Perseverance.

:: Pray to God, but keep rowing to shore. ::

Halloween Hopes.

Normally I really dislike Halloween. I don't really know why. Actually, I do. I think there are a number of reasons. First of all, I never really have liked dressing up for anything: Halloween, theme parties, costume chapter, etc. I can never think of any good ideas and I hate competing with all of the young women out there whose ideas of dressing up include transforming into scandalous animals and insects. Not for me. Also, I'd always envisioned Halloween to be a night of drunken debauchery. Which is still true, I suppose, and, believe me, I enjoy a few cocktails/beers/glasses of wine/what-have-you every now and again, but I have always thought this holiday was created for people to make drunken mistakes, and I'm not super sure I'm okay with that. Drinking in the company of friends is fun and safe but sometimes I think that people use Halloween to legitimize insane behavior. (I'll get off my soapbox now). Lastly, I dislike Halloween because I've grown past the point of being able to go trick-or-treating. I know, I know; it's a free world and technically I could still grovel for candy if I wanted to but that would just be plain weird at the ripe old age of 22. That being said, I'm surprisingly excited for Halloween. I have so many fun plans for tomorrow that I must admit that I really can't wait to celebrate All Hallow's Eve.

In the morning, Maggie Samuel and I will be breakfasting at Sprinkles Cupcakes. It might seem to be a little too early to be indulging in delicious mini-cakes but, really, it's never too early for cupcakes. Maggie and I have a tradition (okay, this will only be the third time) of planning Sprinkles and Starbucks dates and I'm pretty excited to try out the Halloween/fall flavors of tomorrow, including chai latte, pumpkin and caramel apple.

For lunch, my boss Emily is taking me and my coworker, Courtney, to Chipotle for lunch. Originally, the three of us had planned to dress up as burritos in order to earn free ones, as per a deal that Chipotle offers every Halloween. I have participated in this event for the past three years, stopping in at the Calabasas Chipotle with friends including Erin, Karli, Becca, Katie VB, Mammen, Davids Schwartz and Nelson, Brad, Clark and Mike to score free burritos. Sadly, Chipotle doesn't offer this deal at lunch so Ers and I already made plans to eat there for dinner. Despite learning that we would not be the recipients of free food, Emily still offered to treat Courtney and me to lunch there on behalf of Halloween. So, fine, free Chipotle twice in one day is, yes, overindulgent but also delicious-sounding.

Good thing my perfect Halloween only includes eating thus far--shows where my priorities are, I suppose. Assuming I can still walk/waddle after I've consumed all of this fabulous food, I plan on zooming down to Malibu for what should be an epic party at Mikey, Dorian and Andrew's place (affectionately known to most of our friends as T-Land). Tomorrow night will also signify Joel and Rose's last night in California; they're moving to Nicaragua on Saturday, and tomorrow night will be a great way to send them off. All of my favorite people are going to be there and I can't wait to see everyone's costumes, particularly Shea Miller's, which I'm hoping will look my favorite character in the made-for-YouTube-film, Jackie and Debra.

I actually am going to dress up. I'm going to be a Malibu local and I don't mean the scary surf type who steals your table on Taco Tuesday at Duke's; rather, I'll be channeling the Mary-Kate and Ashley Olson version of Malibu chic, complete with Uggs, short shorts, too much jewelry, an extremely oversized bag, at least fourteen scarves, possibly a fedora and the ever-present Venti Starbucks cup.

I can't believe I'm admitting this but I really just can't wait for tomorrow. Hopefully Halloween turns out as great as I expect it to.

GOOD Advice.

For the past few weeks at Starbucks, GOOD Magazine has been releasing a free mini-publication of sorts regarding issues concerning the upcoming presidential election. Every Thursday, a new pamphlet is available near the barista station where you pick up your latte or Frappucino. The pamphlet is great because it informs readers of prevalent issues without any bias; the facts and figures on each page are dedicated to educating readers, not to persuading them one way or another.

Last Thursday's (10/23) issue was about close elections and the importance of voting. The pamphlet highlighted a variety of elections in which a smaller number of votes determined the race's winner. Apparently in 1977, the mayoral race in Ann Arbor, Michigan, was decided by one single vote. Though the the election was not on the scale of a presidential race, size-wise, the statistic had a huge impact on me. Louis Belcher earned 10,659 votes; Albert Wheeler barely snuck by, winning 10,660 votes. Can you imagine being the vote that changed the course of history for Ann Arbor? Can you imagine being the vote that changed the course of history for our country in this election, for the year of 2008? Maybe your vote will change the world.

