Say Something Nice!

We need to do something like this in Kirkland. :) It totally made me smile.

[Except I'm trying really hard to ignore how many germs are on that thing.]

In 3 weeks it will all be over...

"What will be over?" you ask.

This will be over:

I'm going to Michigan with Jeff to meet his family. Wooooooooooooo!

I pray to the good, kind, gentle, accommodating and sweet Lord of Hosts that I don't make a complete fool of myself. 

But seriously, I'm really excited. Excited, as in, I have no idea what to expect, but I'm looking forward to seeing that side of Jeff's life. His dad is in town this week so we've just met, so I have sort of a preview of what our trip to Michigan will be like. He's the most warm, genuine man with the greatest laugh. We had dinner at Milagro a few nights ago, and at one point we were all weeping from laughter. Personally, I think if you can laugh with someone that hard that you just met, that's a good sign.

Now if I can avoid long, awkward prayers at the dinner table, pool volleyball and admission to milking my cats teats (which I've never done), I'm good to go.

Our trip to Michigan will actually be Part II of our adventure out East. Part I is Georgia, and Jeff is coming! Yeeee! $%&@#!!! Can you sense my excitement? First ever vacay with my man!!

Lord, have mercy.

Your Song, My Song, His Song, Her Song

Fave BAND! Great SONG! New VID! Awesome BEARD!

Also check out Rivers & Roads. Gorgeous location and killer acoustics.

Twinkle Twinkle Little Star

Jeff and I tried watching the Perseids meteor shower this weekend, but were so bummed at the clouds covering up the show!

I hope you had better luck than us!

(photo found here)

P.S. Jeff's new form of entertainment is asking me to whistle "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star"...because I stink at whistling! Then he makes me laugh, and really can't do it. I sound like a dying tea kettle.

Blue Ridge, Georgia

In just a few weeks I'm going to visit my Granddad and his wife Chris in Blue Ridge, Georgia. It's been about 8 years since we've spent face-to-face time together. I'm looking forward to seeing what his life in the eastern hills is like. They live on a huge piece of land down in a valley, in a big house with lots of rooms. They have horses and motorcycles and gardens. I can't wait! I want to pick apples, drink sweet tea, sit on the front porch and hear stories about his life. HE, on the other hand, is hoping I'll go river rafting on one of the Level 5 rivers near his house. Sorry Granddad, but I don't want to die.

[photo of the Blue Ridge Mtns. found on this sweet blog]

In his younger years, when he was in the Navy, he was the most handsome man I've seen in photographs. Then years later, he wore his hair long with tiny glasses and leather and rode Harley's all over the U.S., and looked just like Jerry Garcia. Still handsome, in a different way. Now he's 72 and his hair is short and I want as much time as possible with him.

I don't have very many family members who are active in my life. I wish I did. Family to me is like the missing link, the thing that helps me make sense of who I am, why I am, etc. When I have a family someday, I want my kids to have a sense of belonging, of knowing who they are, whose they are, and why they are. I want that sense of legacy to start now, with my family, my Grandad, and this trip.

I hope he's prepared to answer all the questions I have for him. I want to know about our Cherokee relatives, and how connected he is to them. I want to ask him about my Grandma, the one I've never met, what he remembers about her, and if her hair was really as platinum blonde as the black & white photo I have of her makes it look. I'm going to ask him why he left Southern California and Warner Brothers and moved across the country to start a new life. I want to know what it was like when my mom got back in touch with him after almost 15 years of silence. And I want to know what it was like for him to say yes to Jesus Christ, just a few months back. And just ask him what it's like to be him.

I might be able to dig these things out of him, and I might not. Either way, I pray it's a sweet time with him and Chris. I'm just happy I get to be with him.

Waves & Sand

This song is ok, but I like the video because it reminds me to not get so old and responsible that I lose the wonder I had as a kid, where every step into my yard became an adventure, where I didn't mind so much what people thought of me, and where everything had meaning.

move.learn.eat

1 trip of a lifetime

3 guys

44 days

11 countries

18 flights

38,000 miles

2 cameras

1 terabyte of footage

3 ambitious linear concepts

3 beautiful short films

Rick Mereki: director, producer, camera & editing

Tim White: DOP, producer, editing & sound

Andrew Lees: actor, mover, groover

Found here.

On a lighter note...

Every time I watch this, I weep. My body doesn't know how else to respond. Laughter is not enough.

BARTLE DOO?!!

Friday Thoughts

I like this guy (a lot).

And I like it (a lot) when we're together.

On a dock.

In the sun.

Or wherever.

He makes me smile (a lot).

And I'm so thankful I'm in his life.

