The Learning We Do

Unlike many of the blogs that I read I'm not snapping pictures of my cute kiddos and putting them on a bus or dropping them off at my local school. Rather, I'm the one headed studiously back to the classroom yet again and you'll find no pictures of me sporting cute school gear! :)

It's been one week and so far things are going well. I'm only taking one class (yes, it's a relatively easy semester after last year's insanity) and I think I'm going to enjoy it. It's Anatomy and Physiology, Part II and while I've never really excelled at biology in the past, I'm realizing that there's something completely amazing about it. What I'm finding is that every single day, what we discuss makes me think about God.

Truly, I have absolutely no idea how I ever sat through all of my biology classes before without being totally captivated by the creativity of the Lord as reflected in creation! The way that the human body fits together is completely mind-blowing. I could go on and on about how the muscles work with the bones and the calcium and the food we eat and the way our organs function...but seeing as how I've probably just lost most of you, I'll leave it at that! :)

Sufficient (or perhaps more accurately, insufficient) to say, our God is a creator of magnificent proportions. It's not just in mountains and galaxies but in the way you are able to cross the street and the fact that you can smell a yummy cookie baking to perfection! God is everywhere, from the smallest to the largest, and for me, my classes are a privilege that allows me to put more pieces together in seeing His incredibleness*!

There you go, school and God. Sounds about like a day in my life! :)

My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place.
When I was woven together in the depths of the earth,
your eyes saw my unformed body.
All the days ordained for me were written in your book
before one of them came to be.
How precious to me are your thoughts, O God!How vast is the sum of them!
Psalm 139:15-17

*No, it's not a word but I think it should be! :)

Well

Today I was sitting at my computer and the hymn "It Is Well" began playing through the speakers. I've always loved this hymn and part of the power is knowing the story that the hymn writer walked through prior to penning the words. Yet today that wasn't what brought tears to my eyes.

Instead, it was the reality that it truly is well with my soul. Come what may, through good and bad, no matter the path, it is always always for eternity going to be well with my soul.

Not because of anything I have to offer but because of a payment made on my behalf by a God who was not obligated to me or enchanted by any charms that I may possess. Rather, in spite of my sins and my pathetic attempts at goodness, He still chose to give His life so that I may be redeemed.

At the cross I received the ability to sing and to know that it truly is well with my soul. Incredible.

He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.
2 Corinthians 5:21

Playing With Photos #4

It's Friday and it's been quite some time since I've pulled out my photo editing tools and played around with I ♥ Faces Friday Fix-It photo. Since I've found a couple of spare moments this morning I'm giving today's pic my best shot.

Original from Alesha from Snapshots of Us:
My edit using Picnik:
I increased the highlights and brought his face out of the shadows a bit and then set it to black and white at about 60% to give it a cooler shade which I liked. Finally I went for a crop to bring his eyes into a bit more focus. Fun stuff...it's making me want to buy a new camera! :)

Changes

My blog needed a face-lift.

The old look just seemed a bit less joyful than I wanted it to be. There's no question that it was somewhat a reflection of my life when I redesigned last but now, as always, time has moved me on and things are different and I wanted more color, more life, more beauty, more joy!

I hope you enjoy the new look! I expect it won't be too long before the autumn season will inspire me to make another change but, for today, may this one make you think of long, sunny, summer days where the most important things in our lives are moments spent with friends and family making memories that will last well into the winter and often for lifetimes to come.

Blessings to all!

Texts Gone Awry

Several days ago my phone buzzed and I was excited because I knew it was a text which usually means one of the wonderful people in my life thought about something and wanted to share.

Didn't know the number which was weird...then I opened it:
"What u up to this is brandon"

Huh? I don't really think I know any Brandons who would text that. Whatever.

Later on, another message. This time I get:
"What up sexy what you doing"

Great. My phone is now randomly hooking me up to some guy who I'm pretty darn sure I don't know and I can't figure out how to block his number.

Later that night, another message.

Without further ado, let me introduce you to Brandon:


Brandon and his laundry. Brandon who is probably about 14. Brandon whose parents should perhaps know what he's doing with his text messaging package.

Thanks Brandon. Good to know there are guys like you out there.

The Wonder of It All

Few words, many thoughts, long stretches of time.

I'm not uninspired to write, just unsure of what to communicate. This seems to be a season of life where I'm continually learning more about who I am and being stretched in new directions and put through new paces. It's powerful and stressful (at moments) and incredible.

We do not stay the same. Not a single one of us is exactly as we were yesterday and tomorrow we'll be just ever so slightly different. Whether you believe in God or whether you don't, this is true. Whether you're a guy or a girl, this is true. It really doesn't matter one little bit where you come from or where you've been, this is true simply because we're human beings.

Now here's what's amazing to me today:

My life is always in motion. The characters come and go, the surroundings change, the goals are modified, daily expectations shift, the dreams are bigger, the trials more intense, the joys even more consuming. Motion everywhere.

Yet, in the center of all of it, my identity is found unmovable. Unmovable because almost 16 years ago I made a choice to follow Christ. The journey that began over half a lifetime ago (yes, that's some good math there) has been nothing short of incredible in its movement but has always maintained that tether to the One who doesn't change.

Today I'm just in awe of the wonder around this. That this verse would be true of me leaves me amazed: How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! (1 John 3:1)

What an identity. What a future. What a promise.

What a rock to hold on to regardless of what may swirl around.

Life is beautiful in its journeys. Today I'm appreciating that all over again!