http://annedavismusic.com/blog.html anne davis: journal entries/blog Jannis' PHPRss class - http://www.jannis.to/ Sat, 10 Apr 2010 11:21:54 -0700 http://annedavismusic.com/blog.html/here_are_a_few_of_my_favorite_quotes --wayne kirkpatrick

"it is never too late to be what you might have been."
--george elliot

"whatever you are, be a good one."
--abraham lincoln

"all the things that have ever deeply possessed your soul have been but hints of it--tantalizing glimpses, promises never quite fulfilled, echoes that died away just as they caught your ear. but if it should really become manifest--if there ever came an echo that did not die away but swelled into the sound itself--you would know it. beyond all possibility of doubt you would say 'here at last is the thing i was made for.'"
--c.s.lewis

"do not go where the path may lead, go instead where there is no path and leave a trail."
--ralph waldo emerson

"a storyteller has the task of running behind the lines to make sure the stories live, to make sure that those shining moments of our humanity, however brief, are not forgotten."
--ken gire from the book THE REFLECTIVE LIFE

"some people walk in the rain, others just get wet."
--roger miller

"in prayer it is better to have a heart without words than words without a heart."
--john bunyan

"you have to have a certain shamelessness to write. you have to be willing to drop your pants in front of anyone that might want to look. and you don't do that because you're proud of it, you do that because you have to write. it's not a choice.....you write because you have no other option."
--rich mullins

"You have a destiny and your destiny is fulfilled by investing in the destinies of others."
--stephen mansfield

"success - to laugh often and much; to win the respect of intelligent people and affection of children; to earn the appreciation of honest critics and endure the betrayal of false friends; to appreciate beauty, to find the best in others; to leave the world a little bit better, whether by a healthy child, a garden patch, or a redeemed social condition, to know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived. this is to have succeeded."
--ralph waldo emerson

"i wanted to live deep and suck out all the marrow of life."
--henry david thoreau

"you will never know how much it cost my generation to preserve your freedom.
i hope you will make good use of it."
--john quincy adams
6th American President

"except for ending slavery, fascism, nazism &
communism....WAR has never solved anything."
--author unknown

"disturb me, God.
challenge my complacent comfort.
stir me.
shake me from my ambivalence.
storm on me if necessary.
but don't allow me to sit unmoved by life in your presence."
--kim thomas

"gardening forces you to be in the moment, to deal with what is happening in the here and now. plants can't fake it like humans can. they don't tell you everything is fine if it isn't. that's why observation is the single most useful talent to cultivate."
--judith handelsman

"let people feel the weight of who you are.....and let them deal with it."
--john eldredge from the book WILD AT HEART

"if a man does not keep pace with his companions, perhaps it is because he hears a different drummer. let him step to the music he hears, however measured or far away."
--henry david thoreau

"they may forget what you said, but they will never forget how you made them feel."
--carl w. buechner

"this above all--ask yourself in the stillest hour of the night: MUST i write? delve into yourself for a deep answer. and if this should be affirmative, if you may meet this earnest question with a strong and simple 'i MUST', then build your life according to this necessity;"
--rainer maria rilke

"there is no division into sacred and secular; it is all one great, glorious life."
--oswald chambers

"earth's crammed with heaven.
and every common bush afire with God;
but only he who sees takes off his shoes;
the rest sit round it and pluck blackberries."
--elizabeth barrett browning

"preach the gospel, and when necessary, use words."
--st. francis of assissi

"songwriting is a form of contemplation. to write about someone or something, you have to meditate on that person or that idea until the swirl of feelings surrounding it can be expressed in words. the process is worthwhile, whether or not you end up writing a song...."
--amy grant

"i do not want to die....until i have faithfully made the most of my talent and cultivated the seed that was placed in me until the last small twig has grown."
--kathe kollwitz

"the great thing about getting older is that you don't lose all the other ages you've been."
--madeleine l'engle

"if a shovel was created and molded and put together to be a shovel and made to dig into the ground, then it is naturally more than likely going to find a way to dig into the earth....because that's just what it does--that's its purpose....what it was designed for. and if that shovel instead, is forced to try to be a rake, it is just not going to be as effective at trying to do something that it was never created to do."
--anne davis

"how many a man has dated a new era in his life from the reading of a book."
--henry david thoreau

"if a man is called to be a street sweeper, he should sweep streets even as michelangelo painted, or beethoven composed music, or shakespeare wrote poetry. he should sweep streets so well that all the hosts of heaven and earth will pause to say, 'here lived a great street sweeper who did his job well.' "
--martin luther king, jr.

