sun catcher on my front porchWhile driving to Karrie's house tonight, I sneezed so hard that I spit-fired my cough drop right out of my mouth. Don't ask me where it ended up, because I have no idea. I just know that I had a cough drop at the beginning of the sneeze and did not have one at the end of it. I'm sure that will make for a nice surprise next time I'm vacuuming out the car seats.
This was the first time I had visited Karrie at the place where she now lives with her boyfriend Scott, a bite-sized shotgun double of Orleans Ave. that they share with a fiesty black cat and a greyhound mixbreed dog named Wraith. I had come to deliver a space heater and a blanket to the woefully underheated house, and even though, as Karrie pointed out to me, the rooms are "freakin' cold," I was nevertheless struck by how homey the place felt. Lived in. Loved in. I found myself thinking that I would give up all the vaulted ceilings and plush carpeting and marble countertops in the world if I could be guaranteed a house that would forever feel like that tiny little shotgun.
I've noticed that change in my personality at my own house, too. Jac can tell you--I've become significantly less anal retentive about things being spotless and the table being perpetually clear and having every stray object in its designated place. We've settled into a kind of sloppy chic around the house, Jaclyn and I, and I have to say I don't really miss the spotless days. (Somewhere in Metairie right now, Jac is on her knees thanking Jesus for my transformation) I used to want a "nice" place with plates that all match and big, luxurious area rugs and aesthetically pleasing furniture arrangements. Now I just want a place to write and create in, with windows that let in light and lots of wall space to hang up my friends' art. And who cares if there's dust on the bookshelves? If an asteroid hurtles into planet earth tomorrow afternoon, I certainly don't want to die dusting bookshelves.
Actually, that's really terrible logic, and I'm not trying to tout some kind of extremist carpe diem philosophy that's just a thinly veiled excuse to make selfish decisions and not put any time or effort into anything. But as a person who can easily get consumed by the details--by the mundane to-do lists and the relentless hamster wheels--it's nice to shift over to the big picture once in a while. It's been oddly comforting to me lately (whereas in the past this type of thinking used to terrify me) to remember that our lives are brief and fleeting, like the grass of the field that soon withers (Isaiah 40:6-7). I don't know if I can even completely convey why, except to say that it reminds me to be grateful, and to relish each new experience, and not to fall into the trap of hanging all my hopes on some indefinable point in the future--in essence, not to wait for my house to more closely resemble something in Martha Stewart Living before I call it a home.
Through Christ, we have hope now. Our hope and our joy is already within us because of the Holy Spirit, if we will only learn to tap into it.
I guess I should also mention that I watched Into The Wild tonight. SUCH an amazing movie, and the catalyst for a typical Jac-o-Nik conversation:
NIK: "Oh my gosh, Jac, that movie was great!"
JAC: "Doesn't he die in the end?"
NIK: "Yeah, he does."
JAC: "Doesn't he die in the wilderness?"
NIK: "Yeah, he does."
JAC: "And you still want to run off into the woods this summer?"
NIK: "Yeah, I do."
I need to re-read some Jack London before then. =)
7 comments:
http://iheartyerface.blogspot.com/2009/01/roadtrip.html
it was posted right before "dirty pockets"; dunno if you saw it or not.
the worst is when you sneeze while eating, because that's just that much grosser for whatever reason.
oh, have you been eating okay since i left? you seem to have lost weight in the jacket photos you gave me..
the camera's supposed to ADD ten pounds, not remove it! :)
i'm tired, goodnight.
p.s. please be careful when you take your survival trip. i'll be praying.
Isn't that movie awesome and inspiring? I'm glad you took my suggestion and watched it. Happy surviving. :)
LOL and Scott was like "I wish we cleaned up before Nikki came over." It is home. Though we are looking for a new one. Hopefully one that isn't going to flood ya know. Oh if you want something to help with your cold, elderberry and slippery elm. If you can get some slippery elm lozengers and maybe something with elderberry in it that will help out =)
Must spend time with you soon. =)
Aww, thanks for showing interest in my pups! If you go to my facebook, there's an album titled "Layla" and you can see her puppy pictures as well as Boogie, my other pup. Layla is quite a bit larger now, so I suppose I should post some more recent pics... coming soon!
It seems, however, that there is an inherent difference between Alaska in the winter and TN or CO in the summer...with a car.
Into the Wild was a good movie, but Chris McCandless was dumb for being unprepared. There's a significant difference between living off the land and suicide.
Good luck living off the land, I'm sure you'll do fine.
You know, it's just recently that God put a massive halt to me living in the future with my long-term to do lists. I can relate to the idea of this blog. It wouldn't be too stellar if I was reorganizing the previously reorganized desk drawer for the 15th time when I died. You're absolutely right.
I really like your site. I love the pictures and everything about it. It's so welcoming. I just got Internet back today for the first time since I moved. =]
Thanks to everyone for the comments!
@Brent - I don't think I've lost weight, although I wouldn't be very upset about it if I did. I think it was just the way the jacket creates lines. See? You made it slim-fit and you weren't even trying!
@Anonymous #1 - I can't even remember who first suggested this movie to me...Mike, is that you???
@Karrie - Yes. Time must be spent soon!
@Kelleigh - Gracias. Your blog is pretty spiffy as well, cowgirl.
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