Triple J

You blow me away sista friend!

If you don't already read her blog, you should!

New camera.

So, last night I learned that you can NOT photograph yourself with a Polaroid camera and still be in focus. The only exception would be if photographing yourself through a mirror.

This was the fourth photo produced with my new camera. I've always loved Polaroids so I decided it was about time to get one of my own! Who doesn't love instant pictures?

Also, feel free to donate to my habit as it is rather expensive, comparatively.

Gathering Players

I thought it would be fun to try to get some local adult soccer players together for some pick up games. I posted ads on Facebook, MySpace, and Craig's List.

Perhaps something will come of it. Perhaps not.

Writing writers.

I've always thought about writing a letter to a writer. After finishing Dave Bidini's 'For Those About to Write' I felt highly compelled to send a letter. So I did. It wasn't long. Just a quick something to say what I thought of the book. All positive.

I think I just may start writing more letters like that. Perhaps to the writers of my favorite shows. I'm curious how much fan mail they actually get.....

Grrr...

I'm rather frustrated with this template! I guess I ought to sleep on it!

"Good night Neverland!"

UNDER CONSTRUCTION

As you can see, my blog is changing - again. However, since I'm feeling clouded in the head (aka ill) it may be a few days before I get around to fixing the kinks. Thank you for your patience in this matter. LOL. I crack myself up!

Library

Yesterday, the folks and I went to the library for a little while. Landscaping the backyard is the new project of the week. We were sorting through books looking for good ideas and information. I came home with a book by Dr. Michael Breus entitled Good Night. It's all about why a good night's sleep is so important to our health and quality of life. He has a 4 week program to get you on the right track. I've figured it out in the first chapter. His plan is to write such boring information that you fall asleep reading it!

Only kidding. It wasn't THAT boring. I hadn't thought of many of the results of poor sleeping. One of the most interesting thoughts in the book so far, is that scientifically, we have not yet discovered WHY we sleep. I thought this was kinda silly.

So, readers, why do you think we need sleep?

DO HARD THINGS

I went blog surfing today. On accident, I found this post. It broke my heart. I want to do something about it. I'm starting with awareness.

Here is a perfect opportunity to care for children who need it
desperately....

About a week ago I received information about an single American woman in her twenties who is caring for triplets from Uganda and after living with them for a few years in the US went back to Uganda and is helping to run an orphanage for babies. What follows is her first newsletter and then a list of opportunities to help. I'd appreciate anyone forwarding this info. on to folks who might be able to help.

Annie and Moses

Annie and her girls

Newsletter February 2008
Hi Friends and Family, I often find myself wondering how someone is doing and wanting to send an email, but I’ve lost touch with so many of you that I didn’t know where to start. So in order to play catch-up, here’s an explanation of why I now call a messed-up East African country home.

I frequently get asked by visiting foreigners why I’m here and doing what I do. I find it difficult to answer, largely due to the fact that I never really ‘decided’ to do any of this. Rather, the last 5 years of my life has taken shape by just taking the next most logical step. I guess really that’s what happens to most people in their 20’s. They graduate with a degree in the field they studied, and so of course will look for a job in that area. They’re in love with a great person and so they marry them. They have a couple kids, so they get a bigger house and vehicle.

For me, the next most logical steps just took me on a road less traveled. I left college when I realized my get-me-through-college job was something I loved. Working with preemie multiples (twins, triplets, etc) gave me travel opportunities, freedom in my schedule, good income, and most of all was something I loved doing. A few years later, with good savings in the bank, a short jaunt to volunteer in an African orphanage seemed to make sense. When faced with dying twins who would only survive if I took them home with me, of course I did just that. When their medical and care added up to over $50,000 my only option was to keep them in the US while trying to pay it off. Four years later when they could no longer legally stay in the US, we got on a plane back to Africa. When bound to Africa by beurocracy and red tape, the logical thing was to accept one of the first jobs offered to me.

