Flags

Today is the day.

Brooke Fraser's new cd hit the American scene. I bought it during my Spanish class (...) and haven't stopped listening to it yet.

My favorites?

-Who are we fooling?

-Something in the water (the single)

-Crows & Locusts

This album is so good! I was talking to my friend Taylor about it earlier, and we both agree that it's so much more real, more honest, more raw. He used the word organic, if you will, and I must admit, it's appropriate. It sounds less produced than her previous albums. She's definitely evolved as an artist and is exploring more sounds, more styles, more ways to use her voice.

It's amazing.

Go buy it now!

We've Got Love On Our Side

Today is a lovely day.

This morning, I woke up early... 5:45ish. I went for a run. The air was so crisp and swirled around me as I jogged east down Samford Ave. It was still dark when I got started, but soon, I saw a large orange sun rising over the trees. I witnessed the most beautiful sunrise I've seen in a while. The clouds framed it just right. It was picturesque. I stopped in the cemetery to do some dryland exercises, and continued on my way. It was just so peaceful. I felt God.

I came home and sat out on our front porch to spend time with the Lover of my soul. I read in Isaiah, and he spoke a lot of truth into my life. I love this book. I was able to get a lot of good prayer time in, and made new notecards for the week, of verses and prayers.

Today is a lovely day.

Here's a song that's been frequenting my iPod speakers...

May my prayer like incense rise before You
I'm lifting up my hands as sacrifice
Oh Lord Jesus turn Your eyes upon me
For I know there is mercy in Your sight

Oh God, You are my God
And I will ever praise You
Oh God, You are my God
And I will ever praise You

To all creation I can see a limit
But Your commands are boundless and have none
So Your Word is my joy and meditation
From the rising to the setting of the sun

All Your ways are loving and are faithful
The road is narrow but Your burden light
Because You gladly lean to lead the humble
I shall gladly kneel to leave my pride

Oh God, You are my God
And I will ever praise You
Oh God, You are my God
And I will ever praise You

I will seek You in the morning
I will look to walk in Your ways
And step by step You'll lead me
And I will follow You all of my days

True Living = Serving

"The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others." -Gandhi

Isn't this so true?

When do you feel most fulfilled? For me, it's when I've completely forgotten any self-interest and egotism and devoted myself fully to another.

Obviously, that means something. That God created us to be in service, to love Him and others WAY more than ourselves. Simple concept.

Oh, Lord, let my life reflect this simple statement.

Where I Am Today

Oh, to grace, how great a debtor daily I'm constrained to be.

Let Your goodness, like a fetter, bind my wandering heart to You.

Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it, prone to leave the God I love.

Here's my heart, Lord, take and seal it.

Seal it for your courts above.

Quote of the Week

“These places of worship are not built that you may sit here comfortably, and hear something that shall make you pass away your Sundays with pleasure. A church in London which does not exist to do good in the slums, and dens, and kennels of the city, is a church that has no reason to justify its existing any longer. A church that does not exist to reclaim heathenism, to fight with evil, to destroy error, to put down falsehood, a church that does not exist to take the side of the poor, to denounce injustice and to hold up righteousness, is a church that has not the right to be. Not for thyself, O church, dost thou exist, any more than Christ existed for himself. His glory was that he laid aside His glory…To rescue souls from hell and lead to God, to hope, to heaven, this is the church’s heavenly occupation. O that the church would always feel this.”

-Charles Spurgeon

Little Bird

This morning, I woke up to the most beautiful song of a sweet little bird outside my window.

Usually, when I'm abruptly awoken, I'm not a happy camper. But this darling melody was so pleasant that it didn't bother me one bit.

I asked the bird if he would do this every morning, but he didn't understand English.

So I whistled at him, and he flew away. I thought it was a nice try.

A Franciscan Blessing

"May God bless us with discomfort at easy answers, half-truths, and superficial relationships, so that we may live deep within our hearts.

May God bless us with anger at injustice, oppression, and exploitation of people, so that we may work for justice, freedom and peace.

May God bless us with tears to shed for those who suffer from pain, rejection, starvation and war, so that we may reach out our hands to comfort them and turn their pain into joy.

And may God bless us with enough foolishness to believe that we can make a difference in this world, so that we can do what others claim cannot be done."

Die

You know those times where there's something you REALLY need to hear, and God knows it, and He's tired of beating around the bush about it? I had one of those times one Village Day at camp this summer. I was really worn down, a little discouraged, irritated by everything, and even though I'd perfected the art of faking it, I didn't have a good attitude of the heart.

At the lowest point of my day, Laura Paulk, my precious friend and co-worker, came around to all the counselors and without speaking a word, gave us each a sheet of paper with the following printed on it:

DYING TO SELF

When you are forgotten or neglected or purposely set at naught, and you sting and hurt with the insult or the oversight, but your heart is happy, being counted worthy to suffer for Christ

-that is dying to self.

When your good is evil spoken of, when your wishes are crossed, your advice disregarded, your opinions ridiculed and you refuse to let anger rise in your heart, or even defend yourself, but take all in patient loving silence

-that is dying to self.

