Thank You for Playing... the Gentrification of Houston is Now Complete

gen·tri·fi·ca·tion (jĕn'tre fĭ-kā'shen) n.
The restoration and upgrading of deteriorated urban property by middle-class or affluent people, often resulting in displacement of lower-income people.

My friend, SWM, just informed me that the Pig Stand restaurants as well as Deitrich's would no longer grace Houston. I knew about the Pig Stand restaurants (bankruptcy - which I kinda feel like is their own fault), but Deitrich's was sold out by their landlord. Apparently, the landowners want to expand their spa... and that's what Houston needs... another spa! Worst of all, SWM informed me that Deitrich's would be selling all their stores to Starbucks! Say it ain't so! I mean, I have nothing against Starbucks. I love a good grande nonfat latte. But let us have choices, people!

I suppose I'm in such a foul mood about this because I just drove by that great old building on Allen Parkway and Studemont just to see that they're demolishing it... along with most of the metal buldings along that drive.

And I've recently heard of threats to demolish the River Oaks theatre... in favor of condominiums. Whatever.

I've lived in Houston pretty much all of my life. As I reflect back, I'm mindful of all the fun places that no longer grace Houston.

Landmarks
Shamrock Hotel with its GIANT pool
Jefferson Davis Hospital on Allen Parkway

Music Venues
Old Music Hall
Club Hay Hay on Washington
Fabulous Satellite Lounge

What do you remember?

What's still in Houston that makes it truly unique? The orange show, the beer can house... what else?

I can hear Bob Dylan in my head, "the times they are a-changin'". But is it for the better?

All for now,
Lisa

The End is the Beginning

This is my tribute to Erin B. I just read today on her blog that she's decided to quit blogging. With all the upcoming activities in her life, I can definitely respect her for making this decision. And so like her to not let something idly stand by, but make an active decision. I appreciate that. I know I'm not alone when I say I hope her blogging decision is more of a long hiatus than a permanent decision. But I think that decision can come later.

I looked back and the first comment on my blog was from Erin! So like her.

hmmm...the unshackeling of mysteries. i'm sure many of the mysteries that have
become known to me are secondary to various experiences, even allusive ones.
traveling has always done this for me - getting out, away, alone. solitude, true
solitude as Henri Nouwen speaks of in The Way of the Heart, does this as well.
it's scary, but it's awesome. art and journaling definitely. being brave enough
to share myself with myself. sounds weird, but sometimes i think i hide things
from even my mind's view. digging things up, letting them spill

Most of you may not know this, but she was the reason I started blogging in the first place. I didn't even know her. Just was referred to her blog as I was surfing one day. Read her entries, then her bio and I knew I just had to meet her. Then, at the next First Things First in the city (and First Prebyterian), I asked someone to introduce us (I was hoping she wouldn't think I was a complete weirdo... "hey, I read your blog... huh huh huh huh"). Well, that wasn't the case at all, we decided to meet for lunch at the Daily Grind one day and our frienship was immediate.

I have learned a lot from my friend. Not by anything specific or deliberate, but more of how she has daily lived out her faith, and the perspective she takes. Very much as her comments states above... being brave enough to share herself. I find that unusual, unique, and unbelievably cool!

Here's to you, my friend! I read somewhere that in true art, the end is merely the beginning.

All for now,
Lisa

Night showering vs. Morning showering

Do you shower before going to sleep at night or when you wake up? I have tended to be a morning showerer and depending on what I have done during the day, I will sometimes take one before bed. So, which is better? This has been a topic of conversation recently, so I present to you this:

benefits of showering at night
you go to bed clean (especially nice if you have just put clean sheets on the bed)
a warm shower relaxes you before bed
you have less work to do in the morning

benefits of showering in the morning
a hot shower refreshes you for the day
even though you may shower the night before you still feel dirty in the morning (especially on a warm night in Houston)


I suppose all of this still applies if you prefer a bath over a shower.

All for now,
Lisa

An Editorial About Election Day

So, I walked down to my voting location this morning (I love being able to walk to the location and the fact that it's a 1930's school building just adds to the appeal). Incidentally, I ran into Daniel Williams in the voting line, which was a nice surprise. But I digress.

Today was not much different from most voting days. I've lived in my house for almost 15 years so I have a bit of a perspective on the situation. As a matter of fact, the voting precinct “judge”, or whatever her title is, has been the same lady since I’ve been voting there. As I was waiting in line, I pondered that and the fact that each year has brought new changes and rules. I empathized with her as she struggled to make sure all her bases were covered.

So, my editorial comment is this: why is there so much frustration experienced with voting? I think I experienced the most frustration with the new voting machines. Now, you have to go through two lines. The first was to be qualified to vote (this is where you sign and get a ticket). Then you turn in the ticket to get a code. Then, the second, much longer line was to wait for the voting machines. Unless you vote a straight party vote, it takes time. But what took longer was the fact that the voting machines weren’t working properly, as well as there being so few machines to begin with. UGH! It makes me want to go back to the paper ballots, hanging chads and all.

All for now,
Lisa

P.S. Cartoon courtesy of the Houston Chronicle

Tell tale signs of Jesus!

I mentioned in an earlier blog that I was mindful of how little Christianity I saw around Hong Kong. Well, lo and behold I saw this van on my final day in Hong Kong.

It was parked at the Ferry dock and I took a double-take when I saw it.

I wanted so desperately to find someone who knew about how and why it was parked at the dock, but there was no one around.

