Ticky-tacky

1. Little boxes on the hillside, Little boxes made of ticky-tacky, Little boxes, little boxes, Little boxes, all the same. There's a green one and a pink one And a blue one and a yellow one And they're all made out of ticky-tacky And they all look just the same. 2. And the people in the houses All go to the university, And they all get put in boxes, Little boxes, all the same. And there's doctors and there's lawyers And business executives, And they're all made out of ticky-tacky And they all look just the same.

3. And they all play on the golf-course, And drink their Martini dry, And they all have pretty children, And the children go to school. And the children go to summer camp And then to the university, And they all get put in boxes And they all come out the same. 4. And the boys go into business, And marry, and raise a family, And they all get put in boxes, Little boxes, all the same. There's a green one and a pink one And a blue one and a yellow one And they're all made out of ticky-tacky And they all look just the same.

12:07 on a Sunday

sew. sew. sew. There a few things in my life that I feel I have control over. No, that's not it. There are few things in my life that I feel/am aware of. I say feel/am because sometimes I think I have trouble deciphering between the two: how I feel and what it is. God is always doing so much, and I'm always freaking out trying wrap my brain around all of it at the same time. I'm making the decision, who knows how many more times I'll have to make this decision in order for it to stick, but I am making the decision to not freak out...instead I will wait in anticipation. Joy, there can be joy in anticipation, and I am determined to get that joy back. Kahlil Gibran says this about joy:

"Your joy is your sorrow unmasked. And the selfsame well from which your laughter rises was oftentimes filled with your tears. And how else can it be? The deeper that sorrow carves into your being, the more joy you can contain. Is not the cup that holds your wine the very cup that was burned in the potter's oven? And is not the lute that soothes your spirit, the very wood that was hollowed with knives? When you are joyous, look deep into your heart and you shall find it is only that which has given you sorrow that is giving you joy. When you are sorrowful look again in your heart, and you shall see that in truth you are weeping for that which has been your delight. Some of you say, "Joy is greater thar sorrow," and others say, "Nay, sorrow is the greater." But I say unto you, they are inseparable. Together they come, and when one sits, alone with you at your board, remember that the other is asleep upon your bed. Verily you are suspended like scales between your sorrow and your joy. Only when you are empty are you at standstill and balanced. When the treasure-keeper lifts you to weigh his gold and his silver, needs must your joy or your sorrow rise or fall."

I don't want to be empty, or balanced, rather always running, and never at a standstill. Sewing is one of the few things I feel like I can do, with little effort, and feel accomplished by, at least today. So I will let that carry me through. Numbs fingers, creative thought, productivity, workmanship, quiet, relatively still. I can let something very small be that stability, and wait in anticipation, every stitch, pushing the needle through, tying off, wait some more, wait in anticipation for God. I had an image of what waiting for God should look like and I got it, it clicked, so Ill share it with you.
There is a tree, its something I've never seen before. The only comparison I am able to make is a cherry blossom, or dogwood. Its beautiful and healthy, covered in gorgeous green leaves. But there are no flowers, and my deeper self reveals to me that the flowers are waiting. They are waiting in anticipation, with joy and laughter for there time of blooming to come, they are longing and in love. Everything is right. Seasons change, and it is right, flowers long for their time of blooming. And I realized then that I am also longing to push forth from the branches and bloom, with beauty, but the thing I have been lacking is the joy and the mystery, the awe and beauty that you can only ever find, from waiting...

I will learn to wait, and I will learn the joy that can only be found in that waiting place.

Earth Day!

Earth Day was a pretty good success. For those of you following let me fill you in. At Lake Eola here in Orlando FL my friend and I (Elise Dressler) set up a booth to sell our recycled/re-used handmade crafts to raise money for our journey to Youth With A Mission in Lakeside, Montana. Youth With A Mission is a not-for-profit organization that does domestic and foreign aide work (all over the planet...woot!) Elise is joining this organization to do a Discipleship Training School that will cost her nearly $6,000.00 This upcoming September (2010)!! A Discipleship Training School (DTS) is a 6 month program that allow 3 months in Montana to learn about yourself, your gifts and talents and how they can be used around the world to save lives, and end social injustices all for the sake of Love. The last three months she will travel abroad and live overseas to put this into practice. I attended a DTS in January of 2006 and it changed my life forever. It ruined my old life, tore it apart, and gave me something new, something real. I am so excited for her to have this opportunity, but she can't do it without your prayer and financial support. All workers for Youth With A Mission (YWAM) are volunteers and greatly depend on God and others who see the needs our world has, the needs that have to be met.
My husband and I, Ellison, will also be going back into YWAM. As I said previously, I have already done a DTS in Montana, an my husband did his in Germany (there are bases all over the world). And we are going back to join staff. I was on DTS Staff just over a year in Germany, and I loved it. But I feel it necessary to be based out of America, where there is so much pain and blindness. We will be joining Base Staff and Music Company.
Base Staff gives us the opportunity to live in America and serve the base as needed, to establish community and to make the base more self sustaining (project number one, start a green house!!) Music Company gives us the resources necessary to write and record our music, and to then tour around the world to bring awareness to social injustices, and to the never ending need for love.
If you're interested in supporting Ellison and myself, or Elise Dressler, feel free to contact us at anytime www.elisedress.blogspot.com and raeannmason@gmail.com You can also check out Youth With A Mission Montana's website at www.ywammt.org

Oh yea, and keep your eye out for new crafts by Avos Creations (handmade by Elise and myself)!