Sunday, July 13, 2008

Still alive. Better than still alive.

It’s been awhile since I blogged properly. Almost three months, in fact. I suppose I did set myself up for failure: I think I spoiled y’all with twelve blog postings in March alone; there was no way I could do that again. ☺ But I’m sorry for being out of touch.

Life was hectic and draining for the last few months, up until the end of last quarter, which ended in mid-June. Towards the end of that period, I wrote in my journal:
I cling to sanity by my fingertips, holding on for dear life, and fighting desperately against the melancholy flood that threatens to engulf me and make me helpless and hopeless. Fear of the unknown, uncertainty about the future, inability to trust my Father; these cripple me and leave me gasping. What happened to the peace I had?

Since then, I’ve had space to breathe, I’ve rested more (and slept more) than I had for months, spent time recharging with friends who’ve renewed my spirits and been to the beach a number of times; for those who don’t know, the beach is somewhere I’m always able to recharge.
For me, the beach has always been a place of peace, a place where I encounter God. There’s something about seeing God’s waves crashing onto the breakers; something about being reminded that he set the boundaries for the waters to go no further; something about the sheer magnitude of the ocean; something about the blueness of the skies, and the sun on my face. It always humbles me, it is always life-giving.

So the summer has started brilliantly, with life, with love, with friends, with class, with the sun and a smile on my face. It’s already been busy, and the coming months hold much more: more classes, volunteering for the Obama campaign in California … well, that’s enough, actually. And I’m already looking forward to the coming year as well, seeing what comes up, what pieces of the puzzle God gives me—there’re already a couple of possibilities that I’m looking into, but as and when they take shape, I’ll write about them (unless busyness takes me away from the blogosphere once more).

Oh, another reason the summer’s been so wonderful is the wealth of babies that have appeared on the scene in recent weeks and
months. As Bono sings, “Freedom has a scent like the top of a newborn baby’s head …” and I can tell you, holding my hours-old ‘nephew’ Jackson (“Lil’ J”) and my day-old niece Amy, words don’t do the miracle of life justice. So congrats to Matt and Sara, Gabe and Maribeth, Will and Maria, Kyle and Andrea! And still to come: Benjie and Rebecca, JP and Susan, Adam and Katie …

Jackson

Amy

Aren't they gorgeous? :) I’ll write again soon. Hopefully.

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