And that’s the short version of how I’ve ended up living in Uganda looking after 3 little girls and 83 abandoned infants. I’ve been here for well over a year now and most days I still wonder what the heck happened to my semi-normal life. While most days are ridiculously exhausting and frustrating, I’m thrilled to be on this ride. Boring it never is! I opened the orphanage for abandoned infants on Jan 15 and after getting 7 the first week, arrivals were slow and steady giving us about 30 babies by last summer. Must be something about 9 months after drunken Christmas parties, but the babies started pouring in August and haven’t stopped since. I reset the original capacity of 60 to 75, but recent newborn arrivals Katie, Daisy, Charlie, Jack, Anthony, Emmanuel, and twins Ethan and Ellie didn’t seem to care that we were full. My babies are left in third world hospitals or found in dumpsters, pit latrines, cemeteries, on the side of the road, and in buckets of water. They come in as 2 lb preemies, barely breathing newborns with untied umbilical cords, malnourished 8 month olds, and terrified 18 month twins. They struggle with cerebral palsy, hydrocephaly, club feet, burns, hernias, and broken bones. A rare one is healthy and happy and we wonder what caused someone to abandon an obviously well looked after baby. Sometimes babies come to us when it is too late and while we do everything we can, they don’t make it. Others succumb to third world diseases with third world medical care. Our local drive through coffin shop has had our business more than I’d like. However, when they are faced with life as an African orphan with AIDS, I’m sometimes happy to see an early end to their struggle and take comfort in the fact that they died warm, fed, clean, and very much loved.

Anyway, I’ll probably be sending random updates now that I’ve given a little background to my crazy life. Let me know if you have no clue who I am, or don’t want to receive emails for any reason and I’ll remove you from my list. Thanks so much to those of you who have supported me with emails, prayers, and financial support and I’m so sorry I rarely have the time to tell you what a difference it makes! Better close now, just got a phone call that newborn baby 84 is waiting to be picked up. The fun never ends.

Annie

Preemie Baby Daisy

Several of the children on the lawn at the orphanage

Email from February 21, 2008

Ok so my last email was the story behind why I'm here. Now comes the
reality...:)

Reality is that I now have 88 infants I'm responsible for.
Reality is that at least 6 of those should be admitted in a neonatal or pediatric ICU.
Reality is that we have a staff of 70ish that come with more problems than the babies and have to be handled like 5 year olds.
Reality is that two of my babies just had surgery and both came home with double casts on their legs.
Reality is that my car is in the shop and I'm walking everywhere.
Reality is that there was a baby snake in the laundry and I'm wondering where the mother is.
Reality is that I wonder daily if there is any hope for these people.
Reality is that we do 372 laundry loads, 12,648 bottle feeds, and 16,368 diaper changes per month Reality is that both my laptops have crashed.
Reality is that I've been asked by the government and the organization I work for to open two more baby orphanages.
Reality is that I'm really tired, really stressed, and really overwhelmed.

I lost a little friend this morning. He was born one month and 7 days ago, a preemie. His mother is dying of HIV and is admitted in the hospital. He was fed only when she was strong enough and felt like feeding him, about once every 24 hours. We found this out after about two weeks when he had lost almost half of his body weight. When we could spare a nanny or when my friend Nicola or I had the time, we would go and feed him. He never had any diapers and would be laying in a filthy stinky incubator. He LOVED a bath and lotion massage and being wrapped in clean blankets and clothes. His incubator didn't work and his body temp was usually 32C (88F) so we would fill gloves with warm water and lay them next to him. He had meningitis that required once daily IV drugs. The nurses would only give him this every 2-3 days when we put pressure on them. He was so stiff from the meningitis and so skinny from starvation that he developed bedsores on his hips. The doctors notes yesterday said 'Baby looks stable. PLEASE GIVE THE IV DRUGS'. Last night I meant to go check on him, but was too tired. I arrived at the hospital to bathe and feed him this morning, 1 hour after his body was moved from his incubator to 'the bucket'. His death certificate said he died from meningitis. It should have said he died from lack of drugs, warmth, food, and love. He didn't have a name.

