bodying

I am a perfect replica of my mother's body, but in petite proportion. The long neck, the long torso, the long arms, the small chest and flat stomach, the tiny waist-- and then all of this sloping outward into broad hips, sturdy legs, dense calves, and strong and flexible ankles into able feet.

hello, Sun!

My face? I owe that to my Norwegian grandmother. But my body is all my mother.

I'm so glad she gave it to me! I regularly put up with rude comments about my size and it's impossible to find clothes that fit me off the rack, but my favorite part of my body is that it works! and it's mine! When as a young woman I looked around and realized that "woman" came in very different shapes, that somehow revealed to me that mine was its own type of beautiful. I'll never walk a runway, but I have a wonderful, laughing time chasing wildlife in my backyard and racing my husband to the grocery cart and playing in the snow.

paulaleme.com

>> So you there! --yeah, you:

Today, don't judge your body. Just enjoy it!

lost

So much of life falls through the cracks of our language—- lost because we don’t have the words and if we do, we realize that the words are not enough.

as Sara Groves said

listen here

hello, Lord:

it's me, your child. I

have a few things

on my mind. 

right now I'm faced 

with big decisions

and I'm wondering

if you have a minute

cuz

right now I don't hear so well

and I was wondering if you 

could speak up.

I know that you tore the veil

so I could sit with you in person

and hear what you're saying, 

but right now

I just can't hear you.

I don't doubt

your sovereignty;

I doubt my own ability

to hear what you're saying 

and to do the right thing, 

and I desperately want to 

do the right thing, 

but

right now I don't hear so well

and I was wondering if you 

could speak up.

I know that you tore the veil

so I could sit with you in person

and hear what you're saying, 

but right now

I just can't hear you.

and somewhere 

in the back of my mind

I think you are telling me to wait, 

and though patience

has never been mine, 

Lord, I will wait to hear from you. 

Lord, I'm waiting on you... 

right now I don't hear so well

and I was wondering if you 

could speak up. 

I know that you tore the veil

so I could sit with you in person

and hear what you're saying, 

but right now

I think you're whispering. 

WIZGUMP

I'm hoping for some WIZGUMP:

wisdom + gumption.

Yes, and I want WIZGUMP because I need to prioritize my health. I need to eat regularly and sleep enough. I need to make time for prayer.

I need the wisdom to know what needs to change, and

I need the gumption to actually change it. 

I can't keep working 7 days a week for too many hours. I can't keep waking up every morning and knowing that I'm already 3 hours behind. I can't keep putting off the life I want to live: I want to make art, build friendships, enjoy my marriage, learn German, cook, and chew slowly. 

I want to wake up to enjoy the day that stretches out before me. I want to enjoy my life-- it's all I've got.