likemorningsun

the give.

2012-02-14T11:38:00.000-08:00

the give. it happens when you least expect it, when you aren't looking or waiting for it. it comes in a wave and spills over into your heart in a way that doesn't even make sense.

today we visited a home for mentally and physically challenged kids. we almost didn't even stay, it was too much to process in the moment--the hurt and suffering and need for love. but i am so glad we did. we were overwhelmed with hugs and giggles and love and we weren't even inside the gate yet. the sweetest kids live in the compound. two little girls and i walked hand in hand as i asked them the few questions that i knew in kinyarwanda. and amidst the suffering, all i could see was a pure joy that had to come from God.

luke 6:38. give, and you will receive. you will be given much. pressed down, shaken together, and running over; it will spill into your lap. the way you give to others is the way God will give to you.

today it spilled into my heart and overflowed.

life.

2012-02-11T01:58:00.000-08:00

life has been crazy busy lately, with the women coming over 3 times a week for sewing, our Bible study, and visiting the boys...we barely have a free second of time! i haven't even taken many photos lately, so i will leave you with a few stills from a video that we took of the women in our sewing group, which now has the name, "Sew Rwanda."

also, a photo of me with the boys on their first day of school. school has been back in session for about a month now, and all four are doing great! from left to right: theoneste loves being at school! he has made some great friends and is really getting more comfortable around all of the other kids. he is also getting a lot better with his english! shema is doing well in his first month of school. he was supposed to be going into grade 5 at public school, but tested into grade 3 at wisdom. he is still settling in to his classes, and working hard to catch up on things that he needs to know for grade 3, but is so thankful that he is able to go to wisdom school with his friends. isaac is getting great grades, and is really enjoying being back at school! he has started a Bible study all on his own and studies his homework with a group of kids after classes are over. we are so proud of him, and miss having him at our house! and emmanuel has had a complete turn around since the first day. he was one of the tougher street kids, with little respect or discipline. when we dropped him off a month ago, he was really having a hard time and didn't want to listen at all. now, the headmaster says he is one of the best boys, and he is getting really good grades as well!

my favorite.

2012-02-04T09:21:00.001-08:00

when Bible study turns into a dance party :)

colors

2012-01-28T05:15:00.000-08:00

our Bible study is growing into something bigger than we could have ever imagined. just two months ago, we started our Bible study with only 5 women. every thursday, we make the 30 minute walk--rain or shine. and for a while, there was more rain than shine. now that rainy season is over, it is a long, hot walk. sometimes, when there are hands reaching from every direction and needs coming out of every corner; it can be overwhelming. but we press on, because we know that God can provide and that He will fill these beautiful women with a peace and a hope for their future. it is so worth it. just a few weeks ago, 23 women accepted Christ and are hungry to know more about their Savior. this week we had over 40 women attend the study. it was a special day, as we had some visitors from canada with us. our Bible study turned into a clinic, an eye exam, a dance party, and an amazing time to praise our God together. you can't help but see God everywhere in these moments. and I am so thankful that He is bigger than anything we could ever know.

acts 13:41

2012-01-23T22:28:00.000-08:00

acts 13:41

i am doing a work in your days, a work that you will never believe, even if someone were to explain it to you.

yesterday we started teaching the women how to sew! it was a learning experience for us too, as we are just learning how to use a treadle machine. we practiced getting a rhythm down on the pedal, and then practiced sewing in straight lines on a piece of paper. everyone was so excited to start sewing, and excited for the future that this knowledge can give to them.

fidelity was very interested in watching the sewing machine pedal go up and down and the wheel spinning round and round.

we have also been working on making bracelets...fidelity was my cute model :)

the twins are growing every day!

we were also able to buy medical cards for each of the women and their families. they were so excited! having a medical card gets you free medical care, and the price of prescriptions are very reduced.

sunrise

2012-01-17T05:12:00.000-08:00

rwanda at dawn. watching the darkness fade and the quiet town transform into a bustling city.

our life lately.

