Facing Glory

Photo Book

2011-09-23T09:56:00.001-07:00

Click here to view this photo book larger

What a lovely lady...

2010-12-13T19:23:00.000-08:00

How 'bout them cowgirls

2010-11-30T12:46:00.001-08:00

This is a photo from Bri and Scott's wedding a couple of years ago. Let me tell you it was a ton of fun. I wanted to share this photo because it just symbolizes so much for me.

-Lovely friendship
-Fun yellow dresses
-Cowboy boots
-Dancing to George Straight

If there is one thing in life I love it is dancing. There is just something about spinning around and letting your hair down that makes your steps a little lighter as you walk off the floor. I'm convinced that if everyone had some good, clean fun on the dance floor every so often, no one would need antidepressants.

I'm off to write one more paper. Have a good afternoon friends.

Freedom???

2010-11-20T19:02:00.000-08:00

Freedom.
–noun
1. the state of being free or at liberty rather than in confinement or under physical restraint: He won his freedom after a retrial.
2. exemption from external control, interference, regulation, etc.
3. the power to determine action without restraint.

The power to determine action. Just think, we have the power to determine action. What does that even mean?
John 8:36 says,

if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed

Free indeed! But what is the freedom that comes from Christ? Is it life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness? Is it a lack of discipline? Is it never paying a cent for anything? What kind of freedom does Christ bring?
Once again, Oswald has me thinking. He writes...

If there is even a trace of individual self-satisfaction left in us, it always says, “I can’t surrender,” or “I can’t be free.” But the spiritual part of our being never says “I can’t”; it simply soaks up everything around it. Our spirit hungers for more and more. It is the way we are built. We are designed with a great capacity for God, but sin, our own individuality, and wrong thinking keep us from getting to Him. God delivers us from sin— we have to deliver ourselves from our individuality. This means offering our natural life to God and sacrificing it to Him, so He may transform it into spiritual life through our obedience.

Maybe the "I can'ts" aren't from God. I think God may put some I won'ts in our minds. I won't do this, or I won't do that. But faith, faith is believing in the impossible.
Once again, I am not going to pretend to sort this all out. I'll let you wrestle with the idea a freedom as man has done for the last few thousand years. I'll leave you with some photos of what freedom looks like to me.

Free to learn.

Free to laugh.

Free to dance.

Free to fall in love.

Ken, not Kenneth

2010-09-18T07:29:00.000-07:00

As a small child, I always wondered what Ken was thinking. What should I make his voice sound when he was talking to Barbie while riding in their pink Corvette? Well, now I know.

Priceless Percolator

2010-09-07T16:00:00.000-07:00

There is something therapeutic about a morning cup of coffee. I commuted in a little early this morning so that I would have time to stop at my favorite coffee spot. Life has been a little hectic and there just hasn't been much time for the coffee shop. But when I stopped in this morning and the guy that's always working there took my order, it just started my morning off right. If you are a watcher of Gilmore Girls, you know about Luke's Diner. If you don't share my love for Stars Hollow, you can wait for the next blog, because you just won't appreciate this one.

I watched the last and final episode today when I arrived home from work. Let's just say that it wasn't complete without a serving of Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Blue Bell Ice Cream. It was glorious. I loved the whole episode, but here is my favorite scene...

Smell the coffee
Feel the warmth of the mug
Enjoy the familiarity of the morning

This clip communicates just why I love morning coffee so much. As simple as it is, I feel like life runs a little deeper with a cup of brewed goodness in my hands.

So, take time to stop into your favorite coffee shop. It just might 'perc' up your day.

p.s. Thank you Katherine for my very own percolator. :-)

sadie, sadie, married lady

2010-09-06T12:15:00.000-07:00

I have been missing my blog. It sounds silly even to me. What is it about typing my thoughts and hitting 'publish post' that is such a fun experience? I think it just forces me to take the time to think positive, to reflect and see the beautiful connections that God is working out in my life. It is really no different than a journal or a scrapbook, but this requires no mess and I can easily add pictures!

So today, I would like to share some wedding pictures. Here are some of my favorites in random order...

So far Kenneth and I have had three and a half months of wedded bliss. If I've learned one thing these last three months it's that my Kenneth is good at keeping things in perspective. I'll be honest, I can get frustrated by a minor hiccup in my day. With Kenneth and God's help, I'm learning to let go of the little frustrations and enjoy the good things in life.

I'm
Learning to work hard.
Learning to finish what I start.
Learning to love.
Learning to look past the road blocks.
Learning to drive a tractor.

Learning.

Happy Labor Day friends.

Toby learns to catch

2010-07-02T11:16:00.000-07:00

deeply good

2009-12-29T15:48:00.000-08:00

Some things in life are shallow.
Some deep.
Some things in life are good.
Some evil.
I suppose I spend a lot of my days trying to sort things out into these categories. Every once in a while I come across something that is deep and good. Both. And it's lovely.

Today I found something that was both.

Patty Griffin has a new song. If you'd like to listen, click here. The song entitled "Move Up" is well just good and deep.

And then there are some things that are harder to sort out. I'm reading a book about the life of John Newton. He was the man who was a reformed slave trader. The same man who wrote the popular hymn, "Amazing Grace." It is a song that speaks a spiritual language touching most every soul. But right now I'm in the middle of the book and I just can't put Mr. Newton into one of my categories. How can good come from someone who was once so evil? How?

How?
Paul answers my question with a beautiful word...

In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God's grace that he lavished on us with all wisdom and understanding. Ephesians 1:7-8

Redemption allows goodness and mercy to cover even the most horrific sinner.
Redemption is real friends.
Redemption allows love to come after heartache.
Redemption allows life to come after death.

P.S. To keep up with my friends who read, I ordered my wedding dress today! Don't worry, this is not a picture of the dress I chose.

Trade as One

2009-12-13T15:07:00.000-08:00

Today at the Austin Stone where I've been able to fellowship with the body of Christ here in Austin, we saw this video. I've thought about this stuff before. Why do I feel the need to buy so much stuff? Don't know.

If you need a Christmas shopping idea, the items you order on the Trade as One website by Wednesday night are guaranteed to be shipped free and will arrive before Christmas.

www.tradeasone.com

Merry Christmas. Can you believe God is so accessible? Can you believe that the very God that created the universe, sent His Son to live among us? Beautiful!

The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only,who came from the Father, full of grace and truth. John 1:14

Fa So La Me Me Me!

2009-12-11T05:29:00.000-08:00

Hi friends! I'm so excited to take a moment to share some life this morning! I've missed posting while I've been here in Austin working on my first Physical Therapy rotation. So much has happened! Namely, I am now engaged to a wonderful man named Kenneth Kennedy! The picture above was taken right after we got engaged on the steps of the Capital. I'll save the engagement story for another post. Now, I'm so excited to share yet another lesson from Mr. Oswald Chambers.

Does individuality honor God? I've been thinking about this more lately since the engagement. What about my dreams, my plans, my friendships, my family. Me...me...me. I sound like I'm warming up for a production of The Sound of Music. Did God design us to be concerned with our own ambitions in the context of a healthy marriage. Or does He challenge us repeatedly in scripture to cast all our cares on Him and He will direct our paths?

Mr. Chambers shares, "Individuality counterfeits spirituality, just as lust counterfeits love. God designed human nature for Himself, but individuality corrupts that human nature for its own purposes." But what does this actually mean? How do I lay my 'individuality' in exchange for more authentic spiritual growth that honors my Creator?

The characteristics of individuality are independence and self-will. We hinder our spiritual growth more than any other way by continually asserting our individuality. If you say, "I can’t believe," it is because your individuality is blocking the way; individuality can never believe. But our spirit cannot help believing. Watch yourself closely when the Spirit of God is at work in you. He pushes you to the limits of your individuality where a choice must be made. The choice is either to say, "I will not surrender," or to surrender, breaking the hard shell of individuality, which allows the spiritual life to emerge.

Today I leave you with no concrete answers. I honestly don't know what this means for everyday life. I suppose it is a matter of considering others before I consider my own needs and desires. Something to ponder. Miss you friends. Drop me a line when you get a chance.

Knitting in the round

2009-09-29T05:22:00.000-07:00

Good morning friends. Here is a photo of my latest project. Surprisingly enough, I've figured out that knitting can help me stay focused for hours of studying. It helps me with the memorizing process.
Anywho, I also thought I'd share an exerpt from My Utmost for His Highest this morning.

If a man or woman is called of God, it doesn’t matter how difficult the circumstances may be. God orchestrates every force at work for His purpose in the end. If you will agree with God’s purpose, He will bring not only your conscious level but also all the deeper levels of your life, which you yourself cannot reach, into perfect harmony.

Now that is comforting. Watch for God's orchestration today.

Happy Banned Books Week

2009-09-28T09:17:00.000-07:00

This week happens to be banned books week. Reading a bit about it made me think about the tension between intellectual freedom and propriety for children and young adult literature. Nevertheless, I thought the top 20 list of classics that have been challeged or banned was astounding.

1. The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald
2. The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger
3. The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck
4. To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
5. The Color Purple by Alice Walker
6. Ulysses by James Joyce
7. Beloved by Toni Morrison
8. The Lord of the Flies by William Golding
9. 1984 by George Orwell
10. The Sound and the Fury by William Faulkner
11. Lolita by Vladmir Nabokov
12. Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck
13. Charlotte's Web by E. B. White
14. A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man by James Joyce
15. Catch-22 by Joseph Heller
16. Brave New World by Aldous Huxley
17. Animal Farm by George Orwell
18. The Sun Also Rises by Ernest Hemingway
19. As I Lay Dying by William Faulkner
20. A Farewell to Arms by Ernest Hemingway

Maybe some of your favorites appear here. Aren't you glad they weren't banned so you could learn to think in a new way. Hmmm, thoughts are powerful.

Have a lovely week friends. I'm going to get back to studying for midterms. If you'd like to read more, you can check out the American Library Association Website.

This I Believe...

2009-09-18T04:52:00.000-07:00

Good morning friends. This morning on my commute into the big city, I heard a really wonderful essay from an NPR series entitled, "This I believe." I think it really struck a cord with me because I am spending most of my waking hours in the education system.

Kristie Bradford, a professor at Lonestar College shares;

Albert Einstein once said 'Imagination is more important than knowledge. For knowledge is limited to all we now know and understand, while imagination embraces the entire world, and all there ever will be to know and understand.' I, too, believe that imagination is more important than knowledge. As a geology professor, I am often under pressure to measure the success of my students by a very limited yard stick: how much knowledge they have obtained under my tutelage. Imagination and creativity are difficult to assess and therefore it is rarely attempted.
If the purpose of a college education is to produce, thinking, imaginative, problem solving individuals for our future workforce, I believe that we are missing opportunities by emphasizing knowledge over imagination and creativity.

I thought she shared an interesting point in that, so often we become frustrated with the yardstick that is designed to make us 'educated.' What if the majority of my attentions went to putting the knowledge I'm handed everyday into some form of creative output. Instead of knowing, what if I looked at studying as doing, creating, imagining. What if I become a Physical Therapist who can dream and labor to see people do things that just don't seem possible with knowledge alone.
So many thoughts.
I'll leave you with one of my favorites...

As it is written: "I have made you a father of many nations." He is our father in the sight of God, in whom he believed—the God who gives life to the dead and calls things that are not as though they were. Romans 4:17

God used a very old man to be the father of many nations. Abraham was a 'thing that was not,' but God saw Abraham for what he could be. Would anyone like to believe that the impossibities are possible? Let's learn from Albert and Abraham today.
I suppose God has the best imagination of us all.

For the entire essay: NPR This I Believe

Let Him be your light

2009-08-28T14:48:00.000-07:00

Here's a YouTube video my sister shared with me today. Let your heart feel the love and life He has for you...

Lifehouse Everything Lyrics

Find Me Here
Speak To Me
I want to feel you
I need to hear you
You are the light
That's leading me
To the place where I find peace again.

You are the strength, that keeps me walking.
You are the hope, that keeps me trusting.
You are the light to my soul.
You are my purpose...you're everything.

How can I stand here with you and not be moved by you?
Would you tell me how could it be any better than this?

