A Voice of Hope

Fresh Rain

Can you smell it?

It's the fragrant aroma of fresh rain falling. I began as I drove home from Mosaic tonight. I got a whiff of it and immediately opened my sunroof to the "tilt" position so I could take in the whole bouquet of it.

It's a fragrance that immediately takes me back to my childhood. For some reason, even though I lived in many places as a child where it rained often -- like Tacoma, Washington -- the smell of fresh rain always seems to take me back first to Glorieta, New Mexico. I have wonderful memories of many summers spent at there, hiking in the mountains where the conference center is nestled, learning to make many fun things in day-camp, playing in the campground, and watching the daily thunderstorm make it's way through the mountains on its way to Santa Fe.

But more than just the memories comes the feelings, of newness, of freshness.... hope. Every time I smell the rain I feel.... cleaner. Even if I'm dirty as I can get.

It was so refreshing to smell the rain tonight. I'm so tired. I've been exhausted all weekend. Not sure what's going on... I just feel like I did when I had Mono back in the 8th grade. I slept most of today, and I still feel like I could sleep for another 12 hours. So to inhale that wonderful aroma of fresh rain and fill my lungs with it was like... like getting a cold drink of water on a hot summer day. Invigorating and filled with hope.

Snow & Sun Roofs

Jesus loves me! It's snowing!!

I loooove watching the snow fall. Especially this this kind. The light, soft, sometimes big, sometimes small flakes that just lazily make their way down from cloud to ground. Se peaceful and beautiful.

The flurries started while I was still in church and as I sat chatting with some of the tech guys, someone came in a told us it was snowing. I had planned to hang out some and check out all their various sound equipment and rooms, but once I heard about the snow, I decided to go outside and check it out. You never know how long snow will last around here, so ya gotta catch it while you can.

I called Nina on the way home, chattering excitedly about the snow, which was coming down a little faster by then. Once I got home, I realized it was much prettier outside, so I went for a long drive. Hunger was the only thing that was able to convince me I needed to go back home.

Now I'm sitting in my bedroom staring out the window, watching the snow fall and listening to music as loud as I can crank it on my headphones.

I had a dream early last week about snow. I dreamt that it started snowing, the delicate, dreamy flurries like we're having now and I was so amazed and excited that I opened up the roof of my car (took the roof off, really) to better see it all. I knew other people around me had to think I was nuts to be driving around in a "topless" car in the snow. But I didn't care. It was too beautiful to not experience it as fully as possible.

I thought about that dream again today as I drove around. I opened up my sunroof about 10 minutes into my drive and took every moment I could, at stop lights and stop signs -- and occasionally stopping at dead end streets -- to stare up at the sky and watch the snow flakes fall over me. I know there were some Nashville-ites who thought, "this crazy Californian is driving with her sunroof open! They really are nuts out there!"

Know what? I didn't care. I was having the time of my life, cranking the 90s tunes to the max, dancing in the car, and enjoying the snow.

There are days when God just kisses you on the cheek. Today I got one... or two.

Thank you, Jesus! I love You, too.

Christmas Pictures

Yeah, okay... so I'm a few weeks late... I only took a handful of photos -- I kept forgetting to pull out my camera! -- but I thought you might like to see a few photos....

Oh, Christmas tree, Oh Christmas treeeeee....!!

...stockings hunge by the fire with care...

Christmas in Boone, NC

Stephen and his girlfriend, Nikki

Nina's ready for Longjohn Carolling...

Santa's Helper

Gavin in Papa's hat!

Sisters and Friends

Awwwww... upclose

Okay, we'll back up a little.

Nina

Snow Day!

Today I played in the snow! I danced and sang and threw snowballs.... it was so beautiful! I don't think there's anything more magical than falling snow. All of nature gets quiet when it snows, as if it knows something sacred has entered the scene.

I started my Christmas vacation week with a crowded flight to Charlotte Saturday morning. Then we drove up to Boone, NC -- up in the Appalachian mountains -- for Nina and Toby's annual "Longjohn Christmas Caroling". And, yes, I did don a pair of longjohns and join in the singing. They've even re-written some of the carols, things like "Walking in Our Winter Underwear," to mark this special 32-year tradition.

I feel more up for celebrating Christmas this year, though there are still many times I struggle through the day. There were moments even as we carolled and I put on my best holiday smile that the words were pinging against my heart and leaving marks in its softest places, especially those raw, empty places where mom and dad live. I guess the holidays will always be bittersweet for me now. I have yet to decide if the bitter makes the sweet all the sweeter, or if it just makes it different.

BRR!

There was ice on my car this morning. ICE! I couldn't believe it. I've never had to scrape ice off my car before. I didn't even know how to begin. Somehow I've lost my squeegee, so I ended up grabbing an old windshield wiper blade from my trunk and using that. Between my scraping and the car's defroster it only took about 5-10 minutes to get the windows clear. But my fingers were a little numb by the time I was done. My poor car... Col. O'Neill just didn't know what to do with himself this morning. He was much crankier than usual.

I wish I didn't have to work this morning. This is the perfect day to go out and take pictures. The frost over all the bushes and trees, glistening in the early morning sunlight, was just spectacular! What beautiful photos they would have made!

Ah, well. Work summons...

Season of Color

I love autumn! Especially here. The leaves have begun to change. What beautiful colors! Everyone's told me that we're not in the best color time yet... Wow, I can't WAIT!

The last few days here it's been overcast, rainy, a few thunderstorms scattered for fun and noise... the mornings have been so crisp, so fresh and beautiful.

I LOVE Tennessee!!! What a great state. What a GORGEOUS state! With all this beauty, why did I ever stay in LA for so long...????

... uh, oh yeah... friends. My friends are in LA..... that's why I stayed... I remembered it because their all chucking oranges at me from their cars, as they sit on the freeway, in rush hour traffic, smog, and heat.

Guess what, guys! It only took me about 25 minutes to get home tonight, and that was because it was raining hard. ;P

Yeah. I love Nashville.