sunset and memory

I'm rather inordinately proud of a couple of these shots I got yesterday at sunset.  Dandelion seedheads now remind me of a certain night back at college spent with some of the sweetest girls I know, blowing dandelions in the dark, giggling, and just enjoying that moment.



I'm sorely feeling the lack of community at the moment, though I'm enjoying my family very much.  I miss my church and friends from back there.  Visiting a new church, trying out a new knitting group, and slowly building up new connections here.



I'm not really sure what I'm doing anymore or what this path is supposed to be, the one the Lord has suddenly diverted my life down.  It's lonely, for now, and a bit scary.  But the uncertainty is also rather exciting and certainly the testing of my faith has begun to produce patience, as my Lord promised.

St. Augustine and friends

I visited the lovely little town of St. Augustine, Florida this past weekend for my friend Valerie's wedding.  Val and I have been friends since my freshman year of college and we've been through alot together.

We spent Friday exploring the St. George Street district, downtown -- St. Augustine is the oldest town in America and many of the buildings are hundreds of years old!  That evening, we ate the rehearsal dinner at this charming restaurant right on the water.  Cappucino creme brulee, yum!

The day of the [outdoor] wedding itself was kinda stressful due to the fickle Florida weather.  It started to rain in the early afternoon so everyone was in a holding pattern once the decorations were up and the small number of guests arrived.  At about 5:30, we seized a brief gap in the clouds; shooed everyone outside and started the processional...  The ground was so squashy that the 3 inch heels on my shoes sank all the way in with every step.  Walking on tip-toe down an entire aisle is not a simple feat, believe me.  But we all made it.

I thought the wedding might be really hard for me, especially having to be in it.  And it was in some ways.  But in other ways, it reminded me of how grateful I am for the many blessings the Lord has graciously allowed in my life.  Even if the blessing of a relationship is not currently one of them.

Congratulations, Mr. and Mrs. Gregg.

[the right words]

I've been absent here a long time;  graduating from college, moving back to Kansas City, finding a job, trying to reconnect.  I'm committing to shoot more pictures, write more words, and to be more faithful about blogging.  Today, the only thing I want to share is this song by Sara Groves.  I first heard it five minutes ago and the words pierced my heart.  After reading the lyrics, you may understand:

Tuxedo in the closet, gold band in a box
Two days from the altar she went and called the whole thing off
What he thought he wanted, what he got instead
Leaves him broken and grateful

I passed understanding a long, long time ago
And the simple home of systems and answers we all know
What I thought I wanted, what I got instead
Leaves me broken and somehow peaceful

I keep wanting you to be fair
But that’s not what you said
I want certain answers to these prayers
But that’s not what you said

When I get to heaven I’m gonna go find Job
I want to ask a few hard questions, I want to know what he knows
About what it is he wanted and what he got instead
How to be broken and faithful

What I thought I wanted
What I thought I wanted
What I thought I wanted
What I thought I wanted

Staring in the water like Aesops foolish dog
I can’t help but reflect on what it was I almost lost
What it I thought I wanted, what I got instead
Leaves me broken and grateful

I’m broken and grateful
I want to be broken and grateful
I want to be broken, peaceful, faithful, grateful, grateful
I want to be broken, peaceful, faithful, grateful, grateful

You can listen to the entire song here. Or buy the CD and support Sara -- I saw her in concert last summer and she's an absolutely lovely person.