You calm the storms, and you give me rest.
You hold me in your hands, you won't let me fall.
You steal my heart, and you take my breath away.
Would you take me in? Take me deeper now?

How can I stand here with you and not be moved by you?
Would you tell me how could it be any better than this?
And how can I stand here with you and not be moved by you?
Would you tell me how could it be any better than this?

Cause you're all I want, You're all I need
You're everything,everything
You're all I want your all I need
You're everything, everything.
You're all I want you're all I need.
You're everything, everything
You're all I want you're all I need, you're everything, everything.

Rest in Him. Pursue Him. Fight to be with Him.

art therapy

2009-08-27T08:05:00.000-07:00

Sometimes all you need is a little art therapy. One Sunday afternoon, some friends piled into the gameroom with all of the art supplies a childhood of creativity can accumulate. We were a little overzealous with the materials, but we sorted through...found our medium of choice and got to work. There is something about making something that you don't have to make. Finishing something you don't have to finish. I can't put my finger on it, but it's a good feeling.

This afternoon brought back memories of high school art class when we would feed off of each other in our creativity. It's easy to lose your momentum alone. It's easy to start getting logical and tell yourself that you're wasting time. But when we were all together, everyone was so interested in seeing the finished product that I couldn't help but finish.

So after this little adventure, I would encourage you to be creative. Maybe in a small way with a box of crayolas and a Disney coloring book. Or maybe you will get inspired to quit your day job and apply to art school like Pam Beesley. Either way, take a step in the 'don't have to' direction.

a time to love

2009-08-17T13:13:00.000-07:00

Days usually begin with questions. Who will be there? Do I have what I need to make such and such work? Did I study enough? Am I taking situation 'y' too seriously? Am I taking it seriously enough? Why does she act like that? Where is my traveling coffee mug? And there is one more question...

Is love alive?

1 john 4.7-12
Dear friends, let us love one another, because love is from God, and everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God... God's love was revealed among us in this way: God sent His One and Only Son into the world so that we might live through Him. Love consists in this: not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son ... If we love one another, God remains in us and His love is perfected in us.

a button hunt

2009-07-13T18:30:00.000-07:00

Hi friends...this is going to be short and sweet. These days I've been on a button hunt. I've been trying to make heads or tails of these silly contraptions.

From Electro Machines

No, I have not recently started working for NASA. These are machines for electrotherapy. It's really a cool concept, but I didn't know I would have to become an expert in electrotherapeutic currents this summer. Do I sound smart? Don't be fooled. There is a big part of me that would rather be on this kind of button hunt...Link! No worries. Soon I will be able to do both. School doesn't last forever right? Everyone graduates sooner or later.

From Electro Machines

Despite the 'Intensity' I really am loving life right now. Somehow the balance of responsibilities and life always seems to come. That's something I love about life with the Lord. He's the provider...ready with enough...more than enough.

From Electro Machines

This is one of those verses that I still don't fully understand, but I've proved it true over and over in my life. My work never measures up, but somehow I live in peace. Peace that only the Lord's presence can bring.

LORD, You will establish peace for us,
for You have also done all our work for us.
Isaiah 26:12

pushing through the dirt

2009-06-27T07:14:00.000-07:00

Good morning friends. Have you ever just felt dusty? Let's get real, have you ever been tripping through a muddy pit? Ever had one of those days where you feel like you are climbing and working and trying to get somewhere only to realize you are on an escalator that's on warp speed. You're going no where but spending a whole lot of energy doing it? It's not a fun realization. I think about this a lot. Where do I need to be, what can I spend my time doing that will really matter? Is it worth the effort to study, invest in relationships, keep things clean(I'm just being honest), drive 100 miles a day, accumulate debt? What am I really up to? What does God think about what I'm up to?

David Crowder, the scruffy modern-day musician, belts out some lyrics that put a little structure to my musings.

I am full of earth
You are heaven’s worth
I am stained with dirt, prone to depravity
You are everything that is bright and clean
The antonym of me
You are divinity
But a certain sign of grace is this
From a broken earth flowers come up Pushing through the dirt

You are everything that is bright and clean
And You’re covering me with Your majesty
And the truest sign of grace was this
From wounded hands redemption fell down
Liberating man

I am full of earth and dirt and You
(exerpts from the song Wholly Yours)

There's a comfort and peace that comes from knowing what my Maker is up to. Maybe it is not so much about what I'm up to everyday. Maybe what He has already done overshadows my worries. Just think, if He can bring up flowers from dirt, He can bring beautiful, fruitful things from my life. I may be covered in Mud, but that's when the new growth can come. Hmm, maybe that means I can stop cleaning so much... Anyway, just look at this dirt here in a photo from my backyard. There's nothing special about the dirt. It's just dirt. But look what is growing from it. Is it just a hunter green bush, or is it something more?
Hang with me a minute...this is one of those concepts that makes me smile so big that tears start trickling out of my eyes for joy. Not only did God make a way to rescue me from the pit of despair I ran to over and over, but He made a beautiful way. Up from the dirt, the flowers spring up. Not only thorns or boring hunter green bushes but beautiful, awe inspiring flowers.

Isaiah another probably scruffy guy from ancient days shares some more insight...

"You will indeed go out with joy and be peacefully guided;
the mountains and the hills will break into singing before you,
and all the trees of the field will clap their hands.
Instead of the thornbush, a cypress will come up,
and instead of the brier, a myrtle will come up;
[the pink flowers are called crape myrtles]
it will make a name for the LORD
as an everlasting sign that will not be destroyed.
Isaiah 55

So right in my backyard, I have a reminder of the reality that God has made a way to bring beautiful, awe-inspiring growth from plain old dirt. Enjoy the reality of the beauty God is sprouting up around you. Love you friends.

Just a little something

2009-06-18T15:18:00.000-07:00

A friend sent me some good study music. Enjoy.

Summer Sun Something's Begun

2009-06-10T05:06:00.001-07:00

Hello friends. I've been a little quiet again. Don't worry I'm still loving life, enjoying the scenery and catching up on a little Gilmore Girls. I'm up to season 6 these days. If you know me, you know that I'm a little slow on keeping up with culture. I think that TV is much more fun to watch on DVD years later!

I don't quite know where to start. Since the last post I enjoyed 3 wonderful weeks of a summer break from school. It's really amazing how much a little time off brings refreshment and renewed energy. I think I'm going to make it a life long policy to take a few weeks off every quarter. Do you think my future boss will buy that?! Hope so!

Now my days have a more unchanging rhythm. They're less spontaneous than the childhood days of summer, but the structure brings a sort of comfort. Madeleine L'Engle has a little insight to add to this structure.

"You mean you are comparing our lives to a sonnet? A strict form, but freedom within it?"
"Yes," Mrs Whatsit said. "You're given the form, but you have to write the sonnet yourself. What you say is completely up to you."

I'm finding freedom everyday in the 'strict form' of my physical therapy curriculum. I'm finding freedom in
:::lovely phone calls
:::studying by the swimming pool
:::watering my bamboo plant faithfully
:::learning about eLecTRiciTy!

There's something especially settling about getting up in the early morning and watching the sun come up on my journey in. There's just something about mornings.

Satisfy us in the morning with your unfailing love,
that we may sing for joy and be glad all our days.
Psalm 90:14

I'm going to make a confession friends...if you pass me on the road I will probably be singing at the top of my lungs. I am a closet vocalist. Don't ask me to sing in public though, you would be sorry!

Have a lovely Saturday friends. I sure like yall!

P.S. These are a few random photos from the backyard. The same backyard I've been playing in for years. Home sweet home.

Peace

2009-05-05T05:26:00.000-07:00

Good morning friends.
I have a final today. Prayers are welcome. I'm not feeling worried or nervous. Why? It's not because I've studied for oodles of time or because I'm confident I know everything. I guess you'd say I'm at peace. Hmmm, I like that word. Peace.

I think God likes this word...peace.

For a child will be born for us,
a son will be given to us,
and the government will be on His shoulders.
He will be named
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Eternal Father, Prince of Peace.
Isaiahh 9:6

And as they were saying these things, He Himself (Jesus) stood among them. He said to them, "Peace to you!"
Luke 24:36

The Greek word for peace that Jesus uses in this verse is , εἰρήνη, pronounced ā-rā'-nā. There is a lot more to this concept of peace than I thought! Here's the definition that I found on this site...

Peace:::
1) a state of national tranquillity; exemption from the rage and havoc of war
2) peace between individuals, i.e. harmony, concord
3) security, safety, prosperity, felicity, (because peace and harmony make and keep things safe and prosperous)
4) of the Messiah's peace
a) the way that leads to peace (salvation)
5) of Christianity, the tranquil state of a soul assured of its salvation through Christ, and so fearing nothing from God and content with its earthly lot, of whatsoever sort that is
6) the blessed state of devout and upright men after death

Peace to you today friends. Enjoy the picture of the Lily from our backyard. Don't you just love springtime?

Life Light Up

2009-04-28T18:29:00.001-07:00

This song blessed my heart on my trek into the city this morning.
Take a listen..... *click*

Free Today

2009-04-23T18:52:00.000-07:00

I have this calendar on my mac that I never set up. It opens every time I restart my computer because I don't know how to remove it. It always says "Free Today" because I haven't entered my daily agenda. It's empty, "free". Honestly, it has irritated me every once in a while. I'm not free today, I have to work on project x & y while balancing the rest of the crazy schedule. But I just restarted my computer. I started to get a little ticked...then it hit me.

So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed. -John 8:36

I'm free today. I'm free in this day with a busy schedule and projects piling up because I know my Maker. Free because I don't have to be in control. Free because I can love and laugh and stand up for truth. Free because nothing has a hold of me except the love of Christ. Think about the life-changing effects of love...real, selfless love, well there's nothing better. Why are there so many love songs? I rest my case. Sure, life's tough. Hearts get broken. Responsibilities weigh on us. But at the end of the day, the reality is I have a free soul and I am loved and there is nothing more I could ask for.

So take on the crazy days, and remember... "if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed." -John 8:36

p.s. I just thought I'd throw in a few pen and ink drawings today.

This is my Jesus

2009-04-22T16:48:00.001-07:00

Cardboard Stories from The Austin Stone on Vimeo.
*You may need to press pause and give it a minute to load.

Finding your way

2009-04-14T08:08:00.000-07:00

I'm sharing this morning from the peaceful setting of my back porch at home. I'm about to head into the big city, but I just couldn't resist a cup of coffee on a cool spring morning. Assignments can wait, this day is too beautiful to miss.

I took a few photos yesterday on my afternoon walk. There's something about wandering around in nature a bit that just sets my heart at ease. I think it makes me more content with being just one small part of God's creation. It relieves the pressure of having to be a 'big deal.' I know that sounds silly and a bit stuck up, but to be honest, sometimes my own ego is what gets me going on my work. It's not a fun thing to admit, but it's the truth. If I'm smart enough, I'll have good job...etc. But when I get away, get alone and remember my wonderful Maker, there is rest to be found. The work doesn't go away but the reason for doing the work shifts. I want to be fully what He created me to be. If the birds sing beautifully, the grass vibrantly paints the landscape, the light confidently illuminates the day, then I want to be a loving and faithful picture of my God too.

As for God, his way is perfect;
The word of the Lord is proven;
He is a shield to all who trust in Him.
-2 Samuel 22:31

I love you friends. Today, cease trying to be a big deal. Let God be that and He will bless your heart in immeasurable ways.

berries of blue

2009-04-05T12:18:00.000-07:00

I've been doing a little research on dementia today. I came across an accolade for blueberries and thought it was just too great not to share.

Research in animals shows that blueberries help protect the brain from oxidative stress and may reduce the effects of age-related conditions such as Alzheimer's disease or dementia. Studies also show that diets rich in blueberries significantly improved both the learning capacity and motor skills of aging rats, making them mentally equivalent to much younger rats.

So enjoy the blueberries this spring! Here's to brain health and enjoying on of God's cutest creations. Happy Sunday.