"the life i touch for good or ill will touch another life, and that in turn another, until who knows where the trembling stops or in what far place my touch will be felt."
--fredrick buechner

"what you leave behind is not what is engraved in stone monuments, but what is woven into the lives of others."
--pericles (attributed)

"if you are what you should be, you will set the world on fire."
--st. catherine of siena]]> http://annedavismusic.com/blog.html/here_are_a_few_of_my_favorite_quotes Fri, 09 Apr 2010 20:20:37 -0700 annedavismusic.com - anne davis - journal entries/blog http://annedavismusic.com/blog.html/streaming_thoughts_from_1992the_preface_i_wrote_to_my_song_get_lost
"there is such a thing as experiencing the 'realness of the moment'....it's giving the heart a chance to feel--it's letting someone laugh and cry--it's freedom. and, it's embracing life and savoring the moment. i say we really don't let today inspire us until we realize it'll never come again. we can lose ourselves and all of our inadequate feelings and focus in on something incredibly bigger than ourselves. it can happen. and, when it does, we're left changed."]]> http://annedavismusic.com/blog.html/streaming_thoughts_from_1992the_preface_i_wrote_to_my_song_get_lost Thu, 18 Mar 2010 11:21:54 -0700 annedavismusic.com - anne davis - journal entries/blog http://annedavismusic.com/blog.html/unpacked_suitcase
my suitcase stayed packed for a good solid year, i think.
i was certain i was just visiting--(like the jail in the game of monopoly)--just passing through--

ten years have come and gone, and my heart has still not unpacked itself.
i think it must know where it belongs somehow.
where it feels at home.

it's some kind of an odd pulling.
a pulling like the steering wheel of a car has when the tires need balancing or rotating.

i finally just threw that old suitcase away.
it quit zipping.]]> http://annedavismusic.com/blog.html/unpacked_suitcase Thu, 18 Mar 2010 11:20:07 -0700 annedavismusic.com - anne davis - journal entries/blog http://annedavismusic.com/blog.html/this_one_is_entitled_telemarketers

well...this speciific very random jotting down of thoughts could be entitled "TELEMARKETERS", though i don't usually entitle my journal entries...just start with the date and the number journal entry it happens to be--but, i'm sort of just finding myself jotting "randoms" anywhere--sort of like when i jot down song lyrics or song ideas. so that's that....

"my mom has me answer all the telemarketing phone calls--i tell them ALL about my being ill for over 10 years and it seems to kill 2 birds with 1 stone.

1) they usually never call again.

and....

2) it gives me another outlet to unload and vent and process--sort of like FREE therapy sessions"]]> http://annedavismusic.com/blog.html/this_one_is_entitled_telemarketers Fri, 01 Jan 2010 19:49:31 -0800 annedavismusic.com - anne davis - journal entries/blog http://annedavismusic.com/blog.html/christmas_eve__2007_journal_entry
so, i turned the heat way down, opened the sliding glass door to the deck, and just let in the cold air.

i put on michael w. smith's first christmas cd and lit a cinnamon bark candle.

i sat on the ottoman where we usually have a real christmas tree standing...all lit up and covered with ornaments that bring years of memories to mind. i sure would have rather had a real christmas tree standing there instead--but with my being so ill, it just didn't work out this year.

so, i sat there right in the opening, letting the wonderful crisp air fill my lungs--and i got to enjoy the early night sky--watching it go from shades of blue to black, as i sipped and slurped on little chocolate liqueurs.

and i enjoyed the stillness and the quiet and looking up into the evening sky--with christmas songs ushering my weary spirit into a place of worship.

GOD WITH US.

GOD WITH ME in that moment.

a moment i only wish for a thousand more times....

deep calling to deep.
engaging in my own christmas eve service long enough to remember how satisfied and complete the created can feel when reaching for its CREATOR--remembering and celebrating the miracle of christmas.

