After the XD

"Reaping Aftermath Benefits"

Although I've not been able to partake of the XD I get to reap a lot of it's after math. We have had the honor of hosting 5 YAs who stayed with us a few days after the camp. (Pray I get those pics)!
I can't describe how wonderful it's been to hang with these radical youths. We were really honoured and blessed to have them.
We played, exchanged songs and danced around a fire, we shared our burdens and dreams as well as our heart brakes and desperations. We encouraged each other on all sides, there were no gloomy faces or clicks. We spent extra time loving Jesus together and renewed our commitments to our Lover. We played games, took bike rides in the rain and told stupid jokes.
How much greater must the XD camp have been if this was just the aftermath.
along with my "Ezmeralda" I met a very happy acquaintance, Augustin, the drummer from the band in the clip I posted a few posts down. "The Sausage Factory band...RAHHHHH!! And he was everything I expected him to be, totaly wild, in love with Jesus and the Family and dedicated to winning the world! Augustin shared with me a heart braking yet amazing testimony on how he sold his drum set to raise the money for both him and his pregnant girl friend (Marie Clair) in order for them to go to the training camp. In a field like his it's only by the Lord's grace that you are able to get equipment like that. To me it was a real sample on how our discipleship comes first, its probably one of the biggest pains to ask a musician to sell his instrument. I could tell he was feeling the loss but more then that was the confidence he had in that he did the right thing.
His future wife is also an Amazing artist who uses music as her inspiration for creative fairy art done with pen. We two battled over the right to have Marie as our first name and I eventually gave in (because she was pg) as Clay is the name the Lord specifically gave me and having another Marie in the house was the perfect opportunity to remind ppl to call me by my Family name. But even then " Marie Clair has a striking resemblance to Marie Clay no?
Even after every one was gone I felt they left a spirit of calm and serenity in the home. Thank you for that!
For every one still waiting for your XD training, I can only tell you that it's probably going to be heavy and totally awesome!! The spirit is moving ppl, its time to drop the weights and pick up the swords. I'm praying for you also because the Devil is pissed; as soon as our guys here got back from the XD they have been being hit like never before! Don't you love it? Nothing is cooler then making the Devil mad! Only thing cooler then pissing off D is turning on Jesus, and he is really turned on! GBY every body, I love you and ur in my prayers!

this doesn't do Marie Clair's are justice but it's the best I could get me wittle hands on!!

For my own pleasure... and maybe yours too.





Dogs are just less complicated

CPD (croinic posting disorder)

Did I mention I did my first show?
I'll have to say we did pretty good as a band, we are pretty tight considering we've been so shortly assigned the title of band mates.
There are so many perks to performing, food, drinks and best of all quality time spent tuning the talents the Lord gave us.
You should have seen me, I was all sheeky: Alissa saved the day and put together something for me to wear as I am clueless and have not a single "little black dress" to my name. Dressing up is awesome but there was a slight struggle that came with forcing me to remove my jewelry and yoke. But in the words of the Epistle Paul "I have never made a sacrifice". Everything went but my anklets which I managed to sneak past every one's approval: who looks at your feet anyway?
To me this whole show biz is just a cash machine anyway, you got to put something in to get money out; I much prefer the Contato meetings we hold here that are so heavenly and require nothing but inspiration. I don't know how I manage to get by playing with these solid musicians, the only thing that's cooler then working with them is attempting to be one, and the only thing cooler the pretending to be a musician is learning to play BONGOS!!
Yeah man, this would fall more under the very rigid confines of Clay style, slashed up jeans, not a stitch of makeup and possibly a scarf thrown carelessly around the neck, it could also be completely color disoriented but completely "suck ur gut in" friendly, meaning it would provide solace as apposed to a skin tight, spaghetti strap top that demands posture. I mean really? How is that even healthy for some one who is already dizzying under the pressure of trying to hold third part harmonies?? Friends, these things aught not so to be!
Anyway, all this to say the girls have taken siege of my wardrobe and are attempting to make a diva out of me. "Could a Mis Veronica Ciccone please reclaim her cone bra and return my cut off pants?? They Shall Never HAve me..
In other news my long lost spiritual blood sister has returned having found herself impregnated by yet another of my X loves. This only gives me the conviction to accept this as no near strange coincidence.
Esmeralda is THE most on fire chick you will ever meet and I have been blessed with the orgasm it is to be in her company. We have been feasting off each other's fire. her being here is such a blessing and a token of the Lord's love for me. After the XD she will return to her beloved and I'm sure in due time the two will be wed.
take note young men, if you don't plan on getting married stay away from me, its complicated.
Also, Jessica will be returning this eve from her much anticipated 3 weeks XDing.
Along with her will tag 4 other young girls and a young boy named 'of all things "Sebastian" who has taken her hand in courtship.
I'm sure the next few days will be a blast as I watch from the outer circle many fun filled adventures re sited and the much groping that I'm sure will take place between the newly acquainted bird and bee. Also Sasquatch, AKA Phil, has also promptly dumped his FDTP fling upon hearing the news of the coming frothle.
Love you All.... THEY WILL NEVER TAKE Me ALIVE!!!