Getting back to la vida loca

2009-03-21T13:00:00.000-07:00

Hi friends. I've been on spring break this week.
I made it out to Goldthwaite, TX.
Went to a fish fry.
Hung out at Gruene Hall.
Sipped coffee on the square of San Marcos.
Watched Australia for the third time.
Drove through Sonic a few times.
Tried to get organized and ready for the craziness of school.I'm learning a lot, but don't really have words to share what I'm learning. Anywho, I miss you friends. I'll be back in touch in May after finals. ha ha.

bluebonnet sighting

2009-03-03T20:24:00.000-08:00

Every spring the highways and fields of Texas are covered in a blanket of blue. If you ask any Texan about the bluebonnets, they will not simply tell you the name and move on. You will get a story or better yet photos. Young children, families and couples all pose every spring among the lupines to capture yet another springtime memory. The bluebonnet is not just some wildflower on the side of the road. It is a flower that represents the grand state of Texas and all it's rich history.

Bluebonnets have been loved since man first trod the vast prairies of Texas. Indians wove fascinating folk tales around them. The early-day Spanish priests gathered the seeds and grew them around their missions. This practice gave rise to the myth that the padres had brought the plant from Spain, but this cannot be true since the two predominant species of bluebonnets are found growing naturally only in Texas and at no other location in the world.

As historian Jack Maguire so aptly wrote, "It's not only the state flower but also a kind of floral trademark almost as well known to outsiders as cowboy boots and the Stetson hat." He goes on to affirm that "The bluebonnet is to Texas what the shamrock is to Ireland, the cherry blossom to Japan, the lily to France, the rose to England and the tulip to Holland."

The ballad of our singing governor, the late W. Lee O'Daniel, goes, "you may be on the plains or the mountains or down where the sea breezes blow, but bluebonnets are one of the prime factors that make the state the most beautiful land that we know.

A little corny, but so great. If you'd like to read more, some Aggies have posted a nice description and instructions on how to grow your own
here.

I took these two photos last week at the end of my commute home from school. This was my first sighting of the flower this season! Enjoy the roadside. I'm sure you are jealous of how much time I get to spend in the car everyday enjoying the bonnets of blue.

Happy Go Texan Day

2009-02-27T05:10:00.000-08:00

Hi friends. I just wanted to wish you all a Happy Go Texan day! In case you didn't know about this wonderful holiday, here is a brief explanation. It originated in Houston, the very location I sit right now. From the window I can see Reliant Stadium and the grouds for Rodeo Houston.

It's been called a spirit. It's even been referred to as a fever. Very few individuals - if any - can explain it. People in Houston just know that there's something in the air, and they know that it arrives early in February and lasts about a month.
They smell pit-smoked barbecue for miles. They see their friends wearing jeans and boots. And while driving to work, they pass hundreds of men and women on horseback, some even in wagons.

Most Houstonians know exactly what's going on - they've been around it for many years. But "foreigners" might not realize they're being soaked in the Go Texan Spirit.

"Grow beards, wear big hats, boots and spurs. Let's put a little touch of the Wild West into this thing." Those were perhaps the first words spoken that informally established the unique Western flavor of the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo™.

I can't smell the BBQ yet, but I'm looking forward to it. I do get to be a judge for a 4H competition tomorrow which I'm pretty excited about. I'll let you know who the winner is. Until then, enjoy being a Texan and if you aren't, well I'm sorry. ;-)

Well, I better get back to studying brain science. Love you guys.

a Lovely Valentine's

2009-02-15T16:40:00.000-08:00

Happy weekend's end. I know, it seems sad. The Love holiday is past. There is no more excuse to enjoy hunting for fun cards and candy treats. However, there is something to be happy about.

There is real love that never fades with the comings and goings of the holidays. For some Valentine's is an excuse to act like a kid and by silly valentine's for everyone. For some it brings reminders of lost love. Still others look forward to a fancy night on the town or a beautiful bouquet delivered to their corner office. However you look at February 14th, there is real love to be found. You don't have to be prettier, handsomer, richer or more sociable to receive the gift. This unconditional acceptance is found in God. I know, it seems like quite a trite answer. It sounds like an answer that won't sink into your soul. A hand to hold would be so much more comforting, but I'm convinced that God provides us much more than what we sense we are missing.

:::He provides time with an old friend to wander through vintage shops in the Houston Heights.
:::He provides a lovely cup of coffee from a nice barista in a hill country style cafe.
:::He provides a new song that just encourages the heart from itunes.
:::He provides about a hundred hugs on a Sunday morning.
:::He provides a delicious valentine's dinner with a group of new and old friends.
:::He provides reminders of blessings from the past.
:::He provides an ultimate frisbee game.
:::He provides homemade soup for school lunches.
:::He provides.

So as your week begins, trust that you can touch, see, smell, taste and hear God's love.

May the Lord direct your hearts into God's love and Christ's perseverance.
2 Thes 3:5

robes and rushing waters

2009-02-13T05:34:00.000-08:00

Yesterday I went to Hermann Memorial Hospital for some observation time. I really loved every minute, but one thing I'd like to share. Being around broken bodies makes me see just how strong our souls can be. I am just beginning to really grasp that people are so much more than just what is seen. But what are we? What will we be?
This morning I was taking a peak at one of John's letters. John was a fisherman, he had a regular job, in a regular town many years ago. He met Jesus and stuck by His side while He walked the earth.

1 John 3:2
Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when he appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is. Everyone who has this hope in him purifies himself, just as he is pure.

We shall be like Jesus? That's an interesting and unbelievable thought. So we don't know what we will be, but we do know we will be like him. I guess that's where the gift of imagination has to help us out until we see it.

Many years later, on the island of Patmos, John encountered Jesus again and I think he had a better, more overpowering encounter. But still, so much is left to trust and faith.

Revelation 1:13
& among the lampstands was someone 'like a son of man,' dressed in a robe reaching down to his feet and with a golden sash around his chest. His head and hair were white like wool, as white as snow, and his eyes were like blazing fire. His feet were like bronze glowing in a furnace, & his voice was like the sound of rushing waters...His face was like the sun shining in all its brilliance.

I like that when John saw Christ in Revelation He had white hair. I think that beautiful elderly people have some of the most clear reflections of Christ. It's interesting to think that the older we get, the closer we may come to reflecting His image in some ways. Don't get me wrong, we won't spend our life with God in broken, fragile bodies, but the white hair, I think that's a blessing!

Also, I wonder if the tradition of wearing white Baptismal robes, like pictured in Palmar Hayden's 1950s painting, comes from this passage in Revelation. When we are baptized we are proclaiming that we believe in and are seeking to follow Jesus. Our clothes can be an outward reflection of an inward heart. Just a thought.

Dear friends, I must move on to reading about statistics and whatnot, but I pray that you have a day full of unimaginable surprises and blessings.

Are you blind?

2009-02-10T04:47:00.000-08:00

Excerpt from My Utmost for His Highest

February 10, 2009
Is Your Ability to See God Blinded?

Lift up your eyes on high, and see who has created these things . . . —Isaiah 40:26

The people of God in Isaiah’s time had blinded their minds’ ability to see God by looking on the face of idols. But Isaiah made them look up at the heavens; that is, he made them begin to use their power to think and to visualize correctly. If we are children of God, we have a tremendous treasure in nature and will realize that it is holy and sacred. We will see God reaching out to us in every wind that blows, every sunrise and sunset, every cloud in the sky, every flower that blooms, and every leaf that fades, if we will only begin to use our blinded thinking to visualize it.

The real test of spiritual focus is being able to bring your mind and thoughts under control. Is your mind focused on the face of an idol? Is the idol yourself? Is it your work? Is it your idea of what a servant should be, or maybe your experience of salvation and sanctification? If so, then your ability to see God is blinded. You will be powerless when faced with difficulties and will be forced to endure in darkness. If your power to see has been blinded, don’t look back on your own experiences, but look to God. It is God you need. Go beyond yourself and away from the faces of your idols and away from everything else that has been blinding your thinking. Wake up and accept the ridicule that Isaiah gave to his people, and deliberately turn your thoughts and your eyes to God.

One of the reasons for our sense of futility in prayer is that we have lost our power to visualize. We can no longer even imagine putting ourselves deliberately before God. It is actually more important to be broken bread and poured-out wine in the area of intercession than in our personal contact with others. The power of visualization is what God gives a saint so that he can go beyond himself and be firmly placed into relationships he never before experienced.

I was talking with a dear friend last night while we studied at the local Barnes & Noble and she said that she was focusing on praying for other people. It really got me to thinking because within my busy day, it is so easy to spend hours without even thinking of anyone else, let alone putting mental energy into praying for them. I think that what Oswald is saying here is that if I visualize or imagine the life of God coming in the daily life of my loved ones (and my enemies) then that is essentially praying for them. Hoping and asking God to bring healing, peace, effectiveness and prosperity to others. Hmmm, what a good and real challenge.

Have a lovely day friends. I miss you folks during the craziness of school, but know that if you EVER need anything, please call!

It's a love story

2009-02-06T05:08:00.000-08:00

Good morning.
It is a good morning.

Oh golly, this week. Where to begin.

I think I want to share something I've been thinking about for a while. I think it's time to just work it out in typeface.

There is a term in our culture that stirs up some quite strong reactions from most folks. Some are absolutely for it. Some are staunchly opposed. Some fear it, others fear the absence of it. Some churches take quite a stand on the issue. Some politicians, well the politicians seem to stay out of this one. What is the term you ask?

Singleness.

sin⋅gle
/ˈsɪŋgəl/ –adjective
1. only one in number; one only; unique; sole: a single example.
2. unmarried: a single man.
3. pertaining to the unmarried state: the single life.

I know, I know you were expecting a term like gun control or abortion or civil rights. Nope, not today. Singleness it is. Take a listen at this quote from the recent hilarity of a film, Baby Mama.

Mom: "You know Kate everyone is not as tolerant of your alternative lifestyle as we are.
Kate: "Being single is not an alternative lifestyle."
Mom: "It is when you're 37."

The single lifestyle is certainly a hot topic concerning singles and married folks alike. Some who were wish they weren't and vice versa. Life is messy no matter what marital status you fill in on your tax return. Any way you look at it, I've been learning something that brings a bigger perspective to this lifestyle anomaly.

Jesus was single. Have you ever thought about that? I hadn't. Why is he single? Is it because marriage is bad or He liked His space? He wanted to have complete control of His own schedule and didn't want to bother with sharing His stuff with a mere female? Quite the contrary. He's waiting on His bride to be ready for Him. Who is His bride you may ask? This can get a little complicated, but to simplify the situation, the children of Israel, are His primary love interest. Gentiles, or believers that are not Jewish, are being grafted into the vine, brought into the picture. Keep in mind that because we don't fully understand, the analogies aren't 100% perfect, but they give us a place to start gaining perspective.

So, why is He waiting? Why not get married now?

There's a lot of reasons. One, He's gone to prepare a home for His bride. Two, He's giving her time to prepare to be with him, time to be purified and mature.

"In my Father's house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. You know the way to the place where I am going." -John 14:2-4

But what if she starts to doubt His return? What if He quits calling and she thinks, He's just not that into me? Jesus, like other good Hebrew man would have done, sends her gifts to assure her of His undying love. What gifts you may ask? The spiritual gifts are a reminder of the promise that Christ is returning. But spiritual gifts are a discussion for another day.

When will He come you ask? When this time is right.

The recent hit by Taylor Swift, Love Story, has some lyrics that bring a really cool picture to the return of Christ, the groom. Listen to the last verse. Just when she's doubting, when she thinks He'll never return...well, just listen.

And in Revelation 19, the wedding to come is described.

Then I heard what sounded like a great multitude, like the roar of rushing waters and like loud peals of thunder, shouting:
"Hallelujah!
For our Lord God Almighty reigns.
Let us rejoice and be glad
and give him glory!
For the wedding of the Lamb has come,
and his bride has made herself ready.
Fine linen, bright and clean,
was given her to wear." (Fine linen stands for the righteous acts of the saints.)
Then the angel said to me, "Write: 'Blessed are those who are invited to the wedding supper of the Lamb!' " And he added, "These are the true words of God."

