Monday 25 March 2013

the great wave

after my last post, i got to thinking about my choice of title for this blog: great wave obsessions. i have never really explained this...

anyone who knows me truly, knows that i have an unnatural obsession with katsushika hokusai's epic print, the great wave of kanagawa. it was only recently that i buckled down and thought about why that might be? what is it about this picture that gets to me? in my recent prayer life, i have been asking God to "wreck me." my family and friends are all dumbfounded. who asks for that to happen to them? really. i think it has something to do with this great wave obsession. 

the great wave depicts an enormous wave in japan with mount fuji in the background. tossing perilously in the wave are 2 boats full of men (i always thought of them as monks). today, it dawned on me: maybe i love this painting because of the subtle metaphor; life is full of waves. (click here to read about some)

this desire to be wrecked by the waves of life is a cry to God to stir things up in me. change me, renew me, challenge me. with arms wide open in a sea of waves, i will wait upon the LORD.


   told ya, obsessed

Wednesday 20 March 2013

surprised by joy

man! life is tough sometimes, right? it seems like if it's not one thing it's another...planning a wedding seems to heighten this universal law. it would be so easy to collapse into a puddle of jelly and let everyone else deal with it! but in God, i find this unexplainable strength, even joy, to get though the difficulties. 

my maid of honor maaay not be able to come. she lives in new zealand and among other things, tickets run close to 2,000 bucks! isn't that heinous? last week, i called the hall that we wanted for our reception and the lady on the other end of the phone gave me a long, awkward silence before she informed me that she had mistakenly given my spot to someone else... signed and paid for. the week before that, i realised the lovely shoes i wanted (floral TOMS!) were no longer available even though (i thought) i had paid for them. apparently, they sold out so fast, the company didn't have time to stop the orders from pouring in.

there are still 4 months before july 13th. i cringe at the thought of what else could go wrong. but you know what? it doesn't really matter. sure, at the time, it seems like the end of my world. i cry in frustration and break out in a rash, but then...i pray. God give me strength, give me peace. and my goodness, i get it. today, i was kicking up my heels and laughing by myself at work. some of you question my sanity, but i know what it is; i am surprised by joy. consider it pure joy, brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds. james 1:2. it's really hard to explain or understand it unless you've experienced it.

at the end of the day the only thing that matters is that moment. just like in the kiera knightly pride and prejudice when lizzie and mr. darcy are dancing. one minute they are in a hall full of people and the next, they are alone. the cellos swell and you could cut the intensity with a knife. one minute, i will be a bundle of nerves, surrounded by our friends and family in a beautiful scene and the next? the only thing that will matter is james, standing at the end of my path. if i can keep my eyes on the prize, i can deal with anything.

sorry, this is a long one. just had to get it out.



a love note from my love

Tuesday 12 March 2013

washington and idaho

last weekend, my lovely fiance and i went to visit his good friend ty. james met ty at bible school in germany. now he's studying the bible some more in spokane, WA. it was a really beautiful, peaceful drive there. iiii got to drive, as my man busted his knee at work a week ago :(
i had never met ty before, but we're friends on facebook and follow each other on instagram and the like :P he's really rad and has a very down to earth mentality that strikes me as awfully christ like. it was good to be around.
on saturday, we drove to cour d' alene. it's a beautiful little lake town. what we didn't know until we were almost there, was that it's in idaho! something you must know about me, i am a places-aholic. one of those weirdos who collect stamps in their passport... well, new states are no exception. i've only ever been down the west coast in the states, so heading a little further east was exciting for me!
we went for a hike around the lake, picnic'd atop a craggy precipice, did some thrifting, got some coffee, and then headed back to spokane.
it was a very simplistic weekend. sometimes it's just nice to get away. you should always make time for little trips. 

 lord of all he surveys
  trying out ty's fish eye lens on my iPhone :P

Saturday 2 March 2013

delight

im about to go all spiritual on ya. you have been warned ;)

its a wonderful thing to know what you believe. its an assurance, a peace, and a great comfort. my love for jesus can be compared to a person's love for their favorite song. there is an ache and at the same time a joy that bubbles up inside of you. its a deep connection. 
i don't want much from this life. lots of people, when asked, simply say happiness, and who doesn't want that! but there is so much more to life than being happy. in pain, we grow, in hard times, we draw on the strength of those around us. it is in times of fruition and plenty that we often forget to say "thank-you".  
i pray that whatever my future holds, i am able to reach people for jesus and live a life that emulates him.


 " I love you, O LORD, my strength. The LORD is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge. He is my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold. I call to the LORD, who is worthy of praise, and I am saved." Psalm 18:1-3