EMMANUEL......"GOD with us."]]> http://annedavismusic.com/blog.html/christmas_eve__2007_journal_entry Sun, 20 Dec 2009 20:18:59 -0800 annedavismusic.com - anne davis - journal entries/blog http://annedavismusic.com/blog.html/heres_a_little_personal_list_of_favorites
STAR WARS TRILOGY and STAR WARS I, II, III, ANNE OF GREEN GABLES, ANNE OF AVONLEA, ANNE OF GREEN GABLES....THE CONTINUING STORY, BRAVEHEART, SCHINDLER'S LIST, LIFE IS BEAUTIFUL, SERENDIPITY, MY LEFT FOOT, REMAINS OF THE DAY, LITTLE WOMEN, AMELIE, TOMMY BOY, SHADOWLANDS, FIRST KNIGHT, LES MISERABLES(with uma thurman and claire danes), IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE, DEAD POETS SOCIETY, IRON WILL, IN LOVE AND WAR(with sandra bullock and chris o'donnell), OFFICE SPACE, MY BIG FAT GREEK WEDDING, ONE NIGHT WITH THE KING, CATCH ME IF YOU CAN, LOVE AFFAIR(with warren beatty, annette bening, and katharine hepburn), THE SCARLET AND THE BLACK, THE HUNT FOR RED OCTOBER, SUPERSTAR, AIR FORCE ONE, ROCKY I, II, III, IV, V, THE SOUND OF MUSIC, A WALK IN THE CLOUDS, THE AGE OF INNOCENCE, STELLA, MISS POTTER, A ROOM WITH A VIEW, AMISTAD, FREEDOM WRITERS, most any movie that's based on a true story that inspires, etc.......

a few of my favorite books--

WINDOWS OF THE SOUL by ken gire, THE SACRED ROMANCE by john eldredge and brent curtis, LIVING IN THE SACRED NOW by kim thomas, SIMPLICITY by kim thomas, SAFE PEOPLE by henry cloud and john townsend, SAFE PLACES by arterburn, minirth, and meier, THE LION, THE WITCH, AND THE WARDROBE by c.s. lewis, THE RAGAMUFFIN GOSPEL by brennan manning, DESCENDING INTO GREATNESS by bill hybels, ROARING LAMBS by bob briner, YOU ARE SPECIAL by max lucado, THE REFLECTIVE LIFE by ken gire, BOUNDARIES by henry cloud and john townsend, COMING UP FOR AIR by margaret becker, etc.....

a few of my favorite singer/songwriters--

amy grant, sheryl crow, indigo girls, sarah bettens (from k's choice), sam phillips, patty griffin, mary chapin carpenter, kim hill, david wilcox, julie miller, counting crows, fernando ortega, marc cohn, shawn colvin, sarah mclachlan, nanci griffith, lifehouse, vertical horizon, beth nielson chapman, gillian welch, emmylou harris, tracy chapman, maura o'connell, damien rice, lisa marie presley, wynonna judd, melissa etheridge, james taylor, garrison starr, anthony skinner, daughtry, delirious, jars of clay.....(just getting started).]]> http://annedavismusic.com/blog.html/heres_a_little_personal_list_of_favorites Fri, 10 Jul 2009 20:17:17 -0700 annedavismusic.com - anne davis - journal entries/blog http://annedavismusic.com/blog.html/my_current_mission_statement http://annedavismusic.com/blog.html/my_current_mission_statement Fri, 10 Mar 2006 20:15:34 -0800 annedavismusic.com - anne davis - journal entries/blog http://annedavismusic.com/blog.html/contributing_to_the_hurricane_katrina_relief
as a jackson, ms native and one who has grown up taking many weekend trips down to the gulf coast, it has been absolutely heartwrenching to watch so many lose so much. all the human suffering and pain that has been caused just by one very large, dangerous storm plowing through people lives has been stunning and honestly rather overwhelming.

mississippi is my homestate where i grew up and it has blessed me to see so many folks pulling together to help one another. i keep hearing story after story of people showing great compassion towards those in much need.

obviously, it is going to take a LONG time for the survivors of hurricane katrina to recover and rebuild. the aftermath of it all has left a HUGE trail of demolished homes and businesses, leaving behind thousands of lives left in an upheaval.