My favorite part of the weekly pamphlet is the section in the middle that simply says "Vote for ____ . " Each week, the authors of the pamphlet fill in a variety of topics to vote for, ranging from the simple pleasures in life to hot-topic political concepts. This week's causes to vote for were amongst my favorites in the GOOD pamphlet series:

Vote for ___________.
Knowledge.
Choice.
Sweets.
The unexpected.
3 day weekends.
Thoughts.
Life.
Bridging the gap.
Kids.
Hipsters.
The best.
Inspiration.
Balance.
Equal access.
Music.
Happy hour.
Yourself.
Bicycling.
Freedom.
Good grammar.
Truth.
Everyone.

The question should no longer be, "Who are you voting for?" Maybe instead we should wonder what we are voting for.

Celebrate the Little Things.

I've never been much of a "Peanuts" fan but this cartoon depiction of Snoopy and his little friends completely resonated with me. It's so easy to get bogged down in the grand complexities of life. It's natural to look too far into the future, attempting to predict what the greater scheme of your world is going to look like. It's almost impossible not to worry about the big obstacles we all inevitably encounter while on our life journey.

Yet I'm always reminded that focusing on the little blessings in life grounds us and refreshes us. I recently started a journal in which I write down the little things I'm thankful for every day. They include everything from Starbucks lattes and pumpkin-flavored desserts to funny text messages from friends and afternoons spent at the beach.

When we stop focusing on how busy we are, we allow ourselves to realize how many blessings God gives us every day. Sometimes He makes us laugh by providing us with the time to watch our favorite rerun of "The Office," or He lets us mourn by providing a friend to us when we need to vent the most. Sometimes He saves our wallets by giving us a waiter who treats us to a free dessert, or He makes us joyful by painting a beautiful sunset over the ocean. None of these things are coincidental; God is so intentional, handpicking each moment in which He chooses to bless us with the little things.

For a moment, then, I want to take the time to reflect on some of the little things that I've been blessed with in the past week that have truly enhanced my life. And I'll throw in some things that are constant pick-me-ups, treats that God gives me that I really don't deserve.

a weekend getaway. our office being closed on a random friday.
karli megan king. italian food. "yappy" hour.
pleasanton. hilariously and undeservingly acquiring celeb status.
youtube videos. belly-aching laughter. pumpkin muffins.
mexican food and margaritas. nicholas spence and his generosity.
more yappy hour.
breakfasting with friends. the truth of the cliche, "time flies when you're having fun." becca marie patterson, michael robert hoyt and jonathan david clark. frozen yogurt.
sausalito. exploring. art galleries, cafes and wine bars. the golden gate bridge and a breathtaking viewpoint.
trader joe's. homemade pizza. watching favorite shows.
starbucks. insanely random run-ins with long-lost friends. lunch after church.
erin marie chinen. $19 manicures and pedicures. OPI nailpolish.
mosaic, the mayan and wide awake.
family dinner. mexican pie and sangria. thomas bush, darnell brisco, dave pommer and matthew seth baker's rendition of "sue silver is my mom."
kristen grace hoffman. "stopping by" and staying too late because there's so much to catch up on.
chai tea. apartment five oh nine. cmpr. texts from friends. new car smell.
halloween packages from mrs. joyce. book club. the coffee bean on wilshire and 8th. english breakfast tea lattes. great conversation. new friends.
erin marie macdonald. jiraffe. lemon souffle. heart-to-hearts. red wine...especially the kind that benefits kids with autism, amongst other causes. actually, make that free red wine (thank you, kind waiter at jiraffe).
a comfy bed. a completely (finally) decorated room.
sweet dreams.

You, Only U.

As promised, here's more video footage of Dave Barnes. Instead of showcasing his soulful crooning, this self-made YouTube video focuses on Dave's athletic ability as he attempts to create his own workout tutorial. Erin Mac, Sarah and I watched this video multiple times last night. And we cracked up each and every time. Enjoy.

My Mantra.

:: If I'm not here, I'm at the beach. ::

After the Show, it's the After Party.

On Thursday, I volunteered at the premiere of the documentary, "Down the Road." The film was a labor of love of one of my dearest friends, Joel Christensen. He, along with two others, traveled to Central America to film a documentary. They had no idea what they wanted to film; they simply departed with the goal of filming anything and everything, and hopefully returning to the States a few months later with a message to share.

