by myself i can do nothing

Delightful photograph of the Michigan woods found online.

All at once, exactly where I'm supposed to be, yet longing for the taste of the sun in the treetops, for the embrace of the man with a name like a song, for letters written on parchment paper. All at once, exactly where I'm supposed to be, yet struggling, yet delighting, feeling everything. All at once. Exactly.

Reading: The Screwtape Letters. You should, too. 
Listening to: A lot of the Beatles lately.
Craving: Sleep; St. Augustine; writing my novel. 
Realizing: I can do nothing apart from Christ.  

"Rather, as servants of God we commend ourselves in every way: in great endurance; in troubles, hardships and distresses.....known, yet regarded as unknown; dying, and yet we live on; beaten, and yet not killed; sorrowful, yet always rejoicing." - 2nd Corinthians 6:4, 9

"We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed." ~ 2nd Corinthians 4:8-9 

23 Reasons for Joy

C.S. Lewis, the mountains, my sister; 

Old cottages, cake, the smell of vanilla; 

Worn quilts, poetry, sapphire eyes.

Scarves, laughter, the woods;

Photography, flannel, redemption;

Spiderman, St. Augustine, freedom in His name.

Fleet Foxes & naps;

The Appalachian Trail & violins;

Birds.

Surreal

I come from an artist community back home, so to be away from streets proffering record shops and vintage stores and *oh glory!* art museums is difficult. I ache to stand before a painting and examine its strokes. Especially if they were made by the masterful René Magritte.

"We must not fear daylight just because it almost always illuminates a miserable world." ~ Rene Magritte