see. the. good.

christy (twin) challenged me to write down 25 praises. she says i need this right now. i came up with a few more than 25. i look forward to adding to this.

here it goes.

1. harvest renewal church - fellowship, worship, prayer, family
2. board games with mama & jj
3. entertaining conversations with JM
4. friendship with CE
5. reminders of my beauty from other beauties in my life
6. twin's amazing students; recognition of her gifts
7. timeless relationships
8. new men in my life - amazing new brothers - cowboys and pool sharks
9. music that allows me to connect to Him
10. B's peace in the midst of confusion
11. snail mail
12. big transitions in life (new jobs, moving, marriage, babies...)
13. comfort in consistency
14. creativity; various outlets
15. my family. all of them.
16. real conversations, tough testimonies, vulnerability, moments of silence
17. recurring phrases - God is a God of abundance... it's already done... He is a mighty warrior
18. being a woman and enjoying feminine things
19. nighttime strolls, solo drives, river moments
20. learning to claim His promises and make them my own
21. fund development phone calls and encouragement from strangers
22. freedom to travel; the possibility of overseas
23. old hole-in-the-wall diners in downtown richmond
24. annointings
25. reminders of how BIG He is and how much He loves me
26. quiet moments with skye
27. soft music on cloudy days
28. candlelight
29. wednesday nights in williamsburg
30. futon conversations with JB
31. the coolness in the air with fall
32. restoration...

quiet.

my spot. it's very quiet today - only a few fishermen and random couples stopping to stretch their legs and take in the james river. i am lying in the shade - not too hot or cold. it's perfect. today has been a good day. i swam again - after weeks of sheer laziness - and the second i plunged underwater, i thought "why did you stay away for so long?" i think my soul even took a deep breath. i forgot how much i missed the silence in the swish of the water.

i wanted to check out the new cafe in town - and the need to write my thank-you cards was the perfect excuse. it wasn't what i expected. someone rushed over to me as soon as i walked in the door to seat me...like a real restaurant and i knew i wasn't in my kind of coffee shop. i was given a menu. all i wanted was coffee - that's all i could afford and even that was $2.40...for one cup. i was surrounded by people in business suits talking about interest rates and equity loans - a language i don't understand. it's owned by an older european woman who came out from the kitchen and shook my hand. apparently she personally greets all of her customers. the art on the walls was definitely unique - not my taste - but i could appreciate the dedication to detail. all in all, it was too upscale for me and i felt somewhat out of place in my ripped jeans and flip flops.

my spot feels better. surrounded by weeds and large bugs that buzz every few seconds. down the hill on the beach, i hear a woman giggling and i wonder what amuses her. the coast guard helicopters are running through training exercises across the river and the clouds are getting bigger and bigger - my favorite indication of a pending thunderstorm. a man on a bike rides by - singing a love song. my own frank sinatra in spandex.

as i write this, i realize my need for moments like this. moments of silence - isolation from the rest of the world. in the fight or flight mode of life, i am running. i am retreating. maybe it's self-preservation. this little pillar of strength isn't so tall these days. that's ok.

so i run. to Him. because that's the only place i want to be...