Victory Rose

I can't guarantee their credibility, but this is the site I use for Sigur Ros translations
Note: Not much of "Takk..." lyrics are translated. Still, a few are. The older albums? Yes. Also, take time to browse Alwaysontherun.net, it's got other good stuff on it.

"My heart is as frail as a dove..."

I typed two paragraphs before I decided I was dissatisfied with my writing. Recently I've gotten repeated urges to write followed by quick decisions to delete. The best I can do lately is quote. I think it's because words carry tremendous strength. Sometimes I feel too irresponsible and unwilling to attempt to transform my thoughts into words, because what if the translation is incorrect, and what if I fail in accomplishing my best wishes for your reception of my translation? Ah, but I will never be able to control this. As of late, that doesn't register.

A dear friend reminded me in a cute card today of this:

"So we're not giving up. How could we! Even though on the outside it often looks like things are falling apart on us, on the inside, where God is making new life, not a day goes by without his unfolding grace. These hard times are small potatoes compared to the coming good times, the lavish celebration prepared for us. There's far more here than meets the eye. The things we see now are here today, gone tomorrow. But the things we can't see now will last forever."
2nd Corinthians 4.16-18

And it's what I would have tried to convey through this entry anyway.

That undying pursuit of greater joy within every chord.

"For some, music is not just a pastime,
It's an undeniable fact of living,
A blissful slavery of mind, body, and soul.
To rise above the ashes of mediocrity is rare,
Yet the gift of song is freely handed out to anyone who cares to receive it,
Instantly shattering our daily drudgery."

Praise Habit

"And this way of life should be so compelling and mysterious and other-than that people see us coming from a long way off and it stops them in their tracks and they wait and watch just to see our exchanges and wonder at this life that has been chosen and how to put it on and what is this deeper, truer way of living anyway?"

"It is indeed a sad thing to discover we have been functioning in unintended and unredeemed ways, performing rituals of shiny, sequined adulation that we put on with good intention. We saw a brightly colored sweater and thought, It is fall and the leaves are turning and this will bring comfort, so we pull it on over our habit, over our Christ. It feels big and bulky, but people have told us it looks good on us. It makes us look thinner. It brings out our eyes. But we've looked in the mirror and have seen our eyes. They look hollow and tired. There is an absense of life. We know because we've felt things in our chest go right at one time. We know because we've, on occasion, seen firey love staring back at us from the mirror."

Crowder.

"God will lift up your head..."

Sometimes the area in which I live can be a little unsettling. Cars pass, but not frequent signs of people. When I first moved in, it was irritating to hear the occasional sounds of the party houses nearby. Now I'm comforted by them, most especially and recently by the repetitive call and response cheer, (and this is the only part I can make out) "Kappa's got the biggest mouth!" It's true-- they really do. Who even knows where they are yelling from, but the noise floats right through my walls as though they are made of cardboard.

Tonight I was home and I suddenly got the urge to locate the notes from my favorite class I have ever taken (though perhaps not at the time?). I leafed through piles and piles of notes, tests, and papers until I found the stack. It was like a reunion of sorts, a reconnecting with material I haven't seen in two years. Sure it's only been two years, but it feels like five. Hopefully if I can stop poking around and manage to read my Hume for Philosophy then I can look through it later tonight and once again sink into the comfort that was Honors Brit Lit with Mrs. Fuchs.

Like I said, I've got reading to do.

OU and Railroad

Cheryl's balcony early morning


We ate here


Court Street is pretty


Brother Chris looking for Wheatables in BP


Ridges Art Museum


Kimma


Parked on the side of the road and explored


Railroad tracks; Kimma, Brady, Kelly


How will we cross


How will we cross


By making a bridge


Brady listens for trains


No trains coming


Kimma found a bone, now in inspection by Brady


We love Railroads!

Was it everything you wanted to find?

I just got back from OU from a visit with Kelly and Kim, wonderful girls who everyone should get a chance to love because they're so amazing. Photos and more in-depth entry on the trip soon to come. (Hopefully? I mean, remember how I always promise to update about books and I never do? Ugh, While we're on the subject, my Anne Lamott is really quite poetic at times)

I kept thinking of this Nooma video (you know those nice Rob Bell short film type things), the one shown at the Grove in the fall sometime, when the little boy tells a lie and buries himself in a lump in the middle of his parents bed, only for his dad to find him and to tell him "There is nothing you could do to make me love you less." The dad repeats this phrase, or a variation of those words, same sentiment, over and over-- the scene illustrating God's love for every one of us.

I realize we should likewise adopt this perspective ourselves for each one of God's children, however I can say with no qualms that...

There is absolutely nothing my mom or my brother could do to make me love them less.

