a moment of metropolis

New York is just one of those cities that is simply photogenic... there's so much to see there, so much detail that is missed if you're not paying attention. Me and my family went a couple weeks ago, and oh was it wonderful!

One of my favorite parts of our trip was when we were scurrying through the subway, and we heard these musicians playing some flute-like, wooded instruments. What struck us as we were passing through was that the melody that was building was reminiscent of a WORSHIP song! I believe it was, He is Holy. A couple feet ahead was a street preacher who was speaking on the reality of a Creator God who actually speaks to us. I got chills all over and even felt like I could have gotten saved again. haha The presence of Jesus was there no doubt! His talk was not marked by condemnation, but, in my mind, his talk was likened to John the Baptist who knew of a Kingdom that was coming...

It was such a short second in our trip, but still, of everything we'd seen and experienced, that moment was a comfort and an inspiration for us. I am thankful.

[the Empire State building! my sister & my mum]

[hello vested man]

[the train. they call it "the train" instead of "the subway" in nyc]

[taxi! in Time Square]

[let your light shine. this was actually taken back home,

in a thrift store, finishing off the rest of the summer]

[this is at Ten Top. he sat by the window

& I thought it was a picture perfect moment]

summer in summary

Today is the first Wednesday of Fall semester, and as I look back on this past summer, I see that it has been marked by this consistent sense of longing. It's been a season of longing to know and be known, to see and be seen, and to give and be given. In this never-ending cycle of trying to satisfy this longing, I have found one thing to be true:

The longing in our hearts are actually purposed to draw us to the Father.

I am drawn away. Jesus opens His hands and satisfies the desire of every living thing [Psalm 145:16]. I eat and dine from the very palm of His hand. How humbling...

My sister was sharing with me the other day about how everything in life is sustained by giving and receiving, without this exchange...we just wouldn't be. She explained how even in our breathing we are constantly having to exhale, give, and inhale, receive. It's the physical reality revealing the inward nature of man, that also reflects our Beautiful God who gave His life and who will then, one day, receive the reward of His suffering.

I love that. I want my life to have this natural exchange of giving and receiving, and I want it to be as easy as inhaling and exhaling-- it's just so refreshing, "a breath of fresh air," if you will.

Oh God, I surrender all my desires to You Jesus, and I say that I'm willing to have all that You desire for me now in this season. If that just means drawing closer still, then let it be.

On a lighter note: I soon will be posting some photos from my family's trip to NYC, and maybe a photo or two of a weekend retreat with Intervarsity. Yippee!

until then

Summer is coming to a close and I'm still not sure what to make of it.... hopefully words will form soon. Until then, here are some photos of the past few days:

[we went on a photo excursion!]

[...and we found this quaint spot][This was part of someone's yard, so we made sure
we went unnoticed. sneaky sneaky, I agree][ole urban buildings that have been through the test of time...][A railroad crossing with the most beautiful blue backdrop! This was
along our walk to the restaurant after an Acts29 conference]

Root Bear

One extravagant chain saw dance move goes to camping last weekend in the mountains! If only we wore plaid and grew beards would the feeling of manliness be more complete. haha The fact is, we survived, despite the pseudo-carcass we encountered on the way to our campsite.

[The story: we were driving through the mountain, and went up up up trying to find a good spot. My sister lets us know that there are monster bears that hang out all around the same mountain we're tryin to camp out at. Thanks for lettin us know sis! We got to a point where we just thought we were at the wrong place, and boom! We see this huge dead thing in the middle of the road, and we freak out because it looked like a dead eaten up animal and its bones. Nope, just a dead branch with leaves all over. That's all. ha ha ha jokes on us!]

[deer caught in headlights. & that actually happened many times that night] [bringin the fiyah! ah, can't wait till we do this again]

The following day I got to see my good friends get married! Hannah and Jake. It was such a beautiful and magical night, complete with fireworks at a barn. Wish I could have gotten some photos of the Bride&Groom but none turned out. Anyhow, meet 2 of my friends:

[hi there Carra][oh hey jonsey]

AndToday.

I helped my dad make some fig jam. Oh boy! When I was rinsing off the jars and sat them on the kitchen counter, I noticed that our harvest is plenty! We've got big bowls full of tomatoes, pears, okra, and other veggies that I don't know the name for. Kind of exciting, don't you think?!

____________________________________________________________
On a more meaningful note:

Last night at Big House, while we were worshiping I was so touched by the willingness of the Lord to break us in order that He could heal us and make us more whole than we could have ever imagined Him to. He is the Restorer and He revives us, makes us newer than new. How good is He? Reminds me of Gomer.

"Therefore, behold, I will allure her,
will bring her into the wilderness,
and speak comfort to her.
I will give her her vineyards from there,
and the Valley of Achor as a door of hope;
she shall sing there,
as in the days of her youth,
as in the day when she came up from the land of Egypt."
Hosea 2:14-15

I will lean, and lean, and lean. And then I will fall, and fall, and fall again in Love.

repost: on shutting up

I don't know how I stumbled on this blog, but i read it and it's everything that I'm going through, and articulated really well, so here's a repost of it by http://timandbrookecollier.wordpress.com/

on shutting up
i’m getting a little tired of hearing myself talk lately. i’m not feeling wise or profound or salty. i’m feeling bland and dull… and actually relatively unsure about almost everything right now apart from the pressing feeling that my Father is working something deep in me that can’t yet be articulated.

i used to think of my blog, though i feel silly admitting it, as a fountain of emotional transparency paired with spiritual depth and insight. i wrote for myself, and i wrote what was true, but i think i thought i was doing you (readers) some sort of small service by my writing. whether or not that is accurate, i’ll let you determine.

but i’m running out of things to say. i’m silenced by the mystery that life is right now; the mystery that God Himself is in the midst of it. I’m a bit tired, truthfully, of working to chase down my Life Calling and to walk in step with the Spirit. i’m certain that it’s not supposed to be that tiring (“my yoke is easy and my burden is light. you’ll find rest for your souls,” He said), which means i’m doing something wrong. i know Him well enough to know that He will not lose me. but, still, something is off.

the remedy? to pray more, to concentrate on hearing His voice, to get into circles of fellowship that will challenge me, to worship with other people, to take a retreat? well, most of that feels like more striving. so, i’m opting to shut up instead. to shut up with the internal dialogue AND with the verbose musings.

my prayers these days are more about the posture of my heart than the words i speak (or don’t). but i’m praying. in fact, i know that He’s near right now and doing something vital. but i’m just at a loss for words.

posts for a little bit here will probably be “shallow” and focused more on ordinary day-to-day things.

_____________________________________________________

So, some day-to-day things: photos from July Fourth Weekend

[...every sinner has a future]
[a bit grainy, but other than that, I like it, this was
after a dance party we went to //fan plan//
oh and this is not me, it's my sister, get it straight][sabbath afteroon at ze church for lunch munch,
and despedida for the missions team][paparrazzi shot at guitar center][she's old and fat, her name is Charka. I met her
at the Fil-Am festival, she has short legs, and likes to sit][mi familia celebrates another young one into the fold
at a buffet. it's the only way to party really btw, the
prego cousin-in-law isn't in the pic, nor is the new popz]