of cities and wheat fields

a splendid nine days was spent with my sister and niece. we did all our favorite things, in our favorite places, with our favorite people. really, it was almost too much happiness. of course, the goodbyes get harder each time...

as for my beautiful doll of a niece zoe (aka "baby," "schnuckums," "sweet love," or anything equally endearing)... it's impossible for me to talk about her without smiling. i can sit and watch her for hours... which you now have the opportunity to do as well, as i'm about to present an entire gallery of snapshots from our lovely times together. *grins proudly* and no, she does not get spoiled by her aunties or uncles. we just... love her... a lot.

she teaches me to find happiness in the simple things...

...being tickled.

...running through water fountains.

...twirling in circles until you’re dizzy.

...laughing at funny faces.

...being love-squeezed.

...smiling immediately after awakening.

...giggling yourself silly late at night.

...bouncing on the trampoline.

...books with pictures.

...walks outside.

...taking time to notice the horses (even if it is fourteen times a day).

...being sung to sleep.

numbers this week

...sighs of happiness, every other minute or so.

...late nights, every day.

...old movies, three.

...hours spent in the city, at least seven.

...sisterly chats, not enough.

...number of soft cheeks kissed, off-the-chart.

...little girl outfits bought, twenty-something.

...pictures taken, over four hundred.

...braking for garage sales, too many to count.

(tell me this child doesn't belong in a magazine)

...kisses on chubby cheeks, thousands.

...fall festivals, one.

...giggling, dozens of times per day.

To have a loving relationship with a sister is not simply to have a buddy or a confident -- it is to have a soulmate for life.
[ Victoria Secunda ]

A sister is a gift to the heart, a friend to the spirit, a golden thread to the meaning of life.
[ Isadora James ]

What's the good of news if you haven't a sister to share it?
[ Jenny DeVries ]

and i'm smiling.

The best thing about having a sister was that I always had a friend.
-- Cali Rae Turner

i bought new books... *grins*
quite possibly the best of this year.

i'm quite excited to add them to my overflowing collection...

 

so far, i've read...
THE BRAVEHEARTED GOSPEL
calling us back to a passion for a return of the "living, vibrant and relevant historic Christianity"
the kind that "turned the world upside down"


"The idea of the bravehearted path is like a gentleman's war. It is made up of the stuff of battle, blood, guts, courage, frays, and guttural war cries, but it also has the dimension of dignity rolled into the whole affair. For instance, it is marked by valor, allegiance, honor, selfless sacrifice, love, and loyalty to the Commander, and the grace of noblesse oblige.

"The bravehearted path is all about nobility and honor. In fact, it is the stuff of an entirely different time period. It's more Sir Walter Scott than John Grisham. It's more the timeless grandeur of Handel's Messiah than the hip artistry of Coldplay. It's the strength and dignity of knighthood woven into the fabric of our modern tapestry. You could almost say that it is kind of like transporting the spirit, grit, passion, and nobility of William Wallace back into our modern age and turning him loose on the streets of New York City. It's ancient truth invading the corridors of modern Christianity and turning it inside out.

"I absolutely love the idea of the bravehearted path. It transforms Christianity from being a social club into a fellowship of the mighty. It turns mere males into men of fire, and mere females into women of valor. It's strength, dignity, passion, power, love, and truth all combined into one dynamic lifestyle and worldview. It's like a bolt of lightning to the soul. And, wow! Is it ever majestic!"


Excellent book, my friends.
Read it and be challenged.

l i f e   and all its   b e a u t y

i can't put into words how insanely busy the past three months have been, how much i love my life right now, and how big my God is. at the beginning of this year, i didn't know if this summer could ever measure up to the adventures and experiences and learning of last summer. but i guess i underestimated God. i've been drawn into a lot of things that have made me feel vulnerable. inadequate. unprepared. these aren't foreign feelings. i've had these emotions before. but every time - every single time - these fears have been a prelude to being blown away by God's faithfulness. so once again this summer, the acknowledgement of my dependancy was an open invitation for His strength. and i discover anew... He is perfect in my weakness.

and because everyone loves pictures... i give you snapshots...

of people dear to my heart

look at those yummy cheeks and to-die-for eyelashes. 
yes it's my doll of a niece. i am in love with this girl.

olive gardens with the girls. minus one. clarita, you were missed.

my big-little-sister hero.

of honey brook and my girls

 
amanda. one of many girls who holds a piece of my heart.

we were the squirrels nest b of camp andrews. i have to say these girls were the best. 
...in a completely unbiased way, of course.

of fulton theatre and lancaster city

             
lovely streets lined with art stores, cafes, and streetlamps.

of homie-yo campouts

hiking. hiking. and more hiking.
but pretty cool when done with some of my favorite people on this planet.

of surprise visits from faraway friends

   
my dear esther surprised me quite out of my mind.
we spent a delightful week together.

 
mocha frappes, much laughter, and classic movies.

of south carolina and reunions

a weekend in the company of these beautiful women.
...i've been smiling ever since.

   
a morning in downtown abbeville with my dear veronica.

moments spent with them make me ridiculously happy.

"the littles."
last summer we were all involved in nyc's vacation bible school.
this summer we reunited for a few lovely moments in the south.

i daresay these pictures and words do a very poor job of summing of the story of my life over the past little while, but they shall have to suffice... next week i embark on a canoe trip. five days on the delaware river with five staff and seven girls. not feeling prepared, but expecting God to show up, as He always does. knowing this trip will need a covering of His presence. asking you to breathe a prayer if you think about us.

i leave you with one of my favorite quotes...
wise words that, in the middle of my busyness, remind me of what really matters.

"In the end, it doesn't matter how well we have performed or what we have accomplished - a life without heart is not worth living. For out of this wellspring of our soul flow all true caring and all meaningful work, all real worship and all sacrifice."

[ Brent Curtis & John Eldredge ]

on this day that the world sets aside
to celebrate the stars and stripes
of the independence of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness,
independence that demanded the blood of thousands of men...
i choose to set aside a time
to celebrate the healing wounds
of the independence from slavery, sin and the pursuit of death,
independence that demanded the blood of one Man...
and as i renew my vows
to a Kingdom not of this world
i choose to believe
freedom is not a flag
but a cross.


"and if the Son has set us free, then we must be free indeed"