Thought it was cool anyway.

All for now,
Lisa

It's All About Perspective!

I mentioned earlier that I was going to talk about the Big Buddha that I visited in Hong Kong, so here's my musings!

The Tian Tan Buddha, (aka "Big Buddha") is on Lantau Island, Hong Kong. It's the "world's tallest outdoor seated bronze Buddha". The statue is located near the Po Lin Monastery and is supposed to symbolize the harmonious relationship between man and nature, people and religion. It seems to be a major center of Buddhism in Hong Kong, and is also a popular tourist attraction.

I was amazed at the commercialism around this little monastery. As I walked around, I was amazed at how easily the monks walk amongst the tourists.

As I climbed the steps to the Buddha, I was mindful of what all of this meant to a Buddhist. And being in Beth's class right now on the Study of the Psalms of the Ascents, I was very mindful of Psalm 121 as I climbed the stairs. As a matter of fact, I had the song, "I Lift My Eyes Up", going through my head as I climbed each of the 268 steps to the top.

I Lift My Eyes Up

I lift my eyes up Up to the mountains
Where does my help come from
My help comes from You
Maker of Heaven
Creator of the earth

O how I need You Lord
You are my only hope
You are my only prayer
So I will wait for You
To come and rescue me
To come and give me life

My final thought as I toured this place was that I was happy that my God could not be contained in bronze or anything else.

All for now,
Lisa

Confucius Say, Chances of Finding a Nativity Set Slim

OK, so I have been all over Hong Kong in the last 24 hours. It's truly amazing how crowded EVERYTHING is. I've been to Lantau Island to see the Big Buddha (more on him later). I've been to Stanley, which is on the far south side of Hong Kong Island, which is where the flea market shopping is. And I've been to Kowloon, to walk up and down the store-lined streets.

Hong Kong is a shopper's paradise, believe me. But what I've yet to find is a Nativity Set. If you know me, you know I collect Nativity Sets from around the world. It's just one of those things, along with cheesy magnets, that I collect. They don't have to be big or expensive. Just interesting.

Well, nothing. Nada. Zip. Not a one in sight. Oh, I can buy a Buddha in every shape, size, material. But a little Jesus... not a chance.

All for now,
Lisa

Holiday on a Hong Kong Holiday

Much to my surprise, when I arrived at my Hong Kong hotel, I was told by the hotel staff that it's Guóqìngjié! I had no idea what Guóqìngjié was so I had to look it up.

Guóqìngjié, or Chinese National Day, is one of three major holidays in China. The name comes from guó (country) + qìng (celebration) + jié (festival). It marks the founding of the People's Republic of China by Mao Tse-Tung on October 1, 1949.

Hong Kong is going to glow tonight! There will be a fireworks display in Victoria Harbor tonight to celebrate.

I was also told by the hotel staff that there should be large crowds of spectators around the harbor (like there aren't enough people around already!). So, I decided to spend a little extra on my room and get a harbor view (my hotel just happens to be right on the harbor). I'm up on the 32nd floor and I have an excellent view of the harbor! I can wait to see the fireworks display!

What I was also told is don't expect to do any business in China this week. China is closed. He He, I hope the shops are open!!

I feel so fortunate to be here on Hong Kong on one of their major holidays. I am smiling and thanking God now!

All for now,
Lisa

Adventures in Dining, Singapore Style!

I've been quite adventurous while I've been here in Singapore. Here's what I've tried so far:

• grilled octopus (I've had calamari before, but this was a little different)
• grilled squid (was ok)
• shark fin soup (flavor was kinda good)
• bamboo clams (I really liked the flavor of this)
• durian pudding (whew!)
• chicken katsu curry (not that exotic, but really tasted good!)
• Indian-style tapas... go figure!

Looking forward to trying more and more new things!

All for now,
Lisa

Random Musings about Singapore

General Observations

• Everywhere you go there are MASSES of people! And I thought New York was crowded.
• The weather is pretty much the SAME everyday, sunrises and sunsets are the same each day also (because of the proximity to the equator).
• The two best things to do in Singapore is SHOP and EAT!
• There are HUGE shopping malls everywhere. Not huge in American terms though. Think multi-story (4-5 story), COMPACT malls, with very narrow walkways. Every store you can imagine -- and again, masses of people.
  

Personal Experiences

• I worked out at California Fitness yesterday, which is owned by 24 Hour Fitness (and would you believe they even honored my card... what a global village we truly have!).
• Just like the malls, the gym was multi-story with so many machines it felt like a maze to navigate. And again, masses of people.
• Last night, I had my first experience with a unisex bathroom... 4 stalls, 2 sinks, 0 urinals (thank goodness!)
• It's taken a while for my body to adapt to the severe change of time... so far. As of now, I'm fully awake in the middle of the night and falling asleep in the middle of the day.
  

On a Spiritual Note

• The conference has brought representatives from many different countries - I've counted 15 countries from Asia, the middle east, and southern Africa. That also means that there are many different religions represented. I'm intrigued by the melting pot right here in our little conference room (about 150 people).
• Right now, it's Ramadan, so my Muslim colleagues are fasting and praying during the day. It's been very interesting to observe both the Muslims and the non-Muslim colleagues, especially the way they appreciate the diversity.
• I have yet to see a strong Christian presence here, but I've seen the following things in a variety of ways already: Love, Grace, Mercy, Redemption, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness, Self Control. Interestingly, I've seen these in the people of this region.... most notably, non-Christians. It makes me wonder about the state of my own heart. Do I exhibit these? Are they as visible in me to others as they have been in others to me?
• I remember the end of a "My Utmost For His Highest" devotional, "The undiminished radiance, which is the result of abundant joy, is not built on anything passing, but on the love of God that nothing can change. And the experiences of life, whether they are everyday events or terrifying ones, are powerless to "separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord" (Romans 8:39). Lord, let them see the undiminished radiance, and know the reason!

