"the art of deep seeing makes gratitude possible."

this quote came to my mind in the middle of the day yesterday.  wednesdays are usually hard days for me.  i'm not sure why.  they just usually aren't my favorite.  but when this quote came to mind (likely not from my own mustering.. hmm..ehem, *God*), i decided that for the rest of the day, my eyes would see things deeply.

deep seeing:

like unoccupied benches in the wilderness to read in weather that lets you
like hibbard's brilliant orange against the sky's brilliant blue
like stumbling upon jazz night in the cabin
like meeting with friends in the middle of the day at a public university to read and ruminate on God's word
like yui, with his sunglasses inside like a diva (:
like lynette, a caf worker who stands in the same spot every day and remembers my name
like windows that let in the golden hour light in the hibbard penthouse
like friends standing for freedom
like the lyrics "Your name is like honey on my lips, Your Spirit like water to my soul"
like night class getting out early and walking up the hill in light

i am no expert at deep seeing.  if anything, most of the time my eyes are bent towards whining.  but would you, along with me, ask God for eyes that see deeply today, friend? 

deep seeing makes gratitude possible.
deep seeing makes gratitude possible.

// because my professor said "no class" and i said "it's time for an adventure!" (:

today, i was inspired by the daily, ordinary, rainy.
we live in a beautiful world.


i am learning so much to stop and look around and see these days.

i was thinking today: i am thankful that God is God.  because there are so many hearts that hurt in the world.  so many fragile hearts.  and we are just people and people are messy and we get things wrong a lot and hurt each other and we were never meant to be the ones to be responsible to hold human hearts.  human hearts are fragile and we were never meant to hold them.  there is only one who is... and He's really good at holding them all.

and we're all just little children.  we don't know.  i don't know.  i need God's direction.  His guidance.  today i felt it especially.  i am a little child.

tonight, hearing the intervarsity large group community sing amazing grace so loud that our worship leader quieted his voice because he noticed it too was the most beautiful thing.

i am currently sitting in my peaceful room, with the twinkly lights on, and the window open, and it's night-spring-air-breezy, and i'm listening to this song and this one too, oh and especially this one, and i guess i am just utterly content right now.  wish i could pour ya a cup of black coffee and you'd sit here too, dear reader!  it's just that enjoyable.  i hope you are knowing contentment right now.

for a long time i have felt drained of joy.  drained of life, really.  not motivated, not caring.  not breathing, not embracing. nada.  it was really concerning me. 

but today i felt joy.  slowly but surely, redeemed. 

that's all.
hey, best of all, God is with us!  don't forget!

^^i don't know, i just liked it^^

today i will choose Jesus.  i will follow Him because He is worthy of my life.
today i will take deep breaths.
today i will remember.  i will remember that He loves me.  i will remember why i am here.  i will remember His faithfulness.  i will remember that He is King... that He is God and i'm not.
today i will notice the people around me.
today i will definitely listen to sleeping at last.
today i will live in freedom.
today i will throw off the sin that so easily entangles.
today i will turn my eyes upon Jesus.
today i will see myself and those around me as image-bearers: fearfully and wonderfully made.
today i will look for chances to serve.
today i will enjoy God and thank Him for each blessing.  like sunshine and food and learning and femininity and community and my bed and and and..
today i will drink coffee.
today i will welcome discipline.
today i will wear flannel.
today i will look at the sky.
today i will do things i don't want to do.
today i will venture into nature.


today i will be loved by God and today i will love Him.
today is a new day and i am a new creation

p.s. if you've been thinkin i'm a really good photographer, thank you! but... sorry... any cool picture you've seen on this blog comes from... pinterest.  i know i know!  my secret's out!  i'm a user!

i really love the movie bridge to terabithia.  i think it's one of my very favorites.  i not-so-secretly want to be miss edmunds, the music teacher, and wear dresses and sing with kids all day like her.

i tried on a bridesmaid dress today. (:

the sun out the window filled my soul a ridiculous amount today

so did thinking about the people in my life.

i think God is teaching me a lot lately about how He loves.

i maybe play that song lakehouse by of monsters and men at least twice every single day. ...maybe.

i wouldn't lie to you and say that kashi crisp cinnamon crumble cereal is not my very favorite cereal in the history of cereals.

i haven't been sleeping so well these days.

i'm trying so hard to learn how to sing harmony, but oh yikes... just, thanks for still loving me, God, even though you had to hear that.. (:

one of my homework assignments is to write a story about two characters meeting.  i rarely say this, but i loved that homework.

listening to norah jones makes me miss my mom.

cassie let me borrow her hat one time when i was a freezin steven, and another time, coral gave me her gloves to wear.  that was so special!  my friends are so good at loving me.

i still don't know the difference between a mitten and a glove.