2012-01-11T04:20:00.000-08:00

these past few weeks have been so busy! but in a good way :) here are some photos from what we have been up to. after our english class, we headed down to kigali to pick up my family from the airport!

we opened some christmas gifts.

played with the car that isaac made.

my aunt and grandpa helped isaac fix his bike.

we had bible study.

we sorted (and ate) beans.

bought some fruits and vegetables at the market.

sat on the porch.

visited lake kivu in gisenyi.

worked on our card project with the women.

did the round up :)

played with our new jump ropes.
ate candy canes (and pretended like they were umbrellas).

then headed back down to kigali. we woke at sunrise to go on a safari in akagera national park.

then back to the airport for my family to head home. it was a great visit and i miss everyone already! we have been very busy since then getting the boys to school, having bible study, and working on more projects with the women.

thanks to my aunt for taking several of these photos :)

this seed i've received i must sow.

2012-01-06T12:36:00.000-08:00

i have so many pictures and stories from when my family visited us, but i just had to share an amazing story from today.

during our discussion time in Bible study today, someone asked how God forgives us. that question opened the door for us to talk about salvation, forgiveness, and eternal life. we answered questions and read some verses from john, romans, and first john. at the end of our discussion we prayed together and then said that anyone was welcome to come pray with us if they wanted to give their lives over to Christ. every single one of the women got in line. some had already accepted Christ as their Savior, and 23 more of them gave their lives to Christ today. please pray for these new children of God, that they will continue to grow in their faith and seek God in everything that they do in their lives.

the hurt is deep, but the light shines brighter still. and now they have Jesus. as i listened to them pour out some of their deepest hurts and needs, i was thankful that their hearts had been opened to receive the gift that God had given them. Jesus. the only One who can take away their hurts and fears and worries and give them joy and peace and comfort in return. so today, with the sun shining down and the breath of God whispering through the air and the sound of laughter and singing and kids playing in the background; 23 women and girls became children of God. catherine, patrice, anatalie, vestine, odette, claudine, consolette, jen, patricia, claudine, angelique, mary claire, lachal, claudine, ejani, damarce, lachal, claudine, diana, olive, beatrice, solange, and olive--angels are rejoicing in heaven today because of what you have done. and I know that He is smiling.

this is my prayer in the harvest, when favor and providence flow

i know i'm filled to be emptied again

this seed i've received i must sow.

spelunking.

2011-12-30T06:00:00.000-08:00

today in haiku:

we went spelunking

it was really exciting

we did not get lost

christmas eve.

2011-12-24T03:23:00.000-08:00

the past week has been a whirlwind of activity. our Bible study is growing every week; and we have been working on a project with some of the women from our study. the twins are growing every day, and the other day when they were at our house, we saw them smile for the first time!

chad, edward, and the boys finished building the rabbit cages and we now have 5 rabbits living in our backyard. isaac collects food for them each day; they eat so much!

and on wednesday we spent the day baking and decorating cookies for a Christmas party with some friends who live nearby. we ate cookies, drank tea, decorated gingerbread houses, and sang Christmas carols.

tonight, isaac is getting baptized, and we are attending a Christmas eve celebration at church. tomorrow we will spend time together and celebrate the birth of our Savior.

you'd see that today holds something special, something holy and not superficial; so here's to the birthday boy who saved our lives. here's to Jesus Christ who saved our lives.

all is bright

2011-12-16T02:55:00.000-08:00

we decorated for christmas the other night! we decorated the tree and made paper chains and drank hot chocolate and listened to christmas music. our tree is very charlie brown-esque and quite possibly the most ridiculous looking tree i've ever seen, but i love it!

photoshoot.

2011-12-12T07:05:00.000-08:00

had a little photo shoot on saturday evening :)

but you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God's special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who has called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. 1 peter 2:9.

selah.

2011-12-09T02:23:00.001-08:00

my heart is full; full of the goodness that is God and his love. over the past few days and weeks, God has really been showing me what it means to be completely captivated by him.

>>luke 6:38. give, and it will be given to you. a good measure; pressed down, shaken together, and running over, will be poured into your lap. for with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.

>>my heart is full of prayer for the people that live on this street near our house. we have been going on prayer walks down this street; praying for everything that we see. praying that their crops grow tall and are able to help provide. praying for the children to grow up strong and with the love that they need. praying for those who are hurting and for those who so desperately need the love of Jesus.

>>my heart is full of a growing love for our Bible study and the women who attend. i love the time that we get to spend with all of the women in our study; learning and praying and worshipping together. one of the girls in our study, solonge (below), is 17. she has one month old twins. they are so precious and tiny; and i pray that God fills her up with the strength and love that she needs for her journey through growing up and through motherhood.

