LISTEN / PEACE SONG
After groggy goodbyes, piling into Zeke's two door Toyota at dawn and driving till dark, with a few stops between, including one in Racine where we picked up Jamie, we drove. Drove until Missouri enveloped us. Once passed St. Louis, we stopped at Sonic and felt the eras pull and clash in the lot from the car show. The guys were an inch close to backing up the bug-spattered five-seater and popping the hood to join in (almost wish they had).
We stayed with my cousin--he has a beautiful family and home with gorgeous photos captured of travels and beloved one's portraits, decking the walls. His year-old son was a blue-eyed doll the way he toddled to bring his parents their shoes "to say that he wanted to go for a walk" first thing after being fed breakfast. They were loving to watch.
Sunday, I had the best water-balloon fight of my life--mouthful of swamp, survival dive into the murk, knees caked in muck, mind filled with adrenaline rush--and some of my friends had their feet eaten alive by fire ants.
I learned what "Happy Birthday Melody" means and also learned that Sacajawea is one of the women from the Old Testament, according to Earl.
Monday, a lovely waitress with scandalously honest opinions of the menu served us lunch at Ellie's Kitchen. With evening, on blankets sprawled across the cooled concrete of the garage, we imitated moths and clustered around candles lit in jars. Jesus was there. We strummed and worshiped till our hearts were exhausted.
 |
| Slowed breath. |
 |
They sang beautiful words.
My skin became goosebumps.
And we laughed still.
|
 |
| Servant heart. |
 |
| Dared. |
 |
| Double dog dared. |
 |
| People watching: a favorite hobby. |
 |
| This girl. Her soul a river overflowing more and more. |
 |
| Creating. |
 |
| Wisely spent quarters. |
 |
| Forehead shots. Look at that laugh! |
 |
| This ninja has a tie. |
 |
| Micah could open an ice cream shop. |
 |
| When all was spilled of loft-jumping and feet were examined. |
 |
| When the sun falls on Rebekah Elizabeth, her locks turn to flame. |
 |
| New proud pet owner. |
 |
| Jamie's trick was magic to Micah. |
 |
| Her radiance and wit so brightly. Lovely Veronica. |
 |
| A Galveston alleyway, an audience of family. |
 |
| Kye Kye's Peace Song, beautifully captured. |
 |
| Her warmth in a smile and contagious spirit freely giving. |
 |
| Ver calls me little bear when I laugh. |
 |
| Hair spilling over like coils of sea-wave. |
 |
| O-the stories we've been telling. |
 |
| Ha! |
 |
| The song of their laughter. |
 |
| Nate's giant heart is often selfless and thoughtful. |
 |
| Beautiful woman. |
 |
| My dearest Sawyer. |
To be thankful:
Silly faces at highway strangers. Springfield's inner touch with Lincoln. Darth Vader voices. Nacho Libre jokes. Incredible accents. Heart hiccups from Police-mo. Limitless conspiracies. Hillbilly and ghetto hour. The embrace of a friend in the dark after driving lost hours. Batman mockeries. Morning worship. Sleeping in odd places. Kitchen floor talks and late night cooking. A taco salad much like vomit. Mumbling stories with jawbreakers in our mouths. First four seconds of Sweeney Todd under the dining room table. H&M's models to hug and kiss from a dare. Too many yellow ones for Bekah. People to watch slowly. Rollerblading children in the mall corridors. Breakfast made for others. The gypsy from Israel named Sapir who conned me out of $30 for dead sea mud. The black shoe crusade and settling on Converse. A quarter to buy bubble gum and spilled coins rolled over tile. Lovingkindness to each other. The voice of the Lord in 18:13 and Ezekiel 2. Joh's stool in the pantry where her face is a giant on the doorknob. The art of woodburning shared between us. A butterfly for a pen-pal. 111,111 purple ping pong balls. Runny chocolate oatmeal cookies with sprinkles. Us giggling three clothed in the tub anticipating. Forehead and armpit photos. Trunk talks. Sleepy visit to World Market full of scents. Barnes & Noble readings. Chasing the fire before dusk. Balcony jumps. Like three children in trouble. Doctor visits and the little boy with the robot. Slow spin on the wheelchair. A Betta fish named Iceling. Nerf gun wars and pretending to be zombies. Garageband lessons. Nate's ninja costume made classy with a Dad-tied tie. Laughing till tears. Frog catching after dusk. Micah's homemade chocolate ice cream. An era to walk through where ice cream and brain freezes occur. Jesus at the end of the rocky pier. The salt making wounds sting and bleed. Endlessly beyond the blue His love outstretches. Spicy jambalaya. Fuddruckers and Ellie's with some NASA spacecrafts between and jokes about watermelons. Little diddies thought on the spot to strum. Honesty and sincerity. Deepened friendships. Time soft and free to breathe slowly. Nathan the neighbor's zestful mischief like a little rascal. Veronica's haircuts. Shell collecting or jelly-fish crushing; choose one. Fire in their hair when the Texan sun fell. The green moss hugging the rocks. Stillness of joy. The souls singing beside the crash of ocean. Hands in hands-God on our lips before our hearts. Carrying Joh up. The Missouri trees wrapped down by vines to look like beasts against the horizon. Cheating out the Twilight Zone. Blue trees and palm ones. An alleyway for Peace Song. A car of air, fire and earth types. Boneless banana from a sweetie. Jamie's imitation of Louis Armstrong. Myca's soft twang at Food Giant. Soup to heal. Panera patio where I met Wendy. Developing Sunset Chasers. Good talks with our brother. Home again, safely.
Mr. Pratt, Mrs. Pratt, Zeke, Joh, Seth, Veronica, Jessica, Nate, Micah, Jamie, Bekah, my heart pours out thankfulness to God for you all. A love that never fails, m
No comments:
Post a Comment