Nothing much

...A blast of air from the ocean that swipes your face and makes your hair dance...

I looked high and low// Turning rocks and magazine pages// At this friend’s house, in that enemy’s eyes,// I trotted ‘round all over the years// Asking my mother, and telling myself// I checked on the internet// And many times I thought I’d apprehended –// But never finding the whole thing// Sometimes a clue, a scrap, a thread// And I tried to join these to finish the mystery// But disappointed, I found// I’m not completely in any of them// And I always slip through my fingers// “Who I am” – elusive me!

Friday (and the peasants rejoiced)

Hello everyone! I hope this Friday finds you bright and cheery (I am working on those two...;). My morning began rather late, and is progressing quite slowly. Or, I should say, my conscious awareness of the day is progressing slowly. But it's Friday, and tomorrow is Saturday, and that is reason enough to have a little smile, don't you think? Tomorrow is also "Thunder Over Louisville", the kick-off for two weeks of Kentucky Derby festivities. Thunder's evening features a huge fireworks show set off from around the 2nd Street bridge in Louisville, Kentucky. I'm sort of waffling back and forth, trying to decide whether or not to go. In the six years that I've lived in the area, I have never gone! I'm told that it's worth it to go one time. I'm also aware that the show is crowded with throngs of all types of people (pick-pockets included). You see, while I heartily enjoy fireworks, I do not much enjoy large crowds. We shall see. Happy weekend to all!

Hold Fast

"Concerning this thing I pleaded with the Lord three times that it might depart from me. And He said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.'..." --2 Corinthians 12:9 ---In this passage Paul is explaining how he asked God to remove the "thorn in the flesh". I believe God led me to this verse for a specific purpose. I was not seeking it out; I was looking in my Bible's concordance for another verse that includes the word "grace". That verse was not in the list, but my eyes lit upon 2 Corinthians. Oh, how I needed to see it, and the Lord knew that. In the middle of trials, when the ground feels loose and crumbling and my own will to follow the Lord fails me, my plea is often that these "thorns" be removed, for I would much rather they leave than that I have to dig in my heels and trust God to help me with them until His refining work is done in me. I would much rather have God simply destroy distractions, trials, and temptations, than for me to close my eyes and lean into the act of trusting God to see me through them. But ah, if I didn't go through the fire, I would not become more like the Lord Jesus. The impurities would not burn off. I would not know the sweetness of victory gained by trust and faithfulness. --"For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal." 2 Corinthians 4:17-18

I’m so weary of this incomplete human understanding…weary of knowing that I don’t know the whole story, that I cannot explain what I do know, and that a well-rounded understanding in the sphere of human knowledge seems out of reach.

To JJ

Did I say enough?// Do enough?// Was I enough?// Was I out of the way enough// That Jesus could move forward// And teach you the things that my words could only fail to?

New Jersey

As some of you know, my family traveled to southern New Jersey this week for the funeral of my grandmother. The occasion was somber, but with the clouds there was also sunshine, and we had a nice visit with relatives. Below are a few photos of the beautiful state of New Jersey.