Reality is I feel guilty.

Annie

Annie's Little Friend

Annie's List of Ways You Can Help….

1) You can send a one time financial donation to the babies home. This is best sent to Watoto’s office in the country you live in. I have a list of needed items/projects that are outside of what sponsorship covers or are items that cannot be purchased in Uganda. This is currently being updated, but I can send it through if anyone is interested as soon as I’m finished. Then you can pick an item off the list or if you tell me a dollar amount, I can tell you our biggest need at the time. People tend to like this option because they know exactly what their money went to. If you do this, please let me know, so I can be in touch with the country office to tell them whether to send the money (if it is an item that can be bought here) or to keep it at their office if it is an item I need to purchase there and have sent.
2) You can sponsor the babies home at http://www.watoto.com/ and send support monthly.
3) You can send a physical donation to the babies home. I also have a list of physical items we use and need here that you can purchase and send, or send if you already have them. If you contact the local office for your country (http://www.watoto.com/) they can tell you an address of someone coming over here in the near future and you can ship them items, rather than shipping them to Uganda (expensive and unreliable).

4) You can support me and my girls. I am employed by Watoto to direct the babies home which means I receive a fair local salary. Initially this was sufficient to cover our very basic needs, however I couldn’t afford to send the girls to school or hire a quality teacher/nanny, let alone any extra activities, car repairs, etc. Thanks to a corrupt new tax law put in place in September, I now loose over half my salary to this lovely government. This means that I’m actually going into more and more debt every month I stay and am having to reconsider my future here. We are moving into a cheaper flat and cutting corners where we can, but still struggling. So I could pretty desperately use any help in this area. This can be sent to my parents at:
Annie Duguid
6416 Latta Springs Circle
Huntersville NC 28078

5) You can send an ‘anything’ donation to my parents at the above address and I can designate it where appropriate. I’m surrounded by great and genuine need. Often I encounter a situation that doesn’t fit our organization and have really appreciated having a bit on hand to help out. For example, I’ll be told that there are preemie triplets in the hospital, but they have a mother who wants them, so we can’t take them. However this mother will have been abandoned by the husband/boyfriend and will have no money for food, which means she has no breast milk to feed her babies. I’ll buy her some meals in the hospital, so she can feed her babies and take them back to the village.
I used to and still do, REALLY struggle with asking for financial help. Growing up, I often heard missionary types asking for money and thought ‘They are off doing the fun stuff and they want us to work our boring jobs and support them???’ However, I’ve learned a couple important things in the last couple years.
1)Most of it is NOT fun stuff.
2)Even the stuff I find enjoyable, most other people don’t. I’ve finally realized that there are people who want to help, but actually don’t want to be stuck in Africa. If you are one of those, I’m happy to be the hands doing the work if you want to be the fuel behind them!

Thanks so much…!!

Self Portrait

Places gone.

This is my most favorite photo. It was taken in the summer of 2005. This is a scan of the negative. I'm not sure exactly why I really like it, but I do. :)

Pioneer Park!

You never know what you'll see when you look through the lens...

[click the photo for more pictures]

Engagement photos!

Yesterday, I went to Seattle to take engagement photos of Sarah and Aaron. It was great fun! Here's a scrap page I made for them! Congratulations!

You can see more pictures on my web album.

Where I Come From.

Here's a page I did this evening. It was very simple because everything was already put together and I just added the photos!

Yum!

I was just greeted at my door by two lovely young ladies about the age of seven. They came over to invite me to a wedding next weekend. Rather confused, I asked who's it was. One answered that it was "hers" pointing to her friend, while the other said it was for her mom.

Graciously, I asked if I could bring anything. "You could bring some pizza, or crackers."

