I swim in a pool of unuttered tears
only known by the LOVE that hears and sees and knows
The cool of the liquid
comforts sore hands and knees that are scraped
The waves are red and blue
the colors of you while we played
I know you know that you are loved
by not only me
My arms rest on the water
They ache to hold you now
as when we danced and learned and sang
I know that you know that I smile
as I remember sleepless nights
and the comfort of the sound of our games
Faith in you washes over my newest scars
A great wall made of stone
divides us today
It continues to be built regardless of my hope
I know you know
the LOVE that whispers encouragement
and holds us safe
from the law abiding guards
I sang my heart song into the wind today
and I know you know
I will keep dancing in the rain
until we can revel in rainbows again
where our outstretched arms
replace the miles of regulations
While LOVE builds the sand we sink our feet in
into the firm foundation that calls us to walk on the water
where we will dance and learn and sing
Can I manufacture hope when I am less than You
What if I lost my control
My direction
My passion
Would You love me less than me
In the peace You are the piece of me I could never have made
The life in me that never runs dry
Becomes immobile
Forgets the goal
Regardless of the surprises
The add-ons
The details I wasn’t told about until I have shown up tired
Used up
Gave with the part of me that doesn’t live
You live in me
Love for me
You are the maker of my hope
While I learn to let You be the biggest piece of me
Thank You in our JOY
Thank You in our times of
perceived lack
Thank You because in
Your patience
Your salvation is true
For the suffering man in the cold
For the lost dog
For the rich man who thinks
they have it all
My heart aches because
Your JOY is full
but we don’t know
Why did I stand here
ringing a bell
that sings over Cowlitz County
The rings louder than
the truth we don’t have time for
Until they trust me
I will stand here
& in your patience
I will see your salvation
become real for more
than the 12 in this room
Sometimes I don’t hear either
so I will thank You
that You are true & never move and I never lack
by Summer D Clemenson
December 14, 2013
Happy New Year! As we welcome 2014 and say goodbye to 2013 there are lots of reasons to think about the future and reminisce about the past.
I chose the phrase, “Choose Love,” for a message this month because it is so easy to forget to keep building your online presences during the holidays and when you are marketing your business and what you do you are showing that you love what you do and that you want to share it with others.
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As Friday December 13th draws closer Karen starts to buzz and hum. Everything is a reason to “Get Her Christmas On.” If you don’t like Christmas music and movies you should keep your distance….Move FAR, FAR AWAY before she breaks into her operatic version of Santa Claus is Coming to Town….
Between Karen and her Co-Host Ray Baker we are sure to have a JOYous time!
Talking about making lists and checking them twice, I had heard that there are some great musicians that are joining us at The Electric Bean for Christmas Joy Telethon! Raeann Phillips is opening the show, followed by Mending Hope, Paul Mauer, Tom Stiltz, CR Band and the evening will come to an end with worship led by Paul Lopez.
Joining as sponsors are Amanda Wilson Portraiture, Prographyx, The Electric Bean, Valley Bugler Newspaper, Rightway RV, Canyonview Cyclery & Copies Today Speedy Litho.
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you dangle over a ravine
you dug
Faith not of God
but by your own power
you have danced, sang and praised
In the light of His love
He feeds you
and sustains you
just enough
“Not enough!”
you scream
“Where are You?”
you shout
you flail around
in the river of your own blood
your tantrum will end soon
In your quiet
He will be heard
Holy, Holy, Holy is the Lord God Almighty
He is great and worthy of praise
He enjoys the glance of your eye
He inhabits His praise
His glory is worth noticing
His blood saved you
In your exuberance
In your new freedom
you didn’t know how
your mind is confused
as you try to use two
The old mind still sings
yet Christ in You reigns
so in your good intensions
you suffer
your ministry flounders
because you are listening to the wrong heart
But God is faithful
His is happy you are dangling
because when you grow weary
and let go
He wont let you crash
anywhere
but in His arms
By Summer D Clemenson
November 25, 2013
Based on James chapter 1
Today is a beautiful day!The sun is out. There are enough clouds in the sky that there is a wonderful baby blue glow around the buildings and I am enjoying the sound of people chatting and the glorious sound of coffee being made as I sit at a table in the middle of The Electric Bean; a fellow sponsor of Christmas Joy Telethon.
