A short list of some of my favourite Quotage

'If in living we die and in dying we live, what happens when we're in a coma? Do we become omnipotent?' -'Speaker unknown'

'And all I'm saying is, see what a wonderful world it would be if only we'd give it a chance. Love baby, Love, thats the secret yeah. If lots more of us loved each other, we'd solve lots more problems and then this world would be so much better. Thats why old Pop's keeps saying....i think to myself, what a wonderful world.' -Louis Armstrong, What a Wonderful World

'R&B lanes do not take responsiblity for damage to personalized balls!' - A sign for a bowling alley

'When the electricity goes off, we can all watch tv by candlelight.' -Anonymous

'Why didn't Millie just unscrew the parlour walls and take them with her??' -Craig Vamos

Are there any more than need to be added? I'm willing to take suggestions. In the mean time, a photo from the most beautiful wedding ever.

Short Stuff

I seem to have an abundance of blog readers. Shout at me if you are listening!

Oh, and FYI: Marineland now has radio commercials too.

-bk

Some things money can't buy...

Casting Crowns wrote amazing lyrics. 'I will praise you in this storm, and I will lift my hands, for you are who you are, no matter where I am. Every tear I cried, you hold in your hand. You've never left my side, and though my heart is torn, I will praise You in this storm.'

Today, I had an experience money cannot buy. I spent the entire afternoon shopping with my mother. We had a lovely time, shopping for incredible shoes, and outfits, and all the razzle dazzle (which some people call bling) to go with the outfits. It was wonderful. For all the money we spent, the best moment came on the drive home, through the lightening storm.

Those Casting Crowns lyrics became very literal to me as our van chugged along the 402 towards Strathroy as the clouds sort of enclosed around us....or above us...whichever creates a more dramatic mental photo for you. Thunderstorms scare me. And so all I could think (even through the blasting Michael Buble music we had in the CD player) were those Casting Crowns lyrics. I will praise you in this storm. This one, right now, God, protect me. Let me tell you, there were a few strikes of lightening that came close to the highway.

But the more I watched the storm, and replayed the lyrics over and over in my mind, the more I found the storm to be quite breathtaking. Terrifying, but incredibly breathtaking. The lightening danced between the clouds in hues of blues and oranges and yellows and white. Spectacular evidences of the hands of God. 'I will praise you in this storm.' Not a storm of life, and no, my heart was not broken, or torn, nor had I cried any tears, but the lightening reminded me that even in the storms of life God's hand is right there. His handywork is evident, and He is protecting us. How often we wonder why we are put through the tough times. How often we curse God for making things miserable, and perhaps even unbearable, but there is still beauty. Even in the most terrifying moments, look at the colour in the lightening and remember God is there.

'I will praise You in this storm, and I will lift my hands.' Perhaps I won't lift my hands at the lightening, but because of it.

-bk

For Some Reason, Time Doesn't Make Things Any Easier..

Perhaps, the best of the best feel the loss of another. That simple feeling that promotes an incapability of survival. When the one you have fallen for isn't within reach. As in, across the country.

I never knew what it was like to be so ridiculously attached to someone until this summer. Call me a lost romantic, but in every sense of it, that is what I am right now. I am lost without my love. I feel like a peice of me just isn't here. It's an odd feeling. Especially for someone, such as myself, who has grown up with much of a bleak outlook on 'love'. I never understood how someone could give themselves whole heartedly to another. Not until now. Time doesn't make life apart from him any easier. It makes the whole thing more depressing. The days I count that I'm not by his side, are days I feel are worthless. How I miss his smile, and his eyes, and his hand holding mine. Craziness ensues perhaps. Perhaps not. Maybe this is what blogs are for.

-bk

As If

For what it's worth, I'm tired of Marineland commercials. I'm tired of the new song. I'm kind of angry at them for making a new song. I have to learn all the new words now. Like what is that?

For what else its worth, this blog entry just sucks.

I'm tired of this world. All that's on the news anymore is this stupid presidential election (which I suppose isn't that stupid, we're all just tired of hearing about it. I mean, really, whoever wins next has got a lot to clean up, and the USA could really use a world facelift). I'm tired of hearing about how energy inefficient our world is, and how gasoline costs so much. I'm tired of hearing about smart cars, and smaller laundry detergents and green this and green that. I mean, really, can we change that much? Our society will always be wasteful. If we run out of oil (which I have no doubt we will) we'll find some other non-renewable energy source to waste until we have nothing left. And then, we will fight each other, and kill each other.

My outlook on the world is generally bleak. My outlook on humanity probably could be better. But I love people. I think they are funny. I think the human brain is a curious thing. And I think passion and reason are the conflicts that we as people need to worry about. Its when passion controls reason, and reason controls passion that the real war begins. The brain against the heart.

My brain wants to learn the words to the new Marineland commercial, my heart wants the commercials to die. I'd say that's conflict.

-bk

Kiss the Rain

I think this is something we forget in our day and age. We forget how we should live. How we should love. I want you all to read these lyrics. I want you to read them and slow down enough to take them in. As we all settle into spring and summer months, and fid ourselves lifted by the sunshine, take an afternoon and watch the flowers bloom. Watch the sun shine, and just exist. Think about what it means to live. Is it all about the money? Is it all about the job promotion, or the latest fashion? Is it all about what we can do with our own hands, looking out for ourselves, never smiling. I have news for you. The sandcastle will be washed away. The money can't go with you when you die. The job promotion isn't what your family remembers.

Do you love? Do you smile? Do you look at the rain with a grumbling heart or awestruck eyes? When is the last time you saw a rainbow and thought about God's promise?

Wake up to the sunlight
With your windows open
Don't hold in your anger or leave things unspoken
Wear your red dress
Use your good dishes
Make a big mess and make lots of wishes
Have what you want
But want what you have
And don't spend your life lookin' back

Chorus: Turn up the music
Turn it up loud
Take a few chances
Let it all out
You won't regret it
Lookin' back from where you have been
Cuz it's not who you knew
And it's not what you did
It's how you live

So go to the ballgames
And go to the ballet
And go see your folks more than just on the holidays
Kiss all your children
Dance with your wife
Tell your husband you love him every night
Don't run from the truth
'Cause you can't get away
Just face it and you'll be okay

Oh wherever you are and wherever you've been
Now is the time to begin

So give to the needy
And pray for the grieving
E'en when you don't think that you can
'Cause all that you do is bound to come back to you
So think of your fellow man
Make peace with God and make peace with yourself
'Cause in the end there's nobody else

Turn up the music
Turn it up loud
Take a few chances
Let it all out
'Cause you won't regret it
Lookin' back from where you have been
'Cause it's not who you knew
And it's not what you did
It's how you live
'Cause it's not who you knew
And it's not what you did
It's how you live

So how do you live? Do you stand out and catch snowflakes on your tongue? Have you told your grandmother you love her? Do you know how to make jam? When is the last time you have eaten cookie dough from the bowl? Don't let yourself become a part of this fast-paced world we seem to seek acceptance from. It has never been about that. It's about smiling and loving. About sundaes and soft grass and bare feet. It's about ordinary moments that are so extinct. Garden parties, barn raisings, and community. Its about air and water and clouds in every shape imaginable. Its about swimming in the lake and collecting dandelions.

I think its time to kiss the rain.