously. I will no longer let my peace be defined by what I don't have, and thoughts of, or my pursuit of it. I CHOOSE in advance whatever God has for me. I choose to live not just functioning , coping, existing. I'm going to do it completely aware, and alive to all my potential. No more waiting around for something big to happen. I will be open to the smaller things, and to doing them well. I believe it's the culmination of well executed small things, that makes something grand. For me, for now, that is living on offense, living on purpose.
So this post went longer than I intended, but I said what I felt needed to. I don't expect anyone to identify. It's not for everyone, but it's for someone, even if that someone is me.
Phew! All of that because I lost my keys! Ya'll better pray I never lose anything of more greater importance, because that post would be ridiculous!

Something Tropical

There are some foods that once you've had the real thing, and you know what they are supposed to taste like, it's hard to be happy with anything less. Mangoes happens to be one of those. I don't profess to know a whole lot, but I do know how a good mango is supposed to taste. It's just one of the many benefits of growing up on the island.
For years after moving to the US I tried to find good ones.  Seems like that task gets more difficult outside of the state of Florida. Eventually, I decreased purchasing them. It was too disappointing to get one, and it not have the flavor I know is supposed to be there.
Sometimes though, when I happen upon a few that look good enough, I'll buy them. Once in great a while, I'll get rewarded for taking the risk. It happened this week. I bought a couple. I didn't bite into it. I only do that to "sure thing mangoes." Instead, I cut into this one. That way, if it were sub par, I'd be getting only a small taste of mediocre, not a mouth full of disappointment. Wow! It was good. So good. Almost as good as the "l don't care if I let the juice run down my chin and elbows" ones I used to have on the island. I quickly decided I was glad my husband, and youngest kiddo were not at home. My eldest daughter has a mango allergy. Poof! There goes all my reasons to share.
I just wanted to be alone, my mango and me. I don't know if it was the rare warmth on a winter's day, or nostalgia, but eating that mango was more like an experience. I can't tell you that it's the best I've ever had, but it did not disappoint. There really is no substitute for sitting under an mango tree, and eating them to your satisfaction, but since I can't do that at the moment,  and until I can, I'll be here huddled in a corner behind my kitchen cabinets eating them to my fill. 

 

Another Book

OK, last month I read for relaxation, this month's read will be for information. You see how I did that...? Rhyming and all.

Anyhow, seems fitting that I should read this book given the chaos in my daily routine. Truth is, my life is really disorganized at the moment, and on SO many levels. I've been grasping at straws to regain control. There are a litany of things I want to do as a parent,  a wife, in our homeschool, with our home and property, and oh yeah, for myself!!! I've had this book in my possession for an embarrassing number of years. The only contact I've made with it (beyond purchasing) is packing in various boxes, for several moves. It's time discover what's written on the pages of "Making Room for Life."
Hopefully it offers more insightful ideas, than my current solution: Run around all day in mad frenzy, organizing and getting rid of most of of our earthly possessions. Schedule everything, including checking the schedule. I'm also considering banning all people, thoughts, and things spontaneous.
God willing, there will be more to come on this book, and on the clutter I've been clearing out of my life, and literally my closets.