Ninety Six Hours

I pause momentarily and suck in the freshness of the moment.  Ninety six hours of sterileness, starkness, and strangers.  Ninety six hours of doubt and unknowing.  Ninety six hours wondering what our life will be like.  Ninety six hours of my beloved's life hanging by a few thick threads. These are the things that my last ninety six hours has held.  

Drinking in the warmth of the sun on this beautiful Fall day, I stand in a untamed heap of gently surrendered tree attire.  The peels of color slowly losing their vibrancy as they silently wither away.  Jack twists and swirls around my legs, making his way up my body until I silently shiver.  Usually I hate shivering, but today I embrace the gift of feeling alive.  In these moments, I am grateful for the gift of breath and the knowledge that my beloved will soon be re-joining me on this adventure called life.  

The realization that each breath is a gift and each day is intended to be lived to the fullest with my Creator quietly twirls through my head. My Creator is beckoning me to take His hand and dance with Him in the quietness of these moments.  To allow myself to be taken with the fragility of these moments I have experienced.  To understand that I am just passing through and each day is a gift from Him to be offered back to Him for His use.  To comprehend that nothing I have here has eternal value other than my relationship with Him.  His ever-probing eyes searching mine for acknow-ledgement of this lesson. 

I will to remember these moments. When I wake up tomorrow, I will replay these moments.  When I wake up in a week, I will replay these moments. When I wake up in ten years, I will replay these moments.  When I wake up on my last day on this planet, I will replay these moments. May the sweetness of these moments be etched solidly on my heart with indelible ink.  May this Plank-Eyed girl never forget that My Creator reached in to today and altered my path and gave me my Beloved back.

Until we Chat Again,
The Plank-Eyed Girl

Embracing the Adventure

An uncomfortable hush fills the space I am in.  A distinct rumble starts to invade the air and I find an odd comfort in it.  I can feel my body being pushed and held flat against the fake, blue leather chair I am perched in. A double ding clearly provides permission to connect to the wireless outside world.  This is the tenth time in the last 365 days I have lived this.  Each time I am utterly elated and simultaneously mystified.

Strangers surround me in this incredibly heavy, long metal tube.  They sit within inches of me.  My mind races wondering where they are headed and why?  Together, we are journeying to thesame geographic   island, yet no words are spoken and no eye contact is made.  40,000 feet up above the soil and water that comprise the planet on which I reside, I silently converse with God about all that I am leaving behind to embrace an adventure that I have no control over.

On this day, I am leaving behind so many things that define me.  This realization peppers my reality.  I am ultra aware that when I awake tomorrow, no one will know or care what I do for a living.  No one will know or care for whom I work.  No one will know or care whose mom, wife, or daughter I am.  I will be part of a mix from all over this terra firma that is merging together to worship and serve.

On this day, I am leaving behind so many things that bring me security.  My cozy yellow cottage, so warm and welcoming.  My black and currently topless vehicle that allows me the freedom to go where ever I desire.  My "studio" that is filled with precious childrens books, as well as, gleaned and foraged art supplies. But most of all, oddly enough, I am leaving behind my favorite, gently-used yellow cardigan.

On this day, I am leaving behind many people that are embedded in my heart.  The "Precious One".    The "Gentle One".  The "Humble One".  But most of all, I am leaving behind many "seasoned" friends yet to be introduced to you.

Today, I release all these "things" that I am leaving behind. With one hand, I timidly slide it into my Creators and with the other, I hold it out and wide open to embrace this advenure in front of me and pick up the new discoveries.

Come with me as I journey.  My writing might not be perfect and clean but I promise to share my heart and authenticity as I skip through these next seven weeks.

He's got this.

Until we chat again,

- The Plank-Eyed Girl.