What moves your soul?

I've been thinking about this question all week. For me it's music. For me music can completely transform an attitude, a situation, a place. Music can take me back to a place and time within just the first few measures of a song. Roxette's Joyride always takes me back to Republic, Wa in the beginnings of Larry and I's relationship. That song starts playing and I'm right back in that town. Shania Twain's Come On album puts me in Elko.

I have known people who aren't really "music people". The prefer silence or talk radio to hearing songs play. And while I understand completely that everyone has different like and dislikes, it's a bit strange to me.

Music has always been a big part of my world. As a kid my mom had hundreds of albums, back in the days of vinyl. She had them all organized alphbetically by artist and then each artist by release date (oddly enough I do the same thing). But she would start at the beginning of the alphabet and play them all the way through till she got to the last album and then would start over. We got to hear weeks of Elvis. Well I'm sure it probably wasn't weeks but she had a lot of them. One of my favorites as a kid was a Moody Blues album she had. I honestly couldn't tell you what was on that album I just like it because the vynil was blue. It was really pretty cool. I would sing at the top of my lungs to singers like Reba, Sylvia, Tammy Wynett. There was a lot of country in our house.

Over the years my likes have changed a bit. But I can always go back to something I liked years ago and listened to a lot of and still enjoy it. Even if it's not my favorite pick for that day. I still sing at the top of my lungs. I'm sure my neighbors think I'm nuts. Working in the garden with my Ipod on and singing so loud the world have hear me. If you look at my cd and Itunes collections today you'll find everything from Classical to ACDC to Jesus Culture. There are some things that I just can't listen to. I find that some things, especially at a certain volume, instantly make me angry so I don't listen to that stuff ever. I prefer to feel other emotions when I listen to music. I love a good song that just makes you want to get up and move. My Kimmie is a dancer too (of course now if she thinks you are looking she won't move a muscle but deep down I know she wants to shake her booty). There are even days when I can sit on the floor and play a song over and over and just get out a good cry. Someday I just need to do that.

Lately you will find me listening to more praise and worship songs then anything else. I can be having the worst day and put on my Ipod and start singing for God and it totally changes my mindset and my attitude. I've even written a couple of songs in the past few months and had the priviledge of sharing one of them at church this past Sunday. That was quite a leap for me I think. Sharing them with Pastor Carey but my confidence level isn't such that I would have just shared them with everyone else had she not said "I think we need to sing this one". I hope everyone enjoyed it but at the same time it really doesn't matter because the song wasn't about me or what everyone else thought of it. It was about Him and that what's really the most important.

Where have I been?

Wow it's been forever since I got over here. It's been a busy couple of weeks since school ended. Working the out in the yard and in the garden, birthday parties and fundraising. Work, work work. Can I relax now?

Last weekend was especially overwhelmingly busy. Saturday afternoon we had my neice's birthday party, then that night Relay Idol and Sunday afternoon my Grandma's 85th birthday party.

Relay Idol was a great success. This being our first year and we had to compete with two weddings that day but we still had a great turn out. We had 6 singers who all did awesome and we raised $440 for Relay and the American Cancer Society. We are looking forward to doing it again next year.

Sunday I threw my Grandma an 85th birthday party. I think that 85 is a big deal plus it had been far to long since the last time our family got together. Almost all of us were there and she really had a great time. We made her a t-shirt with all of her Great Grandkids' (who were there) hand prints. Leaving room for the ones that weren't able to come so she can add them when she see them.

We should be able to slow down a little bit now. Well I hope anyway. I know that I do tend to take on more then I need to. But that's something that I need to work on too.

Catching Up

Last weekend I had the pleasure of attending a Worship Seminar in Missoula. It was a long day but so worth it. I learned a lot and had a really great time. Came home with some new books that now I really need to find some time and read them. If you ever have an opportunity to go to one of these I highly recommend it.

Monday was Kimmie's first official day of Summer Vacation. She's loving it. Sleeping in and spending the day at the sitter's playing with the other kids. Thursday she had to take donuts with her to share with everyone. Right now she gets to spend Tuesdays at home with me and Fridays at home with Daddy. That is as long as we have our days off during the week. Friday they surprised me by showing up to my work just as I was getting ready to leave for lunch. They took me to lunch with them. It was such a nice surprise to be able to spend some time with them like that.

Wednesday I had a flat tire on my way to work. A nice guy stopped (not sure where he came from though as he wasn't behind me and didn't pass me) but anyway he stopped and changed my tire for me. I was very thankful to him for that help. The tire was completely shot so I had to buy a new one. New tires are on my list for this summer so I guess now I have 1 down and only 3 more to go.

This weekend is going to be spent relaxing a bit. I need to do some house cleaning and weeding in the garden. I'm going to enjoy it though because next weekend will be crazy busy.