save me from myself - Brian 'head' Welch

I have just finished reading the above book after borrowing it from Josh. It was a great read, and although I've never had the "dramatic" testimony that he has, I found myself relating to a lot of what he had to say. Especially the stuff about depression. I've suffered on and off from a malingering depression, most of the time brought on by a visit from my folks or a remembering of my childhood. Anyhow, I was most moved at the end of his story and I will copy the excerpt here - I highly recommend you all read this book!

Save Me From Myself - Page 214-215

...But then one day I finally realised that screaming at God and begging him to take away my pain wasn't going to work. So I completely surrendered myself and stopped fighting him and I asked him what he wanted me to do.

He said: JUST WORSHIP ME. PRAISE ME AND WORSHIP ME THROUGH THE PAIN.

And that's what I did.

I cried and worshipped the Lord in stillness and silence, listening to worship music and laying on the ground in his presence. It was time for God to do all the work, and it was time for me to be quiet. That's what got me through those dark times. Because God inhabits the praises of his people (Psalm 22:3), and he was right there with me the whole time. He taught me that the only thing I needed to do was to be still and quiet while the pain surfaces, and then I could just cry it away...... .....It was very hard to cry so much during that season, but God helped me by showing me that the divine light of his Spirit was shining in my soul, burning away all of the junk from my pas, and replacing it with the wisdom of his unconditional love - which was exactly what I needed in my soul - love.

i've been thinking: parenting

yep! I've been at it again ... thinking, pondering, wondering, supposing.

It all comes from having my parents to stay last month.

I don't really want to go into what kind of parents they were to me, but they weren't great.

It all made me think about what kind of parent I want to be, and also what is really required of us to be the best parent we can be.

I came up with two words that I think encompass what it means to be a parent.

What is required of us?

nurture & protection

At least, that's what I think anyhow. These two words encompass everything good and everything my parents didn't do for me. I don't mean (by nurture & protection) that you stunt your children by not allowing them to become independent. You allow your children to become independant by being relevant to appropriate age and development. By simplifying my parenting style, I feel like it's not such a hard thing to be a good parent. It has empowered me to love my children for who they are where they are. They are not some label to be worked out by reading a book. I get to read them myself, as individuals. They really are gorgeous girls, who have so much neatness about them!

I think that the biggest mistake my parents made with me was that they never really wanted to KNOW me. They didn't bother to find out who I was, to unravel the real me.

hmmmmm!

lyrics 4 bad day...

Where is the moment we needed the most
You kick up the leaves and the magic is lost
You tell me your blue skies fade to grey
You tell me your passion's gone away
And I don't need no carryin' on

You stand in the line just to hit a new low
You're faking a smile with the coffee to go
You tell me your life's been way off line
You're falling to pieces everytime
And I don't need no carryin' on

Cause you had a bad day
You're taking one down
You sing a sad song just to turn it around
You say you don't know
You tell me don't lie
You work at a smile and you go for a ride
You had a bad day
The camera don't lie
You're coming back down and you really don't mind
You had a bad day
You had a bad day

Well you need a blue sky holiday
The point is they laugh at what you say
And I don't need no carryin' on

You had a bad day
You're taking one down
You sing a sad song just to turn it around
You say you don't know
You tell me don't lie
You work at a smile and you go for a ride
You had a bad day
The camera don't lie
You're coming back down and you really don't mind
You had a bad day

(Oh.. Holiday..)

Sometimes the system goes on the blink
And the whole thing turns out wrong
You might not make it back and you know
That you could be well oh that strong
And I'm not wrong (yeah, yeah, yeah, yeeeah)

So where is the passion when you need it the most
Oh you and I
You kick up the leaves and the magic is lost

Cause you had a bad day
You're taking one down
You sing a sad song just to turn it around
You say you don't know
You tell me don't lie
You work at a smile and you go for a ride
You had a bad day
You've seen what you like
And how does it feel for one more time
You had a bad day
You had a bad day

(Oh, yeah, yeaaah, yeah)
Had a bad day
(Oh, had a bad day)
Had a bad day
(Oh, yeah, yeah, yeeeeah)
Had a bad day
(Oh, had a bad day)
Had a bad day...
Had a bad day...

you had a bad day....

