Melodies Played By Forgiveness

I watched an admirable movie yesterday titled “Music Within”. I had not recalled ordering it on my Netflix account (sadly not unusual these days) therefore considered just sending it back for lack of interest from the slipcover description. This I ignored since I had the television to myself for a few hours. I decided to just scrap the list in my head of “should do’s” and sit down for a movie all by myself even if it ended up being a bust….”alone with the TV is rare—seize the opportunity Tink”.

The main character, Richard Pimental, is dealt a life as a child with circumstances that I could relate to…they were not replications of mine, yet our heart responses toward our mothers were what I found similar. In contrast the movie displays a life by Richard Pimental that was determined in spite of his mother issues. I eventually gained similar motivation of spirit -- but my road there was very long and resistant…not at all naturally in tact like I witnessed in this film.

Rather, I chose an attitude of victim hood that sucked many years from my life’s purpose; consequently it sucked life from my family as well. Forgiving myself of what it robbed them was one very large mountain for me to climb with countless reoccurring shame visitors rallying to convince me that I was not worthy of such forgiveness.

“Coincidentally” this morning’s worship service topic was forgiveness. It was tremendously joyful to be reassured of forgiveness truths. I was reminded without pain, what my mountain climbs laden with unforgiveness have cost, yet freely dance knowing that victory is won under forgiveness. Even better--life’s gifted purposes are released through a life of victorious forgiveness. These gifts of purpose are our music within.

What is your music within?

This is what I think my music within is:

The House by the Side of the Road

There are hermit souls that live withdrawn
In the peace of their self-content;
There are souls, like stars, that swell apart,
In a fellowless firmament;
There are pioneer souls that blaze their paths
Where highways never ran;
But let me live by the side of the road
And be a friend to man.
Let me live in a house by the side of the road,
Where the race of men go by;
The men who are good and the men who are bad,
As good and as bad as I.
I would not sit in the scorner's seat,
Or hurl the cynic's ban;
Let me live in a house by the side of the road
And be a friend to man.
I see from my house by the side of the road,
By the side of the highway of life,
The men who press with the ardor of hope,
The men who are faint with the strife.
But I turn not away from their smiles nor their tears
Both parts of an infinite plan;
Let me live in my house by the side of the road
And be a friend to man.
Let me live in my house by the side of the road
Where the race of men go by;
They are good, they are bad, they are weak,
They are strong,
Wise, foolish - so am I.
Then why should I sit in the scorner's seat
Or hurl the cynic's ban? -
Let me live in my house by the side of the road
And be a friend to man.
~Sam Walter Foss

*Photograph is of the home my mother grew up in-taken in 1951

"Improversation" Dilema

...not only do I not know where they are going, I sometimes don't even know where the sentences come from. For instance my last post's title. Oh my!

We have been having tri-computer issues, how we can be so affluent as to own three computers and yet too broke to fix them when they are dying is quite another blog post--digressing Tink--stay focused. Anyway, I was not even intending to post a blog that night. I was innocently trying to school myself on how to get my photos from my newly created Picasa web albums site to retrieve to my blog. You would think since both of these nifty places are related in parent company it would not be difficult, hah and bah humbug!

Several hours later, tired and feeling defeated, I decided I needed productivity. I felt that my sunset photo was too beautiful to not post...then got a great idea for a title, given all the media hype of the weekend. Note to self, do not save ones "great" ideas for last. In other words type in the "great" title idea pronto, not an hour later after working on a blog. After all Tink, all you have is a title and an unrelated photo you are working from, not to mention you are tired and defeated on top of being up way past your bed time...excuses-excuses!

As my reader, you are by now frustratedly thinking "Just tell us the supposed name of the bloody previous post!" aren't you?
Fine! Pre "President's" Day Weekend was the intended title of that post. I thought it was a great play on words, though it would have been better had I bloviated on about all the hype....hey it was late, cut me some "only so much brain power" slack.

Now my dilemma remains, do I fix it? Not the lack of brain power silly...the previous post title fopah. After considerable debate with ourselves we, me and all my alter egos, decide affirmatively "oh yeah!". Chow, gotta go edit a post. :)

Pre President's Day Weekend

My Pre President's day weekend 2008 began with super-duper calorie intake delight. Breakfast is my favorite meal...even though red wine is never served with it. I love, love, love, love to eat breakfast!! This plateful was cooked and served at our church on Saturday morning. It was scrumptious~

Our dining buddies: Kim, Gail, Joe and Dorothy were super

fun to chow with.

I enjoyed hearing from our guest speakers who were from Italy. Later Fairborn Guy and I spent the afternoon in the yard transplanting and pruning; our evening was spent on the sofa being lazy.

Sunday I neglected to take photos, but enjoyed my regular worship routine followed by an outing to the big cites of Poulsbo and Silverdale where I enjoyed coffee with a Ya Ya and chilling with Snickerdoodle in a book store.

The final holiday day was spent sleeping in, reading, cleaning, doing laundry, and enjoying a magnificent walk to the beach as the sun was setting. We have been blessed with a few days of radiant sunshine...oh was the view astounding!

This is a shot of Mt. Rainer and the city of Seattle, looking south from our neighborhood fishing pier.

My walking buddy Sami



Mr. Sunshine setting and the southern peaks of the Olympic Mt's

What did you do this weekend?