Karen says her favorite thing about The EB is that it is a perfect place to plug in. Whether you are taking a break from the office, you’re out and about enjoying Kelso-Longview or you came to a great concert, this place delivers the unique essence of our local people. And it is a great place for a meeting!
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You have taken something from me
I can never have again
You stole it
with insatiable teeth and greedy hands
You planned it
and here we stand
while you have never see my face
I don’t glorify God
He told me I can’t
before I was born He breathed me into being
He knew the hurts He would have to heal
before He chased me down with more passion
than I have ever possessed
He saw me in a light I didn’t create
All I said was yes
He is glory and
He glorifies Himself in me
You can’t hear me
on top of your high mountain
Your reflection is all you see
In the tone you have perfected
you have fooled many
But I have listened to my heart
I can’t see you because
I am looking at Him
I don’t glorify God
He has told me to stop
He didn’t create me as a his pilot light
But the stand that He sets ablaze
The fire you try to start
smolders while my tears run down His cross
and I choose to forgive you
He sees me as He created me
And I said yes
He is glory and
He glorifies Himself in me
In His blood I am me
by Summer D Clemenson
November 2, 2013
How much fun can you pack in a minute! Well guess how much more you can pack in 3 hours! Living Ministries and sponsors put together The Bag Party benefit concert for Hearts For Homeless and Love Overwhelming in January 2013.
>>>Learn more about The Bag Party
“The Bag Party was the perfect chance to tell people about Hearts For Homeless and Love Overwhelming. These organizations do so much for people and most of it is behind the scenes. The reason they spend hours volunteering is to make sure that people experiencing homelessness have the basics.” Karen Gidderon
and my heart was happy
while the angels sang
in words that only You can hear
Their cries rose out and over
encompassing this man
encompassing and overflowing
as Your messengers sang
You took him away and brought him back again
brand new
His eyes glowed and shone of Your mercy
clothed in Your banner of love
his spirit ever singing Your praise and Your grace
Oh holy Lord
Oh holy Lord
Oh holy Lord
You won
You are life
You are
As Your countenance shone through mine
You overflowed
Your love on all that were infiltrated by Your miracles
who foresaw and believed
with empty hands and full hearts
they sang with me as I was embellished
who You are
as You chose to prove who You are
I heard my soul singing
in our secret prayer songs
and I groaned
Amen
By Summer D Clemenson
10-8-2013
Dedicated to Lynn’s Brother
In July we got a call from Living Ministries. They had learned about an opportunity for education and thought that me might be willing to video tape the seminar so all of their committee members would have a chance to view it. Of course we were glad to show up and we even handled the bad lighting and sound with more attention than we usually do. This is one of those projects that we finished a long time ago and just didn’t get around to the marketing…what is it they say about the plumber’s house? LOL!
Cowlitz Wahkiakum Council of Governments arranged for Janis Cleaveland, RN, Director of Nursing; Cascadia, BHCC to join us at Lower Columbia CAP along with service providers who came from Washington and Oregon to learn about Trauma Informed Care.
Janis touched on ACEs or Adverse Childhood Experiences to explain that the more traumatic experiences we had during childhood the better the chance that trauma can leave an indelible print on you.
This seminar played on KLTV in July on both the educational channel and channel 11. If you missed it, feel free to ask them to play it again. If you would like to read the seminar notes or view the seminar in 10-15 min increments please go to LivingMinistries.org.