The most powerful part of the documentary, to me, was the part the focused on La Chureca and the people who live there. La Chureca is exactly what this photo depicts: a trash dump. The people of this Nicaraguan "neighborhood" wait all day for the garbage trucks to arrive. When the trucks begin unloading the trash, the "citizens" of the dump scramble to collect items to eat, make clothes from and build their houses with. These humans live in this trash dump. Every single day, it is where they find their nourishment and shelter.

Joel and his traveling companions/fellow documentarians, Chris and Cody, were so moved by the people they met at La Chureca. They partnered with Brad Corrigan (formerly of Dispatch, currently of Braddigan), who started a non-profit organization called Love Light & Melody. His organization seeks to eliminate poverty, beginning with the eradication of the need for people to live amongst the trash in La Chureca. He started by saving young girls, many of whom were being taken from the trash dump and forced into prostitution. Joel, Chris and Cody were able to visit these girls and witness the impact Brad and Love Light & Melody have had on their lives.

Joel, Chris and Cody were able to help in Nicaragua by donating the car they had used on their Central American road trip (fondly nicknamed "La Tortuga," which is Spanish for "turtle," indicating its speed) to a sweet soul named Bismarck. This husband and father of two has worked every single day for six years in order to make ends meet. Bismarck not only spends his money on providing for his family but he uses it to better the lives of the street kids in La Chureca and Managua as well. He works as a chauffeur for the local Holiday Inn, and having his own car increased his profits by 60% (originally he had to give 60% of his earnings to the owner of the car he was using; now he can keep 80%, with the rest going to the Holiday Inn). The film showed that, one year later, Bismarck was using La Tortuga to get around town, to help his family and to save the children.

The film was amazing and I was so proud of Joel, Chris and Cody's efforts. Mike Miller was involved with the production of the film, and Eric Smith took fabulous photos and created an amazing Web site. It was fun to volunteer alongside Rose, Erin, Krystal, Christyn, Nick and Thomas. It felt great to support something that our loved ones have spent so much time creating. Almost 200 people came to Pepperdine's campus to watch the premiere. The evening was a huge success.

Afterwards, the film and volunteer crews headed to Duke's for an after party. Mom was in town, as previously mentioned, so it was so fun for me to introduce her to friends she'd heard about but never had the privilege of meeting. We all spent two hours snacking, drinking margaritas and laughing--a lot. At one point, while Nick and I were crammed onto the same chair at our lovely little table, we both paused and looked around at our beautiful group of friends and family. Nick commented on how happy it made him to see all of our busy selves joined together on a random Thursday night to celebrate the evening's success. I couldn't have agreed more. As I looked around the Barefoot Bar as things began to wind down (we were blissfully the only people there, considering we weren't competing with the Taco Tuesday crowd...and considering that the restaurant was technically closed...), I felt so blessed to be surrounded by so many wonderful, kind-hearted, passionate people.

Beach Cruising.

I got a beautiful beach cruiser today as an early birthday present. I had saved for the bike for a few months and was all prepared to pay for it myself. Mom (she and Dad are in town for Pepperdine Family Weekend) went with me to Chubby's Cruisers in Culver City to pick out a bike. We finally selected this cruiser, the Bella model, in vanilla (a light yellow color...it is so pretty). When I went to pay at the register, Mom forced me to use her credit card, saying that the bike would be my early birthday present. I was thrilled, to say the least.

I can't wait to zoom around Santa Monica on my sweet new CRUISER.

The L.A. Song.

Dave Barnes is one of my favorite artists. His music is relaxing, calming and consistent. Some of his lyrics are worship-based while others are mere observations of the joys and pains of everyday life. "Brother, Bring the Sun" was the first album of Dave's that I got into, and the lyrics of every song hit home with me. "Your Love Will Never Change" spoke to me about Christ's unconditional love for us while "Until You" reminded me that it's when we are not looking for a relationship that we find one. "Grace's Amazing Hands" seems to be a metaphor describing the way Jesus extends his forgiveness to us, though we don't deserve it; "On a Night Like This" is a romantic ballad about falling in love.

One of my favorite songs is probably one of the least discussed/analyzed/appreciated on this album. It's called "The L.A. Song" and I think it speaks so powerfully to the fact that women deserve the best in relationships, and that they shouldn't settle for anything less.