silence

standing, leaning
barley over the edge
falling, dripping
tears of dread

they prosecute violence
as a crime
but every day silence takes a life

turning, releasing
finds comfort within
discovers a blessing
from once unforgivable a sin

one word from you could save a life
synonymous to violence
so is silence evidence of a crime

breathing deep breaths
rediscovering life
taking small steps
away from suicide

not a word was spoken
but she was saved
by learning to be broken
and yielding to her faith

the things you keep
shamefully inside
could so easily
work to make things right
and words of comfort should be easier said
to some one standing so close to the edge


war is allowed
the sounds of explosions
while we sit mute
shut mouths claim millions

A man was condemned
violence his crime
but the silent are allowed every day to take lives

ignorance is bliss
no pen or sword
it was a kiss
that betrayed our Lord

So many live an empty life
and you say nothing
because your shy

Use ur fingers to play
your voice to cry
don't let silence
be your crime

Marie Clay

keeping ourselves entertained

"The Sacred Art of Cuisine"

Here's a great idea from the master himself.

The other day I had finished making lunch for the home and I think I might have sparked a little fire under the cushion of uncle EZ's ego. The Ol boy watched with envy each and every home member's reaction; poking at each dish disapprovingly.
EZ is a well acclaimed Chef and has been known for his Amazing cuisine. I'v learned much from him but I wont let adoration keep me from creaming him in the kitchen, like so many student/teacher relationships, the pupil becomes the master.
Our home has been blessed with great cooks, each having their own strong points.
In light of this, uncle EZ (being the home's crowning Chef and all around brilliant Sagittarius male) purposed a competition, "one of his more clever ideas".
We will compete at every other lunch given all members of the home are present. Each cook will only be given 10 bucks to add on to the usual shopping list. After each vote the members will post their votes on the refrigerator.
Your competition will consist of the following athletes.
Ezekiel : well seasoned master of the culinary arts.
Rachelle Spring: saucy little Gemini multitasker; artsy and has a special knack for crowd pleasing.
Marie Clay: armature under-dogling who's only real cooking heritage springs from her deceased father who was also a Sagittarius obsessed with the divinity of a well cooked meal (also a culinary arts major).
Her only desire is to esteem her father's good name and circulate the joy she once discovered sharing meals (cooked with patience and bubbling in love) with others brings: also longs for world peace.

I will keep you thoroughly updated on the competition with pictures and superfluous yet exciting dialog.
You who are interested will be allowed to vote using a scale of 1-5 (one being the worst, five the best). The names of the Chef responsible for the particular meal posted will not be given till after the results are in so that there will be no favoritism.
The grand prize will be a dinner out with one other home member, to a restaurant of the winner's choice.
Let the games begin!

I wont Fuel Your Machine

My own personal Heroes... you guys rOck! "I wont fuel your Machine"

Anita...mudd

So its ur birthday, and what lyrics have I to offer that have not already been filled on the pages

below.
I think I pretty much said everything about best friends.
I miss you, I miss your face and perfect breasts. Thank you for forcing me back to life when I was dead, even though I fought you in my postmortem.
I think 20 will be a good age on you, you always struck me as a 20 year old, now I wonder how it will actually look on you.
Don't feel old love, we can't be fools forever. All my affection to you...* Anita * also see Anita's song

Life is more beautiful when its been watered by a thousand tears.....Thats gotta be a famous quote!

Now I know that I could put up some glamorous card about "best friends" but to be honest none of them really hit the nail one the head.
Despite what the hallmark people would deceive you into believing, best friends aren't people that make you coffee in the morning or hold you when you cry; those are good friends, those are the kinds of peoples you should hold on to.
It has occurred to me that all my best friends are the kinds of people who say... laugh when I get hurt, they borrow my things and I have to just accept I may never see my corona caps again and if I do they'll be stained with catchup. Best friends can call you stupid to your face in such a way they manage to convince you, they don't care to show up for your set at Word Stock because they've heard all your songs and have to set up their drum kit for stage one even though my set was about 30+ minuets and setting up an average jo Tamma Drum kit with Birch shells and basswood inner ply will only takes 10.
You know, my best guy friend was even shocked when I told him he was my best friend. And you know Sam, so am I.
And that one time you held me when I cried doesn't count because in the morning I found out you wer actually sleep walking and happened to stumble on poor little me all miserable on the couch.
Yes, best friends are those magnetic people who for no good reason at all you just can't get enough of. They roll their eyes when you say "why can't you do this for me just once, think of all the things I do for you"!
So why do you love the guy so much Clay? Alright I'll tell you, where else can one find a guy who will show you his bare ass on the spot, no questions asked? Where on Gods green earth can you find a guy who's eyes say more then he ever does making it impossible for him to lie?
And even though Sam has never been that good at giving advice, just the fact that all he says in our very deep conversations is "yeah... uhmm" tells me he is listening.
By all standards Sam is THE perfect man, which is why he is married to my sister.
See, I got this phone call about 5 years ago and my sister Steph was going on about this guy who was "so amazing". I asked her if the guy was cute and there was a pause.
Steph and I have very different taste in men, Sam is living proof that she has much better taste in guys then me. Who would have thought that guy Steffy had a little crush on would turn up at my door step in Anaheim California landing himself a special place in my heart winning his roll as brother in law. I guess that was his plan all along.
I'm so happy for you Steph, I guess fairy tails still happen from time to time.
So here is my poor excuse for a happy birthday card.
All my love to you on this your birthday! I miss you terribly!
A little link to celebrate our friendship" POP"