I thanked them for the invitation and said I wasn't sure if I could make it. Then sent them on their cute little way!

Here's the invitation:

Can't stop thinking about it.

What is FAITH?

Norman Vincent Peale

You only lose energy
when life becomes
dull in your mind.
You don't have to
be tired and bored.
Get interested in
something. Get
absolutely enthralled
in something.
Throw yourself into
it with abandon.

Bad - U2

[this song was just on the radio]

If you twist and turn away.
If you tear yourself in two again.
If I could, yes I would
If I could, I would let it go.

Surrender, dislocate.
If I could throw this lifeless
Lifeline to the wind.
Leave this heart of clay,
See you walk, walk away,
Into the night.
And through the rain.
Into the half-light,
And through the flame.
If I could throw myself,
set your spirit free.
I'd lead your heart away,
See you break, break away
Into the light.
And to the day.

To let it go,
And so to fade away.
To let it go,

And so fade away.
I'm wide awake.
I'm wide awake.
I'm not sleeping.
Oh, no, no.

If you should ask then maybe
They tell you what I would say.
True colors fly in blue and black,
bruised silken skies and burning flag.
Colors crash, collide in blood shot eyes.

If I could, you know I would.
If I could, I would let it go.
This desparation.
Dislocation.
Separation.
Condemnation.
Revelation.
Temptation.
Isolation.
Desolation.

Let it go,
And so to fade away.
To let it go,
And so fade away.
Oh, no
I'm wide awake.
I'm wide awake.
I'm not sleeping.
Oh, no no

Unit Two

So I'm finally getting to Unit 2 of my at home photography class. It only took two years.... Anyway, I'm supposed to send in three shots for homework.

1] The subject must be upfront and large in the frame.

2] The subject must be framed to draw attention to it.

3] Draw attention to the subject by using converging lines.

I think I got number's one and two down. Now just to figure out that line thing...

ps- I won't be sending them in with the personal editing that I did to them here.

Feeling UNusable?

I have been many things....

Go Gideon Go!

"This year marks the 100th anniversary of Gideon Bible placement in hotels. Last year alone, Gideons distributed more than 1.1 million Bibles in the United States. . . and almost another 700,000 around the world. The vast majority of these Bibles went to hotels and motels, where Gideons personally placed them in each and every room."

Cleaning out the closet.

Puzzle fun.

From this....
To this....
And back to the box!

The beginning of a story

Once upon a time there was a handsome but troubled prince named Bastian. Very soon Bastian was to become Kind over all of Parellia and he had yet to find a bride. More importantly though, he had yet to understand what it really meant to be King.

One of Bastian's biggest troubles was his lack of humility. As the only son of a very proud King, his personal opinion of himself was rather bloated. As a boy he showed great strength and intelligence to the delight of his parents. "He will no doubt be as great a King as I," boasted King Norlu. Bastian's mother, Queen Clari, noticed early on how quickly Bastian became prideful and thought too much of himself. She tried her best to encourage him to think more of others, "for a great King is a great servant." He always listened to his mother, but her words never quite reached his heart.

King Norlu was so busy taking care of the Parellia that he didn't know of his son's great pride that was slowly setting him up for failure. He did, however, marry an extraordinarily wise woman. The Queen had come up with a plan before Bastian's eighteenth birthday. She explained to the King that if something wasn't done before Bastian became King, all that Norlu had worked for to establish an iron kingdom would be lost. He certainly didn't like the sound of that! The King was very disappointed that he had neglected to build the character of his own son. He knew that Queen Clari was the wisest lady in the kingdom and so he entrusted her with the task of changing the attitude of the future king.

Bastian had a natural talent for music. He could play any instrument beautifully after studying it for a month, and his voice was lovely to the ears. For his 18th birthday, the King & Queen presented him with the most glorious guitar he had ever seen. The was no ordinary guitar mind you. It had been specially hand crafted by the King's carpenter, who had served the King since before Bastian was born.

