There is such peace for me in the mornings, especially in the winter. The darkness closes in and envelops everything. It magnifies the feeling of quiet and alone. It’s different in summer and spring. The sun comes up early and gives you the opportunity to get your day started. You see all that needs to be done, and the light says “let’s get to work!” In winter, the darkness speaks to the world in inky blackness, “Sit and ponder,” she says.
It’s important to me to have this time. I got up and saw a twitter notification and read a couple of tweets. I tend to follow people who encourage, but then things are retweeted and it just gets stupid. I couldn’t think of a better word! So after that kind of reading, and my thoughts traveling down the rabbit hole, I needed the quiet. I feel like I needed an adjustment. Kind of like the chiropractor, you know? If your head is not aligned correctly there is pain, if all is lined up correctly, there is no pain. Funny thing is, once you are in alignment, your body is back to optimal working conditions.
I think of how easily this world knocks us out of alignment. It can be anything, from pain to pleasure, having too little or even too much. Fear, sadness and even a life of ease can throw us off. For me this morning, that “anything” was sin. What got me started was someone calling out someone else’s sin. Make sense?
You see the problem is, I know my sin, but you may not. I am pretty quiet about it. I mean really…. who wants people to know what they do that misses the mark? Most people I know don’t really want to confront their own sin, let alone have someone else confront it. So why do we feel the need to mention it on Twitter? If you know someone is dealing with something, talk to them about it. Study with them. Love them! If that sin is so grievous to you, meet people where they are. Jesus did! He met people where they were, not after the healing. And when He met them, He brought grace and love. He eventually showed them the sign, but it was after they felt His care for them.
So just a friendly reminder. Sometimes our shortcomings are less hidden than we thought. It is messy for all of us in the midst of our sin. And while you may not want to wade in to meet me in mine, don’t forget, someone could be debating whether it’s worth it to meet you in yours.
So we have been doing some sprucing up of our home, and with each new task completed, we are more and more comfortable. (Really…we have only been here 13 years!) Our latest venture was bringing some interest to a kitchen wall, over the counter where we keep the coffee pot. (Or our coffee shrine as I call it)
So the day finally came, and my first reaction was sadness, then I pondered and then I laughed. I was sad because I know that at the loss of Billy Graham, his family and friends will be going through a grieving process. The first moments of separation are the worst. I was also sad because it seems that these are the days that we need a Billy Graham.
This year was kind of funny because Lent started on Valentine’s day. Not coming from a liturgical background, I have only started following this tradition. (In my own made up way) So a couple days ago, I was reading a blog written by a young Catholic woman, and she made the connection between Valentines day, the whole “love” thing, and Lent which prepares us for the remembrance of the greatest act of love ever. I thought that was kinda cool. Up to that point, the only connection I had made about the coincidence was to tease my friend that she may need to celebrate Valentines on Tuesday. 
Well, this isn’t the bay area, where there are plenty of museums, venues, and events, but that doesn’t mean that there is nothing to do!
So today, since I am not feeling well (still feeling the effects of the flu) I am going to try and make these observations short. These are just some things that have stood out to me the past few days, and they seemed appropriate to think about on this day we remember the life of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
When I started “A Study in Pink” I guess I thought I would be sharing the stories of women, highlighting different occupations, and maybe even inspiring someone out there to reach for a dream. I didn’t think it would challenge me so much, and maybe even change my own thinking about what I do. The more I talk to women though, the more I feel like that is exactly what’s been happening. Maybe even more so when I met the latest entrant in this series, Patricia Diaz of P.A.T.Y’Studio.
So when your husband leaves a home store and says, “that place is really cute,” then you gotta know it’s something special! That was my husband’s response when we went into Studio 12 Homes in downtown Lemoore. It was time to get back in the “pink” and see what the professional women of Kings County have going on.
Cheryl Mendoza 