So friends, the wedding, the marriage, the pursuit of relationship is something that God has written on each of our hearts in that we would long for Him in a deep way. The whole process, no matter where you are in it yourself, is a picture of Christ's pursuit, preparation and union with His bride.

Love you friends. Have a beautiful Friday.

scar stories

2009-01-31T20:05:00.001-08:00

A dear friend of mine was published! Published I tell you. Read her article today. It's good stuff.

http://www.theooze.com/articles/article.cfm?id=2192

Feels like today

2009-01-30T07:07:00.000-08:00

Have you ever heard the old Rascal Flats song 'Feels Like Today'? If you want to take a peek at the video, here you go.

I bring this song up to share a something that has encouraged me. This song came out while I was in undergrad and it just seems that everytime I listen to it, I get this feeling that life is bigger than just where I am today. Do you ever notice that you just aren't feeling anything? Sometimes you get so loaded up with responsibilities and 'should' dos that you just don't have any energy leftover to feel. Sometimes I'm afraid to feel. What if I let my emotions come and they just don't stop. It seems safer to live numb. To pen things up inside because its not as messy.

As my life has stepped up on the Richter scale again, it's tempting to step out of the feeling, loving and giving mode. It's easy to sink into control freak mode and just do the things I should be doing. But I'm determined to feel each day.

Think about what you've stomped down and pushed aside. Maybe it's a friendship, a fear or a worry. Take time while your driving or before you sleep tonight to just let yourself really feel and take in what's going on in your life.

'Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. ' Phil 4:7-8

Let the tide roll in and let it roll you right to the feet of Jesus.

creativity at its finest

2009-01-26T18:28:00.000-08:00

A little at a time, I want to share some of my recent road trip adventures. I'm starting out with the first big stop...the Grand Canyon. Let me tell you it is grand! If you have never seen it, it is definitely worth the trek through the desert. I don't really have words to talk about how amazing it was so I'll let the pictures speak for me today.

DISCLAIMER: Objects in photo may be larger than they appear.

A quick hello

2009-01-22T05:08:00.001-08:00

Good morning friends. I've been out of pocket a bit lately. Don't worry, it's been nice, no emergencies or crazy schedules. Just some down time.

Now I'm back in school. Honestly I'm thankful to be starting back. Thankful to have a sense of renewed purpose. Thankful to be learning about how to help people out again. I know that sounds a bit corny, but it never hurt anyone to be optimistic right?

If you're hungry, you can head to Chick-fil-A this morning until 10:30 for a Chicken Biscuit free of charge. Yum!

Candid Candyland

2009-01-03T20:55:00.000-08:00

So far this has been just a lovely break.
Lots of hot tea.
Lots of sleeping in.
Lots of cooking from scratch.
Lots of love.

Anywho, I wanted to share just a few photos of the goodness...

Here you see human replicas of the original Candyland game pieces at the Austin Trail of Lights.

Meet Tex. He's a friend's new Australian Shepherd puppy that we got to watch for a few days. Such fun!

This is the back porch. I got to just sit on the porch. So good.

I'll leave you with the lyrics of a hymn that made my heart happy yesterday.

Would you be free from your burden of sin?
There's pow'r in the blood, pow'r in the blood;
Would you o'er evil a victory win?
There's wonderful pow'r in the blood.
Ther is pow'r pow'r, wonderworking pow'r
In the blood of the Lamb;
There is pow'r pow'r, wonder-working pow'r
In the precious blood of the Lamb.

It is true. Have a lighthearted day friends because you can rest in the pow'r of Jesus.

p.s. I'm leaving for California tomorrow! Prayers, stow-a-ways and travel tips welcome.

doors...sometimes they open

2009-01-02T21:33:00.000-08:00

Where do I start? The blog has been silent lately. Lindsay has been a little silent lately. Taking time to sleep in, paint my bathroom and just chill out with family. It's been nice to have some down time. A sweet friend gave me a scrapbooking idea book for Christmas and it inspired this creation.
I wanted to take a little time to think about last year. What has happened, what makes this year unique? What do I want to remember?
Here is a bit of what I journaled on the page.

This year has taught me that dreams can come true and that little things can fall into place. In 2008 I found 2 jobs (Chik-fil-A marketing and CISD Administration office), I lost 15 pounds, I traveled to Scotland (my first transatlantic flight) and I have begun Physical Therapy school on a good note. Doors opened this year. Not everything went smoothly and sometimes just taking baby steps was a battle, but nevertheless here I am with God as my only explanation for such peace. And so with this in mind I can dream about 2009.

a little moment

2008-12-28T19:44:00.000-08:00

Right now I'm just sitting in my living room listening to That Thing You Do, the old Tom Hanks movie that totally rocked my childhood. One of my favorite things about living at home is that it feels like home. The Christmas tree is still lit up, my sister and friends are over and life just feels right.

This is just one of those moments where you just sit back and soak it all in. The lingering smell of chicken fried steak, the childhood memories replaying in my mind and a deep forward-moving belief that my God will continue to lead me well. It makes me want to sew...to dance...to play outside.

Here are a couple links of goodness I've found recently

Alabama Stitch Book...Contemporary Sustainable Style
Amy Butler Designs...Just plain good stuff

Seeing ourselves

2008-12-19T14:44:00.001-08:00

Mornings bring a little spring to my step and a fresh perspective on the pesky bothers of life. For me, as a morning person, I think that Christmas is the morning of the whole year. I have a little fresher perspective of the problems I face and a little more hope for God's grace and mercy to see us through. The night can be dark and gloomy and long, but the morning renews my belief that redemption is possible in every circumstance. Nothing is immune from the mornings. Nothing is beyond hope for redemption.

And so I love Christmastime.

One of my favorite artists as recently released a Christmas Album and I think she's great. I wanted to share a bit of a Relevant Magazine interview that my designer friend, Linsey, shared with me (she designed this image below).

RELEVANTmagazine.com: There’s a community aspect to your work. Tell me more about that and why it’s important to you.

Rosie Thomas: Making music in community, collaborating with friends and family, helps me enjoy it again like I did in the beginning, when I was only making 20 bucks in tip money … and loving it. It helps me find my roots again. I thought only people like Madonna would need to do that. But you need to do it no matter what level you’re at. I need to ask myself, “Rosie, why are you doing this? Are you grounded? Are you seeking your identity in this?” As an artist, I’m in charge of sharing my brokenness. My job is to be vulnerable. If you saw me at a party, I’m not the girl who’s always in the spotlight, but probably in the corner having a conversation with a friend all night. I thrive around people who want to be just as open and honest as me. We really need community, family, friends, even strangers, to help see ourselves.

I think I need to ask myself this more... "Lindsay, why are you doing this? Are you grounded? Are you seeking your identity in this?" I need to take time to sit back and just be among friends. Take time to listen...to learn other perspectives...to trust that God is working things out in a way that my fretting won't accomplish.

I guess creativity really comes through community and not through my ability to plan and organize my life. Hmmm...more things to ponder.

Have a Merry Christmas Eve's Eve.

a quick hello

2008-12-16T09:18:00.000-08:00

I have one word for you.

FREEDOM.

Freedom from deadlines, freedom from studying, freedom from commuting.

FREEDOM.

Now, I know that my heart has been free all along but it sure is nice for my calendar to experience that same freedom. The Lord has surely seen me through a very challenging season. I have the grades I need and that is victory!

I'm off to visit friends today in the Austin/San Marcos vicinity. It is going to be beautiful and relaxing and full of silly adventures. I'm sure I'll have photos shortly.

Have a lovely winters day.

Enjoy Soule Mama's blog photos today as I have none... click here!

A little holiday fun

2008-12-11T09:15:00.000-08:00

<
Here is a little technological bit of creativity.

I'm studying for my last final. Hooray!

my soul finds rest

2008-12-08T04:59:00.000-08:00

My soul finds rest in God alone;
my salvation comes from him.
He alone is my rock and my salvation;
he is my fortress, I will never be shaken.
psalm 62 1&2

Today's the big day. The last day of anatomy.

I'm going to go ahead and shout hooray in faith that I will succeed.

All prayers welcome today.

Have a beautiful day friends.

the beginning of the end

2008-12-07T18:41:00.000-08:00

This photo depicts a little of how my heart feels. I KNOW there's a lot of beauty all around me like the sunrise in the background. But what I'm FEELING is craziness. So much to learn, so little time.

Finals begin tomorrow.
5 tests.
5 days.
On the 6th day I'll rest.

Rest.

What a lovely word.

Jesus said, "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls." (matt 11.28)

So I suppose, rest comes from Jesus. My soul can rest even before finals are over. hmmm.

Tommy the grasshopper

2008-12-03T22:19:00.000-08:00

This is Tommy the grasshopper. I found him chilling on the top of my car today.

I've been relating to King Asa from 2 Chronicles a little lately.

Then Asa called to the LORD his God and said, "Lord, there is no one besides You to help in the battle between the powerful and those who have no strength; so help us, O LORD our God, for we trust in You, and in Your name have come against this multitude. Or LORD, You are our God; let not man prevail against You." 2 Chron 14:12-13

It's not a perfect analogy-- maybe a little melodramatic for finals-- but the stack of books I'll be tested on is taller than a small child. Only God can see me through this one.

That is all...back to finals studying.

Love you friends.

An Aussie style study break

2008-11-26T15:04:00.000-08:00

This film was quite wonderful. Enjoy it if you get the chance.

**trailer**

What is it about a good epic film that can really draw us in?

I read this exerpt in Eugene Peterson's fairly recent publication entitled Eat This Book. It helps to explain a little more the power of a narrative. So here's some food for thought.

Have you ever noticed that there is something powerful about a story? They don't just tell us something and leave it there, they invite us to participate. A good writer gathers us into the story. We feel the emotions, get caught up in the drama, identify with the characters, see into nooks and crannies of life that we had overlooked, realize that there is more to this business of being human than we had yet explored. If the storyteller is good, doors and windows open.

Honest stories respect our freedom; they don't manipulate us, don't force us, don't distract us from life. They bring us into the spacious world in which God creates and saves and blesses. First through our imaginations and then through faith--imaginations and faith are close kin--they offer us a place in the story, invite us into this large story that takes place under the broad skies of God's purposes, in contrast to the gossipy anecdotes that we cook up on a hot plate in the stuffy closet of self.

Not all stories of course are honest. There are sentimentalizing stories that seduce us into escaping from life; there are propagandistic stories that attempt to enlist us in a cause or bully us into a sterotyped response;trivializing stories that represent life as merely cute or diverting.

The Christian life requires a form adequate to its content, a form that is at home in the Christian revelation and that respects each person's dignity and freedom with plenty of room for all our quirks and particularities. Story provides that form. The biblical story invites us in as participants in something larger than our sin-defined needs, into something truer than our culture-stunted ambitions. We enter these stories and recognize ourselves as participants, whether willing or unwilling, in the life of God.

I had never looked at it in this way. I love finding new, deeper way to look at life. Hmmm, I might just ponder some more.

Have a Happy Thanksgiving friends. There is much to be thankful for.

A great mystery

2008-11-19T05:38:00.000-08:00

This morning I got stuck in traffic. Not because there was a wreck but because I made a wrong turn. Yep, I make this trip very frequently and I made a wrong turn. But you know, I'm glad I made the mistake because it gave me an extra 30 minutes in the car to just think and sing along with KSBJ and find peace for today. I've been praying for refreshment these past few days as I've just felt worn down. You would think that getting stuck in traffic would wear me down more, but it ended up being a source of great joy.

Let me hear Your lovingkindness in the morning;
For I trust in You;
Teach me the way in which I should walk;
For to you I lift up my soul. -Psalm 142:8

I found a minute before class started to read todays posting from My Utmost for His Highest and good old Oswald reminded me of how really deep and rich is the relationship I can know in God.

Forgiveness doesn’t merely mean that I am saved from hell and have been made ready for heaven (no one would accept forgiveness on that level). Forgiveness means that I am forgiven into a newly created relationship which identifies me with God in Christ. The miracle of redemption is that God turns me, the unholy one, into the standard of Himself, the Holy One. He does this by putting into me a new nature, the nature of Jesus Christ.