Another Milestone

A co-worker passed along to me yesterday the fact that we went over the International Date Line while flying from San Francisco to Hong Kong. These little milestones may be insignificant, but they're kinda fun to look at; reminding ourselves that the world is much bigger than our everyday environment.

For it was July 2003 when I was in Greenwich, England (zero degrees longitude) and it was July 2004 when I straddled the equator in Quito, Ecaudor (zero degrees latitude). Now in September 2006 I crossed the International Date Line.

What's Next?

• The North Pole
• The South Pole
• Stepping foot on all 7 continents (I have 2 to go!)
• ??
  

I'm open to suggestions!

All for now,
Lisa

Soon, There Will Be Three More to Add!

I did not know this at the time of my previous post, but I will be traveling to more countries soon -- and three of them I have yet to travel to AND they're on my list of favorites! I am smiling and thanking God:

• Singapore
• Hong Kong
• Spain (Barcelona)

Can't get much better than that! I will give a synposis of my trips upon my return. I'm so looking forward to Asia as I've yet to travel there at all. How exciting to literally see the other side of the world! We have a big big world... and we have a bigger God!

All for now,
Lisa

Surrender vs. Resignation

I've been pondering these two words from the standpoint of a child of God. Here's what the dictionary says:

surrender: To relinquish possession or control of to another because of demand or compulsion.
resignation: A giving up of a possession, claim, or right

They look pretty close, but I dare say they are completely different. And I would say the difference is hope.

Resignation is void of hope. Surrender isn't. Both of them require your hands to be off, the white flag to be lifted. But resignation offers no hope for change. Surrender doesn't. Surrender means you're offering up control to another... and my hope is in God. And He always controls it perfectly.. if I let him.

Here's to hands off!

All for now,
Lisa

Today Marks One Year

One year of blogging. Not much else to say.

All for now,
Lisa

Random Little Things

I just read Laurie's blog and was completely inspired! Here's a random list of things about me:

• I wake up most days without using an alarm
• The first book I remember reading is "Fun with Dick and Jane"
• I can curl my tongue but I can't flare my nostrils
• I love the smell of freshly mown grass
• I played the trumpet in High School
• My sophomore year, I marched in the Rose Bowl parade
• I failed my driver's test the first time
• I have been para-sailing
• I hate mopping the floors
• I used to hate being late, but now I don't mind so much (but not too late)
• My favorite number is eleven
• Like in the Wizard of Oz, if I had to choose, I would take a heart over courage or a brain
• If I could choose my own name, I think it would be Lisa
• I am more of a risk-taker now than when I was younger
• My favorite movies are "Breakfast at Tiffany's" and "To Kill a Mockingbird"
• I love the color green
• The person I admire most in the world is (was) Rich Mullins
• There are few things better in this world than a good Sunday afternoon nap
• I don't and won't have any tatoo's
• I went downhill snowskiing this year, for the first time in 25 years

All for now,
Lisa

Have Passport, Will Travel!

I recently counted the number of countries I have visited. I believe it's 22. Don't take this as bragging, but I was surprised it wasn't more. I guess I thought I'd visited more places than I really have.

So far, I've visited (in no particular order):

• Mexico
• Ecuador
• Cuba
• Guatemala
• El Salvador
• Puerto Rico *
• Canada
• USA
• UK (Scotland, Great Britain)
• Ireland
• France
• Netherlands
• Germany
• Luxembourg
• Lichenstein
• Austria
• Switzerland
• Monaco
• Italy
• Greece
• Turkey
• Israel

Those places or trips on my list:

• Spain, Morocco, Tunisia (for the mosaics)
• Brazil, Argentina
• Peru (Machu Picchu)
• Bangkok, Hong Kong, Shanghai
• Japan (Tokyo)
• Malaysia (Singapore)

All for now,
Lisa

Cuba 2006

Most of you know that I recently traveled to Cuba for a mission trip with my church. At left is a link to a chronological photo journey (my thanks to the many others who also took photos - I've added some of them in here to fill in gaps where I didn't take photos).

Basically for me, each day started off with power-walking with my friend Jody, then leading praise and worship for our group devotional. After which, we'd be off to the college campuses for the afternoon (where I'd play guitar). Then we'd come back to the hotel, clean up, and then head back out for an evening worship (where I'd also play guitar)... sometimes in the strangest of places (like a traffic circle!).

The last day was spent at a wonderful beach!!!

Hope you enjoy the photo journey.

All for now,
Lisa

Encouragement to surrender... ouch!

I encourage you to let the holy Spirit search your heart for what God could have
set in your heart and you haven't surrendered to it.

I read the above as the last note on a friend's blog. It hit me like a ton of bricks. As I know there is a stirring in me and has been for a while... like I'm on a cusp of a calling. But I don't really know what it is... mainly because I haven't taken the time, opportunity, or openness to let it develop.

ouch.

It hurts more because I've done such an excellent job of ignoring it... putting it on the "big ig" as a friend of mine often says.

