a caged bird.

photographer rockie nolan. j'adore her flikr photostream!

the caged bird sings
with a fearful trill
of things unknown
but longed for still
and his tune is heard
on the distant hill
for the caged bird
sings of freedom

 - maya angelou


xoxo.

dr. suess

ok. i'm over winter. it can go now. enough with the doom and gloom of cloudy days and icy nights. although i love cozying up with a good book during the winter months i've become restless...and have almost read myself into an oblivion. as i sit here now i'm counting the books strewn about my room, in which all are in process of being devoured. 6 to be exact. ridiculous. time for a diversion of sorts...any ideas??

or perhaps, if you are joining me in this reading frenzy i'll make a few suggestions...

"the wordy shipmates" by sarah vowell. witty, sarcastic, surprisingly feisty. a view of the puritan's journey to america. for those who love history and sarcasm.

"blink" by malcolm gladwell. although there are aspects with which i disagree upon w/gladwell, i admire his perspective and insight on the decision-making process. for those who love psychology.

"man's search for meaning" by viktor frankl. holocaust survivor recounting his life in a nazi death camp & its relation to his spiritual/mental endurance. a recommended read for everyone.

goodness, i could make a million suggestions but i'll stop there. and remember...in the words of dr. suess:


the more that you read
the more things you will know
the more that you learn
the more places you'll go


deep, eh?
xoxo.

jane austen.

on a jane austen kick. who knows what has put me in this mood! been lately i've been watching the films pride & prejudice, emma, and sense & sensibility...while diving into reading persuasion for the first time. 


what is it about ms. austen that i adore so much?!?! perhaps her sharp wit and extraordinary ability to communicate the essence of each character...it seems to leap off the page!! and how tragic that her own life ended without the 'happily ever afters' that she penned in her novels. 

so with that, i've decided to share my favorite scene from pride & prejudice. love it.

"sometimes the last person on earth you want to be with is the one person you can't be without" - jane austen (pride & prejudice)



xoxo.

possibility.

ever get the feelings that god might be about to do something you probably won't like? you've already conjured up how to dismantle the looming possibility of what is on the brink of happening...yet know that even your best efforts will not deter god from doing whatever he pleases. 


we should have realized by now that he knows best. sometimes we humans just never learn... 

click on image for source. 

listening to "possibility" by lykke li. the end of the song is the amazing as you hear the creaking of the piano bench...love.

xoxo.

black white gray.

black white gray. 70% of my closet consists of these 3 colors. drab, nadda. boring, that depends on what you make of it. practical, indeed! so here's my fashion inspiration of the day...



cozy, comfortable, classic. love it!


xoxo.

messy.

i just finished listening to a provocative podcast message via ps. paul scanlon regarding the church today...


i loved what he had to say: "when you build a church for all you are asking for big trouble. it's not safe, it's not predictable, it's not average...it's just a mess. and god doesn't care, god says i love it when it's like that. i love it when it's messy..."


he goes on to talk about how the church shouldn't be exclusively for christians. it ought to be for all types of people. to welcome people is to love people. welcoming people does not equate endorsing their lifestyle, but at least allowing them to be within earshot of the gospel. to encourage their interest. to partner with them in their journey. to allow them the chance to experience god's love...


"jesus trained his heart to love people. and realized that i can't walk through life judging people and picking and choosing who are my types. god's types are human beings..."


it gave me something to chew on.
happy sunday, xoxo.

dallas and back.

Flew in last night from Dallas. Road-tripped down to drop one of my besties off at school. Gone on her new adventure for a year. Wow. A new and exciting year it is...



So, hello 2010! I can't believe you're here! I must admit, I have GOOD feelings about this year. Those inclinations aren't induced by anything, just the excitement of expectation!


For me a new year means a whole 365 days where I can continue my trend of randomness (randomness for me, not God), dreaming big and being love. 

In 2009 my passport acquired a few new stamps, I experienced being a workaholic and a retiree, made an appearance on a CBN show, took a month-long sabbatical, graduated from my undergrad program, watched as God slammed doors and swung others wide open...


Funny how life is. It can change in the blink of an eye and I guarantee it's not what you will expect. 


So here's my bit of wisdom as you enter this new year. Live with reckless abandonment. Never settle. Dream big. Dream crazy big. Allow God's peace to be your guide. With Him, all is possible.


Quote for ya to mull over: "Growth demands a temporary surrender of security" - American journalist Gail Sheehy


Go and do my friends. 


xoxo.


Music love of the week...