TO BE CONTINUED...

A Franciscan Benediction

A Franciscan Benediction

May God bless us with discomfort

At easy answers, half-truths, and superficial relationships

So that we may live from deep within our hearts.

May God bless us with anger.

At injustice, oppression, and exploitation of God's creations.

So that we may work for justice, freedom, and peace.

May God bless us with tears.

To shed for those who suffer pain, rejection, hunger, and war,

So that we may reach out our hands to comfort them and

To turn their pain into joy.

And may God bless us with just enough foolishness

To believe that we can make a difference in the world,

So that we can do what others claim cannot be done:

To bring justice and kindness to all our children and all our neighbors who are poor.

Amen.

Copied from MoreThanCake.

A lesson in contentment.

"You come of the Lord Adam and the Lady Eve," said Aslan. "And that is both honour enough to erect the head of the poorest beggar, and shame enough to bow the shoulders of the greatest emperor in earth. Be content."

-Aslan, The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian

What a great lesson in contentment. I just finished reading the second book in the Narnia series. I have read them before, but I'm re-reading them to find new truths that eluded me as a child. This quote stood out to me as I finished the book this evening. It's a strange thing to be both proud of your heritage and ashamed at the same time. To be so glad of who you are, and yet so remorseful of what you've done. That is the only way those two things can work in a person at the same time.

On the one hand, is a description of Who I am. On the other, What I've done. I am daughter of the King. That makes me a Princess. What a noble and honored position. It is wonderful! And what's more, I have been adopted into the King's family and loved completely by the King just because I AM.

And yet, how shamefully I have behaved as such a daughter. Mistake after mistake. Sin after sin. Ashamed of the ungratefulness I have shown. Of the self-righteousness that had at once created an ugly monster instead of a lovely Princess. I have done nothing worthy of being a daughter of the King, and yet I AM.

God is so unfathomable. I have not the words to express the glorious goodness of my King. His outstretched arms beckon for me to come, sit on his lap and love on him, cry on him, and enjoy him. He desires to give me all he has. He has given me all he has! And he has everything!

How can I not be content with that?

Lord, Lord! I desire to be content just where I am! Give me a swift kick in rear when I am not!

How do they do it?

Why is it that mothers can get so much more done in a day than those of us who are without the blessing of children?

How do they do it?

Some mothers I know, get more done in a day than I get done in a whole week!

I know it's not quite Mother's Day, but I gotta say...

HERE'S TO ALL THE MUMS!

Nice day for filling holes in the yard.

Out at the parade! We had to move back from the street after the pirates scared Maverick.

We even look a like too!

Do You Belong in The Office?

My Result: Jim Halpert

You're not the person running around the office with a lampshade on your head (yet), but you've still got a sense of humor (and it's not of the makes-us-cringe variety). Sure, sometimes you're too busy cracking jokes to take care of business, but is that a crime? And you can't deny it — nothing says "HR meeting" like hiding a coworker's notes!


But when you're up against the clock, you'll come through in a pinch, which is why upper management keeps you around. After all, getting serious is always a possibility for you, just not exactly the probability...

Glamor Shots are posted!

So, Angie did a FAN-STINKING-TASTIC job of imagery!

Just click the picture on the right for a full sample of her wonderful work! This was a total blast! I can't wait for the next scheme she cooks up!

Daffodil Principle

Daffodil Principle

--posted by freckleface.0807 on Apr 4, 2008

Several times my daughter had telephoned to say, 'Mother, you must come to see the daffodils before they are over.'

I wanted to go, but it was a two-hour drive from Laguna to Lake Arrowhead 'I will come next Tuesday', I promised a little reluctantly on her third call.

Next Tuesday dawned cold and rainy. Still, I had promised, and reluctantly I drove there. When I finally walked into Carolyn's house I was welcomed by the joyful sounds of happy children. I delightedly hugged and greeted my grandchildren.