The Love Language Test

Here are my results after doing the love language test here:-

Love Language Scores
8 - Words of Affirmation
5 - Quality Time
7 - Receiving of Gifts
8 - Acts of Service
2 - Physical Touch

I read the book a few years ago - and it's interesting as my languages have changed a little - I never much used to be an acts of service girl. But look at the physical touch one... lol, couldn't get much lower there! I think that the test reflects the fact that I am a busy mum of 3.

Anyway - go check it out! See what you come out with. Is it fairly true of you?

time flys a.k.a. what i've been up to

well, 2 weeks have flown by - school is back tomorrow (for Aimee anyway). The other 2 start school on Tuesday. I think I have everything covered (needs wise - we took them out shopping for shoes & lunch boxes etc on Thursday). The girls are very excited about it all!!! I am, however, feeling conflicted - I think I am going to miss them terribly, and I am going to have to get used to my own company. It's not a bad thing - just different.

I have been busy this holiday's doing crafty things. I knitted 5 hat & scarf sets, and discovered how easy it is to make little felt covers for hairclips - I have currently made 10 pairs of hairclips. I will at some stage post the pattern for the hat I made - mainly so that I will always have access to it. I lost the last great hat pattern, forgot completely how I made them. I promise to get a photo up of the hats too!

I recieved my favourite things swap parcel from my swap partner Liz. All I can say is YUMMY japanese candy - mmmmm! mmmm! I haven't read the book yet though - I guess I will have a lot more time for reading now the girls are going to school, so I will get to it!

breaking news|hope & bree are going to school!

So... A lot of you know that we home school, we have done for almost 4 years now. I have really enjoyed nurturing and teaching my children. They both really love learning, and it has been a both wonderful and sometimes challenging journey.

Our reason for home schooling in the first place, was based almost entirely on the fact that we live in a pretty bad school district. Hope was not being challenged educationally, and was in her words, "bored". She had started school knowing how to read (she was reading chapter books at the time), knowing basic math (how to add & subtract), but by the end of her first year she had lost a lot of the knowledge she had begun with. The school she was attending, did not want to encourage her too much, and told me that they very rarely, if ever, move a child up a class level. Also, as our house backed onto "said school", I was hearing things I didn't think were appropriate over the fence. I could hear Hope's teacher yelling at the class - which is, I think, totally reprehensible! No child deserves to be yelled at, especially not by someone they are supposed to be learning from. So, at the end of 2002 we took it all into our own hands, and decided to home school. It was scary for us, especially because we had a picture in our minds of home schoolers being a real odd bunch - were we willing to become part of that?!?

When Aimee turned 5, we began to home school her - it was a real struggle and I didn't quite understand why, until she was diagnosed with an autistic spectrum disorder at the end of that year. I was not sure what to do, and so we put her into school. The same school that had been so terrible for Hope. At the time, I didn't know there was any other option, and I was basically just reacting. She now goes to a satellite class which is under a special school. I am hoping that at some point we will be able to put her into a mainstream school. She is doing so well now academically.

Briahna has never been to school. She has never had a problem educationally, and it was very exciting when, last year, she learned to read! One of my proudest moments, as a home schooling mum, I would have to say! Hope was a self-taught reader and Aimee learned to read at school. Being the youngest child in our family, Bree is a bit of a mummy's girl and has needed some encouragement to come out of her shell around other people. I love her to bits though! I have been lucky to have been blessed with 3 wonderfully different, unique girls - and I love them all!

Hope came to me at the beginning of this year, and told me that she wanted to be a doctor more than anything else, when she grew up. It gave me a scare, because how was I going to teach her all the things she needed to get into medical school. Science has always been a scary subject to me. What to do?!? I want to support my children in whatever endeavour they choose, so I had a dilemma. To begin with, I didn't want to think about school. I KNEW, without a doubt, that my children wouldn't be going to the school next door. I had no idea what school, if any, I would feel comfortable about sending the girls to.

Once, I had come to terms with the idea that home schooling might be coming to an end for us. I decided I needed to find the right school. We couldn't afford private education - unless we won the lottery - and so we were stuck with looking at public school or christian school options. It seemed every option we looked at in the christian sector had a waiting list 50 feet long. So that was, at least for now, a no goer. I had, by this stage, decided that it was an all or nothing thing - both of the girls would be put into school. I wanted to find a school that took both age-groups. Hope will be intermediate (middle school) age next year, and it would be nice not to have to travel to more than 2 schools, for now.

