Spring, Come Already!

Snow weighs on branches. The sun is furious. The days are brighter. The birds tweet so loud, so early and so long as if to say "time up winter - get with the program". When rats the size of squirrels make a debut on the D.C street scene on a cold winters day, you know something has got to change. Spring anybody?

Muse on This

Coming into America; First Experience in the Land of The Free and the Home of the Brave - July 2006

The American dream evaporated in the unrelenting Philadelphia heat that July. My excitement to see the United States for the first time stewed and dried up. Open windows provided little relief from the hot air that stood stiff like a brick. It declined to dance or sway. Drenched in sweat I watched as cold beads of water - like tears slid down the side of the ice filled pitcher. If only I could shrink and swim in it.

Demis Roussos The Greek Singer of Our Youth Departs the Stage

Demis Roussos died today: January 26th, 2015.
I wrote about him here.
Ah! how sad... but his music and our memories live on.

Greek singer Demis Roussos has died, hospital in Athens says http://t.co/TCin3V9eS3 pic.twitter.com/KRpr5FpHMM
— BBC Breaking News (@BBCBreaking) January 26, 2015

Even Then Jimmy Swaggart Made a Difference

As the rain and the snow

 come down from heaven,

and do not return to it

    without watering the earth

and making it bud and flourish,

    so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater,

so is my word that goes out from my mouth:

    it will not return to me empty,

but will accomplish what I desire

 and achieve the purpose for which I sent it. 
Isaiah 55:10 - 11

His was a household name in the 80’s. Every Sunday afternoon we gathered in the living room to watch the TV Evangelist Jimmy Swaggart. I can’t imagine any tweens excited to watch an evangelist at any time of the day but we were. With Uganda Television’s (UTV) limited screen time (6pm – 10pm) almost anything went, anything except “Amawuliire” and “Habari” - news in Luganda and Swahili.

Sons and Fathers; Messing With The Pumpkin in The Old Homestead

According to Myers Briggs I am an INFP; an Introverted, Intuitive, Feeling, Perceiving human being. In my world intuition reigns over intellect. Once I believe in a cause it is almost impossible to convince me otherwise. I will hold on to that truth for all its worth. Yes, it’s been said “the heart is not so smart” but the head has its faults too. It is prone to wander off on numerous errands of futile intellectual pursuit.  Like Tolkien I admit “I am a mere individual…with intense feelings more than ideas”.

Since coming to America I’m more aware that intellectual and logical arguments reign supreme. Statements of “I think” capture attention while statements of “I feel” or “I believe” lose the crowd. “Why do you feel? Explain it. How did you come to this conclusion?”

 It's intuition. A gut feeling. An observation. 

The sweet spot however is a fine balance between heart and mind but even this is hard to master.

Sheila - A Rose in Bloom

“The beauty of a woman is not in a facial mode but the true beauty in a woman is reflected in her soul. It is the caring that she lovingly gives - the passion that she shows. The beauty of a woman grows with the passing years”. Audrey Hepburn

Ever seen a red rose bloom?

The green bud closed tight as a fist settles in the bush. Its stem stretches towards the light, slowly it begins to unravel, tiny bit by tiny bit. Slits of rich red hue peak at its corners. Gradually it bursts open into full glorious bloom. Its opulent petals unlace with layer upon layer of leafy lush beauty. Where once a green dull space now it explodes with intense red garnish. Passers-by may stop to smell the roses but there is nothing more magnificent not quite as beautiful as to see an ordinary girl grow into a beautiful, talented, spiritual woman. She changes the world around her. All who see gaze amazed as she steps on the world stage, they are blown away by her beauty, her talent, her determination and steady zeal. I have seen such a one - Sheila Dorcus.