Rabbit Trails

I love the little things that color the world.  Little changes, unexpected, that draw your attention for maybe just a minute or a week... Rabbit Trails we call them sometimes (at staff meetings) and I am fully distracted by them!  All these little things, from blog posts to a radio bit, a comment from someone, a new book, just add a pop of color I didn't expect for my day.  It's fun. 

I know, I'm young.  I don't really know much.  Many days I feel starved for information, yet today- it's not hard to get.  (good sources a little trickery.. )  I can study Bonheoffer online, or contemplate how cool it would be if I could get birds to eat from my hand.  Yes, I know I'm alittle scattered, but it makes sense in my head - and God gave me this crazy head, so I've decided to embrace the way I think. 

Being young and not knowing nearly enough to really have my opinions... (ha - that doesn't stop me) I consistently attempt to listen first and speak later.  Difficult for me, I know.  But I also remind people that as I learn and grow my opinions and ideas will change.  Please have patience for me... and the rest of the human race. 

I just started reading an interesting book called "Black" - by Ted Dekker.  It took a while for me to get into it, but I loved it and am onto "Red"  the next book of the series.  There are great images of a loving God and a people fully in love with their creator.  Spending the better part of each day worshiping or preparing to worship.  The immense love felt by the characters is so touching. 

It's so much easier for me just to contemplate the ideology behind universalism and debate if it is "cheap grace" or not, than for me to really let my guard down and be wholely in love with the God who created me. 

So much easier to put down a book full of, in my head, rediculous oversimplistic claims of conservative evangelist Christianity and go volunteer at a local church and feel good about my social justice - than to really studying personally (not academically) the words of my God. 

Eh?  I dont' understand myself most days... but I'm glad I read.  Blogs, books, billboards... really it all adds fun color and random thoughts to each day helping me enjoy what has been created for me. 

Peace,
your sister in Christ~Erin

Music and Colors

I think it is universally accepted that no one is "normal".  It is fascinating to me to learn peoples little weird quirks - those little things that you've never even thought of that catch you off guard.  You like - what?  What are you doing?  Super funny to hear stories of couples as they are trying to balance which of these they can live with and so forth.

Coming from a musical family (both of my parents are music teachers) I LOVE music... yet I am not a fan of what most people would call "popular".  We weren't really encouraged or allowed to listen to pop or country, let alone rap! yikes, but I have a sincere love for orchestra and choral music.  As I got older, into my teens, I listen to a lot of christian music - but I still wanted the high quality I had grown up with.  Harmony, interesting melodies and chord structure, and most importantly decent vocal technique.  I don't have much patience if I can't understand the words or the pitches being sung.
(I am trying to learn to branch out!)

So one of my quirks though- I organize my music into playlists by color.  (I have had friends comment that this is very strange.)  Yellow is a great playlist to put on in the morning when I'm trying to get energized and wake up.  Green is an all around very "me" music.  My warm brown playlist is mostly acoustic guitar or accapella ish music.  Everything has it's place and it works well for me.  I do sometimes get frustrated with Pandora though.. they don't at all get my color schemes.

I think it's so important to get to know and love yourself.  From identifying little quirks you have to making a list of priorities so you can focus on what you are all about.  Only when we take the time to really grasp who we are can we truly being to live out our purpose.

"Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness, that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, 'Who am I to be brilliant, talented, and fabulous?' Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of the most high God. Your playing small doesn't serve this world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you..." - Nelson Mandela


Holy Lord, lover of my soul, I thank you for giving me an inquisitive nature.  Help me to learn more about my nature and how I fit into your beautiful creation.  I pray that you would watch over all those that I love, as they rejoice and as they are weary.  Lift them up with your presence.  I pray that you be with all your children today who are suffering.  Meet their needs both physical and emotional.  Amen.

Wishing you well,
your sister in Christ~Erin