Well, the big ig only serves to let confusion fester. And I'm afraid I've layered busyness, head knowledge, and other shiny objects that I've let distract me on top of denial and what I've got is a heap-a-mess.

Know the feeling? I'm sure you do. So, what to do?

I'm blogging this as somewhat of a confession. The word I think I've gotten lately is "service". And I'm serving in my Sunday School class right now, but I think it has more to do with service to the church in general... not sure what.

So, I ask the Holy Spirit to come right now and search my heart and intercede for me with groanings too deep for words (Romans 8:26); to show me what God has set in my heart, to give me the power to surrender, and to surrender to it.

All for now,
Lisa

Have I Told You Lately That I Love You?

"Have I Told You Lately that I Love You?" is a popular song, written by Scott Wiseman. Although most of us know it sung by the raspy-voiced singer, Rod Stewart, the song was actually published in 1945. But the thought is timeless.

Most of you who know me, know that I'm a fairly verbal and fairly affectionate person. But few of you may really know why. And I have no idea why I'm bringing it up now save that it's been on my mind lately.

You see, I had a wonderful older sister. A beautiful woman whom I adored. But she was taken from me over 12 years ago. Very suddenly. And since then I often wonder (sometimes daily) if I told her enough that I loved her. I think I did, but the thought lingers.

Have you told the people you love that you love them? Even if you have, they would probably appreciate hearing it again. You may not have as much time as you think.

I should tell those I love I love them before time splits us asunder, leaving
someone else to wonder where we are and how it goes. ~ Jim Mugford

All for now,
Lisa

My First Retail Opportunity!

As some of you know, I have had a jewelry company for about 5 years. I mostly make necklaces, earrings, and bracelets out of precious and semi-precious stones on gold/silver, and dabble a little into silversmithing.

It's a great outlet for creativity. However, I also have a full-time job, so my modus operandi has been to make jewelry as I can, and when I have a good inventory I'd have a trunk show. However, lately I have not been able to have a trunk show. And a couple of weeks ago, I really questioned whether or not I should keep the company going.

I asked the Lord for guidance: whether or not I should close the company down, and/or how I could continue selling the merchandise.

It wasn't a week later that I was having a casual conversation with a friend of mine, who owns a retail shop. She mentioned that she was thinking of having a line of jewelry in her store and what would I think about showing Liesel merchandise there. I had never even thought about that idea. Brilliant! And a direct answer to prayer.

Thank you, Lord, for giving me the questions... and the answers. You are seldom early, but You are never late!

All for now,
Lisa

Luuuuuuuuuuucccyyyyyy, you got some 'splaining to do!

Ha! One of my favorite TV shows growing up was "I Love Lucy". I used to watch it in the afternoons, laying on my parent's bed (it was a treat to watch it on the TV in their room). For a while, my mom used to come back and check on me because she thought my incessant laughter was actually me crying! Well, I was practically crying from laughter.

So, that being said... I hope you can understand my excitement about my impending trip to Cuba. All those years of watching Ricky talk about his homeland gave me insight into the country and a curiousity about what it was like.

More recently, Cuba has been on my heart for at least six years! Not sure why. Just has. So, when this trip came up I knew my answer would be "YES"!

Our visas are ready, but my bags aren't quite packed. I'm excited that I'll be taking my guitar down there. Perhaps I'll run into a Cuban musician and jam a little. Wouldn't that be so cool???

If you are so inclined, I would welcome your prayers.

All for now,
Lisa

Is that You, Lord?

A friend just emailed me to respond to one of my recent blog entries. She said something that I really liked... "Every time I ask, 'Lord is that You?' about gets confirmed and reconfirmed in random ways. All I can say is it's just so nice to hear from Him.

WOW!! How cool. She also said she settled on Psalm 25 to read about Truth. I looked it up, and wow... confirmation and reconfirmation about full trust, confidence, and reliance.

Here is the Amplified Version of Psalm 25

UNTO YOU, O Lord, do I bring my life. O my God, I trust, lean on, rely
on, and am confident in You. Let me not be put to shame or [my hope in You] be
disappointed; let not my enemies triumph over me. Yes, let none who trust
and wait hopefully and look for You be put to shame or be disappointed; let them
be ashamed who forsake the right or deal treacherously without
cause.

Show me Your ways, O Lord; teach me Your paths. Guide me in Your
truth and faithfulness and teach me, for You are the God of my salvation; for
You [You only and altogether] do I wait [expectantly] all the day
long. Remember, O Lord, Your tender mercy and loving-kindness; for they
have been ever from of old. Remember not the sins (the lapses and
frailties) of my youth or my transgressions; according to Your mercy and
steadfast love remember me, for Your goodness' sake, O Lord. Good and
upright is the Lord; therefore will He instruct sinners in [His] way.

He leads the humble in what is right, and the humble He teaches His
way. All the paths of the Lord are mercy and steadfast love, even truth
and faithfulness are they for those who keep His covenant and His
testimonies. For Your name's sake, O Lord, pardon my iniquity and my
guilt, for [they are] great. Who is the man who reverently fears and
worships the Lord? Him shall He teach in the way that he should choose. He
himself shall dwell at ease, and his offspring shall inherit the
land.

The secret [of the sweet, satisfying companionship] of the Lord have they
who fear (revere and worship) Him, and He will show them His covenant and reveal
to them its [deep, inner] meaning. My eyes are ever toward the Lord, for
He will pluck my feet out of the net. [Lord] turn to me and be gracious to
me, for I am lonely and afflicted. The troubles of my heart are multiplied;
bring me out of my distresses. Behold my affliction and my pain and forgive
all my sins [of thinking and doing].

