5+5+5+5

The following formula is true, at least for today.

5 am + 5 minutes + 5 tram rides + 5 smiles = better than before

The city of Budapest glows on the Danube.

Walking on the Common Ground

“You are the highway I travel, because I watched You carve streets out of sand and gravel. I gave you brokenness – You gave me innocence, and now this road leads to glory. You are my deepest longing, and so I see You everywhere; it’s You I’m chasing after. I’m captivated by who You are and how You move. I’ll follow You forever.” ~Audrey Assad, For Love of You

Iosif (Joseph)

An impromptu sermon in the hotel hallway.

Iosif (Joseph) has the rugged look of an athlete, and a deep voice that is easily recognized in each worship service and prayer time at WinterCamp. He clings to every word spoken, every song sung, with passion and conviction. Iosif graduated from high school years ago, and even spent six months working in Australia. But now, at the age of 23, he has returned to his home town of Faget (Fah-jhet), one of the small villages in Western Romania that will be served by the House of Joy.

Joy and Cold Feet.

My feet are cold, and my slightly frizzy hair is in pure rebellion against the blow-dryer that feels more comfortable on the warm setting. The internet has decided it would rather sleep on this snowy evening in Romania, so there will be no uploading pictures or answering emails. A dog is barking outside, and another freight train is sure to pass soon.

And I’m filled with complete joy.

Learning to Listen

It was getting late.

Early morning departure.

Between the Foreign and the Familiar

It’s very early here in the small village of Susani, Romania. I’m wrapped in a warm wool blanket, reading and writing, on the sofa of the living room of Ovidiu and Adina Petric, a kind couple who works daily to serve the people here. Our 22-hour journey by plane and van brought us here last night, to this home filled perfumed with the fragrance of homemade chicken soup and sarmale (cabbage rolls served with sour cream).

Chicken soup with handmade noodles. And a pepper. Divine.

Building House(s) of Joy.

You might call it a ritual. I’m snuggled in bed with my laptop, my pup, and a cup of coffee. I’ve read scripture and journaled my confessions and hopes and dreams. Outside of the tapping of my fingers on the keyboard and the birdsong outside, it’s quiet. So very quiet.

There are suitcases to be packed and itineraries to be printed and reminders to be emailed. But right now, in this moment before the moments, I simply ponder what it will be like to dance with orphans again.

Finding Bliss (but not at Blissdom).

There is a place I'd love to be right now. Blissdom. No, it's not a state of mind - it's a conference for women who write. There are women there I know, women there I follow on Twitter, and women there who I know would inspire me and challenge me. But I'm not there. I'm here.

Living room. Austin, Texas. NOT Blissdom.

It feels strange to blog about blogging while wishing to be at a conference about blogging. But given my love of words and phrases and the quirky, lovely journeys this life has to offer, I guess it makes sense in a strange way. From writing about my personal journey (and the never-to-be-finished recipography) here to writing about the beautiful faces of orphans with my friend Courtney at Wordpainters, or even keeping my daily diary of inspirations at 365thousand, words are my friend. And from time to time, my words have their place in the care and feeding of others. That makes me smile.

So what am I doing that's keeping me from Blissdom?  Today, it's flying.

Sweet hubby, cheering me on via Starbucks.

(my head just got a little light thinking about this) I've got trapeze lessons at 4. Me. Trapeze. Me. Trapeze. Dang. 

If I survive, I'm then packing my bags and flying to Romania to work with RedPage Ministries. It will be my first time in the country, and having the opportunity to meet and fall in love with new friends is amazing. I'll be posting the stories of the journey, so please join me.

So, to you ladies of Blissdom, please share the cool things you learn. I promise to share things I learn too. If you haven't met me yet, here's a little something that might give you insight into the way I see things.

UPDATE: Sigh. It happened. I have proof. I was a wimp. I may have cried. And there's definitely a lessson in this.

She flies through the air. But there is no ease.

My best work. Just hanging. Not swinging. 

Breathing in Grace.

It's in the 20s outside, and I'm bundling up for a run before a day full of cooking begins. Tomorrow morning Courtney and I are catering a brunch for 150 women at Austin Christian Fellowship, and there are dishes to be prepped and cupcakes to be frosted and serving plans to be finalized. The run isn't just for exercise - it's to equip me for the Music City Half-Marathon in April and possibly (if I can figure out a way to make it work) for the San Diego Half-Marathon in June. The cooking isn't just for fun - it's to fund ongoing orphan care projects in Guatemala. When the running and cooking are completed, I'll continue work on a grant proposal for Red Page Ministries. I'll pack for a trip to Romania. And I'll finish my reading for Sunday night's small group Bible study.

Everything has purpose. Everything has meaning. Everything is busy. So very busy.

I've Got a Confession(s).

My Bible is open. It's time for just reading and journaling and intimate moments of friendship with Jesus. It couldn't be more perfect. I'm ready to hear what God wants to say. It's a divine thing. Oh, to focus now, to not be distracted. 


But...