later light

I went on a wonderful walk today with a wonderful friend.  She is from Japan and her fascination with the littlest things and how she takes so much delight in new things inspires me.

Today, as we were walking downtown at about eight at night, she exclaimed how strange it was that it was still light out at eight o'clock.  I told her that sometimes in the summer it stays light until nine at night and she was amazed.  She explained to me that in her small town, in Japan, sunlight anywhere near this late is rare, at anytime of the year.  Her home is surrounded by mountains, and as beautiful as they are, they block out the sun if it gets too low.  She went on to tell me how great it was that the sun was out this late and how happy it made her feel.   

I know that I complain a lot about the flatness of the Midwest prairie land I live in; however, blessed by my friend, I was able to realize how truely lovely flat land is.
Thank you, for the flat land allowing the sunlight to spread its light later and farther.  Thank you for the flat land allowing me to see for miles, something not everyone is able to do.

Sure, maybe I don't have a scenic mountain view, but I think sometimes it's focusing on what you have.
I have sunlight, I have an everlasting view, I have friends to remind me of it.

knit rainbow

There is a chair in the corner of my room. I love to sit in it. It was seven dollars, which somehow makes it better, not very comfortable, next to my window, and doesn't match. Sitting in it I can see into my closet.
This is going to sound odd, but I enjoy the view. The part of the closet I can see is the part where my scarves are hanging. They are hanging on hooks that my roommate, who previously lived in this room, put up. Thanks. They are at different levels and somehow that makes it better, more "artistry" I guess. I only wear 1 or 2 of the scarves, but I love how the colors look together. There are a couple scarves I have never worn and don't even like how they look on me, but on the hook combined with the other scarves, I love them. The colors together are so great and remind me of a rainbow. Rainbows remind me of God's promises: to love me, to always be there for me, to protect me. Maybe this is why I love the scarves so much, or maybe why my favorite song is "Somewhere Over the Rainbow".
Someday I'll get rid of those scarves, because facing the facts I just don't wear them. It's not as if they never served a purpose through, because I didn't wear them; in fact maybe they served a more profound purpose. A purpose that challenges me to look beyond the simple use of things, to look and see a greater purpose in everything, everything does comes from Him.
Or maybe I just think they look cool and I'm being blessed by cool sights all around me, in the most unique places to remind me He are everywhere.
Whatever it is I enjoy the scarves more on the hook than anywhere else; and because of that I don't ever want to wear them, because I like it better that way, since I like them better that way.

pull-tab

I don't know if anyone else has noticed the change that has happened with cans lately. Many of them have pull tabs on them for can-opener free opening now. This might not be such a big deal to other people, but for me, someone who often cuts myself at low-risk activities, such as opening a can, this upgrade is great! I able to reduce my need of band-aids by quite a bit with these easier to open tops. They also do not require me to bring a can-opener with me if I want to bring some soup in for lunch.
Thank you Lord for these simple innovations that allow you to demonstrate your love for me in simple, small ways.

blustery day

The weather is finally nice, so I have been running again. It is so windy here. Driving home from school I always see the flags blowing straight and argue with myself on whether or not I should actually run or just skip it. I mean running against the wind is really hard sometimes. The past two days I decided to give it a try and run against the wind.

Yesterday, as I was running and battling/complaining about the wind to myself, I remembered a sermon I had heard the day before about how everything is holy, holy, holy. That really resonated with me, actually it was the only thing I wrote down. HOLY, HOLY, HOLY in all caps and it was the only thing i wrote on the entire page for the entire sermon.
This challenged me to find God in things that I normally don't allow myself to see God in. So I asked God to make me thankful for this wind, to show me His beauty in it.

Not a minute later I saw a pine cone blow across the path I was running on. The Lord seemed to tap me and say, "Look at how I spread my beauty throughout the land by blowing seeds far and near." Immediately, I thanked God for the wind and how it spreads His creations all over.
I thought that would be it. God had showed me how beautiful it was and how he works through it. I had thanked Him. That's it, right?

About ten minutes later, still running against the wind, I ran by a small family-owned restaurant, I smelt the most wonderful smell. It smelled just like my Grandma's home-cooked Thanksgiving meal. Instantly I was flooded with memories of my Grandma and how blessed I am through her. The Lord seemed to nudge me and say, "See, the wind carried that smell, through the wind I gave you that smell, the smell and the memories."

Finally, I saw three kids in their yard laughing and trying to fly a kite. I didn't need a nudge to get this one.
It was a gift from God.
The friendship, the fresh air, the laughter, all due to the wind, all from God.

God showed up and really showed me how He is HOLY, HOLY, HOLY in the wind.

Today, on my run, even through it was just as windy, it didn't seem so bad.

Lord, thanks for the wind.

few and far between

Where I live trees are few and far between. But I'm thankful for the few we have here. I think trees are beautiful all year round. Call me weird but I like them better than flowers. (If only I could carry a small tree down the aisle.)

In the spring they're budding and coming alive.
Full of green in the summer.
A rainbow of color in the fall.
Crystallized in the winter.
Beautiful. All year round.

Since I have few trees here, they are emphasized. Sitting under one for shade is so much more sweet and just passing one might causes you to turn and look. However, what I might be most thankful for is how they tell me how windy it is outside. Many times trees have saved me for a run against the wind or a hairstyle ruined. Thanks for the forewarning trees. I even admire trees sometimes because though the wind comes and shakes them, they do not waver from the solid ground they stand in.

We moved out of my childhood home in third grade. When I lived there, there were a few baby trees surrounding the yard, barely taller than me. Last weekend when I went home I decided to take the long way into town, as I sometimes do to pass by my old home, stirring up old memories. When I passed by the trees were huge. They had grown up. Then I realized so had I, it wasn't only the trees that changed. It made me really think about all I had been through and all they had been through.

I have no idea how long those trees will continue to grow or how long they will stand there in that ground, surrounding that yard but I hope that they bring peace, joy and comfort to those living there. I hope as I grow and stand in whatever ground the Lord places me that I can do the same to those around me, changing through seasons, staying strong through harsh winds, and standing out when there are few and far between.

five. six. seven...

I'm so thankful for the number eight. Lately I have just enjoyed writing it. I know this will probably sound a little weird, but it's true. I find joy in the way you curve around into two circles to create the number. I get excited whenever a student gets an 80 percent or there are 88 points to a test or the date is the 8th. I can't wait until August and I wish it was 1988 (or even 1888). Plus, eight is ocho in Spanish and you can't tell me that's not fun to say. Thank you Lord for the little things, just not once but 8 times 88 times.

until you loose it

I'm so thankful for being able to smile.

About a week ago I got my wisdom teeth out. I had a lot complications and long story short, since then, I haven't been able to smile without a dense pain across my face. I learned the phrase, "You really don't know what you have til you loose it". Over the past couple of days every time I smile (such as, involuntary from laughing at something) I get a dense pain across my face. It hurts a lot but it really led me to realize how much I actually laugh in a day or smile. I thank the Lord for all the opportunities that he gives me to laugh each day and the muscles in my face that he gave me to do that. Even though I praise God for giving me the opportunity to realize how much smiling I do during a day, I am ready for the muscles to be restored, so that I can continue to praise Him with a pain-free smile again.