"slowly, then all at once."

I haven't kept track of how many rainy days we've had in a row.  The other night the rain poured pummeling the sides of the house as the sharp cracccckkk of thunder pierced the night air.  I love a good storm.  But this one just wages on.  Its humid and dark and cloudy again today, and oh sure, sunshine is in the forecast- um, on Sunday.

So I'm still sorting and cleaning and discovering stuff.  I'm a bit nostalgic.  Like the picture above.  I grew my hair out before we got married- you know- so I could wear it "up" for the wedding.    So this was about 16 years ago.  At a time when the two hours it took to do my hair, wasn't a big deal. Who is that girl anyways?  I find bits of her in the things I'm discovering stashed in drawers, tucked into corners, buried in boxes.  She was a newly wed with the world at her feet and couldn't possibly envision the twists and turns coming her way...  or the grace that would catch her each and every time.

I've changed so...  me today with my hairstyle that the boys refer to as a "bush."  I'm thinking more chia-pet, as it sort of wants to grow out at the sides instead of down.  Its about 5 minutes of work- start to finish.  But hey- its hair! And thick?  And healthy?  Ridiculously so.  Miraculously so.  I may not look the same, but this woman knows grace finds her every day amongst those twists and turns she now calls, "life."

Lately, I've also spent time reading.  I picked this up after a friend dropped it off:  

She warned me it was about teenagers, and cancer.  That it was sad, dark and comedic.  So I tiptoed through the first few pages and then was launched into a free fall of reading in which I couldn't tear myself away.  

Sort of like this quote...

 “As he read, I fell in love the way you fall asleep: slowly, and then all at once.” 

― John Green, The Fault in Our Stars

The prose is clever and witty, touching, and rings true- the lessons are everywhere and apply so aptly to this thing called life.   True, its a sad book, but I'd say its so well done, that I wasn't left feeling bad when I finished- more honored to have peeked inside the lives of the characters.



“One swing set, well worn but structurally sound, seeks new home. Make memories with your kid or kids so that someday he or she or they will look into the backyard and feel the ache of sentimentality as desperately as I did this afternoon. It's all fragile and fleeting, dear reader, but with this swing set, your child(ren) will be introduced to the ups and downs of human life gently and safely, and may also learn the most important lesson of all: No matter how hard you kick, no matter how high you get, you can't go all the way around.” 
― John Green, The Fault in Our Stars

"No matter how hard you kick, no matter how high you get, you can't go all the way around."  Amen.


I have an hour long mri on Monday, followed by a radiation education appointment, and then a trip to the CT scan/ PET scan to make a new mask and perform radiation sims.  I will be trying a new oral sedation and pray it keeps me "unconscious," to most of what will be happening.

Jesus Calling for today:

The Peace that I give you transcends your intellect. When most of your mental energy goes into efforts to figure things out, you are unable to receive this glorious gift...

Be still in my presence, inviting me to control your thoughts.  Let My light soak into your mind and heart, until you are aglow with My very Being.  This is the most effective way to receive My Peace.