About a week ago, I was chatting to a friend of mine on the phone - she just happens to be a teacher - about my school worries, when she suggested a certain country school that she had taught a music class at over term 1 & 2 of this year. She said the teachers were fantastic, and that the principal was a christian guy. So, I looked the school up on the internet - great thing this internet is, for researching schools. I emailed the school secretary and set up a meeting time - we went yesterday. It has all happened so quickly - because we signed all the forms for their enrollment and they start school on Tuesday, 17th July, after the holidays. When you KNOW something is right, things can happen seemingly fast.

The school is awesome. It is a little country school (it has a roll of 154 students). They have calf day, a flower day and bible-in-schools. The classrooms go no bigger than around 20 students, and it is about 15 minutes drive away from our front doorstep. Truly AMAZING!

My little cling-on (Briahna) was very taken with the school, and I am left thinking that it will be me crying when I leave her at school. She is going to have a ball.

I believe this is the completely right way for our family to go. We have discussed whether or not I will return to work, but at present I am going to be a "lady of leisure". Yeah right, hehehe, actually I already have most days booked out to do things. Mainly Music, Children's Church, coffee groups... and no stress about whether the girls are doing enough "book-work". I will definitely miss them during the day, it's going to be quieter and tidier. I can put the school room into better use - a big craft room - YEAH!

For Chosen Mothers

Blogger doesn't always tell me when people comment on my blog - and it's a shame because I just discovered a really great post here, after someone read this post I made.

Below is a poem that she has on her website:- (be warned - it's a tear jerker)

For Chosen Mothers

Most women become mothers by accident, some by choice, a few by social pressures, and a couple by habit. This year, nearly 100,000 women will become mothers of a child with special needs. Did you ever wonder how mothers like this are chosen?

Somehow I visualize God hovering over earth selecting His instruments for propagation with great care and deliberation. As he observes, He instructs His angels to make notes in a giant ledger.

"Armstrong, Beth, son. Patron saint, Matthew. Forrest, Marjorie, daughter. Patron saint, Cecelia. Rudledge, Carrie, twins. Patron saint... give her Jude. He's used to profanity."

Finally, He passes a name to an angel and smiles, "Give her a child with special needs."

The angel curious. "Why this one, God? She's so happy." "Exactly", smiles God. "Could I give a child with special needs a mother who does not know laughter? That would be cruel."

"But has she patience?" asked the angel. "I don't want her to have too much patience or she will drown in a seal of self-pity and despair. Once the shock and resentment wears off, she'll handle it.

"I watched her today. She has that feeling of self and independence that is so rare and so necessary in a mother. You see, the child I'm going to give her has his own world She has to make him live in her world and that is not going to be easy."

"This one is perfect. She has just enough selfishness." The angels gasps, "Selfishness? Is that a virtue?" God nods. "If she can't separate herself from the child occasionally, she'll never survive. Yes, here is a woman whom I will bless with a child less than perfect. She doesn't realize it yet, but she's to be envied. She will never take for granted a 'spoken word'. She will never consider a 'step' ordinary. When her child says "Mama' for the first time she will be present at a miracle and know it! When she describes a tree or sunset to her child, she will see it as few people ever see my creations.

"I will permit her to see clearly the things I see... ignorance, cruelty, prejudice... and allow her to rise above them. She will never be alone. I will be at her side every minute of every day of her life because she is doing my work as surely as she is here by my side.

"And what about her patron saint?" asks the angel, her pen poised in mid-air.

God smiles. "A mirror will suffice."

hello my name is...

I love my husband! He surprised me last night by bringing me home a copy of "The Princess Bride". I LOVE the movie, and have been wanting to read the book for forever!

Thank you, thank you, thank you Jonathan - My Sweetheart!!! :D

After 4 days of sick children, I really needed a pick-me-up. This is one of the best things I have ever been given.

My new phone|Big YAY!

So, I've got a new phone. And, it does all I want and more! :) And, it didn't cost a cent - we got it free with our new X Box360! And, I'm excited - did I tell you that?!? It can play MP3's, record video - low quality, take photographs, and it reminds me of the 80's, as it is under the walkman name! I used to have one of those, but it never could ring my husband or take pic's of my gorgeous kidlets!!! (Not that I had any of them in the eighties!)

So, Yeah, I'm one HAPPY chicklet!

