Stradivari

Good morning, friends!! I’m about to head out for coffee times with Natalie, but thought I’d say hi, since it’s been a little while! And apparently I was trying to write a short story last time I was online – found the below excerpt saved as a draft. Really not much to it, but thought I’d leave it here for posterity(and in case it jump-starts my muse!).

I’ve had a delightful morning thus far…got to sleep in(to 7:30!!), then had my breakfast of coffee and toast while getting some solid reading done. Haggai is a very fascinating OT book, one that looks with grief into the past…and with bright hope for the future. Love it. Can’t wait for the day where the whole of the heavens and the earth acknowledge the name and glory of the Lord our God. Amen and Amen!! Next will be Zechariah. Almost done with Old Testament…so sad. Except not really, because that just means I get to start in Genesis again! Anyways, now I’m on my second cup of coffee, taking care of some online errands and listening to Itzhak Perlman playing Beethoven(on the big TV screen with good speakers!). Probably time to head out now though and…enjoy some more coffee with my dear friend Natalie. Peace, friends!! And enjoy below extremely random snippet.


The rain poured down, straining to be heard over the blare of the neon lights.

Rick risked a quick glance upward and was rewarded for his trouble with a splatter of water in his face from the inn’s overhang. He shook his head in annoyance and ducked back into the lobby. As he closed the door firmly, he heard the electronic chime from the front desk. The security officer masquerading as the receptionist raised her eyebrow at him in silent question. He shook his head in response. No sign yet.

As Rick walked back over the well-worn linoleum of the hotel’s foyer, he scanned the room, looking for anything out of place…

Agora

Happy Saturday y’all!! I’m sitting here in Agora coffeehouse in Houston enjoying a beautiful day…and I really have been trying to write something semi-creative, but alas – my muse has fled me(at least for the time being). Anyways, I’ve successfully gotten some other tasks done and so I thought I’d write a quick post here. I woke up a bit later than normal today, but I have a good reason for that…yesterday didn’t get to bed until past one o’clock! That was totally my fault though. Got home about midnight, and then instead of smartly going to bed, I read for an hour. Ah well. My book(current one – Worthing Saga by O.S. Card. Classic) was worth it and I still got enough sleep. Oh and I forgot to explain why I was up so late last night! Me and Daniel went to the movies – met up with a bunch of other people(Matias, Jonathan, et. al…) and then had a time of awesomeness watching Furious 7.

So – I must confess – I’ve never seen any of the previous “Fast and Furious” movies, so I’m a novice to this world, as it were. And it didn’t matter. I much enjoyed!! Was the movie moderately ridiculous, full of physically impossible and logistically ridiculous stunts? Yes. A thousand times yes. Was the movie exhilarating and awesome and just really super fun? A million times yes. Watch the trailer and you’ll get a sense of how ridiculous(ly awesome) this movie is. The characters were all well played, by actors that seem to have a lot of fun just hanging out together. The movie was very well shot, in that all the action and stunt scenes, I could actually follow every bit of it, never being confused by what was on screen. Classic lines of dialogue and great combat scenes and…a lot of heart. That was what maybe surprised me the most. One of the main actors(Paul Walker) died last year in an unrelated car accident, and so this movie is is his final film. And truly, it was a tribute to him in a lot of ways. Movingly so. I actually got close to tears at the end, as they had a scene with Walker’s character and family playing on the beach as the rest of the cast looked on. It was beautiful. So as much as this movie was full of fast cars and big muscles and sweet hand-to-hand combat…it was really a movie about family. And that your truest friends are truly family. And you can’t ever let that go. Good film.

And after – we all just hang out for a while outside the cinema and acted goofy and chatted and enjoyed the beauty of the night. (Actually…there were a ridiculous amount of people there, so it wasn’t that quiet or beautiful. So. Many. People. All there to see F7 too, apparently!!) Eventually it started raining so me and Daniel headed home. But that’s why I didn’t get home ’til midnight. I say it’s a good reason. Don’t dispute me on that.

Now Hotel California is playing in here…it’s really hard not to sing along. Really hard. I have to say, this place is awesome. This has to be the first ever coffeeshop I’ve been in…with a jukebox!! I’m now going to attempt to write a little more…if no piece of poetry shows up here later, you’ll know my muse is indeed hiding well. Peace y’all, have a day of awesomeness.

Lamb of God

Who has believed our message?
And to whom has the arm of the LORD been revealed?
For He grew up before Him
like a tender shoot,
and like a root out of parched ground;
He has no stately form or majesty
that we should look upon Him,
nor appearance that we should be
attracted to Him.
He was despised and forsaken of men,
a man of sorrows and
acquainted with grief;
and like one from whom men
hide their face
He was despised, and we
did not esteem Him.

Surely our griefs He himself bore,
and our sorrows He carried;
yet we ourselves esteemed Him stricken,
smitten of God, and afflicted.
But He was pierced through for our transgressions,
He was crushed for our iniquities;
the chastening for our well-being
fell upon Him,
and by His scourging we are healed.
All of us like sheep have gone astray,
each of us have turned to his own way;
but the LORD has caused
the iniquity
of us all
to fall
on Him.

