Bumble-Ardy

I was listening NPR's Fresh Air on the way home from class tonight and Terry Gross was interviewing author Maurice Sendak, best known for writing Where the Wild Things Are.

This interview was one of the most honest, raw, heartbreaking, and beautiful interviews I've ever heard.

You can look at some samples of his new book Bumble-ardy here.

Listen to the interview. I know it's 20 minutes long but it's so, so worth your time. Here's one of the more haunting quotes from the interview; he's looking back on his life and in his current position: he's just lost two of the people that he loved most in this world within the past few months:

"I have nothing now but praise for my life. I'm not unhappy. I cry a lot because I miss people. They die and I can't stop them. They leave me and I love them more. ... What I dread is the isolation. ... There are so many beautiful things in the world which I will have to leave when I die, but I'm ready, I'm ready, I'm ready."

10,000 Reasons

This song is rocking me right now.

Good Stuff

Goodness

Tonight I just feel a little overwhelmed with the goodness of the Lord. I've spent some time just sitting and reflecting on my life in the past few years and the only conclusion I can come up with is that I am a product of a good Father.

I'm loving this passage from Psalm 40 out of the Message:

"But all who are hunting for you -- oh, let them sing and be happy! Let those who know what you're all about tell the world you're great and not quitting. And me? I'm a mess. I'm nothing and have nothing: make something of me. You can do it, you've got what it takes -- but God, don't put it off."

So much more is swarming through my head and heart tonight so I thought I'd share a small portion of it.

A Long Obedience

I recently started reading the book A Long Obedience in the Same Direction by Eugene Peterson. This is long overdue since my Too Cool Friend Andi recommended to me the chapter on Community many moons ago. However, I feel like my choice in reading it is very timely.

Here is a passage that really struck me today:

"The truth about me is that God made and loves me.

The truth about those sitting beside me is that God made and loves them, and each one is therefore my neighbor.

The truth about the world is that God rules and provides for it.

The truth about what is wrong with the world is that I and the neighbor sitting beside me have sinned in refusing to let God be for us, over us and in us.

The truth about what is at the center of our lives and of our history is that Jesus Christ was crucified on the cross for our sins and raised from the tomb for our salvation and that we can participate in new life as we believe in him, accept his mercy, respond to his love, attend to his commands."

Today

Dear Auntie,

Today would be your birthday, wouldn't it?
Today, I choose to remember you in your health.
As the lady who loved her obnoxious dogs.
Who used to tell me as a child when we were eating potato chips together that the folded-over ones were especially made for her, so not to eat them when I found them.
Who gave me my first car.
Who was perpetually "sending me a package."
Who took notice of my love for Beanie Babies as a kid and proceeded to inundate me with them on into my teens.
Who made sure that we got the loudest, most complicated toys for Christmas... just to irritate my dad.
Who taught me to love Black Friday shopping and how to check out at the jewelry counter in order to eliminate waiting in line.

Because really, aren't all these things (and many more) what being a good aunt is all about?

So yes, today would be your birthday. And I choose to remember you in your health.

Alone

Dusty is still up in Meade Co, which means I have a lot of time to myself right now.

I'm partly OK with this because life is about to get insane come Monday. But I also find myself just wandering around the apartment, randomly rearranging things, opening the fridge but not getting anything, checking emails, checking Facebook, looking out the window, then starting the whole cycle over again.

I'm fully aware of how corny this sounds but I feel a little lost without him around here to talk to.

When I'm alone like this I get really impulsive. Right now I'm simultaneously wanting to:

1.) Make this grilled veggie pizza I saw on PW this morning
2.) Go see my grandparents
3.) Get some ice cream
4.) Drive out to the lake
5.) Go swimming
and
6.) Buy some nails so I can hang some shelves in the bathroom

Pretty sure that ice cream one is going to win out in the end.