This video is from a concert Hunter, Greg and I went to in June at the Roxy on Sunset Boulevard. The concert was fabulous; when performing live, Dave sounds just like he does on his albums. He slowed this version of "The L.A. Song" down a little bit, which I loved. Please ignore the creep-o yelling, "Yeah, Dave!" and "Play it pretty for L.A.! Woo!" in the background. He eventually had to publicly reprimanded for his obnoxious behavior.



Coming soon: A video of Dave's antics/storytelling from the concert. (If you can't tell, I sort of love him a whole lot.)

I'm Only Good at Being Young.

"Stop This Train" by John Mayer is my favorite song of all time. Its lyrics really resonate with me.

:: no, i'm not colorblind
i know the world is black and white
try to keep an open mind
but i just can't sleep tonight

stop this train
i wanna get off and go home again
i can't take the speed it's movin in
i know i can't
but honestly, won't someone stop this train?

don't know how else to say it
don't want to see my parents go
one generation's length away
from fighting life out on my own

stop this train
i wanna get off and go home again
i can't take the speed it's movin in
i know it can't
but honestly, won't someone stop this train?

so scared of getting older
i'm only good at being young
so i play the numbers game
to find a way to say that life has just begun

had a talk with my old man
said, help me understand
he said, turn 68
you'll renegotiate

don't stop this train
don't for a minute change the place you're in
and don't think i couldn't ever understand
i tried my hand
john, honestly, we'll never stop this train

once in awhile, when it's good
it'll feel like it should
and they're all still around
and you're still safe and sound
and you don't miss a thing
til you cry when you're driving away in the dark
singing

stop this train
i wanna get off and go home again
i can't take the speed it's movin in
i know i can
cause now i see i'll never stop this train ::

Johann von Goethe.

:: Nothing is worth more than THIS DAY. ::

Johann van Goethe

Call + Response.

On Monday, I got the chance to go see Call + Response, a documentary dedicated to exposing the truth about human trafficking. On the Web site, the following is written about the film:

:: Call + Response is a first of its kind feature documentary film that reveals the world's 27 million dirtiest secrets: there are more slaves today than ever before in human history. Call + Response goes deep undercover to where slavery is thriving from the child brothels of Cambodia to the slave brick kilns of rural India to reveal that in 2007, Slave Traders made more money than Google, Nike and Starbucks combined.

Luminaries on the issue such as Cornel West, Madeleine Albright, Daryl Hannah, Julia Ormond, Ashley Judd, Nicholas Kristof, and many other prominent political and cultural figures offer first hand accounts of this 21st century trade. Performances from Grammy-winning and critically acclaimed artists including Moby, Natasha Bedingfield, Cold War Kids, Matisyahu, Imogen Heap, Talib Kweli, Five For Fighting, Switchfoot, members of Nickel Creek and Tom Petty's Heartbreakers and Rocco Deluca move this chilling information into inspiration for stopping it.

Music is part of the movement against human slavery. Dr. Cornel West connects the music of the American slave fields to the popular music we listen to today, and offers this connection as a rallying cry for the modern abolitionist movement currently brewing. ::

The film is also known as a "rockumentary" because it focuses on the use of music to convey the issues to viewers. Clips of interviews and footage were interspersed with musical performances.

The proceeds from DVD sales, movie tickets and iTunes purchases, amongst other methods of sales, go to projects to eradicate the world of human slavery. The creators of the film want to involve the community in order to not only spread the word of this problem but also to allow viewers to know that they have become part of the solution.

The film touched my heart for a number of reasons. Unrelated to the movie was the fact that my darling best friend, Karli Megan King, had been tirelessly serving the C+R staff as an intern in their Oakland office for the past few months. It is so cool that she got to be a part of something this life-changing. As far as the film goes, it was obviously moving because the images of children and innocent men and women being trafficked to make some wealthy, lazy businessman a profit are horrifying. But I was most struck by the scene that focused on the slave trade that occurs on Lake Volta in northern Ghana. Pam, Randy and the other volunteers for Touch a Life Foundation (who I went to Ghana with) rescue children off of this man-made lake and take them to the Village of Hope Orphanage for rehabilitation, education and proper health care. Because the body of water is man-made, there are trees rooted at the bottom of the lake, and fishing nets frequently get stuck on the branches hidden underwater. Slave children (who were most likely sold to their masters by their parents) are forced to dive into the freezing water without wet suits to untangle the nets. One of the boys I met at the the Village of Hope, Famous, was forced to go underwater and when he reached the net, he accidentally touched an electric eel and was shocked. When he resurfaced, he was terrified, in pain and had forgotten the net. His master told him, bluntly, to shut up and go back under the water, that he couldn't come up for air until he had untangled the net and allowed for the fishing to proceed. Famous was five years old.

