Soul medicine.

A favorite painter. A favorite hymn.

I do not feel so strong today.

I am not sure what it is, and I don't

recall the last time I felt like this.

But whatever it is, I hope it passes

before anything sweeps under me,

because I know I wouldn't be well-

equipped to weather it.

The only thing I can guess is that

perhaps those low, grey skies out

my window are inflicting me. And

I can just see my love's sweet face

right now, reminding me that we

never could be Portland or Seattle

bound. Neither of us could take it.

(Like he did on Saturday when it

rained.) Better to think it's a thing

external than internal, right?

I don't know what it is, but it's

making me hold tight to this

quiet moment and to thoughts of

loved ones. Praise God for being

everlasting! The ONE who does not

shake.

Yesterday I was thinking about how

we are only hungry because food and

this need for consumption exists. We

would never be hungry if it weren't so.

And time?

Who isn't harried by time? It goes by

us too fast, too slow, it boggles us. I

know it's because the essence of us is

not confined to earthly bodies but

timeless beings, beings of eternity.

Time would never strike us so odd if

it were the only thing we knew.

we've really got to celebrate life more

... because yesterday was so much fun, because the tomb was EMPTY, and because I truly don't believe our culture celebrates enough.

Here is Jake in his Easter best, on our way to church. (He thinks this is a funny picture but I adore it!)

Here is nearly half of our dear, dear church. Sometimes we're slow to start the service because we just really like to relax and enjoy each other's presence.

Here is my friend Sarah who spent her first Easter with us. I couldn't be more thankful!

And this is our new reminder of the season. In older Christian worship, called liturgy, Easter is more than just one day, it is a season. (The same with Christmas!)

So now that Lent is over for us, Jake and I are trying to observe Easter by placing a life-giving reminder around home. I wanted a symbol to put by our door so we could be sent out each day with a reminder of the season.

So last night when the altar bouquet was up for grabs -- somewhere between singing, eating too much and belly laughs -- I seized that blessing!

Those branches were fillers too beautiful to throw away so I mounted them on the wall with a nail and a twist-tie. Constantly seeing them has already made a huge difference for me.

Here is the bouquet. I didn't have a vase big enough so I had to take some of the branches out -- not sure where I'll put them yet -- and I put the flowers in our biggest French press.

*

I have high hopes for this week. I have eliminated the 's' word (stress) from my vocabulary and I am armed with a schedule to conquer these last few weeks of school. Also, I just found out that there will be a farmers market on our street every Sunday this summer! And did I mention the tomb was empty? What more inspiring things could fill a lady's heart?

Maundy

From the Latin novum mandatum: the new commandment.

On the night he was betrayed, Jesus said,

"A new command I give you:

Love one another.

As I have loved you,

so you must love one another."

John 13:34

My heart is so romanced by the sky and the sun! In these last two weeks, the earth has looked to me like a true, environmental expression of the spiritual state of our faith.

The light is overwhelming, and so is friendship. We've been grave and the light now approaches! It's so divinely beautiful. As the Son rises, the sun over the city does also. The bright light makes me feel light weight.

"But for you who revere my name,

the sun of righteousness will rise

with healing on its wings."

Malachi 4:2

Something like home

We're back, home safe.

But we were at home in Iowa, too. Isn't it lovely to realize that somewhere I hardly thought of two years ago can now feel so homey? It probably has a lot to do with the people there, those wonderful people. And the full pantry, too. And plenty of time to bake and breathe. The photo above is my signature/Jake's favorite bread cake, banana applesauce bread. I pulled it out of the oven and just knew it belonged out near the rustic family backyard.

I was raised in California,
salty ocean air and mountains embrace me.
Then we moved to Michigan
where I grew into the woman I am.
I definitely felt at home in Cuernavaca, Mexico,
my bones are Latin.
And I'm approaching my fourth anniversary
in this city where we land.

So I have plenty of homes. It is
wonderful and tiresome. I am
comfortable in many places. But
where should our feet plant next?
Olivia and I have a
three-years-to-Montana plan,
but more time away from family
sounds painful right now. Ask me
in a few days, I suppose. Because
the thing is, with so many homes,
we're bound to be away from one
or most of them at all times.