“Calling again to mind,
the grace of circumstance, sabbath economy
in which all thought is song,
all labor is dance.
The world is made at rest,
in ease of gravity.
I hear the ancient theme in
low world-shaping song
sung by the falling stream.
Unmaking makes the world.”
Worked hard and played harder.
Wasting time with others is the most underrated form of fellowship, wouldn’t you agree? I’ll take laughing cardio any day.
My sacred, weekly Micky date.
You know those friends that you cannot wait to sit down with and sip and nibble and tell everything to? Where the whole interaction feels like a simultaneous relieving exhale and giddy inhale? Your energies practically vibrate because you’re just so spiritually in tune, riding the same wave of life? And when you regretfully bid adios you’re bummed but so energized and satisfied. Like you just had the most perfectly portioned meal of delicious food, or took in the most refreshing gulp of icy, brisk air that filled up all your senses. That’s a kingdom feeling. That’s what it’s like coming freely to God to spend quality time with him. That’s how He feels receiving us. That’s how he designed communion.
One of my friends used to bring me ‘gifts from nature’ all the time; flowers, shells, rocks, and the occasional live creature. Originally I didn’t quite know what to do with it all, but very quickly I came to love the childlike joy she found in the exchange and how she marveled at the pure beauty simply found around us. I imagine that’s how God felt while surveying HIs creation in the beginning and gifting it to humanity. And lucky for her, animals love me so they were in good hands! ;-)
Well here we are folks. Where is that exactly? To be perfectly honest, I’m a little stumped myself to how I got to writing this blog post from San Francisco instead of Mexico. If you too have felt that the past 2 weeks have been a blur of events, you are definitely not alone in that. I myself could not quite exhale till I hit California soil, and since then it’s felt rather out-of-body to be back and yet stagnate. Along with a large portion of the world, San Francisco is in shelter-mode. An unexpected version of the silence and solitude retreat I was already planning on having post-art school, just perhaps 2 months too soon. Or just right? I fluctuate between a firm grasp on God’s overarching plans that already contained this curveball, and the confusion and sadness that live in sensing a premature exit has just occurred.
Somewhere deep down is an invitation. There’s always an invitation.
In this moment, there is the invitation to BE. Be present, be with God, be with myself, be with my family, be still. What a different type of invite! Don’t get me wrong, there is also a lot of opportunity for productivity. I applaud the resourcefulness I’ve seen on social media. But I know for myself, this invitation is more of the contemplative nature. A chance to catch my breath and reflect on the goodness of the Lord from Mazatlan to San Francisco. In the fullness of all his details and grandeur.
I want to continue to share both creative thought and experience with you my friends and family, as I so feel led to. These posts will obviously take place in a different context, but despite our wild circumstances God is still God, and He is still King. And in my humble opinion, that deserves more than just me alone in a room pondering in circles.
So thank you for coming along this windy journey of mine. In some ways, you could say the next chapter is officially starting. What could the great author have thought up next?…
Here are a few snapshots of my family from the past 3 months who are now scattered across the world and a piece that had me rehearsing the tethered faith I share with Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
Graduation night! So grateful for each face (including Hannah’s painted one) here and the uniqueness that they brought to our cohort. I learned so much from each individual. My heart does a little leap of fondness when I think of you guys!
‘FAITHFULNESS’ - We had a week of acrylic painting and the final project was to pick a fruit of the Spirit that you strive for. Faithfulness was my gut reaction pick. Interestingly, not for my usual reasons though. This time, my reaction was out of the deep desire to respond always in faith because He was first faithful. My faithfulness is never a new revelation, rather a posture of thanks because I have been deeply loved and blessed for as long as I can remember, and continue to be. The blue stripes represent God’s pouring out His devotion onto me, and the background blue stripes represent my response of faithfulness arising back to Him.
