You've heard it before.

By following Jesus as Lord, you've got your ticket to Heaven.

Sayonara planet earth.

But that relationship is only vertical, you to the skies.

And with a purely vertical relationship, the story of Jesus is not a cross, it's just a stick, up and down. A stick that beats people over the head with condemnation.

What if there's more?

As I believe there is.

By following Jesus as Lord we are not only reconciled with God, we are reconciled with each other. A horizontal relationship. No blissing out and forgetting about earth. Jesus did not come here only to take the faithful one by one, He came to restore what was created. And that includes all of us. That all people, those who believe and those who don't, could have real love and real peace, here and now. A horizontal connection, reaching out over this planet.

Horizontal + Vertical = the cross. The sign of our faith.

I read this book and I am reading this one.

And they rocked my paradigm. I had a lot to learn!

I am not saying this as if I've perfected the craft. But as inspiration for all of my friends who say they follow Jesus.

How is our faith professed through our interactions with the world?

I want to live out that love and peace. Hold me to it.

PS: This is a little unrelated, but look at this picture from Jake's band's last show. I love it! And we almost get that sweaty here on the New York subway because it's been so darn hot. But I have no complaints. Except the fact that I keep wanting to call the trains "lines" like we do in Chicago and it just doesn't work.

Notes from New York.

I've been told that reporting your whereabouts online can be dangerous, so I was hesitant to mention where Jake and I have been. But here, I've admitted it. Because I have a few thoughts on repeat in my mind that need to be released.

1. The clothing trend here is most definitely "nakedness." I've seen more bras on the streets and trains of New York than I did in my high school gym locker room.

2. The other trend is babies. There are babies everywhere! Way more babies here than in Chicago.

3. We've been doing a wonderful job of budgeting, I might add. Yesterday we spent $12. Total.

4. It's interesting to me that New York doesn't have alleys for trash, and thus it ends up along the sidewalks. I just really think all of the parallel-parked cars must make it difficult for the garbage folks to get the trash in their truck.

5. I am running on spiritual fumes. In need of a lot more slowing down and praying in my life. I planned a retreat of silence for myself this week.

So there you have it! We are loving the city. We're at home in the urban environment and really soaking up all the time to play and be with each other. In fact, we haven't left each other's side in four days. Doesn't that seem a little un-human? We are in love. And we have plenty more ideas of things to do, so I'm off. Please don't try to track me down or burgle our apartment, now that you know where we are.

However, I will urge you to come to the Les Savy Fav show tonight in Brooklyn, at the park on the dead ends of Commercial and Dupont. Jake's cousin is in the band and I'll definitely be there.

So, after a brief work meeting Monday night, we went to see The Books play a free show. It was glorious; the weather, the friends, the lights, and the perfectly ambient music. I like The Books very much, their songs are definitely made to be performed live.

I've been working mostly evenings so I don't feel like I've had a super summery summer, yet. (Although I'm sure that notion would be corrected by a reflection on the past few weeks.) But this was a good reminder to make space for more summer in my life.

(Please note the dramatic fog I ordered to stream around 30 seconds in to the video ... kidding. But how dramatic, right?)

After the show, we went to Elspeth's home for a bit. Friends are priceless. And so are 1 am trips on the Red Line. We met a very interesting and nice man, as well as some interesting but scary men. Without thinking about it, we definitely ride in train cars full of fascinating people.

Jake and I leave for a very summery adventure tomorrow, yahoo!

Thank you mom and dad, for your endless love and devotion to us!

Thank you for trusting us and teaching us to be self-disciplined.

Thank you for creating the kind of atmosphere that allows us to

explore our individuality, express our passions boldly and still love

and support each other.

Thank you for taking us camping, rock climbing, picnicking on beaches, to live music shows, to all of our rehearsals and practices, on car rides to "puddle jump" and to photograph the countryside.

Thanks for putting your life in my hands and teaching me to drive, and then continuing to encourage me when I failed my first driving test.

Thank you for teaching me that money is the least-most important thing in the world.

Thank you for maintaining a family unit even after your divorce.

Thank you for not giving up on your own life adventures and thus teaching me to never "arrive."

Thank you for loving me through my first (and second) heartbreak.

