Daily 5 - Day 252

Today's Daily 5:

1. Coffee with a new friend today.  I love telling Jesus stories and this was a coffee (albeit one that was too short) full of them.
2. Back at house church tonight for the first time in about three weeks.  It was so good to be back.
3. laughing, eating, talking, sharing, and praying for and with each other
4. cuddling a baby
5. wearing my twirling skirt today
6. clean bill of health at the eye doctor (and I get to shop for new glasses!)
7. Having the freedom of a car to get myself to and from my appointment and house church and coffee date today
8. feeling like I am a welcome part of a community of believers again
9. Rob Bell teaching.  Really any Rob Bell teaching.
10. Filtered water.  I know I write this a lot, but I find myself incredibly thankful to have pure, healthy water readily available for drinking.

Daily 5 - Day 112

Today's Daily "5":

1. A full (or nearly full, not quite certain) moon peeking at me as I drove through the dark, to and from work, bookending the day and stirring emotions
2. Romans 8
3. Philippians 1
4. Realizing that in working on memorizing portions of scripture I'm hearing them so many times that my heart cannot help but meditate on them, and begin to hear God speaking clearly within them to the things I'm pondering or wrestling with
5. Frittata for dinner - and not having to cook
6. Getting the last renewal for the year out the door at work
7. the prayers of Walter Bruggemann in "Awed to Heaven, Rooted in Earth"
8. enjoying the writing on some of my favorite blogs
9. clean water. I love drinking water. I think I forget sometimes to be grateful to live in a place with fresh and drinkable water. A place where the water from the tap is perfectly fine and won't make me sick.
10. peanut m&m's - a handful or two a day really is making me smile lately.
    

Daily 5 - Day 19

Image by Darren Hester via Flickr

Today was a lovely day, filled with some moments that I will hold deeply precious within me for a while, though perhaps I'll eventually share.

In the meantime, here's today's daily 5:

1. the joy and laughter of children on the amusement park rides (that I was also riding!) at Heritage Park today
2. a big bag of really sweet, fresh green grapes, purchased at a very affordable price at the Harvest Sale
3. an incredible, God-ordained moment on another cemetery tour
4. finding just the right spot (while praying) to sit by the creek in the park for a while and write
5. wet feet!
6. (a bonus today!) Chinese take-out for dinner, after a quick stop at mom and dad's to give them the pineapples I'd picked up for them at the harvest sale (2 for $4!)
   

Searching for Deeper Water

I loved this quote I came across on Ali Edwards blog today:


I used to sit on the banks with a raft and watch the water roll lazily by. One day I pushed my raft into the shallows of the water and found the water moved swifter than I thought. My raft was actually a boat. Then, after some time, I rowed my little boat into deeper water. There were great storms, mighty winds, tremendous waves, and sometimes I felt so alone. But I have noticed my little rowboat is now a mighty ship manned by my friends and loved ones; and beautiful calm seas, warm sunny days, and nights filled with comfortable dreams always double after a storm. Now, I could never go back and sit on the bank. In fact, I search for deeper water. Such is life when lived. (B. D. Gulledge)

Smile List - June 4 Edition

Things Making Me Smile

My baby brother, T.’s, facebook status last night read “T. is getting calluses again.” This is fantastic news. It means that he’s been able to begin playing his guitar again after nearly two years. It means that the last surgery, the one earlier this spring where they shortened one of the bones in his wrist, seems to have been successful.

On Friday a collection of 10 different nose studs that I ordered online arrived in the mail. I got a great deal on them, and I’m quite enjoying having a rainbow of colors at my easy disposal.

We are looking at a house that seems to be a good possibility for the three of us (and fits our varied criteria) tomorrow night.

It wasn’t raining for my commute in to work this morning, so I arrived warm and dry for a change.

I’m reading a quite fascinating book on the topic of treating addicts right now.

Because I’m taking a few days off of work to visit a dear friend, I only have today and tomorrow left in the office. AND, next week will also be a short week.

A much anticipated visit with a dear friend.

A breakfast date with my best friend M., on Friday morning.

Animal Crackers.

Fresh apricots.

Canned peaches.

My current purse, which is a canvas bag with an Andy Warhol print of a campbell’s soup can on the front of it. (A $5 purchase the last time I hung out with Rae).

Skirt weather. I love wearing skirts.

Water. I really love water. Drinking it. Being in it. Being near a body of it.

The overflow of company in our house ends at the end of this week. I’ve loved having people stay with us, but I’ll be glad when things quiet down a little, especially since we now need to start thinking about packing for our impending move. My roommate has promised me “no more company” for the remainder of June.

A quiet day at the office yesterday, with much time to think and pray.

Things to do at the office today and tomorrow, to make the last two days for the week go more quickly.

Subtle Shiver

This song has been playing through my head the last few days... can't quite explain it, the events, but here are some pictures, and the words that underlie them in my head...

Subtle Shiver (by Diana Pops, recorded by Steve and Sarah Bell on "Sons and Daughters")

As I walk through this field in the fall time
Leaves become a red carpet as I pass by
Don’t know why but the world’s in its prime right now

As I walk the prairie skies are vacant
Pick up stones the river hasn’t taken
The firefly that danced with the frost silently dies

I hear traces of old familiar songs
The cold wind blowing helps to rush me along
And here I found You in your glory
On that cold October morning
In this clearing by the river
I felt a subtle shiver
I know You waited for me

Every wave on the water it is dancing
Looks as though summer never happened
The trees o’er my head sway as the sky starts to blaze



I never thought that You’d give me a love song
Never saw it’s been here all along
I close my eyes to cover a tear
That’s made it down my cheek and now I hear
Your voice it speaks so soft and clear…
You’ve seen Me everywhere

Funny how that works...

I rolled out of bed about 45 minutes ago, kind of groaning at the prospect of going to my favorite place in the mountains, and hiking this morning... the warm bed was awfully enticing.

About 15 minutes ago I got a phone call, telling me the trip was up in the air because of some weather difficulties (it's raining a little bit at the moment - just sprinkling, but usually always worse in the mountains). And I'm really disappointed, which surprised me.

I really want out of the city today. If it doesn't happen, then I need to find time to get to a creek or river, and just be for a bit. Needing to see water - have this crazy idea from a friend that I possibly need to dip my toes in the water!

Feeling tired, and something about water and mountains always lets me meet with Jesus and be restored... could use that today, before heading back into the week.