More on Flyleaf

Here's what they look like in concert. Check out
http://www.flyleafmusic.com/

Flyleaf visits

So our neighbor's son 'Hurricane' is driving the rock group Flyleaf's 1 million dollar bus around the country for their tour. They are a hard rock Christian group from Texas that sings about hope shining brighter than despair. They played at the Intersection in GR Tuesday night, and we were luckly to have Jared the guitarist and his wife stay in Brett's room on Monday. I went golfing for the day, and Andy, dear wonderful man that he is, told them to use everything, washing machine etc. I woke them at 10:30 the next morning, and they loaded onto the bus and went back to sleep until they got to the venue for set-up. 10 people sleep on that bus, with bunk beds, 14 TV's, black leather sofas, everything. Sort of like Brett sleeping on the trains in Europe:)
I wish we had more traveling groups to share our little spot of heaven with..., it's what makes us happy.

Shining Glory

This weekend was wonderful, as we sat on the deck night after night with good friends, the glory of this world was embedded on our brains. It seems in summer everybody's more positive, happy, healthy, and outside! To wander the town, eat greek for dinner, a choice of 7 places to walk to for ice cream - it's heaven here. We are so blest!

Bright sun off snow and smiles

So here he is, Brett on a glacier in Europe. I don't know which is brighter, his smile or the sun. I hope the joy was keeping him warm, as he didn't take much else! Kite Boarding Festival is this weekend - anyone bunking down in Brett's area? I haven't heard from anyone.... remember - we like company and noise!

Illuminations: Make Some Noise?

Illuminations: Make Some Noise?

Make Some Noise?

So generally in my life I make some noise, sometimes it's good; like yelling at games, convincing kids to keep pursuing a dream, quiet exchange of ideas, hopes and happenings. But sometimes I need to learn to be quiet, because then I get to hear the birds, the wind in the pine trees, the lapping of the waves, and my own thoughts. I hurry too much, people need more silence sometimes before they feel comfortable in talking. I think we all need to be sensitive to other's pace of sharing. Sort of like my golf swing, if I slow down, somethings work out better. Just my thoughts:)

German Street Streams

So my son sent a CD and Video clip from Prague, only took 5 days! And I told him I would find a way to link his pictures so eveyone could view them. So please be patience with me as we are volunteering all weekend at an Indie Film Festival and I can't set up the link until Monday. Wouldn't it be wonderful, since we are eliminating the countryside with our urban sprawl, if we could also have babbling streams as part of our streets?

A Super Nova

Today was a going away, thank you, and love party at our school. Our art teacher of 11 years is leaving to join her family in Hungary. Both middle and high school staff gathered, around food of course, to acknowledge her impact on the school, themselves and our children. And that's what makes Lisa, and our school unique, at least to me. We are small enough to see our students as more like our children, and therefore we seem at times to be more like a family. It hurts to have an integral part of the family blast off to another sphere, it hurts my heart, my throat and my eyes. A Super Nova is a star which explodes so violently that for a few weeks the star outshines its parent galaxy. Lisa hasn't exploded, but she outshines because of her heart. We will miss her. I, very much.

The Great Sigh

Today in church our sermon linked the Pentacost, Desmond Tutu, Rosa Parks, our new graduates and the miracle of our present exisitence; all with a great sigh. A sigh that is so deep and profound, that it expresses beyond words our communal existence in this world. We live in a time where children can be off on adventures, friends gather to play 'crazy' golf (hence the picture) and human life is destroyed by war or nature. Do we sigh in despair, or in acceptance? Those I love choose to sigh with, and as part of, a God that wants us to explore, examine, celebrate and love all that is good, and call into question all that seems wrong or hurtful to others. I sigh in amazment of a world faceted like a precious diamond, so many faces that I will never see, but a richness of opportunites ahead. I am blessed with a husband who dances in the middle of the street under a full moon, and yet can see well enough to pick up other's forgotten trash on the walk home. Can you hear it? sigh....................

Shining into the future

Tonight is a momentous event in the lives of 54 students and their families and friends; high school graduation. Anyone who is in anyway involved, from teaching, encouraging, making the school safe and clean, from providing transportation to feeding, clothing, and getting them to school on time - it all ties us together so that at 7:00 tonight, all hearts will expand and all eyes get misty. 54 treasures that we all have been blessed to share; how can we not help feel optimist about the world, the future, our own personal lives. My prayer is that the dreams, courage, respect, and actions of all graduates make a difference in our world. They will create the next 'village' that raises our children.