(acrylic on canvas)

Like many, I got sucked into the plethora of iPad apps out there; so much so I was one of “those people” who were checking the apple, macrumors and other tech sites for the first sign of the 4.2 iPad update just so I could organize all of my apps into folders (much happier these days with the new features).

So, here goes my Top 10 favorite apps so far…

• iBooks: One of the reasons I just love the iPad is the easy access to so many books!  I can read purchased books, classics which are free, and I can even import pdfs into my library.  I pretty much don’t go out without my iPad because even without internet access, I’m guaranteed a good read.  Price: Free.
• Amazon: Amazon has done a great job in providing a number of apps, two of my favorites are the Amazon and Kindle apps.  I really appreciate the selection of books that can be purchased for download and reading with the Kindle app.  I’ve used the Amazon app for their “Best Deals” and “Lightning Deals.”  Price: Free.
• Twitter: If you have a Twitter account, this is by far the best app.  The functionality and features are awesome.  This app is the reason I’m more active on Twitter than I was before–I just love this app and actually have fun on Twitter.  Price: Free.
• WunderMap: Simply a great weather app.  I tried other weather apps, but this one is clean, you can set your location easily, get an hourly and 7-day forecast, and even view weather alerts and animation.  Price: Free.
• ABC Player: I use this app to catch up on “Modern Family” episodes.  I miss the show during the week and have actually come to enjoy watching it on my iPad.  I only wish that other networks would follow ABC’s lead and provide decent apps, to watch network shows.  Price: Free.
• Pulse: Is a reader that’s much more than a news reader with a great assortment of easy to choose featured news, tech, design, and social sites, it’s easy to get updates on whatever you’re interested in.  Couple this with the ability to add any rss feed and it’s the first place I go for my morning news, updates and ideas.  Really great app. Price: Free.
• SkyGrid: Another great news reader app that shows what’s trending.  Also gives you the ability to customize and follow what you’re interested in.  This app has been great in that it’s expanded my exposure to other news/interest sources.  Price: Free.
• Netflix:  There’s been so much hype and chatter on the Netflix app and with good reason.  I can watch anything instantly on my iPad (with an internet connection), choose from items in my instant queue, and if interrupted, easily resume where I left off.  Netflix does a good job of switching out movies and adding new items.  I love the access to documentaries.  Price: Free with a subscription to Netflix which is as low as $7.99/month).
• Angry Birds: Those that know me know that this list wouldn’t be complete for me without some games, and this one is one of my favorites. I started playing the free version and then purchased the iPhone version because it was only $.99.  Price: Free Lite version, $.99 for iPhone version, $4.99 for HD version.
• Lego HP: This Harry Potter Lego game goes through books 1-4 and it’s creatively done.  After you play through all four books, you’re only 50% finished with the game because there’s a bunch of challenges that are now available after having learned all of the skills.  Just plain fun. Price: $4.99.

These are just a few of my favorites, although I could have easily penned a top 25 list (but thought I would spare you).

Seriously, though, when the iPad first came out I wasn’t all that excited about it.  I thought it was cool, but wondered if I really needed another tech gadget.  It was when we purchased one for my husband’s birthday (to help him with client appointments, management and follow up) that I realized, I could enjoy one of these.  The iPad has allowed me to stay connected with the freedom of getting away from my work environment.

My favorite character is the “very small animal”.  This is might be because I find it difficult to reach most of the cupboards in my kitchen without standing on a nearby chair or climbing on the counter.   Or it could be because I’m referred to as “Little Mommy” by my daughters.

And then there’s Pooh.  He seems pretty comfortable wandering here and there just enjoying where he is regardless of where Pooh finds himself.  Along the journey, Winnie-the-Pooh is also pretty content with who he is–whether he gets stuck in someone’s doorway or imagining he’s a little black rain cloud.

The thing is that Pooh, Piglet and they’re colorful friends give us an opportunity to join them on their grand adventures and in doing so, help us to learn more about who we are.

Sounds like a good plan for a journey

One allowed our family to begin;
the other completed us.

They have showed me
that love
is higher than the sky
and deeper than the ocean.

They have revealed
a world
of unimaginable
beauty, color and light.

And taught me
how to sing,  dance,
and view the world as a symphony.

I can’t imagine who I would be,
or how I would see
if not for my daughters.

So where am I?  I’m still trying to figure that out.  I don’t feel like I fit in with what I’ve come to understand as “institutional Christianity”.   For me, institutional Christianity is where the preservation of the institution seems to outweigh the importance of following The Way of Jesus.

A couple of things.  I have worked in the church, and I have very close friends that are leaders in churches.  I have the utmost respect for them and their chosen vocation.  I know that the church and its people aren’t perfect and I love many of the congregants.

However, when I walk in a church service I have found that I lose the connection with my faith that I so long to establish and strengthen.   It feels foreign and alienating.  It’s not the church building that feels empty.  It’s the institutional church programs and processes that create the distance…programs that stop short of walking out the door to serve communities.

Additionally, the message of love and compassion should surpass any denominations’ program or process, doctrine or even tradition.  What brings us together as a faith community should overpower and transcend any differences that can tear us apart.