>>my heart is full of amazement and awe of this beautiful place that God has allowed me to be.
>>psalm 62:5-8. my soul, wait silently for God alone, for my expectation is from Him. he only is my rock and my salvation; he is my defense, i shall not be moved. in God is my salvation and my glory; the rock of my strength, and my refuge, is God. trust in him at all times, you people; pour out your heart before him; God is a refuge for us.

selah.

//

2011-12-06T09:31:00.001-08:00

nothing Lord is hindering this passion in my soul

2011-12-01T09:01:00.001-08:00

another lovely english class with the neighborhood kids. our class is growing! this week we had 14 kids singing, learning, and doing crafts together :)

we taught them 'every move i make' and 'undignified.' they love doing the motions and singing the 'la la' parts. every time we walk by their house, they sing the songs and dance. we worked on memorizing john 3:16, played some games to learn english, and did a fun craft.

thanksgiving.

2011-11-26T06:12:00.001-08:00

had a wonderful thanksgiving with my "african family". we enjoyed traditional thanksgiving food..mashed potatoes, gravy, dressing, chicken (no turkey here!), cornbread, and green bean casserole. God has been so good to us; and we gave thanks for everything that is happening here in rwanda. this weekend has been one to relax. to slow down a bit and catch our breath from a busy week.

on another note; today isaac went to town to help us buy some chairs and a small table for our front porch. he returned with the chairs, table, and these two cute little chairs. he said, "one is for me to sit in, and the small one is for daisy to sit in while we watch a movie." he's my favorite!

projects and pizza.

2011-11-23T10:09:00.001-08:00

today we worked on a project for the uplift a family program; and ate pizza.:)

5 things i love about rwanda.

2011-11-19T02:20:00.001-08:00

>>1. the fact that we have to walk everywhere. we would miss out on so much of God's creation; the beautiful scenery and the cute little faces that follow us wherever we are.

>>2. the kids. there is never an absence of kids here. we are beginning to recognize and be able to greet them by name, which they love. it's so cool to be able to get to know them and learn more about them everytime we pass by. there is a little girl who lives near us who always greets us when we walk by. she can't be more than three years old. when we go to shake her hand and say hi, she always interrupts us with "fine thank you okay!" -- the only 3 words she knows in english. it is the cutest thing ever!

>>3. isaac. his whole face lights up everytime he smiles; he is the most full of life 13 year old that i know. his love for life and fun and God overflows in everything that he does. it is amazing to watch him learn and grow in his faith, and to be an example to the other kids around.

>>4. theoneste. he's quiet, and often keeps to himself. he is sometimes sad; but when he laughs it is infectious. his prayer request the other day was for wisdom and happiness from God. so i pray that he continues to remember to choose joy, even when it seems like there is no joy to be found.

>>5. our bible study. we just started a Bible study with some women who live nearby. i am thankful for madeline, julienne, angelique, chantal, donatha, charlotte, and solange; and the opportunity we have to love them, pray for them, and learn with them.

i could list so many more things here that i love about rwanda; [hearing the sound of voices singing praises to God, the rain, learning to speak kinyarwanda, and the funny things that edward says to make us laugh everyday]. i am amazed by the things that God is doing here everyday and am thankful for the time i have to spend here.

you make me move Jesus

2011-11-16T05:31:00.001-08:00

while we were practicing the motions for our songs for english class yesterday, we saw some little faces peeking over the fence. we invited them in to join our class.

we sang a few songs; danced; talked about what the songs mean to us; and what Jesus did for us.

mercy loved leading the motions as we sang.

shema, kennedy, and mugani in the photo on the left. judith and mercy on the right.

samson and isaac on the left; and kevin and vanessa on the right.

we practiced asking each other our names and ages.

we also practiced saying the alphabet and recognizing capital and lowercase letters. kennedy is only 3, so he needed a little help :)

i can't wait until our next class!

send me out to the world to make you known.

2011-11-13T04:53:00.001-08:00

a day in the life.

2011-11-10T08:08:00.000-08:00

a day in the life: eating passionfruit. watching the boys play tennis. drinking soda. hanging out at theoneste's house. having a Bible study with some women nearby. giving them Bibles in Kinyarwanda to read. talking to cute kids.

today.

2011-11-04T10:44:00.000-07:00

playing cards with isaac, theoneste, theogene, and john today.

isaac.