Perseids

The last few years, I've gotten to watch the Perseids meteor shower pass through the skies over my house at night. Or should I say morning? I've set my alarm for 2 or 3am sometimes. Luckily, we have a pretty comfy hammock, so that helps. But it's ALWAYS worth it.

This video shows Perseids over Mt. Rainier. Incredible!

This year, the peak viewing time for Seattle is August 13th. I will be there, praying for clear skies and welcoming the wonder.

One in 8 Million

I ran across this website a few days ago.

One in 8 Million - New York Characters in Sound and Images






I love the uniqueness of each person, and I love the fact that they are all created by and known deeply by my Father. It makes each one feel like less of a stranger to me.

Listen to the stories and look at their pictures. I've only watched a few, but I'm so glad I did. I'm going to try and watch them all. Whoever created this website did such a beautiful job!

Beach poppy

I went to Seabrook, WA this last weekend with the gals. It was so lovely.

Words

This is one of the more sweetly convicting songs I've heard, and such a good reminder of the power of my words.

You have a choice
You have a choice to make
Are you gonna speak life
Or break the back of your brother?
Are you gonna lift up?
Or are you gonna choose to curse each other?
'Cause it's our greatest weapon
In His image you were made
You have a choice
You have a choice to make
Life or death
Blessing or cursing
Hope or doubt
Faith or fear
Purpose or confusion
Love or hate
It's your choice to make

April, May

Oh man. April, May's Fall 2011 line is gorgeous.

Jungle vs. Woods

Sometimes, when the Holy Spirit is speaking to me, I hear Him right as I'm waking up, in the in-between.

About two months ago I woke up to one of His rhetorical questions, and I've been thinking about it again today.

Would you rather be at peace in the jungle or lost in the woods?

I could come up with a my answer, with good reasons and guesses as to what He means, but I don't think that's the point. I think He wants me to let the question settle in deep. And I think He wants to use it someway, either to point to my future, or to confirm my past. Or to just let me sit in the tension of it, which He loves and I don't love so much, and let it create a deeper trust in me.

So I'll settle into the tension today, and watch Him fashion my life, and confirm my belonging to Him, no matter what it looks like, jungle or woods.

Listener

I woke up with this going through my head.

everything falls apart at the exact same time
that it all comes together perfectly for the next step

His voice is a hard one to forget. I saw this video a couple times a few weeks ago, and for some reason it didn't reappear in my memory until today.

The lyrics are too much to quote, and I can't pick my favorites, so here they are, all of them.

Secrets are My Fave, Part 2

I got another installment of mystery flowers yesterday: this time, dahlias!


Except it's not a mystery anymore. They were from a client's garden. :) How sweet is that?!

Pretty darn sweet if you ask me.

Summer Solstice

"Close your eyes and follow God." [Fenelon]

One day, several weeks ago, I was convinced that a relationship with Jeff would never work. And the next day, God broke through all that and put him in my heart, and everything changed. My hollow reasons turned into a yes of sweet self-suicide. I realized this wasn't as much about Jeff as it was about the tight grip I had on my life.

That day, as the Holy Spirit made His way past my senses, as He unlocked my fearful heart and reminded me who I am, and as He whispered His promises to me, I became compelled to put away my sight, not taking into account what I do or don't see with my natural eyes. I made a decision that I wouldn't be ruled by my own preferences or passing feelings, reaping the bitterness of my own appetite. I'd be giving myself too much credit by saying I just made up my mind to say yes, because my heart change was simply a work of the Holy Spirit - it was a work that was born of pure faith and a sovereign gift from God. I know this.

"...she received a special assurance from God. What God did in this case made it perfectly plain that His purpose is not a hit-or-miss thing dependent on what we do or don't do, but a sure thing determined by His decision, flowing steadily from his initiative." [Romans 9:11,12]

So it suddenly all became very simple: let go of the life I think is mine, reject fear, embrace His wild plan for me and hang on for the ride. And say yes to Jeff.

"But God is greater than our hearts and knows more about us than we do ourselves." [1 John 3:18]

I'll spare you the details, except to say this: I'm thrilled to be on this journey with my dear friend Jeffrey. I respect and trust him. I love to be with him, and when I'm not with him, I miss him. He's kind and thoughful. He's full of strength and conviction and depth. He makes me laugh so hard. He's a maze of brilliance. He adds so much value to my life. And he's given me a place my heart can safely land.


"Full of peace and safety, adventure wasn't missing. It pulled through every fiber forming the rugged hills and delicate wildflowers. It existed as an integral part of the peace, and now I could identify it. God's spirit made me safe on the cliffhanging adventure of growing close to the Maker of the universe, the ultimate hand holding my small life." [Perpetua]

The field surrounding Clise Mansion - the place everything changed.

my lazy lunch

Falling asleep on a public park bench in the sun always makes for interesting dreams.