I’m on this journey—and have been for most of my life— to find some sense of peace in this world.  What I am learning is that the most important things in my life are beyond my self and are carefully placed in the hearts and hands of those I share my life with.

And today, I’m wondering where this is all taking me.

distraction |disˈtrak sh ən| noun
1 a thing that prevents someone from giving full attention to something else; a diversion or recreation.  2 extreme agitation of the mind or emotion.

So, distractions not only vie for our attention, but can also throw us off of our game.  But, the question we should ask is what do we consider distractions?

For example, if I’m in the middle of a project for work and my daughter comes in to my office to ask me a question about what she should wear to go out on a date, what should I consider as the distraction, my daughter or my work?  For me, the distraction will always be work…not the people around me.

I’ve come to realize that the most beautiful moments, and the most meaningful encounters, often happen in what we might consider, the distractions of life.  It’s in the distractions that a daughter seeks out a mom, or a son looks for advice from a dad.

So for me, I will chose to give my full attention to a daughter, neighbor or a friend, and consider any task I had been previously engaged in as the distraction.

Gulf Coast Oil Spill (image courtesy of www.deepwaterhorizonresponse.com)

The oil spill in the Gulf is still increasing daily.  This is a complete travesty considering the impact to the wild life in the immediate area of the oil spill.  Here’s a link to an article written by Frank Gill, PhD., interim president of Audubon, “Gulf Coast Birds in Danger” giving insight into the birds effected.

Then there’s the fish, dolphins, protected wetland areas, crustaceans, and more.  And then there’s the impact to all of the people that make their living in this area in the fishing, wildlife and tourism industries to name a few.

How could this have happened?  Weren’t those who drill at these depths prepared?  According to an article posted today on CNN, when a BP chairman, McKay, was confronted with the reality of their ability to respond to the current situation in the Gulf,

McKay responded that the spill uncorked by the late April sinking of the drill rig Deepwater Horizon was “a very unique situation” and that the company’s response on the surface was “very robust.”

“I think they were enacted within two hours of the explosion, and that has proved to be impactful and I think effective,” he said. But he said the plans didn’t take into account the failure of the rig’s blowout preventer, a massive piece of equipment designed to slam shut in case of an emergency, or the failure of the well’s pipe riser stack to disconnect.

McKay said the plan was being adjusted “based on the characteristics of this oil and where the oil’s going,” and that a siphon inserted into the larger of the two leak points over the weekend was now capturing about 2,000 barrels per day – about 40 percent of the spill.

What about the other 60 percent of the spill that’s still causing unprecedented damage—on a daily basis?

9.  Do you know how songs get stuck in your head?  The one stuck in mine is “O Canada!”

8.  Watching the Olympics just made me want to watch more sports–and I’m not a sports junkie.  In one day, I watched the Olympics, English Premier League, and Rugby (Engand v Ireland) and Ireland WON!

7.   NBC: WIN for broadcasting the Olympics on multiple channels throughout the day and covering so many events.  CNN.com: FAIL on putting the box for the Olympics at the bottom right of your home page.  (And, yes, I saw the handful of links at the top of the page, but the Winter Games heading wasn’t a hyperlink to the Olympics page, so it’s still a FAIL.  I wound up going to CTVOlympics.ca and NBCOlympics.com.)

6.  Shaun White on the half pipe was crazy awesome–such great heights!

5.  Courage and determination in the face of adversity, are the marks of an Olympian, and a lesson for us all.

4.  The Norwegian Men’s  Curling team were quite the trend setters–loved the pants.

3.  Who anticipated that Curling would be the event that everyone talked about? (We Can Learn from Curling–Sports At Its Best)

2.  Couldn’t help but relish every moment of every event I could watch.  Hockey seemed to end too quickly.

1.  Not everyone will win a medal, but everyone can have the time of their life–including the spectators.  Thanks to all of the Olympians and especially to Team USA.

Granted, while I’m working, I’m not surfing, but after the workday I surf to find articles that can help me get through the work day, be more creative, and enjoy a better quality of life.

One of the sites that I love to use to get me going down a path that hopefully doesn’t turn out to be an informational dead end is stumbleupon.com. From their web site:

StumbleUpon’s mission is to help you discover the best content on the web, by showing you sites tailored to your interests whenever you press the Stumble! button. Among all the fun things you can do on StumbleUpon, sharing sites with your friends is perhaps one of the greatest assets of having our toolbar handy on your browser.

As you set up your account, choose topics of interest for you to stumble through.  This has been great in finding web sites with great information that I would have had a tough time finding.  Also, if you find an article that you like, it can be easily added to your favorites for future viewing.  If it’s the first time the article has been “liked” you get the honors to add it for all to see.

Have fun!

Gunk and garbage accumulated during the week gives me that much more to do.

Deadlines.  Unfinished work.

Things to do here.  Clutter to clear up there.

Movement is hurried and time seems short.

As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, he came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to him. She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet listening to what he said. But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to him and asked, “Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!”

“Martha, Martha,” the Lord answered, “you are worried and upset about many things, but only one thing is needed.  Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.”

Luke 10:38-42

Sit down.

Be still.