John Wayne:
Tomorrow is the most important thing in life. Comes into us at midnight very clean. It's perfect when it arrives and puts itself in our hands. It hopes we've learned something from yesterday.

All the days of 2011 are now spent. It was, for me, a wonderful year. Tonight I have glanced back over my notes here ... Sort of a year in review. I am glad to have this little journal ... jumbled as it may be. I do miss the music I used to have here ... I like music.

How 'bout that quote ... Is what comes next the most important thing? I would have to say probably not ... but I am excited about tomorrow ... and the possibilities offered by the entire stack of the tomorrows which will become 2012. It came in at midnight very clean ... . I did learn bunches of cool stuff during 2011. I am thankful.

So ... What's coming up? Truth is who but the shadow knows?. Just kidding. God knows. I am comfortable with that.


For the last three months I have been pouring a lot of effort towards helping out with a start up flight instruction program. I don't have my 25 hours in make and model ... my work has been mostly towards marketing. And ground instruction. Ground instruction is the only bit of the effort that generated any income for me. On Saturday I learned that my buddy is not as ... hmmm ... what's the word? Idk. Probably the best way to note it is I've been a little concerned about integrity issues and Saturday came as an eye opener. I'm not upset, I may not even be truly disappointed. There are times in life when you just have got to say "Oh, Hell no. Nuh uh. No freakin' way." I have not always been very good at that. You know how it is when something is excruciatingly important to you (like flying has been to me) ... It can be a slippery slope. Things aren't "quite" right, but you rationalize, and compromise, work around the little lies. I am a super easy going person. It takes a lot to break my camel's back. But ... That's where I'm at on this little venture. I actually feel good about saying this isn't what we agreed to and what this has become is not good enough for what my time is worth.

We trade our moments for who we become in the process. I really need to be someone who feels good about how those very precious moments are directed. Stuff that seems wrong to me, or makes me feel bad or sad ... I don't have to lose my moments there. I don't have to feel "used" ... It's just not worth it. And ... I am thankful for that.

Next topic...
Today we visited with the Episcopalians. I am at a loss for words. It was a very "prescribed" order of worship. Lots of up and down and in and out of several different little books. I was pretty much lost the entire time. Even the music was difficult to get in sync with. The actual message was a good one ... briefly, that the word of God may be likened to a hot coal and the fire it may ignite within us is helped along by the Holy Spirit.

I especially love the architecture. The footprint of the structure is in the shape of a cross with the entry through this courtyard. A neighbor, who we cared for and has since past, donated the beautiful Rose glass window that is featured ... And seeing it again brought back many sweet memories. The remaining windows are panes of white opaque glass simply banded by a cornflower blue. I like the rough timber beams and the concrete floor. I hadn't been in the building since its dedication ... maybe fifteen years ago.

After church we enjoyed a New Year's celebration traditional Southern meal.

Ham
Cornbread
Black-eyed peas
Collard greens

I should have made banana pudding but I got through Christmas festivities without gaining an ounce and didn't want to chance it on the whipped cream. I do wish I had remember to put sweet potatoes on the shopping list. That would have made a nice addition I think. There are many different versions on the symbolism for this particular menu. My husband says when General Sherman swept through the South during the Civil war, all crops were torched except for the black-eyed peas which were mistaken for weeds. Peas are included for luck.

I am looking forward to seeing what this year holds.