The Lost Art of Querying

I have just read this post over at The Kitchen - A Faith Community in Action and I have decided to "post/copy/steal" it here so that I/we can all be reminded about this great lost art.

How many times do we, instead of listening, feel the need to ADD to conversations with our own slant - "Oh," we say, "that happened to me before..." and before we know it, we've hijacked the conversation back to us.

Jacob was saying on Sunday that we all need to do a course on Social Skills 101 - we need to get back to learning the art of communication. I agree. Hmmmm! Something to ponder!

Anyway, read-on, to see what this community did to highlight our ineptness at truly listening. It would be a hard lesson for some of us - me - I'm sure.

"When people think you’re dying, they really, really listen to you, instead of just…instead of just waiting for their turn to speak?”

When I first heard that quote in the movie Fight Club, I was so embarrassed. I realised how true it was for me – and it scared me even more to think that everyone else was the same! It seems like we sort of become so self obsessed and individualistic sometimes that we loose the ability to know how to care beyond saying “that’s sucks bro” - and then awkwardly cough.

But not today! Because we’re going to practise the long, lost art of querying…

We’re going to spend 5 minutes where the other person talks and you just query – and listen – I mean really listen. And then you’ll query some more. You’re not allowed to bring the conversation back to you - or give them your opinion on the subject - but you get to know the person and let them be known to you. You’re asking questions to go deeper into who they are.

This will be incredibly hard for some of us. No doubt some of us will find it easy to talk about ourselves, but hard to ask questions and care. But today you’re going to try and scratch beyond superficial conversation…

Others of us will hate talking about ourselves and find it scary to reveal bits of ourselves to a person we might barely know. But drop your guard! It’s something we need to do more often…

Would you believe that some people are even gifted at this whole querying thing? When they spend time with someone things just flow our of them from the queries they ask. But that takes practise, just like any art form. So today we’re learning the ancient art of querying, and starting our journey towards becoming query masters.

Pick and random question from the list below, ask your partner the question, and then continue querying from that point for a full, literal 5 minutes. You ask questions and listen, they talk. It’s fine for your talk to wander– these questions are just starting points in your queries. After that five minutes get your partner to pick a new question and swap roles. You can do this as many times as you’d like to - or with as many different people as you like.

After you’ve queried each other, stop and share with the group or each other by answering this question.

“What is God up to in the midst of your partners life?”

—————————————-

What specific question would you most like to ask God?
What thing most worries you in life right now?
What aspect of your mum do you see in yourself?
What aspect of your dad do you see in yourself?
What’s something new you’ve discovered about God lately?
What was your childhood like?
What specific occasion as a kid do you remember being most happy?
What’s something you’ve recently become interested in?
What is your secret dream or aspiration?
What is one thing you want to do before you die?
What puzzles you about God?
What is your family like?
What Stresses you out? How do you unwind?
When do you feel that God is far away?
When do you feel closet to God?
What does being Gods creation, made in his Image, mean to you?
What’s the thing you’re most proud of achieving?
What’s the thing you most want to change about yourself?
What did you do in the weekend? What are you doing this weekend?
Is God challenging you to change any aspect of your life?
What’s something you’ve always wanted to do regularly, but just can’t seem to get it together?
What’s something that you regret not doing?
What do you feel most pressured to do in your life?
What do you like most about Jesus?
What scares you most in life?
When was the last time that you felt that God was speaking to you? What was he saying?
What would you most like to change in the world?
How do you deal with people that annoy you?
Have you ever forgiven someone?
What other career path would you also like to have taken?

women's stuff...

I have, for some time now, felt ill every time I get my period. Not physically, but as I am becoming more environmentally aware and my wallet is a whole lot lighter these days - I get sick of paying money out every month knowing its all going to the landfill.

So today, when good old Aunt Flo arrived, I decided to make some cloth - reusable sanitary pads. I used a pattern I got from the internet (which I can't for the life of me find now! :( ). There are numerous patterns available, and the one I got is excellent - has wings, and lining so there are no leaks. I have done a quickish search and to no avail... can't find it.

It feels good to be doing something right! And they look pretty good too - not that anyone else is gonna see them... LOL!

PS. I re-used fabric, by making them out of 3 old t-shirts, an old cloth diaper, half an old towel, and some plastic cloth that has been hanging around for a bit. YAHOO!!!

