The satisfaction of a good cry

Isidore of Seville, in interpreting the Psalms in the seventh century, seconded the idea that tears produce satiety. "Lamenting," he wrote, "is the food of souls."

-- Tom Lutz, Crying: The Natural and Cultural History of Tears

I am "card correspondence challenged." Can't seem to get a handle on the sending of cards to properly acknowledge people and events. When I should send a nice thank you, get well, sympathy or birthday card I have the thought but then never get around to doing it. Email saves me on the birthday thing most of the time. But on the paper card front, I literally have about a 10% success rate. If you are one of those that I have snubbed in this way over the years, please don't take it personally. I am an equal opportunity snubber!

August Rush

Just saw a beautiful movie..."August Rush." Unrealistic...but who cares? Great music and so heart-warming.

Name dropping...

My very good friend, Mike, and his wife are two of the producers of the new hit show "Rock of Ages" that just opened on Broadway recently. Ya...they just had dinner last night before the show with Tommy Shaw and Kevin Cronin. Critics are raving about it. Some are making Tony award predictions. That's right...MY friend.

Addendum 5/18: the show has now received 5 Tony nominations!

I love Spring, I love a full moon and Easter is my favorite holiday. Last week included all three. But still the best part of the week was time with my extended family. It had been too long...almost as long as the wait for Spring to come back. We need to not let that happen!

"Let him that would move the world first move himself."

~ Socrates

"I have loved the stars too fondly to be fearful of the night."

- Sarah Williams

Quote of the Day

"The shortest way to do many things is to do only one thing at once."

Samuel Smiles

I very much need to take this advice right now!

The greatest glory in living lies not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall.

Nelson Mandela

Winter Jam

Toby Mac was fabulous at the Winter Jam concert on Thursday!

"Great things are done by a series of small things brought together."

~Vincent Van Gogh

Nothing that you have not given away will ever be really yours.

~ C. S. Lewis

"There is nothing progressive about being pigheaded and refusing to admit a mistake."

Mere Christianity

*Now* it's natural?

Pizza Hut is now advertising its new pizza, "The Natural":

- All natural pepperoni
- All natural mozzarella cheese
- All natural sauce

What have they been serving up till now? I get that artificial cheese is just oil, not a dairy product. But what's in artificial pepperoni? And what is artificial sauce? Yikes.

"You don't do the right thing because of the consequences. If you're wise, you do it regardless of the consequences."

~Jeannette Rankin

Jasper Clinic research study

It's been 6 weeks since I've posted here...I'm assuming there's no one reading this any more. But I'll post this anyway. I'm spending this week at the Jasper Clinic in Kalamazoo (part of the Bronson hospital system) doing a clinical research study on a migraine medication. No, I don't have migraines...I'm here for the money. Plus it's a nice break from the normal daily stress, if you don't mind needles or rooming with strangers...which I don't.

If you do read this and check out Jasper Clinic and end up doing a study, please tell them I sent you so I can get a bonus. Thanks!

"This is the art of courage: to see things as they are and still believe that the victory lies not with those who avoid the bad, but with those who taste, in living awareness, every drop of the good."

~Victoria Lincoln

"Mere change is not growth. Growth is the synthesis of change and continuity, and where there is no continuity there is no growth."

~ They Asked For a Paper

Some of my favorite verses in Psalms:

Psalm 51: 10-12

Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.

Do not cast me from Your presence or take Your Holy Spirit from me.

Restore to me the joy of Your salvation and grant me a willing spirit to sustain me.

Psalm 103: 8-12

The Lord is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love.
He will not always accuse, nor will he harbor his anger forever;
He does not treat us as our sins deserve or repay us according to our iniquities.
For as high as the heavens are above the earth,
so great is His love for those who fear Him;
As far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us.

We will miss you, Jeff

Jeffrey S. Gerwig, aged 40, of Grand Rapids, went to be with the Lord on Sunday, August 17, 2008, after a courageous battle with cancer. He was a loving husband and father. Jeffrey was a graduate of Ravenna High School and Ferris State University and an active member of his church. He was preceded in death by his grandparents, George and Mildred Gerwig; and grandmother, Phyllis McNitt. Surviving are his wife of 15 years, Jennifer; his sons, Bryan and Aaron; parents, Robert and Sally Gerwig; father-in-law and mother-in-law, William and Vickie Wakefield; grandparents, Claude and Ruth McNitt; his brothers, Monte (Amy) Gerwig, Todd (Irene) Gerwig, Rob (Rebekah) Gerwig; brothers-in-law, Shad (Baby) Wakefield, Adam (Suzanne) Wakefield; nieces, nephews, aunts, uncles, cousins, and friends. The Funeral Service will be held 11:00 a.m. Friday, August 22, at Woodview Christian Church, 3785 Woodview S.W., with Rev. Jon Stradner officiating. Interment in McNitt Cemetery. Memorial contributions may be given to an Educational Fund for his sons.