Consider my enemies, for they abound; they hate me with cruel
hatred. O keep me, Lord, and deliver me; let me not be ashamed or
disappointed, for my trust and my refuge are in You. Let integrity and
uprightness preserve me, for I wait for and expect You. Redeem Israel, O
God, out of all their troubles.

It's always so nice to hear from Him. And speaking from experience, most often, all we have to do is get quiet enough to listen.

All for now,
Lisa

Sticking to the KISS principle

Over the weekend, I found the following "Who I Am In Christ" handout in my papers. I had received it from some Bible study along the way and kept it. I'm glad I did. It's a nice, simple reminder of who we are.

Do you believe it? All of it? All of the time? I would love to say yes, but I can't. Too often, emotions or evidence points to the contrary. However, when that happens, I simply have to acknowledge that those things are fleeting and the below is constant. And I have to testify, every time the constant has won out over the fleeting. Praise Him!


I am accepted...
John 1:12 I am God's child.
John 15:15 As a disciple, I am a friend of Jesus Christ.
Romans 5:1 I have been justified.
1 Corinthians 6:17 I am united with the Lord, and I am one with Him in spirit.
1 Corinthians 6:19-20 I have been bought with a price and I belong to God.
1 Corinthians 12:27 I am a member of Christ's body.
Ephesians 1:3-8 I have been chosen by God and adopted as His child.
Colossians 1:13-14 I have been redeemed and forgiven of all my sins.
Colossians 2:9-10 I am complete in Christ.
Hebrews 4:14-16 I have direct access to the throne of grace through Jesus Christ.

I am secure...
Romans 8:1-2 I am free from condemnation.
Romans 8:28 I am assured that God works for my good in all circumstances.
Romans 8:31-39 I am free from any condemnation brought against me and I cannot be separated from the love of God.
2 Corinthians 1:21-22 I have been established, anointed and sealed by God.
Colossians 3:1-4 I am hidden with Christ in God.
Philippians 1:6 I am confident that God will complete the good work He started in me.
Philippians 3:20 I am a citizen of heaven.
2 Timothy 1:7 I have not been given a spirit of fear but of power, love and a sound mind.
1 John 5:18 I am born of God and the evil one cannot touch me.

I am significant...
John 15:5 I am a branch of Jesus Christ, the true vine, and a channel of His life.
John 15:16 I have been chosen and appointed to bear fruit.
1 Corinthians 3:16 I am God's temple.
2 Corinthians 5:17-21 I am a minister of reconciliation for God.
Ephesians 2:6 I am seated with Jesus Christ in the heavenly realm.
Ephesians 2:10 I am God's workmanship.
Ephesians 3:12 I may approach God with freedom and confidence.
Philippians 4:13 I can do all things through Christ, who strengthens me.

All for now,
Lisa

The Real Me

I've heard this song a few times today on KSBJ and reading the lyrics made me want to share it with you. It's by Natalie Grant.


Foolish heart looks like we're here again
Same old game of plastic smile
Don't let anybody in
Hiding my heartache, will this glass house break
How much will they take before I'm empty
Do I let it show, does anybody know?

But you see the real me
Hiding in my skin, broken from within
Unveil me completely I'm loosening my grasp
There's no need to mask my frailty
Cause you see the real me

Painted on, life is behind a mask
Self-inflicted circus clown
I'm tired of the song and dance
Living a Charade, always on parade
What a mess I've made of my existence
But you love me even now
And still I see somehow

But you see the real me
Hiding in my skin, broken from within
Unveil me completely I'm loosening my grasp
There's no need to mask my frailty
Cause you see the real me

Wonderful, beautiful is what you see
When you look at me
You're turning the tattered fabric of my life into
A perfect tapestry I just wanna be me

But you see the real me
Hiding in my skin, broken from within
Unveil me completely I'm loosening my grasp
There's no need to mask my frailty
Cause you see the real me
And you love me just as I am

Wonderful, Beautiful is what you see
When you look at me

All for now,
Lisa

A Season to Simply Trust

It's been a while since I've last blogged. And that's not to say that not much has been happening. To the contrary, God has been working (as He always is) in me, but just like a cake in the oven, sometimes, once it goes in, it takes a little time to see the results. I think the timer has chimed and my thoughts have firmed up a little. So here goes... I may ramble a little, but humor me.

Actually, I think God started "baking" this topic as early as January. The thought first came across to me as simply following prophecy. And my desire for God to simply give me a sign, especially when the road seems a bit unclear. It was then that I realized that even if God gave me a sign, I may not follow it.

(http://lieseldiesel.blogspot.com/2006_01_01_lieseldiesel_archive.html)

Now, what I'm realizing is in times of doubt or confusion, I should simply trust. So, what is exactly trust? I found the following on answers.com when typing in the word "trust"

Trust, faith, confidence, reliance, dependence. These nouns denote a feeling of
certainty that a person or thing will not fail. Trust implies depth and
assurance of feeling that is often based on inconclusive evidence.

Inconclusive evidence? Don't we live in a constant state of inconclusive evidence? That's why I wanted a sign! And I trusted God to show me it. But instead of showing me a sign, God has been showing me that my desire for a sign was evidence that I really wasn't fully trusting Him. Aha! So, maybe it's not about trust, but about control?