The bottom line is...I'm nothing without Christ. I mean I would be something I suppose, but I would be an unhappy wreck. God's spirit is beautiful and somehow my relationship with Him constantly refreshes my heart. I suppose it's similar to how a close friendship can restore your joy. I still don't understand, that's why it's a great mystery.

Love you friends.

To good health

2008-11-18T19:10:00.000-08:00

Do you ever get stressed out? You live in America, you probably do. We work hard, forget to play and tend to fuel our bodies with junk. Stress is inevitable. But don't believe that your trapped. Decide for yourself each day what you want your life to look like. Pay the extra dollar to add fruit to your Chick-fil-A combo meal or take 15 minutes to go for a walk when you get home from work. The little things add up. Press on in taking care of yourself today friends. It will make you much more effective in taking care of others.

Anatomical Humor...welcome to my world

2008-11-15T19:45:00.000-08:00

I hope you are having a lovely weekend friends.

I got a haircut and went for a run on the golf course today!

Such fun.

I'm just a walking

2008-11-14T05:16:00.000-08:00

I was so clearly blessed by this exerpt from My Utmost for His Highest by Oswald Chambers that I thought I'd just share his words.

November 14, 2008
Discovering Divine Design

As for me, being on the way, the Lord led me . . . —Genesis 24:27

We should be so one with God that we don’t need to ask continually for guidance. Sanctification means that we are made the children of God. A child’s life is normally obedient, until he chooses disobedience. But as soon as he chooses to disobey, an inherent inner conflict is produced. On the spiritual level, inner conflict is the warning of the Spirit of God. When He warns us in this way, we must stop at once and be renewed in the spirit of our mind to discern God’s will (see Romans 12:2 ). If we are born again by the Spirit of God, our devotion to Him is hindered, or even stopped, by continually asking Him to guide us here and there. ". . . the Lord led me . . ." and on looking back we see the presence of an amazing design. If we are born of God we will see His guiding hand and give Him the credit.

We can all see God in exceptional things, but it requires the growth of spiritual discipline to see God in every detail. Never believe that the so-called random events of life are anything less than God’s appointed order. Be ready to discover His divine designs anywhere and everywhere.

Beware of being obsessed with consistency to your own convictions instead of being devoted to God. If you are a saint and say, "I will never do this or that," in all probability this will be exactly what God will require of you. There was never a more inconsistent being on this earth than our Lord, but He was never inconsistent with His Father. The important consistency in a saint is not to a principle but to the divine life. It is the divine life that continually makes more and more discoveries about the divine mind. It is easier to be an excessive fanatic than it is to be consistently faithful, because God causes an amazing humbling of our religious conceit when we are faithful to Him.

Dazzling, simply dazzling

2008-11-09T13:24:00.000-08:00

daz·zle: \ˈda-zəl\ v.
a: to shine brilliantly
b: to arouse admiration by an impressive display
c: to overpower with light
d: to impress deeply, overpower, or confound with brilliance

I just returned from a fall retreat with some friends from church. It was just a wonderful time. I'll look forward to sharing more photos of the fall foliage I captured, but for now...enjoy these dazzling gems of leaves.

Creation never ceases to amaze me because anytime I reflect on the beauty of it, I find that it resonates a scripture passage that I've been reading. I love this about life. I love to see words come alive. God's word comes alive so often when I take time to see it...to face glory.

For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse. Romans 1.20

The Big Day...or is it?

2008-11-04T05:06:00.000-08:00

Adam Smith of Relevant Magazine closed his article entitled A Last Word on Voting with this...

“We’re inviting people to think,” he says. “Some folks go out and organize for one of the candidates. Others say, ‘We’re going to write in Jesus.’ Ultimately, [we hope] whatever they do is seeking first the Kingdom of God and embodying their politics with their lives rather than just trusting in a single candidate or a single politician to change the world for them. We vote every day with our lives. We vote every day with our feet, our hands, our lips and our wallets. Ultimate change does not just happen one day every four years.”

I thought a lot about what to write today in light of Election Day 2008. It's a big day and it's easy to be wishy washy or fanatical or just completely apathetic.

A lyric from John Mayer's CD Continuum keeps coming to mind...

Is there anyone who ever remembers
changing their mind from the paint on a sign?,
is there anyone who really recalls
ever breaking rank at all
for something someone yelled real loud one time?

I recognize that a little blog entry isn't going to inspire the world to make a good decision together. I will be honest and share that I've voting with the Mavericks. :-) On a big picture, I think that the people are most free when the government is smallest. I think freedom is one of the biggest issues at stake in this election. I recognize that the oppression of poverty is severe in this country, but I personally don't think that bigger government will be able to really reduce poverty. I recognize that this is a complex issue with a lot of ethical issues attached to both candidates.

I will leave you with some very fitting words from Mr. Paul of Tarsus...

You, my brothers (and sisters), were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the sinful nature; rather, serve one another in love. The entire law is summed up in a single command: "Love your neighbor as yourself."-Galatians 5:13-14

I think that love is the issue for our country guys and frankly that's a much bigger issue than the election. Love your neighbors today.

Happy Voting and happy loving.

Happy Fall

2008-11-03T06:14:00.000-08:00

In honor of the month of November and falling leaves everywhere...

I would like to wish everyone a HAPPY FALL!

I'll be learning much about the abdominal cavity today but I'll spare you the details this time. Have a beautiful day friends.

Don't Multitask

2008-11-02T12:50:00.000-08:00

When you've got a lot to do in a little time, you might think it is efficient to multitask. Talk about stressful! He who chases two rabbits catches neither. Focus on one thing at a time for a better outcome.

I'm going to take my own advice and start working down the list of things to do one at a time.

Don't worry, I'm including getting out in the sunshine and having dinner with a sweet friend in the list :-) I'm still happy Lindsay, just a little more structured than usual these next few weeks.

The hope of Christmas break warms my heart.

Love you friends.

All the Mavericks in the house put your hands up

2008-10-24T18:55:00.000-07:00

Peace and Berries

2008-10-22T20:05:00.001-07:00

This evening, I'll share a little exerpt once again from A Circle of Quiet by Madeleine L'Engle. Simply enjoy the beauty of the written words.

Then the path becomes full of tussocks and hummocks; my legs are etched by the thorns of blackberry brambles and wild roses. Earlier this summer the laurel burst from snow into fire, and a few weeks later we found a field of sweet wild strawberris. And then there are blueberry bushes, not very many, but a few, taller than I am and, to me, infinitely beautiful.

The burning bush: somehow I visualize it as much like one of these blueberry bushes, The bush burned, was alive with flame and was not consumed. Why? Isn't it because, as a bush, it was perfect? It was exactly as a bush is meant to be. A bush certainly doesn't have the opportunity for prideful and selfish choices, for self-destruction, that we human beings do. It is. It is a pure example of ontology. Ecology-ontology-the words fascinate me...Ontology: the word about the essence of things; the word about being.

I go to the brook because I get out of being, out of hte essential. So I'm not like the bush, then. I put all my prickliness, selfishness, in-turnedness, onto my isness; we all tent to, and when we burn, this part of us is consumed. When I go past the tallest blueberry bush...I think that the part of us that has to be burned away is something like the deadwood on the bush; it has to go, to be burned in the terrible fire of reality, until there is nothing left but our ontological selves; what we are meant to be.

I go to the brook and my tensions and frustrations are lost as I spend a happy hour sitting right in the water and trying to clear it of the cloggig debris left by a fallen tree.

I think about this concept a lot. My isness. Just being here. Is that really enough? Am I loved no matter how much deadwood I'm dragging along my path? Am I loved enough that the deadwood would be pruned and burned away. Would God really care that much to help me be more alive, more fruitful, more me?

Everytime I 'fail' a bit, I'm forced to deal with this truth once again. I am God's child and he has established peace for me. All that I have accomplished He has done for me. (Isaiah 26)

Peace. It does not mean to be in a place where there is no noise, trouble or hard work. It means to be in the midst of those things and still be calm in your heart. -Unknown

These are pictures of a yarn I just purchased to make a fall scarf. It may take me a little time to get it done, but there's something about knitting that reminds me of my ontology. The simplicity of creating something that is not an assignment, reminds me of who I am as a person in some way. I thought it was quite fitting that the name of this hand-spun yarn is Magic Berries.

Have a peaceful day friends.

Ode to Katherine

2008-10-16T07:00:00.001-07:00

Katherine is a lovely girl
She likes to twirl
She rocks my world

Katherine is a silly twin
She like to laugh
and play and grin

Katherine turns 25 today
Everyone say...
"Hip, Hip, Hooray!!!"

For grins and giggles...

2008-10-14T21:41:00.000-07:00

Finding space in tight places

2008-10-14T09:58:00.000-07:00

The spacious moments in life are few and far between some seasons. By spacious moments I mean those times when you are fully present in the moment you are in. Undistracted by the clock, stressful circumstances and overwhelming demands of others. Those moments when you can just be. The times I don't have to be Lindsay the successful or Lindsay the efficient or Lindsay the productive. The times I can just be Lindsay. Just me. That's enough.

I've found that the process of creating pulls me into those moments quicker than anything else. Today, I'm sharing a couple of photos of my latest creation. I found this pattern on a blog I read frequently called Soulemama (The link to the pattern is on the left side of the screen) This was a really fun project to make. It took me about two hours and there were very few things I had to stop and figure out. When it comes to sewing, give me simplicity. I'm very limited in this set of skills.

I love this project for two reasons. It is something I've finished in the midst of crazy school and it allows me to keep creating a little bit at a time. Now I can take my notecards and stamps with me wherever I go. If I have a moment here and there, I can take a time to breathe a little deeper and write a note of thanks or encouragement. It helps me create a few more of the spacious moments in my days.

For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we would walk in them. -Ephesians 2:10

Love is a noun

2008-10-09T11:25:00.001-07:00

I've been thinking about the reality of God today. Why do I have a sure foundation I can trust in? Why do I have peace that I don't understand. Why can everything seem to get confusing, but my heart is still happy? I read this today in Beth Moore's Breaking Free Bible study that gives me some understanding.

Either Christ can satisfy us and meet our deepest needs, or God's Word is deceptive. In the days before I began to enjoy the fullness of Christ, I somehow knew God's Word was true and that the problem rested with me; but, for the life of me, I couldn't figure out what the problem was. I served Him. I even had a love for Him, however immature, but I still fought an emptiness that kept me looking for love and acceptance in all the wrong places.
Never once in my youth did I hear clear teaching about the Spirit-filled life. Perhaps this is the reason why I refuse to shut up about it now. Satan knows the Holy Spirit is the key to abundant, liberated life, so he has done everything in his power to cast confusion and fear around the subject. Let's boil a few things down to the basics.

God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in spirit and in truth. -John 4:24

God is love.Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in him. -1 John 4:16

God's essence or His state of existence is Spirit...Just as surely as God is Spirit, God is love. Love is not only something God does, love is something God is. God would have to stop being in order to stop loving. Again, our temptation is to humanize God, because we are limited to love as a verb. With God, love is first a noun. It's what and who He is.

God is who He is. No one can change that. I can count on Him when I can't count on anyone else. I will always have everything I need.

This is the reality I'm living in. Deep, raw, whole and full of light.

Finding fullness
Knowing peace
Giving thanks
Leaping for joy
Understanding complexities
Daring to live

A little more life

2008-10-08T18:21:00.000-07:00

I found another gem in the Bible today. So much life. So much truth. So much goodness.

I'm leaving you well and whole. That's my parting gift to you. Peace. I don't leave you the way you're used to being left—feeling abandoned, bereft. So don't be upset. Don't be distraught. -Jesus

Sometimes I struggle with knowing the reality of peace. But Jesus talked about it here and John wrote it down in the gospel book he's famous for writing. Jesus said I won't be left feeling abandoned. No matter how many academic tests, life trials or storms come along, I will not be moved. My soul has found a sure foundation.

I'm going to get back to my exam review. Love you friends.

Looking forward to good things

2008-10-07T15:46:00.000-07:00

Lyrics from a song on my ipod study playlist by the Dixie Chicks.

