in which: one can only listen to so much smacking

Well, the Leal's have been off in New Hampshire and it's been me and Shaun for the last three weeks. Watering the lawn, drinkin the good juice (coffee), and about to settle into a good movie with my love.

:)

Shaun... in usual form.

~

Took Shaun to Pet Barn and got him some treats. He picked his own of course, including carrying a rawhide to the cashier! The funnest part was seeing his watch the fish. His head darted back and forth and he kept pawing at the glass... so cute.
~
I also made a trip to the Library up the road. It's HUGE! And beautiful. Pretty remarkable actually for being in such a small town. I was looking for a book my old BSF group is going to start reading together, seeing as we still want to keep in touch over the summer. And naturally, while I was there, I happened upon a book I'd seen before called The Dirty Life: On Farming, Food and Love by Kristin Kimball. I read the prologue and bit of the first chapter and it took me almost an hour before I could tear my eyes away. However, there was an elderly black woman sitting a row over that had the unfortunate (and annoying) habit of smacking her gums periodically. It took me a minute to figure out where the noise was coming from at first but once I figured it out... lord have mercy. IT WAS THE ONLY THING I COULD FOCUS ON. I literally found myself anticipating the next smack and then wincing when it came.
Aye.
Eventually I realized that she'd stopped. Thank goodness. I picked up my phone to see what time it was and then glanced up at the woman again. There she was rifling through her purse when what should appear in her hand? A MINT. I think I literally whispered,"Oh hell no...", slammed my book shut and made a beeline for the front desk to check out. No more smacking for these ears!


I am
Olli

in which: he's rarely early but never too late

So I decided to work another day at the cafe yesterday (a day over my two weeks notice). I thought about blowing them off, but I felt like God wanted me to humble myself and just help them out. So I did. 

Anyway, we have several regulars that come through the drive-thru every morning. One of them is Jennifer and her two little boys (aka) two large mocha frappes, one with whip, one without, both with chocolate drizzle. I don't even take her order anymore. Once I hear her kids through the ear piece I just say,"Morning Jen! Pull around!" so we have a little longer to chat at the window. Her husband also comes sometimes on his way to work and overall they've always seemed like a really sweet family. I've even wished I had an excuse to get to know them better, but we're usually too busy for me to really think of anything.

SO! Yesterday, Jen and the boys stop by and she updates me on how her move is going (they are switching to a new house in their neighborhood). So I asked her where she lives and where should that be but...   the neighborhood just across from where I go to church. "Oh wow, I go to church over there", I tell her. And this is very interesting to her because of course, they've been looking for a church... 

I invited she and her family to stop by sometime and we switched information. And maybe nothing will come of this or maybe something grand will but overall I felt so freaking good about it! Here I was thinking that me working here was just a mistake and obviously wasn't the Lord... but what a blind fool I have been... And here I wasn't even supposed to work yesterday! 
I've never been more excited to be wrong.




I am
Olli

in which: the world needs people that come alive

It doesn't interest me what you do for a living

I want to know what you ache for
and if you dare to dream of meeting your heart's longing.

It doesn't interest me how old you are
I want to know if you will risk looking like a fool
for love
for your dreams
for the adventure of being alive.

It doesn't interest me what planets are squaring your moon...
I want to know if you have touched the center of your own sorrow
if you have been opened by life's betrayals
or have become shrivelled and closed
from fear of further pain.

I want to know if you can sit with pain
mine or your own
without moving to hide it
or fade it
or fix it.

I want to know if you can be with joy
mine or your own
if you can dance with wildness
and let the ecstasy fill you to the tips of your
fingers and toes
without cautioning us to
be careful
be realistic
to remember the limitations of being human.

It doesn't interest me if the story you are telling me
is true.
I want to know if you can
disappoint another
to be true to yourself.

If you can bear the accusation of betrayal

and not betray your own soul.

If you can be faithless

and therefore trustworthy.

I want to know if you can see Beauty

even when it is not pretty

every day.

And if you can source your own life

from its presence.

I want to know if you can live with failure

yours and mine

and still stand on the edge of the lake

and shout to the silver of the full moon,

"Yes."

It doesn't interest me

to know where you live or how much money you have.

I want to know if you can get up

after a night of grief and despair

weary and bruised to the bone

and do what needs to be done

to feed the children.

It doesn't interest me who you know

or how you came to be here.

I want to know if you will stand

in the center of the fire

with me

and not shrink back.

It doesn't interest me where or what or with whom

you have studied.

I want to know what sustains you

from the inside

when all else falls away.

I want to know if you can be alone

with yourself

and if you truly like the company you keep

in the empty moments.

© 1995 by Oriah House, From "Dreams Of Desire"

in which: it's something sweet

Our first Christmas together.

It's an interesting thing to feel so good about a person for "so long".

It hasn't been long at all, really. One year and it's flown by.

~

Tonight Peanut drove me home after church. Nothing fancy or out of the norm.

Quite mundane, you could even describe it.

But constant are these displays of his affection, his strength, his devotion. 

The simplest event is an adventure; the smallest gift a treasure.

HE LOVES ME.

Even now... it's a gift to realize it.

This love we share...

it's something sweet.

I know no other way to explain it.

I am

Olli