I often remember a magazine cutout a friend had on her refrigerator:

Faith isn't faith until it's all you're holding onto

I think the above photo demonstrates holding on. The strength isn't in the little hand, it's in the big hand. All the little hand has to do is to hold on.

Perhaps it's no coincidence that I'm currently reading Ruthless Trust. In it, Brennan Manning talks about an interaction between John Kavanaugh and Mother Teresa. She asked how she could pray for him. When he replied, "clarity", she responded with a firm, "No!". "Clarity is the last thing you are clinging to and must let go of".

Furthermore, Ken Brumley, at the Reload Retreat, talked about clarity. He said something like "pray for purity, not clarity. With purity, the clarity will come."

One of my dearest friends is Tracey, whom I can always count on for her insight, honesty, and eloquence. She once told me that during a dark time, she really was down to simply remembering three things: "God is soverign, He is good, and He loves me". I have often hung on to those three things, but I think the missing link was that I was still looking for His hand, His plan, and now I'm just going to stick with keeping with the purity of who I am (a child of the King) and fully trusting that what He has in store, although unbeknownst to me, will be better than I could ever have imagined!

1 Corinthians 2:9
However, as it is written: 'No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him' [Isaiah 64:4]

Jeremiah 29:11-13
For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.

Ephesians 3:20-21
Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.

Ephesians 2:10
For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

Philippians 1:6
being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.

Proverbs 3:5-6
Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.

Philippians 4:8-9
Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.

I'm not saying that asking Him to show you His will shows lack of confidence in Him or a lack of trust. I just know right now He has me in a season of simplying trusting Him and not asking any more questions.

Well, would you believe that a friend just emailed me with this as her ending note, "You can pray for my faith to be strong as I learn to put all my eggs in His basket!"

Putting ALL my eggs into His basket. Well, that pretty well sums up this whole blog entry. Thanks Sarah!

All for now,
Lisa

ITunes Issue

I know many of you have an ipod. Some are you are also quite ipod saavy. This is a question for you.

I have an ipod. I have itunes on a PC of which I have ripped many CD's. I now have a laptop which which I wish to replace my aging PC.

So, I first tried to take my ipod and connect it to my new laptop -- which I thought would download the songs off my ipod and put them on itunes. NO! I was wrong. It basically deleted the songs off my ipod (I think it thought I wished it to take the songs off the yet unused itunes (which was blank... and blanking the songs off my itunes)).

So, the question is: how do I take the songs off itunes on my PC and put them on my laptop and "register" my laptop as the connector to my ipod?

Whew?!?!

All for now,
Lisa

This Wednesday

On Wednesday, at two minutes and three seconds after 1:00 in the morning, the time and date will be

01:02:03 04/05/06

That won't ever happen again in your lifetime.

All for now,
Lisa

A Lesson in Tuning In

I had reason to fly to California this past week. I flew into Oakland airport one evening, From Oakland, I drove to my company's headquarters in San Ramon. As I drove out of the rental car company driveway, I turned on the radio in the rental car then did my usual "seek, seek, seek" until I could find an amenable radio station. Let me tell you, Northern CA is stuck in the 80's and 90's! I really couldn't find anything pleasing. I think I circled the FM dial two or three times. By this time, I'd made my way to the mountains. This is where I had an interesting experience.

I finally found a radio station, though not coming in strongly, and settled in for the rest of the drive (about 30 min) -- listening to Contemporary Christian Music (Strong Tower by Kutless). Well, in just a few minutes, I was losing that radio station and another radio station was tuning in. It was also a Christian radio station, but a much more traditional one. On air was a brilliant tenor singing "How Great Thou Art" with great passion. I was amazed that two radio stations (probably separated by the mountains) were transmitting on similar frequencies.

I loved it! Because they were both singing about the same thing... just in VERY different styles. As I drove up and down the mountains each radio station would take turns coming in stronger.

It made me think. It made me think about a couple of things:

- How each of us is transmitting our own praise and worship at the same time. And how God can pick up our frequencies, each and every one of ours, and listening intently and intimately and not missing a beat. How big is He that he can multitask to each of His children with the greatest of intimacy without even working at it???

- How each of us has our own, unique style and yet it is brilliant in its own regard. Because it's not about the style, it's about the content... who God is.

All for now,
Lisa

P.S. he he ... isn't it interesting that He took me to San Francisco to get a lesson in "tuning in" (i.e. it was the hippie Berkley professor Timothy Leary who coined the term "Turn on, tune in, drop out" in the 1960's)

Erin Go Bragh!

translated means "Ireland Forever"


The most beautiful music of all is the music of what happens. - Irish proverb

Happy Texas Independence Day!

On this day in 1836, Texas declared its independence from Mexico and actually became a nation unto itself (prior to agreeing to be part of the United States). I believe Texas is the only state among 50 that has this distinction. Can you tell I'm a proud Texan?!

All for now,
Lisa

Ashes Ashes

Today is Ash Wednesday, which is the first day of Lent. Traditionally, the Roman Catholic churches offer ashes to be placed on the foreheads of the faithful to remind them of death. From what I understand, God's words to Adam are often used in the ceremony: “Dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return.”

My friend Susan Ince wrote the following last year. I've kept a print out of it above my desk at work since then. I thought it would be worthy to share here:

I would like to suggest one way of making room for God during this Lenten
season: choosing not to do some things (fasting) and choosing to do other things
(feasting). Tradition teaches us to fast during Lent, because Lent
prepares us for Easter, the victory of life over death, we need also to feast on
the life God offers as we seek to deepen the divine life within us. It is
appropriate then to fast AND to feast!