2011-11-01T11:39:00.000-07:00

first guitar lesson with isaac :)

isaac is staying with us while his school is on break. he is being sponsored to attend a Christian boarding school nearby. before he started school this year, he had been living in his house alone for three years with no parents or supervision. chad and kortney met him one day on the street and began building a relationship with him. he speaks great english and was a big help to them in town. as they got to know him and learn more of his story, they wanted to do something to help. they decided to help him attend school nearby. he attended for one term, took the exams, and was promoted to p4! while he is on break we are going to be helping him get ready for next year. we have been doing lots of fun things together already and have lots more planned for the rest of the break. it is a blessing to be able to share Christ with him and be the Godly influences that he needs in his life.

sewing lessons.

2011-10-28T07:11:00.000-07:00

yesterday at the market, claudine and her friends taught us how to use a treddle. they taught us how to thread it, how to get it started, and we practiced sewing straight lines. we spoke in english and they spoke in kinyarwanda, but somehow we understood each other. :)

..

2011-10-25T14:56:00.000-07:00

the view from where i was sitting at church on sunday.

for katie

2011-10-22T12:15:00.000-07:00

katie is a beautiful, inspiring friend from my church who was recently diagnosed with cancer. even though i am halfway around the world in rwanda, the love that i have seen poured out for her and the number of people who have united in prayer has taken my breath away. and it has reminded me that although katie is about to fight the hardest battle in her life, God is good. he is using her to shine his light to thousands of people around the world. and it has reminded me how precious life is. so today i'm going to love just a little bit harder, pray just a little bit longer, smile just a little bit bigger, breathe in just a little bit deeper, and hold on just a little bit tighter to the truly important things in life---because God is good, and he has a perfect plan for every single one of us.

praying for you katie.

today.

2011-10-19T09:50:00.000-07:00

today was spent walking--all over musanze. walking to the church for a luncheon with the mother's union. walking to the market to look at fabrics for a new project and to visit some women who have sewn skirts for us. walking to about every papeterie (paper store) in town--looking for maps with no success. walking by the motos waiting to pick up their next passenger. walking to the vegetable market to buy carrots, zucchini, and bananas for our dinner. walking home to rest for a few minutes. walking to the neighbor's house to deliver some homemade banana bread and visit for a little bit. and walking back home. now dinner is in the oven, and my feet are resting from a long day.

the neighbor kids: kevin, kennedy, and vanessa :)

marked by Your beauty, lost in Your eyes

2011-10-14T00:14:00.000-07:00

On Sunday, after visiting Isaac and Theoneste at school, we took a different road home. I took some pictures of the beautiful scenery of Rwanda as we walked. There were smiling faces and eager kids at every turn. We talked to them in our very limited Kinyarwandan...we learned their names and how they were doing. Everyone wanted us to take a picture of them! They would pose for a picture, and then crack up when I showed them what they looked like. We met some kids jumproping in the road, and joined in for a bit. It was a fun walk home :)

john's wedding!

2011-10-12T12:12:00.000-07:00

On Saturday we went to our taxi driver's wedding. We were picked up at our house by the wedding party and went to the church. They wouldn't let us go in until the brides and grooms (there were 4 couples getting married) walked down the aisle. We walked down behind them and were seated in the front with their families. It was really different than we were expecting, but it was fun!

me, edward, and kortney with our gift. it says turabyishimiye (congratulations), and has two love birds sitting on a tree, sharing a bean. adding the bean was edward's idea. he asked what the drawing meant and we told him that a tree is for growth and the two love birds were the two people getting married. he told us we should add them sharing a bean to make it more realistic!

me, kortney, and edward with our flowers in our hair. :)

As they were cutting their cake, foam was sprayed all over them!

zucchini pizza :)

2011-10-09T08:35:00.000-07:00

The other night we made delicious zucchini pizza for dinner! We cooked the zucchini in a pan for a few minutes; added our sauce, cheese, and toppings; and then melted the cheese in the toaster oven. They turned out super tasty :) Today we took a walk to Wisdom School to visit Isaac and Theoneste. I have a bunch of pictures from our walk home that I will post soon!

Also, here is a picture of my wall in my room :)

edward the gardener

2011-10-04T13:43:00.000-07:00

We moved out of our old house on Monday. On Sunday, Edward (our gardener) wanted to take some photos with his garden. He put on his gardening clothes, his gum boots, and his gloves and got to work. It was by far the funniest photoshoot I have ever done. He says the funniest things and makes us laugh all the time.

