From reading this morning...

We would be better Christians if we spent more time alone, and we would actually accomplish more if we attempted less and spent more time in isolation and quiet waiting upon God. The world has become too much a part of us, and we are afflicted with the idea that we aren't accomplishing anything unless we are always busily running back and forth. We no longer believe in the importance of a calm retreat where we sit silently in the shade. As the people of God, we have become entirely too practical. We believe in having "all our irons in the fire" and that all the time we spend away from the anvil or fire is wasted time. Yet our time is never more profitably spent than when looking up to heaven. We can never have too many of these open spaces in life- hours set aside when our soul is completely open and accessible to any heavenly thought or influence that God may be pleased to send or way. Someone once said, "Meditation is the Sunday of the mind." In these hectic days, we sould often give our mind a "Sunday," a time in which it will do no work but instead will simply be still, look heavenward, and spread itself before the Lord like Gideon's fleece, allowing itself to be soaked with the moisture of the dew of heaven. We should have intervals of time when we do nothing, think nothing, and plan nothing but simply lie on the green lap of nature and "rest a while."

Time spent in this way is not lost time. 

~Streams in the Desert

For Dym

"As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another." Prov. 27:17

It's not often one of my own images intrigues me so...

...and I wonder why fog has such a pull on me...a longing to see what is hidden by the veil of mist, to know what is behind the curtain just out of reach...to see the source of the haunting music...a drawing to follow the Piper into the unknown...

"The Piper is coming nearer," he said, "he is nearer than he was that evening when I saw him before. His long, shadowy cloak is blowing around him. He pipes-he pipes-and we must follow...round and round the world. Listen-listen-can't you hear his wild music?"  ~Rainbow Valley

Raincatcher

It's raining.

It's been a long time since the tears of heaven have washed the dust of earth.

I always loved the short summer showers. The refreshing massage of moisture into the thirsty soil. Those times when the slow, steady rhythm would commence and convince the world that it was always so, only to abruptly stop before we could question why it came.

But the winter rains - the harsh, beating, driving rain that cuts through to your heart - the storms that never stop. Those drenching, depressing, never ending deluges of precipitation that can never make up its mind as to what form it wishes to manifest.

I think of the rains and see my ungratefulness. How I only wish for the warm summer rains. The peace. How when the dark storms come I long for something better.

And it's the same with life.

I want the gentle, growing, refreshment. I forget that the storms are what carve beauty into mountains. That trying times are what makes me more like Him.

When will I learn to catch the rain with empty hands?

I want to be a vessel that receives what the Gardener and Sculptor has seen fit to give. To desire to be grown, but also willing to be beaten down by storms. To see the gifts as what they are.

Children see the gifts. In any weather they'll run into the rain, catching liquid with their mouths, hands, empty glasses held high. An umbrella is simply a larger vessel to use, not a shield from the elements.

So I purpose to be grateful. To receive the gifts, and to catch the rain with empty hands.

A few of Morgan's bridal portraits

Due to request, here's a few of Morgan's bridal portraits. Morgan has been like a big sister to me, and I was so excited to be able to share in this time in her life.

I'm so excited for you, Morgan! More bridal/wedding photos will come...soonish... :)

And then there were crickets

Some neighbors and friends have been out of town for the past week and I have been feeding their animals. Before they left, SA was giving me the rundown of everything to do when she mentioned that I would need  to pick up crickets for the bearded dragon. "Crickets? Are you serious?" I said. She was very serious; but, it wouldn't be a problem, because the people at the pet store would get them out and tie the bag shut. The bag would then stay shut until I had come back to the cage to let them out.

So, yesterday I got crickets. Thirty-one of them, to be exact. Then I left the crickets in my car in the parking garage and went into Starbucks to study for a few hours.

That bag that was supposed to stay shut? The one that the crickets wouldn't escape from? When I got back to my car, that bag was empty.

 Totally empty.

And 31 crickets were hopping around in my car. IN MY CAR! You must understand, dear reader, that I just don't do insects. Don't pick them up, don't let them touch me, don't like them, etc. And now, there were 31 crickets in my car just waiting to attack me.

About half an hour later, 27 of the crickets were hopping around in the parking garage.Yes, I counted. There were still 4 at large. On the way to pick up my brother from work I found Number 28. He was thrown out the window at a stoplight in Houston.

After dropping my brother off at his destination, I went back to the pet store to purchase more crickets. I had a rather lengthy conversation with the manager explaining that the crickets escaped and that they needed to give me 31 free crickets. He wasn't amused. I asked if there was a female manager that would be more sympathetic, and was laughed at. No, I would still have to purchase replacement crickets. So I did. But not before having them double bagged and fastened shut with 6 rubber bands.

Those crickets managed to stay bagged long enough to get them to their cage, where they await certain death from the bearded dragon for their unfortunate brothers' crimes. I also found Numbers 29 and 30 in my car this morning. Number 31 still hasn't been found. Hopefully either the pet store person was incorrect in his counting and there was only thirty crickets to begin with, or Number 31 managed to escape into the parking garage. I may never know.

I do know, however, that I will not be purchasing crickets again.

Never.

Graduation!

So, about a month ago, I graduated! I didn't post then, but figured late was better than never. :) I rarely knew where my camera was most of the time, because random other people were taking pictures for me. Here are a few of family and people that I graduated with...

The awesome people I had a party with!

Sister pic!

 After the graduation meeting/practice thing.

 On stage...

My cousin and I

 I suppose my mom thought that since she had a daughter graduating, she was graduating as well somehow.:)

 My brother practicing for graduation...or being a pirate? not sure.

The most logical thing in the world to do with the balloons that were on the table!

I have tons more pictures, but decided for time reasons (actually, because I didn' feel like uploading them all) to just include people that graduated with me and family. Hope y'all enjoyed looking!