weekends.

.

Three years ago we moved our kids away to school & bought a bungalow at the beach. All in the same month. It was nuts. We had talked one day and some day and if only. All the dreams.  Then from out of the blue. Bam. The Bungalow. You guys. She's super cute. & sweet. & just perfect for us. We adore every magical bit of her. 700 square feet of heaven. Our weekend happy place. She got dolled up with some white paint & striped fabrics. She's light & open. Cozy & easy. We show up on Friday with a smile &bottle of wine and settle in. I mean. Seriously. Look at her cuteness.

Weekends have a familiar simple&sweet rhythm. Light-hearted fun. Restful days & friend-filled evenings. Dinner at Zorros. Breakfast at Seaside. Happy hour next door. (wait. did I mention mike&kelly live next door...:) Football watching in the man cave. Morning hikes on the ridge. 

Kayaks& bikes & reading &campfires & friends stopping by...sunsets & sweatshirts& 

whalewatching. 

Our little bungalow has become part of our story. She's a place we connect deeper& dream bigger. 

A place where a weary soul is restored....just in time for another Monday. Thank you darling bungalow. You're our favorite.

growing.

'Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.'  Matthew 5:5

This second half of life gig is really something. I have new eyes. Didn't ask for them. Didn't think I needed them. In fact, I was sure I saw pretty clearly. Worked hard at knowing all the important things. Studied scripture like it was my job.  Had most of God figured out. Until, I didn't. It scared the crap out of me. The old me was black&white. Either/Or. In&Out. This/That. All/Nothing. Had an answer. Had the passage to back it up. Spoke the 'truth' in 'love' often. Holy. Obedient. Passionate. Then, suddenly.....I got new eyes.

Suddenly. God is big. Unexplainable. Uncontrollable. He no longer fits in my little mindset. Tit for tat. You do this...you get that. I can't make sense of Him. Can't explain Him. Can't control Him. A beautiful Mystery. A marvelous Wonder. I'm learning to live in the big wide space of wonder & mystery.  Of 'I don't know.'  Of letting go. Of surrender. Of paradox. Of contradictions.  Of illogical & unreasonable GRACE. I don't need to be right. Ever. About anything. I'm open. I'm a believer in the God of unconditional love. In the God who brought me life and hope and freedom. The God who keeps growing & healing & transforming me.  In the God who gave me new eyes.  &I'm dazzled by them.

healing.

'Jesus said to him, "I will go and heal him."  Matthew 8:7

We're settling in. I'm hanging cute stuff on the walls. Meeting neighbors. Friends stopping by to peek and chat and bring treats. I'm even cooking a bit. It's feeling like home. We're quite happy here. Making memories already. No big parties yet. Mostly a friend or two on the patio with wine & cigars. Or.  On the sofa with a coffee or pellegrino&lime. I feel sometimes like I'm in a movie. We say to each other at least once a day, 'can you believe we get to live here?'  And then we sigh & smile & kiss. (romantic comedy❤️)  This move has been a good one.

Now. Can I tell you about my gray sofa? It's cozy and comfy and super cute. But mostly...it's a place of healing. When a friend stops by we plop down to tell our secrets. Happy&sad&scary&hopeful.....all the things. Kid stuff. Husband stuff. Heart&soul stuff. Listening. Telling. Exchanging words that matter. Rooting for. Loving. Understanding. Raw honesty. To know & be known. Friendship. Doesn't get better. It's life. It's healing.

I'm reading the gospels. What I find mostly is Jesus talking & healing. Talking & healing. Talking & healing. I like that. I'd like to be more like Him. My words to heal. To love. To encourage. I want us all to make it. For real.❤️ (Come over.)

affection.

'My dove in the cleft of the rock, in the hiding places on the mountainside, show me your face, let me hear your voice; for your voice is sweet, and your face is lovely.'  Song of Songs 2:14

I'm doing a bit of studying and organizing thoughts today. Speaking to some beauties at St. Francis Church in the morning. I'm happy about the topic. 'God's definitive declaration of affection.'  I mean. There's SO much. From my experience. He's declared His fondness for me over & over & over....times infinity. All the sufferings. All the happys.  All the kinds of LOVE have been the cornerstone of my existence. His love for me is relentless & persistent and FIERCE.  There isn't one condition for it. I don't have to be or do a thing. He is especially in love with me.  I can't be convinced of anything else. I live in it. Trust it. Don't overthink it. I can't lose it. Nothing I can do to make Him love me less. No good deed will help Him love me more. Actually. It's impossible for Him to love me more than He already does. He loves me to the moon and back..again&again...It's crazy really. Illogical. I wish I could help you see what I see and feel what I feel so you can know it too. And you may. I hope so.  Because it's a wonder. It's the way I feel about my kids. Yet even more than that. Crazytown. Unreasonable. Unthinkable. Impossible.

I've met the lover of my soul & He is exquisite.❤️