Louder than the wind
I hear the screams
The accusations
The fighting
All the times you didn’t know how
to choose joy
The whirlwind never stops
The one that keeps my voice
out of your head
Judgement
Defiance
Defenselessness
fed by a spirit you know well
but not by name
I want nothing more than to love you
I have gone to the ends
of the world & back
I chose you
I will never give up
So I will wait
Even if it is your last breath
I will hear you
when you choose joy
by Summer D Clemenson
9-28-2013
Photo Credit: Joy, Photo Credit: Mashakotcur, Dreamstime.com
Woof!
Welcome to this weeks episode of Connect The Dots with your host, Karen Gidderon. This week our episode will feature DOGAPAWLOOZA 2013! This annual event is hosted by The Dog Zone to benefit Humane Society of Cowlitz County!
As cat-lovers you might wonder what would draw us to an event with SO MANY dogs…well…we love animals…we even like dogs…we just prefer to LIVE with animals of the feline persuasion…and we knew that since the ALPHA of all alpha dogs is Doug Kalberg, owner of The Dog Zone, that as long as we stayed on his good side he would make sure we were alright…we cut that part out, but we did hand him a few doggy treats before he bounded away to play with his four-legged friends!
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Imagine it. You are carrying around 30 lbs of equipment. It is really hot. You forgot to bring any water. You shutter as sweat rolls down your back. But you are having a great time! There is music, laughter, yummy food smells and pirates yelling, “ARG!” The number one thing that made it all worth it was…that’s right…men in kilts! Old and young men alike sporting their tartans. Pull your chairs up and get comfy because we made it to Highlander Fest 2013!
Whether you were there to join in the Highlander Games or learn more about your Scottish roots there was fun to be had by all.The clans were there enjoying each other and telling stories. We found someone giving sword fighting lessons and the bag pipes were exhilarating, whether they were on fire or not!
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Back in August we were blessed to have the opportunity to work with Kim Walters of New Hope Cancer Recovery on her annual event, Cruise for the Cure. This annual event takes an entire year to pull off and according to Kim, when we met with her last week over lattes at our mutually favorite coffee shop, ZoJo, she has several details well underway.
Before Cruise for the Cure 2012, we had the opportunity to interview Kim for a Connect The Dots Episode with a lot of fuel injection! Of course our attention was detoured from blog entries while we jumped from Cruise for the Cure to Christmas Angel Telethon…so here is our thoughts on this show.
New Hope Cancer Recovery is a resource for those that are living with cancer and those that love them, as well as those who have lost someone to cancer. When you watch this episode you will get an idea of how New Hope Cancer Recovery can help you and some of the fun that happens at Cruise or the Cure which always takes place in beautiful Downtown Longview!
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First off, we understand that the Christmas Parade happened Saturday December 1, 2012. We also know that we made this production available to be shown on KLTV Channel 11 within a few days of that time…but we got backlogged…so here is the blog!
The perfect showcase of fun in Longview-Kelso! The Longview Christmas Parade is proof that cold, rain and darkness does not stop Longview-ites from having a good time!
Bands, kids and adults all come to enjoy the magic of Christmas as it is paraded through Downtown Longview, Washington. We are reminded of years gone by in the mecca of Americana, as bright lights, merry people and flying candy pelt Commerce Avenue, lined by historical buildings that sing of tradition and goodwill toward men.
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Back when we were producing Boomer Plus Tuesday Radio Show we heard of a guy that had a local show that he streamed live online every week. We were intrigued and invited him onto the show, which turned out to be one of the best radio shows we can remember. Later that evening all our guests met at Minus World and were part of this fun, local, positive, if not silly show!
Fast friends, due to our mutual love for positivity and our community, we have kept in touch. The fact that each week they have an unscripted, live show is just as fascinating as they are.
Ray and Candy had contacted us to see if we wanted to be guests on the show again and we were glad to schedule it into our crazy life. We also wanted to film it and produce it as a Connect the Dots Episode to cross promote each other. With a camera in hand we walked into the new venue for Feet On the Street, Lynn’s Ice Cream Yogurt & More.
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No one pays me for what I do here.
If you would like to buy me a cup of coffee please do.
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