Did you know?

I think everyone has been aware of the gas prices. UP and back down, although not where I'd like to see them, still down. Groceries have been a little higher and overall, things just seem to cost a little more everywhere I go.

Well, Friday I sent the season program to press. Due to the hurricanes and demand on building supplies, paper costs have risen about 30%!! It is going to cost me $1500 more than last year to produce a piece that is held in the hands of audience members through the concert, and then tossed into the recycle box so they can hold it again next concert or thrown in the trash or scrapbooked by someone's mom because they sang with us.

Seems like a lot of money for something that in the light of eternity is useless. How many wells could I build with those same dollars? How many children could I educate and feed? How many Bibles could be printed? The things around me become more trivial when lit by the light of eternity. What a perspective! It humbles me greatly to know that God sees everything in that eternal light.

peace.

I give up...

I can't make it better at work...only God can.
I can't make it better for my dad...only God can.
I can't make it better at home...only God can.

And the best thing about being completely out of control is now God can.

Thank you God for the reminder that living with open hands is the place of most freedom, most peace, most joy and the place I definitely want to live.

God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change,
courage to change the things I can and the wisdom to know the difference.

peace.

Playing Opossum!

At 7:00am Saturday morning, Suki, our 5 year old Akita started barking. It was her "Hey I'm serious about this, something's going on" bark. So Jim jumped out of bed thinking that maybe our out of town company was up and Suki was trying to corral them. He runs out into the front living room and Suki is standing at the back door, frantically trying to get out. Jim opens the door and she races out and to the back corner of the yard where she catches something. Upon further investigation we find out she has cornered a opposum in our backyard and had drug it up to near the middle of the yard. I wasn't sure if she had killed it, so I went out to look. After watching it for a minute or two I noticed the almost imperceptible rise and fall of the little hairy chest. Suki's oppossum was playing opossum!! After giving her the obligatory YOU DID SUCH A GOOD JOB!!! doggy petting, we all went inside. Within a couple of minutes, the much slobbered on, but no worse for the wear, little oppossum poked his head up slowly, looked around and took off like a bat out of hell!!
I don't know if he'll be back.
peace