This Good Life

Writing began on 1/28/13  I don't really even know where to begin. This post is for me.  It's not for anyone else.  It's for me in the sense that I'm writing for my own sanity.  I'm writing as a stress-relief.  I'm writing so I'll always remember the moments, the feelings, this time.  I'm writing so that my struggles are documented and so my thoughts can somehow become un-jumbled in my head.  This is my outlet. It's been a long past 15 months.  It's been full of tears and heartache and laughter and joy and goodness.  And it's contained more than a few moments where I live with a sinking pit in my stomach.  Now is one of those moments. It's a rude awakening . Everyone has experienced that before, I'm sure.  Your underdog sports rival rises up and totally dominates, deviated motivations in a relationship are unveiled, a cup of water to the face as a good morning (what?).  They're rude awakenings. And I'm in the midst ...

I know this is a very popular video and only getting more popular with each second!!  So anyone who might possibly be reading my blog (all 3 of you) has probably already watched this. No matter. Watch it again. More than anything I post this for myself, so that I can watch it often.  Not once.  Not a couple of times, since Kid President is stinking adorable.  But over and over so that I can be reminded of my youth, of what I have to offer to the world, of my being "not normal" and therefore not boring! :), of LIFE itself, and reminded to never stop my dreaming -- because my dreams are desires and my desires are of my heart and my heart beats for the Lord. And none of that should ever be stifled. I just want to pinch those little cheeks!  

"Sometimes I've believed as many as six impossible things before breakfast!" -- Lewis Carroll Yesterday a friend challenged me to pray for something impossible . Sounds exciting! Sounds easy. So I did that little task as soon as the gauntlet was thrown. Done! Challenge conquered. Game over. And then came the conviction. I realized that what I had done was really more of a half-hearted prayer...it was more like a wish-upon-a-star...it was more of a "hey, this would be cool but yeah, right"...what I had done wasn't a true conversation with my god. I had prayed while maintaining my invulnerability. So, I decided to stop -- slow down -- breathe -- take some more time and some more faith and truly pray for something I think is impossible . Because doing that makes you vulnerable.  And because God can work wonders through vulnerability. Being (by nature) wary, cautious, and skeptical of people and people's motivations and of...most thing...

Yes please. Because I love this movie.  And because I feel inclined to kiss a lucky egg.  And because I'll be making a one day stop in Jamiaca in March...!   'Sanka, you dead..?'  'Ya, mon'   

Today is a day for powerful words:  Those words are humbling.  Those words absolutely put our lives into perspective.  Those words should call us to a greater purpose.   And those words remind me that our God has overcome .   Praise be to Him who is alive and active in a fallen world that He loves so dearly. 

Far too often in my day-to-day life, I trudge along...I drag..I live without passion.  And I want that to change. This earthly life creates opportunities for us to live in wonder .  To live out loud.  To live with your heart.  And for your heart to go boom . Here are just a couple of things that make my own heart beat louder, beat stronger, and beat passionately.  I know my Lord smiles down at me when my heart goes boom .     May we all live daily with an excited heart that booms loud enough for the world to hear.  photo cred: pinterest

It's the 19th letter of the alphabet.  The shape of a snake.  Used in all sorts of ways.  And super important. The letter "S".   When I was growing up in youth group, we would sing the worship song "Shout to the Lord" quite a bit.  Such a good song!  However, I don't think anyone really knew what the exact words were of a specific line in the chorus... "I sing for joy at the work of your hands..." Was " works " plural?  Was " hands " plural?  Neither?  I mean, any option really makes sense....   Option A)  I sing for joy at the works of your hands. Option B)  I sing for joy at the works of your hand. Option C)  I sing for joy at the work of your hands. Option D)  I sing for joy at the work of your hand. WHAT IS IT?!??!  I remember not ever really knowing and so, to mix things up, I'd sing that line differently every time we sang the song.  I mean, that way no matter which version was right,...

The Lord is so many incredible things.  I feel intimidated trying to list them all, because He's so much more than any adjectives I can think of -- combined.  So I won't list them.  David did a good enough job of that in Psalms.  Or, you can refer to Exodus 34:5-7 (thanks, Allan). We can see the Lord moving, breathing, arranging, and loving every single day and that encompasses so many events, feelings, possibilities, and plans in our lives. But something so apparent to me in the past couple of years was reiterated this September -- the Lord is community . We are made to be with one another...supporting one another, in fellowship with one another, laughing and loving with one another.  And there is no bond from one person to another like a bond that is founded and rooted in the Lord. Just nothing like it! I have been blessed many times over to have that bond with specific people I've run across, met, encountered, loved.  I am thankfu...