Some recent "Edward-isms":

While we were playing Phase Ten, one of us went out and went ahead of the others: "You are two people in different boats. Your boat is like a canoe way in the back."

While we were eating dinner and talking about fish: "The brain of a fish makes people have a high iq. I enjoy taking the brain of a fish because it makes me have a high iq."

While talking about theives: "If a thief comes in the night, I will just squeeze him like a blanket, and he will go away."

While looking at a picture: "You should drink tea and eat pizza and chapati to celebrate because there is so much love. There is 70% love." (I'm not sure what happened to the other 30%!)

And here is the photoshoot...narrated by Edward himself.

"I am giving a thumbs up. It's good, very good!"

"You must have said something very funny...like 'you look like a gorilla'."

"Here I am filling the bottle, and now I am spraying the plants."

"This is my puzzled face."

"You should have taken the picture from the other side so you could see all of my banana plants."

"Now I am watering the plants."

"Now I am chopping the grass."

I will post pictures of my new room soon!

visiting churches and delivering goats

2011-09-29T12:41:00.000-07:00

On Monday we visited a few churches and talked to some pastors who attended CALM’s Pastor Training. The training helps teach and equip pastor’s to better study, interpret, and deliver the teachings from the Bible. The first church we visited also had a preschool, and all of the kids were there to greet us. They came marching down the road, clapping, chanting--“Muzungu (white person) I love you,” and singing songs for us.

This church is still in the process of being built. We had our meeting outside in the foundation of the church. If it is raining, they meet inside the small building behind the foundation--although not everyone can fit inside.

The choir at each church sang and danced for us, we prayed, and the pastor shared a little bit about what God is doing in their church, and how the pastor training helped them.

There were lots of kids outside the churches who wanted to say hi to us. We had suckers to hand out to them, and they loved it!

We also handed out goats to needy families. After 45 minutes on a winding dirt road, we made it to the village. It was near the top of a mountain, and it overlooked the most beautiful lake. It was one of the prettiest places that I have ever seen. Everyone drew a number, so that they would know which goat was theirs. As their numbers were called, they came forward to receive their goats. They were so excited for the gift of a goat. After everyone had received their goats, we prayed that God would bless these families and the gift that they had been given.

This woman is a widow with 4 children. She was singing and dancing for joy after receiving her goat. She said, “Before this goat I had nothing in my house, not even a mouse.” Now, she will be able to use the goat for milk, cheese, meat, fertilizer, and some extra income for her family. She will be able to help pay for her kid’s schooling. She was also excited about buying a pair of shoes with the money that she will be able to make from the goat.

It is exciting to see how the gift of a goat can help turn a family around, and give them hope for the future!

the view from here.

2011-09-26T13:40:00.000-07:00

the view from here...we've had a busy weekend. we visited isaac and theoneste at their school, visited some churches--their pastors attended the training that CALM did, and gave out 30 goats to needy families. i'll post more pictures and stories soon! :)

new hope homes

2011-09-21T21:56:00.000-07:00

my first post from rwanda!! our flights were uneventful, i slept pretty much the whole time on all three. we spent today in Kigali, exploring and visiting the kids at New Hope Homes. they all had a handshake, a hug, and a "muraho" (hello) waiting for us! we had some shoes that were donated to hand out. they were huge on a lot of the kids but it was so cute to see them trying them on and laughing at each other's new shoes. it was a short visit, but so good!

they sang us some songs...

said a sweet prayer...

sang some more songs...

and waved good bye! :)

don't you worry your pretty little mind

2011-09-16T23:04:00.001-07:00

people throw rocks at things that shine
and life makes love look hard

downtown

2011-09-14T17:55:00.000-07:00

spent a lovely evening downtown riding the lightrail, finding random parking garages, going up and down escalators and eating dinner :)

...

2011-09-11T23:24:00.000-07:00

catching people unaware. he was caught up in the sunset, distracted by the girls who kept calling him cute, trying to hide the embarrassment from his face, laughing as his dad smiled and told me i could take his picture.

can you feel this magic in the air?

