Yellow Watches and Missions

This week is the 83rd Missions Conference at Biola. 

As lovely as it is to be without classes for the next three days, 

I feel even more blessed that I am in a place that 

seeks to focus our attention 

where God is focused.

The band United Pursuit is leading worship. 

This is my favorite song by them:

They played it this afternoon. 

So good. 

I love the image of climbing a mountain with hands wide open. 

I'm trying to learn what it means to open my hands more.

They pack a lot into this conference so I am trying to be intentional 

about making space to process what I am learning. 

When I am immersed in deepening my love and understanding of God, 

sometimes I forget that I am human,

that I have to stop

every now and then

to process. 

I love that God designed me to need space to 

process. 

The words intentional and process are two of my favorite words.

They're right up there with encouragement and joy.

I LOVE words. 

I love words that really really matter and make a difference. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Last night as I was falling asleep, I had a hankering for a creative idea. 

{Pre-sleep time is usually my most brilliant}

[Backstory] 

So I worked up at Hume Lake Christian Camps this summer. 

Besides being an incredible experience for my heart and soul and mind, 

I developed the habit of wearing a watch. 

There is no cell phone service up there and so 

watching it up

was the only way to get anywhere on time. 

After the summer ended, I kept the habit alive. 

I bought the CUTEST watch from Target. 

But then the band started to fall apart as I wore it ever so faithfully. 

[Flash-forward. ]

Last night, I decided to bring it back to life. 

I cut the watch head part 

{ummm anyone know the anatomy of watches?}

and then took a piece of yellow stringyish from

my favorite belt. 

And this is what happened

I'm pretty excited about it, 

as can be seen by my very expressive hand. 

I love yellow things. 

I love watches. 

I love Missions Conferences. 

I love Jesus. 

Because he first loved me. 

P.s. Do yourself a BIG favor and watch this,

she is one of my favorite people ever. 

I can't wait to hang out with her in heaven. 

{happy ears lead to a happy hearted Maddy}

Home[y] Page

I recently changed my homepage. 

((It's a hard decision to make...just like buying a home in real life.))

Before it was the weather channel website.

Now, it is something infinitely more fantastical. 

My new homepage causes me to experience...

{deep joy}

{moments of pause}

{instances of introspection}

{a challenge to my wordiness..

.allowing me to appreciate the world a snatch wordlessly}

{a deeper desire to praise my Jesus}

{giddy share-smiles}

--->share smiles=the kind of smiles that make 

people ask why you're smiling...causing more smileage

Oh yeah, you might be wondering where I make my internet home now. 

--->Today was especially beautiful!!!<---

Also, my current musical obsession is Joshua Radin's The Fear You Won't Fall

One of Those Days...

I just had a really silly workout. 

I went to the fitness center with flashcards and ipod in hand.

Shuffled all Beatles songs.

And started ellipticizing.

Then it happened.

My body decided to pick a fight with me.

Body started talking smack.  

The dialogue went like this.

Body: "Hey you suck slow down."

Me: "Whoa nah nah I got this"

Body: "You're tired. No tienes energia."

Me: "I'm ignoring you."

Then my body started playing dirty.

Throwing low blows, you know?

Everything started hurting.

Beginning at my tummy and radiating out.

Every joint started aching and my foot started falling asleep.

 (WHAT?!! How does that even happen??)

And then this girl came and jumped on the elliptical next to me. 

That wasn't lame at all, I love being near other people.

But she didn't set her machine or anything, she just started working out.

She was probably at like level one or whatever it jump starts you at.

So she was working out all fast and intense because there was no resistance.

Well THAT is ultra intimidating. 

She was moving furiously next to me 

while my whole body was screaming at me to slow down.

And then all 60 of my flashcards decided to explore the area

 around them and fall all over the ground.

Po Dank.

I up and quit.

Hardest 14 minutes and 43 seconds of my fitness-seeking life.

I accept the award for the Biggest Pansy.

"One of Those Days"

Joy Williams

I learned how to poach in tennis class today.

((Poachy weak quitterish is this Maddy mahaddy))

Themesong for a Saturday

Happy Saturday!

It seems to be the perfect kind of day to go to 

a favorite coffee shop and fall in love study.

"Falling in Love in a Coffee Shop"

Landon Pigg

 This is the current song o' stuckness. 

And Landon Pigg is just a darling man to look at. 

Yesterday was suretainly a favorited day. 

The morning started with a snatch of time with my mom.

She brought my favorite vegetables and brought out the best of me in our lovely conversation. 

We talked through a lot of things and I feel like I learned so stinking much. 

That woman is incredible. Seriously.

((so very blessed is this Maddy-daughter))

Good Day Sunshine

Ecclesiastes 11:7

"Light is sweet, and it is pleasant for the eyes to see the sun."

What a blessed sunshine day it has been!!!

Sitting by the Biola fountain reading the glorious hours away...

mmm hmmmm

Now THAT'S what I'm talking about.

Good Day Sunshine

The Beatles

Theme Songs

The songs that have been in my head this day 

are beautiful and lovely and giddy. 

Sometimes musical words are better at communicating ideas than naked words.

Sometime musical words make the naked words come out. 

I like musical words. 

"Beautiful Things"

Gungor

"Love"

Matt White

"Down on the Corner"

Creedence Clearwater Revival 

Day o' the Theme Songs

"The Girl"

City and Colour

"Danny's Song"

Kenny Loggins

"Just Friends"

Jason Reeves

And pretty much anything by Ingrid Michaelson.