No Computer= More People Visited, More Books Read, More Adventures To Be Had

Tonight, I cooked about 5 pounds worth of pasta.

Then, I invited anyone that I could possibly grab ahold of.

Soon, my tiny apartment was filled with people. I kept having to wash plates as soon as people were finished so that others could eat and people shared silverware.

So much laughter and joy danced around as stomachs were filled and college students finally had a satisfying meal.

Later, as I sat in my now empty apartment as dirty dishes overflowed the sink, I rejoiced.

No matter how hilarious a movie or TV show may be, it could never compare to the amount of laughter that came from simply having conversations with people.

Community was built tonight. Not just friendships or connections, but unity.

All the believers were together and had everything in common. They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need. Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people.

--Acts 2:44-47

Moments like these help me to remember that the greatest things that God has given us are what can never be duplicated or experienced on TV.

Always On The Move

Packing up to go back to school in less than a week.

I love it there. So many adventures with great people, living in a tight-knit community with others and always going, going, going.

But I love it here too. Life is slower, less complicated. There's community here too, smaller yet more intimate.

Divided between two families.

This is my fourth year doing this and you would think it would get easier but I don't think it ever will until we get to heaven.

Then, I can't wait for the epic potluck and family reunion that will happen.

But until then, I'll keep searching for a place to call home.

My favorite spot in my current home:

Sleeping in a hammock because my bed is cluttered with college things,

surrounded by books and art.

Fighting Dragons

I finally finished and I'll have to admit, this is perhaps my favorite thing I've made. The inspiration came from one of my favorite quotes:

"Fairy tales are more than true; not because they tell us that dragons exist, but because they tell us that dragons can be beaten."

--G.K. Chesterton

I spent a lot of time researching dragons. Surprisingly, there are a lot of people out there who believe that dragons still exist as well as a ridiculous amount of information on the anatomy and habits of these fire-breathing beasts.

Made with paper, crayons, paint and lots of cardboard.

**Sorry for the poor quality of the pictures, they were taken on my cell phone as the camera that I owned for three weeks was accidently destroyed by a group of middle school boys while at camp.

Braver Than You Believe

This week has been phenomenal. The kids I nanny for are out of town and I have the whole week off meaning that since I'm the only person in my house during the day and I have no other pressing deadlines, I can do whatever I want (as long as I remember to empty out the dishwasher).

So I've been making art.

Hopefully I'll be done with it within the week to show you, but in the meantime, here are some things that have been inspiring me this past week:

"If ever there is tomorrow when we're not together... there is something you must always remember. you are braver than you believe, stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think. But the most important thing is, even if we're apart... I'll always be with you." --Winnie the Pooh

Joan of Arc by Mark Twain. I absolutely love this book and I'm only on the tenth page. Joan's always been one of my heroes but Twain writes about her with such affection that I can't help but want to aspire to be like anyone who is described as "truthful when lying was the common speech of man; honest when honesty became a lost virtue; a keeper of promises when the keeping of a promise was expected of no one; steadfast when stability was unknown...". Twain actually goes on like that for a full two pages and those are merely the first pages. So yes, I aspire to be someone like that.

Actually, the inspiration to read this book came from this article by Jon Foreman. It's a stirring piece of work that motivates me to face my dragons.

Lions make you brave,

Giants give you faith,

Death is a charade.

You don't have to feel safe to feel unafraid.

Lions! by LIGHTS