'Forget the daffodils, Carolyn! The road is invisible in these clouds and fog, and there is nothing in the world except you and these children that I want to see badly enough to drive another inch!'

My daughter smiled calmly and said, 'We drive in this all the time, Mother.'

'Well, you won't get me back on the road until it clears, and then I'm heading for home!' I assured her.

'But first we're going to see the daffodils. It's just a few blocks,' Carolyn said. 'I'll drive. I'm used to this.'

'Carolyn,' I said sternly, 'Please turn around.'

'It's all right, Mother, I promise. You will never forgive yourself if you miss this experience.'

After about twenty minutes, we turned onto a small gravel road and I saw a small church. On the far side of the church, I saw a hand lettered sign with an arrow that read, ' Daffodil Garden ' We got out of the car, each took a child's hand, and I followed Carolyn down the path. Then, as we turned a corner, I looked up and gasped. Before me lay the most glorious sight.

It looked as though someone had taken a great vat of gold and poured it over the mountain and its surrounding slopes. The flowers were planted in majestic, swirling patterns, great ribbons and swaths of deep orange, creamy white, lemon yellow, salmon pink, and saffron and butter yellow. Each different colored variety was planted in large groups so that it swirled and flowed like its own river with its own unique hue. There were five acres of flowers.

'Who did this?' I asked Carolyn. 'Just one woman,' Carolyn answered. 'She lives on the property. That's her home.' Carolyn pointed to a well-kept A-frame house, small and modestly sitting in the midst of all that glory. We walked up to the house.

On the patio, we saw a poster. 'Answers to the Questions I Know You Are Asking', was the headline. The first answer was a simple one. '50,000 bulbs,' it read. The second answer was, 'One at a time, by one woman. Two hands, two feet, and one brain.' The third answer was, 'Began in 1958.'

For me, that moment was a life-changing experience. I thought of this woman whom I had never met, who, more than forty years before, had begun, one bulb at a time, to bring her vision of beauty and joy to an obscure mountaintop. Planting one bulb at a time, year after year, this unknown woman had forever changed the world in which she lived. One day at a time, she had created something of extraordinary magnificence, beauty, and inspiration. The principle her daffodil garden taught is one of the greatest principles of celebration.

That is, learning to move toward our goals and desires one step at a time--often just one baby-step at time--and learning to love the doing, learning to use the accumulation of time. When we multiply tiny pieces of time with small increments of daily effort, we too will find we can accomplish magnificent things. We can change the world .

'It makes me sad in a way,' I admitted to Carolyn. 'What might I have accomplished if I had thought of a wonderful goal thirty-five or forty years ago and had worked away at it 'one bulb at a time' through all those years? Just think what I might have been able to achieve!'

My daughter summed up the message of the day in her usual direct way. 'Start tomorrow,' she said.

She was right. It's so pointless to think of the lost hours of yesterdays. The way to make learning a lesson of celebration instead of a cause for regret is to only ask, 'How can I put this to use today?'

Use the Daffodil Principle. Stop waiting.....

Until your car or home is paid off

Until you get a new car or home

Until your kids leave the house

Until you go back to school

Until you finish school

Until you clean the house

Until you organize the garage

Until you clean off your desk

Until you lose 10 lbs.

Until you gain 10 lbs.

Until you get married

Until you get a divorce

Until you have kids

Until the kids go to school

Until you retire

Until summer

Until spring

Until winter

Until fall

Until you die...

There is no better time than right now to be happy.
Happiness is a journey, not a destination.
Wishing you a beautiful, daffodil day!

A visit with Candice!

Glamor Shots!

So, after a totally wonderful morning sermon, Jami, Rach, and I went over to Angie and Jess's place for some totally awesome glamor shots! I don't have any to post previews, but I will link back to their blog when they are posted! I'm super excited! It was serious girly fun!

by Me

A little girl is crying
She can't tell you why
Inside she's dying
While the whole world is flying

Look at the lack of leg room!

