A goal to work toward

I've been away on a journey of spiritual reflection and renewal. (Actually, Mr. M and I went back east to see family.) HOWEVER, I did discipline myself to pray fervently, with fasting, for most of the trip. The specific request and focus of my prayers was for God to show me practical ways I can help a friend who is in the midst of a great trial. God granted my request in a train station. I was flipping through a magazine and saw an article about walking a marathon. Earlier in the week, I had seen a man in a "Team in Training" t-shirt, part of a team of walkers dedicated to raising funds for cancer research. I thought for a minute, and figured I could be my own team, and give the funds I raise directly to my friend for medical expenses. I would just have to write some letters to raise the funds, and find a marathon to enter. Well, I got on the web and found some info on the marathon held annually in my town, and it costs a lot of moolah to enter. So, I thought some more, and I've decided to do this: I'm going to measure, on my trike, the distance of a nice, long pathway near my home. After I've measured the distance, I'll write to some friends, telling them what I plan to do (walk that distance), and asking them to help by praying and, if possible, giving. Then, I will walk, and walk, and train and train until I can walk the distance at a good clip (a 15 minute mile, at least). This way, there's no big fee for me, no overhead, no registering, and I can set my own schedule. My plan is to be able to do the walk near the end of October. I would ask all who read this to pray for my friend's health, and my perseverence to train. This won't be easy for me, but that is just what I wanted-something I could do that would be sacrificial, and require real commitment on my part, a joyful offering of my time and energy on behalf of my friend, a sacrifice pleasing to God.

Rufus is suspicious.

I know I'm just a dog and all, but something seems amiss in the M house. Something fishy is going on. To put it mildly, there is something wrong in the state of Denmark. (One of my readers can correct me in this feeble attempt of an allusion to Hamlet.) Mr. and Mrs. M. have been throwing together . . . video and still cameras and a laptop computer on the Mister's part, and books, stationary and pens on the Mrs'. part, along with an item of clothing or two, into bags and breifcases. My mistress has been acting rather odd all week, running around like a chicken with her head cut off. I must say, though, it has been extra fun around here of late, as my mistress' best friend has been around a lot. (She is also one of my own best friends.) Something tells me that even if my suspicions prove true, and Mr. and Mrs. M. do leave for a while or two, said best friend may just stick around to walk me and feed me and love me and make tea for me. My mistress, though, doesn't seem quite herself . . . a bit out of sorts, I'd say. My intuition tells me she has some anxiety over what to take and what to leave. I know she is going somewhere enjoyable, but you'd think she was the captain of the U.S.S. Misgivings. Poor girl, to be in such a quandary; oh, well, at least I'll have free access to all my usual accoutrements.

Carpe diem. Some thoughts before heading east.

Well, I started early on our big trip east. I started driving east through the desert, and didn't stop until I got to my friend's house. She wasn't home. I turned around and drove back. I made some good resolutions as I drove through the lonely desert, past all the Juniper Trees. So tomorrow will be the real trip east, the one with Mr.M, to his hometown, the one where we will spend all day in a huge metal tube with very little legroom.

Unwilling readers, cute little girls in pink, and tea.

The first thing that I feel obligated to share is that when you add milk to hot tea, the tea loses all its healthful properties. Don't ask me why. Ask a chemist.
Now, I am trying to make little readers of my dear neices and nephew. They all continue in opposition to my attempts, but I stubbornly keep trying. I believe that I am a good book-chooser, both for them and for me. I am currently (due to an onslaught of peer pressure), reading a book called, The Wind in the Stars, 366 days with George MacDonald. George was greatly admired by C.S.Lewis, who said of his writing that you can see that Christ is at the center of his every thought and deed.
As I was driving around town yesterday, going from bookstore to bookstore, finding just the right books for my favorite non-readers, I saw a very cute little girl in a pink summer dress, walking with her dad, and carrying her dolly in a pink blanket. As I looked closer at the odd dolly, I saw that it was a big crocodile she was carrying so lovingly in the pretty pink blanket!

