Mending Pants & Relationships

365:11

* * * * * * *

There haven't been very many productive days since I got back to Colorado, at least not in the way that I'm used to. I feel a bit aimless without a job or classes at the moment and tend to putter around aimlessly in the morning unless I've made concrete plans the day before. If it's a particularly bad day, the puttering lasts well into the afternoon and isn't necessarily restful. Unfortunately it can be self-pitying puttering, which I hate in myself - a sort of moping without seeking a solution or acting on what I already know to be necessary. Not every day has been like this, there've been more than I'd prefer.

And yet, in this sick-ish puttering, God is somehow at work.

I've been reminded of three things in the past few days:
1) That God's love endures forever;
2) That He will not abandon the work He has begun; and
3) That, while I was still far off (and still sometimes am), Jesus met me and brought me home

I am most certainly a prodigal pilgrim... on a lifelong journey, often returning to God after an absence.

And I'm not just a prodigal in my relationship with God... it seems I am just as much of one with my husband, Jeromie - though we see each other daily, I think we've both struggled to be fully present in this past year. Instead of fighting for our marriage, as we ought, we've taken the easier road of co-existing. Especially in our time as students... cause boy does school demand a lot.

Not good.

But God's been up to something between us in this puttering time... an awakening of sorts, and a conviction and a call: to fight for each other and for our marriage, even when we're tempted to run & hide.

So... if you know us, whether you're nearby or far away, hold us to it.

* * * * * * *

The closing prayer from this morning at Wellspring:
Father of all, we give you thanks and praise, that when we were still far off you met us in your Son and brought us home. Dying and living, he declared your love, gave us grace, and opened the gate of glory. May we who share Christ’s body live his risen life; we who drink his cup bring life to others; we whom the Spirit lights give light to the world. Keep us firm in the hope you have set before us, so we and all your children shall be free, and the whole earth live to praise your name; through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Weathered & Weathering

365:6

* * * * * * *

Seems like right when I decide to keep my eyes and heart open, there's an incredible temptation to just shut them and give up. That would most certainly describe yesterday and, unfortunately, the better part of today. I wish I could say I withstood the temptation, but not today. Oh, I tried yesterday, but today I gave up. And then I realized what I was doing.

So... I went for a run - camera in hand, heart hopeful - and at least at first, every step was a chore. It didn't really get any easier as the run progressed, but I felt better just for being out. Ended the run at my local yarn store, found some materials to knit Jer a scarf, walked home in the wind, appreciated the rare overcast afternoon, and spotted something new (to me) in my favorite alleyway just behind the house.

Old shed. Old shingles. Obviously beaten by years of sun and snow. But still kickin' it one day at a time.

It's funny the things God uses to put things in perspective for me.

I'll just keep kickin' it. One day at a time.

365 : The Little Things

365:4

* * * * * * *

If there's one thing I've learned in the past few years, it's that little things can make a big difference. A word, a glance, a hug, a few minutes of stillness, a nap, a sneaky-plan, a flash of unsuspecting beauty here & gone...

There are periods of my life where I just let the little things float on by, and in the process I tend to forget what's important. I really don't want to live like that. If you know me and you see me slipping into that... call me on it. :-)

So. One of my hopes for this coming year, and for life in general, is for eyes that see and ears that hear. I want to be captivated, captured, arrested, awed by God's active presence in and around me because He is near and He has dwelt here among us. Emmanuel.

There are lots of 365's floating around the interwebz, so this idea is not a Liz-original, but I'll take it & adapt it & run. With the lovely camera I received for Christmas (thanks Jeromie!), I hope to capture a few of the things that speak to me, hopefully one each day, and share some of them here (aesthetically pleasing or not).

* * * * * * *

"To work on a book is for me very much the same thing as to pray. Both involve discipline. If the artist works only when he feels like it, he's not apt to build up much of a body of work. Inspiration far more often comes during the work than before it, because the largest part of the job of the artist is to listen to the work, and to go where it tells him to go. Ultimately, when you are writing, you stop thinking and write what you hear.

