At Last. . . a little love

I am feeling intensely blessed today.  I am so in love. . .

This song is definitely in my top 3 of favorite songs ever.  Makes me cry every time, dang it.  Not a huge crier, so this can be sort of annoying.  Like yesterday, when it came on my Pandora station in the parking lot at Ikea.  I just balled.  The couple in the car next to me thought I was nuts.  Which of course, I am.

Used to think I cried cause this song makes me realize I haven't really ever felt like the love in this song. AT LAST.  That is love.  Like a song. The sky is blue.  Here we are in heaven. . .But lately, life is like a song and the sky is blue. . .



Ha, ha, ha, ha! Don't worry the love is for a city, place and time. But its real.

(okay, have listened to the song like 3 times and am tearing up at Chicago O'Hare Airport. Moving on to some Enrique Iglesias!)

I am so joyful at my existence lately.  Its is just weird.  I am not supposed to like my job, my house, my life.  Peaks and Valleys.  I am sure.  Maybe next week will suck.  I just feel like God has picked me up in his hand and my heart is refreshed for living a real life.  One that means something and is compiled of beautiful little memories that happen all the time.  Kind of like when I was a kid.  

I must have the best Mom ever.  She made everything fun and adventurous.  That is how life is supposed to be!  Okay, tearing up because I miss Robin.  Next!

Running the dogs up 34th was so lovely this afternoon.  Uneven bricks.  Goofy people waiting in an ridiculous line for waxy cupcakes at Georgetown Cupcake.  (Don't they know Red Velvet tastes way better and has a shorter line.)  Breezes and shiny sun as we ran across the Key Bridge for a peek of some water.  Quaint and nicely cared for tiny row houses with old rose vines draping their iron fences.  It is sicky sweet, like love. =)

There is something in the heart of this City. I am convinced.  Riding to the airport in a cab, I realized a fat difference between us and NY.  You know how you get in a yellow cab in NY and its like a cop car.  There is big plexi-glass divider to protect the driver from would be crazies.  I understand.  

No divider in DC.  Its like you are riding in a regular car with extra signage.  Death wish you say?

Thats how this whole place is.  Things that are normally barricaded and policied up in other cities, are wide open here.  They just trust that people will use good judgement.  Sometimes they don't, but its rare.  People are mostly respectful and things are wide open.  There is a little bit of irony in it all, at least for me.  God has been pretty communicative lately.  Maybe this place is a part of the whole game plan. =) Who knows, but it is funny.  Wonder what would have happened if I moved to New York? 

So much joy and grace in this time.  Not sure my permanent existence will land me on this side of the earth (guessing 5 years, but who knows), but DC will always have a place in my heart.  If only for helping me repair and rediscover the sweetness of life.

This weekend. . .in rear view. . .

BBQ at Rock Creek.  Our food was amazing and we (well actually Sammie) started a decent fire and we cooked filets, corn, mini croissants and smores right on it.  

Ha, ha this post is all about irony.  So a little lighter fluid got left open and thrown into my cloth picnic bag at dark.  It was pretty heavy and slammed against the back of me while I was grabbing Kelley to go.  My rear felt wet all the sudden and I thought maybe it was wet dishes.  No biggy.  On the way home my butt cheek started burning and would stop.  Thats not dirty dishes! It is lighter fluid!  Took my pants off while driving and managed a handy wipe.  Still landed a decent burn.  Didn't even know it could do that.  Note self: close the lighter fluid bottle before tossing in bag.

And sang in the choir for the first time!  Check it! 

Here you go Elias! Thought you would be proud. I only got one rehearsal with my new little choir and thank goodness we sang so many of the same songs!!! Obviously, I am the light skinned kid top left.
Here is Instruments of Praise at 19th St. Baptist Church in DC, Sunday July 18th.

