The Hawk

Well, there's the photo and here's the story:

Just the other day, it was perched at the end of my drive way, near the garage. As I turned into the driveway, it really didn't move at first (which surprised me). As I drove up, it flew away (with a small dead bird in its talons) -- it was then that I realized what it was! It just flew to my next door neighbor's fence. That's where I took the photo.

I think he had a dove in his talons.... at least it looked like at a distance. There was actually a dove INSIDE my studio over the weekend (I had left the garage door open). I think he was a little sick because he was flying crazy.

Let me tell you it was the strangest thing to turn into my driveway.. look up the driveway and think it's simply a dove in the driveway (what I would have expected). Then to see/hear... whap whap whap of his wings as he spread them to fly away. AMAZING. Then to just fly to the neighbor's fence. Incredible. So I took those photos and then realized I had a better camera inside. I went in, got it, came back out. He was still just sitting there. I tried to take a photo.. and alas, no memory card in the camera. OUCH. So, I went back inside, found a memory card, installed it, came back outside, then pointed the camera to zoom and then whap whap whap he flew away. DAGNABIT.

I came inside and a few minutes later I could hear him screech as he flew over my house... as if to say, "I'm still here!"

Anyway, it was cool.

WOW!!! I just can't believe the wildlife RIGHT here in the thick middle of the city.

Love it! Love it!!!

All for now,
Lisa

Psalm 46 (NIV)

oh, someone needs to hear this as badly as I did today:

God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Therefore
we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the
heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake
with their surging. There is a river whose streams make glad the city of
God, the holy place where the Most High dwells. God is within her, she will
not fall; God will help her at break of day. Nations are in uproar, kingdoms
fall; he lifts his voice, the earth melts. The LORD Almighty is with us; the
God of Jacob is our fortress. Come and see the works of the LORD, the
desolations he has brought on the earth. He makes wars cease to the ends of
the earth; he breaks the bow and shatters the spear, he burns the shields
with fire. "Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the
nations, I will be exalted in the earth." The LORD Almighty is with us; the
God of Jacob is our fortress.

All for now,
Lisa

The Lecture of a Lifetime

Yesterday, I saw an interesting article in the Wall Street Journal about Randy Pausch, a Carnegie Mellon University computer-science professor. It seems that he delievered his "last lecture" to students and colleagues. While a few colleges are doing these last lecture series, his was a little different because he's been diagnosed with a pretty radical cancer which doctors give him just a few months to live.

I read his take on life and how he delivered his speech. He showed his life, his past, as a gift to his children. While noble, his gift of legacy falls short. No disrespect to him because, you see, we all face the same fate as Randy. One of the few certainties of each of us is that our lives here in this world will end in death. We can live our lives boldly, nobly, cleanly, risky. But if we don't live in holy, then really all our life can be is archived film.

He says this life calls for boldness. I wonder if someone has been bold enough to share Christ with Randy.

What wisdom would we impart to the world if we knew it was our last chance? I wonder if someone imparted to Randy Pausch the truth of Jesus Christ and the good news of the gospel.

You see, for each of us, it may just be our last chance with someone we know, someone we love.

What is your lecture of a lifetime? What would you say? Who would you say it to?

Do it!

All for now,
Lisa