Fast from harsh or mean words.
Feast on words that encourage and support others.

Fast from anger.
Feast on patience.

Fast from worry.
Feast on God's love and care.

Fast from sadness and depression.
Feast on joy and peace of mind.

Fast from complaining.
Feast on appreciation and gratitude.

Fast from bitterness.
Feast on forgiveness.

Fast from resentment.
Feast on acceptance.

Fast from jealousy.
Feast on being oneself.

Fast from self-centeredness.
Feast on compassion for others.

Fast from excess.
Feast on moderation.

Fast from acquiring.
Feast on generosity.

Fast from apathy.
Feast on caring.

Fast from discouragement.
Feast on hope.

Fast from judging others.
Feast on finding Christ in them.

All for now,
Lisa

Throw Me Something Mister!

Most of you know that today is Mardi Gras (mär'dē grä) or (mahr-dee grah), which is the last day before the fasting season of Lent (40 days of fasting and penitence in preparation for Easter).

Mardi Gras literally means “fat Tuesday” (mardi = Tuesday, gras = fat). I suppose the idea is "eat cake for tomorrow we will fast", which has resulted in a general tolerance for a day of gluttony and excessiveness.

As most of you know, New Orleans, Louisiana, is famous for its Mardi Gras celebration, as is Rio de Janeiro, Brazil (they call it Carnival there), and in Nice, and Cologne (usually in staunchly Roman Catholic regions). Commonly, these celebrations consist of elaborate parades and masked balls usually lasting for about a week before Mardi Gras day. In New Orleans, there seems to be two Mardi Gras... the one no where near the French Quarter. And the one most televised, which is in the French Quarter.

While I'm no proponent of gluttony, I have to admit that one of my favorite "excessivenesses" is the king cake. The king cake most often used is a ring of twisted bread topped with purple, green, and gold icing. Most have filling inside (usually cream cheese). Yum!

The best part about the king cake is the trinket inside. From what I understand, the most traditional trinket is a bean, but all the king cakes I've seen have a plastic baby inside. As the story goes, the "baby in the king cake" was said to have become common after a local bakery chain got a large shipment of such plastic baby dolls from Hong Kong very cheaply in the 1950s.

Did you know it's also Pancake Tuesday?

Pancake Tuesday

In Ireland, Australia, and Canada, Mardi Gras is known as "Pancake Tuesday" - which is exactly what they would do on this Tuesday -- eat a pancake! Pancakes are eaten to use up milk and eggs, which are not eaten during Lent, and would otherwise spoil during this period. Cooked like a French crêpe, the pancake is served with sprinkled sugar or drizzled with syrup (sounds very similar to the king cake) And, as a matter of fact, I found out that in Newfoundland, objects are baked into these pancakes (viola!). Apparently, these objects all have meanings associated with them. Finders of the coins will be rich, finders of the ring will be the first ones married, etc. (which sounds very similar to the New Orleans tradition of baking these sorts of items into the wedding cake).

With all this talk about food, I'm hungry.

All for now,
Lisa

source: http://www.answers.com/

Do You Know What It Means To Miss New Orleans

Do you know what it means
To miss New Orleans
And miss it each night and day
Well I know I'm not wrong
The feeling's getting stronger
The longer I stay away
Miss those moss-covered vines
The tall sugar-pines
Where mockingbirds used to sing
And I'd like to see the lazy Mississippi
A hurrying about to spring
The moonlight on the Bayous
Those Creole tunes that fill the air
You know I dream about magnolias in bloom
And soon I'm wishing that I were there
Do you know what it means
To miss those Red Beans
When that's where you left your heart
And there's one thing more I miss the one I care for
More than I miss New Orleans

All for now,
Lisa

Life Keeps on Rollin'

Yesterday, I visited Cactus Records for one of the last times. Very sadly, it is closing on March 31 after over 30 years of business! That day will be a sad day in Houston. It was always a treat for me to wander in to that store just to lose myself in all those great CDs. Each time I'd go in I'd always manage to uncover a great find. And yesterday was no different.

In those well-used bins, I found "Our New Orleans" which is a benefit CD that has just recently been released. The good news is that all net proceeds will be donated to the local relief efforts of Habitat for Humanity, with a portion specifically set aside to provide housing for local musicians left homeless by the disaster. Just recently, I blogged that we need to keep these folks in the forefront of our minds and not forget to help them. This is another way you can help! And have a great CD to boot!

Here's what Amazon says about it:
Hurricane Katrina may have devastated New Orleans and surrounding Gulf communities in 2005, but it was also a forceful reminder of the Crescent City's world renowned status as the epicenter of much American musical heritage. This benefit album picks up that latter thread, a sometimes bittersweet reminder of how deepy ingrained, yet all-too-fragile, that cultural legacy really is.

Click on the above link to purchase it! It's just that easy.

One other review stated:
Of all the concerts and benefits put on by the music industry in aid of New Orleans in the wake of this year’s hurricanes, Our New Orleans has to be one of the most heartfelt and flat-out best collections of music from and about the Crescent City. It will not only benefit the city’s coffers (actually Habitat for Humanity, in their efforts to rebuild the city) but also serves to document the depth and profound musicality of the city, as well as serving as a calling card promoting the glories of New Orleans’ past to whole new generations of listeners.

