I was only able to get up one of the pictures at this time. This is from the Mall in DC. I don’t have time for much right now, as I’m staring down an early departure time tomorrow and have things to get done. I dunno when next I’ll have internet…
That’ll give you all time to ask the Holy Spirit about the painting. I can tell you that it has to do with the Trinity and the Holy Spirit specifically, the Bride having one heart and the heavenly host.
Chew on that for a while.
Last Wednesday was the Freedom Tour event on the Mall in Washington DC. There were so many different feelings and impressions and moments that to boil it all down would be messy and probably wrong. So bear with me while I try and communicate a thousand facets of the day. (Remembering that these are MY feelings and could be totally opposite from everyone elses. There, I’m done with disclaimers now.)
First of all, in the physical it was a difficult day. It was cold and windy, the sides of the tent were not set up and I was nursing a pretty messy cold. The weather, though, turned into a strange bonding thing. A woman who sat next to where I was painting had brought bags of gloves, blankets, jackets etc and lended me the greatest fleece-lined gloves. My frozen fingers rejoiced. Every so often I would look over at my fellow worshipers and wonder at the love of Christ that would bring us all out to freeze and exalt Him publicly in our nation’s capitol. Read the rest of this entry »
Today was the setup day for the tent. We have the plot of land on the Mall that is closest to the Capitol building. This morning at o-dark-thirty all our Strong Men rolled out to head to the Mall for the setup. Sadly, once there, the Strong Men had to stand around picking their noses for an hour because the hard hats hadn’t shown up and it’s Mall law that all set-up crews have hard hats. No-one wanted to be beaten up by Capitol Police so they followed the rules.
I didn’t wake up until 9:30.
This morning I got up, ate breakfast, fed Kiley hard-boiled egg and then rolled up my sleeves and helped to make 50 sandwiches for the Strong Men. (I forgot but there were a few Strong Women too. The Strong Men and Strong Women will hereafter be referred to as The Crew.) I threw on some nicer clothes and my coat and we all loaded up two vehicles with babies, food, drink and accessories.
When we’d almost reached the Mall Jake called me and mentioned that he had a little time before his lunch appointment and was I on the Mall? I was so we met up and I got to walk a few blocks over with him and see where he interned last summer. He also met the Carr family and a few other folk. I almost didn’t recognize him in his super-swank “I’m The President Of the Washington Student Lobby” suit. He was meeting with Congressmen yesterday and tomorrow he’s got back-to-back meetings with Senators.
After lunch we went to Dawn’s house to make dinner and put the babies down for a nap. (Oh, on the way there we stopped at Starbucks where Dawn met us and where we stayed until Hannah spilling apple juice and Kiley screaming put me right over the edge. THEN we went to Dawn’s house.)
Sue had to bring Laurie her debit card so she came out to Arlington and Ned and I hopped right back on a train with her and went into the Gallery area of DC. We did a little shopping and made it back to the mall in time to freeze, eat dinner and freeze some more. My hands were tiny popsicles by the time Michael, Ned and I got on the metro to come back to the hotel. (Oh yeah, we got stuck riding Metro because Laurie had one car full of babies and Timothy had the other. We didn’t mind though. I got to talk to my Other Mother.)
I wish I had more details for you. I feel weird and disconnected from the event. I can’t seem to find the bigger picture. We were actually talking about it on the metro and apparently this is normal. It’ll come together at some point, hopefully.
Love you all. Need sleep and rest for my weary toes.
I read this article on exoduscry.com and it speaks to the cry of my heart, especially now as I approach our first event. I am reminded of why I am on this trip; why I am on the planet.
“To be a prophet of beauty is first and foremost to see beauty. I am not called to be fascinated by darkness – I am called to overcome it. I am not called to exploit this world – I am called to save it. A prophet of beauty sees the light in the midst of darkness and dares to trust that that light is true and speaks greater volumes than the darkness that surrounds it. A prophet of beauty moves from suspicion, despair, and “realism,” to faith, hope, and love. They move, with the courage of the crucified Lord of Beauty, from observation and speculation to intercession and restoration. There are many prophets of doom, but few prophets of beauty. Moses asked God to show him His glory. The Lord then made His goodness pass before him. David said he would have lost heart had he not believed he would see “the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living” (Ps. 27:13). I am asking God to show me His beauty in all of its manifestations. I want to be one who is sustained not by self-righteous zeal and heroism but a fascination with the beauty of God. I want to see beyond the mourning to the dancing, beyond the sorrow to the joy, beyond the ashes to the beauty. “Let the beauty of the Lord our God be upon us!” (Ps. 90:17)” -Benji Nolot
… and I will tell you my stories.
I’m sitting in our hotel room with my feet in a tub full of hot water, listening to the baby crying from across the hall. It’s an oddly peaceful moment and I’m enjoying it thoroughly.
