Tuesday, April 27, 2010

"turn back to praise"



back when all this happened a few years ago you were different. you were different than today. you were the one i went to when i thought my family was moving to Germany. I sat on the driveway waiting for julie to drive up and i cried out to you. i went to you when i was caught in between the silliness and drama of life. i went to you when i lied to my parents and when i couldn't figure out maturity... and i went to you when we lost jen and david and james and matt and trevor and candy. but i approached you with such a distance. i yelled out to you and asked how you could take away these people from this group. i questioned and cried and fought and mourned.

and then last week happened. we lost another one. i cant believe we lost another. and i didn't go to you. cause i didn't really know how. i've always approached you with distance when it comes to death and now i have cried alone and tried to heal alone. away from Camarillo where everyone is grieving and i'm here trying to make sense of this all over again. and i cant. because you're different now. you've changed and moved and shaken me up and challenged me to acknowledge you even when life sucks. you've called me out of my old self and called me into you presence. and you have asked to carry my burden. this burden of grief and pain and sadness that i wouldn't let you have in 2002 or 2003 or 2004. (you're grace was over 2005). but you're asking for it now. and i'm trying to learn to hand it to you. i'm not very good at giving you my grief... i've learned to hold it and let it define me. we've all learned to let it define us. and we're tired of it. because we're just tired.

but it's yours. my grief and my pain is yours. i trust you to heal me. i trust you to be the one i run to with full-abandon even when you take and take and take some more. i trust you to not let this define me but to let you're work in this define me. you're faithful to do this.

Wednesday, April 21, 2010


you're words don't matter. i'm reminding myself of that.



but they still hurt.

Monday, April 19, 2010

good good



"I promise myself if I ever get frustrated with life again,
If I ever get into river-deep debt, I will sell it all and move out
into the woods, find some people who aren't like me and learn to
love them, and do something even harder, let them love me, receive
the love of somebody who doesn't share my faith system,
who doesn't agree with me about everything, and I will sleep
beneath the stars and whisper thank you to the Creator of the universe,
as a way of reacquainting myself to an old friend, a friend who says
you don't have to be smart or good-looking or religious or anything;
you just have to cling to Him, love Him, need Him, listen to His story".
TPD

Sunday, April 18, 2010

Sweetness 4

Time for a new sweet list!

I love the sweet news of finding out about future plans... AFRICA!!!! Praise Jesus

Sweet poolside afternoons with some amazing friends.
* Playing go-fish with Cay-bob and Nixs
* Chips & Salsa
* Dominating at underwater handstand competitions best 2 out of 3!
* TANNING!!!

& my Sweet God and His goodness--I will be the first to admit that this weekend has been so rough. God has thrown a lot my way and nothing that I could prepare for but I ADORED worshiping HIM tonight! Ahhh my sweet Messiah is amazing ALWAYS!

Blessed Be YOUR glorious name! ALways.

Monday, April 5, 2010

rose roll



despite the fact that you got a tattoo and made our mother cry.

despite the fact that i need and pray for you to grow & grow soon.

despite the fact that you will probably be in Afghanistan within the year.

i enjoyed eating sushi with you today. sushi bars are better when you're beside me.