The film was undeniably difficult to watch but it was also incredibly inspiring. One of the interviewees made a really great point: Initially, society is in a state of obliviousness, not knowing about the problems that exist in the world. When society is informed of certain problems, including human trafficking, most people fall into a world of despair, feeling that the issue is too big for them to eradicate.

I know for a fact that the latter is not true. No matter how significant and overwhelming a problem may appear, we have the power to change the world. The C+R Web site lists a variety of ways that you can get involved in improving the world we live in:

1. Tell others. Expose the truth about modern-day slavery. Make sure everyone knows the 27 million dirtiest secrets.
   
2. Invest in change. Support those on the front lines and enable them to make a difference. Help fund the most effective projects to reduce slavery and care for its victims.
3. Join the network. Connect with other abolitionists in your area and with organizations addressing the issue.
   
4. Consume wisely. Hold businesses accountable and ask corporations to join the fight. Email companies to ensure that their products are slave-free.
   
5. Volunteer. Volunteer with a local anti-trafficking organization.
   
6. Watch. Keep an eye out and don’t turn away. If you suspect slavery or exploitation, call the national trafficking hotline: 888-3737-888.
7. Text. Text RESPOND to 90999 to donate $5 to a project.
8. Write. Submit an op-ed. Encourage newspapers, magazines and television stations to publish or to write stories about modern-day slavery, and how to stop it.
9. Map it. Document slavery in your area.
10. Tourism matters. Visit the Trafficking In Persons Report from the State Department. Find out which countries are the worst trafficking offenders. Write a letter to their travel bureau and tell them you won’t visit the country until they address the issue.
11. Purchase. Buying products made by survivors helps ensure their self-sufficiency.
12. Make help available. Place coasters at bars and sleeves for coffee cups to promote the hotline (888-3737-888). In public places, disseminate posters, brochures and other materials about trafficking.
    
13. Organize. Organize your community to address the issue in your area.
14. Advocate for change. Call or write your elected officials. Tell them that you care about the issue of human trafficking and want stronger laws to protect victims. Keep telling them.
15. Give healthcare. Help collect and pack medical supplies and equipment to be sent to shelters for survivors.
16. Walk. Global March has freed over 60,000 slaves in India. Their marches promote education for children instead of forced labor and exploitation.
17. Cybervention. Make sure trafficking does not happen on the internet. Keep an eye on Craigslist and advertising spaces.
18. Fight sex tourism. Ask travel agencies, hotels and tour operators to sign the Code of Conduct for the Protection of Children in Travel and Tourism.
19. Learn more. Continually update yourself on the issues at hand.
    
20. Prepare caretakers. Encourage healthcare providers and law enforcement officials to be aware of the signs of human trafficking.
21. Rescue victims. Pressure for raids of forced labor and slavery situations.
22. Do good business. Consult for anti-trafficking non-profits. Hire survivors of slavery. Ensure fair labor.
    
23. Go. Volunteer with organizations caring for survivors. Help build shelters. Teach English. Provide skills training. Ask the organization how you can help.
24. Assist victims. Volunteer at a local shelter for survivors. Help survivors access medical care and counseling, legal services, housing, a new job and companionship. Do a drive for supplies and donations to care for child victims of slavery.
25. Slave-free campuses. Start a group at your school or university, and make sure your campus is free of products made with slave labor.
26. Safeguard transportation. Ask airlines to provide training manuals to all their flight attendants on how to watch for victims being trafficked.
27. Motivate others. Post the Call+Response trailer on your Facebook pages. Join the cause. Join the causes of other organizations. Encourage your friends to do the same.
28. Love freedom. Give all you would spend on Valentine’s Day to buy freedom for slaves and to care for its victims.Tell those you love that you want them do the same.
29. Remember the facts. Memorize the statistics about child and sex slavery. Tell people.
30. Faith, schools and freedom. Help your faith community or school become an Abolitionist Organization.
31. Spread the word. Download posters from the C+R website and hang them in town and at school. Email to all your friends, family & coworkers the website link.
32. Get insights from the UN. Research the UN's discussions regarding human trafficking.
    