(the guy with the big camera is from Telemundo.  Doing an article on Church life in the US for an article in Madrid, Spain.  So much irony in my life, but so much fun!

submittal in the middle

hi..  i need to do this more often.  sort of hashing out my insides the only way i know how.  so forgive me for repetitive and slow nature. feels like things happen. i figure it out and then quickly forget.  guess that is what the comment section is for. =)

been talking to God about some of the things i am supposed to be doing in relationships.  i have always felt, or rather, acted like i know myself best, so who could possibly pick for me?  i might know myself, but i really dont know much of what i need.  so i am going to try (hard) to do something new and different and dare to follow someone smarter than me.  yep, that means submittal. i despise even the word SUBMIT, but if i want what is best, not just sorta kinda, then i must.  another horrible word MUST. . .

lets get down the paragraph away from those words.  it making me grit my teeth. . .
surely, there are lots of positive things about slowing down and hooking into the lead for the Godly rope tow.
first of all, the rope pulls you up a mountain you would have otherwise had to try and slip and slide up on a pair of skis. that takes a long time.  i can attest.  plus its painful.  you would be way to tired and busted up once you got to the top of the mountain to really enjoy the great ride ahead.  but if you just hang onto the big scratchy rope.  it will drag you upwards without so much fuss.
when you get to the top, you get the most beautiful view and take a big deep breath.  the air is so fresh.
once you are ready to fly, you adjust your gloves and push off.  hopefully you glide down most of the way.
there are still some bumps and a few falls, but overall the ride down the hill is bliss.  so great, you hook right back on and head up the mountain for that fantastic view and great ride.

you really can't get that amazing ride with out the escort and directive up the mountain.  crap.  i am bummed.  can't do it by myself.  i am trying to remember or atleast imagine what the ride down the mountain is going to feel like.  so far heading up the mountain is pretty good, but sometimes its a pretty slow ride.  when things aren't settled or the things i wanted aren't working out, frustration comes to get me.

right now i am riding the middle.  the rope is hard to hang onto over the bumps (disappointments) and the mountain is steep, but most of the time its so PEACEFUL and COMFORTABLE.  two words i haven't felt or thought in awhile.  i am happier than i can remember ever being as an adult.  but when dark haunts me, it seems heavier than it has ever been.   the outcomes i have produced on my own have been anything but glorious and i really do want to hang on all the way to the top.  no jumping off midway! so i submit.

the cool (oft frustrating too) thing about being in the middle is the (supposed =)) ability to relax.  God's got it.  Mom always tried to get me to do my best and let God do the rest.  in the mean time, am sliding along with the best of friends and staying warm by staying close.  working on letting that blissful view come to me in good time and enjoying a two hand grip on my support and strength on the lead all the way.

friday afternoon Walter and I rented a row boat at Fletchers Cove on the Potomac.  was only about an hour, but it was so fun!  first time the dogs have been on a boat smaller than the ferry. =)  kelley did not move the entire time.  as you can see she is attached to walter's legs. =)  clyde and i, of course jumped ship and swam for a bit.

top: i just got back in the boat and wanted to catch clyde in action.  he never got back in the boat.  just swam along side. 

4th of July all over town.  we did everything and showed up at peoples' houses we didn't even know.  didn't stop us from swimming in their pool.  below we are playing in the pool at a hotel in sw.  there really were that many people there.  we just jumped in the middle.  was so much fun and hotter than you know what!

mari, me, and janet at the crazy july 4th pool party in sw.  yet another party we crashed.  we enjoyed the pool! and played hard.

we did manage to catch the fireworks from the lincoln memorial.  we had fun to the point of exhaustion.  want to do that again!

malia, mari, and janet in awe of the pretty cool fireworks.  mellow and fun.

^{Job 22: 21-25
21} "Submit to God and be at peace with him; 

       in this way prosperity will come to you.

 ²² Accept instruction from his mouth 

       and lay up his words in your heart.

 ²³ If you return to the Almighty, you will be restored: 

       If you remove wickedness far from your tent

 ²⁴ and assign your nuggets to the dust, 

       your gold of Ophir to the rocks in the ravines,

 ²⁵ then the Almighty will be your gold, 

       the choicest silver for you.