Starry Night Over the Rhone

This is my life right now.



Also, there will be an Impressionist exhibit in San Francisco in September and I would really, really love to go.

It was you who I wanted to be talking to..

There are now over 7 billion people alive in the world, right? That's a lot of people. I can't even begin to fathom what that number actually means.

Lately, I've been feeling like I have all these crazy thoughts. About anything and everything. Sometimes I share them. The crazier the thought is, the less of a chance that person will relate to what I'm saying. I feel incredibly blessed, because I do have people in my life that I can relate to. But no matter how much I share with any one of them, we aren't exactly the same.

This particular thought actually started while I was looking through the music on my Zune. I wondered "Does anybody have exactly the same music as I do?" My initial response was no way, of course not. 7 billion people is a lot though. Well, most of them probably don't have music players. But there's still a lot of people that do.

So that made me wonder if there's anyone out there who feels the exact same way about any number of things.. Is there someone who has the exact same political beliefs? Anyone who dresses the same? Anyone who feels the same way about Dean Koontz? Someone who dances just like I do? Likes exactly the same foods?

Is there anyone who has the exact same image of who God is?

Probably not. To any of those. I mean, maybe they feel the same about Dean Koontz. But many of my own opinions are so complicated and dynamic. The way I see God changes every single day. I learn something more about his heart, his love for people, his love for me.. or what he wants for me.

And because of how big God is, and how small I am, I can never understand everything there is to him. And I always have something to learn from other people. I fully believe that's intentional.

I'm going to slaughter the actual quote, but I heard Bill Johnson say something like "God made us relational. We can't get everything we need from God alone. Otherwise, we could all be hermits and not love each other."

Happy, um, Independence Day

Sometimes I feel overwhelmed with being political all the time. I first started to write a blog about Independence Day and how I think we're not all that independent at all (FOREIGN oil). But sometimes that feels like such a burden. And I don't think that Jesus meant for us to be free for a little while.. until we pick up the next issue. Whether that be an alcohol problem or a social agenda. I keep coming back to Christ setting us free "for freedom's sake." Not so our chest could feel crushed by something else. So we could know true rest, joy, freedom. Because that's how he loves us.

So, even though I'm not the most patriotic person you'll ever meet, I'm thankful to be where I am. In the U.S.A. I have the freedom to express my dissatisfaction in a blog or during a protest. I have the freedom to spend time with my loved ones. I have the freedom to dance around. I have the freedom to enjoy a good cup of fair trade coffee. I have the freedom to fall asleep next to my husband. And I have the freedom to make a difference.

I have a ton to be grateful for. And I believe that every gift is from above. I also believe that not expressing my thanks would kind of be a slap in the face to the one who gave everything to me.

A thankful heart
Prepares the way
For You, my God
Come fall on us
We fall on You
A thankful heart
Will be our rhythm
Come fall on us
We fall on You
A thankful heart
Will be our song