33. Do what you love. Use your talents to fight slavery. Do an art project and display it in a public place. Use a sports event to raise awareness and funds for the issue. Talk about the issue at a concert, or make it a benefit for survivors. Film a movie on the state of modern-day slavery. Write about the issue and post it on blogs.

The final suggestion is my favorite on the list. Use your passions, talents and gifts to support a cause. For me, Call + Response, Touch a Life and St. Jude Children's Research Hospital are three causes that I am devoted to supporting. My life changed by getting involved with these causes, and I want to use my skills and talents to better the world in these specific areas. For you, other causes might tug on your heartstrings. It doesn't matter what you support; just stand for something.

Londonsick.

:: When a man is tired of London, he is tired of life; for there is in London all that life can afford. ::

Samuel Johnson

Lifehouse.

Lifehouse's new song, "Broken," comes on all the time at work and I was just now struck by the lyrics in the chorus:

:: i'm falling apart
i'm barely breathing
with a broken heart
that's still beating
in the pain
there is healing
in your name
i find meaning
so i'm holding on
i'm barely holding on to you ::

The lyrics are, to me, so clearly about Jesus, about finding life's meaning and purpose in His name. I think it's so interesting that a song like this has permeated mainstream society, indicating that all of us are searching for Christ, whether we know it or not.

13.1.

Yesterday I ran in the Long Beach Half Marathon. I definitely wouldn't go as far as saying that it was easy but it was absolutely way more enjoyable than I expected it to be. I couldn't believe it when I hit 10 miles; I felt as if I had only run two. The route was beautiful. At first it was somewhat industrial but the last half of the race was all along the beach, which was incredible. The weather was perfect--the sun was shining and the air was fresh. The last .1 of a mile was downhill, which was so fun. I sprinted down the last stretch, passing people and leaving them in my wake. All while listening to Love Lockdown, an awesome pump-up song with a crazy good beat (and a crazy good video, too).



All in all, the experience was so much fun. Running the race was truly a blast. Training for the half marathon was a blessing in disguise. It was obviously difficult and stressful at times (not to mention tiring) but it was also a great way for me to explore my new surroundings and to remember to put life into perspective. Though I've lived near Santa Monica for the past four years, I had never really explored the town. Since I had to run for hours at a time, I got to explore regions of Santa Monica I'd never checked out before, areas like Montana Avenue, Main Street and nooks and crannies of the beach. I really got familiar with my new neighborhood, which I loved.

Training was also important to me because I began to see running as therapy. Whenever I got frustrated with my job search, my dad would always tell me to keep exercising. Though it was simple advice, it was truly profound. I've always heard about the research linking exercise to the release of endorphins and I am a living testament to the truth of that statement. Mornings are usually the hardest for me when I'm stressed about something, so shaking off those nerves by going on a run was incredibly beneficial for me. It started my day off right and really cleared my mind. So thanks for that, Dad.

You don't have to train for a half marathon to get those endorphins going. Even a simple walk around the block, a pick-up football game or a bike ride will do the trick. Not only will your body thank you for the physical activity, but your psyche/emotional well-being will thank you, too.

Judy Grimes Does it Again.

Many people will find this video creepy. I, however, can legitimately say that it has changed my life. Kim showed me this video tonight because she knows how much I love Judy Grimes. Judy is back at it but in a brand new role.

I have not laughed this hard in a long time...I literally laughed so hard that I cried. And then I watched the video six more times.

Judy Grimes.

Besides anything Will Ferrell participated in on Saturday Night Live, this broadcast by travel writer Judy Grimes is by far my favorite skit on the popular improv show.

George MacDonald.

In middle school, my fellow students and I had to collect a collaboration of poems and analyze them. As a teenager who loved reading and writing, this assignment was a perfect challenge for me. Interpreting poetry is so different from studying literature because it forces us to stretch our minds and comprehend concepts in a different light. Recently, as I was cleaning out my closet, I found the poems I had chosen to study. This one by George MacDonald struck me because the last line is so hopeful and powerful.

:: Sometimes a thunderbolt will shoot from a clear sky; and sometimes, into the midst of a peaceful family - without warning of gathered storm above or slightest tremble of earthquake beneath - will fall a terrible fact, and from that moment everything is changed. The air is thick with cloud, and cannot weep itself clear.

There may come a gorgeous sunset, though. ::

Children's Art Village.

For this post, I just wanted to share a documentary that Patrick Cone (of C1 Productions) made while we were in Ghana in August. It is fantastic and makes me want to return to the Village of Hope tomorrow.