I am still learning...

and it's good! Aimee and I have been going to a social skills group every Tuesday, this term. There are two weeks to go and I have been amazed at the amount of knowledge I have gained. The children are learning social skills and us Mum's are together learning how to cope.

I have learned so much about "theory of mind" and what to do about some of the issues that we are dealing with. It's funny because I have done similar courses before and not gained anything spectacular from them, but what is different about this course is that this time all the children involved are girls with aspergers. Girls exhibit autism so differently from boys - it is so nice to be able to discuss their unique differences with other Mum's.

The woman that facilitates our group has explained autism as "the brain being scrambled - like eggs - the messages are not going through properly". It made for an easier way of explaining to the other children, why their sister doesn't always handle life well. They seem to be more understanding of her lately - and that's good news, because Aimee has been having a bad time of it. :(

We are constantly having to put off having a babysitter, because of her behaviour - I don't want to lose our current sitter, and she is almost at her limit with Aimee. Still, we will try again tonight, when Jonathan and I go to the movies tonight.

my Holland

I have been a little quiet on here about my personal "Holland" story. I have been in the midst of living it, wondering where and what I can do in my Holland. Especially, since I bought all the guide books for Italy...

I knew what I wanted out of this experience called life. I have been disappointed most times with what life has thrown at me. Not with the people I have been given to care for, just the expectations I had of who I would be...

I feel overwhelmed with the task of being the best mum I can be, whilst retaining who I really am. Who am I anyways?

What does this life require of me anyway? Who should I be? Where is a guide-book when I need one?

welcome to Holland

by Emily Perl Kingsley

I am often asked to describe the experience of raising a child with a disability- to try to help people who have not shared that unique experience to understand it, to imagine how it would feel. It's like this...

When you're going to have a baby, it's like planning a fabulous vacation trip -to Italy. You buy a bunch of guide books and make your wonderful plans. The Coliseum. The Michelangelo David. The gondolas in Venice. You may learn some handy phrases in Italian. It's all very exciting.

After months of eager anticipation, the day finally arrives. You pack your bags and off you go. Several hours later, the plane lands. The stewardess comes in and says, "Welcome to Holland."

" Holland?!?" you say. "What do you mean Holland?? I signed up for Italy! I'm supposed to be in Italy. All my life I've dreamed of going to Italy."

But there's been a change in the flight plan. They've landed in Holland and there you must stay.

The important thing is they haven't taken you to a horrible, disgusting, filthy place, full of pestilence, famine and disease. It's just a different place.

So you must go out and buy new guidebooks. And you must learn a whole new language. And you will meet a whole new group of people you would never have met.

It's just a different place. It's slower-paced than Italy, less flashy than Italy. But after you've been there for a while and you catch your breath, you look around... and you begin to notice that Holland has windmills... and Holland has tulips. Holland even has Rembrandts.

But everyone you know is busy coming and going from Italy...and they're all bragging about what a wonderful time they had there. And for the rest of your life, you will say "Yes, that's where I was supposed to go. That's what I had planned."

And the pain of that will never, ever, ever, ever go away... because the loss of that dream is a very very significant loss.

But... if you spend your life mourning the fact that you didn't get to Italy, you may never be free to enjoy the very special, the very lovely things ...about Holland.

I am a Caramel Crunch Donut

KUDOS to Jean - I had fun filling this one in!

You Are a Caramel Crunch Donut

You're a complex creature, and you're guilty of complicating things for fun. You've been known to sit around pondering the meaning of life... Or at times, pondering the meaning of your doughnut. To frost or not to frost? To fill or not to fill? These are your eternal questions.

What Donut Are You?

HANDS & FEET

I always seem to ponder more about the why and what of Jesus at this time of Lent. We're getting close to the time that we celebrate the death and LIFE (he rose from the dead) of Jesus. And it amazes me to think about why He did that and what it all means, both in a personal and global way.

At the moment I am thinking HANDS & FEET.
Which can mean various things; he was pierced in his hands (wrists) and feet, hands and feet can portray the act of DOING something (walking, helping, acting, contributing).

It came to me last night at church, Melissa was talking about a Stations of the Cross installation that we will be doing, and immediately my mind was thinking HANDS & FEET. The image of the cross with red hands and feet all over it (ours) - you see WE are the reason he was there. He did it for us, with His own blood. Hmmmmm! Something to really ponder!