I hope you all found something entertaining and refreshing (something akin to a cool drink on a hot day), in that random hodgepodge of rigamarole---which I have yet to order at an Italian restaurant . . . rigamarole.

Wading through The Mire of Uninspiration

I have nothing to say. I've had nothing to say for a while. I find myself yet again ready and willing to completely give up this blogging business. I have a family history of getting really into things for a while, and then just as quickly and easily, losing all interest; like jogging-I did 13 5Ks in one year, jogged a portion of a mile every day, subscribed to, and faithfully read each word of a jogging magazine, studied shoes for fun, and joined the local jogging club. Now, two years later, I may run to the kitchen for a snack, or run to my office to look up a word in the dictionary. That is how I am beginning to feel about my blog: tired of it, bored with it. I need feedback. That would be helpful, to know people are reading and enjoying my blog. Secondly . . . well, there is no secondly-just my firstly. That is my reason for blogging, to connect with people.
As you know, I have returned not long ago from a road trip to Seattle. That was fun--a lot of fun. No access to my computer, and it was still fun-maybe even more so. I liked having fun and meeting people and talking to them without the interference of the blog. I got used to that, and had to force myself to sit and recap the trip. Now it is 3 weeks later, and my husband and I are preparing for a trip to the East Coast. Looking forward to being free of the computer, and writing handwritten notes and hugging my relatives and going to baseball games, trumpet concerts, and maybe riding WaveRunners in Chesapeake Bay.
In more exciting news, I took an elbow to the eye this morning as my husband changed positions in bed. This was not a pleasant sensation, and has made me rethink my ambitions of being the next Rocky Balboa or Lara Croft, Tomb Raider. I also sneezed while bending down near my desk. That was not a nice surprise, either.

Some details of the big road trip of 2007

Our previously nebulous and ephemeral trip was finally planned, the route chosen, reservations made, and wardrobes packed. We left early on a Thursday morning, and headed north to our first overnight stay in aptly-named Greenwood, CA. We stayed with a pastor friend and his young family. From there, we drove into the middle of Oregon. We spent the night at a full house, bursting at the seams with friends and family. After a good night's rest and a hardy-and hearty-breakfast, we started off on the last leg of our journey, the long road to Marysville, WA. We were warmly welcomed by a gracious and hospitable Christian family. While there, we visited their church, meeting some new and some old friends. We went into Seattle for the evening service at a large church there, and finished the full day with some fine dining at Dick's drive-in. We drove back into the roller coaster of streets that is Seattle the next day, and went to the top of the space needle like all good tourists. We painted the town orange, and then had dinner with a group of friends. (That dinner included a televised interview with the Brothers Kramer, which can be found on the blog of tklog, http://tklog.blogspot.com/) The following evening, we enjoyed the company and cuisine of our award-winning host family. I believe it was the following morning that we hit the road, on our way back to that full house in Oregon. Wishing us Godspeed for our journey home, we were given a traditional goodbye tree before leaving WA. We were soon in OR, enjoying a restful evening. After another excellent breakfast in OR, we headed for the coast. We enjoyed that drive, and enjoyed it all the way to Northern California, where we stopped for yet another bountiful and tasty dinner at the home of my sister. We had live, home-made, entertainment that night, followed by two soft beds. We all walked to town the next morning, a met a friend for a nice café breakfast. After spending way too much time in town shopping, we finally made ourselves leave, knowing we had a hotel reservation in San Francisco. The Foggy City was the only one in which we had to pay for our lodgings and morning meal. We got into SF late, after experiencing a negligabe amount of lostness, and we left early. From SF, it was a relatively short drive home.
It was a good trip, a real blessing seeing friends and family, being welcomed into their homes . . . especially their beds (which, as you know, all become softer as your journey becomes longer), and their kitchens. It really does, quite literally, pay to have friends!


For a fun story, and a GREAT accompanying picture, see Marcella's blog, http://marcella-marcella.blogspot.com/.