Prayer

(This photo has nothing to do with anything I just like it. Chris and me walking up Central Park West over a year ago. Reminiscing...)

I am sort of melancholy today-- well, not me really, but I am feeling the emotional suckage from people I know and love who are hurting or ill or just plain old tired right now. My heart hurts because their heart hurts. I know we were called to live in community at times like this. We've all been there. And if not, hang on, cause it's coming. Sooner or later we all want to throw up our hands and walk away. Life's hard.

A friend of mine posted this verse on her blog- and I want to post it too. It's that good, for here and now, for what I needed to hear today. (This is from The Message, which isn't my favorite translation, but I liked the way this was stated.)

Meanwhile, the moment you get tired in the waiting, God's Spirit is right alongside helping us along. If we don't know what to pray, it doesn't matter. He does our praying in and for us, making prayer out of our wordless sighs, our aching groans. He knows us far better than we know ourselves, knows our pregnant condition, and keeps us present before God. That's why we can be so sure that every detail in our lives of love for God is worked into something good. Romans 8:26-28

At my new job, things are going well. I like change and newness and having a source of consistent income. I just struggle with getting the routine down. Not that I can't learn, I learn quickly; I write everything down my spiral: passwords, account numbers, who's who and what's what. When to order more half and half, who wants their mail as soon as it arrives and who not to chew gum in front of. But, I want to know everyone's name now so I can greet them properly. I want to be able to tell you where everyone sits now. I want to remember that when a caller asks for Don- they are actually asking for Dawn, and that Niki is a male. I want my own building pass. It'll come. In the meantime, they adore my southern accent- which I still don't hear. (Only after a couple glasses of wine...) Oh, well. As my friends have taught me, about this and so many other things, Embrace It. It's who I am.

Feeling Like Fall

It actually feels fall-ish today. But the weatherman did say that it is a bit cooler today than normal. This is the kind of weather that allows me to wear knee boots with socks instead of tights, short sleeved sweater-dresses (which I do own two of), and long sleeved t-shirts (but only before the sun goes down.) I've forgotten how windy it is here. It's so blustery- it's what makes it unbearable. That Wind.

Fall makes me want to cook. Big pots of white bean chili and taco soup. Pumpkin bread and Spice Cake and baked apple crumble. Anything that will make our house/ apartment/ 600 square-feet of space smell like cinnamon or spice or my momma's house.

I think I'm gonna try something new tonight- something spice-y and cinnamon-y and pumpkin-y.

Monday, Oct. 5th is our three year wedding anniversary, and I think my husband has something up his sleeve for our weekend. I was just told not to have plans between the time I get off work Friday at 6:00, until I go back Monday at 9:00. Unfortunately, I will not be off work on our anniversary- being a new employee and all & having already asked off the 10th- 22nd to go to Texas, nonetheless, we have the weekend.

Thus far (two days in) work has gone well, it's been what I expected and what I needed. I was even able to go to the gym this morning before heading out the door at 8:15. Winter- dark mornings and dark evenings, I just hate that. Oh, October... here you come!

Singing

I just love this picture. It was taken last fall somewhere in Vermont as we were "leaf peeping" which I am afraid we will be unable to do this year, with me working and going to Texas.... Fall is fabulous!

Music and singing are vital to my existence. I can not imagine not singing. Not having words and music and rhyme. I sing constantly. I mouth the words to the songs on my iPod while I'm at the gym. I mouth the words to Please Don't Stop the Music, Lady GaGa and Love Love Lockdown while I run through Central Park. I don't sing aloud- that would be absurd, but I do sing to myself, mouthing the words. It helps. I play air guitar. I drum along on the stationary bike. I don't care. I'm bringing sexy back and I'll be your naughty girl, cause I'm a slave for you. (All song titles... okay mom!)

Yesterday, or maybe it was the day before, I was listening to my song list titled 'worship' on my iPod while pumping my way through another forty minutes on the elliptical machine. (Some of my playlists include: melancholy, old school cool, running, workout 1, workout 2, workout 3, guitar guys, sunnyday, grind, praise and worship among others.) It was so great. I almost had to lift my hands in worship and give an altar call! Seriously, though, I think the large gentleman on the treadmill in front of me was scared I was about to start singing- aloud. I love that we can do that, worship God anywhere.

I have a friend who has two separate iPods, one for secular music and one for her worship music. I sort of like the idea. Sometimes it can seem a bit anticlimactic to listen to Alanis Morissett or The Doors after singing How Great is Our God or Revelation Song.