To pray is to listen also, to move through my own chattering to God, to that place where I can be silent and listen to what God may have to say. But, if I pray only when I feel like it, God may not choose to speak. The greatest moments of prayer come in the midst of fumbling and faltering prayer, rather than the odd moment when one decides to try to turn to God."

~ Madeleine L'Engle
Walking on Water: Reflections on Faith & Art

Home Safely

6:30am flight out of Atlanta, GA

good music & closed eyes

heading back to colder, drier climes (which i love)

* * * * * * *

I am sad to have left my east coast friends and family
but I am glad to be home.

Headin' Home.

I really wish I could be 3 places at once. And all there all three places. There are just too many awesome people in this world for me to get enough of them all... like my family and my husbands family, and my dear friends in half-a-dozen states.

But alas. I am not omnipresent. I am one very human Liz.

Which means it's time to go home. Yay! & Boo! at the same time.

I have had an incredible Christmas break this year, and I am glad for the time I had in each place and with each person. Thank you to everyone who has given us a ride, hosted us in their house, fed us, lent us transportation, laughed with us, laughed at us while we laughed at ourselves, and rescued us from a rental-car debacle. Special thanks to Jeromie for putting up with a crick'd neck the first week and a nasty cold the second! That man has patience.

So. We're off...
- Montgomery to see the Dixons
- Atlanta for time with the utterly fantastic Henleys before an
- Early morning flight to CO.

Much love, all.

Inspired.

oldpictures.puppets.pens.people

Haven't done this in a while... haven't had or taken the time. But that doesn't mean I haven't been inspired by something! :-)

* * * * * * *

Old Pictures - Of anyone, anything. Especially family. We don't have many from when I was little, but I came across a frame full of ones of me at Dad & Amy's house over Christmas. The picture on the far left is one of me messing around on the piano. Funny... I still like hats like that. Anyone up for Fedora February??

Puppets - It all started with Pigeon. Then I found the cutest hedgehog at a board-game store (Dirk: "Prepare to meet your dooooooooooom!!"). Then the awesome Bucks gave me a sheep (Doug). And now I have a collection of medieval finger puppets. My faaaaavorite puppet company so far is Folkmanis. They make tons of animal puppets and they're incredibly cute. :-D

Pens & Colored Pencils - Colors. Writing. Drawing. Taking pictures of them...

People - Family, good friends, new friends, strangers who won't be for long. Talking, listening, encouraging, giving. Knowing & being known. Being called out for the crap that I sometimes decide to wallow in. Telling stories, hearing stories. Dreaming up monkey business.

Yeah.

So now for some of that monkey business...

Ultimate Nerd New Year's!!

Arright. I'll fess up (to the whole world) what all my family and good friends already know.

I'm a nerd. and a geek.

In middle school, I'd've* cringed at the labels and made some rather ineffective efforts at thwarting them, but now I proudly OWN that part of my personality. You know... I like being a nerd. Who cares about labels anyway?

So... tonight was the ultimate nerd New Year's for me... full of board games. :-D Jer & I chilled at home with his parents, celebrated with lasagna, played a game, toasted in the New Year, then Jer & I played another. The important thing (to me) was getting to spend time with some of the people I love, laughing at ourselves and each other.

Dinner: Darla's lovely lasagna
Games: Alhambra & Agricola
Chuckles: Watching the East Coast New Years Countdown with Will, Arnold, Beth & Hope over Skype; "Don't be a stinkypants... that's my job!!"

Happy New Year to all!


the RandParents

The Colorado Rands

A very close game of Agricola
Jer 34, Liz 32



(* - I know that I'd've is NOT a correct use of anything, but I happen to like it thank-you-very-much. :-) After all, 'tisn't a school paper!! :-D )