Psalm 102:7

I didn't sleep well last night. Not a super big deal, but still, it always makes for a rocky start. Every time this happens to me, I seem to fall asleep hard right before my alarm goes off. Like within the seven minutes after I hit my snooze button.

However, this morning, I was reading my Bible and was encouraged by this little verse. It's not earth-shattering, but I really enjoyed it.

I lie awake; I am like a lonely sparrow on the housetop. (Psalm 102:7)

An Acceptable Time

When I am learning something, when I am struggling to understand a specific truth, God brings to life His promises. I am learning that He has a specific time for everything, and I need only wait.

But as for me, my prayer is to you, O Lord. At an acceptable time, O God, in the abundance of your steadfast love answer me in your saving faithfulness. (Psalm 69:13)

His time is the best time.

Chai Tea and Desires

Today is just a day. Today is just a day in an endless stream of days. But today, all I want to do it write. And drink chai tea. Preferably Big Train Chai, but Caribou chai would suffice as well.

But what to write about. What to say that would be significant, but also extremely interesting and a pleasure to read?

Honestly I don't know. I could tell you about my day. I could tell you about my weekend. I could go on and on about the books I've read for class, about the overwhelming nature of my next paper. But really, who wants to read about that?

I find myself desiring something other than I have today. I want the sun to be shining, I want to be sitting in a hip coffee shop (yes, hip), and I want to have no cares in the world. I want to be writing from my soul and not from my mind. I want the words to flow and the utterances to have meaning.

But you know what, I have nothing to say. I want to write, and I want to write well. I want to live in a time of life where stress is nonexistent, but for me, stress, whether good or bad, will always be around. Lord willing, I will learn how to deal with it without falling apart.

So that's my desire today. I want to be different and out there, but I'm not. I am who I am. The Lord has made me this way and put me in this place for a reason. SO here we go. Let's work for Him.

All for His glory.

Time

But there is something about Time. The sun rises and sets. The stars swing slowly across the sky and fade. Clouds fill with rain and snow, empty themselves, and fill again. The moon is born, and dies, and is reborn. Around millions of clocks swing hour hands, and minute hands, and second hands. Around goes the continual circle of notes of the scale. Around goes the circle of night and day, the circle of weeks forever revolting, and of months, and of years.

--Madeleine L'Engle, The Small Rain, pg. 152

A Piano

There is something about a piano.

It's beautiful and soft. It's music is soothing to the soul and the sight of it is one which eases all pain and stress.

It is a moment. It is a relief. It is articulate. It is worn. It is comfortable. It is provocative. It is a window. It is a door. It is warmth. It is passion. It is sorrow. It is joy. It is an atmosphere. It is a motif.

A piano is an instrument, opening upon new worlds.

A Martha Striving to be a Mary

I find that stress is something that either inspires creativity or kills it relentlessly.

I, some days, can't find the happy medium. It's like everything happens all at once, and things that you knew were looming, creep up with an overwhelming intensity that you weren't prepared for.

And it almost always happens on a Monday.

So today is a Monday, and today I am overwhelmed to the point of tears (the point, however none have dropped).

I was looking over my schedule, planning out my life for the week on my Post-it calendar (which was a gift from my mother for Christmas; amazing gift), and I read over the verses I had put in the margin. It was from Luke 10. I'll tell you the whole story so you get the context:

Now as they went on their way, Jesus entered a village. And a woman named Martha welcomed him into her house. And she had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord's feet and listened to his teaching. But Martha was distracted with much serving. And she went up to him and said, "Lord, do you not care that my sister had left me to serve alone? Tell her then to help me." But the Lord answered her, "Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things, but one thing is necessary. Mary has chosen the good portion, which will not be taken away from her." (Luke 10: 38-42)

I've heard this story before, but last week when I was reading it, and now when I read it again, I am amazed to realize that I am a Martha who should be a Mary. The only thing that matters is the Lord and his Word. I can just imagine Jesus shaking his head, saying "Martha, Martha" or "Kate, Kate" in an exasperated, but loving, way.

My desire for the rest of this semester (and essentially the rest of my life) is to be a Mary who chooses the good portion "which will not be taken away from her."

Cheer up, Chickadee

Today it's gloomy outside. And it's a slow Thursday.

So:

Cheer up, chickadee.