Thank you for my sisters!

(I have the best parents. We had a very special family dinner when that little one on the left turned 18. This is my timely father's day post and belated mother's day post.)

More pictures during the storm yesterday. This is our city.

Since posting about my OCD, a few people have asked about its pervasiveness in my life. I think everyone must understand how difficult it is to describe your own experience of normal. But what I'd like to say is that more than any compulsion, what I often notice are the obsessions. A few times a day I'll have a thought that my mind didn't conjure and that I don't claim as my own, but it sticks with me, and uses the faculties of OCD to repeat and repeat. I know I worry more than I ought to, and I know worrying is a common downfall. But what's most disturbing about these thoughts is that I really don't recognize their voice. I can't describe it any other way.

It is very relevant, however, because since childhood, the best way for me to open the hatch and force those thoughts out has been to write ... on napkins, journals, blogs or receipts. I never feel more trapped than the times I'm stranded without a pen.

I got to spend some time with these lovely girlies this week. Also, we saw our parents quite a bit. Family is medicine and meditation. (And a little bit of tornado.)

Chicago is getting our wave of those storms. The best thing about severe weather is that itmakes friends out of strangers. Because, when crowds are seeking shelter, it's perfectly normal to ask everyone else what they know.

Also, that word severe. I like it!

As in

severe love,

severe grace,

severe perseverance.

May we lead lives of severe vitality.

Even at my lowest, it is humbling to note

the continued preservation of God over me.

My family is facing tragedy and I cannot help,

nor can I be with them.

But the Holy Spirit is there. Because even if

we a are tiny batch of rain drops, we are known.

Psalm 8:3-4

"When I consider the heavens

the work of your fingers,

the moon and the stars,

which you have set in place,

what is man that you are mindful of him,

the son of man that you care for him?"

i had NO idea.

that my great, great uncle (Bliss) wrote the music to "It is Well with My Soul."

and that when i was 14, days before my uncle died, probably on June 10, when he was laying in the hospital and an a cappella group came to sing to him, they chose to sing him "It is Well with My Soul" and he raised his arms to go home.

... until my momma told me.

but now that i know, i am certain that my uncle brought that song to me last week, straight from the heavens. certain.

This is a time capsule.

Yesterday morning my soul needed some hymns. As I went on with my day, the one that says "It is well with my soul" kept with me. What a blessing.

My job is hard. I never wanted to be a missionary. I never wanted to raise money. But here I am. Just following where God called me. And truly, I love the work so much that each time I am with the students, I am reminded that I would go through Hell and high water to work with them. But it's still hard work.

I am a very level-headed person. Almost to a fault. But this job, oh! My emotions go up and down three times a day! And that's why it is so good to have a song singing, "it is well with my soul" in my mind. Because, if you can find joy even when you and your surroundings do not seem joyful ... nothing can hold you down.

Tired? Humbled? Pressured? Shy? New? Unfaithful?

It is well with my soul.

Last night, Jake and I wrote letters to whoever we will be on June 9, 2011. Time capsules. You see, a lot of perspective is gained in an evening stroll to the beach. You realize that if in the future you want to look back on these days as fondly as you currently look back on those years ago, it helps to be joyful today.

Joy is definitely what I have been learning. I have this note in the margin of my Bible that says "Happiness is based on circumstances but joy is everlasting."

When peace like a river attendeth my way,

When sorrows like sea billows roll;

Whatever my lot, thou hast taught me to say,

It is well,

It is well with my soul.

I admire Lauren at TheLittleThingsWeDo, so much. She is a beautiful Christ-follower who isn't afraid to get real on her blog. That said, she is also incredibly generous (maybe a little crazy) for featuring me on her blog today.

Given all of the genius domestic blogs out there, I feel immensely under-qualified to write any sort of post along the lines of cooking, cleaning or crafting. But I was so inspired by Lauren's idea that we all have a little something of advice to donate to the world. I wanted to give whatever I had. So I dug deep and I realized that while I haven't arrived at domestic genius, I am holding my ground in the domestic mediocrity party.

So that's what I wrote about. You can check it out here. I wrote for anyone who, like me, is still making strides when it comes to figuring things out. We all have to develop something that works for ourselves and our own homes. Hopefully I was helpful to someone.

