Cincinnati

Epiphanies

So I found this book in McKay's bookstore. (McKay's is like the Costco of used books; it's amazing and addicting and very very dangerous.) The book is called "The 3 A.M. Epiphany: Uncommon Writing Exercises That Transform Your Fiction." And while I don't tend to write fiction, I liked the idea of learning to write in different ways and I also like the idea of having epiphanies!

Yesterday and today I began working on the first lesson. Writing something that is obviously in the first person perspective without using the words "I", "me", or "my" more than twice all together. This is not easy. Sometimes it feels awkward. Sometimes it just ends up branching out to be more creatively said. I'm still working on it.

It kind of reminds me of the time my sister wrote an entire paper for her Rhetoric teacher without using the letter "e". He didn't even notice. And I don't expect anyone who might happen to read my short 600 word first person perspective writing to notice that "me" is used only once and "I" is used only once. But I do hope that they notice the point that I'm trying to get across.

Family Reunions

Family reunions are amazing things. There are so many people and everyone knows each other (or is meeting each other) and it always gets bigger and bigger. People mingle in and out and it's not like other parties where people feel like they have to impress others. Here we're family. We've traveled overseas together. That means we've all seen each other stinky, groggy, and jet-lagged. There's no pretense left. I like it. It's comfortable. I like that. 

Buying Plane Tickets

Some days it feels like everything will always be hard. Some days just communicating with people is overwhelming. Some days even the hopeful parts of life seem too far off, even if they are less than two months away. But some days... you have to buy plane tickets. And sometimes those are the worst days ever. 

Kentucky Sunset

Thankful Again

 

736. 60% Dark Chocolate

737. Overcoming the darts of the evil one
738. Messages from my students
739. Skype voicemail
740. Getting Excel to do what I want!
741. My presence making a difference to friends
742. Ericka playing and singing
743. K and C's purple mouthed baby's smile
744. Smiles at scarf gifts
745. Fresh cake donuts
746. Pretty new planner
747. Refining fire that burns off my bondage



748. Seeing Patrick
749. Tribute blend coffee fresh ground
750. Helping others process through details
751. Katie's fake eyelashes
752. Jonathan and his groomsmen praying in the chapel
753. The look on Jonathan's face as he made his vows
754. Katie looking like a model
755. My friend "giving me permission" to get married
756. Golden honey drizzling
757. Drinking tap water
758. Words that speak God's direction for my future
759. White t-shirt
760. Amazing foods... over and over again
761. Laughter and talking around the table, in the living room, at the airport
762. My new piercing
763. Adjusting to America more purposefully

Blowing Bubbles in the Evening

 Bubbles are some of the most beautiful things on earth, I think.

 But, because they move and reflect light, they are very hard to photograph...
 

especially at night.

 One interesting thing is that you can see your reflection in them.

 But that reflection is short lived.

Sometimes you get the chance to see amazingly weird or wonderful things. 
 

How often do I forget those things when the situation is over? When the bubble pops?

There are so many things I never want to forget. Reflections I don't want to lose.

Sometimes I feel like my life is a neatly piled stack of stones. I might fall over any minute if the ground shakes and I don't feel like I have a whole lot of purpose.

But then I remember some other things about these little towers. First of all, they don't happen by accident. It is obvious that someone put it there on purpose. So also with me. I know God made me and put me here on purpose.

The second truth comes from the Old Testament. God asked people to set up piles of stones in several stories so that when people came by they would ask what that pile of stones was for. And the reason for the rocks was always something having to do with the guidance of their faithful God. So the stones were there to glorify God. They pointed to God and his greatness. What else could I ask for?

Maybe I am content to be a pile of stones.

Realizing...

...that I really need to get my newer photos uploaded so I have something new to post... oh, that... and write something. =)