10 Things That Make Me Very Happy

1. Thunderstorms

2. Getting lost in a good book with a cup of tea

3. Scarves

4. Old couples holding hands

5. The sound of a shutter on a camera

6. A great Yoga workout

7. Freshly painted nails

8. Putting on my comfy sweatshirt

9. Inside jokes

10. Tattoos

Wedding

love this.

So much

So I have 12 days left in Nashville. That is not a lot of time. I am so split on my feelings. On one hand I am excited to get back to school and my friends and my new townhouse. To get started on BLUE stuff and my senior year. On the other hand, I am falling in love...with this city. The people, the music, my church, everything. I am sad to see my time here slip away. I am trying to make the most out of these last two weeks.

Amazed

You dance over me

while I am unaware

You sing all around,

but I never hear the sound

Lord I'm amazed by you

Lord I'm amazed by you

Lord I'm amazed by you

How you love me

How wide

How deep

How great

Is your love for me

What Matters More

Derek Webb's honest christianity is so refreshing and challenging.

Lyrics:

You say you always treat people like you like to be
I guess you love being hated for your sexuality
You love when people put words in your mouth
'Bout what you believe, make you sound like a freak

'Cause if you really believe what you say you believe
You wouldn't be so damn reckless with the words you speak
Wouldn't silently conceal when the liars speak
Denyin' all the dyin' of the remedy

Tell me, brother, what matters more to you?
Tell me, sister, what matters more to you?

If I can tell what's in your heart by what comes out of your mouth
Then it sure looks to me like being straight is all it's about
It looks like being hated for all the wrong things
Like chasin' the wind while the pendulum swings

'Cause we can talk and debate until we're blue in the face
About the language and tradition that he's comin' to save
Meanwhile we sit just like we don't give a shit
About 50,000 people who are dyin' today

Tell me, brother, what matters more to you?
Tell me, sister, what matters more to you?

Today

was a really bad day

Needed Words

My friend Jen just put this on Facebook, and I am now sharing it with you. She wrote this while she was in Australia and it was EXACTLY what I needed, and still do need. I hope it does for you what it did for me. Beautiful.


Be still, my soul. The Lord is on thy side.
Trust My warmth, Beloved.
That word seems to sting a bit now, but I Am speaking that truth into you like before,
and yet, like never before.

Trust Me.
I do see you.
I hear your heart
the desires
the questions
the confusion
the crying out
the passions
the brokenness

Trust for My discernment.

Trust that I Am.

Trust that I Am
Here
Aching with you
Fighting over you
Dreaming in you
Putting things in place you have yet to imagine
Quieting your soul with My singing (Zephaniah 3:17)
Can you hear it?
In this breeze
In the sound of life all around
In the warmth
the waves
In the endless thoughts
your heart-cry
your deep desires beginning to rise to the surface
in this thing stirring within which you are just beginning to sense

I Am here
Breathing rest
Breathing life
even in this
Calling forth my plan for you e
ven in this

Oh my Beloved,
I have a great plan for you
You can sense it
You know all of these things are not simply chance
this exact place
these exact emotions
this very deepening
none of it is an accident
I have been here all along.
I Am here all along.

Rest in Me
in My dreams for you
My plans for you
My life for you
My hope for you

Trust
that I will give you discernment
to be at peace with this
to move in the wave of My Spirit

Rest in Me, My child
You are My Beloved, and My desires are for you (Song of Songs 7:10)

What If

I am so sick of these two words dominating my life

O-HIO

This week the Pattonhouse gang made a trip to Hillsboro Ohio to see Rush of Fools perform at The Festival of the Bells. A lot of fun. The guys did great. Here are some pics.