Sweep me up in your mind

O Lord, may I be one with you.

Let me smell. Smell ancient offerings. Smell flowers on 10,000 hills. Smell the perfume a million joyful brides, all fully celebrated and unique.

Let me taste. Taste the tree of life. Taste milk and honey in promised lands. Taste manna from heaven.

Let me hear. Hear a the world’s first cries. Hear the wind in lonely places. Hear you say my name.

Let me see. See the sun rising and setting at every moment. See the creature who dwells in the deepest place. See the way you see me: every cell aroused, yet myself pieced together so my smile warms the world with a drop of your beauty.

Let me touch. Touch the sparrows that fall to the ground. Touch the tops of trees as you sweep me around the world. Touch your feet with my hair and lips.

O Lord, what candles would I burn if I smelled your fragrance?

O Lord, what desserts would I consume if I baked your sweetness?

O Lord, what music we you play if I conducted with you?

O Lord, what movie would I watch if I shared your mind?

O Lord—do I dare ask the last one?—O Lord, what would you touch if you touched me?

I Will Go with You

Abraham walked with his son Isaac up the mountain before he put him on the altar to be the sacrifice. Abraham was the one holding the knife; he had to be the one to strike the death blow.

"Everything was ready. Abraham took the knife. Tears were filling up his eyes. Pain was filling up his heart. His hand was shaking. He lifted the knife high into the air--" *

But God told Abraham to stop just in time.

On the other hand, God the Father, our Daddy, walked with his Son Jesus up the hill before he put him on the altar as the sacrifice. God was pouring out his wrath on his Son; He had to be the one to strike the death blow. And He didn't stop just in time.

Our great High Priest, our Good Shepherd, says to us with confidence: "When you walk through the valley of the shadow of death, you will fear no evil for I am with you." He walked a death march once but he did not walk alone, and he does not leave us to walk ours alone either.

And what do we have to look forward to on the other side of that long walk? "Abraham felt his heart leap with joy. He unbound Isaac and folded him in his arms. Great sobs shook the old man's body. Scalding tears filled his eyes. And for a long time, they stayed there like that, in each other's arms, the boy and his dad."*

*The present from The Jesus Storybook Bible by Sally Lloyd-Jones.

Two High Peaks in One Day

I have never been bored while climbing a mountain. Yesterday, I climbed two with my dad and my brother. For the first time while climbing one of New York's 46 high peaks, I made it out with the sun still up. I'll add a few summit pictures later.

66 years of marriage

My Grandma (see the previous post) is in the hospital--don't worry, nothing too serious. I have loved watching my grandparents interact over the past few years as I chauffeured one to visit the other in the hospital.

Grandma will get all dolled up beforehand and then inch her way close to Grandpa's hospital bed and hold his hand.

Grandpa will put on his best hat like he's going courting (he's made many nurses swoon). He'll march or roll right into her room and then stand, sit, stand. He'll cringe at some of Grandma's often-played, slightly crude jokes, then tease her about it and laugh at himself. He plays footsies with her or runs his fingers through her hair (sometimes she likes it, sometimes she doesn't). Sometimes she'll smile at him sweetly with an expression that says "Oh it's you." Sometimes one or the other will burst into song (which for those who really know me, may sound familiar). They tell their favorite stories: Grandma will tell them in her innocent, somewhat squeaky storytelling voice; while Grandpa's stories come out slow like molasses at first then pick up speed and animation as he really gets going.

The Priest who came to bless and pray for Grandma today said Grandma and Grandpa Jones set a new record. The previous record-holders had only been married for 64 years. As he was leaving he said, "This room is where the wisdom lies, Alyssa."

Soaring through a sunset

Anne and I are such kindred spirits:

Marilla Cuthbert: You set your heart too much on frivolous things and then crash down into despair when you don't get them.

Anne Shirley: I know. I can't help flying up on the wings of anticipation. It's as glorious as soaring through a sunset... almost pays for the thud.

Marilla Cuthbert: Well, maybe it does. But I'd rather walk calmly along and do without flying AND thud.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0092571/quotes

Why Travel?

Travel is expensive, but so many people do it. Why? Let's say you spend $4,000 dollars on a trip overseas. The trip is worth price tag if you find at least one million dollar moment--like the moment you make a lifelong friend or find the iridescence of another culture.

Oh no, this sounds a little like a Master Card commercial. Oh well. There's some truth in advertising.