Today was intense. I got about ten hours of sleep last night which is HUGE. I felt almost human when I woke up!
Michael, Jadon, Sue, Andrea and I all wanted to go into DC and walk around the mall. We bought subway passes (a thrill for someone who has never ridden a subway before) and hopped the train for DC. Michael and Jadon were our fearless navigators and I was vice president in charge of not getting seperated from the group. I had a full-on Moment when we popped out of the subway station and onto the Mall. In pictures and on West Wing the grass from the Capitol building to the Washington monument is green. Today is was dusty and brown. Apparently the inaugural ceremony and the thousands of people attendent thereon ruined the lawn. (See everyone? Worship of men will kill the grass!)
But it was the most wonderfully spiritually intense time. We walked all down the mall and visited the Capitol building’s front steps then the Supreme Court building. Let me just say that I LOVE that protestors aren’t allowed to even touch the steps at the S.C. I don’t care what your cause is, that building is a solemn place and needs to be respected. We actually got to go into that building and wander around- it was truly incredible.
After that was lunch at a really friendly restaurant near where the Justice House of Prayer used to be. We did some shopping later in the day and then had dinner at Dawn’s house.
Funny side story- Earlier this morning Sue mentioned that she thought it would be funny ot run into someone she knows since she knows quite a few people in DC. My reply was “I only know one person in this town and so it’s HIGHLY unlikely that we’ll see anyone that I know.” (I should have known that God has a sense of humor.) Sure enough later this afternoon we were innocently walking through the subway when who should I spy but Jacob James Stillwell! It made my heart indescribably happy to see him. I gave him a big hug and introduced him to everyone. He was on his way to some kind of political something or other so we couldn’t chat but we’re going to have dinner tomorrow night. I am really looking forward to it.
So yeah, my feet are tired, my heart would like some time to get away and process a) the possible move to Wilmington b) the weightiness of Freedom Fest and what it could mean for our nation and c) the goodness and beauty of my Lord.
But for now, I am content.
Super intense day today. Woke up and headed out to church where Benji (I can’t remember his last name) talked to us about Exodus Cry.
My heart was stirred for sure. Considering what it could mean for my future.
Then spent eight hours in Sue’s car driving to DC. With us were Kevin and Jadon and we drove together with Gabriel and Brianna who had their babies with them.
I am on total people overload. I’m sitting in Laurie’s room with her and Amber and Kylie and Twinnie. I can’t handle the thought of my room right now unless everyone is going to sleep. Maybe I’ll just go over there and ignore everyone until I can sleep.
I’m really doing ok, just agitated and missing my [comfortable and convenient] Seattle life.
It’s a stinkin’ adventure!
World’s quickest-written blog post. I’m gonna hit the high lights and then hit the sack.
Sleeping in + an hour of solitude and journaling.
Shopping with Gabriel (all the boys, actually) for art supplies.
Half hour chat with my mom.
Figuring out that Michael Crawford (the original Phantom in Phantom of the Opera) was Cornelius Hackl in Hello Dolly. (!)
Chatting with Erin while drinking tea and trying to keep Amber and Kiley out of trouble.
Worship service at church. World’s quickest painting.
Holding a really cute strange baby who stared at me so long that her mother finally passed her over. Being thrown up on by said baby. #needtodoadelicatewash. (Yes, I know this isn’t Twitter.)
Becoming my father in said worship service and SCREAMING prayers.
Going to two different grocery stores in the monster van looking for someplace that would sell us steak and brie.
Breaking down in said van. Had to be rescued by Gabriel in a [stolen] truck.
Michael going back out to rescue Gabriel who got rather stuck himself.
Cooking steak and potatoes with Timothy and Michael at midnight.
Eating brie with Glory.
Being so tired I can barely write this.
More soon.
I should warn you all right off the front end that this isn’t really an ode. I don’t actually know how to write an ode, or a sonnet, or indeed anything except ababab rhyming poetry. Also I can write limericks… Hold on while I try and write a Michael Carr Limerick Read the rest of this entry »
I’m on hour eight of my day and it’s only noon (Pacific Time). I’m sitting at the Atlanta airport waiting for my flight to Wilmington. There is something so unspeakably frustrating about having to wait for a little puddle-jumper of a flight. It would feel more valid if we were taking a 777 across the Atlantic or something, but we are most definitely NOT. This is an hour-long flight to a little town that I could practically spit on from here.
For some reason the flight crew for the Cleveland flight didn’t show up and it shafted everyone else. Luckily people seem to be taking it well. Everyone is resigned and pleasant about it. Well, almost everyone- there is a VERY cranky flight attendant manning our gate. I think she’s had a long day.
8.5 hours until takeoff, but in my mind I’m already gone.
Out of the box.
Into the great wide open.
