Orange you ready yet?

Whilst we deliberate how to begin a thing,

 it grows too late to begin it.

Quintillian

Neil Diamond- the ultimate lyrics about beginning

“Where it began
I can't begin to knowing

But, then I know it's growing strong”

Or the song that everyone danced to at their wedding in the 70’s by the Carpenters

“Before the rising sun we fly

So many roads to choose
We start out walking

And learn to run
And yes! We've just begun”

What makes us so entranced with beginnings?

It comes from the Gothic language - in-ginnan "to cut open, open up”

This time, we are going to find all the sweetness in life

This beginning will be the best of all beginnings

or, as Churchill said:

 "Now this is not the end. It is not even the beginning of the end. But it is, perhaps, the end of the beginning."

 and that's poetiquejustis

  In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God.  All things were made through Him, and without Him was not any thing made that was made. In Him was life,and the life was the light of men.  

 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.

John 1:1-5

Off The Beaten Path

 A black cat crossing your path signifies that the animal is going somewhere.

Groucho Marx

Off the beaten path

There are ways to think and ways to see

Off the beaten path

The path that has been beaten

has little left to say

Just learn from those who beat that path

And beat your own today!

and that's poetiquejustis

So his master said, 'Go out into the country lanes and behind the hedges

 and urge anyone you find to come, so that the house will be full.

Luke 14:23

Being Nosey

 “All of us have schnozzles . . . if not in our faces, then in our character, minds or habits. When we admit our schnozzles, instead of defending them, we begin to laugh, and the world laughs with us."

Jimmy Durante

When I was a kid, my nose was much too large for my face

OK..not quite that bad...but you get the idea.

I did not know it, however-

Until kids started pointing it out

"the nose knows" was one of the more creative lines I heard

Eventually, I had it "fixed" and I am kind of sorry now that I did

I feel that I betrayed myself and who I was

But....it made my dad from whom I inherited that nose- feel better

Now, my teeth seem to have gone a bit crooked on me

Hooray!  A second chance to be who I am 

and that's poetiquejustis

 Your hands made me and formed me; give me understanding to learn your commands.

Psalm 119:73

The High Ground

If you would lift me up, you must be on higher ground

Ralph Waldo Emerson

Today, I will smile because it will brighten your day

Today, I will laugh because it will be music to your ears

Today, I will listen a little more because my silence will give you room to grow

Today, I will be on higher ground than I was yesterday,

 and I will lift you up!

And tomorrow, I when I must reach up to find the higher ground

I know that you will be there

and that's poetiquejustis

, “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind’; and, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself."  Luke 10:27

Is Somebody Out There?

I always wondered why somebody doesn't do something about that. 

Then I realized I was somebody.

Lily Tomlin

"somebody should do something about that..."

"somebody should write a letter...."

"somebody should get that fixed..."

"somebody should say something..."

Somebody is going to be very busy if we don't lend a hand!

and that's poetiquejustis

Do not refrain from doing what is excellent as long as you are able.

Proverbs 3:27

I can see you!

I was the kid next door's imaginary friend

Emo Phillips

Imaginary friends

Everyone needed one

They kept your secrets

They always laughed at your jokes

They never moved away

 

 They were not much help on a seesaw

But they always were there when you sad

Today, 

I hope your imaginary friend of long ago finds you, wherever you are

and you laugh, and smile, and 

imagine

and that's poetiquejustis

A friend loves at all times . . .

Proverbs 17:17

Punch List for Life

Energy and persistence conquer all things.  Benjamin Franklin and....

There are days I want to quit

I want to thrown in the towel.

Stay down for the count
Never come out of the corner again

But then- the bell rings

That "bell" in my head that says
keep going

And I take life on for
 just one more round



and that's poetiquejustis

Fight the good fight for the true faith. Hold tightly to the eternal life to which God has called you, which you have confessed so well before many witnesses.
I Timothy 6:12

Well done, please

A thing well done is worth doing

High Leonard

I am a professor

I say "well done"

A lot.

Because my students try

I say "well done"

Because they are thinking

I say "well done"

Because I can

I say "well done"

You can, too!

Say "well done" to as many people as you can today

They need to hear it

Oh....

and by the way....

Well done!

and that's poetiquejustis

"His master replied, 'Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master's happiness!'

Matthew 25:23

Well, Jiminy Cricket! Is that what it takes?

"When you wish upon a star

makes no difference who you are...."

 When I first heard that song as a little girl

I took Jiminy Cricket at his word

and I have been wishing on stars all of my life

But Jiminy- have you been holding out on me?

  There is a second verse to this song:

 If your heart is in your dream
No request is too extreme

Ah....now I have it
you have to put your heart in to it!

Thanks, Jiminy!

 and that's poetiquejustis

Jesus replied: " 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart

 and with all your soul

 and with all your
mind.'

 Matthew 22:37