i personally have a few dear friends who live on the coast. gratefully, i have learned that all of them were kept safe, though sadly most of them basically lost EVERYTHING. they are doing their best to get through it and are already doing everything possible to make plans to begin again. regardless, they are still in GREAT need of MUCH help as well as loving moral support. as a close friend of theirs, i am now trying to learn what they specifically need and am trying to raise financial support for them. if you are interested in helping me bring first-hand relief to my friends, please e-mail me at vannedavis@yahoo.com. and, whether you are able to help out financially or not, please join me in praying for my friends and for all the survivors that are trying to pick up the pieces of their lives again.

also, if any of you are interested in helping contribute to the "big picture" relief effort, i know of three organizations that i feel completely confident and comfortable recommending.

the first relief organization is called OPERATION BLESSING and can be contacted at www.ob.org for more information and for making financial donations.

my second mention is HOPE FORCE INTERNATIONAL that can be contacted at www.hopeforce.org for more information and again, for making financial donations.

and, thirdly, of course, i fully recommend THE SALVATION ARMY. to give nationally to the salvation army, call 1-800-SAL-ARMY.
if you would prefer that your donation be applied locally right here in jackson, ms for hurricane evacuee relief, you can call the local jackson office at 601-968-3987.

it is indeed organizations like these that help keep HOPE alive during such a tragic time.

many thanks to all of you for your coveted prayers and financial contributions-- as each of you are individually led to play a role in bringing true relief to such a historic catastrophe.

God bless you all!]]> http://annedavismusic.com/blog.html/contributing_to_the_hurricane_katrina_relief Mon, 03 Oct 2005 20:13:54 -0700 annedavismusic.com - anne davis - journal entries/blog http://annedavismusic.com/blog.html/an_email_i_sent_a_close_friend_on_the_topic_of_mortality
and, to realize all we have is the "here and now".

may sound a bit odd--but, that's why from time to
time, i like to take a look at this photo i took of a
tombstone in franklin, tn that has "DAVIS" on
it--because it reminds me of my own mortality and just how frail life is....it puts things into perspective for me--how all i have is a short span of time here on the face of this planet to make a real difference--to leave a mark that says--"i was here for a space of time in history and that i tried my best to love well and tried to live as best as i knew how with great passion and great compassion."

i have this quote copied down that says something like--"make all your major decisions in a graveyard"--because it puts us in touch with reality--the full big picture....and reminds us of what's truly important in life.]]> http://annedavismusic.com/blog.html/an_email_i_sent_a_close_friend_on_the_topic_of_mortality Sun, 30 Jan 2005 20:11:54 -0800 annedavismusic.com - anne davis - journal entries/blog http://annedavismusic.com/blog.html/journal_entry_from_december_2004 i actually only got about 5 hours of sleep. woke up, loaded the car, then waited on lisa (a good friend of mine who went with me) to load up.
we left late morning and i had to drive 90-100 mph for portions of the trip in order to get there in time to play. (never a good way to travel)

once we reached the calvary chapel in princeton, wv and i walked down a narrow set of stairs that winded down into the basement, we had finally reached "the spare oom"--a take from CHRONICLES OF NARNIA. (so kewl!)
they had plates of spagetti waiting for us, which i downed--then unloaded merchandise--did quick sound check--dressed outside, changed shirts in the winter cold, right outside the car--then touched up make-up in the bathroom as people came and went--it all felt pretty silly. a bit "saturday night live"-ish.
following all that, i had about 5 minutes upstairs in the chapel to catch my breath and have a moment of quiet and stillness before i headed back down to the candlelit coffeehouse "oom".

i was fried and beyond exhausted, but i completely sensed the Holy Spirit showed up and did what He wanted to.
i truly felt He used me in spite of myself and the physical state i was in.
i felt everything flowed--that i shared what i was sent there to share and say.
it was just more confirmation that i was right where i was supposed to be and at the designated time the Lord had orchestrated.
i shared bits of my life, stories of some of my experiences, read from my journal, and shared some quotes--then after intermission, i led in some christmas carols and ended with my "father's heart song" that had spontaneously come to me in hungary.

it seemed like a really sweet evening.
i was glad i was there.]]> http://annedavismusic.com/blog.html/journal_entry_from_december_2004 Fri, 03 Dec 2004 20:10:14 -0800 annedavismusic.com - anne davis - journal entries/blog