Looking for a Song to Sing, Looking for a Friend to Borrow

Altogether lovely

Gary, Spencer, CiCi, John, and Margie are a mere few of the many homeless people I met last Saturday night. Their names are on my small white board on my window. I can't stop thinking about them, Gary in particular. Dearest Jackie and I drove to Columbus to help out with Fruit of the Vine. There's no way to say elegantly that everyone there drove through mud and muck, along railroad tracks, under bridges, and in general where one would normally get the feeling of "If there is anywhere I should be driving, it is not here" to welcome the homeless out of their hooches to give food, but more importantly, to listen and to love. I've never had a more terrifying and amazing experience all at once. I simply can't wait to return in following weeks. A question that kept coming forth in my mind as we were leaving was "How can I not come back?" Really, how on earth could I not return and continually meet these people, shake their rough, broken-in hands that quite honestly have a lot to teach me about faith and hope. We stood in that clearing (if it could be called that) by the railroad on our first stop and Gary told US about his faith, God's mercy, the bible. He just stood there like this meeting was nothing more than perfectly normal, between his stories sipping his beer whom he referred to as "his wife," and really shaking up my reality. I couldn't help but think how much God must have been smiling. The five or so of us talking to Gary might have showed him a little love, but he most certainly taught us about faith. Oh, Gary.

I am really enjoying my philosophy class. I'm so thankful to be out of my old class, it bothers me just thinking about it. I love that I have a class where I can just read an assigned reading, and come to class to do nothing other than think out loud.

Walking outside today was beautiful. Upon my return I received a text message from Kim stating that I should probably walk outside and enjoy the weather. She should really consider not following me.

I'm thoroughly irritated at the stamp price. I have so many 37cent stamps, and now I must invest in 2cent stamps to make up for the difference. How inconvenient can the postal service be? What I'm trying to say is I have to remember to get those 2centers before I mail things, otherwise the postman will not take them.

"Whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant." Mark 10:43

Florida

Out the plane window


Chris and myself in the tram in Tampa airport. Foolishly thinking we will reach our destination soon. (They forced everyone on a tram, in order to get to a destination about 50 feet away. Thanks, I could've walked.)



The tram is stuck


Beautiful bridge on the way to Sarasota area


Cousins Alyssa and Megan. All of us gathered at Grandma and Grandpa's to surprise Grandma. Approx. 30 cousins plus parents?


Post-surprise Grandma


Palms in Lakewood Ranch


Even more


Momma and myself on the beach


Dad


Brother Chris


Wave + sand


Sand encrusted denim


Momma and Dad


Sunset


Aunt Kathy bought me beautiful earrings in St. Armand's Circle.

Lots more later if I get the time!

Happy Birthday, Christopher!

It seems to have been awhile since my last post. I assure you my absence has not been intentional, as many times I've thought of posting and have not due to lack of interesting material. So here I am posting, still without interesting material, but irritated with the idea of not posting for a couple months, because if I didn't just now log in, I imagine it would have been much longer until I opened up the page.

School is already eating away at me. "Isn't it only the second day?" Yes, it is, but the "easy" classes I signed up for are not the ones I've attended. Here's to hoping that my INST is interesting but calm.

My brother is 21 now. That's so weird to me. So adult-like.

I'd like the gas bill to come, that would be favorable. The sooner it comes, the sooner it can be done with for a month.

I cut Kim's hair last night. I love that she comes to me for a cut. I mean, sure, I cut my hair, but then- has she seen my hair? Haha, it's always a fun time cutting it, so long as she doesn't decide to take it upon herself while I'm out of the room. Also, she brought me my favorite candy.

We then drove to Target to get 121 photos printed for my "Family" album. That's only half of the trip. I have another 100-something in my camera I have yet to do something with. We visited with Andrew-the-photo-guy and tried to see Raul at Wendy's, but he was not there. We're clinging on to hope that he still works there. How could he not? Later when we returned for my prints, we saw Kelly, Paige, Ashley, and even later Carl! What a gathering. It's exciting to see people you know at random places like Target...on account of- who doesn't like Target?

I've been to the OC bookstore three times in three days. I finally have all my books and quite a hole in my (and my mom's) pockets.

My HPES today was about ten minutes, and she told us not to come back next Monday because she's doing some NCAA thing. That's what I call a good teacher. Haha, good story. I went early because, where in the world is Rike 206? So I go into Rike and "STAIRS" is painted on this wall and I'm like "Victory!" so I went up the stairs and turned the corner in order to browse the hall and search for 206 (I've got a little momentum) and there are like 6 people standing around in this tiny area I've now rushed into. I look and see the nearest door says "206." So I've broken the silence (most accredited to the earliness) and I feel awkward, so I proceed to ask everyone how their morning is. I get mumbles, and a few "leave me alone while I sleep standing up" glances, so I continue my awkwardness with a "Yeah, it's really early, I understand." Mostly I got laughs out of it and I'm sure you would've if you were there. They probably wanted to kill me.

Soon Kim and Kelly will arrive on their lunch break!

Hopefully soon I can get some photos from FL on here.