* However, I should add that since I wrote that post for Lauren, our appetites and thus our food budget have swollen a little. We now spend around $180 total per month on food.

Now, for a example on how we keep our food cheap. This here is from a huge can of tomato paste I bought for less than one dollar. Whenever we want sauce, I take a few cups of this, add diced tomatoes, garlic, onion, olive oil, spices ... and voila! Sauce. Much cheaper than going jar by jar.

During an ever-so-brief stint at home this weekend, Jake and I fit in tons of family/friends/festival time.

The main reason we went back to Michigan was for a wedding. I love weddings! It was a blast hanging out with such good friends who I hadn't seen in too long of a while.

We saw my dad's new home, my aunt and uncle's new home and we went to GR's festival of the arts with my cousins (where were thankfully saw more friends.) I was incredibly nostalgic the whole time, I miss home very much.

For three years I've wanted to bring Jake to festival. This is something of what festival looks like:

via

We had a wonderful time but of course it wasn't long enough. I'm really praying that work will bring me back next week for a longer trip. It's sad to me that we can usually only go home for a couple of days at a time. Jake and I hope to have plenty more adventures and then someday "settle" back in Grand Rapids. Oh, how tempting it is to go back now ...

The last thing I'd like to share is the beautiful work of an artist I came across while at festival. Her prints and political views are both spot on. I got her permission to use one of her designs for my next tattoo! It's perfect:

Red Hydrant Press

At the end of a very tiring week (to say the least,) I understand in myself a little more about this question.

I pray because I have seen God move mountains in my soul. He has provided abundantly. And when I am exhausted and can hardly utter a thanks, all I want to do is whisper a prayer. All my feeble body can do is breathe joy, because thinking requires too much energy. The LORD is good. I wish I could do something to show my gratitude but nothing seems sufficient. So I connect in a prayer. And I believe that makes the Creator's heart sing.

1. My dream vacation would be visiting Jake's cousins in Sweden .

2. The best trip I've ever taken was probably one of the times my dad and I went to California when I was in high school. I really love visiting our old home, I love hanging out with my dad and we're both adventuresome so we travel well together .

3. The most important items to take on a road trip are snacks, motion-sickness pills, a camera and reading material .

4. The next trip I'm looking forward to is our trip to New York City at the end of the month .

5. If I had to pick one CD to listen to for a long road trip it would be Bela Fleck .

6. The biggest disaster I've ever encountered while traveling was coming home from our honeymoon in México when I thought I lost Jake's immigration papers. We're talking rifling through suitcases (the monopoly game and my underwear!) in front of everyone else in line. Also, talking about immigration protocol in a foreign language is rather stressful .

7. My favorite traveling memory is driving with my dad through wine country California mountains while playing Death Cab for Cutie; my first road trip with Jake because I got to spend 9 hours together and we laughed the whole time; OR when I got severely confused during my layover in Cancún and I left the airport, then freaked out at some security guards who let me skip the line and run all the way to my gate before my connecting flight took off .

Goodness, I love the moments when everything clicks and I can feel summer has arrived! I've had a few of them already; a hilarious car ride (always a treat) with the windows down, friends coming over to go to our beach, helping a friend move apartments, dinner dates every night, staying up until 1 am!

And then there was the great weekend when we visited our friends the Tinkens. They made homemade black bean burgers, Jake's outfit matched their mod apartment and I rode a moped for the first time! Blessings, blessing, blessings.

I have tattoos on the brain.

It's true what they say ... they are addicting! I have one (above) and Jake has one, but we both want a few more. The challenge is to think of something beautiful or creative or novel enough that you're willing to live with for the rest of your life. (A sister tattoo? Mexican sugar skulls? A whale? A ship?) Also, as soon as I think about saying sayonara to a patch of skin, I get creepily sentimental, more so with Jake's skin than my own.

PS: Save your breath. I've got a whole power point presentation to prove that the Bible, in fact, does not teach against tattoos.

PPS: I am learning so, so, so much in ministry. The hard kind of hurting learning. Even if this job someday sinks, I (and my marriage) could walk away today having been re-shaped by the experience.