2011-09-07T18:28:00.000-07:00

fun shoot with children inspire design for some of their cute products! :)

:))

2011-09-02T23:08:00.001-07:00

cute kids make me smile :)

life

2011-08-28T23:44:00.000-07:00

oh to return to this perfect place.

carolyn.

2011-08-22T21:37:00.000-07:00

while we were in indiana, i took carolyn's senior pictures. carolyn has been my best friend ever since kindergarten. it's crazy to think that we are already old enough to be finishing high school and moving on to the next part of our lives. she came up to my grandparents house for a few days to visit, and we took a photo adventure around their cute little town. she's pretty much a model...i couldn't have asked for a more beautiful best friend. i can't wait to see where life takes you and what God has planned for you. stay awesome. i love you :)

we are the lovesick.

2011-08-19T22:02:00.000-07:00

we are the lovesick. the fearless ones. the never giving up. the hearts undone. sick with the desire to love. to live so far beyond the boundaries given to us. we are the fence-hopping fools who never stopped to read the signs. the ones that left the world behind. like dreams we've drawn in neon light. just moments in the sea of time. we are the lost ones wandering. the soon to be smoldering. last to be found. the first to fall and fail to fly then shatter on the ground. we are the rebels running wild through a darkness that can swallow us. but we've set fire to our souls. burning brilliant blinding gold. the flames that illuminate our lonely road. our futures holding fates untold. we are the ever-refusing to fold. to fade away or worse to lose. the few that bend and break apart the cages of our rules. born desperate for the promise of the mystery unknown. we are the lovesick. and just like the sun we will always rise. hope still shining in our eyes..

-jason reeves.

willow + family

2011-08-09T11:44:00.000-07:00

the grand canyon.

2011-08-06T12:31:00.000-07:00

ice cream.

2011-08-03T23:49:00.001-07:00

i scream you scream we all scream for ice cream.

the lane family.

2011-08-01T13:28:00.001-07:00

spent a really fun week with the cousins and my aunt and uncle when they visited (be looking forward to many more pictures from all of our adventures!). while they were here, we went to the grand canyon, sedona, slide rock, lake pleasant, and the salt river. we were definitely all over the place and had a really great time!

it was about time for a photoshoot with their whole family. taylor and mollie have been my practice models ever since i started doing photography, but we've never done a family session until now. taylor is about to start her first year of college, and mollie her first year of high school. i wish we could just freeze time right now. we would never have to grow up or get any older, just stay right here in this seemingly perfect stage of life. but at least with these pictures we will always remember.

:)

i love you.

2011-07-31T19:56:00.001-07:00

...

2011-07-25T14:09:00.000-07:00

frontier town!!

2011-07-18T11:47:00.000-07:00

daylight

2011-07-11T22:09:00.000-07:00

summer nights

2011-07-09T17:26:00.000-07:00

a day at the lake: part 2

addie + dylan

2011-07-07T22:50:00.000-07:00

a moment

2011-07-05T12:55:00.000-07:00

dreams

2011-06-28T12:12:00.000-07:00

a day at the lake: part 1.

brighter days

2011-06-26T17:07:00.000-07:00

the stars fell down

2011-06-12T00:07:00.000-07:00

2011-06-02T22:33:00.000-07:00

richard

2011-05-22T15:09:00.000-07:00

the sun went down

2011-05-21T02:35:00.000-07:00

ashley + tristan + noah

2011-05-15T22:26:00.000-07:00

jj + emma

2011-05-10T16:06:00.000-07:00

oh darling, don't you ever grow up

2011-04-30T15:38:00.000-07:00

eric

2011-04-25T17:40:00.000-07:00

<<<>>>

2011-04-19T15:01:00.000-07:00

tonight is telling us we're way too young
i've got forever on the tip of my tongue

besos for baby brother

2011-04-04T16:16:00.000-07:00

psalm 46:10

2011-04-04T15:03:00.000-07:00

--be still and know that i am God. Psalm 46:10--

movement

2011-03-30T23:42:00.000-07:00

we are chasing the wind. running and grabbing at something that is always out of reach. words trickle out of mouths and into our ears but we can never hear enough. our eyes can never see enough and our hands can never do enough. we are all reaching for something that is unattainable. yet we keep trying, because we know that one day we will catch it. the wind blows right through our fingertips, but when we close our hand, it is still empty. sometimes the wind blows hard and we fall down. it swirls around us in a chaos that is strangely poetic. but then relief blows quietly and we finally have the strength to rise up again and dig our soles into the ground, running hard to catch up. when we fell down the wind rushed by, but we can never fall too far behind. even if we stop chasing it, it will blow by again in the quiet of the night when we least expect it. and we know that it has been there waiting for us, unfailingly. there is always a movement in the air. a reminder of where we are going. what we are chasing after. who we are chasing after. and one day, if we don't give up, we will catch it.

