Friday, January 10, 2014

Living On The Edge

It's 4:00 a.m. and my alarm goes off.  I don't usually need the alarm because for the past 3 years or so, I've been waking up naturally at this time and I have hated it.   But now I have embraced my body's time clock and I am putting it to use.

I find my way to the kitchen and make a pot of tea.  Some for my thermos and some for my mug which I will enjoy on the couch as I sit by my little Christmas tree and spend 10 or 15 minutes in quietness. After that, I pray, meditate on scriptures and do some journalling.  My cat, Missy, is always by my side.

Then, I get dressed in my athletic clothes and I leave the house at 5:15 a.m. and head to Harrisburg to the local ice skating rink where I skate from 6:00 to 7:45 or later, depending on what my day holds.  It's a 45 minute drive (if the traffic is good) and I use that time to pray.  I pray about needs I am aware of in people's lives and I pray over my dreams for a Christmas show and the music journey I have chosen and whatever else God leads me to pray for.


It's a brand new year.  I have a new CD, a new website and a new face to this blog to match my website.  With all that happening, I think it's a great time to express my vision for the new year and how I see this blog taking on a more defined personality.

After talking with a couple of readers and pondering this evolution, it is apparent to me that people have enjoyed the transparent sharing of this musical journey.  They too have felt inspired to tackle something big in their life one bite at a time.  I'm not going to keep up the Day # whatever theme of the elephant diet (my producer will be happy) but I am going to keep blogging (he'll be even happier).

After a year of blogging and not really knowing how it would go, I think I have started to find my voice.

The purpose of this blog, this year, will be to inspire.  I think that's what was happening last year, but I didn't realize it until people began to give me feedback.

I want to inspire you to reach for things you never thought possible.  You already know that you can do it one bite at a time.  Apply it to every area of your life.

Plans for a 2014 christmas show are already in the works, but there is something else evolving here that I want to share with you. But before I do, I have a question for you.  What is something you have always wanted to pursue but never have for a long list of reasons?  I'd love for you to leave a comment!

I have begun living on the edge in a whole new way.  For me, it is figure skating.

....and with that, I begin a new page to this blog.




Wednesday, January 8, 2014

Warmth that could melt the North Pole.

"Angel of Wishes" gift from Lisa and Ellen.
Today I was invited to have lunch at the home of a wonderful friend.

The temperatures outside were frigid but what took place at her table gave off enough warmth that I'm sure people at the North Pole could feel the effects.

A precious gift awaited me along with a beautiful poem to celebrate the release of the new CD.

I share it with you.

Bit by bite, blog by blog, day by day a masterpiece
Formed from something very small, but every day would increase
A beautiful thing did unfold, a wondrous sight to behold
But that's not all you had to share, a piece of wisdom was found there

Self-doubt, you said, and fear too, would be a certain enemy
Lack of confidence I'm sure tried to take your bravery
But none of these could set sail, this is what did prevail:
Confidence in what you do and clarity would see you through

What songs of joy! What miracles! In black and white it was told
The message in the heart of Christmas is worth more than precious gold
Concerts will be set in place, more journeys you will have to face
But overall its message true will work in hearts all thanks to you

By Ellen Diehl  

Lisa and Ellen will never know how meaningful it was to have someone pause in the middle of a cold January day and celebrate the completion of my elephant diet and the release of "Portraits of White".

All I can say is, thank you.