Nobody Puts Baby in the Corner

Did I ever tell you my favorite movie is Dirty Dancing? I saw it in the theater when I was eight. I was responsible for sending our VCR to the shop not once, but twice, because I got the tape stuck from rewinding the final dance so often.

DIRTY DANCING- Final Dance - Watch more Videos at Vodpod.

I'm a fan; I've had a spot in my heart for Patrick Swayze ever since. "Ga-gung... it's a feeling; a heartbeat." Tonight I'm aware not only of his unmeasurable talent as a dancer, actor and songwriter, but that he was a husband, a brother, a son. And a fighter.

At Stand Up to Cancer in September 2008 he said to a standing ovation "I dream that the word 'cure' will no longer be followed by the words 'it's impossible'. Together, we can make a world where cancer no longer means living with fear, without hope, or worse."

Praying for his family tonight and keenly aware the world has lost a treasure, but he will not be forgotten.

Nobody Puts Baby in the Corner.

Carolynn

Go Big Red!

"So you all want to buy a tv, right?" he said. And we laughed, the 30+ of us standing around the television in Costco, watching the last 25 seconds of the Badger game's 4th quarter this afternoon.There was a collective groan as Fresno state tied the game, and a rush to the checkout lines. We tuned the radio into the game driving home - collective cheer as the Badgers won 34-31 in double overtime - Woot!

Go! Big! Red!
Carolynn

Eight Years Later

I Remember.
God bless the victims, the families, the rescuers.
God Bless the USA.

By the Numbers

Me + My 3 = 4
on MN weekends for the briefest of moments 4 + X = 5
then 5 - 4 = Me

It's still a process, the recovery of divorce, for me and my 3. Just today I met with my son's Kindergarten teacher... he's that child in her class, they're less than 3 weeks into the year and we're having emergency planning meetings. I wanted a partner in it. My partner. But that's not how it is. So I will talk to X about it tomorrow, but it's very different from talking with him.

We are not 5. We are each 1 that share 3.

It still holds me by the throat sometimes.

This morning as I took it to God I tried to Be Still and Know - but I couldn't, I was Running to the Mercy Seat.

He said that I could come into His presence without fear; into the holy place where His mercy hovers near - I'm runnin' to the mercy seat. Where Jesus is callin' He said His grace would cover me. His blood will flow freely, it will provide the healin', come runnin' to the mercy seat. (Mercy Seat - Vicki Yohe)

Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need. (Hebrews 4:16)

Please pray for my son. He's been through a lot. But he is smart. He is able. And he is loved.

Jude 1:2,
Carolynn

All Over the World

When Jesus said, "Go make disciples of all nations..." (Matthew 28:35) it's hard to believe He knew there would be a blogosphere. But He did.

There's a map in my sidebar that asks, "Where in the World Are You?" I am astonished to see someone on every continent has sat under the Willow Tree with me. It reports each of these 38 countries have visited:

Australia

Belgium

Canada

Colombia

Finland

France

Georgia

Germany

Greece

Hungary

India

Israel

Italy

Japan

Kenya

Korea, Republic of

Kuwait

Libyan Arab Jamahiriya

Luxembourg

Malaysia

Maldives

Mexico

Netherlands

Philippines

Poland

Romania

Russian Federation

Serbia

Singapore

South Africa

Spain

Sudan

Taiwan

Thailand

Ukraine

United Arab Emirates

United Kingdom

United States

Well hello great big world! I'm blessed you've come to sit awhile with me.

Bénédiction, Siunaukset, Ευλογία, ברכת, Benedizione, 祝福, 축복, Bendición, Błogosławieństwo, Binecuvântările, Благословения, Благослов, ให้ศีลให้พร, ...Blessings,
Carolynn

While I'm Waiting

Spending the weekend with God renewed my hope in waiting. Because as I learned, there is nothing idle about the meaning of wait.

I passed multitudes of wildflowers on the highway in my 13 hours of driving. So many in fact, I wondered why God continued to show them to me. Half as often, I saw corn fields. I love that the Creator bends near to show me Heavenly things in small pictures I can wrap my head around. The difference between the two, was how I'm trying to live, and how He wants me to.

The corn was lined up like soldiers. Neat and orderly, it knew were it started, where it stopped, where the breaks were. That corn had it's act together. But those flowers. A riot of color, shapes and sizes, tangled together; faces up. They bloomed where He planted them, not of their own choosing, nor any elses. Right next to the highway! They withstood the wind of cars flying by at 75 miles an hour. And thrived.

Perhaps because they intimately know their creator, the one that can rebuke the wind, with a word.

"Come" He said. Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, "Lord, save me!" Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. "You of little faith," He said, "why did you doubt?" (Matthew 14:29-31) Why do we still doubt? Did you see, He calls us to Him. We're supposed to be moving in His direction, not the other way around. Second, Peter didn't sink until he took his eyes off the Lord. And yet there's grace. Always Grace. He knows we fail. He asks us to try.

While I'm waiting, I will be hopeful. Though it's painful, patiently I will wait. I will move ahead, bold and confident, taking every step in obedience. While I'm waiting, I will serve Him, I will worship Him. I will not faint, I'll be running the race, even while I wait. (While I'm Waiting, John Waller)

It doesn't hurt less, the waiting. It just means more. Those who sow in tears will reap with songs of joy. He who goes out weeping, carrying seed to sow, will return with songs of joy, carrying sheaves with him. (Psalm 126: 5-6) It is my deepest prayer that in the waiting, I will be sowing wildflowers. I have thought for months that I will sing when it's over. I was wrong... I'm singing now.

For His Worship,
Carolynn

LPL Greenbay

Living Proof Live - Simulcast - Green Bay WI from Rich Kalonick on Vimeo.

Watch this! I've got Holy Spirit goosebumps! (can you find me? 2:16)
From Beth's blog, The Commissioning at the end of LPL Greenbay:
My Dear Sister
God has not overlooked you
He has not ignored you
He hears every petition
And intimately knows
The heart beneath it.
Give Him full access
To all your longings
Pray every single day
To become a person who delights in Him.
When it seems to disappear
Remember to check your JAW
Are you Jealous?
Are you Angry?
Are you Worried?
Roll it all on Jesus
He's strong enough to carry it
Big enough to handle it.
Trust God with all your heart
Now leave this place
And go into the world
And do some GOOD.