When you lovingly and patiently bear any disorder, any irregularity, or any annoyance, when you can stand face to face with waste, folly, extravagance, spiritual insensibility, and endure it as Jesus endured it

-that is dying to self.

When you are content with any food, any offering, any raiment, any climate, any society, any attitude, any interruption by the will of God

-that is dying to self.

When you never care to refer to yourself in conversation, or to record your own good works, or itch after commendation, when you can truly love to be unknown

-that is dying to self.

When you see your brother prosper and have his needs met and can honestly rejoice with him in spirit and feel no envy nor question God, while your own needs are far greater and in desperate circumstances

-that is dying to self.

When you can receive correction and reproof from one of less stature than yourself, can humbly submit inwardly as well as outwardly, finding no rebellion or resentment rising up within your heart

-that is dying to self.

Author Unknown

And.. I just laughed, because God could not have been more obvious.

Now, I suppose, is an appropriate time

Summer 2010. Check.

I could upload pictures, I could search for eloquent words, I could write a novel.

Or, I could make a list.

I MISS:

(Bolivia [May 14-24])

-My Bolivian friends Ruber, Job Saúl, Wendy, Betsabet, Moises, Hernán, Wilfredo, Tomás, and Jonathan.

-The view from the top of the Andes Mountains.

-Being engulfed by kids every afternoon at the Clinic Registration desk... and putting stickers on all of their faces.

-Watching Brittany and Jordan in their element at VBS, loving on children exactly how they were made to.

-The smell of no showers for 10 days (actually... do I miss that?)

-The toothless smiles.

-Speaking Spanish ALL OF THE TIME.

(SIFAT [May 25-June 31])

-The Bunkhouse Porch and its unrivaled View of the Sun's Parting.

-Seeing the Milky Way and Shooting Stars on Hamp's blanket with my seven best friends.

-My Seven Best Friends (in no particular order, Hillary, Taylor, Hamp, Lauren, Leah, Bryan, and Carter).

-The Feel of Cool Creek Water on my ankles as I "forded it."

-Impromptu worship (through music) sessions.

-The Shield, our counselor Devotion Book.

-County Road 88! and all of my friends there.

-The Rush of Post-Dinner Global Village Prep on Tuesdays.

-Playing Baywatch every Thursday at Flat Rock.

-The Yellow Llamas: Sarah, William, Erin, Amanda, Cody, Michael, Brian, Will, Katelyn, Chris and Caleb.

-The Yellow Pumas: Jake, Annika, Luke, Parker, Haley, Alex, and Noah.

-The Yellow Jacket Jam Bombs: Adam, Janie, Haley, Marie, Porter, Brayden, Lauren, Shelby A, Shelby B, and Jack.

-The Yellow Fever: Forrest, Emily, Kirsten, Becca, Lou, Mason, and Maria.

-The Yellow Cobras: Danielle, Greg, Hannah, Kiana, Becky, Stephen, Amber, Sarah, and PICKLES.

-The Yellow Submarines: Madison, Taylor, Luke, Parker, Jackson, Mary Caitlyn, Victoria, and Andy.

-The mist over the fields in the Early Morning Time.

-My bunkbed.

-Seeing the way Hillary folded herself up during her sleep.

-The Floral and Polka Dot coffee mugs Lauren and I drank from each morning.

-Shaving legs at Old Aldea every Sunday with Carter & the Quintards.

-Dance parties to our favorite songs in the Caf and in the Quonset Hut.

-The incredible Food prepared by our one and only Miss Lola Mae Wright.

-John the Gardener and all of his beautiful gardens.

-Fresh veggies every Village Day.

-Mary the nurse and the squeaky laugh and her lisp.

-Laura the photographer/videographer and her fake cry/vom.

-Mountain Man Dave Corson and his immense knowledge of everything.

-Nate the Great, and sitting around listening to him play guitar.

-Raphael, my Nigerian brother, and his smile.

-Vicky and her mealworms.

-Flex Staff 4eva.

-Waking up bright and early every morning, not wasting the day.

-The walk to and from the Market on Village Day because it marked a pivotal point each week.

-The phone game.

-Enjoying blueberries right off the bush.

-The Aaron Carter dance.

-The regularity of my bowels - always after morning devo (tmi?).

-Mexico Lindo ¡y Que Rico!

-Praying with the counselors before we gave our talks.

Someone this summer described SIFAT as a "thin place," meaning that the distance between you and God is thinner there than other places. This is what I loved most, and will miss most. The simplicity. Life with fewer distractions. Life where you don't have to always be making time to encounter God. It's impossible to go a day, an hour, a minute, there without meeting Him. Back in "the real world" it's not the same.

Which leads me into the topic of my next post (for another day, soon): what God taught me that has changed me irreversibly.

(If you're reading this, I'm sorry. This is mostly for my own benefit. I don't want to forget anything about my summer. However, if you are, let this simply be a testament to God's faithfulness and provision. He is good, all of the time, and even when I was unfaithful, my faithlessness does not nullify the faithfulness of God, and He continued to move and to tie up my loose ends. He moved in the most incredible of ways the whole summer long. All praise and all honor and all glory be to Him.)