Love him

Good advice

"Some of the greatest professionals are the best listeners...they hear what their client is saying (sometimes between the lines) and serves [sic] them with honesty and respect."

~ Jasmine Star

Fear God, not man

Psalm 118:6-9

Matthew 10, particularly verses 26-33. Those verses are better understood against the backdrop of the entire chapter: tho man will do his worst to me, he ultimately has no power over me because he cannot touch my soul, the very center and worth of my being.

Only God has this power to give life and take it away:

The Son, who put himself on a cross, surrendering himself to that torture literally every step of the way, even giving up his last breath; who was willing to and broke the eternal fellowship with the Father and Spirit, in order to descend into Hell for several agonizing hours and days on our behalf;

The Father, who was willing to reject his Son as He cried in agony for Him to find another way; who called his Son out of Hell and back to life; who will send His Son back to earth to redeem his people and send the rest to their deserved judgment;

The Spirit, who is in us and with us, our Counselor and Advocate; who gives us words to say when needed; who gives us courage and love that we can never muster on our own; who ministers to us moment after moment with almost no recognition from the very ones he is ministering to;

Fear these Three. Don't fear mere mortals who have forgotten that their lives are but a vapor and that their power is like fog that rolls in and out at a whim.

Fear God and pray compassionately for those who are blind to their own precarious and prideful position before the Maker of the Universe; pray that they will see themselves as His, not as their own.

On House Hunting and Moving

Over the course of the last two (well, twelve) months, my roommates and I have been attempting to find a house to rent. No bueno.The end result was moving from a two story apartment to a three story apartment. My calf muscles look really great now (well, at least they should, given how sore they are).

Things I've observed in this process:

• I've had numerous dreams about finding a home to live in. None of them involved a smooth lease process or a normal looking house. Last night's dream included my mom helping us look for a house (she had bright pink hair and had gained about 150 pounds (weird)) and my bedroom was the loft overlooking the living room in a lodge-type old house that smelled like 40 years for smoke. Fabulous. 
• I have managed to collect a ridiculous amount of white plastic hangers. 
• I have been tossing out books left and right - I've started calling it the "pioneer effect" as I picture myself tossing my beloved possessions off the wagon as the oxen dramatically pull the load up a snow covered, muddy trail. 
• I have been tossing out clothes left and right. 
• I have put the fake Christmas tree in the Goodwill pile. All my roommates, former and current, are all very happy. Well, maybe not TPalm. Have you seen her tree? It's covered in all that fake snow and -- it's bright orange! 
• I have (not) been tossing my shoes out left and right. 
• I want to be a minimalist. Two shirts, two jeans, two skirts, etc. Wonder how that would work? 
• It's amazing how dirty a place looks and is, once you remove all the furniture and take down things off the wall. I consider myself to be a fairly clean person. Apparently not.
• I don't think I want to move - ever - again - I'm going to live here until the saints go marching in.

If you have knowledge...

"If you have knowledge, let others light their candles with it."

~ Winston Churchill

Spring has sprung (about one month ago)

It is the most beautiful day here in ATX today. Breezy, high 60s, bright sunny, and high, puffy clouds. Yesterday was the official first day of Spring, but we Texans are eager beavers and start acknowledging Spring around the end of January. Even the seasons are bigger (longer) in Texas (we skip Fall and Winter).

Love this weather!

I love Spring

I write in bullet points, others do not

Three sisters could not be more different. Our writing styles may be the best indication of this:

Me: I like bullet points and short, brief sentences.
Jessica: upon internalization of the blessed bequeathing of horizon-glimpsed golden sunbeams, alas, does the poetess done her silky pen and breath into song the rare beauty shown around yon universe.
Eryn: somewhere in between Jessica and myself: poetic, yet practical.

As much as our parents must take pleasure and marvel at our differences, I am also sure God relishes our different details and their exhibitions.