And then, there's the Audio Adrenaline song that's been playing in my head since I woke up (well, since Jonathan woke me up at 5.30am - EEEK!!!) And reading the lyrics, as they are below, reminds me of one of the verses that was highlighted by Melissa last night; Romans 7:15 I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do. Lot's of do's there, but in a sense it's talking about the struggle to do what is right. It isn't always easy - but then the best way is almost never the easy route!

Hands And Feet lyrics by AUDIO ADRENALINE

An image flashed across my TV screen
Another broken heart comes in to view
I saw the pain and I turned my back
Why can't I do the things I want to?
I'm willing yet I'm so afraid
You give me strength
When I say

CHORUS

I want to be your hands
I want to be your feet
I'll go where you send me
I'll go where you send me

REPEAT CHORUS

And I try, yeah I try
To touch the world like You touched my life
And I'll find my way
To be your hands
I've abandoned every selfish thought
I've surrendered every thing I've got
You can have everything I am
And perfect everything I'm not
I'm willing, I'm not afraid
You give me strength
When I say

CHORUS 2X

And I try, yeah I try
To touch the world like You touched my life
And I'll find my way...

BRIDGE

This is the last time
I turn my back on You
From now on, I'll go out
Send me where You want me to
I finally have a mission
I promise I'll complete
I don't need excuses
When I am your hands and feet
(I am your hands and feet)
(hands... feet... go... go...)

CHORUS 3X

I will go
I will go where you send me
I will go
I will go where you send me
I will go, go
I will go, go
I will go, go where you send me

CHORUS

babies, babies everywhere!

It seems to me that all the married couples I know are either pregnant or have wee babes at the moment. It is a fantastic time of new life and memories of my own pregnancies (not that mine were great or anything - I was sick the entire time!). Yet, there is a feeling of expectancy and joy around me.

It has brought up some interesting feelings. It would be a "miracle" if we had another child, and yet, it makes me think - "what if...". Very quickly that "what if..." changes into a big "Noooooo!" But it is hard not to be clucky when I know 10 (at least) pregnant women. Most of these women are around my age (early 30's) having their first, second and third children (actually 2 are onto number 5 & 6 - as scary as that sounds).

And here is me - I have three girls, ages 10, 8 & 7. A complete family, I thought. In a way, it's a good thing hubby got the "snip", as we may be, like an old friend of mine, on to number 6 (or was it 7?) I am hoping my friends will lend me their babies to hold when they arrive, let them cry a little around me, tell me their scary labour stories - all to scare me back into the reality of child birth and raising. :)

Breathe Deep

Since, both Jonathan and Vania have posted about our last cell group meeting where we watched the Nooma - Breathe, I thought I should write about a song it brought to my mind...

Breathe Deep (The Breath of God) 1996 - THE LOST DOGS
(from the album "Green Room Serenade, Part One)

Politicians, morticians, Philistines, homophobes
Skinheads, Dead heads, tax evaders, street kids
Alcoholics, workaholics, wise guys, dim wits
Blue collars, white collars, war mongers, peace nicks

Breathe deep
Breathe deep the Breath of God
Breathe deep
Breathe deep the Breath of God

Suicidals, rock idols, shut-ins, drop outs
Friendless, homeless, penniless and depressed
Presidents, residents, foreigners and aliens
Dissidents, feminists, xenophobes and chauvinists

Evolutionists, creationists, perverts, slum lords
Dead-beats, athletes, Protestants and Catholics
Housewives, neophytes, pro-choice, pro-life
Misogynists, monogamists, philanthropists, blacks and whites

Police, obese, lawyers, and government
Sex offenders, tax collectors, war vets, rejects
Atheists, Scientists, racists, sadists
Photographers, biographers, artists, pornographers

Gays and lesbians, demagogues and thespians
The disabled, preachers, doctors and teachers
Meat eaters, wife beaters, judges and juries
Long hair, no hair, everybody everywhere!

To me it speaks of God being available to us all - we need to "Breathe DEEP, Breathe deep the BREATH of GOD!" Also it speaks to me about the lack of perfection in all of us - I am sure that we could find ourselves somewhere in that song - and it's true God is available to us all! Taking a breath means, to me, pausing, reflecting, slowing down... And so I take this breath, this moment to reflect on God and what he means to us all.