unexpected

A student called me today to thank me for "being there" for her. She said she really appreciated everything I had done for her.

I did NOT expect a thank you. Not because she's an unthankful person, but because I don't think in terms of "serving for a thank you."

I don't deserve to be appreciated like this. How cool.

Hopefully I'll enjoy this...

No one warned us that a monsoon would overshadow Marion. But the rain came. The streets were washed and the basements filled. I've now spent a lot of time rescue-driving and being a piece of salvaging-assembly lines. I'm feeling in need of a boost.

Poetry's about to be read at our house. It's not like a slam for hipsters. It's a hob-knob for friends. Our poetry will be layered with jokes and conversations and questions. Super casual. The candles are lit and the house is clean and the people are milling about...

the fun

Dinosaurs
Jurassic Park came out in 3D and I went with a few friends.

I've never seen an old movie in theatres before, but it was fun to make jokes and relive the story in a new way.

I feel like I laughed a lot.

Spades
Because of a series of unfortunate events, we ended up playing cards and talking in our afternoon session today.

I went against a lot of my teacher instincts, but it was a refreshing little internal rebellion.

Boundless

Yesterday I was talking with Andrea about the concept of being. Allowing myself to be on the journey. 

Doing things on the journey, yeah, but not because those things will move me towards my ultimate life goal. Doing things because they glorify God and I'm meant to act out of love. Doing because I'm being a child of God. 

Being defined by God. Allowing myself to soak in the depth of pain and the fullness of joy that comes from true intimacy. 

God gave me a picture as we were talking:

A boundless blue ocean. I don't know that you could call it an ocean, because it never touched land. 

A person diving in from the sky. Someone who's given his life to Christ. He is now diving into God's love for him.

He is surrounded by something new and unfamiliar -- this ocean. God begins to give him the supernatural capacity to breathe in the depths. His lungs fill with water and he's afraid, but he begins to adjust.

He swims deeper and his ability to withstand pressure grows... simply because God is gracious and wants the man to experience more of Him.

I may never be in a perfect place with God on this landlocked earth. But I will always be swimming deeper. Why would I not want to experience the impossible? Why would I not accept the freedom that comes from trust in the all-powerful? Why would I hold on to what I can control -- my control is so constrained in comparison to that endless ocean. I can always swim deeper.

"And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God."

Ephesians 3:17-19