"My New Holiday" (and other abundantly positives)

My speech and my preaching were not with enticing words of man's wisdom but in demonstration of the spirit and of power.
I love that verse, its always been comforting to me. See I'm not a very savvy person. I don't think I have a witty bone in my body. Every one knows its not hard to make an ass of me. The guys here, just the other day, tricked me that it was their band playing when it was really a symphony X song. " Savages"! I don't bother listening to system music much anyway so there (sticks out tongue). Its funny because most people's first impressions of me makes them feel stand-off-ish "I'll wait till she talks to me, god she's scary"!
If you don't mind I would like to take this moment to whisper sweetly in your ear and bid you come a little closer. I am actually totally harmless. Most of what comes out of my mouth sounds like "wow! No way"! TYJ that's great" and other abundantly positives that end in massive exclamation marks.
In truth, even when I'm being attacked I often say very little in my own defence. I would even go so far as to say that I am a bit dense to social mulish. Some times I just don't see it coming, its almost like its beyond me to even conceive that some one could have anything against me or would aspire to be mean to me. I know that sounds conceded, as if every one likes me right? No, I'm sure plenty of people thing I'm a prick but for myself, when I have something against some one, it will only last as long as the negative experience did and I'll jump back into finding out what that person is really about and if they were indeed trying to hurt me. I don't bother to go out of my way to catch them doing something that I could jump on their case about.
But its true that I've always wanted to be clever. Being witty isn't synonymous to being aggressive or mean though, don't get me wrong. Some of the greatest conversations are the ones I have with witty people. Their minds just work so fast, it takes no effort for them at all, its a natural reaction. To me, a clever person sees what the conversation (for instance) is and could be. They see all sides, all angels all the time, they are completely inside the communication.
Of course there are many forms of "witty" and a lot of times clever and witty are two very different things. Clever people don't always show their clever until you take some time to talk and pick their brains a bit. Witty people are usually the kind that are always looking to out witt you. They want you to say something dumb so they can come in with their wittiness exploiting your brain fart (if I may use the term) to its fullest. That, or they are just waiting for an opportunity to joke around. They are like that one guy on the field who is always open and waiting for you to throw them a line that's just screaming with... lets say... sexual connotation (one of my more personal favorites).
To me the differences between clever and witty are similar to that of wisdom and knowledge. In either case I have little of ether.
I think I've always been too much of a space case, to me the here and now are like meals, they come and go. some moments are better then others but all serve to keep me going. The kind of people of the sort I'm speaking of take each bite, they savor every moment, they try and hassle the cook for just what is that ingredient that they can't put their finger on, and they'll probably guess correctly. They just have a wonderful attention to detail, every moment is a new experience and a chance to do something out of character.
And so to end my poetic and savory argument; I took a hand at trying to adopt this personage, but it seems to me, even when I do come up with something that simply must be said as its appropriate, the timing and place are just write, and its amusing, I always fail to say it. its as if so many thoughts go through my head on an hourly basis that I simply misplaced as just another thought. It's frustrating because that thought was thrown into the "brain fart pile" with the rest of the more random ones and just when I fish it out, alas, its too late and the conversation has detoured.
This isn't such a big deal only I believe is affects my witnessing, What good is a witness who can't articulate or remember that verse that just on the tip of my tongue that would say everything and put the whole argument into complete perspective for the witnessed to.
I am helpless, so helpless that I'll just leave it completely up to the Lord a I am a pathetic vegetable ( kin to veggie tail characters only even less Bible savvy ).
So to end this self inflicted flogging, I would like to add that my days of wandering round the house have come to an end. upon Jessica's leaving for the XD I was appointed home manager. All I can say is Managers are amazing people and I hope to be acquitted as soon as she gets home. Never before did I really appreciate our dear home managers. Never before was I wholly and perpetually responsible for all the daily home blunders, if anything goes awry all fingers point to me. being a home manager will have every person annoyed with you because your the one chasing them down asking them for the 100th time to DO THEIR JOB", while also tagging extra jobs on them. Suddenly I am sympathetic to that mug sipping employ degrading, white button up blows guy from Office Space! Didn't you get that Memo??
You know, there should be a national Home Manager day where we make pies and deep clean bathroom's and kitchens and maybe even do a deep clean up for all the home Shephard's rooms!! That would be fantastic... at least a special dinner or something where instead of a turkey you could make like... maybe a schedule and set it in the center of a lovely garden salad garnished with figs and roasted nuts. Humm, well my brain isn't firing right now so if any one has any better ideas you can post them with your comments.
Peace and quiet knights to all you hard workers out there!
Love you.