Just landed in Denver!

Cool carpet!

Very early go time...

Now it's time for so long. But we'll sing just one more song! Thanks for doing your part, you sure are smart! With me and you, and my dog Blue, we can do anything that we wanna do!

It's time for wake up time.

Morning play time!

Congratulations Sarah!

With Nathan!

Raining !

The trouble with car seats...

Confusion

To clear up some confusion...

Caren and the kids were in an accident the day Jesse and I were traveling into town. Yesterday, they found out the van was totaled so today we drove over so they could get their personal items. Everyone was okay! The axle was destroyed on the van, so that's why it was deemed totaled.

We are currently at the auto body shop getting personal items out of Jason and Caren's wrecked van. I'm with the kids in the car while Jesse is helping Caren.

No transfer to Ohio today. Ethan isn't well. Poor little fellow :(

Photoshoot

Firing rifles.

Nap time!

What a picture to wake up to!

Playing some tunes.

Happy Birthday Ashley!

Waiting in Denver

 

We pigged out at McDon's in Denver.

Being Child Like

Do you remember the old children's tune "Following the Leader"? Made famous by Peter Pan. Take a moment to read the lyrics here:

Following the leader, the leader, the leader
We're following the leader wherever he may go
We won't be home till morning, till morning
We won't be home till morning
Because he told us so
Tee dum, tee dee
A teedle ee do tee day
We're out for fun
And this is the game we play:
Come on, join in
And sing your troubles away
With a teedle ee dum
A teedle do tee day
We're following the leader, the leader, the leader
We're following the leader wherever he may go
We won't be home till morning, till morning
We won't be home till morning
Because he told us so
Tee dum, tee dee
A teedle ee do tee day
We march along and
These are the words we say:
Tee dum, tee dee,
A teedle deelde deeay
Oh, a teedle ee dum
A teedle ee do tee day
Oh, a teedle ee dum
A teedle ee do tee day

This song emits an attitude that I think we ought to replicate when we are following our God. It's joyous and worry free. "We're following the leader wherever he may go." As a child of God, I desire to follow him wherever he may lead me. Did you know that in order for someone to lead you, they must go there before you? When we say "God is leading me to ___" do we realize that God is going there ahead of us? He's preparing the way. What a wonderful thought! God will never lead us somewhere truly dangerous. Sometimes he might take us real close to a ledge so we can experience the view, but we should rest in the knowledge that he is a good leader and will not lead us astray. Trust is the main idea here.

It is also sung "We won't be home till morning, because he told us so." This parallels the truth that Jesus will be returning at an appointed time and we will all go home. We can rest in the thought that eventually we will be lead back home. God has promised us this. This thrills me! A morning will come seeming just like any other, but it will in fact be the dawning of a new era! When my Saviour comes to lead me home! To a place he has prepared for me! A place he has gone to first!

We ought to be able to then go about our daily lives with a joyous song on our lips! "Tee dee, tee dum." If we truly trust in our Leader, we should fear not following his steps. It should offer us freedom from worry! It is only when we stop following and try to find our own way that we begin to stumble and become fearful. Sometimes we feel that we need to be the one in front, so we can see, because we'd rather trust our own eyes, than the leadership of our God.

To tell the truth, I like to be in front so I can see what's coming ahead. But when I do that, I am most worried and fearful. To see the obstacle way before it's time creates a stress that would otherwise be avoided if we only saw the obstacle when it was time to cross it. Especially because God will show us how to cross it, but only once we get there.

So, go ahead.... follow the Leader, and sing a happy song.......

Eliminate the negative...

Why is it that we are so eager and so ready to jump to negative conclusions? Seriously? I find myself doing this constantly. Anybody else?

This is how life should be...

Prone to wander, Lord I feel it...