Quickly taking a short break from the packing and cleaning frenzy she's in - Cyndi tries to blurt the deep inner recesses of her brain into blogsphere in two minutes or less.

At least that's how it feels.

So we're getting ready for our holiday. An actual 2 week vacation that I'm more than ready for. Okay not actually ready for but ready for - if ya know what I mean.

The books I've chosen for my vacation are reflective of the mood I'm in. I've got 2 books on Quakers and another by Henri Nouwen on the Spiritual Life. I'm looking forward to them. And then of course we have the last 3 books of the "Series of Unfortunate Events" that we are all reading together. Can't wait to finish those up and see how the series ends. It's been a great read.

I had coffee the other day with someone who had life described to him as a rectangular frame with a circle inside, with most of us living quite happily within that circle. The place where we are most comfortable. And then every once in a while an event occurs. A big one. One that blasts you out of the circle and you land somewhere in all that white space that surrounds it. And when you look around you see things that you never have seen before, you meet people and witness events that are totally new. When you look back at your circle, you see it from a different perspective and suddenly - you realize that you've changed. You are not who you once were.

I get that. I feel that. I have been given the gift of both life and the brush with my own mortality. My accidents have picked me up and transported me to somewhere in all that white space. I feel different. My outlook is different. My core is still the same. I am a follower of Jesus. I seek to live my faith in a real and tangible way. But I'm still feeling outside my circle of comfort and what for me had become mediocrity, and am living in a new zone. If anything I feel more like my old,old self.

And I like it.

John Piper on the prosperity gospel

I'm on a book roll. I've just started another book I'm very excited about. It's called "The Faith Club" and it is about three women from three different faiths writing about their journey together. One woman is a Muslim, one Christian and the last from the Jewish faith. It's about finding both differences and similarities and discovering a strong friendship in the middle of it all.

I've only gotten to the 3rd chapter and I'm already captivated by who these women are. They are intelligent strong women. They all had their lives profoundly affected by 9/11(especially the Muslim woman) and they all had a strong desire to come together and see how faith (different faiths) could build as opposed to tear down.

I'm looking forward to their journey. I'll keep you posted.

I'm re-reading a book I read a couple years ago. "Soul Salsa" by Leonard Sweet. Check out some of the chapter titles. "Bounce your last cheque", "Never Graduate", Give History a shove", "Build a compost heap". There are more - all are challenging and encourage a more thoughtful, fulfilling life. I'm enjoying it once again. The book is full of quotes and I've come across a couple (or so) that have struck me.

"The entire object of true education is to make people not merely do the right things, but to enjoy them; not merely industrious, but to love industry; not merely pure, but to love purity; not merely just, but to hunger and thirst after justice."
~Philosopher/critic John Ruskin

"Progress is impossible without change; and those who cannot change their minds cannot change anything." ~George Bernard Shaw

"We do not want to be beginners. But let us be convinced of the fact that we will never be anything else but beginners, all our life!"
~Thomas Merton

These are all thoughts from the chapter "Never Graduate". Who can ever have enough knowledge? Who can say "I have learned it all, I'm done!" I am surrounded by a world, by a community, by people who have much to teach me.

We...I need only be open.

Book Recommendation:

“Not Buying It – My year without shopping” by Judith Levine.

A fascinating read. A challenging read. Made more enjoyable because the author is no anti-shopper/anti-consumer. She struggled with the year and even failed a couple of times. But that really makes the whole book a little easier to digest. Let me quote from near the end of her year without shopping:

“...If I am a consumer first and last, all I can do to better the world is consume more responsibly - “buy green,” invest in socially responsible businesses, and buy less.
The other choice I have is to reject consumer as my sole role and reclaim my other public identity: citizen. During our year without shopping, Paul and I had extra time, energy, and money to act as citizens. We also felt more personally the need to do so. Self-exiled from the shops and eateries, we had no place to hang out but the olde publick square. There we found much that was rich and surprising, but we also discovered that what our nation owns in common is in critically bad shape. Libraries, schools, and bridges are falling down;.....”

Order it from the library. It's well worth the read.

In light of my recent "adventures" I have been given a great gift. I have caught that glimpse of the brevity of life and it has affected me in a positive way. I have realized the true joy and wonder of life. I recognize that really who I am is because of what I've been through. Or at least those events have shaped who I've become. And I am truly honestly glad for them.

But today. Well today I feel....dejected, bummed out,discouraged, down hearted, glum etc etc etc. I am SO tired of being in constant pain. Some days are worse than others and today I'm having one of my worse days but really no day goes by without some measure of discomfort in my shoulder. A constant ache. Yes, physio will help. I'll be starting soon (fingers crossed) but as for today. Well, today I'm just feeling tired of it all.

I just want to wallow. just a little.

What a whirlwind! We left for Victoria on Wednesday, came home Friday night and celebrated grad all day Saturday.

Victoria was a hoot. Busy. We were able to be real tourists - went to the wax museum, the Royal Museum's Titanic exhibit, an IMAX show, we went to Beacon Hill Park, to the Bug Zoo and just hung out at a mall and swimming. The honour band kids played their concert at one small school and were very well received. They did great. And then the rest of our time we were movin'! The kids were awesome - well, maybe 98% of them were awesome. I really enjoyed them. We came home a day early with Caris' friend Rachel and her mom Brenda. They had a big party to go to on Saturday and we had grad. It worked out well and we came home on one of the really big, new ferries. It was a beautiful crossing. I was impressed. Almost worth the billion dollars they charge you to travel!

Grad, as always, was quite a celebration. It was terribly hot in the gym but so worth seeing so many of the kids we know graduate. We then hit a couple grad parties - fun to relax and visit and just show the grads that we are with them. I'm always struck by kids graduating who feel as if they've arrived. Wow, look what I've done. And I don't want to make light of that. It's a big deal - a great accomplishment. But it is just the beginning. The start of many big deals. But don't get me started on that!! We are very proud of the Class of '07.

One of our favourite things about the Hope Graduation ceremonies is that the community support is amazing. The scholarships and bursaries offered by people and businesses in the community of Hope is overwhelming. Our little town with all its troubles and idiosyncrasies really is hugely supportive of the kids that come through our High School. I'm proud of our town at grad time.

I guess there is some truth to the saying "it takes a village to raise a child".