I hope, for more love, more joy and laughter
I hope, we'll have more than we'll ever need
I hope, we'll have more happy ever after
I hope, we can all live more fearlessly
And we can lose all the pain and misery
I hope, I hope

I've been hoping for a lot of things lately.
Hoping for good friendships.
Hoping for good marriages for my friends.
Hoping for an A on the next anatomy exam.
Hoping for the leaves to turn really vibrant reds and oranges soon.
Hoping for good, restful holidays to come after the hustle of this semester.

I hope. Now you hope.

And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us. Romans 5:5

Letting Him Talk

2008-10-04T06:38:00.000-07:00

Here is a glimpse into my life. Powerpoints, sticky notes, highlighters and whiteboards. It's like an office supply expo.

This morning I flipped to Romans 8 and here's what I found...

This resurrection life you received from God is not a timid, grave-tending life. It's adventurously expectant, greeting God with a childlike "What's next, Papa?" God's Spirit touches our spirits and confirms who we really are. We know who he is, and we know who we are: Father and children. And we know we are going to get what's coming to us—an unbelievable inheritance! We go through exactly what Christ goes through. If we go through the hard times with him, then we're certainly going to go through the good times with him!

That's why I don't think there's any comparison between the present hard times and the coming good times. The created world itself can hardly wait for what's coming next. Everything in creation is being more or less held back. God reins it in until both creation and all the creatures are ready and can be released at the same moment into the glorious times ahead. Meanwhile, the joyful anticipation deepens.

And so this morning, I'm listening to Him. Taking this to heart and rejoicing that life is beautiful because He is working in it.
Figure 1. Green denotes ulnar nerve. Yellow denotes median nerve.

I have a happy heart and colored hands.
Happy Saturday friends.

What a wonderful world

2008-10-01T20:25:00.000-07:00

Hi friends.

I've been spending my time trying to get my nose in the books. Little things here and there keep getting in the way, but when I do get to the books I will be studying the human hand and all it's inner workings. My professor began class today with this little clip. Good music and who doesn't love a good puppet show?

Life in the crazy lane

2008-09-30T08:55:00.000-07:00

Do you ever wonder why life just speeds up without warning?
Why do we have to think through a million decisions in an hour.
When did ordering a cup of coffee get so complicated?

I don't know.

But one thing I do know. Life is full of goodness. Full of color and life and passion. When you start to lose your vibrancy, just stick close to someone who is pressing on. They're liveliness will rub off on you and pretty soon you'll be up an running again.

Until then, there's the joy of hope. Real hope. Everlasting hope that is being fulfilled today and will be fulfilled in the days when Christ returns to the Earth.

We are pilgrims in this life and I must remember that. For when I do, nothing phases me. No tests nor storms nor trials of any kind will disturb my soul.

This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, a hope both sure and steadfast and one which enters within the veil, where Jesus has entered as a forerunner for us, having become a high priest forever... Hebrews 6:19-20a

I'm praising God for deep, beautiful friendships, hospitality and good Chik-fil-A coffee this morning.

back to school

2008-09-21T21:44:00.000-07:00

autumn rains threaten to reign

2008-09-18T11:35:00.001-07:00

Blessed are those whose strength is in you,
who have set their hearts on pilgrimage.
As they pass through the Valley of Baca,
they make it a place of springs;
the autumn rains also cover it with pools.
They go from strength to strength,
until each appears before God in Zion.
Psalm 84:5-7

Even when it seems that a storm is taking over, you can be reminded that the rains bring abundance in the harvest. If we lived in an agrarian society, rain would have a much deeper meaning to us. Granted, no one in their right mind likes a hurricane, but we can be thankful for the rain. The land will benefit from the water even though it destroyed some stuff in the process of falling.

Monday is September 22. September 22 is the autumnal equinox or the first day of fall. I'm looking forward to it. A new season. A new beginning and praise the Lord, we will again have a current flow through our home as of 10am this morning. Kite flying Benjamin Franklin would be happy for us. Light and power is a good thing when your getting dressed for school at 5am on Monday morning.

that broken reed

2008-09-18T11:35:00.000-07:00

Hello friends. I have frequently shared photos from my beloved circle of quiet to borrow a term from Madeleine L'Engle. The old country club golf course near my house has been a frequented spot for solitude and refreshment. I ventured out to explore it after the hurricane.

In the days following the hurricane, I have seen a lot of broken things. It has got me to thinking about the reality of our spiritual condition. Consider this verse from the thirty sixth book of Isaiah in the Old Testament:

Behold, you are trusting in Egypt, that broken reed of a staff, which will pierce the hand of any man who leans on it. Such is Pharaoh king of Egypt to all who trust in him. But if you say to me, "We trust in the LORD our God," is it not he(I) whose high places and altars Hezekiah has removed, saying to Judah and to Jerusalem, "You shall worship before this altar"? v6-7

How often do I put my trust in Egypt? How often do I think that even the 'good' things in my life will protect and sustain me? How often to I hold someone besides the Lord in high esteem in my heart? All these things will eventually 'pierce my hand' when I trust in them. However, in the wake of brokenness, there is a great light. When we come to a place of saying, I trust in the LORD my God, he will remove the barriers we have set up between us and Him. He will bring us to His temple to worship Him from a pure heart. Glory!

Ike's Aftermath

2008-09-14T14:20:00.000-07:00

Hi friends. All is well in Conroe. Well, actually, it's a little crazy here but thankfully there was minimal damage to my home.

I don't really know where to start with processing this storm.

It was big.
It made a mess.
It cost a lot of money.
It destroyed a lot of plans.
It canceled my classes indefinitely.
It put our power out for 1-4 weeks.

I'll post as I have access to power.

Our help is from the LORD, who made the heavens and the earth.
Psalm 124:8

Hunkering Down

2008-09-12T19:08:00.000-07:00

Maddie is a little wild-eyed today. I think she knows Hurricane Ike is coming.

It's 10:30 here. They're saying the 'big wind' is coming around 4:30 in the morning. I'm thinking that I might wake up to find some tree limbs in the swimming pool and green leaves carpeting the ground. I suppose there could be some serious damage, but I'm praying it's minimal.

Praying for friends to be safe and sound. Praying for the water to drain off quickly. Praying for the hospitals to keep power. Just hoping good things for folks.

I'll miss you guys if the power is down a bit. I'll be back when the power is back.

“The wise man in the storm prays to God, not for safety from danger, but deliverance from fear” -Ralph Waldo Emerson

A refuge

2008-09-11T06:10:00.000-07:00

refuge |ˈrefˌyoōj; -ˌyoō zh |
noun
a condition of being safe or sheltered from pursuit, danger, or trouble
• something providing such shelter : the family came to be seen as a refuge from a harsh world.
ORIGIN late Middle English : from Old French, from Latin refugium, from re- ‘back’ + fugere ‘flee.’

Today has me thinking a little more about the term refuge. I need a refuge today. Right now I'm sitting on the second floor of the Texas Woman's Campus in the Texas Medical Center. But in a couple of hours I am leaving and I'm not coming back until the hurricane passes. I think it's interesting that we have a very heightened awareness of our physical needs and we make all kinds of provisions for our physical safety. Tomorrow's classes are being cancelled...bottles of water are being stockpiled...hundreds of extraneous phone calls are being made to check on everyone.

Many times in our life we face emotional or mental storms that threaten to tear us apart from the inside out. Where is our shelter from those storms?

This is a photo of Virginia Lane, my street. The shade of the trees, the subtle hills, the familiar faces all help me to settle into peace when I arrive home. I'm learning little more with every storm I face that God is strong enough to protect me and guide me to safety.

For in the day of trouble He will keep me safe in his dwelling;
he will hide me in the shelter of his tabernacle and set me high upon a rock. -Psalm 27:5

simply glorious

2008-09-09T15:29:00.000-07:00

I've come across this quote quite a bit in the last few years but I've never taken to time to read it in its entirety. These thoughts inspire and challenge me.

Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond imagination. It is our light more than our darkness which scares us. We ask ourselves – who are we to be brilliant, beautiful, talented, and fabulous. But honestly, who are you to not be so?

You are a child of God, small games do not work in this world. For those around us to feel peace, it is not example to make ourselves small. We were born to express the glory of god that lives in us. It is not in some of us, it is in all of us. While we allow our light to shine, we unconsciously give permission for others to do the same. When we liberate ourselves from our own fears, simply our presence may liberate others. -Marianne Williamson

This quote gives me further encouragement to be completely alive.

You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven. -Jesus(recorded in the book of Matt)

Deep thoughts. I'm heading home from school now. Bye friends.

Words

2008-09-07T19:31:00.000-07:00

I'd like to share with you a passage from a favorite book of mine called A Circle of Quiet by Madeleine L'Engle. Here she shares her perspective on the role of words in our life.

The simplest word is almost always the right word. I am convinced that Beatrix Potter used 'soporific' because it was, it really and truly was, the only right word for lettuce at that moment. One of my favorite authors, Anon, wrote, centuries ago:

The written word
Should be clean as bone,
Clear as light,
Firm as stone.
Two words are not
As good as one.

I should pay more attention to those lines than I do. The writer who listens to them will do his own limiting, but it will come from inside, it will come from a creative response and not from an arbitrary restriction, which is the structure that imprisons instead of the structure that liberates.

The more limited our language is, the more limited we are; the more limited the literature we give to our children, the more limited their capacity to respond, and therefore, in their turn, to create. The more our vocabulary is controlled, the less we will be able to think for ourselves. We do think in words, and the fewer words we know, the more restricted our thoughts. As our vocabulary expands, so does our power to think. Try to comprehend an abstract idea without words: we may be able to imagine a turkey dinner. But try something more complicated; try to ask questions, to look for meaning: without words we don't get very far. If we limit and distort language, we limit and distort personality.

I'll leave the sharing to Madeleine today. Have a beautiful week friends.

Deal bountifully with your servant,
that I may live and keep your word. Psalm 119:17

Overhearing good things

2008-09-06T08:43:00.001-07:00

I'm sitting at Panera this morning having a lovely time with my anatomy notes. I know that statement sounds sarcastic, but I am really just enjoying this liesurely time to study. I woke up this morning to a crispness in the air. The fist hint of fall is here and it awakens my heart this time every year. I feel a little more childlike, a little more energetic and I begin to think of how to decorate for the holidays. Good thoughts.

My friend Karli(from growing up in Conroe) always had the best fall and Christmas decorations at their house. Miss Cydney was full of creativity and love for her home. I always enjoyed seeing their house this time of year. When I was sitting down this morning at the coffee shop, guess who I saw. None other than Karli and her momma. We caught up on the last 2 years of our lives(in brief) and exchanged hugs. My heart was lightened.
While sitting here this morning I have been overhearing some wonderful conversations. If you can see far behind me there is a group of ladies in a knitting group. Yes they are just sitting around talking about yarn and life and specialty yarn shops in Brenham. I absolutely love knitting and even though my spare time is devoted to the books these days, it was fun to hear them discussing the craft.

Now take a look to the left. There is a group of men in their 40s and 50s sitting behind me. Most of their morning was just spend shooting the breeze, but there is something so comforting about hearing men discuss their family and civic life. I could tell by the way they mentioned their wives and families that they love the Lord and are just trying to do this everyday aspect of life well.
Study breaks over...back to the books.
Have a lovely Saturday friends.
You are much loved.

Maggie the Cat

2008-09-04T19:12:00.000-07:00

Meet Maggie.
Maggie likes to roam.
Often Maggie likes to be alone.
Maggie eats
and Maggie sleeps.
Maggie meows
and Maggie purrs.
Maggie decides when she wants to play.
Today Maggie wanted to play.

Then Maggie ran away.

I hope you are having a beautiful day friends.
Here's a thought...

Why do animals have such crazy fun personalities?

God's creativity never ceases to amaze me.

Seeing spots

2008-09-03T19:23:00.000-07:00

Remember when you were little and all the team moms wanted to take a group picture. You see spots for a while. You get overwhelmed, sick of the photo frenzy. You want out of the forced team pose. All you see are spots.

