Ideal.

What a great post from Andrea at flourishingmother:

"Yesterday I was talking with a good friend on the phone about "less than ideal" circumstances. At this point in my life, I feel like my circumstances really have a hold on me--not allowing me to reach or achieve my "ideals". While I know full well God works in imperfect situations, after awhile, the battle gets hard, and I am exhausted.
My sweet friend reminded me of Jesus' birth: how He was prophesied to be born in Bethlehem since the beginning of time, how Mary endured labor on a donkey, and when they got to the town where the King of Kings was prohesised to be born, there was no room for them in the freaking inn! (pardon my language.) Wouldn't you think God would prepare a nice, cushy spot for His own Son to be born? At the very least, wouldn't you expect a measly room to stay in and labor in?
But no.
Mary gave birth to the Son of God in a dirty smelly stable.
All circumstances were seemingly against them.
All ideals out the window.
Things were not perfect.
But God showed up. Oh yes He did.

This post is going to be part of a series of posts I hope to write in the future about becoming a "Recovering Idealist". While ideals are great and good, they are often not what God has in mind. When we let those ideals get in the way of the life God has planned, then they become idols. I don't want to let go of my ideals, merely let God work in the imperfect circumstances, and thank Him for it.

"Anyone who imagines that bliss is normal is going to waste a lot of time running around shouting that he's been robbed....Life is like an old-time rail journey--delays, sidetracks, smoke, dust, cinders, and jolts, interspersed only occasionally by beautiful vistas and thrilling bursts of speed.

The trick is to thank the Lord for letting you have the ride."
~Jenkins Lloyd Jones"

Pics of New Office!

3

Clark had his photo made for a project at the office. I like this one.

Happy Monday!

Happy Birthday CocoJo!!!

Happy Friday!!

2

Happy Birthday Nikki Love!!

Nikki and Jenn.
"photoshopped" this tv image around a photo of Nikki and Jenn...it reminded me of Lucy and Ethel.
tv image from orianwell.file.wordpress

Thank You.

All I wanna do is to thank you
even though I don't know who you are
You [brought my garbage can]
[put it in the driveway by] my car. . .

Whoever you are
I wanna thank you who...
who ever you are!

--Tah Geggy [and cc]

Happy Birthday Varuni!!

I struggled to take a good photograph.

All because of you

from U2:

I was born a child of grace
Nothing else about the place
Everything was ugly but your beautiful face
And it left me no illusion

I saw you in the curve of the moon
In the shadow cast across my room
You heard me in my tune
When I just heard confusion

All because of you
All because of you
All because of you
I am… I am

I like the sound of my own voice
I didn’t give anyone else a choice
An intellectual tortoise
Racing with your bullet train

Some people get squashed crossing the tracks
Some people got high rises on their backs
I’m not broke but you can see the cracks
You can make me perfect again

All because of you
All because of you
All because of you
I am… I am

I’m alive
I’m being born
I just arrived, I’m at the door
Of the place I started out from
And I want back inside

All because of you
All because of you
All because of you
I am

Photo by Cosby :)

"My backyard is a feature
where a creature like me
can have a look see
at the trees in the wind."
--Mose Allison

Wordless Wednesday 1/52

Mardi, il pleut.

Ah! I miss her!

Shalom, from the Buddy

Watching clouds spin round all day
lips moved, Ely-la
way, making smile. all ok

This was an interesting weekend read. If looking for a short read that will let you ponder for longer, this will be good. It's very quick, and good.

Mama don't take my Kodachrome away.

There is a fleeting beauty as a development approaches finished. The energy and bare bones exposed. A bit more slippery and a different sort of beauty. There is a painting in the living room that guests usually at some point ask if I'm, "working on". Partly also, because it's on an easel. I decided in college to keep it unfinished, thinking at the time that it was at it's height and to stop there and let potential complete it. Probably didn't want to risk that the superficial details might ruin it. I don't know that I still agree about the potential thing, but it still has rightful beauty. Not saying that denial of the reality of the finished product is a healthy state or anything, Jay described to me once that keeping in mind that we were created for the Garden, fantasy can sometimes align more perfectly with the true reality of things to come. It might be idealistic, but isn't that what Jesus will bring to us one day? Streets of gold? Beauty beyond imagination. The body perfected through Christ!

Ok, ok, ok. I think I've proven the new photo-a-day project better as a, photo-a-week project. Hate to disappoint, but seriously with my tremendously busy social schedule, it's next to impossible
;)
And, quickly I learned how hard it is to actually post, daily. My props to Tate at shockingbird.com for succeeding. big PROPs. So, every Wednesday...it'll be wordless. 51 more posts to come...ah-hem...well, hopefully.

plus, who wants to see 366 mediocre photos? I'll leave that to the pros..

New Office...Almost Complete!.

1/360

Inspired by Tate, I'm joining the photo a day project. August 1.