-Isaiah 53:1-6

My heart is saddened as I think of the suffering of Christ Jesus, yet I rejoice. Because truly – through the sacrifice of Jesus, God’s own Son and God Himself – I am counted as righteous in the sight of the Lord God. And the fact that I am righteous and pure before God…how can I not sing to the God who made it so? Worthy is the Lamb who was slain. Slain for me. Filthy ungodly unworthy me. And so, some two thousand years ago, God the Father poured out the full and righteous cup of His wrath upon God the Son. And I am now a child of God – countless songs and boundless bliss – how can I not sing for this?? God loved me first, now I love Him – oh those glorious words – He loves me!!!

Into Space

Evening!! Just thought I’d post a few words here as I wait for my tea to steep(earl grey, if you’re keen to know!). Chilling here at the house with Daniel, watching a little classic Numb3rs and enjoying a peaceful Sunday evening. Last night, went to see the Houston Chamber Choir perform Handel’s Messiah, my all-time favorite piece of music. I haven’t seen it live since…I think 2011(obviously far too long!). As always, hearing it live was simply magnificent – beautiful music lifted up to our God on high. I wish I could write more words, but alas – my feeble prose is not enough to sing the song of my heart. So now, I will be quiet and go get my tea(which should be properly steeped by now!). Have a happy Sunday, all!!

First Chair

Hello friends!!! It’s a lovely Friday night and the fan slowly spins and the light soft fades. I soon will get up to make my delicious burrito dinner(and by make, I mean – very skillfully press the defrost button on the microwave). And as always – delicious tomato and avocado salad to go with!! I’m honestly not even sure why I’m posting right now, but I realise it’s been a little while, so thought it’d be nice to pop in and say hi. Last night was a wonderful night at the symphony(Mozart’s Symphony No. 39 and Bartok’s Violin Concerto No. 2…oh beautiful!! I know I’m a bit odd, but I really do enjoy getting dressed up and going downtown and enjoying gorgeous music. Love it so). And my weekend will be fairly busy too…so tonight is a night of rest. Be well, my friends. Always. Stars shine e’er bright and wind dances through the meadows fair. And piercing sweet the music rises.

400 Lux

Evening my friends!! Just about finished watching a classic episode of Numb3rs – wow it’s been a while since I’ve seen it. Still awesome. Once this episode is finished, going to eat my salad(lettuce, tomatoes, green onions, olives and radishes…that composes a proper dinner, right? Right??). Anyways, I’m really posting in anticipation of my grand Virginia/Washington trip that begins tomorrow!! Laura Garrow is getting married(it was only what…five years ago I met her sophomore year?) And now she’s about to be married…and it’s going to be so grand!! Meeting up with Katheryn and she’s going to drive us to Charlottesville for the wedding. After awesome times celebrating the wedding(we get to see Dream and David and Gloria and Peter too!!), going to be headed back to DC area where I’ll be spending another few days with Aunt Linda and Aunt Bev and assorted families! I’m not going to into too much detail now, mostly because I’m really hungry and want my salad. Just know that this upcoming five days full of seeing wonderful people…is going to be simply amazing. Have a beautiful Thursday night, my friends – peace!!

Last Blast

Before I start work this fine morning…I’m greatly enjoying my steaming hot peppermint mocha. Cold hands wrapped around warm cup. Bliss. And no, I’m not complaining about the cold. I doubt we’ll get another 34-degree morning in Houston for quite some time, so this morning I am sitting here warm and cosy in my flannel shirt and thanking God for all that He has given me.

Hotel Chocolat

Attention. This is a brief pre-work entry, courtesy of the beautifully hot mug of coffee that is sitting in front of me. It is a delightfully cold morning here in Houston…thirty four degrees when I woke up. I definitely wanted to stay in bed where I was nice and warm, but alas I did the responsible thing and woke up and got ready for work. Now I’ve had my breakfast and I’m about to start work proper, but just wanted to say how much I’m loving this cold weather. Long may it continue. (Also – major plus: I get to wear turtlenecks and sweaters pretty much every day…this pleases me greatly)

So as I wrap my hands around my steaming cup of coffee and ponder the beginning of my work day – be well, my friends.

Tennis Court

Softly drooping willow fronds and
lonely little gosling feathers
and a concrete bench perches
upon the brink.

Singing these songs, we wait
for a silence to break
all these words tumbling over
each other
ceaselessly.

You can say you’re sorry
and that you love me and
that everything will be all right
and I know that you’re not quite wrong
but you’re not
quite right.

So keep singing these songs
and we’ll wait
for a silence to break
all these words tumbling over
like the tapping
on our phones.

You can grab your coffee cup
and lean forward on your elbows
in that special way you do for me
and I know that you’re not quite wrong
but you’re not
quite right.

And yeah be singing those songs
and we’ll wait
for a silence to break
all these words tumbling over
in sync
like these beating hearts.

You can put your book down
and cry your tears and my honey
I know it hurts I know
and I know that you’re not quite wrong
and you’re not
quite right.
It’s alright.
It’s alright.

There’s a cold bench
somewhere
sitting atop a brink
somewhere
and goslings under willow trees
somewhere
and it’s alright.
It’s alright.

Chamomile

Evening, friends! This will be a very short entry..I simply wanted to post something because it’s been far too long. It’s been a long day. It’s been a long week. And I am now emotionally and physically drained. But tonight is a night of quiet and rest(the roommates are all out somewhere or other!) I’m about to make my avocado and tomato salsa and then have a yummy burrito dinner as I watch the Wizards/Cavs game… And following that…maybe some tea and reading? It will be wonderful. Peace my friends. Peace and love – always.