backyard human nature

my backyard is a picture of our humanness.

It’s a sweet little yard – fencing around the perimeter, a few crepe myrtles, and red-doored tool-shed. I moved into my house on Saturday, 1/31. When Sarah and I got to the house, I gave her a tour and we ended in the yard, then trounced through the house to the front drive to unload the U Haul.

That is where I realized I was covered in FLEAS – little jumping, biting fleas. And so was Sarah. We freaked out.

Our little walk through the house had been just enough to deposit an annoying amount of the little pests inside my new home. So, I vowed to avoid the seemingly-pretty-actually-grotesque backyard until I could treat it.

Fast-forward to Tuesday.

I get running water in said new home and am thrilled. I don’t go crazy, but I use some of this new found luxury.

As I am in bed reading, my neighbor comes over and says my house smells (reminder: I don’t have a sense of smell) and he’s worried something might be wrong. I go in the backyard – the same flea-infested hell hole of my nightmares from Saturday – to find SEWAGE backed up, flooding the place.

Sure enough, this is what I wake up like everyday as a human – seemingly nice & normal to look at, but infested and overflowing with sin.

 

cultivating thankfulness

from the Message version of Colossians 3 :: “Cultivate thankfulness… Let every detail in your lives – words, actions – be done in the name of the Master, Jesus, thanking God the Father every step of the way.”

 

(1) fundraising banquets that keep leaders in high schools and kids at camp (2) the kind lady that brings LaCroix to drink while signing papers [stay tuned] (3) a $2 curbside dresser to hold my clothes and keep me busy on a weekend (4) J and Lay showing up in Texas one Thursday afternoon (5) an afternoon to breakout of the meetings with the goon squad (6) my summertime “roommate” @ylwilderness that shares his coffee and prays for me.

 

the process

In Bulgaria, on the airport floor, dreading boarding a plane

Goodness at the end, even if the process seems less than good. 

I don’t think I like living through the process of things. 

For instance(s), I love going new places and adventures, but I hate driving in the car. Sleeping is good, but I don’t ever want to get ready for bed. Marriage is a good thing, but dating is uncomfortable. Owning a house will be good for me and ministry in Fort Worth, the process of buying a house is frustrating. 

I’ve put some thought into all this over the past few weeks [processing it, if you will] and I think this distaste for the process has to do with our being created for eternity. We are eternal beings, not meant for a fragmented life. 

 
“I saw no temple in the city, for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple. And the city has no need of sun or moon, for the glory of God illuminates the city, and the Lamb is its light. The nations will walk in its light, and the kings of the world will enter the city in all their glory. It’s gates will never be closed at the end of the day because there is no night there. And all the nations will bring their glory and honor into the city.”   -Revelation 21:22-26 (NLT)

expect joy & goodness

before backpacking trips leave basecamp for their time on trail, everyone (guide + high schoolers + Young Life leaders) sit down to share their fears & expectations for the week. guides write them down, leave them at basecamp, and we, as a staff, pray for every fear & every expectation every day of the week.

last week I was praying for a girl who had the expectations of JOY and GOODNESS.

those are incredible things to expect because we are guaranteed them from the Holy Spirit. I don’t know the depth of this girl or the depth of her relationship with the Lord, but I know she is right. on Sunday, we was expecting joy and goodness during her week.

why am I not expecting those for my week on Sundays?

cultivating thankfulness

from the Message version of Colossians 3 :: “Cultivate thankfulness… Let every detail in your lives – words, actions – be done in the name of the Master, Jesus, thanking God the Father every step of the way.”

(1) sister-Kirbs got married and we all rode together the whole weekend #betterknownasajohnstone (2) for my last night in the Fraser Valley my friends came and went on a walk with me … loving me straight in my love language (3) your typical tricycle rodeo in the grocery parking lot (4) roadside lunch of chickpea patty wrapped in kale … another love language (5) Creede, Colorado (6) this dysfunctional trail training group posed in basecamp, hiked & camped on trail, then made it back in one piece.

regularly scheduled programing

a little over 2 weeks ago, I moved out of the trome. it was incredibly good to me – exactly what I needed for this little season of my life.

rest in paradise, #tromelife.

gratitude lately!

such good things …

the girl that sits next to me that has become one of my best friends (mainly because she thinks I’m funny)

hannah in Colorado: a breath of home, good conversation, and long walks

slow morning with my favorite, favorite people.

Truckee, CA – everyone should go.

Emily starting work at Windy Gap.