All for now,
Lisa

Ways To Maintain A Healthy Level Of Insanity

I received this in an email from a co-worker:

1. At lunch time, sit in your parked car with sunglasses on and point a hair dryer at passing cars. See if they slow down.
2. Page yourself over the intercom. Don't disguise your voice.
3. Every time someone asks you to do something, ask if they want fries with that.
4. Put your garbage can on your desk and label it 'in.'
5. Put decaf in the coffee maker for 3 weeks. Once everyone has gotten over their caffeine addictions, switch to espresso.
6. In the memo field of all your checks, write “for smuggling diamonds.”
7. Finish all your sentences with “in accordance with the prophecy”.
8. Dont use any punctuation
9. As often as possible, skip rather than walk.
10. With a serious face, order a diet water whenever you go out to eat.
11. Specify that your drive-through order is “to go”'.
12. Sing along at the opera.
13. Go to a poetry recital and ask why the poems don't rhyme.
14. Put mosquito netting around your work area and play tropical sounds all day.
15. Five days in advance, tell your friends you can't attend their party because you're not in the mood.
16. Have your co-workers address you by your wrestling name, “rock bottom”.
17. When the money comes out the ATM, scream 'I won!, I won!'
18. When leaving the zoo, start running towards the parking lot, yelling “run for your lives, they're loose!”
19. Tell your children over dinner. “Due to the economy, we are going to have to let one of you go.”

So, how do you maintain a healthy level of insanity?

All for now,
Lisa

Blue Tarps and White Trailers

On a whim, I decided to go to New Orleans this past weekend for the Mardi Gras Marathon. A good friend was going to run the marathon and I was going to run the 5K while also supporting her in the last couple of miles of the marathon. Unfortunately, it ended up that she could not run the marathon because of a lingering injury. We both ended up doing the 5K, which was a lot of fun (the weather could not have been better - blue skies and a cool breeze). The run was also was a nice punctuation to a wonderful weekend.

It was an eye-opening weekend.

We took Saturday to drive around the city of New Orleans and St. Bernard Parish. Folks, their ordeal is no where near over. The city is heavily dotted with blue tarps covering half-blown away roofs and white FEMA trailers parked in "trailer cities" as well as in front of once water-saturated homes. The strange thing is the eerie quietness of the city. Entire subdivisions still do not have electricity and there are no inhabitants. The other odd thing is that no one seems to be occupying the trailer cities. They are barren. Cars are parked outside of homes. Not because their owners are inside, but because they have not been moved from where they were before the water covered them.

I took some photos. The link is at the left.

It's been 5 months since Katrina and Rita. Let's not let time fade our memories and still us from action. They still need our help.

All for now,
Lisa

Passion '06 Conference Photos Now Online

Sometimes a picture is worth a thousand words. If that's the case, I now have 48,000 words to describe Passion '06.

I have uploaded my photos (as well as a friend of mine's) onto Kodak Gallery. Please click the link at the left to view them. You may have to log into Kodak Gallery (it's free) to view them.

All for now,
Lisa

Following Prophecy

I so often have asked for it. I've begged God and reasoned that I would definitely follow through if He just plainly told me what to do. I mean He's done it before. It's not like I'm asking for something He's never done before. Just ask Moses.

But now, I realize that even if God may answer my folly with phrophecy, there's no guarantee I (or anyone else) would follow it. Want evidence? How about the Jews. The Jews knew about Christ. And had prophecy. Yet still denied Him.

I now see the blessing in not knowing the whole journey. Just the next step. The depth of God's mercy has always been profound. I'm just getting close enough to the edge to be able to peer more deeply into it. I'm learning to surrender to the mysteries and enjoy (yes, I said it) the waiting time before each mystery is revealed.

[I wrote the above over a month ago. However, there was a part missing. I couldn't quite touch the thought I was trying to get. However, today's "My Utmost for His Highest" brought it to light]:

As servants of God, we must learn to make room for Him-to give God "elbow
room." We plan and figure and predict that this or that will happen, but we
forget to make room for God to come in as He chooses. Would we be surprised if
God came into our meeting or into our preaching in a way we had never expected
Him to come? Do not look for God to come in a particular way, but do look for
Him. The way to make room for Him is to expect Him to come, but not in a certain
way. No matter how well we may know God, the great lesson to learn is that He
may break in at any minute. We tend to overlook this element of surprise, yet
God never works in any other way. Suddenly— God meets our life ". . . when it
pleased God . . . ."

Keep your life so constantly in touch with God that His surprising
power can break through at any point. Live in a constant state of expectancy,
and leave room for God to come in as He decides.

Living in a constant state of expectancy. That's it! It focuses our attention on the relationship... looking for Him. Not looking for what He hands out. I've heard this question before and I ask it to you... are you looking to the hand of God or the heart of God?


All for now,
Lisa

A Generation for His Renown

I had the priviledge of volunteering at Passion 06. It was an incredible experience for me to be able to peer into what God is doing in His children aged 18-25 or so. I say that and then I think about how He worked in so many more; those there as leaders, volunteers, curious spectators, bystanders. He truly works it all together!

I've been back a few days and have searched for words to be to able to express my thoughts about Passion. This wasn't my first Passion event so you would think I would be able to appropriately tell you about it. Well, I'm coming up a bit empty. But! I was a bit encouraged when I read that Louie himself has the same dilemma.

CCM Magazine did do a nice job of describing the details of the GO center.

I will write more later.

All for now,
Lisa

Happy 2006 Folks!