thrift store finds.

Over the past few weeks I have been hunting in the wells of the past...I thought I'd share my joyous finds.

when sarah came.

This post is a little old, but here it is anyway. A couple weeks ago, Sarah Clarkson came to visit for a few days. One of the days, her and I took the ferry to Balboa Island, ate at a little Italian restaurant, split a delicious Balboa bar, and perused around the quaint little beach houses, critiquing them endlessly. As we walked along, our hearts huddled around the subjects of our futures, our plans, God's will, and the overall splendor of life and our ideals in it. It is so good to have like minded little souls in the world with whom you can muse about your own humble discoveries and reinforce them. We ended the afternoon at Crystal Cove just sitting and exfoliating our skin in the sand. What a lovely person Sarah is! I love her so dearly. God is good for giving us such a beautiful time.

everlasting moments.

If ever you wanted to watch a film that causes your heart to kindle, your mind to stretch, and your senses to be enriched to overflowing...Everlasting Moments must be added to your film repertoire. Taking place in Sweden, in 1907, a poor woman is torn between leaving her adulterous, alcoholic husband, or staying with him for the sake of her commitment and children. Amidst her struggle she discovers an old camera, befriends the kind man at the photograph shop, and begins to embrace her unique gift of seeing and capturing the simplistic beauties and events in her life, her endearing children being the greatest. I felt like I hadn't merely watched a movie, but had actually entered her life and spent those years growing with her decisions, heartbreaks, pains, and joys. It was so deep, moving, and beautiful...

we painted ourselves.

Elise always wanted to have a painted face shoot...so we did and it was superb.

Friendship.

When Sarah Clarkson came to visit, we were talking about the movie Nicholas Nickleby how much we both liked it (and how much both our mothers didn't...hee hee). So I watched it last night and was struck with the bond Nicholas and Smike shared. There is one line where Smike says, "You are my family. Please take me with you. I will be your loving and devoted servant, I really will. All I want is to be near you." And Nicholas replies, "From now on the world will deal with you as it does with me and no words of parting will you hear from my lips." And then at the end of the movie the closing line is, "So it is to be concluded that family is not merely those who share blood, but those who are willing to give their blood for the sake of the other." My Dad looked over and asked me what happened to those kind of friendships. I think we've lost them because friendships are no longer commitments, a commitment that used to be as important, albeit different, as marriage. You used to bind yourself to people, a bind that could not be so easily broken with the petty circumstances that often break relationships today. After the movie I searched my heart to see if I have committed myself to my friends, if I was a fair weathered friend or a faithful true one. I realized that all my binding glue for relationships is founded in Christ and as long as I sought Him, He would give me the strength and grace to remain faithful, true, encouraging, supportive, forgiving, and loving, even if I wouldn't myself. Then I felt such a hopeful freedom that I never would have to trust in myself for that which I can not provide and will quickly run out, but that it is in the blood bond with Christ that holds all my other friendships together.

Electronic Meat-Paris

My friend is in a brilliant band and I thought I'd share one of their songs...

Uncle John.

Today we had a memorial service for our dear friend (and adopted uncle) John Watson. It has been a haze this past week and a half since we discovered he was found dead in his apartment and, a day later as more was revealed, that he was murdered. His life was brutally taken...for his money. Surrealism, a sinking aching in my heart, and great lose envelope my little soul (and the souls of my family). Death is very strange. It is the most potent reminder of sin, and the most vivid provocation of the status of our security. Gone-ness can only be described as the feeling of depravity...the feeling of defeat. Praise be to Jesus Christ who defeated this discouraging hopelessness.

His lovely sister and brother in law came out from Europe (where all his family lives), and we had the privilege of meeting them and helping them through their loss.

Uncle John, you will be missed...your laughter, your wit, your accent, the value you saw in people, your energetic excitement, your appreciation for beauty, and your old blue tattered ski suit you used to wear (Dad wants to take it up with us when we go next year...) . May God's grace envelop you, and may you experience the unbounding joy of His presence. I only hope there are mountains and oceans for you to revel in.