Sometimes you lose your address to find your shelter
There are days–weeks, months, years, lifetimes–
when all of hope that you can stomach
is one spoonful at a time.
Any more of it and it hurts to swallow.
And sometimes it’s something
that someone else has to hold to your lips
and pour down your throat,
or you chase it with ginger ale so
you only taste its sweetness, not its sting.
Either way, it’s better than
trying not to feel the pain at all.
Making: Still working on the afghan. I’ve got a post in my drafts that’s a big list of book recommendations, so stay tuned for that!
Cooking: I’ve been rocking the Lazy Genius Change-Your-Life Chicken a lot (it’s real good, y’all). Considering making these noodles soon.
Drinking: The cherry flavor from Houston Cider Co. (it’s local and delicious)
Reading: In the middle of The Epic of Eden and An Absolutely Remarkable Thing.
Wanting: A new swimsuit!
Looking: At dining room sets, because my table and chairs are kind of falling apart…
Playing: Lots of Sporcle quizzes of late.
Deciding: Whether or not I can take a vacation to New York this fall.
Wishing: It wasn’t about to get blaringly hot here in Houston any minute now…
Enjoying: The Bible study I’m doing with some folks from church that’s led by one of our pastors–it’s been really rich so far and I’m glad we still have until November.
Waiting: For it to stop thundering and start actually raining outside.
Wondering: How I let my calendar for May get so full!
Loving: My church is about to start a series on the emotions and this enneagram 4 is HERE FOR IT
Pondering: How to better stick to my budget and why I’m not reading as much as I used to.
Considering: Future plans–I’ve got the bones of a plan to finally start a second master’s degree in the fall of 2020, which isn’t as far off as it seems. I need to work out details (especially the financial ones), but yeah, I have concrete plans to make it happen now, which is exciting.
Buying: Some anti-frizz serum which really does work well but is impossible to wash out
Watching: Started The West Wing! I’m also on a quest to finish watching all the Marvel movies before I go watch Endgame–it probably won’t be for a couple of weeks, so NO SPOILERS!
Hoping: I don’t eat it on this bike ride/scavenger hunt my friend is doing for his birthday on Saturday! (I haven’t ridden a bike in literally ten years.)
Needing: To clean my apartment and fold all my laundry and put it away…
Smelling: Grapefruit candle from Trader Joe’s! It’s very grapefruity and smells really good.
Wearing: Thrift store t-shirt, plaid pajama pants.
Admiring: This poem by Robert Pinsky.
Giggling: At this Instagram post from one of the cast members of the Hamilton Philip tour.
Hearing: Church Clothes by Lecrae! And the cars driving by on the road on the other side of the bayou.
The temple torn down
The curtain rent
The slain lamb
The offering priest
The pleasing sacrifice
Clothed in white linen
Anointed with fragrant oils
The suspended bridge over
The valley of death
The king in his beauty enthroned
You were torn down,
Crushed and poured out
As a sign of the new promise
Of God that makes all the old ones come true
All our rocks and thorns
Breaking Your body
So that we could drink deep
Of Your goodness to us
Tonight it seems the roles are reversed:
We prepared a table for You just down
The road from your enemies
Fragrant oil for Your head
Salt water for Your feet
Right before You throw Yourself
Headlong into the valley of death
To rescue all of Your lost sheep
And bring them home rejoicing
They had stood in the doorways
And blocked up the halls
With stacks on stacks of regulations
Meant to keep out the riff raff
You cleared out the clutter
And tore yourself in two
A rending of time and matter and space
A new entrance to the new temple
Why keep the light
Inside of these four walls
When there are folks outside in the dark
Clear out the clutter
And let them come in and see
Glory where there was none
Tear open the veil
Take the fire outside
Let the people come near
And see the presence of God
Descend once again to His temple
To shine on us again