But sometimes you can take a look up, quit focusing on the flashes and see that you can look beyond the line of soccer moms and just 'be' right where you're at. This is how I'm coping with grad school. Bear with me a minute. It's a crazy analogy I know, but think about it. I have seven professors all with very 'important' assignments. I could spend my time getting quite overwhelmed or I can look beyond the deadlines and declarative statements and see the big plan. I am walking on a blessed road. This opportunity is a gift and I can choose to simply enjoy being here. So I'm choosing to look beyond the dots.

So I enjoy this view. This is what I see from the lunch room of school. It's beautiful and the chairs a quite cozy. I'm learning to be at home where I am. School can be restful, even with constant deadlines. I'm choosing to still do what I love (like blogging!)

And then this evening, the Lord helped me unwind a bit more with this glorious image in his creation.

This verse encouraged me today...
I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one: I in them and you in me. May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me. John 17:22-23

His glory is all around us. Enjoy today friends.

Comfort View

2008-08-28T17:46:00.000-07:00

Enjoy this little glimpse of glory. Today was so full that I can't really start to process it. One thing I know...God is near.

I have seen a great light

2008-08-27T17:44:00.000-07:00

.........light:::darkness
...............understanding:::confusion
.......................community:::isolation

I've been understanding these contrasts a little more deeply lately. I've watched the sun come up for 3 days now. The world is quite peaceful in the wee morning hours, and yet it is some sort of relief when the sun freshly dawns. Understanding is the underlying current of my days and I'm finding it a lovely occupation. Lastly community. One of my favorite words in the English language. I have been richly blessed with community. And when I say rich, I mean the double dark chocolate fudge cake sundae of community. It doesn't get much sweeter than shopping at whole foods, cooking dinner and taking Lucy the dog for a walk. Oh, I didn't mention that I was blessed with a bedroom in my new friend's home equipped with the most comfortable sheets you have ever slept on. Now that's hospitality.

Through the past few days I've been understanding more that my Father loves the light. In fact there is no darkness in Him. Paul shares some good insight in his letter to the church in Colossia.

For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you and asking God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all spiritual wisdom and understanding. And we pray this in order that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and may please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, and joyfully giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in the kingdom of light. For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins. Colossians 1:9-14

Father is delightful!

The good life

2008-08-25T21:20:00.000-07:00

Life here is wonderful. Here...where is here? As of late I've been all over the map...Conroe, The Woodlands, Richmond, College Station...
School started today. I'm overwhelmed with blessings. Overwhelmed. Here are a few of the blessings overwhelming me...

:::I have dear friends at school. (Did I mention it's the first day?)
:::I didn't get overwhelmed at all today. (This is a miracle.)
:::My 'Big Brother' gave me the coolest back to school kit ever. (Including colored pencils)
:::My anatomy professor gives us coloring pages!
:::I am staying at my new friend Kimb's house tonight (see her husband's blog for more details Click here)

Life is pretty much amazing. School is underway and I just feel like so many things are going right. I'm not afraid of things going wrong anymore after the season I've just come out of, but Hallelujah for life simply working.

To my friends...if I'm not in contact as usual, know that you are still on my heart. I may not have the time to formulate an e-mail or make a phone call, but I'm still praying for and loving you. If you need me, never hesitate to call. I'm still here, just a little more structured for now.

Glory of it All

2008-08-21T18:52:00.000-07:00

Well...today life has been beautiful.

If you know me very well, you know that I don't take transitions well. I have a hard time with moving, changing schedules, changing jobs, friends moving...etc, etc, etc. I just don't like it. This week has contained quite a few transitions with one seemingly shifting my entire lifestyle.

School is beginning. I've been trying to sort out this transition for a few months now. But somehow this time it's different. I've been praying and just really trying to let go of this one. Rest in God's sovereignty and remain free of worry. You know what...God's proving trustworthy. The details are falling into place. I'm finding all my needs met and some lovely surprises along the way. God is so glorious!

I saw many little details I wanted to share with you in photograph form today, but I felt a little self-conscious about whipping out the camera in my school setting. Wait...I'll get comfortable and the photos will return.

Looking for a little good reading?

Enjoy this Relevant Magazine Articlehttp://www.relevantmagazine.com/life_article.php?id=7599

the beach...the beach

2008-08-13T14:59:00.000-07:00

I saw birds at the beach this morning. Spledid! Life is splendid.

A dear friend is leaving in the morning. Moving on to exciting things, but it's always sad to part with friends. Ah, one more day of challenges mixed with glorious joys.

Some of the finest friendships are between persons of different dispositions. The mind is often attracted by perfections it lacks itself. -Eustace Budgell

A needle and yarn

2008-08-11T17:31:00.000-07:00

I have been truly soaking up my last moments of summer. Breathing deeply. Taking them in. I've been engrossing myself in creative endeavors. I've also had some incredible time with new and old friends.

God is so faithful to bring just the right moments at just the right times.

Blossom on the tree, you know how I feel

2008-07-31T10:08:00.000-07:00

Today I had yet another lovely morning...

::: A nice run on the dew-covered golf course
::: Panera bagels with another Linsey
::: And now a quiet house to myself to settle into the learning of human anatomy

I'm going to start studying and I'll leave you with a few photos from my trip to Martha's Bloomers Garden Shop in Navasota, TX on Sunday and the lyrics to Feeling Good by Nina Simone.

Birds flying high
You know how I feel
Sun in the sky
You know how I feel
Reeds driftin' on by
You know how I feel
It's a new dawn
It's a new day
It's a new life
For me
And I'm feeling good

Fish in the sea
You know how I feel
River running free
You know how I feel
Blossom in the tree
You know how I feel
It's a new dawn
It's a new day
It's a new life
For me
And I'm feeling good

Dragonfly out in the sun you know what I mean, don't you know
Butterflies all havin' fun you know what I mean
Sleep in peace when the day is done
And this old world is a new world
And a bold world
For me

Stars when you shine
You know how I feel
Scent of the pine
You know how I feel
Yeah freedom is mine
And I know how I feel
It's a new dawn
It's a new day
It's a new life
For me

And I'm feeling good

We had a little tea celebrating an upcoming wedding.

Take time to celebrate as often as you can.

It's a new dawn. It's a new day. It's a new life for me.

2008-07-29T06:31:00.000-07:00

There's something about mornings. I hopped up, washed some blueberries and brewed some fresh coffee. I love how the simple things seem to bring so much pleasure this time of day.
You are looking at the last little bit of yellow paint left in the upstairs living area. After moving home, I decided it was time to make this area a little calmer. With the help of my momma and a very dear friend, it is almost complete! It just feels so good to breathe deep and enjoy my new surroundings.
Today will be filled with filing and learning a little more anatomy. I don't mind one bit because I'm learning that everything can be good when my heart is joyful.

I'll leave you with a Tuesday theme song...enjoy.

I just looked back at a post I wrote on July 4 of last year and it is ironically entitled A New Day.(Click here) I could share all the ways I've seen God bring some things I mentioned in the post to fruition, but I'll just simply tell you that most of the people in that photograph, God has used to bring deep joy and abundance to my life.

bright morning. new thoughts.

2008-07-28T08:36:00.000-07:00

Here I am. Back at my desk for some more study time. This morning has been beautiful and it's only 10:45.
::: waking up to summer sunshine
::: a crunchy bowl of grainy cereal. delicious.
::: dancing at the gym to 'footloose' and various other upbeat tunes
::: mailing a dear friend's shower invitations at the local post office
::: cutting zinnias from my momma's garden

It's been a fuscia kind of morning.

I've been thinking about something new. God keeps bringing this concept up in little ways. Have you ever thought about what our hope truly is as believers in Christ? I have peace that there is deep hope in the grace and power of Christ, but it is still a deep mystery to me. I find little if any peace in the old adage...Jesus is the only way. I'm not saying it's false, but what is this way that Jesus has figured out better than anyone? What is our hope as followers of Jesus? Where are we following Him?

Here is an exerpt from the book Surprised by hope that I've been reading.

We should recall in particular that the use of the word heaven to denote the ultimate goal of the redeemed, though of course hugely popularized by medieval and subsequent piety, is severely misleading and does not begin to do justice to the Christian hope. I am repeatedly frustrated by how hard it is to get this point through the thick wall of traditional thought and language that most Christians put up. The ultimate destination is not "going to heaven when you die" but being bodily raised into the transformed, glorious likeness of Jesus Christ. (The point of all this is not, of course, merely our own happy future, important though that is, but the glory of God was we come fully to reflect his image.) Thus, if we want to speak of "going to heaven when we die," we should be clear that this represents the first, and far less important, stage of a two-stage process. Resurrection isn't life after death; it is life after life after death.

Also, my friend and I were talking about this concept a few days ago and she came across this excerpt in a book she is reading called Religiously Transmitted Diseases

Contrary to what many think, God isn't trying to get us to heaven. According to Scripture, eternity is spent here, on planet Earth. God's intent has always been to eventually come here to live in His creation. In the end, heaven actually comes to earth (Revelation 21). Yes, believers who die now go to heaven, but heaven is not the point. Earth is.

I'll leave you with her thoughts on the matter,

I thought it was good timing. This is the first pastor I've heard speak about this.....maybe ever. I knew it to be true, but I've just never heard someone speak about it......especially 2 days in a row!

a response to beauty

2008-07-15T08:36:00.000-07:00

This morning, I just want to share a paragraph from N.T. Wright's recent book, Surprised by Hope.

It is, I believe, part of being made in God's image that we are ourselves creators or at least procreators. The extraordinary ability to bring forth new life, supremely of course through begetting children but in millions of other ways as well, is central to the mandate the human race receives in Genesis 1 and 2. To make sense of and celebrate a beautiful world through the production of artifacts that are themselves beautiful is part of the call to be stewards of creation, as was Adam's naming of the animals. Genuine art is thus itself a response to the beauty of creation, which itself is a pointer to the beauty of God.

2008-07-14T20:14:00.000-07:00

"It is art that makes life, makes interest, makes importance and I know no substitute for the force and beauty of its process." -Max Eastman

Imagining artfully

2008-07-10T16:08:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I mentioned that God has great purposes for our imagination. Today I'll share a little more on the topic. I found an exert in the Divine Conspiracy by Dallas Willard that intrigued me.

There are ways in which we may present God to others, as well as ways by which we individually may seek to fill our minds with him. Through them, the lovely God wins the love of the disciple. He comes to us (1)Through His creation, (2) through his public acts on the scene of human history, (3) though individual experiences of him by ourselves and others.

Now in light of Dallas's suggestion that God comes to us through His creation, take a look at the first definition of art in the American Heritage Dictionary.

Art:Human effort to imitate, supplement, alter, or counteract the work of nature.

To continue, consider this quote... (link to entire text)

We normally say that God relates to us through God’s power of love, of compassion and so on -- and of course that is true. But if imagination is the capacity to envision the existence of something that does not yet exist -- the clearest instance of this being the artistic imagination -- then it makes sense to speak also of the divine imagination.

The author goes on to remind the reader of God's incredible imagination throughout human history...guiding some runaway slaves through the desert, establishing Israel despite seemingly insurmountable enemies, the incarnation of God in human flesh, the destruction of death's finality and the inclusion of gentiles into the Abrahamic covenant. All of these are examples of God imagining and setting into motion those things which were inconceivable beyond even our wildest stretch of the imagination. If we are faithful readers of the stories of these imaginative acts, we will find our own imaginations expanded and transformed. Thus scripture claims us and gradually forms us into a new people.

In light of all these bits of information, I cannot help but believe that the capacity I have to imagine is from the same part of me that is able to believe God for better. I guess you would call that faith.

Faith: Belief that does not rest on logical proof or material evidence. (American Heritage Dictionary)
Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see. Hebrews 11:1

Recall from yesterday our definition of imagination...The ability to confront and deal with reality by using the creative power of the mind.
If art is the human effort to imitate nature and God is the creator of nature, then art is the human effort to imitate God. As we seek to imitate God, we can do so fully as we engage our own imagination in the creative process. Our creations will produce beauty to the extent that they respond faithfully to the imaginative power of God.

Take some time to glimpse at the creation around you. Try your hand at expressing a response. The east Texas pine trees always remind me of God's faithfulness somehow. Their height makes my jaw drop every time I stand under them and look up.

He is awesomely creative.

