What better place to experience less-than-pleasurable weather and burdensome academic loads? We're saturated in rain and heavy hues and even stronger love... a community as beautiful as our campus.
Spring color-pops its pom pom reminders that the sun can only come to feel more and more real. The bushes made a million green hopeful pronunciations of this very reality. Surely we're equipped to do the same.
Thankful we can commonly celebrate and perpetuate our sun and its warmth even when the Smokies are doing their thing a little too well, a little too frequently.
Sun, sun.
Hope.

g-l-whoa!-r-y

"Now if the ministry of death, carved in letters on stone, came with such glory that the Israelites could not gaze at Moses' face because of its glory, which was being brought to an end, will not the ministry of the Spirit have even more glory?
For if there was glory in the ministries of condemnation, the ministry must far exceed it in glory. Indeed, in this case, what once had glory has come to have no glory at all, because of the glory that surpasses it. For if what was being brought to an end came with glory, much more will what is permanent have glory."
2 Corinthians 3:7-11

sweet simplexity

I always thought that the only really good cookie was one which had texture and surprises; after all, what can replace the easy, warm give of a perfectly-savory chocolate chunk, or the nutty, multi-level-satisfying crunch of the walnut, almond, or pistachio nestled so complementarily among its sweet, soft counterparts?
Gems? Yes.
But in glorifying cookies' outstanding qualities, I've come dangerously close to neglecting the frank, simple goodness of their accommodation; without good dough, chocolate and nuts and dried fruits are, at their best combination, trail mix; as such, unfortunately, much less readily appreciated for their special qualities.
In this case, what could be so bold as the peanut butter cookie? A few simple ingredients, a few simple fork-depressions, and this is its existence. Nothing splashy, nothing flashy... only itself.
Or a ginger snap? -- ginger.
vanilla wafer? vaneeya.

It makes me wonder why I could have held such subtle inner aversion to them for so long. I hope I come to appreciate the simple things for what they are -- for all they offer.
Only now have I come to see these plainest of cookies make the best accompaniment for other treats;
what is a glass of (almond) milk without its peanut butter cookie?
teatime without a gingersnap?
banana pudding without the vanilla wafers?

May we all come to find joy evidenced through faithfulness to our trust that
at our simplest,
most earnest,
least-decorated of our own striving accord,
we are most available for serving others well.

What life, when our give becomes not our sweet accoutrements, but our
vulnerable humility.

For: ver.

verde
veritas
verbalization
verduras
vermicelli
verse
verge
vertical
very

Wish I could sit and talk with you,
though I have no particular word.
It would be as nice to simply sit.

i would rather

wait five years for the most delicious cinnamon roll that I know will be good
than 25 minutes for five-to-eight derived from questionability

this time last year

sunny day tree swing
your head up, see bright
blue and green flashes
our chances for
glances at dances
of light and leaves
the memories of blues
and greens you've never seen
such hues as these
discoveries are free
you are on wood and rope and
would you conceive to hope for
in your dreams and plans
of foreign lands
the way shown from the only One who understands
over the Son and by his side to gently guide
his hand to push along a short swing
out and back
to where it started
to look clear and beautiful,
your eyes of truth and faith
full proof
now fully overcome
over and swing with me.

If I ever own a creature, I'm inclined to name it Patchouli.

On My Mind

Alphabetizing the following;
Brooklyn,
Canada,
Chicken & Waffles. Where to find the very best:
Doughnut(s).
Eating and running and mediating the most healthful balance
Europe this summer, preparations.
Forcing myself to come up with something for every successive letter of the alphabet
Giving myself time to think about it
___
H
If my bio book says 'expectorate' one more time,
It will further prompt my
Impulse to do so. On
it, probably.
Jesus - his very real significance. My inability to understand, even still.
Kontaktmission.
Light.
Living in a way that shares God's love and
Loving selflessly, in this way.