6 months

So... I've been here 6 months today. I am alive and doing well. The Lord is stretching and growing me in areas I expected but in ways I could not have anticipated. There are some new ministries coming into focus for me that I'm sure I will be sharing with you as things become clearer. Real friendships are blossoming, roots are digging in, and I feel the groove coming.
I've deleted the number vowing to give in and let go. I've thought better of thinking. And I'm relearning to hope.
Ya, I'd say at 6 months things are getting better. The here and there of me are learning to coexist happily. Ya,....happily.

That AhHaHa

I'm really loving this blogging thing. It's helping me to document the ridiculous things that happen in my life, bringing much joy and laughter as I reread or remember to write. Such as right now, my sweet Valentine's Day consisted of a children's card reading "You're as cute as a kitten!" and a non-insured immigrant hitting my parked car. Sad right? But hilarious when you look at in the context of the rest of my life story.

You see I have had a time with cars. Let's reminisce shall we?

Car 1: Gold Beast- speedometer rarely worked and decided to stop working without warning.
Car 2: Saggy Ceiling- window would slip into the door (awful for rainy days) and caught on fire on 70.
Car 3: Blue Tempo- old school but good, traded in for...
Car 4: Maroon Malibu- week 3 of owning I tapped a brick wall, that same week I flipped it completely totalling it.
Car 5: White Cobalt- hit by a drunk driver within months of owning
Car 6: Jeep- I only had for a month or so waiting for the cobalt to get fixed.
Repeat Car 5: White Cobalt- glowing clutch in year 4 of owning, days after fixing glowing clutch I ran into a 2 foot puddle flooding out my engine $1000 and 2 months later on a snowy day the afore mentioned non-insured driver hit my parked car.

I go through cars like I go through apartments! Hahaha

So, I'm here with my bruised up car just choosing to laugh, otherwise I would be forced to cry. It's that AH! Haha

Lovely Moments

So... inspired by my last post 5 minutes ago. I wanted to make a list of lovely moments I've had the chance to embrace.

watching the sunset in VA
first kiss
watching planes land at dusk
a walk in the park
hand in hand
a kiss on the head
a walk in the rain
a song made for me
piano melody in a coffee shop
laughing till tears
birth of first niece
4 course meal in Italy
looking out at the vineyards
knees to the earth looking up at the mountains
drives to nowhere
princess palaces
snow angels
washing feet
kisses covered floor
prayer
comforted by dearest friends
realizing love
dozing with sleeping baby
standing at Niagara
reconnecting with friends
realizing home
real worship

The Best and Worse

In honor of Valentine's Day I thought a bit about the few dates I've been on in my few years. There really aren't many OK dates for me. If they were good, they were really good. If they were bad, they were really bad. Here are a few that made the lists.

Best:
A day doing things I wanted to do. From early in the morning until late at night. Which included him taking me shopping for him. I got to dress him up in whatever I wanted. Great fun!

Worst:
After spending about an hour shoveling my car out of the snow I met a guy at a nasty Chinese buffet (should have known then), to find him already eating. When I sat down they brought a plate of frog legs(!) for him. Then conversation was completely lacking. But worse when we got to the counter he made no reach for his wallet. I paid! DEAL BREAKER!

Best:
A dinner with friends, one being an extraordinary chef. Good conversation. Watching a little t.v., then a nice drive checking out houses, and more good conversation.

Worst:
A l-o-n-g time ago. A movie I never saw the title of. A guy I never talked to again. And a "punch" in the neck . Enough said.

Best:
A funeral. Coffee. A walk. A talk.

What I've come to realize is none of these dates are extraordinarily great. It's just the people I was with that made the difference.

And Here We Are Again

So I visited my lovely escape. Before leaving the city I made myself set up alarms, calling me back. After an always exciting stay I hesitantly left knowing my alarms would be waiting for me, checking to make sure I came back to reality. How I'd rather be there with you my sweet escape. And here we are again...

Goodbye January

Happy February! This month is Black History month and last month as legislated by Obama was Human Trafficking Prevention month. Today then culminates to be Freedom Day.

Not many people know of Freedom Day as it is the first year we are celebrating it (or at least I think so), nonetheless it is on my calendar and I took time to reflect on my freedom both as a free woman and a half black person.

How much freedom I have to be thankful for! To leave January respectably and the cause we support in this month, I must thank God for His provision and protection in my life, that I myself was not sold into slavery. My family has never considered the possibility of selling me to someone for our next meal or to escape a debt. HE has provided. And yet there are woman and children all around the world daily being trafficked, treated as merchandise and not the beautiful HUMANS they are. I thank God that this injustice is being brought to the foreground and there are abolitionists willing to fight for the helpless.

To welcome February gratefully; thank God, that though we are not reconciled together as we ought to be, blacks have a place in America. We are not forced out of our country because of the color of our skin or the dialect of our speech. Thank God that there were and are people who are brave enough to fight for racial equality, even at the cost of their lives. Thank God for people who are committed to bridging that division even at the risk of personal discomfort.

Today what I celebrate most though, on this Day of Freedom, is my freedom in Christ. I am no longer a slave to sin but to Christ. It is no longer I who live but Christ who dwells in me. Praise God that I am FREE from the grip of death and alive to walk in the joy of the Lord. And praise Him even more so that someday He will set right what man has done wrong. Someday there will be freedom brought to the families living under the oppression of the sex trafficking movement. Someday there will be unity among every tribe and nation, not over-looking our differences but embracing them and celebrating them. Someday the Lord will restore and that will be A DAY OF FREEDOM!

But for now I rejoice that small movements are springing up globally by those who love the Lord and His people and are on board with His commission. And the Lord is working, do not fret about that. He is not waiting to work but is in the midst of working right now. He sees and hears the cries of the brokenhearted, abused, and neglected. He never slumbers. Amen, that He will work all of it out for the good! Hope never fails!