"The Beauty Beneath Our Feet"

Here is what I feel true love is like and will be like. It was written by an amazing author named Josh Riebock, but I changed some of the words around to show how I one day hope to feel, mutually, to my future husband.

Before you, everything was merely an overture. My life started the day we met. Were you cruel for taking so long to show up? Or was I impatient for wanting you to get here sooner? Maybe, but waiting has always been a hassle that I try to avoid.

I like playing card games a little too much, and I tend to worry more in the winter. I will always love pretending and using my imagination. I round almost everything off in my head. I love finding the harmony to any & every song. I like learning things fast, but that often means I don't master it when I learn it.

Will we learn anything by doing it quickly?

It's true-I'm guilty of running into your arms. But also guilty of hoping that, once I'm there, the sun won't set. I'm guilty of wanting to be pulled off the train tracks by you. And guilty too of wanting to lie down with you in puddles of leftover rain. I'm guilty of biking through town, arms in the air, shouting your name. And just as guilty of pausing long enough to collect the words as they spin to the ground, like sleeping leaves from lullaby trees--

Maybe paradise is always somewhere else. Or maybe we're all blind to the beauty beneath our feet. Could Eden be hidden within us right now?

I can't resist a good heart. How many flaws does it take to make me a bad person? And is anyone humble enough to decide? Perfection is boring. I guess that makes us a pair of weirdo outsiders-- I wouldn't want it any other way.

You don't mind if people stare, do you? I love being different, out of the box, weird, crazy, calm, sad, happy, teasing, funny, excited, bored, with you. Overall, I just love being with you.

Few things in life are ever decided. The purpose of the old is determined by our actions in the new. True, my past is no beauty queen, but its got lots of personality. And since the beginning, you've always been eager to pull up the rug of my skin, savor what you find underneath, and show me that today can be just as hopeful as tomorrow.
 

You can find the actual excerpt at Josh's (not a) blog. Wonderful, really. You should also buy his book, Heroes and Monsters. It is my favorite book, written by my favorite author.

A Walk in the Park

My dog is a hunter dog.

No, not for people, or for most animals. Mostly he hunts for smells, and birds. Of course, the birds idea is a pipe dream; so alot of the time he just sniffs his way through bushes, leaves, and dirt.

He's definitely not one of those dogs who just walks along with you without any stops. He's a perfectly trained and well-behaved puppy, he is just curious and gets disctracted very easily. About 3 times every passing minute he must stop to either smell this bush, rustle these pile of leaves, or pee on this tree.

Unless he's doing the latter of those options, I usually lose my patience about after 40 seconds and yank on his leash. It'd be nice to just go on a simple walk with my dog, without any stops or hesitations. Sometimes I just can't seem to wait for him- I've gotta pull him to catch up with me.

As we went on one of our longer walks yesterday, I put myself in Pluto's (my dog's) perspective for a moment. I'd be a heck of a lot more curious than he about the world around me, or what could possibly be in those bushes. My owner would choke me constantly with all the stops I'd want to make.

It made me think of my faith lately. I've been stopping and getting distracted, sniffing through other elements that remain dust compared to God (less than dust, in reality). I let questions of mine, doubt, and fear have me almost run into the street. Good thing God's got a tight grip.

And it's also a good thing that God is patient with me. He doesn't yank on my leash or threaten me to move along or walk faster. He sits and waits patiently for me to notice Him again, and follow Him completely.

Today is Thanksgiving.

One thing I am certain I am thankful for is that God is patient and loving. He knows what is best for me, and even when I get entangled in bushes that don't matter whatsoever; He waits for me to come back to Him.

In general, I am thankful that He waits. So... what else could we do but wait for Him?

Psalm 27:14

"Wait on the Lord: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen your heart: wait, I say, on the Lord."

A Very Special Audition

There was a small town named Burough Ken in the rustic county called Peep Hole that resided in the hidden parts deep in Southern California. In fact, if you passed it on route 66, the only sure way of knowing you're entering the town is if you see the sign- because if you blink, you'll miss it! "Welcome to Burough Ken, Peep Hole!" it read.

One day, the city recreational team decided to put on a very special musical for all the town to see. The Director wanted to spread a special message across to all the people, a message of love, faith, hope, and more. He needed to pick just the right person to lead the rest of the cast to clearly bring this message across to the people of Burough Ken. So, the city recreational team carried on to put on auditions for the cast- but, most importantly- the lead role.

The line was out the recreational center's door as people lined up to audition for this special play. The hopeful auditioners would complete an application that questions their experience, talents, and what part they hoped for in the musical.

The first person to audition walked in through the doors, past the judge panel, and onto the stage.

"Hello Becky!" the Director chimed. It was almost as if he had known her for a while, when in reality this was their first meeting. "Are you excited to audition for this very special musical?"

"Why yes," she smiled and nodded. "Yes I am."

The Director smiled and nodded back at her. Then, he proceeded to quickly cut to the chase. "What kind of role would you hope for in the musical?"

"In all honesty, I would love to be a dancer. I'm not good at acting, and I'm pretty much tone deaf. I think I'd be best as a dancer."

The Director understood, then scribbled something down onto the clipboard in front of him. "Alright. Thank you for coming to audition for the musical." And he looked right up at her.

Becky shot a confused glare at the Director. "That's it?"

"That's it," he replied, as if there was nothing strange about his statement.

She stood silent and awkward for a moment. "You don't want me to dance, or even sing a piece of a song?"

He shook his head. "Don't worry, you're in the play. You're good to go."

Becky walked off the stage, eyes squinted, reciting the strangeness that had just happened in her head a couple times through.

Next came Richard. When the Director asked what Richard was hoping to be in the play, he was distinctly honest.

"Well, Director, I want to be the lead," he confessed. "I think I have what it takes- dancing, singing, acting, whatever you need; I've got it."

The Director nodded his head. "Interesting. Well, you're in."

The seemingly-experienced Richard was appalled by the simplicity of the audition. "You're kidding... aren't you? You really trust me enough that what I'm telling you is true?"

"Sure," the Director explained, eyes focused on the notes he was scribbling. "You in the play. You may leave now."

Richard stormed off the stage frustrated and confused; having prepared a monologue complete with dancing, singing, and acting that would display his capability- all for nothing.

Auditions went quickly with the Director's special process of the matter. About a hour into the tryouts, a young man came in to audition. He held his head straight forward while giving the Director his full attention- the Director could tell he was a bit nervous, but was not thinking of himself at all. All of his energies were directly on the Director.

"Hello," the Director scanned the young man before him, knowing something was different about this character. "Welcome to the tryouts for the musical. If you could have the role of any part of the musical, what would you be?"

The young man cleared his throat and paused for a moment as he thought.

"Well, Director-" he began, "- I want to be whatever you want me to be."

The Director's eyes enlarged and studied the young man. "Truthfully?"

"Yes," the young man concluded. "I want to be what you want me to be. You know what's best for me and that's all that matters."

"Even if I made you a tree who had no dancing, no lines, and no singing whatsoever?"

The young man nodded. "You know what's best for me."

The Director was truly amazed. All this time, the people who auditioned came in having something they wanted or expected. They assumed that they themselves knew what was best for them, or even that they knew better than the Director, when they came into audition. But this young man- he gave full privilege to the Director to decide his future in the musical and what was best for him. The young man surrendered any knowledge he had of himself and gave full trust to the Director.The Director knew exactly what would be best for this young man.

The Director smiled very largely and clapped his hands together. "Well, I think what's best for you is if you had the lead role, my friend!"