Renewing the divine imagination

2008-07-09T12:41:00.000-07:00

The next few days, I'm planning to share some thoughts on imagination. This has been a recurring theme in my daily life lately and I've decide to camp on this idea a bit.

Let's start with definitions.

Imagination: The ability to confront and deal with reality by using the creative power of the mind; resourcefulness: handled the problems with great imagination.
or
The formation of a mental image of something that is neither perceived as real nor present to the senses.

Take a look at this next definition...

Fear: a distressing emotion aroused by impending danger, evil, pain, etc., whether the threat is real or imagined; the feeling or condition of being afraid.
or
reverential awe, esp. toward God.

A teacher of mine recently pointed out that "fear is the misuse of God's gift of imagination." Perhaps even the Biblical mandate to fear God is an encouragement to renew this part of our mind that may be overcome by fear of evil.

So over the next few days, I'm going to share some things I've found on these topics

1. Art and imagination
2. A political imagination in view of real politics
3. Imagining in response to biblical texts
4. Communities; what could they look like?

For further reading and the source of my photo take a look at this blog A new reformation/rediscovery of Divine imagination - christians as the artistically expressive community of the book...

a photo

2008-07-06T22:57:00.000-07:00

Here is a photo from Edinburgh, Scotland that I really like. Just wanted to share.

the florals

2008-07-05T08:30:00.000-07:00

As per requested, here is a photo of the wallpaper in my room currently. I have edited the image and created some alternative looks. Can you guess which one is the real wallpaper? What do you think of the black plaid Stephanie? As I mentioned in a previous blog, I'm ready to move on from the florals of my younger years. I'm still searching for inspiration and time.

A list of things I'm going to do today and maybe you can pick up a few ideas...
1. drink a hot cup of coffee
2. Read a chapter of Jesus for President
3. Take my first Texas Woman's PT exam online...wish me luck!
4. Try to figure out how to make a gratitude wrap
5. Do a little pilates or walk around the block
6. Await a call from a certain friend who is quite pregnant and due any day now

Happy Saturday.

Independence Day

2008-07-04T08:02:00.000-07:00

Independence Day Celebration in Centre Square, Philadelphia, a depiction of the celebrations of July 4th 1819, painted in 1819 by John Lewis Krimmel

In the concluding paragraph of the Declaration of Independence, you can see that our forefathers were in fact a little fed up with Great Britain. The king didn't let the colonies make any laws, they made smelly soldiers sleep in their beds and eat all their food. After a litany of complaints against the crown, here's the concluding statement.

We, therefore, the Representatives of the united States of America, in General Congress, Assembled, appealing to the Supreme Judge of the world for the rectitude of our intentions, do, in the Name, and by Authority of the good People of these Colonies, solemnly publish and declare, That these United Colonies are, and of Right ought to be Free and Independent States; that they are Absolved from all Allegiance to the British Crown, and that all political connection between them and the State of Great Britain, is and ought to be totally dissolved; and that as Free and Independent States, they have full Power to levy War, conclude Peace, contract Alliances, establish Commerce, and to do all other Acts and Things which Independent States may of right do. And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes and our sacred Honor.

It's interesting to think about what our lives would be like if they hadn't broken from the rule of the British king. Would you want smelly foreign soldiers sleeping in your bed?

Do you ever think about what it means to be a citizen of a nation? Do you ever wonder what it would have been like if we were known as the Clump of British States (AKA CBS)? It doesn't sound near as impressive as the United States of America and we wouldn't get to watch beautiful fireworks tonight. I guess my point is that what each of us chooses to be allegiant to effects our very way of life.

I've been wondering lately what it means to be allegiant to God's Kingdom right here in everyday life.

There are a million conflicting messages out there that preach everything from violence for peace to consumerism equals love. The one thing I do know is that Jesus is real and the love of my life, but as many of you married women know...I'm still trying to figure Him out. Just because I'm in love with Him doesn't mean I fully understand Him, it just means that I trust Him.

I'll leave you with this verse. Let me know what you're thinking.

"Are you the king of the Jews?"

"Is that your own idea," Jesus asked, "or did others talk to you about me?"

"Am I a Jew?" Pilate replied. "Your own people and chief priests handed you over to me. What is it you have done?"

Jesus said, "My kingdom is not of this world. If it were, my servants would fight to prevent my arrest by the Jewish leaders. But now my kingdom is from another place."

"You are a king, then!" said Pilate.

Jesus answered, "You are right in saying that I am a king. In fact, the reason I was born and came into the world is to testify to the truth. Everyone on the side of the truth listens to me."

"What is truth?" retorted Pilate......

From then on, Pilate tried to set Jesus free, but the Jews kept shouting, "If you let this man go, you are no friend of Caesar. Anyone who claims to be a king opposes Caesar."

When Pilate heard this, he brought Jesus out..."Here is your king," Pilate said to the Jews......

"We have no king but Caesar," the chief priests answered.

John 18:33-38, 19:12-15

Enjoy your holiday today. Pray for the oppressed and enjoy the people in your life.

our little puppy dog

2008-07-03T08:58:00.000-07:00

Meet Gracie. She moved in a couple of years ago and has been a good addition. Sometimes she forgets to brush her hair and we have to remind her that personal grooming is important. She is about to move to College Station with my sister and she will be missed, but she will be back on all the Texas A&M Student holidays.

Enjoy your day and don't forget to brush your hair.

A pile of books

2008-07-01T06:44:00.000-07:00

The question of the day is...

How can I retain all of this?!

This stack of books can seem daunting to say the least. But don't be too impressed they contain a lot of overlapping information formatted in different ways. I'm not going to Harvard, just a little school up I-45. I'm facing my mid-term for the online anatomy class I'm taking through Texas Woman's and I'm questioning if I'm adequately prepared.
This morning Beth had a little wisdom to share with me.

Repetition and deliberate practice of recollection are vital if we want to retain God's Word to abide and remain a storehouse of riches in us long after we conclude our study.

Beth was speaking to studying the Bible, but it gave me a fresh encouragement as I face this stack of books. If I am going to be able to use this knowledge ten years down the road, I need to start recalling it now. I tend to read and reorganize and outline until my face is blue, but I bet a little practice in recall would go a long way.

Well, you know where I'll be the next few days.

What's Shakin'?

2008-06-30T09:01:00.000-07:00

Do you ever feel a little ill at ease? Do you ever feel frustrated with things going on in your life? Do you ever feel a little insecure? Well, I'll just step out there and confess that I sure have. This morning I was taking a closer look at Daniel, the book in the Bible, and came to a little realization that this unsettled way of life might not be a bad thing.

I, Nebuchadnezzar, was at home in my palace, contented and prosperous. Daniel 4:4

Nebuchadnezzar was the mighty ruler of Babylon and he was contented and prosperous. What could be better than this? In the Babylonian culture, life couldn't get any better than this. Most Americans would agree. This word contented is selah in Aramaic which means properly 'at ease' or 'at rest,' conveying both contentment and security. I thought this was really interesting because I tend to place a very high price on security in my own life. I tend to look for what will be the safest, most secure arrangement all the time. But my question is...If I made decisions to find stability and security, why do I feel so unsteady?

Hebrews 12:26-29 echoes the trouble with dependence on earthly securities.

At that time his voice shook the earth, but now he has promised, "Once more I will shake not only the earth but also the heavens."
The words "once more" indicate the removing of what can be shaken—that is, created things—so that what cannot be shaken may remain.

Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe, for our "God is a consuming fire."

I'm not going to discuss the full meaning of these verses, but I will say that it helps me understand why God lets things be shaken up in my life so much. If I remain content and prosperous relying in my worldly securities like academics, material wealth or even family, I will not fully understand the depth of security I have in the Lord.

Beth Moore shared, "Sometimes we don't recognize true security until all lesser forms prove false." I would have to agree with her. Until our worlds quake and things start to shatter, we have no idea what lasts. This truth helps me to be thankful for feeling frustrated with life because I'm realizing it is teaching me to live for what is truly life!

I will leave you with Psalm 62 which remarkably conveys the concept of authentic contentment.

My soul finds rest in God alone;
my salvation comes from him.

He alone is my rock and my salvation;
he is my fortress, I will never be shaken.

Conroe, TX = my hometown

2008-06-29T11:55:00.001-07:00

Well, I've been thinking a lot lately about what it means to have a hometown. I'm living back in my hometown right now and it has been really good so far. There have been adjustments as I don't see friends everyday like the high school years, but overall it has been good. In fact, I've been so happy that I've decided to stay and commute to school.

Here is a list of good things in Conroe...

-Swimming in my backyard
-Having an unlimited source of hugs from my family
-McKenzie's BBQ
-Crazy tall pine trees
-Momma's flower gardens
-Smiles at church
-Holly Huddler's unlimited supply of fun events to go to
-My huge desk that was my papa's where I study anatomy
-Rainy days
-Running into old friends

I'm off to Lowe's because I'm going to pick out paint for my room. Good bye girly floral pattern...hello fresh paint!

Gruene and Gangrene

2008-06-28T20:56:00.000-07:00

After a long stint of blogger silence, I'm back with a few rambles. First of all, since my anatomy class has started I've been on reading overload and haven't made much time to write. I've been feeling a little overwhelmed by all the opportunities facing me this summer. In addition to the anatomy refresher course I'm taking through Texas Woman's, I'm working two jobs and trying to get as much friend time in as possible. This photo was taken of a friend's dashboard as we were driving home from Gruene, TX. My days honestly aren't that hectic, I'm just on productivity overload. I'm trying to switch gears too much and getting jammed somewhere along the way. By each afternoon, I'm ready to stop being productive and just go play. Luckily I was rescued last Tuesday by my friend Holly and we went to see a Cory Morrow acoustic set at Dosey Doe's in the Woodlands. It was quite fun.

There is a part of me that is really looking forward to starting physical therapy school. I'm going to get to work with a group of folks my age and work toward a profession that I am genuinely excited about. There is another part of me that is apprehensive about the transition. I've decided to commute from home to school each day which will make for a long day, but I'll also get to enjoy the comforts of home. So, to all my friends who sporadically check the blog, I will not be moving to Houston. I will remain a Conroe resident and I'll be making friends with the people on the Park and Ride bus.

This is all for now...hopefully more will come soon as I have really missed sharing.

A freshening lustre mellow

2008-05-13T22:18:00.000-07:00

When a big change is coming, I find myself thinking and planning for the future. I think about minute details. For example, I have actually thought about how I will get my laundry done and where I will do my grocery shopping when I move to the big city this fall for school. I think to some degree, this is healthy, a natural part of mentally preparing, but at some point it becomes living in the future and I am actually living right now, so I must find a balance. Today I was reading At Home in Mitford by Jan Karon. I chose it because my grandma used to read this series and I've been missing her a bit. As I was reading I came across this snippet of a Wordsworth poem that put my mind at ease about preparing for professional school.

The sun, above the mountain's head, A freshening lustre mellow
Through all the long green fields has spread
His first sweet evening yellow.
Books! 'tis a dull and endless strife: Come, hear the woodland linnet
How sweet his music! on my life, there's more of wisdom in it.

Sweet is the lore which Nature brings
our meddling intellect/mis-shapes the beauteous forms of things
we murder to dissect.

Enough of Science and of Art
Close up those barren leaves
come forth, and bring with you a heart
that watches and receives.

This proverb brings even more clarity to the dilemma of enjoying life and taking on the task of an intense program of study.

For the Lord gives wisdom and from his mouth come knowledge and understanding.
He holds victory in store for the upright, he is a shield to those whose walk is blameless, for he guards the course of the just and protects the way of his faithful ones.
Then you will understand what is right and just and fair- every good path.
For wisdom will enter your heart, and knowledge will be pleasant to your soul.
Discretion will protect you and understanding will guard you.
Proverbs 2:6-11

The fact is I could spend days studying a subject and have little understanding of it. However, true depth of insight and wisdom is a gift from the Lord. So as Wordsworth stated in speaking of creation, "there's more of wisdom in it." Spending time in creation brings perspective that lends itself to a deeper understanding of the subject at hand.

If this post isn't clear to you, I hope that you simply enjoy the photos from our backyard garden.