risk the ocean

2011-03-25T14:35:00.000-07:00

but you can set sail to the west if you want to
and past the horizon till I can't even see you
far from here where the beaches are wide
just leave me your wake to remember you by

to whom it may concern

2011-03-22T23:29:00.000-07:00

i missed you but i haven't met you, oh but I want to, how i do.
dear whoever you might be, I'm still waiting patiently.

:)

2011-03-12T21:32:00.000-08:00

family picnic

2011-03-07T23:31:00.000-08:00

letting go.

2011-03-04T07:37:00.000-08:00

♥

2011-02-24T22:36:00.000-08:00

the most beautiful person i know.

baby deegan.

2011-02-21T17:58:00.000-08:00

letting go. the end.

2011-02-14T21:09:00.000-08:00

the end.

---------->

2011-02-10T16:28:00.000-08:00

day 56.

2011-02-09T17:37:00.000-08:00

anything but a face...at iheartfaces

day 49.

2011-01-30T00:25:00.000-08:00

[for the boy with the smile and the girl who ran away with everything they ever had. for the people who loved and left and for the ones who never loved at all. for the nights spent laughing and the ones spent alone. for everything we ever had dissolving into nothing.]

empty my hands

2011-01-27T21:02:00.000-08:00

letting go

2011-01-18T11:04:00.000-08:00

check out day 1 - day 35 here.

a rainy day tea party

2011-01-03T11:04:00.001-08:00

gwen

2010-12-28T22:54:00.000-08:00

week 2.

2010-12-27T10:38:00.000-08:00

day 9.

day 10

day 11

day 12

day 13

day 14

day 15

christmas sunrise.

2010-12-25T08:21:00.000-08:00

merry christmas!

luke 2:9-14

An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”

Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.”

week 1.

2010-12-20T11:13:00.000-08:00

day 2.

day 3.

day 4.

day 5.

day 6.

day 7.

day 8.

///

2010-12-17T22:53:00.000-08:00

day 1. letting go

2010-12-12T10:28:00.000-08:00

Listen carefully: Unless a grain of wheat is buried in the ground, dead to the world, it is never any more than a grain of wheat. But if it is buried, it sprouts and reproduces itself many times over. In the same way, anyone who holds on to life just as it is destroys that life. But if you let it go, reckless in your love, you'll have it forever, real and eternal.

If any of you wants to serve me, then follow me. Then you'll be where I am, ready to serve at a moment's notice. The Father will honor and reward anyone who serves me.

60 days. 60 pictures. John 12:23-26.

my life means nothing unless it's His.

sisters

2010-12-09T21:07:00.001-08:00

***

2010-11-28T15:45:00.000-08:00

new series.

2010-11-15T14:01:00.001-08:00

yellow

2010-11-05T14:03:00.000-07:00

homecoming

2010-10-25T14:30:00.000-07:00

we're all fading

2010-10-12T14:32:00.000-07:00

I'm scared of forgetting. time is slipping by faster than I want it to. I wish I could go back, or at least slow down enough to catch my breath. so much has happened in the past year. and I don't want to forget one second of it. I could make a list here of all the things I want to remember, but that would be pointless. it's funny the little things I remember. and the little things make me go back; make me feel something that's left from those days. but still I'm scared of forgetting. I'm scared you'll forget.

rain down

2010-10-09T21:40:00.000-07:00

2010-10-05T11:15:00.000-07:00

this is love

2010-10-01T22:24:00.000-07:00

becca

2010-09-18T15:44:00.000-07:00

becca...one year older

to shine is better than to reflect

2010-09-14T15:05:00.000-07:00

and i sometimes wonder if the things that remind me of you remind you of me

for you

2010-08-29T12:42:00.000-07:00

two is better than one

2010-08-08T15:41:00.000-07:00

maybe it's true

that i can't live without you

and maybe two is better than one

there's so much time

to figure out the rest of my life

but you've already got me coming undone

and i'm thinking

two is better than one